Lu Chen tightened the grip on his jade pendant and headed straight toward the Great Hall of Swords. His pace was urgent, his heart pounding with the weight of thousands of lives.
"Disciple Lu Chen seeks an audience with the Great Elders!" he announced, his voice echoing with a newfound authority that startled the guards.
Inside the hall, three elders sat in meditation, their Qi forming a protective barrier that hummed with sword-intent. The Head Elder, a man with hair white as snow, opened his eyes. "Lu Chen? You should be in seclusion. Why have you broken your meditation?"
"Elders," Lu Chen said, bowing deeply but keeping his gaze firm. "I have felt a disturbance in the heavenly fate. The 'Sect of Ancient Void' is not just a new rival; it is a cancer that will devour us all. I request permission to lead a mission to the Forbidden North."
The elders exchanged glances. The Forbidden North was a frozen wasteland, home to the Frozen Moon Palace and ancient ruins that even Rank 7 experts feared. "Why the North? Your cultivation is only at the peak of Rank 4," the Second Elder questioned.
"I seek the Frost-Heart Lotus," Lu Chen lied, using his future knowledge to provide a believable excuse. "It is the only ingredient that can stabilize our Sect's protective array against the dark Qi of the Void Patriarch."
After a long silence, the Head Elder sighed. "The world is changing, and we feel the shadows growing. Go, Lu Chen. But know this: if you fail, the Pavilion cannot send a rescue party to the Frozen Moon's territory. You will be alone."
"I have never been more ready," Lu Chen whispered.
As he left the gates of the Sword Pavilion, he didn't see the dark, invisible ripple in the air behind him. Fang Yuan was watching.
"A mission for a lotus?" Fang Yuan chuckled from his distant throne, his eyes reflecting the stars. "A clever lie for a hero. He goes to find his weapon, his love, and his doom. I shall grant him safe passage... for now. The faster he runs, the sooner my harvest ripens."