The morning sun over the Inner Court Pavilion shone gently—but Liu Shen knew better than to mistake peace for safety.
After defeating Feng Zhaoyun, his name was on every disciple's lips. Whispers followed him wherever he went:
> "That's him—the one who broke the Phoenix Blade."
"A demonic cultivator hiding in broad daylight?"
"They say even Pavilion Master Shen noticed his match…"
Some bowed in respect.
Others glared with resentment.
But all watched.
---
New Quarters, Old Eyes
Liu Shen stood in his new quarters, high in the Crimson Peak, overlooking half the sect.
The room was lavish: jade floor tiles, spiritual formations for meditation, and its own spirit spring—normally reserved for legacy disciples.
> This is bait, he thought. A golden cage. They want to see what I do when they loosen the leash.
He didn't mind.
Let them watch.
He activated a concealing array he had personally carved, drawing from demonic sigils few alive could read.
The watchers outside blinked, suddenly sensing nothing.
One of the Pavilion spies cursed quietly. "He's covered his Qi completely. Who the hell is this guy?"
---
Meanwhile – Beneath the Pavilion
Far below the sect's sacred grounds, the Demonic Execution Pavilion stirred.
In the black stone chamber, robed figures knelt before a throne wreathed in ghostfire.
A female voice echoed from the throne—sharp and sweet like poisoned honey.
> "He carries the Crimson Soul Flame... and absorbed a Flame-Sealed Soul Core. We confirmed the corruption patterns."
> "And the mark, Lady Yu?" a man asked cautiously.
> "None. He does not bear the demon mark. Yet he wields techniques that only Sovereigns used… centuries ago."
She rose slowly, long black hair falling like a curtain over her crimson robes.
> "It doesn't matter if he bears the mark. He is a threat to the Balance."
> "What are your orders?"
Her lips curved into a cold smile.
> "Test him again. Send one of the Unseen Blades. If he falls, he was not worth fearing. If he survives…"
> "We'll mark him for cleansing."
---
Assassin in Silk
That night, as moonlight bathed the Inner Court…
A shadow moved through the wind.
No footsteps. No Qi. No killing intent.
The Unseen Blade was trained to erase their presence entirely—a ghost among mortals.
Inside Liu Shen's chamber, candles flickered faintly as the air grew cold.
A silken thread slipped under the door, sliding silently toward his neck.
Then—
Snap!
The room exploded with crimson light.
The thread disintegrated in midair, caught by a rebounding formation Liu Shen had inscribed on the ceiling.
He stepped out from the shadow, already behind the intruder.
"Not bad," Liu Shen said softly. "But you should've gone for the heart."
The Unseen Blade spun—too late.
Liu Shen's fingers burned with Crimson Soul Flame, and he drove them directly into the assassin's chest.
There was no scream.
Only silence… and a burst of corrupted soul mist as the assassin's body dissolved, leaving behind a silver needle etched with the Pavilion's insignia.
---
Aftermath – Secrets in the Smoke
Liu Shen examined the remains calmly.
> The Demonic Execution Pavilion is testing me. That's fine. I'll test them back soon enough.
He clenched the needle until it crumbled.
Outside, the stars shifted, and far above, in a tower cloaked in fog, Yu Xuelan watched the scene through a water mirror.
"Crimson Soul Flame again… and reactive inscriptions that predate even the old sect records," she whispered.
> "Just what kind of monster are you, Liu Shen?"