Chapter 49 – Shadows on the Horizon
Back at Cloudsky Sect
The Grand Hall of Cloudsky was filled once more, but this time the mood was darker. The Sect Master, still pale from his earlier sacrifice, sat at the head, elders gathered in semicircle before him.
Reports came one after another.
"The Serpent Vein Sect has been annihilated. Their peaks burned, their disciples slaughtered."
"The Iron Fang Sect lost half its strength in a single night ambush. They cannot recover without support."
The Sect Master's hand tightened on his armrest. "We were not the only target. The demonic sects are moving in unison. They mean to erase the orthodox path, root and branch."
An elder leaned forward, voice heavy. "The remaining sects call for a gathering. They propose a grand alliance—an Orthodox Coalition. Twofold in purpose: first, to shield the sects that yet stand. Second, to take the fight back into demonic territory."
Murmurs filled the hall. Some feared such boldness, others hungered for vengeance. The Sect Master finally raised his hand.
"Then Cloudsky will answer the call. Alone, we are prey. Together, we may yet be the hunters."
---
Lin's Group on the Road
Far away, Lin Xuan's group reached a small border town nestled against rolling hills. Its markets buzzed with travelers, merchants, and mercenaries, but the undercurrent of fear was unmistakable.
At a roadside inn, bowls of steaming broth before them, they listened quietly to the conversations around them.
"Did you hear? The Serpent Vein Sect is gone. Wiped out overnight."
"Iron Fang's disciples were ambushed in the wilds. Only a handful escaped."
"And I heard even lone disciples on the roads are being targeted. The demonic sects won't let anyone slip their net."
The words were heavy, thick with dread.
---
A Quiet Discussion
When the room quieted, Bai Liang leaned in. "It's worse than we thought. They're not just striking sects—they're hunting individuals."
Wen nodded grimly. "I've noticed too many eyes on us since we left Red Phoenix. We'll need to assume we're marked."
Mu frowned, clutching her cauldron. "If they know we're carrying ingredients… they won't stop. They'll keep coming until one of us falls."
Lin's gaze swept over them, calm but sharp. "Then we give them no chance. We move carefully, we stay together, and we prepare as if every shadow hides an enemy."
The group nodded, silent resolve hardening between them.
---
Toward the Next Target
Later that evening, as they checked their map under lantern light, Lin pointed to the next marked location. "Here. The next ingredient lies in a marshland forbidden zone—The Mire of Broken Souls. Dangerous terrain, and worse things within."
Bai smirked faintly. "So… just another day's work."
They shared a rare laugh, brief but genuine, before the weight of their path returned.
Cloudsky's disciples had claimed allies, ingredients, and debts—but now, as war spread across the land, they carried more than their sect's hopes.
They carried the survival of the orthodox way itself.