In the depths of the Shadow Sect's hidden sanctuary, Master Wang sat cross-legged on a black cushion. His demon-faced mask gleamed in the dim candlelight as he maintained perfect stillness. The mountain winds whistled through the ancient wooden beams of the central house.
A woman's scream pierced the night. The sound echoed through the corridors before fading into silence. The two guards posted outside his chamber shifted uncomfortably, their hands tightening on their weapons.
Another scream rang out, this one deeper, more guttural. Then silence fell again, heavier than before.
The Shadow Sect's true headquarters lay nestled in a valley between towering peaks, invisible to outsiders who believed the sect operated from scattered villages and cave networks. Ancient trees surrounded the compound, their branches weaving together to form a natural canopy that concealed the buildings from above. To the west, endless desert stretched toward the horizon.
