I want to tread the heavens

The night has never been so long.

Ling Xiao, holding Fa Cai, sat on the threshold, his eyes fixed on the direction of the courtyard gate. The cold moonlight bathed the small courtyard in a silvery white light. The distant sound of the night watchman's drum could be faintly heard; midnight had passed, the hour of Chou had passed, and the hour of Yin was more than halfway over.

Uncle Rong hasn't come back yet.

Fa Cai nestled in Ling Xiao's arms, its ears twitching occasionally, its amber eyes gleaming in the darkness. It seemed to sense Ling Xiao's anxiety, licking his hand with its warm tongue from time to time, making comforting purring sounds in its throat.

"Get rich, do you think Uncle Rong might..." Ling Xiao didn't dare to finish his sentence.

Fa Cai shook his head vigorously and rubbed his head against his chin, meaning "No way."

But the unease in Ling Xiao's heart spread wildly like vines. He remembered the black-robed man in the cave, the dark eye sockets beneath the ghostly face, and the chilling demonic energy... Although Uncle Rong was powerful, he had lost all his cultivation. Could he deal with such a monster with only a broken sword?

What if Uncle Rong is discovered? What if...

Ling Xiao dared not think any further. He could only hug Fa Cai tightly, as if he could draw warmth and strength from this furry little body.

At the end of the Yin hour, a faint glimmer of dawn finally appeared on the eastern horizon.

The courtyard gate remained tightly closed.

Ling Xiao's heart sank lower and lower. He remembered Uncle Rong's instructions before he left—"If I haven't returned by sunrise, go find Guo Yun."

Dawn is breaking.

Just as the first rays of dawn pierced the clouds, about to spill into the courtyard—

"Squeak—"

The courtyard gate was gently pushed open.

A figure staggered in, barely managing to steady himself by leaning against the doorframe. It was Yue Rong.

His gray clothes were tattered and stained with mud and dark red grime—it was hard to tell if it was blood or something else. The charcoal ash smeared on his face was washed away by sweat, leaving deep furrows that revealed his pale complexion. The broken sword at his waist had several new cracks on its blade, which was now bent and almost unusable.

But he came back.

"Uncle Rong!" Ling Xiao suddenly stood up, rushed over, and burst into tears.

Yue Rong reached out to pat his head, but his hand fell limply halfway up. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but suddenly coughed violently, a cough that tore at his heart, and a trace of dark red blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

"Uncle Rong! You're injured!" Ling Xiao panicked, wanting to help him up but not daring to touch him, pacing anxiously.

Fa Cai rushed over, anxiously sniffing at Yue Rong's wounds, letting out mournful sobs.

"It's nothing...cough cough...I won't die." Yue Rong waved his hand and, supported by Ling Xiao, slowly walked into the house, slumping into a chair. He closed his eyes, breathing heavily, his chest heaving like a bellows.

Ling Xiao frantically fetched water, soaked a cloth in it, and carefully wiped the dirt and blood from Yue Rong's face. Fa Cai brought over the broken earthenware jar—it contained only a few Fire Moss Pills. Ling Xiao crushed one, mixed it with water, and fed it to Yue Rong little by little.

The medicine worked quickly. Yue Rong's breathing gradually stabilized, and a trace of color returned to his face. He opened his eyes, looked at Ling Xiao's red, swollen eyes, and forced an awkward smile:

"Why are you crying? I'm back now."

"Uncle Rong..." Ling Xiao choked up, unable to speak.

Yue Rong took a breath, his gaze turning serious: "Xiao'er, listen to me. The situation below is more complicated and more... dangerous than we thought."

Yue Rong spoke slowly and haltingly, but each sentence made Ling Xiao's heart beat faster.

"There is indeed a secret chamber beneath the alchemy room. The entrance is deep within the fire ditch, behind that loose brick. When I went inside, I discovered that it wasn't just a secret chamber, but a... small 'Star Altar'."

"An altar?" Ling Xiao asked, puzzled.

"The core of the formation is constructed using the power of stars." A complex light flashed in Yue Rong's eyes. "On the altar, a crystal ball floats. When I approached, the Yang pendant in my arms resonated with it. Then... a woman's phantom appeared inside the crystal ball."

Ling Xiao's heart skipped a beat: "It's... Mother?"

Yue Rong nodded, then shook his head: "I couldn't see her face clearly, it was very blurry, just a fleeting image. But her aura... was very similar to your mother's. She didn't speak, she just pointed gently in my direction. Then, the crystal ball projected a star map."

"Star map?"

"It's a star map of the Ziqiong Starfield. Although it's incomplete, I recognize it," Yue Rong said in a low voice. "The Heavenly Palace is right next to that brightest star. The image lasted for ten breaths before dissipating. The crystal ball also cracked, its energy exhausted."

He paused, then continued, "I found a hidden compartment at the base of the altar, containing a fragment of the 'Starfall Compass' and a roll of silk. The silk depicted a floating palace, with the words 'Celestial Palace' written in blood below, and a line of smaller characters next to it—"

Yue Rong looked at Ling Xiao and said, word by word, "'The Star Path Guidance is stored in the Inheritance Palace. The entrance to the palace is located at the core of the spiritual vein and requires a Star Key to open. —Left by Su Qing.'"

"Su Qing? Is that Mother's name?"

"I don't know. But the surname 'Su' and the connection to the Starfall Clan suggest she might be a member of your mother's clan, or even... herself," Yue Rong said in a deep voice. "The most crucial part is the last sentence—'The entrance to the underground palace is located at the core of the spiritual vein, requiring a Star Key to open.'"

Ling Xiao subconsciously touched the jade pendant around his neck: "Star Key... is this it?"

"Yes." Yue Rong nodded. "I suspect that deep within the Guo family's spiritual vein lies the Starfall Clan's true 'Inheritance Palace.' There, you might find things left by your parents, the Starfall Clan's heritage, and even... a way to leave your old homeland."

"Then let's go quickly!" Ling Xiao's eyes lit up.

"I can't go." Yue Rong shook his head, a shadow of gloom flashing in his eyes. "I was discovered when I left the secret room."

Yue Rong's story made Ling Xiao's heart leap into his throat again.

"It wasn't Guo Dahai's men, it was that man in black robes." Yue Rong's voice was cold. "He somehow tracked me to the vicinity of the secret chamber's entrance. When I came out, I ran right into the 'Blood Soul Vultures' he released—those strange, dark red birds that were in the sky last night. There were three of them, and they were circling near the entrance of the secret chamber, clearly having locked onto its location."

"Then Uncle Rong, you..."

"I killed one and seriously injured another, but I was also injured myself." Yue Rong rolled up his sleeve, revealing a deep claw mark on his left arm that exposed bone. The wound was surrounded by an abnormal dark red color, and the flesh was slightly black. "The Blood Soul Vulture's claws were poisoned with demonic venom. I managed to suppress it with Fire Moss Pills, but it won't last long."

Ling Xiao's eyes reddened again as he looked at the gruesome wound. He wanted to touch it, yet dared not, and could only ask in a trembling voice, "Then... what do we do now? The man in black knows the location of the secret chamber, what if..."

"Not for now." Yue Rong shook his head. "When I escaped, I triggered the mechanism at the entrance to the secret chamber, and it's currently sealed off by a layer of star seal. It will take time for the man in black robes to force his way through. Besides, the Guo family has a protective formation, so he wouldn't dare to cause too much trouble."

He looked at Ling Xiao, his gaze as firm as a rock: "But we don't have much time. The man in black robes has already pinpointed the location of the secret chamber and will soon be tracking us down. Moreover, Guo Dahai's side will likely take action as well. We must find the inheritance palace before they do, retrieve what's inside, and then... leave the Old Land."

"Leave?" Ling Xiao was taken aback. "But Uncle Rong, didn't you say the entrance to the underground palace was at the core of the spiritual vein? That's important territory for the Guo family. How do we get in?"

"There is someone who might be able to help us," Yue Rong said slowly.

A thought flashed through Ling Xiao's mind: "Grandma Guo Yun?"

"Yes." Yue Rong nodded. "She is the Third Elder, and her status in the Guo family is not low. More importantly, she knows our identities and the Starfall Clan. If I'm not mistaken, she may know about the existence of the underground palace entrance, and even... has a method to enter the core of the spiritual vein."

"But Uncle Rong, will Grandma Guo Yun help us? Although she took us in before, she has been keeping an eye on us..." Ling Xiao hesitated.

"She has to help." A sharp glint flashed in Yue Rong's eyes. "The demons have already come knocking. If we fall into their hands, or if the secrets of the underground palace are exposed, the entire Guo family will face annihilation. Guo Yun is a smart woman; she knows what to choose."

He stood up, his steps still a little unsteady, but his spine ramrod straight: "I'll go see Guo Yun after dawn. You stay home and keep an eye on Fa Cai. Remember, no matter what happens, don't go out, and don't trust anyone."

"Uncle Rong, your injury..."

"You won't die." Yue Rong interrupted him, took out the broken piece of the meteor compass from his pocket, and stuffed it into Ling Xiao's hand. "Keep this safe. If... if I don't come back, take this and Fa Cai, and find a way to leave the Guo family and go beyond the old land. The compass has a guiding function; although it's broken, it should be able to point out the general direction."

Ling Xiao gripped the compass component tightly, the cold, hard texture making his palm ache. He looked up at Yue Rong, tears welling in his eyes, but stubbornly refused to let them fall.

"Uncle Rong, you promised me you would come back." His voice trembled, but it was unusually firm.

Yue Rong looked at him for a long time, then reached out and ruffled his hair, his voice unusually gentle:

"Yes, Uncle Rong will definitely keep his promise to you."