Chapter 150: Good 5
The wind moaned through the narrow canyons of Irontooth Pass as Adrian stood atop the jagged cliff, the Bound Star Core pulsing faintly beneath his robes. Behind him, the newly rescued disciples huddled in silence—young men and women from forgotten villages, scattered remnants of the old Mistshroud Sect, their eyes still hollow from trauma, but glimmering with something new.
Hope.
Bella approached from the rear, her boots crunching against gravel. "The scouts returned. No signs of pursuit for now. But we need to keep moving."
Adrian nodded. His gaze fell on a weathered stone tablet partially buried under vines. The markings etched across its surface were unmistakable—Mistshroud glyphs. He brushed his fingers across them, activating a ripple of qi that surged into the cliffside.
With a low groan, the cliff wall shuddered and split open.
A hidden entrance.
Bella raised an eyebrow. "You’ve found another ruin?"
Adrian gave a thin smile. "No. I think this was meant for me."
They descended through the passage, the air growing colder and older with each step. Roots dangled from the stone ceiling, and faded murals told tales of the sect’s golden days—disciples meditating atop stars, wielding swords bathed in silver flame, fighting back shadows that crawled from the void.
The corridor widened into a vast underground chamber—a forgotten sanctuary, untouched by time. A massive crystal floated at its center, cracked but still glowing faintly with celestial energy. The walls bore carvings of a woman in flowing robes—Aurelia Mistshroud—her eyes etched with both sorrow and resolve.
Adrian stepped forward, and the Bound Star flared to life.
"You have returned, heir of stars," a voice echoed from the crystal—not loud, but ancient, like the whisper of the cosmos. It was not a true voice, but a soul imprint—what remained of Aurelia herself.