The banging shutter fell silent.
Mak Yun stood alone in the corpse-still room, Bo's paralyzed body hidden beneath the floorboards, poison still bitter on his tongue. The Zenon Pulse flickered in his vision:
>> ADAPTIVE RESPONSE CONFIRMED. NEUROMUSCULAR COORDINATION STABILIZED.
His body felt tighter, sharper—a knife whetted on pain.
He stepped into the corridor.
Rot.
Dust.
The slow death of a thousand-year legacy.
Mak Manor stretched before him—a carcass picked clean by vultures. Its once-imperial halls now sagged under neglect. Murals of celestial battles flaked from walls. A shattered moon gate led to courtyards strangled by weeds.
Old Man Luo materialized from the shadows, eyes wide at the blood on Mak Yun's sleeve.
"Young Master... the noise—"
"Rats," Mak Yun cut him off. "Show me what remains of this 'Spiritual Heaven Sect'."
Luo bowed, trembling. "As you command."
THE FIVE CORPSES OF GLORY
Luo guided him through the skeleton of the sect:
THE SOUTH PAVILION (Armory):
Vaulted halls lined with empty weapon racks. Dusty outlines marked where spirit blades once hung.
*"The Shadow Moon Sect took everything—even the Dragon-Tear Halberd of the 32nd Head,"* Luo whispered.
>> ZENON PULSE SCAN: Residual combat signatures (faded). Recommendation: Irrelevant.
EAST QUARTERS (Servants & Guards):
Stinking barracks. Twelve hungry faces peered from doorways—mortals with dead eyes.
"They stay for scraps," Luo spat. "Most spy for the Red Vipers or Shadow Moon."
>> HEAT SIGNATURES: Elevated stress detected. Threat Probability: 74%.
WEST GARDENS (Disciples):
Crumbling dormitories surrounded shattered training dummies.
"Our outer disciples fled when your father... withdrew."
>> QI ANALYSIS: Faint traces of inferior spirit arts. Bloodline Supremacy Confirmed: Their qi recoils from your presence.
NORTH FOREST (Restricted):
A wall of primordial trees swallowed in unnatural mist. The air vibrated with power.
"DO NOT APPROACH!" Luo grabbed his arm. "The Illusion Formation devours all but true Mak blood. Even your father, the 119th Head Mak Jun, enters only in desperation. A Core Formation master... yet it taxes even him."
>> WARNING: Temporal-spatial distortion detected. Energy Signature: "Supreme Spirit Altar" (Catastrophic Class).
CENTRAL KEEP (Clan Heart):
A fortress of black volcanic stone, untouched by decay. Mak symbols glowed faintly above its gate.
"Head Mak Jun's sanctum. He seeks... answers there. Hasn't emerged in nine days."
>> POWER SIGNATURE: Core Formation Stage 3 (Dormant. Flickering).
Mak Yun stared at the North Forest. The mist curled toward him like a living thing.
"Why rename the sect?" His voice was ice.
Luo flinched. "The 45th Head thought 'Mak Manor' sounded humble. Less threatening to enemies. We became a joke instead."