Recap:
Lynx shattered his crippled fate by forming the Yin-Yang Core. The sect now whispers in fear and greed. Kai burns with obsession, convinced Lynx possesses a treasure. Elders debate in secret, restrained only by Elder Shen and the Sect Master's silence. Meanwhile, Heaven's omen spreads across the lands, drawing attention far beyond the Azure Sky Sect.
Act I – Growing Division
The Azure Sky Sect's courtyards buzzed like disturbed hives.
Disciples no longer mocked Lynx openly. That age of jeers, laughter, and petty cruelty had ended the moment Heaven's gaze brushed the mountain.
Now, there were two kinds of whispers.
"Stay away from him. He's cursed. Even Heaven trembled when he broke through."
"You fool, can't you see? He's destined for greatness. We should curry favor now before it's too late."
Lines began to form in shadows. Some disciples refused to train near him, muttering prayers to ward off misfortune. Others watched him carefully, eyes gleaming with ambition. And a small but growing few… bowed their heads when he passed, as if acknowledging a new star rising.
The sect's unity frayed thread by thread.
Act II – Kai's Plot
Senior Brother Kai sat in his private quarters, candlelight flickering against the jade tiles. His jaw was tight, his teeth grinding as the rumors swirled in his head.
"A treasure," he muttered. "It has to be."
His followers sat cross-legged around him, hesitant to speak. Finally, one braver disciple ventured, "Senior Brother, if he has such a thing… perhaps it can be taken quietly."
Kai's lips curved into a cold smile.
"Exactly. I won't dirty my hands with petty duels. Not yet. Let the elders watch. Let the sect buzz. I will move in shadows."
He tapped the table with his finger, each strike deliberate.
"First, isolate him. Spread doubt. Push him into corners where no one can help. Then… test his limits. See if his so-called 'Dao' can withstand a blade in the dark."
His eyes glinted with murder. "And when he falls, whatever power raised him will be mine."
Act III – Elder Probes
It began with questions.
Minor elders called Lynx into their halls under the guise of "concern."
"How did you repair your dantian, disciple?"
"What techniques did you employ? Such things are of interest to the sect."
"Are you certain your method is safe? Perhaps you should… share it, so others may confirm."
The smiles were gentle, but the hunger in their eyes betrayed them.
Then came the sparring matches. Disciples loyal to those elders "happened" to cross paths with Lynx during training hours. Challenges were issued. "Friendly duels," they called them.
But the pressure in each strike, the sharpened intent—it was no friendliness.
And still, Lynx endured.
Act IV – Lynx's Calm Chaos
On the dueling platform, a disciple lunged at him, blade flashing with qi. The crowd of onlookers leaned forward, waiting to see the cripple fail once again.
But Lynx only smiled faintly.
He stepped aside with effortless grace, his movements deceptively lazy. The blade whistled past his shoulder. Before the attacker could recover, Lynx flicked his wrist.
A ripple of black-and-white qi pulsed outward, subtle yet overwhelming. The disciple staggered, his knees buckling as though crushed by invisible weight. His sword clattered against the tiles.
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
Lynx raised a brow. "Was that supposed to be threatening? I've seen children swing sticks with more conviction."
Laughter—uneasy, but real—broke through the tension. Some disciples covered their mouths to hide smiles. Others glared, furious that he dared mock openly.
Lynx turned away, his robe trailing behind him like a banner of defiance.
Calm on the surface. Chaotic beneath. Every step he took fanned the flames of division higher.
Act V – Sect Master's Silence
High above, within the sealed chamber of the Sect Master, the air was still.
Through the jade walls, he could hear the whispers, feel the tremors of unrest rippling across his sect. The rise of factions. The greed of elders. The jealousy of disciples.
And yet… he did nothing.
He sat cross-legged, eyes closed, breathing steady. A faint smile touched his lips.
"Chaos sharpens steel. Let them divide. Let them hunger. Only through fire will the truth of that boy's Dao be revealed."
Outside, the storm gathered strength.
⚔️ CTA:
The Azure Sky Sect is no longer whole. Disciples choose sides. Elders hunger. Kai plots in the shadows. And through it all, Lynx walks with a smile—knowing storms only feed the fire. Continue to Chapter 8: The First Spark.