Chapter 2

In the divine realm, amidst the mist beside a palace that appears and disappears.

A man with water-blue hair flowing like a waterfall stood there silently, gazing at the endless distance, not knowing what he was looking at.

A woman wearing a pink long dress, her hair tied into a scorpion braid, blocked the man's arm and rested her head on his shoulder.

「Huh, strange. 」 the man exclaimed in surprise, his eyes gazing into the distance growing brighter, as if he wanted to see through something he wished to say.

「What's wrong, third brother? 」 the woman blinked her beautiful big eyes, asking curiously. In her impression, her third brother hadn't shown such a surprised expression for a long time.

Even when he had just mentioned that a new star would appear on the Douluo Continent, he had never been like this.

The man let out a light sigh and slowly said: 「It's just a bit strange; before I could still see that newly rising star, but then it became a haze, and now the situation on the continent seems even unfathomable to me. 」

「Moreover, the divine realm seems to be undergoing some change; although we are not yet certain what this change is, at times an inexplicable sense of fear wells up. 」

「How could this be? 」 the woman exclaimed in surprise, finding it hard to believe that her omnipotent third brother would also have moments of doubt.

「Should we let Xiao Qi train in the lower realm? 」 the woman frowned slightly, her expression revealing a hint of worry.

「Don't worry, Xiao Wu, although I can't see the continent's situation clearly, the overall direction is still good; let Xiao Qi go down for some training, it won't hurt. 」

Six years later

Chen Qiye, after being picked up by Mu Lao, had been taken in by Mu Lao and stayed by his side for six years; under the care of the elder masters, Chen Qiye had grown to his present state.

Today, after waiting six whole years, Chen Qiye finally reached the day of his martial soul awakening, for in this world the strength of one's martial soul determines one's future heights.

Early in the morning Chen Qiye was led by Zhang Le Xuan's hand to a spacious room in the Sea God Pavilion; the other rooms of the Sea God Pavilion are no different, likewise having walls and floor made of golden trees, and covered with various wonderful patterns; upon close inspection, one feels as if these patterns conceal endless mysteries.

What surprised Chen Qiye was that all the senior elders of the Sea God Pavilion were present; Mu Lao, as usual, lay on a side recliner, while the others stood in a row behind him.

Xuan Lao stood at the front of the room, beside him a huge crystal ball.

「You've come, Xiao Ye, come over. 」

Xuan Lao waved at Chen Qiye.

Chen Qiye looked toward where Zhang Le Xuan stood; he saw her clench her fists, cheering him on: 「Let's go, Xiao Ye. 」

Chen Qiye nodded.

Actually, Chen Qiye was still a bit nervous, not knowing what kind of martial soul he would possess.

He was certainly hopeful, but at the same time worried that he might awaken a useless martial soul that cannot be cultivated, which would be in vain.

Xuan Lao said nothing; a soft white light shone from his hand, and under everyone's gaze he pointed into the void; that thread of soft light filled the entire room, eventually gathering onto Chen Qiye.

Chen Qiye felt warm all over; as the white energy entered his body, he felt a tingling numbness throughout.

After the brief tingling subsided, Chen Qiye felt a strong wave of drowsiness; everything before his eyes blurred, and the whole world turned into a sheet of snow-white.

As far as the eye could see, there was only snow, no sign of any life.

Besides the bright moon in the sky, Chen Qiye could only feel a piercing cold and endless void. 「Little brother. 」

The familiar voice stirred Chen Qiye's memory sealed for six years; this voice he knew all too well.

Chen Qiye turned around, only to see a woman of peerless beauty, her eyes covered by black gauze, walking out in the moonlight, her whole figure appearing like a fairy who had walked out of the moon palace… 「Big… big sister, where have you been all these years? 」 Chen Qiye expressed his doubt: 「These years I have been in your mental space, but because you have not yet awakened your own power, I could not communicate with you. 」

「But from now on I will teach you swordsmanship and cultivation. 」

Jingliu herself is aloof and cold, and with her eyes veiled in black gauze, Chen Qiye could see nothing unusual about her appearance.

「Um, big sister, I want to ask how you came to this world? Why do you want to teach me swordsmanship? 」

Chen Qiye really felt it strange; Jingliu belongs to the shattered world and the Douluo world, which have nothing to do with each other, so how could she have come to this world? 「I was sent by the Emperor's Bow Decree; I came to this realm as my spiritual form, not my true body. 」

The Emperor's Bow Decree is very familiar to Chen Qiye; it is one of the eighteen star gods of Honkai: Star Rail, and the light arrows it shoots possess causal power.

Chen Qiye was about to ask something when Jingliu interrupted him first.

「That's too much; I cannot tell you now. If you want to know more, you must first use your own power to break through this world's barrier, ascend to godhood, and then you can consider more. 」

「Today's time is about up; from now on, each day after the ninth hour, I will not pull you into your mental sea to teach you swordsmanship. 」

「Hey. 」

The young Chen Qiye felt dizzy, his vision going dark.

Meanwhile, the Sea God Pavilion on the other side fell into chaos because of Chen Qiye.

An extreme chill burst from Chen Qiye's body, instantly covering the room with a thick layer of ice; Mu Lao quickly shielded Zhang Le Xuan behind him, and even the other Sea God Pavilion elders were shocked by the ice element Chen Qiye released.

Although it was daytime, the sky above the Sea God Pavilion became extremely dark, with only a sliver of moonlight shining upon it.

The cold ice existed only for a moment before it all surged into Chen Qiye's body; before him appeared a five-foot-long sword, its body clear and flawless, the dark blade tinged with a floating blood-red hue.

「What, what kind of sword is this? Even as a martial soul manifestation, it can emit such an extreme chill! 」

Everyone looked at the five-foot-long sword before Chen Qiye, and their hearts were overcome with shock and awe.

Even the usually steady Mu Lao ended his light doze.

They had wanted to find an adopted child, yet he possessed such terrifying talent; he could feel that the chill of Chen Qiye's sword had surpassed the level of extreme ice, and even the icy aura of the Three Kings of the Extreme North would pale in comparison before him.

The room fell into a brief silence, as if time had completely stopped.

Chen Qiye faintly awoke, and the Broken Sword martial soul also entered his body, disappearing.

Chen Qiye looked at the flustered Sea God Pavilion elders before him and couldn't help but wonder, 「Grandfather Mu, uncles, what's wrong with you? 」

……

And likewise, an anomaly occurred in the Star Dou Great Forest.

A dragon's roar issued from somewhere, causing all the soul beasts in the Star Dou Great Forest to tremble.

Even Di Tian, as mighty as the Ten Great Ferocious Beasts, was frightened heart‑trembling by this dragon's roar.

It even disturbed the monster lurking beneath the Star Dou Great Forest……

(End of chapter)