The courtyard had not yet settled. Cracks from the earlier duel still ran across the stone arena. Dust lingered in the air, drifting slowly as if reluctant to leave.
Disciples gathered in uneasy clusters, whispering about what they had just witnessed.
At the center of it all— Lin Aether stood. His breathing was uneven. His robes were torn along the shoulder and waist, stained dark with drying blood. Several cuts lined his arms, shallow but numerous.
But one wound stood out. A deep slash across his hip. It had stopped bleeding. But it had not heeled.
Each moment sent a dull ache through his body. "...Yeah, that's definitely going to be a problem," Lin muttered under his breath.
Volt stood beside it, unusually still. The lightning wolf's gaze was fixed—not on the crowd—But on Lin.
Because something about him had changed. Lin shifted slightly—And noticed something strange. The smaller cuts along his arm... Were closing. Not instantly, not completely, but faster than they should.
A faint flicker of lightning moved beneath his skin. Lin blinked. "...Okay. That's new." Mei voice echoed quietly. "...Ignore it."
"...Ignore it?
"...For now."
Before he could question further—The wind shifted. Not violently, not suddenly, but with intent. Every disciple turned toward the mountain path.
Figures appeared. White robes flowed like water down the stone path. Untouched by the decay of the Silent Heavens Sect.
At their front—An elder walked calmly. His presence alone silenced the courtyard. "I am Elder Qiu Ren of the Jade Rivers Sect."
The Silent Heavens elder stepped forward quickly, bowing. "Honored Elder Qiu Ren, welcome—"
"We detected a disturbance in Heavenly Qi last night." The interruption was calm, but final. Qiu Ren's gaze moved across the sect. Lingering on broken walls, faded banners, ruins of what once was. "...Such disturbances are not natural."
The Silent Heavens elder forced a smile. "Mount Yun often experiences irregular—"
"That was not weather."
Silence.
"It was recognition."
The words settled heavily across the courtyard. At that exact moment— Lin shifted his stance, and Elder Qiu Ren's gaze stopped. On him.
The Jade River disciples followed— And immediately frowned. "...He's injured."
"...Those wounds—he shouldn't even be standing."
Lin scratched his cheek. "...You all are very observant." One disciple pointed subtly. "...Look. His arm."
The cut that had been bleeding moments ago— had already begun to close. All his wounds had already stopped bleeding.
"...Impossible." A figure stepped forward.
Su Lian.
Her movements were calm. Precise. Her gaze locked onto Lin. She saw everything. The injuries, the blood, and the faint, unnatural recovery. Her eyes narrowed slightly. "...You're recovering."
"...Yeah... I noticed." Mei's voice echoed sharply. "Do not let them focus on that." But Su Lian had already seen enough.
She stepped closer. Now only a few meters away. "You fought someone stronger than you."
"...Yeah."
"And you are still standing."
Lin shrugged. "...Barely."
Her gaze didn't waver. "...Fight me." The words landed softly, but carried weight. The courtyard erupted in whispers.
Lin sighed. But this time—He didn't refuse. "...Fine." He stepped forward. The movement pulled at the wound of his hip. Pain flared, sharp, immediate. Lin's expression tightened slightly—But he didn't stop.
Su Lian stepped forward as well. The wind around her shifted. Not violent, not overwhelming, but precise, like a blade waiting to fall.
Lin felt it instantly. The pressure, the focus. This was different from Jian Wu. More controlled, more dangerous.
He inhaled slowly, lightning flickered faintly across his fingers. His mind sharpened. Focus. The world around him began to narrow. The whispers faded, the crowd disappeared. There was only—Her.
And the moment before impact, Su moved just a step. But it was enough. The intent behind it—Cut through the air.
Lin reacted instinctively. His body tensed, his mind focused completely, and deep within—The Golden Seal responded.
CRACK.
A sharper fracture spread across its surface. The moment it did—Everything changed. The air grew heavy, not from Su Lian, not from Lin, but from below.
The ground beneath the courtyard trembled. This time—No one could ignore it. "...What was that?"
Another tremor. Stronger.
Thin fractures spread across the stone floor. Disciples stumbled. Some stepped back instinctively.
Elder Qiu Ren's expression changed. "...This."
Su's eyes widened slightly. The wind around her broke. Lin stood frozen. The pain in his body—Forgotten.
Because something else—had just answered him. Inside his mind—Mei spoke. For the first time—there was no calm in her voice. "...No."
Lin's breath caught. "...What?"
A pause. Then—quiet, controlled. "...It's too early."
The ground shook again. Violently this time. Cracks spread across the courtyard like spiderwebs.
Stone split.
Dust rose.
Volt growled loudly, lightning crackling across its fur. The disciples panicked. "What is happening?!" Another tremor—Stronger.
A deep, distant sound echoed beneath the mountain. Not loud, but heavy, like something shifting in its sleep.
Lin's chest tightened. The seal pulsed again. And far below—Something stirred. Mei's voice dropped to a whisper. "...This shouldn't be happening yet."
The ground fractured further, and for the first time— The Silent Heavens Sect truly trembled.