Only **Li Qiye** was allowed to pass beyond the gate.
His guards were stopped at the boundary formation and instructed to wait outside the sect grounds. They did not protest. This was not a place where mortals—or even ordinary cultivators—were permitted to argue.
Two disciple attendants led Li Qiye onward, their pace steady and unhurried. The path wound upward through mist-shrouded stone steps and spirit-veined earth. The deeper they went, the thicker the qi became—calm, vast, and suppressive, pressing gently yet firmly against his senses.
After a long while, one of the disciples finally spoke.
"We are approaching **Lianhua Peak**," she said quietly. "This is the dwelling of **Elder Lianhua**."
Li Qiye's steps slowed almost imperceptibly.
The peak rose ahead of them, its summit half-hidden by drifting clouds. Ancient stone terraces clung to its sides, overgrown with spirit grass and pale flowering trees that swayed without wind. The qi here was no longer merely dense—it was **refined**, carrying an old, tranquil pressure that spoke of centuries of cultivation.
This was not a place meant for visitors.
At the foot of the peak, the disciples stopped.
"You may proceed alone," the other disciple said, bowing. "Elder Lianhua will decide how—or if—she receives you."
Li Qiye nodded and stepped forward.
With each step along the mountain path, the air grew heavier. His breathing slowed, instinctively aligning with the rhythm of the surrounding qi. A subtle pressure settled on his shoulders—not hostile, but unmistakably evaluative.
Then, as he reached the first stone step leading upward, a familiar **voice transmission** echoed through the air itself—calm, composed, and ageless.
"Li Qiye of White Hollow City," Elder Lianhua said.
"You may ascend."
Li Qiye halted and bowed deeply toward the peak, his forehead lowering in respect.
"This junior thanks Elder Lianhua."
Only then did he continue upward, alone, his figure gradually swallowed by mist and drifting clouds. Above him lay **Lianhua Peak**—and at its summit, the long-lived elder of his bloodline, waiting to hear of demon beasts, fallen elders, and a city on the brink.
---
The stone path wound higher along the peak, narrowing as mist thickened around him. The air grew still, heavy with refined qi so calm it felt almost sacred. Each step demanded focus; even breathing too quickly felt disrespectful.
After a long while, the path opened.
A **courtyard** lay ahead.
It was simple—far too simple for the dwelling of a sect elder. Smooth stone tiles. A low table beneath an ancient spirit tree. A quiet pond where moonlight reflected despite the sun not yet setting. No guards. No visible formations.
Yet the pressure here was deeper than anywhere else on the peak.
Li Qiye stopped at the threshold.
He did not step in.
This was not a place one entered without permission.
He straightened his robes, clasped his hands, and bowed toward the silent courtyard. The jade token rested against his palm, cool and steady.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then the air shifted—so subtly it might have been imagined.
A calm, ageless **female voice** spoke, not from any direction, but as if it formed directly within the space itself.
"You may enter."
Li Qiye exhaled quietly.
"This junior thanks Elder Lianhua."
Only then did he step forward, crossing into the courtyard. The pressure eased slightly—not gone, but no longer resisting him, acknowledging his presence.
The moment his foot touched the stone tiles, the mist behind him closed in, cutting off the path he had come from.
The courtyard fell silent once more.
And somewhere within it, unseen but unmistakably present, **Elder Lianhua watched**.
---
Li Qiye stood still within the courtyard, careful not to move unnecessarily. The air seemed to settle—quiet, attentive, as though the space itself were listening.
Several breaths passed.
Then the **voice** spoke again.
Calm. Neither cold nor warm. Neither close nor distant.
"Speak," Elder Lianhua said.
"Tell me **exactly** what happened."
Li Qiye drew a slow breath and lowered his head.
"Elder Lianhua," he began, voice steady despite the weight in his chest, "three days ago, White Hollow City was attacked by demon beasts."
He did not exaggerate. He did not dramatize.
"The attack was sudden," he continued. "There were no warning signs. No disturbances in the outer areas. The beasts appeared **within the city itself**, as if guided—organized and purposeful."
The courtyard remained silent.
"All elders present responded immediately," Li Qiye said. "They formed defensive formations and moved to contain the breach. I witnessed the battle from the inner district."
His fingers tightened slightly within his sleeves.
"They were overwhelmed."
The words settled heavily into the stillness.
"The beasts were stronger than expected," he continued. "They displayed intelligence far beyond that of normal demon beasts. One, in particular, appeared to be their leader."
He paused, then spoke more quietly.
"All elders… were slain."
For a brief moment, the qi in the courtyard rippled—just slightly—before returning to stillness.
Li Qiye forced himself to continue.
"The city survived only because the beasts withdrew shortly afterward. Before leaving, they slaughtered every clan elder at the **Foundation Establishment realm** and looted our entire treasury."
He bowed deeply.
"The damage is severe. The elders are gone. Order is… fragile."
"This junior came immediately," he said. "I did not dare delay. I fear this attack was not an isolated incident."
Silence followed.
Long.
Heavy.
Then Elder Lianhua's voice spoke again—still unseen, sharper now, carrying a thread of cold clarity.
"You said the beasts were **organized**," she said.
"Describe them. Their numbers. Their cultivation levels."
Li Qiye lifted his head slightly.
He understood now.
This was no longer a report.
This was **judgment**.