By Dark_KingXu
---
The moon hung low above Moonlight Town, casting a pale glow over the cobbled streets. Though midnight had passed, many cultivators still walked the roads, preparing for the tournament that would shake the region. But in a quiet room at the Silver Lantern Hall, Xu Ming sat in silence, Voidcleaver resting across his lap, the words of Bai echoing through his mind.
> "Only then will I give you the truth about the Eye… and your father."
Causing more confusion in his heart.
His father…
Dead. Murdered when he was barely old enough to walk. At least, that's what the slum rumors said. That was the truth he had carried all his life.
But Bai's words struck with the weight of a blade. Doubt had been planted, and now it grew, thorned and twisting. His fingers clenched around the paper until it crumpled.
No. Focus.
He stood, wrapped Voidcleaver back onto his back, and pulled the curtain aside. Morning sunlight was beginning to creep over the rooftops, and with it came the final day of calm before the storm.
---
Downstairs, Lin Feng nursed a bowl of broth, eyes puffy with sleep.
"You're up early," he said, glancing up. "Couldn't sleep?"
Xu Ming sat across from him. "Something like that."
There was a pause before Lin Feng added, "I asked around about this 'Bai' figure. No one's heard of him. At least, not anyone still breathing."
Xu Ming didn't respond.
Instead, he asked, "How many are registered for the tournament?"
Lin Feng chewed thoughtfully on a strip of dried meat. "A hundred and twenty-seven. All below Foundation Establishment Realm. Mostly from nearby clans, but a few rogue cultivators too. The tournament has five stages. First three are elimination rounds, last two are direct duels."
He paused. "They're calling it the 'Moonlight Rising.' Apparently, the elders want to make it a yearly thing. A proving ground for the next generation."
Xu Ming leaned back, eyes narrowing slightly. "And the top contenders?"
Lin Feng let out a low whistle.
"Liang Fei's the favorite, of course. Peak of stage seven Qi Manifestation Realm, thunder Qi, reinforced meridians. I heard he broke an elder's shield with a single strike."
"Rong Yixuan's just as dangerous. That icy composure isn't just for show—her water arts are suffocating. Rumors say she mastered a Water Severing Intent."
"And then there's Qin Mo," he added with a grimace. "Poison techniques. Tricks, traps, illusions—he doesn't fight clean, but he wins. His family controls a black alchemy line."
Xu Ming remained quiet. Lin Feng noticed.
"You're not worried?" he asked.
"I've walked through worse than their techniques," Xu Ming replied calmly. "Let them come."
Lin Feng chuckled. "Well, I'm just glad we're not fighting in the same bracket."
---
Later that day, the Moonlight Plaza roared with activity. Sects may have stayed out of the fray, but the influence of Moonlight Town's most powerful clans was undeniable.
Stalls had become recruitment posts. Clan scouts walked openly among the crowds, eyes sharp and scrolls in hand. Every young cultivator who made a name here would be noted, ranked, and possibly invited into a legacy.
Xu Ming walked alone through the crowds, hood drawn again, listening.
Whispers followed him.
"That's him. Xu Ming."
"The one who cleared the Trial of the Abyssal Path?"
"Looks ordinary…"
"Fool, don't judge a blade by its scabbard."
Though he ignored the murmurs, he could feel the shift in pressure. Fame came as quickly as hostility.
Suddenly, the crowd parted.
Standing ahead was a figure cloaked in silver robes, long black hair tied back in a ribbon of blue silk. Her skin was like porcelain, and her steps left frost on the wooden platform beneath her.
Rong Yixuan.
The chill in the air deepened as she approached.
Their eyes met.
"You're the one who cleared the Abyssal Path," she said softly, her voice cool and even. "Xu Ming."
He nodded, saying nothing.
"I want to fight you," she continued. "Not out of anger, but clarity. I have trained for ten years to forge my Dao. If you are truly beyond me, I want to see it with my own eyes. On the stage."
She bowed slightly—a rare gesture among prideful clan elites.
Xu Ming met her gaze. "Then we'll meet when the heavens decide it."
She smiled faintly. "Until then."
She turned and vanished into the crowd, frost dissipating in her wake.
No sooner had she left than another figure replaced her.
Clapping slowly, lazily, was Qin Mo.
He wore deep crimson robes and a crooked smile, his fan tapping his chin as he eyed Xu Ming.
"Well, well. The mysterious ghost of the Iron Vein Slums. I must say, you've risen rather dramatically. Makes me wonder who's backing you."
Xu Ming said nothing.
Qin Mo stepped closer, voice low. "Whatever truth you think you've found—Voidcleaver, the Eye, your strange little talents—just know this: the clans don't tolerate wild dogs."
He leaned in, breath foul with medicinal herbs. "Don't get too used to the light, Xu Ming. The shadows are hungrier than you know."
Xu Ming stared into his eyes. "Then let them come hungry. I'll feed them steel."
Qin Mo's smile faltered. Just for a moment.
Then he laughed, stepping away. "We'll see how long your fire lasts."
---
Night fell swiftly.
Back at the inn, Xu Ming sat on the roof, staring at the moon. Lin Feng joined him, carrying a jug of cheap wine.
"One day left," Lin Feng said, drinking. "Think you'll sleep tonight?"
"No."
"Me neither."
The wind was quiet. For a long time, they said nothing. Then Xu Ming spoke.
"When I was younger," he said, "I used to dream of finding my father's killer. I thought if I became strong enough, I'd just know who it was. That the truth would show itself."
Lin Feng looked over. "And now?"
"I'm not so sure anymore. The truth isn't something that reveals itself. You have to tear it out of the world. Piece by piece."
Lin Feng offered him the wine jug. Xu Ming took a sip. It burned like fire and left behind a strange warmth.
"Tomorrow," Lin Feng said, "we stand before giants."
Xu Ming nodded. "Then let's remind them what the sky looks like when it cracks open."
---
Meanwhile, in a hidden chamber beneath Moonlight Town, a council of elders gathered.
A large scrying mirror glowed at the center of the room. It showed an image of Xu Ming standing on the roof of the inn.
"He cleared the Abyssal Path," one voice murmured. "Unassisted."
"His bloodline isn't recorded. The Bai elder confirmed it—he carries no clan seal."
"But that sword..."
"It's that sword," the eldest voice confirmed. "The Voidcleaver has awakened. And so has the Eye."
The chamber fell silent.
Then came the voice of a woman—cold, composed. "Shall we kill him?"
"No," said the elder. "Let him fight. If he reaches the final round, then we'll decide."
Outside, the moon pulsed behind dark clouds.
And in the heart of Moonlight Town, the storm that Xu Ming had summoned drew closer with every breath.
---
Author's Note:
The blade is drawn. The enemies are watching. And the truth… it's deeper than Xu Ming ever imagined.