Three days after the envoy's departure, calm returned to the Qingye Sect — at least on the surface.
But within the core of the sect, gears had begun to turn.
Early in the morning, Lin Ho received a notice delivered by a crane-shaped talisman. The scroll attached bore the Inner Sect seal.
> "Lin Ho. You are assigned to your first sect mission. Report to Mission Hall before noon."
He folded the scroll and stood. His Chaos Qi flowed smoothly — since his breakthrough into the Meridian Forging – Mid Stage a week ago, his foundation had only grown more stable. His body now moved with effortless efficiency, and the golden-black currents beneath his skin swirled quietly.
At the Mission Hall, dozens of cultivators bustled around as elders and attendants read out assignments.
Lin Ho stepped forward as his name was called.
> "Lin Ho. Inner Sect. Your mission: assist in the investigation and suppression of unusual sea beast activity near the coastal village of Nanshui. Report to Elder Mo, leading the suppression team."
Whispers followed him as he accepted the jade mission token.
> "He's just a new inner disciple, and he's going out already?" "Didn't he cause a stir during the entrance trials?"
He ignored them and walked away.
---
Later That Day – Departure Grounds
Five cultivators waited near a cloud ship prepared for travel: three were Inner Sect disciples, one was a Senior Disciple from the Sword Branch, and the last, a stern-looking man with a scar across his throat, stood with arms crossed — Elder Mo.
He nodded curtly at Lin Ho's arrival.
> "You're the last. Good. Let's move. Sea beasts don't wait for tea."
They boarded, and the ship rose on formation winds, gliding eastward toward the distant ocean.
---
Nanshui Village – Nightfall
They arrived under the light of a red moon.
The village had once been peaceful, nestled between jade-green cliffs and calm seas. But now, everything reeked of salt and blood. Buildings were shattered. Deep claw marks gouged stone. The villagers had fled to the cliffs.
One of the Inner Sect disciples spoke, frowning.
> "Whatever attacked… it wasn't a normal sea beast. Too coordinated."
Lin Ho knelt beside a torn section of earth, placing his palm down.
His Chaos Qi seeped into the soil. His senses spread. Beneath the surface, he felt something faint — not spiritual energy, but a cold presence lurking deep in the sea.
Elder Mo grunted.
> "Tomorrow, we investigate the shore. Beasts come again, we'll be ready."
---
Midnight – Lin Ho's Meditation
While others rested, Lin Ho sat facing the ocean. Chaos energy pulsed around him, unseen to all but the stars.
Suddenly, he opened his eyes.
From the depths, several pulses — cold, alien — echoed up toward the cliffs. And then… silence.
> "They're watching too."
But he wasn't the only one watching back.
His Chaos Qi stirred restlessly.
---
End of Chapter 20