The morning started like it always did, except Yun felt… heavier. Not bad heavy, just like his body was full of warm rocks or something humming under his skin. He kept rubbing his arms because they felt like buzzing bee hives, but not painful, actually kinda nice in a weird annoying way.

His mom noticed first. "Yun, you look like you swallowed a lantern," she said, poking his cheek. "Why you glowing again? This is the third time this week, ah."

"I'm not glowing," Yun mumbled, though he did see a faint shimmer above his wrist. He hid it fast behind his sleeve. "Just… training."

"Training what? Your nonsense?" she snorted and walked off.

But Yun wasn't joking this time. After last night's awakening—his third one now—he didn't feel scared like before. He felt kinda brave. Or more like impatient? Like the world was too small suddenly and he needed bigger stuff to push against.

He went behind the storage shed and tried practicing again. Shen Yu had warned him not to overdo it but honestly Shen Yu over-worried sometimes. Yun breathed in slowly, focused on his chest where the warmth lived. It pulsed, then flared—silver light bursting out of his palm. Not wild like before but contained, shaped almost like a blade. A croocked wobbly blade but still a blade.

"Ha! Look at that! I… I actually did it!" Yun grinned, his teeth almost glowing too.

Then the blade sputtered, bent funny, and exploded in a puff of glittery dust that went straight into his nose.

"Ah—ACHOO!"

The sneeze echoed so loud a chicken fainted nearby. Yun froze. Then quickly picked up the unconscious chicken. "Sorry, Aunt Yunyi, don't die, I didn't sneeze to kill you!"

While Yun panicked over the chicken, far above the clouds—past the sky, past the stars even—the Cosmos stirred like a giant rolling in its sleep.

A colossal palace drifted among galaxies, shaped like a star-crowned lotus blooming slowly in the void. Inside, two figures stood before a floating screen of shimmering astral light. They were Yun's true parents, though no mortal would ever believe such beings were real.

His father, Emperor Lianxing, had eyes like burning suns and a presence that made whole star systems tremble.

His mother, Empress Yueran, radiated calm beauty but her aura could cut universes in half if she wished.

But even they looked… troubled.

Yueran pressed a hand on the cosmic screen, her voice trembling slightly.

"There. The pulse again. Did you feel it, Lianxing? Our son's bloodline reacted."

Lianxing frowned deeply, his jaw tightening. "I felt it. His awakening grows faster than expected. Too fast. Something stirs near him… something that shouldn't wake yet."

Yueran turned toward him, her expression softening with motherly fear. "Should we go to him? We can't let the Hunters sense him before he matures. He's still too young—"

"We can't," Lianxing said, voice heavy. "The Celestial Court watches us like vultures. If we move, war breaks out again."

His fists clenched. "We must trust the shadows I placed near him… even if I hate it."

For a moment, both of them stared out the window, watching nebula storms tearing across distant galaxies. Even as rulers of a cosmic empire, they had enemies. Ancient ones. Ones that wanted Yun gone the moment he began to awaken.

Then the palace shook—not much, but enough for both to stiffen.

Yueran whispered, "They found another anchor point. They're getting closer."

"They won't reach him," Lianxing growled. "Even if I must burn half the heavens."

Back in the Village

Yun finally got the chicken to wake up (after promising in whispers never to train near her again). He wiped his nose and marched straight to Shen Yu, determination boiling in him.

"Teach me more," Yun said, standing tall even though his hair was a disaster and he still smelled like chicken feathers.

Shen Yu raised an eyebrow, then sighed deeply. "You already overused your core this morning, I can see it leaking out of your sleeves. Why are you glowing like a sick firefly again?"

"I want to be stronger," Yun said. His voice cracked but he kept going. "Every time something happens, you protect us. I don't want to just hide or scream or sneeze things to death. I wanna fight properly. I wanna protect people too."

Shen Yu studied him for a long moment. Something like respect flickered in his eyes, mixed with concern.

"You can't rush awakening. It chooses when to unfold."

"But it keeps unfolding anyway," Yun argued. "Then let me use it before it explodes in my face."

Shen Yu rubbed his forehead. "That… is not an unreasonable point. Though the chicken might disagree."

Yun puffed his cheeks. "The chicken is fine! Mostly."

After a long sigh, Shen Yu finally nodded.

"Fine. I will teach you the First Star Step today. But if you faint again, I will drag you home myself."

Yun grinned like a little kid stealing candy. "I won't faint this time!"

"You faint every time," Shen Yu muttered.

But Yun didn't care. Something inside him kept calling—soft but powerful, like a whisper from far, far above the sky. Sometimes at night he'd look at the stars and feel like one of them was reaching for him.

And today… the calling felt louder.

Maybe too loud.

Cosmos

Somewhere in the void, a titanic horn sounded—long, deep, frightening.

Yun didn't hear it.

But his blood did.

His parents heard it too. And their faces turned pale.

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