It was a stormy night. Deep in the remote mountains of Myanmar, Sophia, Zhou Yuchen, and Morris bumped along a muddy trail in a heavily modified off-road vehicle. Their destination: the "Stargazer Ruins" marked on an old map—the last place where Morris had contacted him.
Morris sat silently in the front seat, eyes fixed on the winding road ahead.
"He's stronger than you," he murmured, "and lonelier than you."
Sophia's grip on the steering wheel tightened. "Don't try to shake me. No matter how strong he is—he's not me."
As they arrived at the ruins, the rain ceased without warning. A shaft of silver light erupted from the heart of the site, illuminating the broken temple stones with an eerie glow.
The pendant on Sophia's chest trembled. Responding to its pull, a hidden stone passage opened before her. Four ancient characters were etched into the walls:
"Star Soul — Trial One"
Morris's expression turned grim. "Only those who carry the Stargazer bloodline can enter."
Sophia didn't hesitate. She stepped into the passageway, and the stone door sealed shut behind her—leaving her alone.
When she opened her eyes, she was no longer in the ruins.
A field of stars surrounded her, endless and unreal. A floating stone bridge stretched beneath her feet, vanishing into the horizon. Each step forward felt like descending into her own mind.
A figure appeared on the far side—a young man with silver hair and eyes as cold as obsidian blades.
"Who are you?" he asked, voice sharp. "Why do you carry the Stone of Destiny?"
Sophia paused, then answered steadily, "I'm Sophia Harrison. Are you... the First Stargazer?"
The boy scoffed. "You're the daughter of that failure."
With a flick of his hand, a blade of starlight slashed through the air. It struck her chest and hurled her backward. Blood spilled from her lips as she hit the bridge hard.
"You're not worthy of this power."
Sophia gritted her teeth and rose to her feet. The pendant glowed blue, reacting to her defiance. The fragments of the Stone of Destiny, left to her by Su Lan, shimmered and merged into her spirit.
"I wasn't born strong," she said, "but I'm not afraid of pain or betrayal—and I will not stop."
The starry sky trembled. A glowing star totem appeared on her right arm—the mark of Star Soul Resonance.
The boy's expression changed. For a moment, there was something almost human in his eyes.
"Why are you so obsessed with the Stone of Destiny?" he asked.
Sophia's answer was icy: "Because the one who destroyed our mother's life will kneel before me and repent."
The stars above cracked and shimmered. The boy slowly lowered his arm.
"You've passed."
He held out his hand. In his palm was a shard of violet crystal, pulsing with latent energy—
Stone of Destiny: Second Fragment — "True Name of Blood."
Sophia reached out and took it. The moment her fingers touched the shard, the illusion shattered.
She collapsed, breath ragged and skin drenched in sweat.
When the second fragment merged with her pendant, a new vision emerged.
Sophia finally saw the truth of her own death from her past life.
Bai Yunshuang had created a device to replicate consciousness. After Sophia's body failed as a "container," Bai decided she was no longer useful—and marked her for elimination. The poisoner wasn't a stranger—it was someone Sophia had trusted all her life.
Her adoptive godmother.
At the same time, she saw a faint spiritual echo—Su Lan's residual soul, hidden inside the body of a baby boy before her death. Her brother.
"He's carried her memory all this time..."
Sophia stumbled out of the ruins. Under the starlight, the silver-haired boy stood waiting at the entrance, quiet and unreadable.
"My name is Elias," he said.
"You really are... my brother."
Sophia stared into his cold, guarded eyes. It was not a warm reunion. They were strangers bound only by blood and fate.
Zhou Yuchen stepped forward. "Polaris is on our trail. We need to move."
Elias replied calmly, "I can take you through the Star Tunnel."
Before they could leave, a sharp whine tore through the night sky.
A massive airship descended from the clouds above. On its deck stood a figure—elegant, still, terrifying.
Bai Yunshuang—her clone.
She wore a red crystal mask. Her voice echoed like a siren over the ruins.
"Sophia," she said, "so you've found him at last."
"Then let me help you—be buried together in memory."