Elder Gu Jin's gaze sharpened, turning toward Lin Mu. "And you—Bearer of the Silent Lotus. You encountered this and walked out alive, after slaying a being of baleful origin and uncovering one of their greatest secrets."
"It wasn't without cost," Lin Mu replied evenly. "But we learned enough to ensure they won't move unchallenged again."
Meng Bai, still nursing his second cup of sword tea gingerly, added, "They've hidden well. Even if others had searched, without my Master, Lin Mu we'd have missed the signs."
The elders nodded slowly, the weight of the situation sinking in.
Elder Luo Shanyuan stood, pacing toward one of the murals lining the side of the hall. It depicted a great battle from ancient times—sword-wielding immortals clashing with a monstrous serpent of smoke and shadows.
