Part Three
Elsewhere within the Inner Grounds, Lian stood before the three elders of the Observational Hall.
"You intervened," the central elder said.
"Yes."
"You were not instructed."
"No."
"Explain."
She did not kneel.
She did not avert her gaze.
"The formation was escalating beyond diagnostic necessity."
"It was revealing pressure thresholds."
"It was provoking collapse."
"Which would have clarified deviation."
Her jaw tightened.
"You are testing his breaking point."
"Yes."
"And if he does not break?"
Silence.
The elder's eyes narrowed.
"Then we redefine orthodoxy."
The words struck harder than any accusation.
Redefine orthodoxy.
That meant the sect was considering two possibilities:
Absorb him.
Or remove him.
Lian felt something shift inside her chest.
Not fear for him.
Fear for the sect.
"He does not seek rebellion," she said quietly.
"That is what makes him dangerous," the elder replied.
"He seeks understanding."
"He seeks authority."
"No," she said firmly.
"He seeks conscience."
The word lingered in the chamber like forbidden scripture.
Conscience.
Cultivation doctrine did not include it.
Alignment replaced it.
"Careful," the elder warned softly.
"You stand closer to deviation than you realize."
Lian did not lower her gaze.
"If deviation prevents decay," she said, "then perhaps we are already closer than you think."
The elder dismissed her without further comment.
But the air in the chamber had changed.
Lines had shifted.
Not visibly.
Internally.