The Ghost Hollow was usually a place of silence. But tonight, the air vibrated with a tension sharp enough to cut skin.
Yan Luo stood in the courtyard of Mo Tian's hut. She had come under the cover of darkness to deliver news about the Sect's internal investigation. She wore her white Saintess robes, a beacon of purity in the misty gloom.
But she wasn't alone.
Standing opposite her, growling like a chained beast, was Xue Yao.
The Blood Empress wore her new crimson armor. Her heavy Zanbato was stabbed into the earth next to her. Her red eyes were locked onto Yan Luo's throat.
"Master," Xue Yao didn't look away from Yan Luo. "Why is this... thing... here? She smells like sunshine and lies. It makes me sick."
Yan Luo's hand rested on the hilt of her sword. Her face was pale, but her eyes were hard. "Han Fei... explain this. You brought a Blood Cultivator into the Sect? Do you want us all executed?"
Mo Tian sat on the stone bench between them, drinking tea. He looked bored.
"Sit down, both of you," Mo Tian commanded.
"I will not sit with a demon!" Yan Luo snapped. "She is a monster! Look at her aura! She has slaughtered thousands!"
"And you poisoned your brother," Xue Yao sneered, her voice raspy but mocking. "At least I look my victims in the eye before I eat their hearts. You just smile and stab them in the back."
Yan Luo froze. "How... how do you know that?"
"Master told me," Xue Yao grinned, revealing sharp canine teeth. "He tells me everything. Because I belong to him. Unlike you... Saintess."
The insult hit Yan Luo like a slap. She drew her sword.
"Moonlight Flash!"
"Blood Rush!"
Xue Yao moved instantly. She didn't draw her sword; she punched. Her fist, wrapped in Asura Qi, collided with Yan Luo's blade.
CLANG!
The shockwave shattered the stone bench. Mo Tian didn't spill his tea. He simply raised a finger.
[System: Harem Management - Absolute Authority.] [Active: Aura of the Tyrant (Dual Target).]
A crushing gravity descended on the courtyard. It wasn't just heavy; it was suffocating. It forced the air out of their lungs and drove them to their knees.
"Enough," Mo Tian said softly.
He stood up and walked over to them. They were trembling under the pressure, unable to look up.
"I did not build a kindergarten," Mo Tian looked down at them. "I built an armory."
He pointed to Yan Luo.
"You are the Shield. You are the face of righteousness. You provide the legitimacy, the intelligence, and the access to the Light factions. Without you, the Sect turns on us."
He pointed to Xue Yao.
"You are the Sword. You are the terror in the dark. You handle the dirty work, the massacres, and the intimidation. Without you, we have no teeth."
The pressure lifted slightly, allowing them to breathe.
"Light and Shadow," Mo Tian said, walking back to his tea. "They cannot exist without each other. If you fight amongst yourselves, you are useless to me. And I discard useless things."
Yan Luo sheathed her sword, trembling. She looked at Xue Yao with hatred, but also fear. This woman knew her secret. They were bound together by the same spiderweb.
Xue Yao spat on the ground, but bowed her head to Mo Tian. "Understood, Master. I will not break the Shield... unless you order it."
Mo Tian smiled.
"Good. Now, Yan Luo. The report."
Yan Luo took a deep breath, composing herself. She ignored the Blood Empress and focused on Mo Tian.
"The Sect Master is ill," she said. "The corruption from the Heavenly Dao incident... it wasn't just physical. It affected his mind. He has entered seclusion. The Elders are fighting for control."
"Power vacuum," Mo Tian nodded. "Predictable."
"Also," Yan Luo hesitated. "The Divine Sword Sect—a neighbor of Azure Cloud—has sent a marriage proposal. They want to marry the Saintess to their Young Master to form an alliance."
Mo Tian stopped drinking. The cup hovered near his lips.
"A marriage proposal?"
"Yes. The Elders are considering it. They need the alliance to stabilize the sect."
Mo Tian crushed the cup. Ceramic dust fell to the floor.
Xue Yao sensed the shift in Mo Tian's mood. She grinned. "Shall I kill the messenger? Or the groom?"
"No," Mo Tian stood up. His eyes were dark voids.
"Yan Luo is mine," he stated simply. "No one touches what is mine."
He looked at Yan Luo. For the first time, she saw a possessiveness in his eyes that wasn't calculated. It was primal.
"Go back," Mo Tian ordered. "Accept the meeting with the Divine Sword Sect. I want to meet this Young Master."
"You want to meet him?" Yan Luo asked.
"Yes," Mo Tian equipped his white mask, though he didn't put it on yet. "I want to see if his wedding gifts are worth stealing."
"And the groom?" Xue Yao asked, licking her lips.
"The groom," Mo Tian said, "will be the main course."