The moon hung like a dim lantern above Qingling City, its pale glow drowned in layers of formation light. Inside the Void Trace Sect's temporary quarters, a gathering unlike any other took place.
A dome-shaped barrier shimmered faintly, suppressing every trace of spiritual energy, isolating all sound, sealing the conspirators in a cage of their own making. No spy could sneak in, no whisper could leak out.
Around the obsidian table sat those who carried hatred in their hearts for Qingling Sect. Their expressions were heavy with failure, their tempers raw from humiliation.
Hei Mu of the Black Mist Academy broke the silence first, his voice like a knife dragged over glass."Late Essence Integration…" He let out a dry laugh. "And yet, that arrogant brat of your Void Trace Sect was beaten like a dog by a boy showing only Middle Core Formation. Pathetic, Qin Zhen. Absolutely fucking pathetic."
The words landed like steel nails. Qin Zhen's fists clenched so tightly his knuckles cracked. His face darkened, his body trembling with the weight of suppressed fury."You think I lost because I was weak?" he hissed. "That bastard… he's hiding something. The way he moved, the way his blade carried weight it wasn't Core Formation. I swear it wasn't. He played me, and he will pay for it."
But his words only earned smirks, the kind that cut deeper than blades.
Then came a sharp voice, laced with venom. Empress Feng Lanyi of the Crimson Jade Dynasty slammed her fan onto the table and turned her glare toward Widow Bai."And you…" her words were like poison-tipped arrows, "…your daughter humiliated my Hong Xue in front of the entire continent. If it weren't for the orders of our leader, I would have erased your filthy little Pavilion and ground it into ash beneath my throne."
Widow Bai didn't flinch. Her lips curled into a sly, mocking smile, her voice like silk drenched in blood."Your Holiness, forgive me. But wins and losses are part of the game. It is not I who failed it is your spoiled child who wasn't strong enough. Perhaps you should stop raising your precious children on soft feathers. Combat rewards the sharp, not the pampered."
The air grew icy. Feng Lanyi's phoenix aura burst forth, heat surging as if she'd burn Widow Bai alive right there. The Empress rose halfway from her seat, flame dancing at her fingertips.
But before the room could ignite, Zuo Kuang of the Obsidian Bone Sect slammed his spear butt against the stone floor with a thunderous boom."Enough!" His voice carried the rawness of bone and death. "We came here to crush Qingling, not to tear each other apart. Save your venom for the real enemy."
Reluctantly, the Empress pulled back, though the fury in her eyes remained sharp enough to kill. Widow Bai only laughed softly, stroking the rings of blood-thread on her wrist as though she had already won.
From the shadows, Tie Yuan snorted. "Xuanye and his people haven't lost once since this tournament began. They've turned every so-called setback into a fucking parade. We can't underestimate them any longer."
Another voice, lower and sharper, came from the head of the table. One of the Void Trace elders spoke with a cold edge."All we know is what the Leader told us. Xuanye's attribute is thunder, nothing more. That glimpse of lightning on the first day was it truly his, or borrowed from Sect Master Lin? We still don't know. But until his real cards are revealed, we remain blind."
The atmosphere grew heavier. Paranoia seeped like poison.
And then rustle.
A sealed letter slid through the formation, landing in the center of the table. Even with the suppressive barrier, the air around it seemed to buzz with menace.
The Black Mist Academy's Master, Wu Jinhai, picked it up. His expression was unreadable as he broke the seal. His eyes flicked across the page, and his voice carried each word aloud:
"What are you fools doing? You can't even defeat a handful of children. Pathetic. I thought I had placed high hopes in you, but clearly, I overestimated your worth."
The room fell silent.
Every sect master and elder froze, the weight of those words like chains around their necks. Even Empress Feng's face paled slightly.
But it was Hei Mu, silent until now, who chuckled darkly. The laugh was low, contemptuous, and full of killing intent."So that's how it is, huh? He thinks we're nothing more than his puppets. Strings to pull, toys to discard." Hei Mu leaned back in his seat, his shadow aura seeping faintly despite the suppression. His eyes were like twin blades in the dark."Well, let him think that way. Let him believe he's the master of this game. I'll play along… until I'm satisfied. And then? I'll show him who's really pulling the strings."
The others exchanged glances, unease creeping in.
The meeting dragged on with whispers of new schemes, dark plans, and carefully veiled threats. Hatred for Qingling bound them together, but mistrust gnawed at the edges like rot.
And while venom was being spat behind sealed barriers, far away in his quarters, Ling Xuanye sat cross-legged in silence. His sword rested across his lap, lightning hidden deep within his veins. He practiced movement after movement, blade after blade, every strike sharper than the last.
Tomorrow, he would fight again.
But tonight, the enemies of Qingling sharpened their knives in the dark.
To be continued...