Chapter 44: The Viper's Whisper
The warm glow of Liu Yue's inn bathed the room in a soft, amber light, its wooden walls adorned with faded tapestries that seemed to whisper tales of quieter times, the air carrying the comforting aroma of brewed tea and the faint sweetness of freshly baked bread. The evening had settled in, a deceptive calm wrapping around the space as Liu Yue, now at the 2nd Layer Qi Transformation, sat by the hearth, her snowflake mark pulsing faintly with each breath, her moonlight eyes distant as she lost herself in thought. A shadow slipped through the door—a Wudu assassin, his 6th Layer Qi Transformation aura cloaked in darkness, his voice weaving Dream Widow's Song, a haunting melody that curled into her mind like tendrils of fog. "Sleep, little flower, and let the night take you," he whispered, his dagger glinting as he stepped closer, his intent cold and precise.
Liu Yue's vision blurred, her body swaying, but Lin Xuan burst into the room, his crimson eyes flashing with fury, the weight of his 5th Layer Qi Transformation a sudden storm. "Not my sister!" he roared, launching Starlit Void Fist with a surge of celestial energy that shattered the assassin's guard, the impact sending him crashing against the wall with a choked gasp, his life fading as the dagger clattered to the floor. Lin Xuan knelt beside Liu Yue, his hand gentle on her shoulder as she shook off the daze. "You okay?" he asked, his voice softening, concern etching his features. She nodded, her breath shaky. "Thanks, Senior Brother—I felt him in my head."
From the assassin's robes, Lin Xuan retrieved a crumpled note, its ink smudged but legible, hinting at Xun Clan involvement. "Xun again," he muttered, his jaw tightening with anger. In the Ji Clan outpost, Ji Yunjing, now at the early 3rd Layer Profound Heavenly Realm, interrogated an Ironfang scout, the man's 4th Layer Qi Transformation aura trembling under the prince's gaze. "Tell me what you know, or you'll regret it," Ji Yunjing said, his voice firm but laced with a hint of strain, the scout's reluctant confession revealing border movements. "They're massing near the north," the scout rasped, his head bowing in defeat.
Bai Ningxue, her 5th Layer Qi Transformation aura a soothing presence, stepped forward, her Thousand Lotus Seal Art glowing as she purified the scout's qi, her touch light but effective. "This should clear his mind—ask again," she said with a small smile, her spirited nature shining through. Liu Yang, his 8th Layer Body Refining qi a steady force, worked in the corner, evolving his glaive, the crimson edge sharpening as he ran his fingers along it. "This'll cut deeper next time," he said to himself, his young face set with determination. Lin Xuan gathered them later, his voice thoughtful as he leaned against the inn's table. "We need a council—Xun's pulling strings, and we can't ignore it. Let's figure this out together."
The outpost buzzed with activity, the air thick with the scent of oil lamps and the murmur of planning, Ji Yunjing's leadership tested as he processed the scout's intel. "We'll need to tighten security," he said, his tone resolute, while Lin Xuan's mind turned to the note, the viper's whisper a clue in a web of treachery that demanded unraveling.