The mastery of the Heavenly Sword Art, even in its nascent stages, had imbued Li Wei with a renewed sense of power. The Star Blade, though just a sharpened branch, felt like an extension of his qi, its swings in the hidden valley's mist leaving faint trails of light—or so he believed. The warmth in his dantian, pulsing steadily as his Golden Core grew denser, seemed to resonate with the valley's ancient tree and its glowing blossoms. Azure Dragon, his scruffy spirit beast, remained a loyal companion, dozing by the stone altar as Li Wei's chants echoed through the night. The Order of the Jade Dawn, despite its internal tensions, was a lifeline, their virtual support fueling his resolve. But the scroll's next passage cast a shadow over his progress: "Beware the serpent within the sect, for betrayal festers where trust is blind."
The memory of Wang Hao's betrayal—his leaked messages mocking the Order on the "True Path Seekers" forum—still stung, and Li Wei had vowed to guard his sect more carefully. The new members, Chen Xiu, Zhao Feng, and Lin Tao, had brought fresh energy, but their debates during video calls hinted at fractures. Chen Xiu's fervent mysticism clashed with Zhao Feng's pragmatism, while Lin Tao's reserved nature made him hard to read. The scroll's warning felt like a prophecy, and Li Wei, alone in the valley, grew paranoid. Was another betrayal brewing, threatening to unravel the Order just as it expanded?
The revelation came unexpectedly. During a routine scroll through the forum, using Old Chen's spotty Wi-Fi at the village teahouse, Li Wei stumbled upon a new thread titled "Jade Dawn Exposed: The Hermit's Hoax." The post, by a user named "VeiledTruth," detailed the Order's practices with chilling accuracy: Li Wei's scroll, the jade slip, the hidden valley, even his recent Heavenly Sword Art video. Screenshots of their private chat, including Chen Xiu's meditations and Lin Tao's scroll scans, were shared, mocked as "delusional role-play." The thread accused Li Wei of leading a "cult of wannabe immortals," reigniting the forum's ridicule from the tournament fiasco.
Li Wei's heart sank, his hands trembling as he read. The betrayal was undeniable—only a member of the Order could access their encrypted chat. Wang Hao was gone, leaving Chen Xiu, Zhao Feng, or Lin Tao as the culprit. He pored over the thread, searching for clues. VeiledTruth's writing style was formal, almost academic, unlike Chen Xiu's passionate rants or Zhao Feng's blunt pragmatism. Lin Tao, the quiet student with his family scroll, emerged as the likely traitor—his reserved nature now seemed like a mask for disloyalty.
Back in the valley, Li Wei called an emergency video meeting, his phone propped against the altar, Azure Dragon whining at his tension. The campfire's glow cast shadows across his face as he confronted the sect. "VeiledTruth has betrayed us," he said, his voice heavy with anger. "Our secrets are exposed again. Who is it?" Zhang Wei, in his cluttered dorm, raged, demanding answers. Liu Mei, her serene face lit by moonlight, urged calm but agreed the breach was severe. Chen Xiu and Zhao Feng denied involvement, their voices heated, but Lin Tao remained silent, his camera off.
"Lin Tao," Li Wei pressed, "you've shared your scroll but little else. Are you VeiledTruth?" The silence stretched, then Lin Tao's voice, soft but steady, came through. "I wanted to test the forum's wisdom," he admitted. "I thought they'd understand, but they mocked us. I'm sorry." His confession was a gut punch, confirming Li Wei's fears. Zhang Wei exploded, calling Lin Tao a "spineless scholar," while Chen Xiu demanded his exile. Liu Mei, ever the mediator, suggested giving him a chance to explain, but Li Wei, burned by Wang Hao's betrayal, felt his trust shattered.
"The scroll warns of serpents," Li Wei said, his voice cold. "You've endangered our path. You're out." He ended the call, blocking Lin Tao from the chat. The valley's mist seemed to thicken, the ancient tree's whispers tinged with sorrow. Li Wei scribbled in his notebook: "Betrayal revealed—Lin Tao exiled. Sect wounded, but Dao endures." He meditated with the jade slip, seeking to calm his qi, but the warmth in his dantian flickered, as if shaken by the loss. Azure Dragon nudged his hand, a small comfort.
The next day, Li Wei shared a message with Zhang Wei, Liu Mei, Chen Xiu, and Zhao Feng, reaffirming their commitment to the scroll's path. They vowed to tighten their security, sharing only encrypted updates. The forum's mockery stung, but Li Wei saw it as another tribulation, a test of his leadership. Under the valley's starry sky, he sat by the altar, the scroll open, its words a reminder: "The Dao is solitary, yet strengthened by the loyal." With Azure Dragon at his side and the Order's remaining members, Li Wei resolved to rebuild, his Golden Core pulsing as he faced the path ahead, betrayal or not, toward immortality.