Chapter 10: Whispers of Conspiracy
In the quiet of his room, the silver-blue flame danced, its light a private sanctuary. Lin Xuan used the rare herbs from the competition to refine a pill, the surge of power pushing him to the 6th Layer of Qi Gathering. Meanwhile, Liu Yue's training in the Scriptures had advanced rapidly. Her Celestial Unity Crest glowed, and her cultivation neared the 6th Layer.
Master Huo visited, his expression grim. "The Zhi Clan is allied with the Iron Fang Sect. They are both backed by the Hei Clan. They want that art, but they don't know the secrets you and the girl possess."
Lin Xuan nodded, wary. The conspiracy was deeper than he thought. That night, a veiled woman, Mei Ling, her cultivation at the 6th Layer of Qi Transformation, appeared in his room like a phantom. "The Hei Clan plans a tournament," she said, her voice like ice. "It is a trap to draw out the Scriptures' holder. I owe the Liu Clan a debt. Protect them, and I will aid you." She vanished as quickly as she appeared.
Lin Xuan's resolve hardened. He had to prepare for the tournament. He trained Liu Yue and Liu Yang with renewed intensity, their bond deepening. Liu Yue's fierce resolve sparked that familiar ache, but he pushed it aside, focusing on the coming battles. He perfected his Illusion Diversion, the Celestial Unity Crest on his back pulsing with power, ready to expose the Hei Clan and protect the last vestiges of the family he had, in a way, inherited.