Legacy of the Moon Goddess

The Moon Festival was one of the grandest and most anticipated celebrations in all of Qingming. Every year, people from far and wide journeyed across lands, rivers, and even skies to witness the event with their own eyes. It wasn’t merely a festival—it was a sacred tradition that honored the divine legacy of the Moon Goddess, a figure whose presence was deeply intertwined with Qingming’s history and very identity.According to the oldest surviving legends, the Moon Goddess had once been an ordinary cultivator, though her talent and destiny were anything but. She was said to have ascended from this mortal world to a higher plane of existence, leaving behind a legacy of light, mystery, and power. But her roots—those lay in Qingming.Centuries ago, the land where Qingming now stood was nothing more than ruins—desolate, lifeless, for-gotten. It is said that two travelers, a young couple, once wandered into the remnants of this place during their journey. Struck by its silent sorrow and hidden beauty, they decided to remain. Together, they nur-tured the land, gradually making it livable. Others followed—lonely wanderers, rootless cultivators, and seekers of peace—until the ruins became a sanc-tuary, and then a village, and eventually, the revered settlement of Qingming.But the true turning point came on one particular night.A child took her first breath.The first princess of Qingming had been born.That night, nature itself rejoiced. The clouds parted to reveal a luminous full moon; flowers bloomed in the dark; the winds sang lullabies through the trees. No one knew then that the child would one day reach a level of power unimaginable by even the most ancient beings. But such blessings often come at a cost.A month later, the skies over Qingming turned black. An unnatural darkness covered the land. The village was attacked—surrounded from all directions by en-emies who sought to erase this rising force before it could grow. The king and queen—Ahang and Avni—stood against the rebellion with unwavering resolve. They fought not for themselves, but for their people… and their daughter.But the enemy forces were too many. Qingming's army faltered, and as the royal couple stood at the brink of death, their hearts were heavy—not from the wounds they bore, but from the sorrow of failing to protect their land and their child.Just then, when hope seemed lost, it happened.From the heart of Qingming, a blinding light burst into the sky, piercing through the darkness like a di-vine spear. The royal palace, nearly reduced to rub-ble, shimmered once more with pristine white radi-ance. And there, floating in the very center, was the infant.Only a month old—yet suspended in midair as if the heavens themselves cradled her. Her eyes slowly opened—two radiant orbs that held galaxies within them. Time itself seemed to pause. The people of Qingming, wounded and weary, watched in silent awe. And in that moment, they felt it. Hope.Despite her fragile appearance, the child radiated an overwhelming force—ancient, divine, absolute.Then came silence. The enemy army froze, their ex-pressions torn between terror and disbelief. Before anyone could utter a word, a wave of light erupted from the child. Every single rebel, invader, or traitor who had dared set foot against Qingming vanished without a trace—erased from existence by a will that allowed no defiance.That full moon night, every remaining soul knelt in reverence. Before them stood no longer a child—but their new Queen.Their Moon Goddess.Tsuki Hellen, as she would come to be called, be-came the eternal symbol of Qingming’s rebirth.A street vendor, standing at the corner of a lively square, recited this tale in a voice both proud and theatrical. His hands moved in sweeping gestures, drawing gasps and claps from the gathered crowd—children wide-eyed, tourists enchanted, and even a few cultivators who listened with nostalgic interest.Qingming, on this day, was decorated like a bride on her wedding night. Lanterns swayed above every street; flowers adorned every corner; the air shim-mered with anticipation. Cultivators in elegant robes, merchants with glowing wares, and foreign dignitar-ies all walked the same paths, marveling at the beau-ty and legacy of the land.Among the thousands who visited, some carried more than just admiration.Several powerful sects and organizations had ar-rived—both to honor the festival and to watch the upcoming selection process for rising talents.At the heart of Qingming, nestled within its well-guarded district, stood the proud headquarters of the Xenic Moon Sect, the ruling sect of the region. The orphanage Sheo and the others belonged to was a small sub-branch under its influence.Inside this imposing complex, two figures had just been summoned: Bulma and Shuna.They walked through the marbled corridors, their expressions calm but alert. Eventually, they arrived at the meeting room—doors of darkwood, inscribed with the sect's emblem, slowly parted before them.Seated at the head of a long, curved table was Lead-er Jinnia, a poised and authoritative woman with sil-ver-streaked hair and a calm intensity in her eyes. Around her sat the elders—each representing various branches and responsibilities of the sect.The meeting began.Jinnia leaned forward slightly, her tone composed yet firm. “This year’s festival will be... different. We’re expecting a number of esteemed guests.”She paused to glance at the others before continuing.“The Hundred Wind Sect from the east. The Flame Pavilion from the southern frontier. The Lotus Gene Sect from the west. And perhaps most importantly—the representatives of the Knight Soul Magic Acad-emy.”A few murmurs ran around the table.Jinnia raised her hand for silence. “From what I’ve heard, they plan to host their selection right after the festival. Their exam won’t be limited to their own candidates—they’ll evaluate promising talents from every sect present, including ours.”Bulma and Shuna exchanged a brief look.After some discussion about logistics and hosting protocols, the meeting gradually moved toward con-clusion. Jinnia finally turned toward Bulma.“What news from the party you dispatched to Tero-mi?”Bulma nodded respectfully. “According to the latest report, they should be arriving later today. The mis-sion was successful.”A rare smile crossed Jinnia’s face. “That’s wonderful news. Well done.”With a few more minor updates shared and duties distributed, the eleven elders slowly rose from their seats. Together, they left the chamber and began making their way toward the Central Hall, where the festival’s preparations were being finalized.Away from the festival, far from the noise of people and the shimmer of celebration...A massive beast soared through the sky, gliding smoothly over a never-ending ocean of green — the sprawling forest beneath seemed to stretch endlessly, its canopy rustling faintly under the gentle wind stirred by the beast’s wings. On its back, Sheo, Elisa, and Luzi sat in silence. Their journey was steady and uneventful, but far from meaningless.For Elisa and Luzi, this journey had been more than just a mission — it had been an experience. One filled with challenges that had tested their adaptabil-ity and honed their instincts. They had each recalled the battles they had fought in Teromi and within the dungeon’s depths, mentally dissecting every encoun-ter. Every strike, every dodge, every formation trap — it all played again in their minds. From this, they gained not just insight, but a calm confidence that could only be earned through fire.But among the three of them, Sheo had gained the most.His battle experience had leapt to a new level. Tech-niques he had only theorized before now flowed from his mind and body with clarity. Some were mastered; others still needed time — but the seeds were there. Yet, what Sheo chose to focus on during this journey wasn’t merely the solidification of his foundation or the perfection of combat forms.It was something else.Something more complex. More subtle.Formations.A nearly forgotten branch of cultivation, often dis-missed by front-line fighters. But Sheo had become intrigued. A formation — in essence — was a way to control space. By weaving seals and inscriptions into the land, cultivators could bend its laws. Enhance or suppress energy. Trap enemies or protect allies. For-mations could do it all, but they required extreme pa-tience, precision, and understanding of both the world and energy flow.Sheo’s interest in formations wasn’t sudden. It had begun long ago.When he was just four years old, he had stumbled upon a dusty scroll in the basic library of his orphan-age. It had mentioned formations in vague terms, calling them “the artistry of spatial weaving.” But the library only held elementary knowledge. No techniques. No diagrams. Just scattered theory.He had never gotten a chance to pursue it—until now.While inspecting the rings he had taken from Reels and Kanif after their deaths, he had stumbled upon several old books. Worn and brittle with age, but filled with detailed explanations of formation arts. Symbols, patterns, techniques—actual usable knowledge.And on this journey, he had read them all.What he discovered shocked him.Formations—so often looked down upon by hot-blooded warriors—were anything but useless. When used properly, they could change the outcome of en-tire battles. Their potential was limitless. But so was their difficulty. Even the most basic seal required meticulous understanding.So Sheo didn’t tell Elisa or Luzi what he was doing.Each night while they slept, or whenever they stopped to rest, Sheo practiced in silence. His fingers would trace invisible lines in the air. His energy would flicker into symbols. He failed—again and again. But he never stopped. Never doubted.On the seventeenth day of their journey, something changed.He successfully formed twenty energy seals, enough to construct a low-tier basic formation. It wasn’t an-ything spectacular. It didn’t radiate immense power or summon deadly traps. But it was functional—and that meant everything. Especially considering Sheo had done it alone, without a teacher, using nothing but trial and error.Today was the eighteenth day.They were now only six kilometers away from Qingming Village.The ancient trees gave way to rolling hills, and in the far distance, the faint glow of the village could be seen under the soft afternoon light. But Sheo’s eyes weren’t focused on Qingming. They were fixed elsewhere.Far in the horizon, barely visible through the hazy sky, was a volcano. Its jagged silhouette rose above the forest like the horn of a beast. Heat shimmered faintly above it.Sheo turned to Elisa.“Stop the beast here,” he said calmly.Elisa furrowed her brow. “Why?”Sheo didn’t answer right away. He stared at the vol-cano and then spoke with a steady tone.“There’s a herb I need for my training. While we were heading toward Teromi, I sensed one deep in that region. I’ll collect it now and return to Qing-ming before the festival begins.”Elisa looked at him with a skeptical gaze but didn’t argue. Something about his expression told her he wouldn’t change his mind.Before jumping down, Sheo added, “Tell Elder Shu-na I’ll be fine. And I hope you both can report the mission without me.”Then, without another word, his body flickered and disappeared into the thick forest, leaving behind only the faint rustle of leaves in his wake.Elisa let out a quiet sigh and gently signaled the beast to continue its flight toward Qingming.Sheo hadn’t lied — not completely.He truly needed something from that volcano.He had been holding onto the Flame Seeding Tech-nique for a long time now. He possessed every re-quired material to create one seed. The only missing component had been an ideal location.And that volcano was perfect.Within an hour, using his 9 Path Movement Tech-nique, Sheo reached the mountain’s peak. The tem-perature had risen sharply. The air here shimmered with flame energy so pure, it danced visibly in threads of crimson and gold.He stood near the volcano’s mouth, his breathing calm but slow.The burning sensation on his skin was intense, but with precise energy circulation, he suppressed it. Then he found a small ledge, close to the edge of the crater, and sat cross-legged.One by one, he began taking out materials.Seventeen herbs.Hundreds of energy stones.One Saint Level 6 Flame Gene Core.And finally…A small black vial containing a single drop of blood — blood that radiated such terrifying power, the space around it trembled faintly.Sheo took a deep breath.He stripped off his robes, revealing his bare upper body, then ground the herbs into a thick paste using a small stone bowl. With practiced hands, he smeared the herbal paste across his skin. The moment it touched him, it didn’t comfort — it intensified the burn.Pain shot through him.His flesh sizzled under the heat, but no serious dam-age occurred. Instead, it refined him. Each cell screamed, but each cell also strengthened.His energy paths glowed faintly inside his body, be-coming tougher — like iron being tempered in flame.Hours passed.Then he activated the first part of the technique. His lightning energy — usually so fierce — resisted the foreign flame power at first. But with patient guid-ance, it began to mix with the new energy, not in conflict, but in harmony.He lifted the Saint Flame Core and slowly wrapped it in his energy.With only the slightest hesitation, he swallowed it.The pain that followed nearly killed him.His body trembled. His heart thundered. Muscles seized. But Sheo gritted his teeth and focused, channeling the power to the center of his chest. There, he formed a shell — an embryonic container for the flame seed.One night passed.His body naturally healed itself as the chaotic flame energy condensed within the shell. Now, only the fi-nal step remained:Creating a spirit.High-tier items in this world had souls of their own — and now Sheo had to give this shell one as well. He took the vial. The drop of blood inside shim-mered with a golden-red hue.He wrapped it in his energy and swallowed it.At first, there was nothing.But the moment that blood touched his own, every-thing changed.A monstrous pressure exploded within him. His vi-sion blurred. His thoughts vanished. The power wasn’t just immense — it was unfathomable.He tried everything.Sword Mind.Pinnacle Nemesis energy.Control over the flame and lightning.Nothing worked.He could feel his internals tearing apart.Just when he thought this was his end…A mysterious dark purple energy surged from the depths of his being — the same energy he had faint-ly sensed once before while awakening his Sword Mind.This time, he noticed it clearly.When the raging blood encountered that dark ener-gy, it stopped instantly. Not weakened — terrified. Like a wild beast bowing before a predator.Under the dark energy’s silent guidance, the blood entered the shell. A tiny trace of the purple energy followed, fusing into the seed. Then, it vanished.Gone, as though it had never been there.Sheo was stunned. He had no control over that pow-er. He couldn’t even sense it now. But before he could question further, the pain yanked him back to reality.He quickly consumed medicinal pills and began sta-bilizing himself.Far from the volcano…In the heart of Qingming, the beast carrying Elisa and Luzi landed gently in the royal garden. Jinnia, Bulma, and Elder Shuna were already waiting near-by. Upon seeing them, both girls bowed with deep respect.Elisa immediately greeted her teacher, Jinnia, while Luzi followed suit. But the moment Shuna noticed Sheo was missing, her expression tightened.Elisa offered a calm smile and explained what Sheo had told her.Later, in a private chamber, Jinnia listened quietly as both girls described the entire mission in detail—from the dungeon’s discovery to Sheo’s mysterious awakening.The elders were shocked.Not because of the mission’s danger. Not even be-cause of the success.But because Sheo, the so-called useless orphan, had been the key to it all.Jinnia laughed softly. “Your eyes haven’t dulled, have they, Shuna? Still sharp as ever.”Shuna smiled back, her heart swelling with pride and quiet surprise.Later that evening…A massive shadow blotted out the setting sun.A Wind Phoenix, known for unmatched speed, landed in the royal garden. Eleven shadows entered the hall with grace, followed by seven young indi-viduals in white and blue flowing robes, confidence glowing in their eyes.Behind them, three middle-aged elders arrived in green and black robes. A golden badge shimmered on their chests — Tier 4 Elder, bearing the logo of the Knight Soul Magic Academy.Then a man descended from the sky.His robes were gold and black. His badge glowed with the word General.General Helmen.Upon seeing Jinnia, he smiled. “It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”Jinnia nodded, and soon the discussions about the festival and selection began. A mysterious old wom-an emerged quietly from the ranks, receiving respect-ful glances from even Helmen himself.She said nothing — only gazed toward the stars.Then her gaze shifted. Southward. Toward the dis-tant volcano.A smile crept across her lips.“So I was right after all… this is going to be interest-ing.”Far above the volcano, a dazzling blue flame swirled around Sheo’s body.He had done it.The flame seed was formed — successfully born. The energy sank into his chest as he whispered, “Now… let’s grow this little thing.”A sleepy yawn echoed nearby. Dreamy, who had been resting at a safe distance, leapt back onto his shoulder.She nuzzled into him.They exchanged a glance and smiled.“It’s time to go home,” Sheo whispered.Then his figure vanished into the woods.He moved faster than ever before. His level had not changed, but his body was stronger, more refined. He could handle more pressure, withstand greater strain.Tomorrow, the festival would begin.And this year… it would be special.Far away, from three separate directions, three more flying beasts approached Qingming. On one of them — the one flying under the Lotus Gene Sect’s ban-ner — a girl stood at the head of the beast. Her aura alone seemed to twist the wind.As the village came into view, she smiled.“So this is the famous Qingming village Teacher told me about... This is going to be fun.”