Lan Yue's Awakening
Lan Yue sat in her chamber, staring at her hands. No matter how many times she washed them, the blood remained.
Fang Yi's final breath still echoed in her ears, his wide, pleading eyes carved into her mind like a curse. The way his body had collapsed, the warmth leaving it in mere seconds—she had felt it all. Not just with her hands, but in the weight pressing down on her chest.
Her fingers twitched.
She had done it.
She had crossed the line.
Then why did she still feel like she was falling?
A sudden knock at the door.
Lan Yue flinched, her breath shallow. Her instincts screamed to reach for her sword. She clenched her fists instead, forcing her body to still.
There could be no hesitation now.
She stood, forcing her expression into something neutral, and opened the door.
Mu Qinglan stood there, a knowing smile on her lips. Her eyes flicked briefly to Lan Yue's trembling hands before she stepped inside, closing the door behind her with an infuriating air of ease.
"You didn't sleep, did you?" Mu Qinglan's voice was light, almost teasing.
Lan Yue's throat felt tight. She shook her head.
Mu Qinglan sighed, then reached out, brushing a loose strand of hair from Lan Yue's face with a touch so soft it sent a shiver down her spine.
"That's normal," Mu Qinglan murmured. "It's always difficult the first time."
Lan Yue's breath caught.
"…The first time?"
Mu Qinglan nodded, her eyes dark and understanding.
"You think this will be the last?"
Lan Yue stiffened.
"You made your choice, Senior Sister. The elders already suspect you. They will come for you. And when they do—" Mu Qinglan leaned in, her breath warm against Lan Yue's ear, "—what do you think will happen?"
Lan Yue already knew.
Interrogation. Torture. Silence.
The elders did not tolerate doubt within their ranks. If they believed she was compromised, they would act accordingly.
"There is no way back."
Lan Yue clenched her fists.
She knew that.
She had known that the moment she slit Fang Yi's throat.
Mu Qinglan's hand slid down, taking hers, fingers curling around the scars left behind by years of sword training.
"I will guide you. I will protect you. But you must take the next step."
"Only then will you truly be free."
Lan Yue swallowed hard.
Mu Qinglan was right.
There was no turning back.
If she wanted to survive… she had to go deeper.
She had to kill again.
The Elders' Investigation
Deep within the Azure Moon Sect, the elders gathered in the inner chamber. Seven figures cloaked in shadows, their gazes sharp as blades.
A disciple knelt before them, forehead touching the cold stone floor. His body trembled under the weight of their scrutiny.
"Fang Yi has been found dead."
The First Elder's expression did not change. "The cause?"
"A single sword strike to the throat," the disciple answered, voice tight. "Precise. Calculated."
A silent tension filled the room.
This was not the work of a common killer.
This was an execution.
The Third Elder leaned forward, his voice razor-sharp. "Any suspects?"
The disciple hesitated. "…Not yet. But Fang Yi was guarding the forbidden archives."
A ripple of unease passed between the elders.
The forbidden archives.
Only a select few knew of its existence.
Only a select few had access.
The First Elder's gaze darkened. "Increase the watch over the disciples. Someone within the sect has betrayed us."
His voice dropped to a whisper, colder than the grave.
"And I want them found."
Jin Xiao's Next Move
Far from the Azure Moon Sect, in the depths of an ancient stronghold, Jin Xiao sat in meditation.
His spiritual senses stretched beyond the physical, piercing through the darkness to observe the seeds of corruption he had planted.
Lan Yue had taken the first step.
But she was still weak.
Still hesitant.
That would not do.
A weak tool was a useless tool.
"Bai Ling."
A shadow flickered, and a pale figure knelt before him.
"Yes, Master."
Jin Xiao's eyes opened slowly, gleaming like molten gold.
"Send a message to Mu Qinglan. It is time for Lan Yue's second test."
Bai Ling's lips curled into a smirk. "And what shall this test be?"
Jin Xiao's fingers tapped lazily against the armrest of his throne.
"She will kill again."
"But this time…" He smiled, slow and cruel. "It will not be a stranger."
Bai Ling chuckled darkly. "How poetic."
Jin Xiao leaned back, his gaze unfocused as he looked beyond the walls of his chamber, beyond the distance that separated him from the Azure Moon Sect.
Lan Yue was still grasping at the last remnants of her humanity, teetering on the edge of complete surrender.
That would change soon.
By the time the elders realized the rot within their ranks…
It would already be too late.
And Lan Yue—his newest pawn—would cut down anyone in her way.
Even those she once called family.