The night was quiet. Moonlight poured over the old courtyards of the Void Immortal Sect, where cracked stone paths and worn walls still showed the scars of the past.
Ling Hua walked slowly toward her room after finishing her training. Her steps were light, her mind calm.
Suddenly, someone stepped into her path.
It was Lin Shaoyang. His lips curved in a faint smile.
"Heading back already?"
Ling Hua nodded. "Yes. What is it?"
"Nothing," Lin said at first. Then his expression turned serious. "Did you hear the news?"
Her brows lifted slightly. "About the alliance?"
He shook his head. "Not that. I mean the next war. Elder Huang said Ironwood Sect is begging for help. They're trying to form an alliance to strike at us. And the Blackwood Sect seems eager to join."
At that name, Ling Hua's eyes turned sharp. Her hand clenched into a fist. "…Blackwood Sect?"
Lin noticed. "What is it?"
She drew a quiet breath and forced her hand to loosen. "Nothing." With that, she walked past him and returned to her quarters, her back straight against the moonlight.
Lin Shaoyang stood in silence for a moment, his expression thoughtful. "So… she has some history with them after all."
Twenty days later. Morning.
The Void Immortal Sect had begun to change. With the support of the Crimson Thunder Sect, construction spread across the mountain. New halls and buildings rose, and the central hall itself grew more grand each day.
Inside that hall, Xu Tianran sat upon his throne. His calm gaze carried an invisible weight that filled the chamber.
"Everything moves as planned," he said quietly. "Soon, all will fall under my control."
A faint smile touched his lips. *Two hundred years… I wonder how strong she has become in that time.*
"Yue Lingxi."
In the next breath, the pale figure appeared, bowing deeply. "Yes, Master."
"Summon the elders."
"As you command."
Moments later, the elders gathered before him.
On his left sat Huang Zhenhai, Wei Qingfeng, and Song Bai.
On his right, Yan Ruyue, Tie Shan, and Jiang Feng.
Yue Lingxi stood silently at Xu Tianran's side.
Xu Tianran's voice was steady. "Do you know why I called you?"
Yan Ruyue's crimson lips curved into a smile. "To prepare for the next battle?"
"Yes. But before that—we must grow stronger."
Elder Huang leaned forward. "You mean to recruit more disciples?"
"Correct," Xu Tianran replied. "With our name rising, many will come."
Wei Qingfeng asked carefully, "How will the recruitment be held?"
Xu Tianran's eyes shifted. "How was it done before?"
Tie Shan snorted. "Hah! Nothing worth remembering. Who would've joined such a broken sect?"
Song Bai's temper flared. He stood. "Watch your tongue!"
Tie Shan sneered. "What? You want to fight?"
The tension grew until Yan Ruyue laughed lightly, her golden eyes sharp. "Sit down, both of you. Do you plan to embarrass yourselves in front of the Sect Master?"
Reluctantly, the two sat back down.
Huang Zhenhai cleared his throat. "Sect Master, the old recruitment was a simple sparring match. We would take those who showed spirit."
Xu Tianran's voice was calm. "This time, it will be different."
Huang Zhenhai bowed. "May I ask in what way?"
"You will know soon," Xu Tianran said, ending the question.
Jiang Feng spoke. "Sect Master, when will the recruitment begin?"
"Three weeks," Xu Tianran said. His gaze fell on Huang Zhenhai. "By then, the reconstruction must be complete. Prepare the grounds and spread the news to the nearby villages."
"Yes, Sect Master."
Yan Ruyue leaned back with a smirk. "And the allied sects plotting against us? Should we not crush them now?"
"There is no need," Xu Tianran said. "They will come to us on their own. Focus on the sect."
The meeting ended.
The elders stood, bowed, and left the hall.
Only Yue Lingxi remained.
Xu Tianran's voice lowered, cold and precise. "The mission I gave you earlier—carry it out. And inform Jin as well."
She bowed. "Yes, Master."
In the next breath, the hall was empty once again.
Two days later.
In Tenhan Village, not far from the Void Immortal Sect, the night was alive with noise. Inside a crowded inn, men drank heavily, their laughter and curses echoing over clattering cups.
At one table, two villagers leaned close, their voices rising above the din.
"Have you heard?" one asked, slamming his cup down. "The Void Immortal Sect is holding a recruitment."
The man beside him frowned. "Yeah, I heard. They're rebuilding, trying to climb up the sect rankings. But what I still can't believe—" he lowered his voice— "is that they took in bandits. Bandits! And somehow defeated the Ironwood Sect."
The first man gulped another mouthful of wine and snorted. "Recruitment or not, who'd dare join them now? The whole region's on edge."
His friend shook his head. "You don't get it. Right now, they're strong. Strong enough that even youngsters are eager to try their luck. Some even say Void Immortal could crush Blackwood Sect if they wanted."
The first man leaned closer, his tone grim. "But Blackwood isn't moving alone. They're forming an alliance with Ironwood and others. That sect war isn't far."
His companion slammed the table, voice sharp. "Then I hope the Void Immortal Sect crushes the Blackwood bastards first! Someone has to, since the Empire doesn't care about the common folk at all."
From a table just behind them, two quiet figures had been listening.
At last, one of them stood—a young woman in a plain gray tunic, her eyes like cold steel. She stepped forward.
"When is the recruitment?" she asked flatly.
The two men blinked at her sudden approach. One of them barked a laugh. "What? Don't tell me you're planning to join them? Girl, don't be stupid. The situation isn't safe."
Her gaze didn't waver. "Answer."
The second man raised his hands. "Alright, alright. Three weeks from now. But really, you shouldn't—"
"Thank you." She cut him off and turned away.
The stocky young man at her table—Wang Jinhai—pushed back his chair and stood. He followed her out of the inn.
Outside, the night air was cooler. Jinhai caught up beside her. "Yanyu, are we really doing this? Joining the sect?"
The girl—Wang Yanyu—slid her dagger back into its sheath, her voice calm but cold.
"Yes. This is our only chance."
Her cousin, Wang Jinhai, swallowed hard, gripping the strap of the small shield on his back. "For revenge, then."
The two cousins walked into the darkness, their steps carrying them toward the gates of the Void Immortal Sect—
and the path of their revenge.