A Western Kid’s Journey into the Eastern Cultivation World

Elara jolted awake, her pillow soaked in cold sweat. The chamber was dark, but she could see her hands glowing—one with pure light, the other veined with shadow. "You can't ignore me forever, sister." A voice whispered in her mind, silky and mocking.

She stumbled to the window, staring at the new constellation in the sky. The three stars pulsed in rhythm with her heartbeat, but one shone slightly dimmer, as if veiled by mist. "The Balance Stars call to your other half," the voice purred. "Let me out, Elara. Let's play."

Lyra burst into the room, sword drawn. "I heard voices—are you okay?"

Elara quickly hid her shadow - veined hand. "Just a nightmare. The stars... have they been moving?"

Nox entered, carrying a scroll inscribed with glowing runes. "I decoded the ancient text. The Balance Stars are a beacon for the First Keepers, but summoning them requires a—" He paused, his face paling. "A soul bound to both light and shadow."

Just then, the Worldtree emitted a pained groan. They raced outside to find its roots spewing black smoke, the healed areas re - blackening. "Xander's shadow is stronger than before," Lyra said, hacking at a tendril that tried to strangle a young Keeper.

Elara raised her hands to cast a healing spell, but the shadow in her palm surged, turning the light spell into a corrosive blast. The tendril dissolved, but so did the nearby grass, leaving a charred patch. "What's happening to me?" she whispered, horrified.

"I'm happening," the voice chuckled. "Call me Seraphina."

Nox unfolded the scroll, pointing to a mural of a woman with dual - colored eyes. "This is the First Balance Child—she split her soul to contain the shadow, creating an alter ego. Her name was... Seraphina."

A shadowy figure materialized beside Elara, mirroring her form but clad in obsidian armor. "Took you long enough to remember," Seraphina said, grinning. "Now, let's make a deal with our old friend Xander."

She grabbed Elara's arm, and their minds merged. Elara saw a vision: Xander trapped in the Worldtree's roots, his shadow feeding on the "永暗之种." "Free me, Seraphina," his voice echoed. "I'll give you control of this pathetic vessel."

"No!" Elara wrestled for dominance, her light clashing with Seraphina's shadow. The Balance Stars above them flared, sending down a beam that struck the Worldtree's core.

The ground 裂开,revealing a chamber where Xander's shadow form thrashed. "Now, Seraphina!" he shouted.

But Elara forced her light to surge, pushing Seraphina back. "You're part of me, but not my master." She turned to Nox. "The ritual—use me as the sacrifice."

Nox shook his head, tears in his eyes. "The text says the sacrifice must be willing to embrace both light and shadow. But if you do this, you might not—"

"Do it!" Elara shouted, as Seraphina gained control of her legs, stepping toward Xander.

Nox raised the scroll, and the Balance Stars shone brighter. A column of light enveloped Elara, and she felt Seraphina's presence being torn from her—yet merging with her at the same time. "I am both," she whispered, her eyes now a perfect blend of light and shadow.

The light column struck Xander's shadow, purifying it into a tiny, glowing seed. Elara caught the seed, and the Worldtree's roots began to heal.

But as the crisis passed, she turned to Nox with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Thank you, Nox. Now, let's discuss how to use this little seed..." Her voice had a hint of Seraphina's silkiness.

Nox stepped back, realizing the truth: the ritual hadn't destroyed Seraphina—it had merged her and Elara completely. The new Balance Child was both savior and potential destroyer, and the look in her eyes suggested she might just embrace the latter.

The Balance Stars above flickered, as if warning that true balance might require a sacrifice none of them were ready to make.