The streets of the Middle Sector pulsed with life.
Lanterns swung from golden threads above narrow walkways, casting shifting hues of rose and amber across the crowds. Stalls brimmed with silk fans, enchanted wind chimes, and glowing paper creatures that fluttered like moths above fire pits.
Astra weaved through the bustling crowd, arms overflowing with sweets—colorful sugar spirals, honey-dipped pastries, and something suspiciously sticky wrapped in leaf. Her eyes sparkled like the fireworks exploding in the distant sky.
Seiya trailed beside her, flipping a shimmering gem between his fingers. The stone glinted with shifting hues—like molten starlight sealed in crystal. "Told you this place was heaven," he smirked. "Crowded, chaotic heaven."
Astra stuffed another sugar twist in her mouth. "Mmmph—worth it."
They passed a group of dancers painted in silver dust, spinning beneath a floating orb of light that mimicked the moon. Children ran between the legs of strangers, dragging bright kites shaped like beasts behind them. Somewhere ahead, a performer on stilts breathed twin streams of blue flame into the sky.
"I could live here," Astra declared, eyes fixed on a stall selling glowing flower crowns.
The man blinked, then smiled awkwardly, brushing back a lock of soot-colored hair that had fallen over his brow. "Apologies! The crowd pushed me. These festival days are madness."
Seiya pointed at him. "Wait a second—don't I know you?"
The man shifted uncomfortably. "Uh… I don't think so?"
Seiya narrowed his eyes. "No, no, I've seen you somewhere before—wait. Aren't you Guo Ping?!"
"Guo Ping?" Astra echoed, tapping her chin. "That sounds vaguely familiar…"
"Yes! It's him! Don't you remember—of course you won't. It's him, the one you used to bully back in Wuyun Village when we were kids!"
"I bullied him?" Astra blinked.
Seiya nodded with exaggerated seriousness. "Absolutely. You tied him to a goat cart, painted his eyebrows blue, and sent him rolling down the festival slope like some kind of divine offering."
Astra scratched the back of her neck awkwardly. "…If you say so."
Guo Ping, who had been trying to inch away unnoticed, stiffened and turned, his expression a mix of panic and dread. Astra quickly stepped in front of him.
"Wait, wait—uh, actually. I'm sorry for what happened. We were just kids back then, messing around. I hope… you'll forgive me for that."
Guo Ping didn't meet her eyes. He gave a brief nod and started to turn away again.
"Wait, I haven't finished yet!"
He stopped with a sigh, finally facing her with an exasperated huff. "Excuse me, but I have to leave. If others find me here, I'll be in trouble."
"Trouble?" Astra tilted her head. "What kind of trouble?"
Before Guo Ping could respond, two sharp voices rang out behind them.
"Junior Guo!"
Everyone turned.
Guo Ping froze—his tray of steaming skewers slipped from his hands and clattered to the ground.
Two cultivators strode through the crowd with purpose. Both wore half-masks adorned with their rank insignias one bearing the crimson flame crest of Fire, the other etched with the silver ripple of Water. Their robes marked them as senior disciples.
One was a tall woman with a commanding glare, her dark hair tied in a strict knot. The other, a man, moved with a calmer air but with unmistakable authority.
Guo Ping immediately bowed low. "Senior Mo, Senior Wei—my apologies, I—I left without—"
"Shut up!" Senior Mo snapped, stepping forward. "Where's your mask?! And what are you doing here stuffing your face? You were supposed to be joining us in tracking the Pale Gorge Wraith! Did you seriously sneak off again just to eat, you lazy Ping?! At least send word if you plan to vanish in the middle of an assignment!"
"Senior Mo…" Guo Ping mumbled, shrinking further.
Senior Wei stepped in, his tone more composed but firm. "She's right, Junior Guo. You shouldn't have done this. Master Zhang Dou trusted us with this mission. It's not just a routine hunt—this was your Field Aptitude Assessment, your first active trial beyond the sect grounds. Disappearing like this puts the whole team at risk."
Senior Wei stepped in, his tone more composed but firm. "She's right, Junior Guo. You shouldn't have done this. Master Zhang Dou trusted us with this mission. It's not just a routine hunt—this was your Field Aptitude Assessment, your first active trial beyond the sect grounds. Disappearing like this puts the whole team at risk."
At that, Astra and Seiya glanced at each other, blinking in unison.
"Guo Ping is a cultivator?" Astra whispered.
Seiya leaned in. "Wasn't he a scared cat? He'd cry if someone sneezed too close to him. His nickname was—what was it again?"
"Shrieky Ping," Astra replied with a snort.
Senior Mo didn't bother hiding her exasperation. "He's still Shrieky Ping. Even after a year of training, he ran off scared on his first trial."
"Senior Mo…" Guo Ping muttered, shoulders slumping. "It's embarrassing to say that in front of others."
Astra and Seiya both chuckled and looked away politely.
"Let it be embarrassing," Senior Mo said coldly. "Now come with us. We need to catch it and complete the ritual."
She reached for his arm, but Guo Ping stepped back quickly, clutching his tray of now-cold skewers like a shield. "No! I can't. It's scary! What if I get possessed and it never leaves me? I'm still a junior. I'm not ready to be sacrificed!"
Senior Mo glared, but it was Senior Wei who responded calmly, yet with undeniable weight.
"You vowed to sacrifice yourself if necessary when you joined the sect. It's part of the 999 principles of the Manari Sect. You swore that oath the moment you took the mark."
Astra's jaw dropped. "He's from that sect?"