Star Mark Long Night: A Shared Path of Resolve

The night was deep and dark, and faint starlight swirled above the sect, as if the heavens themselves were shrouded in a strange soul glow.

A boundary seal decree was issued from the outer main hall of the Thousand Realms Sect, mobilizing all disciples with fewer than one hundred Soul Stele members to go to the "Star Court Realm Platform" to guard after midnight, as the sect sensed that the ' Star Mark Tide ' was about to descend.

Of all these transfer orders, only one stands out—

[Qian Ruishan and Qin Yu patrolled the Star Court at night.]

The news caused a brief stir outside the gates.

Qian Ruishan, Soul Stele, possesses unparalleled talent and always goes her own way, never traveling with anyone even when patrolling at night.

Qin Yu, though his reputation was growing daily, had only been on the list for a little over a month, yet she had specifically named him as a colleague?

The disciples were filled with various thoughts, but none dared to speak.

•

The night patrol began, and the two walked side by side.

Above the Star Court Realm Platform, a light mist swirled, like nine layers of soul clouds descending. In the distance, starlight rose from the floating islands, seemingly paving the only path through the long night for the two of them.

"You're very quiet," Qian Ruishan suddenly whispered, her tone not so much a reprimand as a break from the silence.

Qin Yu looked at the girl walking slowly ahead and replied calmly, "I'm used to observing before I act; I don't like empty talk."

Qian Ruishan glanced at him sideways, her gaze indifferent yet carrying a hint of scrutiny.

Do you know why I chose you to travel with me?

Qin Yu pondered for a moment, "You want to determine if I'm worthy of your attention."

She chuckled lightly, neither denying it.

"Within the sect, there are countless rumors that I am cold-hearted and arrogant. But in reality, I spent seven years in the inner sect."

"I've seen hundreds of people rise to fame, and I've also watched them fall one by one."

"Only you... moved the number one on your first appearance on the Soul Stele, and after slaying a powerful enemy, your Soul Seal remained intact— your Soul Sea was not tainted by even a trace of malevolence."

You're not like them.

Qin Yu glanced at her sideways.

"It's like you see right through me," he said.

"I just... understand people like myself."

The two walked side by side through the star-studded mist for a long time when suddenly the earth trembled slightly, and a gray-blue ripple rose from the mist ahead.

Qian Ruishan's eyes narrowed:

"Star Mark Tide... is about to begin."

Star Mark Tide is one of the sect's ancient celestial phenomena. Legend has it that those who stand side by side during its nighttime can have their souls reflected in the void, revealing their destiny—a rare occurrence.

The Thousand Realms Sect has a long history of precedents:

If the souls of two people resonate with each other without repulsion, they can form a "Soul Pact"; if they strongly resist each other, they will become enemies in the future.

Qian Ruishan slowly took half a step forward, raised her hand and pointed forward, a pale golden soul pattern appearing between her brows.

[Soul Reflects the Dharma Realm - Spiritual Sense Awakens]

"Qin Yu, I want to see if your Fate Soul is truly as I imagine."

As soon as she finished speaking, the star mark surged violently. A faint soul light emerged from Qin Yu's body, but he did not move an inch, letting the soul mark hang in the void.

The next instant, two soul shadows appeared atop the starlight.

--The Shadow of Qian Ruishan: Wielding an ancient sword and carrying the flower of the Soul Sea, all the starlight in the four directions is ignited by her. Her Fate Soul is like a sword, and her destiny is like fire, beautiful and sharp.

--Qin Yu's Shadow: Holding a long spear, he stood in the Broken Abyss. The Realm of the Soul Queen was a chaotic mass, faintly reflecting the Annihilation Soul Fire and layers of cracked rings, uncertain, unyielding, and ineffable.

The Star Court trembled.

Never before had a disciple's soul shadow presented itself so strangely as an "Undetermined Fate Soul," yet Qian Ruishan's soul shadow showed no sign of rejection. Instead, it moved forward an inch, and within the sword intent, a petal of the Realm Soul Flower rose.

The two souls gently intertwined in the light.

At that moment, Qin Yu felt a slight tremor somewhere in his sea of consciousness, as if a soul thread that should never have existed had been connected in that instant.

Qian Ruishan gazed quietly at the ghostly figure, then suddenly asked:

Do you believe in fate?

Qin Yu calmly replied:

"Neither believe nor reject."

Why?

"Because if that soul thread is strong enough, there's no need to believe; it's enough to guide destiny itself."

These words caused Qian Ruishan's eyes to tremble slightly.

After a long while, she whispered:

"If there is even a sliver of possibility that this Soul Seal will never be destroyed... would you be willing to try stepping into my Fate Soul and take a look?"

Qin Yu looked at her without saying a word.

But in the next instant, he raised his right hand, turned his index finger, and threw the Soul Seal toward her side, the soul light merging—neither avoiding, nor retreating, nor rejecting.

A sliver of starlight fell beside them, like a spark destined to ignite.

•

At the top of the distant boundary platform, an old man gazed at this scene and murmured:

"If these two truly form a soul-reflection bond, they will likely cause more than just disruption to the sect's affairs in the future."

"It's a scale that shakes the souls of countless realms."

At this moment, amidst the starlight, only a very few elders who truly understood Qian Ruishan's identity would know—

She is not an ordinary person, but a rare "Twin Souls and Aberrant Bones" body, a physique that appears only once every ten thousand years.

This means that her Fate Soul contains two origins: a primary soul and a secondary soul, which are independent of each other but need to resonate to be complete.

A woman with two souls, destined to bear only one mark in her lifetime.

If she is willing to project her Fate Soul onto someone and merge with them, then it will no longer be a test, but a choice.

--Unique and irreplaceable.

From that moment on, Qin Yu stepped onto the Bridge of Fate Soul.