Bai Yun, Sect Master of the Mountain Dweller Sect, stood at the peak of Mount Celestial Anchor, his hands clasped behind his back as he gazed out at the vast expanse below. From this vantage point, he could see miles in every direction: the rolling hills, the dense forests, the winding rivers, and in the far distance, the gleaming spires of Blue Horizon City.

It was a view that had inspired countless poems and paintings throughout the centuries, a vista so magnificent that it alone justified the Mountain Dweller Sect's decision to establish themselves at this remote, inhospitable height.

But Bai Yun wasn't here for the aesthetics. He was waiting.

A year ago, something extraordinary had happened at this very spot. The Star-Catching Tree, their sect's most sacred treasure, had been visited by a mysterious cloaked figure who had made it glow with power unlike anything Bai Yun had ever witnessed. And with the figure had been Astralis, the Immortal Boy of legend, whose appearance confirmed that whatever was happening was of cosmic significance.

After that visit, the tree had remained subtly different, more vibrant, more alive, its branches reaching toward the heavens with renewed vigor. The change had not gone unnoticed by the sect members. Cultivation speeds had increased, breakthroughs had become marginally easier, and the overall quality of the sect's rouqi had improved.

All because of whatever the cloaked figure had done.

And so, for the past year, Bai Yun had made it his personal duty to monitor the Star-Catching Tree, spending at least a few hours each day in meditation beneath its branches, waiting and hoping for the return of their mysterious benefactor.

Today, that vigilance was finally rewarded.

The air before the Star-Catching Tree rippled like the surface of a pond disturbed by a falling stone. Reality itself seemed to crack, and from that impossible space stepped the same cloaked figure that had appeared a year ago.

Bai Yun's breath caught in his throat. Despite having rehearsed this moment countless times in his mind, he found himself momentarily paralyzed by the figure's presence.

"Honored visitor," he finally managed, dropping to one knee in a formal greeting. "The Mountain Dweller Sect welcomes your return."

The figure turned toward him, those unmistakable blood-red eyes gleaming from within the shadowy hood. "You've been waiting for me," the figure observed, neither a question nor an accusation.

"Yes," Bai Yun admitted, seeing no point in denial. "After your last visit, I... hoped you might return."

He rose slowly, careful to keep his movements deliberate and non-threatening. "If I may be so bold, I would ask your name, honored one. Not out of idle curiosity, but so that we might properly express our gratitude for what you've done for our sacred tree."

The cloaked figure regarded him silently for a long moment. Then, with a slight tilt of its hooded head, it replied, "I am Han Renyi's master. That is all you need to know."

Han Renyi. The name struck a chord in Bai Yun's memory.

Over the past year, rumors had spread throughout the cultivation world of a prodigy from the Three-Leaf Clover Sect, a young man who had risen from obscurity to become a Legacy Disciple in record time, who had allegedly defeated the notorious Elder Zhou Shentong when he was still just at the peak of Tier 1.

"Han Renyi," Bai Yun repeated, connecting the pieces. "The young prodigy from the Three-Leaf Clover Sect. They say he cultivates a technique unlike any seen in our realm before."

The figure neither confirmed nor denied this observation. Instead, it turned its attention to the Star-Catching Tree.

"Wait," Bai Yun called out, more boldly than he intended. "Last time, you were accompanied by... by the Immortal Boy. Is he..."

As if summoned by the mere mention, the air beside the cloaked figure shimmered, and Astralis appeared, stars twinkling in his hair.

"You're too chatty," the immortal child said to Bai Yun, his voice carrying a playful admonishment. "We're here on business, not for idle conversation."

Bai Yun dropped immediately to both knees, pressing his forehead to the ground. "Forgive this junior's impertinence, great Astralis. It's just... in all the records of our sect, there is no mention of you ever appearing to anyone below Tier 7. For you to grace us with your presence twice in a mortal lifetime... it is overwhelming."

Astralis exchanged a glance with the cloaked figure, then let out a laugh. "You hear that? 'Great Astralis,' he calls me. I think I like this one better than the bearded fellow at the last place."

"Don't get attached," the figure replied dryly. "We have work to do."

Without further acknowledgment of Bai Yun, both beings turned to the Star-Catching Tree. The cloaked figure raised both hands, placing them against the ancient bark, and once again, that beautiful blue glow began to spread throughout the entirety of the massive tree.

Bai Yun watched in silent awe, barely daring to breathe lest he disturb whatever sacred ritual was taking place. The light was even more intense than last time, the tree's response more immediate and enthusiastic. It was as if the tree recognized the cloaked figure, welcomed it as an old friend rather than a stranger.

As the ritual continued, Bai Yun's mind raced with the implications of what he was witnessing. Han Renyi's master, a being of clearly immense power, was somehow connected to Astralis, the messenger of the Celestial Sovereign himself. And both of them were interested in the three great trees that anchored the cultivation world.

"The connection," he murmured. "The Three Great Trees... they're connected somehow."

The Ancestor's Tree of the Three-Leaf Clover Sect, the Star-Catching Tree of the Mountain Dweller Sect, and the Deep Root Tree of the Deep Sea Sect—three ancient living treasures, each housed by one of the most established sects in the realm. The common wisdom was that they were merely three separate natural treasures of immense spiritual value.

But what if they were more? What if they were parts of a greater whole?

And if they were, what did that mean for the declining state of rouqi in their world?

Bai Yun had long been troubled by the gradual but undeniable decrease in ambient rouqi throughout the realm. It was a truth that most cultivators acknowledged privately but rarely discussed openly, that each generation found advancement slightly more difficult than the last, that techniques which once yielded spectacular results now produced merely adequate ones.

Some blamed moral decay, others pointed to increased competition for limited resources, but Bai Yun had always suspected a more fundamental problem with the very fabric of their world.

"Could it be," he wondered, "that these beings are attempting to reverse the decline?"

The blue glow faded as the cloaked figure stepped back from the tree. The Star-Catching Tree seemed to strain forward, as if reluctant to break contact, its branches swaying in clear distress as the figure moved away.

"The effect is stronger than before," the figure remarked to Astralis.

"Well, you have provided more energy this time," Astralis replied with a shrug of his small shoulders. "It's only natural for the process to accelerate."

They spoke as if Bai Yun wasn't present, or perhaps as if his presence was so insignificant that it didn't warrant consideration. Under normal circumstances, such dismissal would have stung his pride, but Bai Yun was too fascinated by the fragments of information to take offense.

Effect? Energy? Process? Each word was a precious clue, a piece of a puzzle that he desperately wanted to solve.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Before he could gather the courage to ask for clarification, the cloaked figure turned to him, those blood-red eyes fixing him with an unreadable gaze.

"Sect Master Bai," it said, using his name despite Bai Yun never having introduced himself, "the Star-Catching Tree will require your protection in the coming years. Forces beyond your understanding are at work, and the tree's role is more significant than you realize."

Bai Yun bowed deeply. "I will guard it with my life, honored one."

"See that you do," the figure replied, then turned to Astralis. "We have one more stop."

Astralis nodded, giving Bai Yun one last curious look. "You know," he said to the cloaked figure, "I think he's actually sincere. That's refreshing."

And just like that, they were gone. No dramatic exit, no swirling portal, no flash of light, just there one moment and gone the next, as if they had simply stepped sideways out of reality itself.

Bai Yun remained kneeling for several minutes, staring at the spot where they had vanished. His mind was awash with questions, theories, and possibilities. But one thing stood out above all others.

Han Renyi.

The key to understanding what was happening, and perhaps to reversing the decline of their world, lay with this young prodigy from the Three-Leaf Clover Sect. If Bai Yun could establish a connection with him, perhaps he could gain insights into the greater mysteries at work.

"Yes," he murmured to himself as he finally rose to his feet. "That is the path forward."

He gazed up at the Star-Catching Tree, its leaves still gently luminescent with residual blue energy. For the first time in centuries, Bai Yun felt something he had almost forgotten: hope.

Hope that there might be a solution to the world's gradual decay. Hope that his cultivation might still advance despite the increasingly thin rouqi. Hope that the future might hold something more than the slow, inevitable decline that had seemed their fate.

All because of a mysterious master and his disciple, Han Renyi.

***

Deep beneath the surface of Pearl Heart Lake, in a palace crafted from living coral, Sect Master Yan Mei of the Deep Sea Sect sat in meditation before the Deep Root Tree. Her long azure hair floated around her like a living halo, undulating gently in the crystal-clear waters of the underwater chamber.

Unlike her counterparts at the Mountain Dweller Sect and the Three-Leaf Clover Sect, Yan Mei had not been caught unprepared by the sudden appearance of the mysterious visitor. Her water divination techniques had shown ripples of disruption in the fabric of reality hours before the actual arrival, giving her ample time to prepare.

Not that any preparation could truly ready one for the appearance of beings of such power, but at least she wasn't caught completely off guard.

When the water before the Deep Root Tree began to shimmer and distort, Yan Mei opened her eyes calmly. The cloaked figure emerged from the distortion, moving through the water as easily as if it were air, the cloak billowing around them in a way that defied the natural movement of water currents.

"Welcome back," she said, her voice carrying perfectly through the water, a feat possible only for cultivators who had mastered the Water Harmony technique. "The Deep Sea Sect is honored by your return."

The cloaked figure inclined its hood slightly in acknowledgment. "Your foresight is impressive, Sect Master Yan."

She smiled, pleased that her preparation had been noticed. "The water speaks to those who know how to listen. It has been... unsettled since your last visit."

The young boy appeared next, simply blinking into existence beside the cloaked figure. Astralis, the Immortal Boy, just as the ancient texts described him. His hair contained stars that somehow twinkled even underwater, and his childlike face bore an expression of mild curiosity as he regarded Yan Mei.

"She's more composed than the others," Astralis observed to his companion. "I like that."

"The others?" Yan Mei couldn't help but ask, despite knowing it might be impolite to interrupt.

Astralis grinned, revealing teeth that were just a touch too perfect to be human. "The bearded one at the tree sect practically tripped over himself groveling, and the mountain man wouldn't stop asking questions. You, at least, maintain your dignity."

Yan Mei inclined her head gracefully, accepting the compliment. "The Deep Sea Sect has always valued composure. The water teaches us that even in turbulence, there can be stillness at the core."

"Philosophical too," Astralis noted with approval. "Definitely my favorite so far."

The cloaked figure seemed less impressed by the exchange. "We didn't come here for pleasantries," it reminded Astralis, before turning its attention to the Deep Root Tree.

The massive underwater tree stood sentinel in the center of the chamber, its roots spreading outward through the coral floor and its branches reaching toward the surface of the lake far above. Unlike its counterparts on land, the Deep Root Tree had evolved to thrive in the aquatic environment, its bark smoother and its leaves more fin-like to better capture the filtered sunlight that penetrated the depths.

As the cloaked figure approached the tree, Yan Mei noticed something peculiar. The water around the figure seemed to part, creating a small bubble of dry space between their hands and the tree's trunk. It was a subtle detail, but one that spoke volumes about the figure's control over the elements.

When contact was made, the now-familiar blue glow began to spread throughout the tree, illuminating the entire underwater chamber with its ethereal light. Fish from the deeper parts of the lake, drawn by the sudden illumination, began to gather around the tree, their silver scales reflecting the blue radiance and creating a living mosaic of light.

Yan Mei watched, fascinated, as the Deep Root Tree's branches began to curl and uncurl like the tentacles of some massive sea creature awakening from slumber. The tree had always been semi-sentient, responding to the presence of powerful cultivators, but this level of activity was unprecedented.

"It remembers you," she observed quietly.

"Yes," the cloaked figure replied, not turning away from their task. "And it will remember me long after I've gone."

There was something in the way those words were spoken that gave Yan Mei pause. A finality, perhaps, or a hint of something deeper than the mere statement itself.

"May I ask," she began cautiously, "what exactly are you doing to the tree? The effects of your last visit have been... remarkable. Our disciples have reported increased cultivation speeds, and we've been able to harvest aquatic spirit herbs of higher quality than ever before."

For a moment, she thought her question might go unanswered. The cloaked figure continued their work, the blue glow pulsating in rhythm with what might have been the tree's heartbeat, if trees had hearts.

Then, surprisingly, it was Astralis who responded.

"He's feeding it," the immortal boy said, floating lazily in a circle around Yan Mei. "Giving it energy from a higher realm to help stabilize this one."

"Stabilize?" Yan Mei echoed, her eyes widening slightly. "Then the rumors are true? Our world is... dying?"

Neither being confirmed nor denied her conclusion directly, but the lack of immediate contradiction was answer enough. Yan Mei felt a cold dread settle in the pit of her stomach, despite the warm waters surrounding her.

"How long?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Astralis shrugged. "Without intervention? A few centuries, give or take a decade. With intervention?" He gestured toward the cloaked figure and the glowing tree. "Who knows? Time is a funny thing when you start messing with the foundations of reality."

A few centuries. To a mortal, such a timeframe might seem inconceivably distant, hardly worth immediate concern. But to a cultivator like Yan Mei, who had already lived for over two centuries and hoped to see many more, it was alarmingly close. Not to mention the future generations of the Deep Sea Sect, the legacy she had worked so hard to build and protect.

"Is there anything we can do to help?" she asked, her usual composure slipping just enough to reveal the genuine concern beneath.

The cloaked figure finally turned away from the tree, the blue glow fading but not disappearing entirely. Those blood-red eyes regarded her from within the hood.

"Protect the tree," it said simply. "And watch for the disciple named Han Renyi. His path will be important in the days to come."

Han Renyi. Yan Mei committed the name to memory immediately. "From the Three-Leaf Clover Sect," she said, recalling the whispers that had reached even the isolated depths of Pearl Heart Lake. "The one who defeated Elder Zhou Shentong as a mere Tier 1 cultivator."

"The same," the cloaked figure confirmed. "Remember his name."

With that cryptic directive, the figure turned to Astralis. "We're done here."

Astralis pouted slightly, looking around the underwater palace with apparent reluctance to leave. "This one's my favorite so far," he said again. "Couldn't we stay a bit longer? I haven't been underwater in a long time."

"I’ve fulfilled my end of the deal," the cloaked figure replied firmly. "That’s enough for now."

Deal? Another clue, another piece to add to the growing puzzle. Yan Mei stored the information away for later contemplation.

Astralis sighed dramatically, somehow causing bubbles to form in the water despite not actually breathing. "Fine, fine. But I'm still counting this one as my favorite."

He turned to Yan Mei and offered a formal bow that seemed at odds with his childlike appearance. "Until next time, Sect Master of the Deep Waters. May your currents flow smoothly."

Before Yan Mei could respond, both figures simply vanished, leaving behind only the softly glowing Deep Root Tree and the lingering questions their visit had raised.

Yan Mei floated in the silent chamber, surrounded by the curious fish that had gathered during the strange ritual.

The world was dying. The three great trees were connected somehow. A mysterious being of immense power was attempting to stabilize reality itself. And a young cultivator named Han Renyi was somehow central to it all.

As a sect master, Yan Mei had always prided herself on her ability to navigate the complex currents of cultivation politics. But this... this was beyond politics. This was the fate of their entire world.

She gazed up at the Deep Root Tree, its branches still glowing with that ethereal blue light. For the first time in many years, Sect Master Yan Mei felt truly, deeply out of her depth.

And yet, strangely, she also felt a spark of something that had been missing from her cultivation for decades: purpose.

If their world truly was in peril, then every action, every decision, every alliance formed would take on new significance. The petty rivalries between sects, the competition for resources, the endless jockeying for position—all of it paled in comparison to the greater threat of extinction.

"Han Renyi," she murmured, the name rippling through the water like a promise. "I will remember."

With new determination, Yan Mei began to formulate plans. The Deep Sea Sect had always been isolationist by nature, rarely involving themselves in the affairs of land-dwelling cultivators. But circumstances had changed. If saving their world required cooperation, then Yan Mei would ensure the Deep Sea Sect did its part.

Starting with finding a way to establish contact with a certain young prodigy from the Three-Leaf Clover Sect.