The Azure Moon Sect was built on discipline and righteousness.
Its disciples were conditioned to be unwavering pillars of justice, their minds shackled in dogma, their loyalty beaten into them like iron in a forge. But even the strongest walls rot from within.
And Mu Qinglan had just driven the first wedge into Lan Yue's soul.
A Seed of Doubt
Lan Yue sat in her quarters, staring into the mirror, her own reflection foreign to her.
Her hands trembled.
Her thoughts writhed like insects burrowing into flesh.
Ever since she drank tea with Lin Xue (Mu Qinglan), something inside her had begun to decay. A slow, insidious unraveling. She had spent her life sharpening herself into a righteous blade, honed for the sect's service. Protect. Obey. Sacrifice. There had never been room for questioning.
And yet…
Doubt slithered through her like poison in the bloodstream.
Why did she follow orders without question? Why did she live for the sect's will and not her own? Why did the mere sight of Lin Xue make her breath unsteady, her skin feverish?
She squeezed her eyes shut and gritted her teeth.
"No. My heart is clear like the moon. My resolve is unwavering."
And yet…
When she closed her eyes, she saw Lin Xue's knowing smile, the glint in her eyes that felt like an invitation. An abyss she was teetering on the edge of.
Her stomach twisted.
She had never been afraid of anything.
But this terrified her.
Mu Qinglan's Next Move
Outside, Mu Qinglan stood beneath the courtyard lanterns, her gaze locked on Lan Yue's window. Her patience was endless, her satisfaction cold.
The corruption elixir was doing its work. Not an instant obliteration of will—that would be too crude. No, this was art. A slow, exquisite decay.
Lan Yue was starting to question.
And that was the first and only step necessary.
Footsteps disturbed the silence. Mu Qinglan didn't turn.
A shadow slithered beside her. Bai Ling, draped in crimson, her smirk sharp. "The girl is already rotting, isn't she?"
Mu Qinglan allowed herself a small, cold smile. "Soon, she will not know the difference between love, devotion… and submission."
Bai Ling chuckled, dark amusement dripping from every syllable. "Master will be pleased."
Mu Qinglan's eyes gleamed. "Master is always pleased. As long as we succeed."
She turned back toward Lan Yue's room, the anticipation a quiet hum beneath her skin.
Tonight was only the beginning.
Testing Lan Yue's Devotion
The next morning, Lan Yue trained in the Moonlight Pavilion, her sword cutting through the air.
But the strikes lacked precision. Her grip faltered. Her balance was flawed.
Mu Qinglan watched from the pavilion's edge, unblinking. The proud, perfect disciple was already coming undone.
Lan Yue noticed her and hesitated, the briefest flicker of something fragile passing through her gaze.
"Lin Xue," she greeted, voice softer than before. "You're awake early."
Mu Qinglan tilted her head. "I wanted to watch you train. You're remarkable, Senior Sister."
A faint flush spread over Lan Yue's face. Something she didn't understand gnawed at her. Doubt? Longing? Need?
She exhaled, gripping her sword tighter. "You should train too. A weak disciple has no future."
Mu Qinglan lowered her lashes, her voice gentle, calculated. "What if I don't want to be strong? What if… I just want to stay by your side?"
Lan Yue's breath hitched.
Something inside her cracked.
Mu Qinglan watched, delighted.
Lan Yue had lived her life as a blade for the sect. Duty. Honor. Obedience. But now, for the first time, she hesitated.
"LAN YUE!"
A voice cut through the air, sharp as steel.
From above, a figure landed—graceful, commanding, merciless.
Zhao Min.
The elder disciple's gaze raked over Mu Qinglan with disgust, her lips curling as if she had stepped in filth. "Why are you wasting time with this outsider?"
Mu Qinglan lowered her gaze, masking the triumph beneath a meek expression.
Lan Yue stepped forward, shielding her. "Elder Sister Zhao, don't speak of Lin Xue like that."
Zhao Min's expression darkened. "You're defending her?"
A heartbeat of silence.
Lan Yue clenched her jaw, but she didn't move aside.
Once, she wouldn't have hesitated. Once, she would have obeyed without thought.
But now?
Now, she hesitated.
Mu Qinglan's lips twitched.
The cracks were spreading.
Jin Xiao Watches from the Shadows
Far from the Azure Moon Sect, in a hidden valley steeped in death and silence, Jin Xiao sat in meditation.
Through a secret soul-binding technique, he felt the corruption sinking deeper into Lan Yue's mind. A thread of her will had already unraveled.
He smirked.
"Humans are such brittle things. Strip them of their beliefs, and they become hollow."
Bai Ling knelt beside him, the dim torchlight making her eyes shine with dark amusement. "Mu Qinglan is performing well."
Jin Xiao leaned back, his posture relaxed but his presence suffocating. "She has to."
His voice was calm, indifferent. "If she fails, she dies."
Bai Ling smiled, her gaze sharp. "And if she succeeds?"
Jin Xiao exhaled, his tone carrying an undeniable finality.
"Then she will continue to serve."
His gaze flickered with something almost amused, almost cruel.
"Until she is no longer useful."