Inside the hidden sanctum beneath the Hall of Dual Flames, Liu Shen stood before a small gathering.
Only four shadows knelt before him—hooded, silent, hand over heart.
They were the Council of the Unseen Flame.
Not a formal sect faction, but a secret brotherhood—revived by Liu Shen himself.
Once, they were his eyes and blades in the shadows.
Now, they were reborn.
---
A Shadow Council Awakens
Rin stood at his right, robed in black flame sigils.
Yun Rou wore silver-bonded mail with the Mark of Silence engraved behind her ear.
Jin Mu had sealed his spirit flame inside his left eye, masking all qi fluctuations.
The fourth member, still hooded, had arrived just hours ago. Quiet. But powerful.
Liu Shen turned to the newcomer.
> "You traveled from the Eastern Desolation."
A nod.
> "You crossed the Sea of Red Teeth. Faced the Bloodwind Trials."
Another nod.
Rin leaned closer. "You summoned them, didn't you?"
Liu Shen smiled faintly.
> "I did. He's an old ally."
> "Or rather… she is."
The figure lowered her hood.
Long, jet-black hair.
Scarlet eyes.
A cold, elegant beauty, cloaked in blood-hardened silk.
Yun Rou's eyes widened. "You… you're the Silent Flame Widow."
> One of the three legendary disciples of the Demon Sovereign's past court.
---
An Oath Rekindled
The Silent Flame Widow knelt. Her voice, soft and unyielding.
> "I felt your return in the burning of my brand."
> "They tried to bury your memory, Sovereign. But they could not silence the fire in my soul."
> "Command me."
Liu Shen looked into her eyes. No hesitation. No doubt.
> "I need you to eliminate the inner sect spy network feeding Elder Yan's scrolls."
> "Find the origin node. Do not expose yourself unless necessary."
She smiled coldly.
> "As you command. I already know two names."
> "By dawn… they'll be ash."
---
Fangs Beneath the Floor
Later that night, Liu Shen and Rin walked through the outer gardens of the Scroll Hall, pretending idle conversation.
But beneath the earth, the Silent Flame Widow stalked through shadow tunnels.
Above ground: monks chanting, elders speaking doctrine.
Below ground: pools of blood, scripture forgeries, and soul-warped communication jade being siphoned into the Withering Bloom's web.
She whispered into her jade slip:
> "Four cells confirmed. Two burning."
> "One elder. One core disciple."
> "All connected to Yan Wuheng."
---
The Quiet Before Ruin
Rin asked Liu Shen, "What will you do with Elder Yan when you're ready?"
Liu Shen stared at the lotus pond. Wind stirred the petals.
> "Expose him before the Council?"
> "No," Liu Shen said. "That would force them to protect him. It would become political."
> "Instead, I'll destroy his support."
> "And then… I'll let him fall into his own pit of lies."
He turned to Rin, fire flashing behind calm eyes.
> "The best death isn't one given by sword…"
> "It's one earned through truth."