Karin kept trying.
The Heavenly Demon scripture made no sense to her. Every method felt too complex, too far beyond her current understanding. No matter how she approached it, she couldn't grasp the core of it.
Still, she didn't stop.
There wasn't another option.
Far away, Rune continued searching.
The distance between them had stretched across the world. Their planet was massive, far beyond anything normal. Time didn't move the same everywhere. While Isshin was moving under daylight, Rune was still under the night sky.
He stood in front of a large church in the center of the city.
The structure was unusual. Built in a perfect hexagon, its design felt intentional. The tall spires cast long shadows under the dim moonlight.
Most people were asleep.
A few guards remained.
Rune moved quietly, passing through without being noticed.
He made his way to the top.
Standing at the center of the roof, he looked out across the city. Then he took out the key.
Under the faint light, the details became clearer.
Two overlapping triangles.
A star.
Rune glanced around.
The shape of the building matched it.
He stayed where he was, trying to figure out what to do next.
Time passed.
He didn't notice.
Then the first light of dawn appeared.
The moment sunlight touched the key, everything changed.
The surface reflected the light, bending it.
Rune adjusted his hand slightly.
The light split.
Six beams shot downward, spreading across the ground below. They converged into a single point, forming the same symbol.
The same star.
Rune didn't hesitate.
He jumped.
Back in the forest, Isshin moved carefully.
The area was dangerous. Strong beasts were nearby, but something else had entered the forest.
People.
A group of cultivators had arrived.
Isshin stayed hidden, watching from above.
There were around twenty of them.
An elder led the group. His presence stood out immediately. Strong. Most likely in the True Soul Realm.
The rest were weaker.
Most at the peak of Golden Core.
Five of them stood out more.
Nascent Soul.
Isshin didn't move.
They were here for the same reason.
Treasure.
He had no intention of dealing with them.
The group set up camp.
While most of them rested, two of the disciples walked away from the group.
A man and a woman.
"What do you think we'll find here?" the girl asked.
"Something useful," the man replied. "Maybe an artifact."
Isshin watched them closely.
The system activated, marking them.
Names appeared.
Wang Soren.
Selene.
"Wait…" Selene stopped. "Is that an egg?"
Soren moved immediately. "Let's check."
Isshin's expression changed slightly.
The wyvern wasn't there.
And they were heading straight toward it.
He moved.
He couldn't ignore this.