The morning mist clung to Azure Sky Pavilion like ghostly fingers, creating an atmosphere of unease that seemed to seep into every corner of the compound. Li Wuchen noticed the change immediately as he began his daily routines—something fundamental had shifted in the spiritual equilibrium of the sect, though he couldn't identify exactly what felt different.
"The wards are fluctuating," Wuji observed, his mental voice tinged with concern. "Someone has been probing the pavilion's defenses during the night."
Wuchen paused in his sweeping of the main courtyard, pretending to adjust his grip on the broom while actually scanning the area with his enhanced senses. "Probing how?"
"Subtle spiritual touches, like fingers testing the strength of a spider's web. Whoever did this possesses considerable skill—most of the sect's defenders haven't even noticed."
Indeed, as Wuchen observed the morning activities around him, the disciples and elders seemed to be going about their business normally. If anything, there was a heightened energy in the air that most would attribute to the approach of the monthly alchemy examination. Only a few of the more sensitive individuals showed signs of unease—a slight tension in their movements, frequent glances toward the perimeter, unconscious adjustments to their spiritual defenses.
Elder Wu, the portly administrator responsible for managing the outer disciples, emerged from the main hall with a frown creasing his usually jovial features. He paused at the top of the stone steps, his cultivation-enhanced senses clearly detecting something amiss in the ambient spiritual energy.
"Strange," he muttered to himself, loud enough for Wuchen to overhear. "The formation arrays seem stable, but there's an underlying... disturbance... in the harmony."
Behind him, Elder Zhang—a thin, ascetic man who served as the pavilion's primary formation specialist—nodded grimly. "I've been monitoring the defensive ward network since before dawn. No direct attacks, no obvious intrusions, but someone has definitely been testing our boundaries."
"Bandits?" Elder Wu suggested hopefully. "Perhaps some desperate group thinking to steal alchemical supplies?"
"Bandits don't possess the sophistication to conduct spiritual reconnaissance of this caliber," Elder Zhang replied, his voice heavy with concern. "No, whoever did this understands formation theory at a level that suggests significant backing—either from a major sect or..."
He let the sentence hang unfinished, but Wuchen could guess at the implications. In the current political climate, with tensions rising between orthodox and heterodox factions throughout the martial world, even a peaceful alchemical sect like Azure Sky Pavilion couldn't ignore the possibility of targeted harassment.
As the elders continued their discussion, Wuchen resumed his cleaning duties while keeping his enhanced hearing focused on their conversation. The fragments he caught painted a picture of growing concern among the leadership—reports of unusual spiritual phenomena throughout the region, disciples experiencing disturbing dreams, and now this evidence of external surveillance.
"They're worried about something specific," Wuji noted. "This isn't just general paranoia about sectarian conflicts."
"What do you think they know?" Wuchen asked silently.
"Probably nothing concrete. But institutions like this develop collective instincts over centuries of operation. They can sense when something threatens their equilibrium, even if they can't identify the source."
The morning progressed with an undercurrent of tension that grew more pronounced as time passed. During the outer disciples' morning training session, Wuchen observed several students struggling with techniques that should have been routine. Their spiritual energy seemed less responsive than normal, requiring greater effort to achieve the same results.
Chen Batian, the arrogant young master from the Chen family, appeared particularly frustrated. Wuchen watched from the edge of the training ground as Chen attempted a basic sword technique that involved channeling qi through his blade to extend its effective reach. The technique, which Chen had mastered months ago, now sputtered and failed repeatedly.
"What's wrong with this cursed formation?" Chen snarled, examining his sword as if the weapon itself were to blame. "The spiritual energy density should be perfect in this area."
His training partner, a quiet young woman named Mei Lin, nodded sympathetically. "I'm having the same problem. It feels like trying to draw water from a well with a cracked bucket—the energy keeps dissipating before I can properly channel it."
Around the training ground, similar scenes were playing out as disciples found their normally reliable techniques becoming unreliable and unpredictable. The instructors maintained calm exteriors, but Wuchen could see the concern in their eyes as they attempted to diagnose and correct problems that seemed to have no obvious cause.
"The disturbance is affecting everyone except us," Wuji observed with interest. "Their cultivation methods depend on manipulating ambient spiritual energy, but something is interfering with those patterns."
"Are we causing this?" Wuchen asked, sudden worry flooding his thoughts.
"Not directly. But my presence does create... resonances... in the local spiritual environment. Most of the time these are too subtle to detect, but if someone else is actively manipulating the energy flows..."
The sword spirit's explanation was interrupted by a commotion near the main gate. A young outer disciple came running into the courtyard, his face pale and his breathing labored as if he'd sprinted the entire distance from Clearwater Village.
"Elder Wu! Elder Zhang!" the disciple called out, his voice carrying clearly across the suddenly quiet training ground. "Urgent news from the village!"
The two elders immediately moved to intercept the messenger, their expressions grave. Wuchen positioned himself closer to the group, using his cleaning duties as cover while straining to overhear their conversation.
"Report," Elder Wu commanded tersely.
"Three villagers went missing during the night," the disciple gasped, still catching his breath. "Old Man Chen, the herb merchant Liu, and young Miss Zhao from the inn. Their families found signs of struggle, but no indication of what happened to them."
Elder Zhang's face darkened. "Bandits?"
"That's what everyone assumed at first, but..." The messenger hesitated, clearly reluctant to continue. "But there were witnesses who saw strange lights in the forest before the disappearances. And the animals in the area have been acting strangely—dogs howling all night, birds refusing to land anywhere near the affected houses."
The elders exchanged meaningful glances, their earlier concerns crystallizing into something approaching alarm. Elder Wu began issuing rapid orders: "Double the guard rotations. Activate the secondary ward formations. Send word to the Martial Alliance that we may require assistance."
"Should we evacuate the outer settlements?" Elder Zhang asked.
"Not yet. But prepare contingency plans in case the situation escalates."
As the messenger was dispatched to carry out these orders and the elders hurried toward the administrative buildings, Wuchen felt a chill of premonition run down his spine. The coincidence of the spiritual disturbances and the mysterious disappearances seemed too convenient to be unrelated.
"This is it," Wuji confirmed grimly. "The probe I sensed earlier. Someone is testing both our presence and the sect's response capabilities."
"The missing villagers—are they...?"
"Probably still alive. Whoever orchestrated this wants to provoke a reaction, not simply commit random violence. But that doesn't mean they'll remain safe if we fail to respond appropriately."
Throughout the rest of the morning, the pavilion buzzed with activity as defensive measures were implemented and search parties organized. Wuchen continued his duties with outward calm, but internally he was preparing for what he increasingly suspected would be his first real test as wielder of the Supreme Demon Blade.
The stage was being set for confrontation, and three innocent lives hung in the balance. As he cleaned the windows of the main hall, Wuchen caught sight of his reflection and was surprised by the steely determination he saw there. The frightened servant boy of yesterday was already becoming something else—someone else.
"Are you ready?" Wuji asked softly.
"I have to be," Wuchen replied, his hand unconsciously moving to touch the concealed weapon. "Those people don't deserve to suffer just because someone wants to test us."
"Then let us prepare to give them a test they will not soon forget."
As the morning shadows shortened toward noon, dark clouds began gathering on the horizon, and the first distant rumble of thunder echoed across the mountains like the beating of war drums.