The ice chains around Lin Tian's wrists hummed with a persistent chill. They didn't just bind his body; they felt like they were slowly freezing his spiritual circulation, turning the vibrant lake of his qi into a slurry.
Elder Shen walked ahead, her back straight, not once looking back to see if he followed. The two silent guards flanking him made sure of that.
They didn't take him to the towering spire of the Reflection Tower immediately. Instead, they marched him back to the main assembly square, where the pale light of the clouded sky glared off the polished ice-stone tiles.
A crowd was already gathering, disciples filtering in from all directions. The air buzzed with nervous energy and the sharp scent of snow.
The trial results, Lin Tian realized. His mind, hazy with the aftermath of the legacy room and the shock of Elder Shen's discovery, snapped into focus. This was the reckoning for the Sunken Caverns.
