I want to tread the heavens

He sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and forced himself to calm down, circulating the "Starry Sky Sensing Technique." The sparse stellar energy, like a trickle, slowly flowed into his parched meridians, bringing a faint nourishment. He knew it was too slow, but at this moment, it was the only effort he could make.

The jade pendant around his neck emitted a warmer glow than usual as he entered meditation, as if responding to his burning desire.

After an unknown amount of time, a suppressed cough came from inside the room.

Ling Xiao suddenly opened his eyes and rushed into the room.

Uncle Rong had woken up and was struggling to sit up. His face was still pale, but his eyes had regained some clarity, though that clarity was tinged with lingering weariness and pain.

"Uncle Rong! Don't move!" Ling Xiao rushed forward, helped him sit up against the headboard, and brought him some warm water.

Uncle Rong took two sips from his hand, letting out a long, trembling sigh, as if each breath had drained him of all his strength. His cloudy gaze slowly shifted to Ling Xiao's face, noticing the dark circles under his eyes and his tense expression. His lips moved, his voice hoarse and almost inaudible: "The notice... is it posted?"

"Hmm." Ling Xiao nodded and briefly recounted the news of the competition, the provocations from Guo Si and Guo Xiaoyue, and the fact that the Lin and Su families were attending the ceremony.

Uncle Rong listened quietly, without much expression, but when he heard "the secret realm is the ruins of the ancient vine forest," his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

"You want to participate." Uncle Rong's statement wasn't a question, but a statement.

"Yes." Ling Xiao answered without hesitation, his eyes resolute. "I need the qualification of the Secret Pavilion. Moreover, this is currently the only opportunity that is publicly available to quickly acquire resources and divert Guo Dahai's attention."

"It's very dangerous." Uncle Rong looked at him. "Guo Dahai won't let you get away easily. You might be able to maneuver within the rules in the arena, but in the secret realm... you're on your own. He has too many ways to deal with you."

"I know." Ling Xiao clenched his fist. "But to retreat is to wait for death. Rather than waiting for them to prepare everything to deal with us, we might as well jump in and find a glimmer of hope in the chaos."

Uncle Rong watched him silently. The flame in the boy's eyes burned brighter and clearer than ever before. He was no longer the naive and impulsive child who needed to be protected; he had begun to learn to calculate in desperate situations and walk on the edge of a knife.

"You've grown up," Uncle Rong said slowly, his voice filled with complex emotions—gratification, bittersweetness, and a heavy, mountain-like worry.

"I'm still far from it." Ling Xiao shook his head. "I need to become stronger. Uncle Rong, do you know anything about the Ancient Vine Forest Ruins?"

Uncle Rong closed his eyes and pondered for a moment, seemingly searching through fragmented memories: "I can't recall the details... I only have a vague impression that relics like 'Ancient Vine' are often associated with wood-related vitality, trapping formations, and certain yin and filthy things. You possess the power of a meteorite, which may give you some resistance against yin and evil things, but being trapped will also be troublesome. Make a fortune..."

He looked at Ling Xiao, his gaze grave: "Its aura must not be revealed in the secret realm. If there are any unclean things there, they are sensitive to blood and spiritual energy. If it goes in, it will be like a beacon in the darkness."

"I won't let it in," Ling Xiao said immediately. "I'll find a way to keep it outside, or... hide it deeper."

"Guo Dahai will definitely target you in the secret realm." Uncle Rong took a breath and continued, "Besides the overt attacks, be careful of poison, Gu, beast-attracting incense, and even underhanded tactics like disrupting the terrain to trigger restrictions. Your 'Swimming Fish Step' is the key to your survival, so you need to maximize your perception. Remember, in the secret realm, surviving and obtaining enough to prove yourself is more important than how many people you defeat."

"Yes." Ling Xiao engraved every word in his heart.

"And..." Uncle Rong's gaze deepened, "It might not be a bad thing that the Lin and Su families are attending the ceremony. With so many people watching, Guo Dahai might not dare to use some of his methods too obviously. Moreover, if you can demonstrate sufficient value... perhaps you'll have a better chance of survival, or... another option."

Ling Xiao's heart skipped a beat, and he understood Uncle Rong's meaning. One shouldn't put all their eggs in one basket. Guo Yun's protection was limited; if they could arouse even the slightest interest from outsiders, even the smallest possibility would be a bargaining chip.

"I see."

Uncle Rong seemed to have exhausted all his strength. He closed his eyes again, his voice low and weak: "Go and prepare... Be careful... Be careful in everything..."

Ling Xiao tucked the blanket around him and quietly slipped out.

Walking into the courtyard, he looked towards the dry well. Fa Cai should still be asleep. He went over, gently moved the stone slab, and whispered, "Fa Cai, the wind is picking up. This time, we must get through this together."

A barely audible, dependent sob came from down the well.

Just as Ling Xiao was making final preparations for the upcoming competition, the undercurrents in the old land were also surging faster under the cover of night.

Guo Dahai's residence was brightly lit. Guo Xiaoyue and several trusted confidants stood before him.

"I've got the topographical map of the Ancient Vine Forest and the known distribution of demonic beasts." Guo Si handed over a roll of parchment with a fawning expression. "I've also marked the weak points in the restrictions of several key areas. In addition, as Young Master instructed, I bought 'Beast-Attracting Incense' and 'Chaos-Inducing Flower Pollen' from the Black Serpent..."

Guo Dahai looked at the insidious creatures and a satisfied smile appeared on his face: "Very good. In the first round of the arena, I will separate Ling Xiao and Xiao Yue, letting him go through a few rounds first to build up his arrogance. Once we get to the secret realm... Xiao Yue, you know what to do."

Guo Xiaoyue toyed with a gleaming short sword, a cold smile playing on her lips: "Don't worry, Uncle. I'll make him 'accidentally' trigger the restriction, 'unfortunately' attract a horde of beasts, and in the end, 'his body will be completely destroyed.' I guarantee it'll be clean and efficient, and no one will be able to find any fault with it. The Lin and Su families will only see an overconfident piece of trash who brought about his own destruction."

"Hmm." Guo Dahai nodded, then lowered his voice, "We've received another message from Black Serpent. The Demon Clan's leaders seem quite interested in this competition, especially the exploration of the secret realm. They've instructed us... to keep an eye on any disciples with unusual auras or who possess special items. Especially those related to 'Stars' or 'Thunder'."

Guo Xiaoyue's eyes narrowed: "That kid Ling Xiao..."

"He's just one of the suspects." A glint of greed and ruthlessness flashed in Guo Dahai's eyes. "However, if he really has something to do with it, dying in the secret realm will save the Demon Lord some trouble, and the credit will still be ours. If not... well, he's dead, so be it. In any case, let's handle this matter well."

"clear!"

Meanwhile, in another quiet courtyard within the inner compound, Guo Yun was still awake. She stood by the window, gazing at the pale, cold moon in the night sky. A dark figure silently appeared behind her.

"Madam, Guo Dahai has purchased a batch of illicit items from the black market, likely for use in the Grand Competition. The envoys from the Lin and Su families have already moved into the villa, appearing polite on the surface but frequently conducting surveillance. In addition... the ley lines fluctuations near the alchemy room seem to have completely subsided these past few days, but the disciples on duty have reported vaguely seeing blurry figures spying in the distance, their behavior suspicious, and they were unable to catch them."

Guo Yun slowly turned around, her face revealing neither joy nor anger: "Understood. Have our people, within the bounds of the rules, do as much favors as possible for Ling Xiao. As for the alchemy room... increase manpower, keeping a show of leniency on the surface but a covert crackdown. The demons may already be impatient and want to personally test the waters."

"Yes." The figure in black acknowledged the order, hesitated for a moment, then added, "That child, Ling Xiao..."

"That's his tribulation, and also his path," Guo Yun interrupted him, her voice tinged with vicissitude. "There's only so much we can do. Whether he's a dragon or a worm, whether he lives or dies, ultimately it's up to him. Go."

The shadowy figure disappeared.

Guo Yun looked up at the night sky again. Beside the pale moon, a faint, dark red wisp of cloud drifted by, shaped like a ghost's claw, and vanished in an instant.

Her pupils contracted slightly, and she gripped the phoenix-headed staff in her hand tighter.

The rain is coming and the wind is all over the building.

The sky over this old land is truly about to change.

And this once-a-decade competition, which captivates countless hearts and minds, slowly unveiled its heavy and bloody curtain on the "eve" when various forces had different intentions and undercurrents were surging.

No one knows what kind of drama will ultimately unfold on this small stage, or how many people's fates will be led to an unpredictable abyss or... the starry sky.