The morning sun painted the small mountain village of Qingfeng in soft golden light. Dew still clung to the grass, and the distant roar of spirit beasts echoed faintly from the forest beyond the wooden palisade.
Today was the most important day in any child's life — the Astral Awakening Ceremony.
In the village square, ten-year-olds stood nervously in a circle around Elder Mu, the only Seal Master in Qingfeng Village. His gray beard trembled as he raised the ancient Awakening Stone — a fist-sized crystal pulsing with faint starlight.
One by one, children stepped forward.
"Huang Tao, Astral Seal awakened! Spirit: Iron Armor Bear! Innate Seal Power: Level 5!"
Cheers erupted. A sturdy boy grinned wide as a brown bear silhouette appeared behind him, and a faint white ring of starlight slowly formed around his wrist.
"Li Mei, Astral Seal awakened! Spirit: Jade Vine Whip! Innate Seal Power: Level 6!"
Another round of applause.
Lin Xingchen stood quietly at the edge of the crowd, hands clenched inside his worn sleeves. His black hair fell over sharp eyes that betrayed no emotion, but his heart beat like war drums.
Ten years. Ten years of being called "the orphan with no talent." Ten years of watching other children train while he could only carry water and chop wood.
Today, everything would change — or stay the same forever.
"Next, Lin Xingchen!"
The square fell silent. A few children snickered.
Elder Mu's expression was complicated. He had raised Xingchen after finding him abandoned at the village gate as a baby. He sighed softly.
"Come, child."
Xingchen stepped forward and placed his small hand on the Awakening Stone.
Nothing happened.
One breath. Two breaths.
The stone remained dark.
Whispers spread like wind.
"See? I told you he's trash."
"No seal at all?"
Elder Mu frowned and channeled more of his own seal energy into the stone.
Suddenly — a faint, almost invisible flicker.
A tiny crack appeared in the stone's surface, and an extremely weak starlight rose from Xingchen's palm. It formed a broken, fragmented star mark — barely visible, gray instead of bright.
Behind him, a hazy silhouette appeared: a shattered piece of something that looked like a star… or perhaps a mirror.
Elder Mu's eyes widened.
"Astral Spirit: Broken Star Shard… Innate Seal Power: Level 0."
Dead silence.
Then laughter exploded.
"Level 0?! That's never happened before!"
"Waste! Complete waste!"
Xingchen stood motionless, staring at the faint gray mark on his palm.
Level 0. Unable to absorb even the weakest seal ring. Destined to remain mortal forever.
Elder Mu's voice was heavy. "Xingchen… I'm sorry. With this spirit, cultivation will be…"
He didn't finish.
Xingchen bowed politely. "Thank you, Elder."
He turned and walked away, back straight, expression calm.
Only when he reached the edge of the forest, far from prying eyes, did he finally clench his fist until it bled.
"Level 0… Broken Star Shard…"
He looked up at the clear blue sky.
"Is this really my fate?"
Deep in his soul, something ancient stirred — as if answering.
A voice, faint as star dust, whispered only to him:
"No… this is only the beginning."