The sun rose over the Eastern Ridge, gilding the Cloudveil Sect in warm golden light. The birdsong rang clear through the halls, but Kael's heart remained heavy as he stood before the gates with his travel satchel slung over his shoulder. The jade token given to him by Elder Ru of the Northern Glades Sect hung discreetly around his neck, the engraving faint but distinct: a black leaf over a crescent moon.
He hadn't expected to be chosen—let alone by an Elder from another sect. This invitation felt like a turning point, but the events of yesterday still echoed in his mind.
The jade box.
He hadn't asked Lin what was inside, nor why she accepted it from that smirking noble youth, but the image lingered like a thorn in his thoughts. Lin had hesitated before taking the gift. That pause had meant something… hadn't it?
He brushed the thoughts away.
Now wasn't the time to dwell on feelings.
The caravan sent by the Northern Glades Sect was modest—just three carriages and a dozen guards in blue-green robes. Their leader, an elderly cultivator named Elder Xuan, greeted Kael with a raised brow.
"You're the one Ru insisted on? Hmph. Don't look like much."
Kael bowed politely. "Elder Ru must've seen something. I won't disappoint."
The Elder narrowed his eyes, then gestured toward the second carriage. "Ride quietly. Don't make me regret letting you on board."
Kael climbed inside without protest. He settled into the corner of the carriage, allowing the rhythmic clatter of wheels on stone to lull him into thought.
Hours passed.
The forest thickened around the caravan as they wound through the Outer Paths. Dappled sunlight flickered through the canopy, casting dancing shadows on the road. At some point, Kael sensed something strange—a subtle shift in the air, a ripple through his spirit threads.
He closed his eyes and extended his perception outward.
Movement.
Three figures.
No… four.
All masked.
And all hiding their cultivation.
Bandits? Unlikely. No common thief dared to target a sect convoy. This was something else.
He reached into his robe and touched the small pouch at his hip. Inside, he had a handful of defensive talismans, one low-grade concealment stone, and a single soul-severing needle. Not much… but enough.
The attack came swiftly.
A blast of energy exploded on the path ahead, sending the lead carriage spinning into the ditch. Horses neighed in panic. Guards leapt forward, weapons drawn.
The attackers emerged from the trees, cloaked in black, masks covering their faces. They moved with precision—silent and fast. Professionals.
Kael's carriage rocked violently as another blast struck its side. He threw open the door and leapt out, rolling across the dirt before springing to his feet.
Elder Xuan was already in combat with two of the masked assailants, his sword gleaming with blue spirit flame. But he was old. Slower than them.
Kael's eyes darted to the side, where another attacker lunged for a young disciple barely out of training.
No one moved fast enough.
No one but Kael.
He shot forward in a blur, spiritual threads pulsing through his limbs as he stepped between the two. His fingers brushed the pouch—and the soul-severing needle was in his palm.
The attacker hesitated a heartbeat too long.
That was all Kael needed.
The needle sliced through the air and struck just beneath the man's left eye. A scream pierced the clearing as the assailant crumpled, clutching his face, convulsing.
Kael turned without pause, helping the young disciple to her feet. "Run. Get behind the guards."
She obeyed, eyes wide with disbelief.
"Who… who are you?" she asked as she fled.
Kael didn't answer.
The battle ended after another ten minutes, the attackers driven off, leaving behind only a trail of scorched trees and one unconscious captive.
Elder Xuan approached Kael, eyes narrowed.
"You used soul thread reinforcement. I felt it."
Kael tensed. "I did."
"You shouldn't know that technique."
Kael met his gaze without flinching. "I learned it from an old scroll I found. I've studied alone, in secret."
Elder Xuan grunted, then looked away. "Hmph. You saved that girl. Quick hands. Quiet feet. Not bad."
He paused, then added, "I still don't trust you."
Kael gave a small smile. "That's fine. I'm not asking you to."
They reached the outpost of the Northern Glades Sect the next day—an ancient structure carved into the cliffside, surrounded by mist-shrouded peaks. Moss clung to its stone walls, and vines crept over its bridges, giving it an ethereal, forgotten look.
Here, Kael was taken to a guest chamber with only a meditation cushion and a bamboo mat. Spartan, but peaceful.
That night, as he sat in silent cultivation, his mind returned to Lin.
What had been in that jade box?
Why had she accepted it?
Was it a gift… or a bribe?
And who was that noble?
Meanwhile, back at Cloudveil Sect...
Lin stood in the courtyard of the inner garden, the jade box still untouched on her desk. She hadn't opened it.
She couldn't.
The noble—Zhao Chen—had given it to her with a smirk and a proposition: "Think about it, Lin. You're wasted on that Kael boy. Marry me instead. I can elevate your name to the Inner Court."
She had said nothing at the time. Simply accepted the box and walked away.
But now, as she held it in her hands, her stomach twisted.
She thought about Kael—the way he had stood in front of her, the way he had walked away without asking for thanks. The way his eyes never lied, even when his mouth said little.
She dropped the box on the desk and turned away.
"I'm not yours to claim, Zhao Chen…"
Back at the outpost, Kael was summoned before Elder Ru herself.
She was nothing like he'd imagined. Younger than most elders, with a wild mane of silver hair and piercing green eyes. She studied him as one might a rare beast.
"You were the one who defeated Shan Yu, weren't you?"
Kael blinked. "How do you—?"
"I have eyes everywhere. And I'm very good at watching talent hide."
She stood and walked slowly around him. "You weave soul threads into your flesh. Clever. Dangerous. It's a method long banned for causing spiritual backlash. But somehow, you walk with perfect alignment."
Kael remained silent.
Elder Ru smiled. "Good. You don't deny it. You have secrets, Kael. And I love secrets."
She handed him a scroll wrapped in gold thread.
"Consider this your first reward."
Kael opened it slowly. His eyes widened.
A cultivation method.
High-grade.
Shadowstep Whispering Art.
She leaned closer. "Master it, and I'll sponsor you personally in the trials. Fail… and you can return to Cloudveil. Forgotten."
Kael bowed deeply. "I won't fail."
As he left the chamber, he felt the weight of the scroll in his hands. A new path was opening. But each step would demand more—more power, more deception, more resolve.
And behind it all, the name of Lin still echoed in his heart.
He didn't know why.
Not yet.
But he knew one thing.
He wouldn't lose her.
Not to Zhao Chen.
Not to anyone.