The First Step into Darkness
Lan Yue sat in her chamber, her hands trembling.
She had made her choice.
The sect no longer trusted her.
The elders were watching her every move.
If she stayed passive, they would strike first.
She had no option left.
She had to betray them before they could betray her.
Her breath was slow and controlled as she reached for a jade slip on the table.
Mu Qinglan had given it to her.
Inside was a message. A task. A test.
"Tonight, go to the forbidden archives. There is a disciple who needs to disappear. This is your chance to prove your loyalty… to me."
Lan Yue closed her eyes.
If she hesitated now, she would never be able to escape the sect's grasp.
And Mu Qinglan's warmth… her kindness… her promise to stand by her side…
She would lose all of it.
She clenched her fist.
There was no turning back.
The Forbidden Archives
Night fell over the Azure Moon Sect.
Lan Yue moved like a shadow, her robes barely making a sound as she slipped into the deeper halls of the sect.
The forbidden archives were located beneath the main temple—where secret techniques and dangerous knowledge were locked away.
And inside…
A single disciple was guarding the entrance.
Junior Disciple Fang Yi.
He was young, barely older than sixteen. Naïve. Loyal.
And completely unaware that his senior sister had come to kill him.
Lan Yue approached.
Fang Yi noticed her and smiled, his expression relieved.
"Senior Sister Lan! What are you doing here so late?"
Lan Yue stopped a few steps away. She could still walk away.
But then…
She remembered the elders' cold stares.
She remembered Mu Qinglan's warmth.
There was no walking away.
She smiled back at Fang Yi. "I needed to check something."
Fang Yi nodded. "Of course! Do you need me to help you find something?"
Lan Yue slowly reached for her sword.
Fang Yi didn't even realize the danger. He trusted her.
That was his mistake.
A flash of steel.
A sharp gasp.
Blood splattered across the stone floor, dark rivulets pooling beneath him. He twitched, fingers clawing weakly at the gaping wound in his throat, trying to hold in the life pouring out of him.
Fang Yi's breath came in ragged, choking gulps, his lips trembling as he mouthed silent, pleading words—words that would never be spoken.
His body convulsed, pain and confusion twisting his features into something wretched. The betrayal hit him harder than the blade had.
"S…Senior… Sister…?"
His body collapsed, spasming once, twice, before going still.
The light in his eyes faded, replaced by the dull glassiness of death.
Lan Yue stood over him, her hands drenched in blood, the iron scent thick in the air.
She had killed a sect brother.
There was no redemption now.
She belonged to the darkness.
Mu Qinglan's Embrace
Lan Yue returned to Mu Qinglan's courtyard, her mind numb.
She had done it.
She had betrayed the sect.
But why did her chest feel so tight?
Mu Qinglan was waiting, her smile soft.
She reached out, gently wiping a bloodstain from Lan Yue's cheek. "You did well, Senior Sister."
Lan Yue shivered at the warmth in her touch.
She had expected praise.
She hadn't expected it to feel… comforting.
Mu Qinglan whispered, "I'm proud of you."
Lan Yue closed her eyes.
For the first time, someone was proud of her—not because she followed orders, but because she made her own choice.
And that choice was Mu Qinglan.
She would never leave her.
Even if it meant burning the entire sect to the ground.
Jin Xiao's Influence Grows
Jin Xiao watched through Bai Ling's spiritual connection, his expression unreadable.
"She has fallen."
Bai Ling smiled wickedly. "Shall we move to the next step, Master?"
Jin Xiao leaned back, his fingers tapping against the chair.
"Not yet."
Lan Yue was still raw, still grappling with what she had done.
She needed to believe that this was her own choice.
If he pushed too fast, she might hesitate.
No.
For now, he would let Mu Qinglan deepen the chains around her.
And when the time was right…
Lan Yue would willingly hand over the entire Azure Moon Sect to him.