Mei Yu's voice cut through the chaos again.
—
"We are not discussing his character."
"We are discussing survival."
—
Silence fell.
—
"If the Grand Elder learns of this…"
—
No one needed him to finish.
—
They all knew.
—
Madness.
—
Destruction.
—
No distinction between enemy and ally.
—
"We need a culprit," Mei Yu said.
—
A dangerous idea.
—
One that immediately took root.
—
"The Lu Clan," someone suggested.
—
Murmurs spread.
—
"They were nearby…"
"They have motive…"
"They are weak enough to destroy…"
—
Hope flickered.
—
But then—
—
"Fools."
—
A cold voice descended from above.
—
All eyes turned upward.
—
Second Grand Elder Mei Shen.
—
Watching.
Listening.
Judging.
—
"The Lu Clan?" he said slowly.
"You insult your own intelligence."
—
No one spoke.
—
"To annihilate two Foundation Establishment experts…"
"…and the Young Master…"
"…before even a distress signal could be sent…"
—
His eyes gleamed.
—
"That requires overwhelming power."
—
"Not desperation."
—
Silence deepened.
—
"You are not seeking truth," Mei Shen continued.
"You are seeking a sacrifice."
—
No one dared respond.
—
Because he was right.
—
The discussion shifted.
—
Names were raised.
Dismissed.
—
Mu Clan.
Too far.
—
Yu Clan.
Too cautious.
—
Then—
—
"Iron Saber Sect."
—
The room stilled.
—
Eyes sharpened.
—
Possibility.
—
"They have motive."
"They have strength."
"They have history with us."
—
The idea spread quickly.
—
Too quickly.
—
Mei Yu's gaze darkened.
—
"If we name them…"
—
"We give the Grand Elder a worthy enemy."
—
"And a direction for his rage."
—
Silence.
—
Then—
slow nods.
—
Not agreement.
—
Acceptance.
—
Because no better option existed.
—
Mei Yu straightened.
His expression hardened.
—
"Seal the clan."
"Erase all records."
—
"And…"
—
He paused.
—
"I will inform the Grand Elder."
—
A collective chill spread.
—
Because everyone understood—
—
This was not just news.
—
This was—
—
a spark.
—
And what it would ignite—
—
none of them could control.
—
Outside—
the sky darkened slightly.
—
And somewhere far away—
—
the first rumble of thunder sounded.
—
The storm had begun.
The hall had already begun to empty when—
—
"Wait."
—
The single word struck like an invisible wall.
Every elder froze.
One had already stepped past the threshold, his robe caught mid-sway. Another still held a scroll half-unfurled. Even the guards outside instinctively stiffened, though the word had not been meant for them.
—
All eyes turned back.
—
Grand Elder Mei Shen rose slowly from his seat.
—
His movements were unhurried.
Measured.
Controlled.
—
And yet—
every shift of his body seemed to press down upon the air itself.
—
The faint flicker of candlelight near him dimmed, as if afraid to burn too brightly in his presence.
—
His charcoal-grey robes hung heavy, unmoving, like funeral drapery.
—
"Investigate the site of the disappearance," Mei Shen said.
—
His voice was low.
Soft.
—
But it cut through the room sharper than any blade.
—
"Immediately."
—
No one spoke.
No one dared.
—
"Do not go there with the mindset of frightened dogs looking for the nearest bone to chew," he continued, his sunken eyes sweeping across the elders.
"Do not 'find a culprit' just to soothe your fear."
—
His gaze lingered briefly on Elder Ge, then shifted to Elder Huyan, as though peeling away the layers of their thoughts.
—
"I want truth."
—
A pause.
—
"Scan the spiritual residue."
"Every inch."
"Every breath of lingering Qi."
—
He lifted a thin, veined hand and pointed slightly downward—
as if indicating the very ground beneath their feet.
—
"Look for the signature of Saber Intent."
—
The words settled heavily.
—
The elders exchanged glances.
—
Their earlier confidence—
their eagerness to blame—
began to crumble.
—
Mei Shen's voice dropped further.
—
"The Iron Saber Sect are brutes."
—
A faint sneer tugged at his lips.
—
"But they are not suicidal."
—
The statement hung in the air.
—
"To kill a protected heir…"
"…and two Foundation Establishment cultivators…"
"…in a single, decisive strike…"
—
He leaned forward slightly.
—
"…is not provocation."
—
"It is a declaration."
—
"A death warrant."
—
Silence deepened.
—
"They have survived for centuries," Mei Shen continued.
"They skirmish."
"They test."
"They nibble at our borders like wolves testing a fence."
—
"But they do not tear down the gate."
—
His eyes narrowed.
—
"Not unless they are prepared to burn with it."
—
The elders shifted uneasily.
—
Doubt spread.
—
The convenient narrative they had begun to build—
was unraveling.
—
"But Grand Elder…" Elder Ge spoke, his voice lacking its earlier certainty.
"If not them… then who?"
—
His fingers tightened around his beard.
—
"The destruction was total."
—
"No warning."
"No survivors."
—
"Who else could do such a thing?"
—
Mei Shen turned his head slowly.
—
And looked directly at him.
—
"That," he said quietly,
"…is precisely what you are going to find out."
—
Elder Ge lowered his gaze immediately.
—
Mei Shen stepped forward.
Each step echoed faintly.
Measured.
Heavy.
—
"If there is Saber Intent," he continued,
"you will analyze it."
—
His tone sharpened slightly.
—
"If it carries the crushing weight of mountains…"
"…the blunt, oppressive force that shatters rather than cuts…"
—
"Then you may consider the Iron Saber Sect."
—
He paused.
—
"But…"
—
His eyes glinted.
—
"If the intent is sharp…"
"…refined…"
"…swift like a whisper of wind…"
—
"Or carries an elemental resonance that does not belong to them…"
—
He let the silence stretch.
—
"…then you are not dealing with brutes."
—
A chill ran through the hall.
—
"You are dealing with…"
—
He exhaled softly.
—
"…a Ghost."
—
The word lingered.
—
Unseen.
Untraceable.
Unpredictable.
—
A killer who left no trace.
—
A presence that struck—
and vanished.
—
Some of the elders felt their backs grow cold.
—
Because this—
was far worse than war.
—
War had rules.
Enemies.
Frontlines.
—
A Ghost—
had none.
—