Chapter 32: The Lamp's Flame
The hidden warehouse base on Dawnriver City's outskirts thrummed with quiet purpose, its stone walls etched with faint Abyssal Lotus Step formations that cloaked the space in stealth, the air thick with the scent of damp earth and the herbal aroma of freshly refined pills. The dim light of oil lamps cast flickering shadows across the cavernous interior, where Lin Xuan stood at the center, his crimson eyes glowing with the steady power of his 5th Layer Qi Transformation. The Celestial Unity Crest on his back pulsed faintly, a beacon of authority as he oversaw the Soul Lamp Hall's fledgling recruits. The five survivors—two orphans, a scarred outcast, and two alchemists—stood in a loose formation, their auras weak but eager, their eyes fixed on their new leader.
Lin Xuan began their training, his voice firm yet measured. "Today, you learn Void Pulse Kick, blended with Kyokushin Karate's Mae Geri front kick, to enhance your combat agility." He demonstrated, his leg snapping forward with precision, the qi-infused kick sending a shockwave that cracked the stone floor, the technique's subtle hum impressing the group. The recruits mimicked him, their movements clumsy at first, but he guided their stances, adjusting their balance with gentle corrections. To showcase qi control, he executed Starlit Void Fist, the celestial punch igniting with a soft glow, its force shattering a wooden dummy into splinters. A young alchemist, Xiao Fen, stepped forward, her delicate frame belying a fierce spirit, her dark eyes wide with awe. "Senior Brother, your power is unmatched," she said, bowing deeply. "I pledge my allegiance to the Soul Lamp Hall." Lin Xuan nodded, a faint smile breaking his stern facade, sensing her potential.
Across the warehouse, Liu Yue oversaw her own training session, her raven hair swaying as she channeled Icy Skin, the air chilling around her as frost crept across the floor. Her snowflake mark glowed softly on her palm, a sign of her deepening mastery, her moonlight eyes guiding the recruits through icy qi manipulation. "Focus your breath," she instructed, her voice calm yet authoritative, the group shivering but determined. Nearby, Liu Yang practiced his unique talent, his 7th Layer Body Refining qi stirring autonomously as he forged blood weapons. His blood-forged dagger—a jagged blade crafted from the Human Emperor's blood—gleamed with crimson light, while a second blade took shape, its surface rippling like liquid metal. The effort strained him, sweat beading on his young face, but his resolve held, hinting at a latent power tied to his lineage.
Later, Lin Xuan slipped into a forest glade outside the city, the mist curling around ancient trees, their branches whispering in the breeze. Using Illusion Diversion to mask his presence, his form a phantom among the shadows, he met a masked Hei Clan treasury insider—a nervous man with a 4th Layer Qi Gathering aura, his black robes trembling slightly. "The Hei Clan's tributes are inconsistent," the insider whispered, handing over a ledger. Lin Xuan scanned the records, his crimson eyes narrowing as he identified discrepancies. With forged trade documents crafted from the Human Emperor's Records, he planted evidence of Hei Clan collusion with a foreign power—hinting at the Ironfang Kingdom. He embedded subtle inconsistencies—misaligned dates, exaggerated figures—into their records, a trap designed to trigger Royal Treasury audits. "Your silence ensures your survival," he said, his voice low, the insider nodding with a bow before vanishing into the mist.
Back at the base, the warehouse buzzed with activity as Lin Xuan activated his sleeper agent, Hei Tao. Using a spiritual echo stone, he transmitted false orders, the scribe leaking commands that sent mid-level Hei Clan elders into a deadly trap. Lin Xuan had acquired Wudu Clan neurotoxins—vials of shimmering green liquid with a bitter scent—from a black-market contact, their potency a silent weapon. The elders died mysteriously, their bodies found foaming at the mouth, the clan's unrest growing as internal investigations floundered. That night, Lin Xuan refined pills with his silver-blue flame, the Celestial Unity Crest guiding a loyalty-binding array, the warehouse a fortress of shadows and ambition.
The morning found Lin Xuan in a Dawnriver City tavern, its wooden interior warm with the scent of ale and roasted meat, where he sat in a corner, his crimson eyes scanning the crowd. Liu Yue joined him, her moonlight eyes reflecting pride, while Liu Yang's blood-forged dagger rested at his side, his qi pulsing. "Senior Brother, the Hall grows stronger," she said softly. The Hei Clan's envoy lingered in the city, their dark qi a looming threat, but Lin Xuan's resolve was unyielding, the lamp's flame burning brighter in the shadows.