Chapter 38 – Shadows After Victory
The smoke had barely lifted from Cloudsky's walls when the summons came.
Lin Xuan, Bai Liang, and the surviving disciples were led into the Grand Hall of the Sect Master, its towering pillars still etched with glowing inscriptions from the battle wards. The air smelled faintly of incense, but the atmosphere was thick with exhaustion and unease.
The elders sat in their appointed seats, robes singed and faces grave. Even those who had emerged unscathed bore the invisible weight of what they had seen. The battle was won—but only just.
At the highest seat, the Sect Master leaned forward on his throne. His hair, once entirely black, now streaked with white; his hand trembled slightly where it rested on the carved armrest. The aura of a mountain still surrounded him, but it no longer pressed as heavily as before.
"Cloudsky stands," his voice rolled across the hall, firm but thinner than before, "because each of you refused to yield."
Murmurs rippled as he began to list names: Senior Brother Wen, praised for holding the eastern colonnade against elite assassins; Junior Sister Mu, commended for turning her hall into a battlefield of fire. Even outer disciples who had stood at the south stair were called forward, their courage noted before all.
Finally, his gaze fell to the two figures who walked side by side: Lin Xuan and Bai Liang.
"You," the Sect Master said, voice lowering, "stood where the tide was fiercest. Many here saw it. Without you, the arena would have been lost. Step forward."
They did, battered but upright, weapons still strapped to their backs. A susurrus of awe and envy rolled through the disciples seated behind them.
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The Revelation
Before the Sect Master could speak further, Elder Danfeng rose from his seat. His expression was calm, but his words carried deliberate weight.
"This disciple," he gestured to Lin Xuan, "is not only a warrior. His alchemy talent surpasses any I have ever seen. You all remember the Celestial pill tribulation that shook heaven not long ago? I believe it was his hand that produced it."
Gasps filled the hall. Some elders narrowed their eyes, others scoffed outright.
"An outer disciple? Impossible."
"Celestial pills are the stuff of legends—"
"Or perhaps he stumbled upon something he does not understand."
The Sect Master raised a hand. Silence fell. His gaze bored into Lin Xuan like a chisel into stone.
"Is it true?" he asked. "Were you the one who crafted that Celestial-grade pill?"
Lin Xuan's throat tightened. For an instant, the thought of denial flickered through his mind. But he felt Bai Liang's presence beside him, solid as stone. He drew a slow breath.
"Yes," he said simply.
The hall erupted. Shock, disbelief, envy, awe—voices clashed like swords. Some disciples stared at him with open mouths. Some elders looked at him as though he were a priceless treasure. Others as though he were a threat to be leashed.
The Sect Master did not speak until the uproar burned itself out. His eyes never left Lin Xuan's.
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The Sect Master's Request
"You speak truth," the Sect Master said at last. His voice, though tired, was steady. "Then hear mine. The strike I used to defeat Mo Tianyin has left my foundation crippled. For years, perhaps decades, I will be too weak to bear the weight Cloudsky demands. The demonic sects will not wait that long."
He let the words hang. Even the proudest elder lowered their gaze.
"There is a pill," the Sect Master continued. "Rare. Dangerous. One that can mend what I have broken. But its ingredients are scattered across the wilds, guarded by beasts and sealed in places even our sect fears to tread. If we recover them… Lin Xuan, I would ask you to refine this pill for me."
A hush fell so deep that every breath was audible.
Lin Xuan bowed, hands clasped. "If the sect provides the materials, I will refine it."
The Sect Master nodded once. His gaze shifted briefly to Bai Liang, then back to Lin. "Then both of you must prepare. The hunt for these ingredients will decide not only my fate, but Cloudsky's."
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Shadows of What Comes
The meeting adjourned with the heavy scrape of chairs and the muted rustle of robes. Disciples filtered out, whispering Lin Xuan's name. Elders lingered, some already calculating how to use—or bind—the youth who had just admitted to breaking heaven's law.
As Lin and Bai stepped into the cool night air, Bai clapped a hand to his shoulder. "Looks like we're in deeper than ever."
Lin exhaled, gaze lifting to the smoke-streaked stars. "Deeper, yes. But together."
Far behind them, in the emptying Grand Hall, the Sect Master sat alone on his throne, the weight of centuries pressing heavier than ever. He had placed his hope in a single disciple whose gift was already drawing wolves from every shadow.