On the Starfall Continent, Silverleaf fell like rain, and ancient lamps stood like a forest. Xiaoman set foot on this mysterious continent shrouded in a membrane of light. Beneath his feet lay Light Language Stones, translucent as jade. With every step, ancient runes surfaced within the stones, as though the earth were whispering, recounting the origins of the Lamp-Guarding Civilization a thousand years ago.
Seven apprentices followed close behind, the lamp flames before their chests flickering gently in resonance with this land's light veins. They passed through a forest of Silverleaf, where countless ruined lamp towers stood. Star charts and lamp language covered their walls, and some lamps atop the towers still flickered faintly, as though they had never gone out.
"This... isn't a ruin," A Ya said softly. "It's a sleeping civilization."
Following his Heart-Flame Resonance, Xiaoman led the apprentices deep into the continent's heart, reaching a circular altar encircled by nine rings of light. At its center, an enormous root of light language broke through the earth. Its branches coiled like silver dragons, its leaves burned like lamp flames, and its roots sank deep into the earth veins, answering the Light Vein Network of the Nine Provinces from afar.
At the very center of this ancient tree floated a fist-sized, wholly transparent crystal—the source of the lampheart.
It remained motionless, yet countless streams of light flowed within it, swirling like a river of stars. At times, phantoms of the first Lamp Guarders appeared; at others, ancient chanting rang out. As Xiaoman approached, his heart flame trembled violently, as though beating at the same frequency.
"This isn't an artifact..." he murmured. "It's a crystallization of heart flame."
Yue Yi took out the Star-Pattern Jade Slip. It resonated with the source of the lampheart and projected a holographic image—a thousand