Scene 1 – A Cry in the Night
The night air was quiet, heavy with mist.
Lin Xian sat cross-legged in his room,
His mind, however, was far from calm.
> "Black Veil Forest…"
He murmured, eyes half-closed.
A place mentioned in old records — where even veteran cultivators dared not venture.
Dense Yin Qi. Unstable cultivating environment. Rumors of souls devoured whole.
Yet the thought did not deter him — it intrigued him.
> "If the poison truly originated there," he mused, "then that place hides more than danger. Perhaps even opportunity…"
He opened his eyes, silver light gleaming faintly within.
> "But before that — I'll need to push my cultivation further. My current body can't yet draw out the full force of the Nirvana Scripture."
He was about to begin meditating when—
Bang!
The door burst open.
Yue Lan stumbled in, her usually composed face streaked with tears. Her silk robes were disheveled, her hair loose and trembling as she gasped for breath.
> "Lin Xian—!"
He rose instantly, startled but calm.
> "What happened?"
> "My elder… his condition worsened!" Her voice cracked. "The poison— it's spreading faster! He… he might not last the night!"
The teacup beside him shattered from the sudden ripple of his aura.
He stepped forward, his expression sharpening.
> "Take me to him. Now!"
---
Scene 2 – The Poisoned Veins
The inner sanctum of the Thousand Veil Chamber's manor was filled with the bitter scent of medicine and the flickering of spirit lamps.
On a jade bed lay the Elder of the Chamber, face pale as death, sweat pouring from him like rain.
Black mist coiled above his body, pulsing in rhythm with his failing heartbeat.
Dark purple veins crawled beneath his skin like living snakes.
Even Lin Xian's eyes hardened at the sight.
> "So it really is the Void Qi…" he whispered.
Yue Lan clutched her robe, voice trembling.
> "We tried everything. Pills, talismans, spirit healers— nothing works!"
Lin Xian's expression turned calm, almost frighteningly so.
> "That's because none of them understand this kind of poison. This isn't something from your world… it's something that devours the soul."
He stepped closer, raising his hand.
Nine golden threads of light burst from his fingertips — pure chi condensed into needle-thin blades.
> "The Nine Heaven Qi Pins…" Yue Lan gasped softly.
Even among master alchemists, such control was unheard of.
The needles floated above the elder's body, aligning with nine major meridians.
Lin Xian's voice deepened, ancient and resonant — reciting the First Verse of the Nirvana Scripture.
> "Life is death's shadow; flame is frost's heart.
By breaking, one is reborn."
The moment his final word fell, the nine golden lights plunged into the elder's meridians.
The ground trembled.
Black mists screamed as if alive, twisting into monstrous shapes before being crushed beneath the weight of Lin Xian's qi.
He formed a series of seals with his fingers — each movement sharp and deliberate, his white hair fluttering wildly from the storm of energy.
> "Seal of Purity — Bind!"
"Seal of Nirvana — Burn!"
Golden runes surged from his palms, weaving into an intricate pattern over the elder's body.
Each rune pulsed once, burning away the black qi thread by thread.
The room's air turned bright — almost divine.
Yue Lan covered her mouth, eyes wide as the oppressive darkness began to fade.
Her heart pounded with disbelief and awe.
He wasn't just an alchemist — he was reshaping the man's life force.
The Nirvana Scripture roared within him, his aura piercing heaven and earth.
Slowly, the elder's breathing stabilized.
The black mist dissipated entirely, leaving only faint golden motes floating above him.
---
Scene 3 – The Dawn of Gratitude
The morning light filled the courtyard.
Dew clung to the petals of night-blooming flowers, and the faint scent of burned herbs still lingered in the air.
On the bed, the old man stirred.
His breathing steadied, and his eyes — once dull and veined with black corruption — slowly cleared, revealing the clarity of a calm sea.
> "This… this feeling…" His voice was hoarse but filled with disbelief. "My body… it's light again…"
Yue Lan gasped softly, rushing to his side, her slender hands trembling as she clasped his.
> "Elder! You're awake!"
The old man blinked, taking in her tearful joy before his gaze shifted toward the youth by the window.
Lin Xian stood there silently — pale hair catching the gold of dawn, white robes faintly stirring in the morning breeze. His eyes, calm yet deep, burden with fatigue.
> "You…" The elder's voice steadied. "You saved me."
Lin Xian inclined his head slightly, tone even.
> "The corruption was Void Qi. I've sealed it for now. Avoid circulating your energy for a few days — or it'll resurface."
The old man placed a trembling hand over his chest, feeling the steady rhythm beneath. Gratitude rippled across his aged face.
> "I owe you my life, young man."
Lin Xian gave a faint smile, his tone almost teasing.
> "No. You owe it to your caretaker here," he said, glancing toward Yue Lan. "She's the one who refused to give up."
Yue Lan's lips quivered between laughter and tears.
> "You… truly don't stop surprising me."
The old man chuckled weakly before straightening with effort, dignity returning to his bearing.
> "It seems I should introduce myself properly."
He clasped his hands and bowed slightly.
> "I am Elder Yue Mo, Third Elder of the Thousand Veils Chamber, responsible for discipline and security."
Lin Xian's brow lifted a fraction — surprise flickering in his calm gaze. The Thousand Veils Chamber was no small name. In this region, it was a whisper of legend — a vast trade network that spanned realms, shrouded in secrecy and influence.
Yue Mo smiled faintly, catching the reaction.
> "It's rare to see recognition in one so young. That alone tells me you're not simple."
He exhaled deeply, the exhaustion of recovery clear but his voice now steady and composed.
> "That you saved my life is no small matter. For the Thousand Veils Chamber… this debt will not go unpaid."
Lin Xian shook his head lightly.
> "Debt or not, life is fleeting. What matters is that you can still walk under the same sky."
Yue Mo studied him quietly, as though trying to see through him — and failing. There was no arrogance in this youth, only quiet confidence honed through storms far beyond mortal measure.
> "Such calm…" he murmured. "Even in the upper realms, few carry eyes like his."
He turned toward Yue Lan, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
> "Yue Lan, you've chosen well to trust him. You may not realize it yet, but that boy is not someone this realm should even be able to produce."
Xiao Jian, perched on a nearby chair, meowed and tilted his head — clearly unimpressed by his master's modesty.
Lin Xian gave the cat a side glance.
> "Yes, yes, you can take some credit too."
The cat puffed his chest proudly, tail flicking as Yue Lan let out a small laugh through her tears.
The tense air finally softened.
Lin Xian looked at the recovering elder, then back at Yue Lan.
> "The root of this poison lies within the Black Veil Forest. If we want a permanent cure…"
He paused, his eyes narrowing slightly — a faint smile playing at his lips.
> "Then it seems my next journey is already decided."
Yue Lan's expression shifted from relief to alarm.
> "You can't possibly mean—"
> "The forest," he said simply. "I will need to give it a visit."
The light from the spirit lamps flickered across his pale face — calm, resolute, untouchable.
And in that moment, Yue Lan realized something.
This wasn't a man walking toward danger.
It was danger itself, walking into the forest.