Chapter 35: The Viper's Strike
The Ji Clan inner court stood as a testament to elegance, its polished marble floors gleaming under the midday sun, the air infused with the delicate fragrance of jasmine and the subtle hum of qi from the guards patrolling its perimeter. The space buzzed with the low hum of conversation, elders in silk robes debating trade routes with animated gestures, oblivious to the danger lurking within their midst. Lin Xuan moved through the crowd with a quiet grace, his crimson eyes scanning every face, the Celestial Unity Crest on his back a steady presence as he sensed a disturbance ripple through the qi-laden air. His instincts proved sharp when a Wudu Clan Thousand Petal Viper assassin struck—a lithe woman with a 5th Layer Qi Transformation aura, her green robes adorned with venomous petal motifs, her dagger glinting with a shimmering toxin as it plunged toward an inner elder.
The elder's gasp cut through the room, his body crumpling, but Lin Xuan reacted with lightning precision. He activated mirror talismans, their reflective surfaces flashing as they turned the assassin's attack back on herself, the dagger grazing her own arm. Suppressive formation stones followed, their qi webs pinning her to the marble floor with a soft thud, her struggles futile against the binding energy. Her green eyes flared with defiance, but Lin Xuan leaned closer, his voice a low murmur as he wove Phantom Lotus Palm illusions into her mind. Ethereal images danced before her, pulling fragmented memories to the surface—a figure named Lord Wei, an Outer Ji administrator with a 6th Layer Qi Transformation aura, his hands stained with the manipulation of supply lines for Ironfang. "He serves the shadow," she hissed, her voice breaking before she slumped, the curse silencing her further. Lin Xuan's chest tightened with the weight of the betrayal, but his resolve hardened as he pocketed the evidence from her robes.
With the assassin secured, he moved swiftly, leaking falsified documents exposing Hei Clan-Ironfang ties to the Royal Court through anonymous spiritual echo stones. The messages, encrypted with the Human Emperor's codes, carried a calculated deception that spurred Ji Yunjing into action. The prince's forces moved with precision, disrupting Hei Clan supply networks under the cloak of night, the clatter of ambushed caravans echoing through the kingdom's edges. Lin Xuan's mind buzzed with the success, but his next step required finesse. He orchestrated a fake trade dispute at a secluded market, the air thick with the spicy aroma of exotic goods and the tension of deception. Lord Wei arrived, his 6th Layer aura wary, only to find himself ensnared in a cursed formation from the Crimson Blood Crystallization Art. The crimson sigil glowed briefly on his forehead before fading, binding him to an oath as a double agent. "Serve the Soul Lamp Hall, or your soul burns," Lin Xuan warned, his voice cold and unyielding, Wei's reluctant bow a sign of his submission. The effort drained Lin Xuan, his qi flickering with exhaustion, but the strategic gain fueled his determination.
Retreating to a hidden cave near the warehouse, the damp walls echoed with the steady drip of water, the cool air a contrast to the warmth of his resolve. Lin Xuan rested, the cave's shadows dancing as he processed the day's events. Liu Yue joined him, her raven hair swaying gently, her snowflake mark pulsing with the promise of a breakthrough, her moonlight eyes soft yet determined. "Junior Sister, your power grows," he said with a nod, acknowledging her progress. Liu Yang followed, his blood sword now sharper, its qi stirring autonomously, a legacy unfolding in its crimson gleam. The cave's quiet hum enveloped them, a sanctuary where the viper's strike marked a victory, the air thick with the scent of damp earth and the promise of future battles.