Wei Lian jolted awake to the unfamiliar sound of explosions penetrating the perpetual crimson mist that shrouded the compound. His eyes snapped open, mind immediately alert despite having fallen asleep just hours earlier after another exhausting day of failed cultivation attempts.
Another blast shook the small wooden building, sending dust cascading from the ceiling beams. This wasn't the controlled detonation of a cultivation technique or formation test. This was an attack.
He rolled from his thin sleeping mat and rushed to the window, which overlooked the central courtyard where yesterday's blood essence ritual had taken place. Through gaps in the red haze that perpetually blanketed the Blood Weaving Clan's valley system, he witnessed several clan members being enveloped in glowing blood-red formations that seemed to transport them away in flashes of crimson light.
"Strategic," he whispered to himself, analytical mind already working despite the chaos. "They're only targeting those who participated in yesterday's blood essence ritual."
Wei Lian's gaze narrowed as he studied the distinctive glow of the formations—primarily blood path dao marks intertwined with unfamiliar space path signatures. His exclusion from yesterday's ritual—intended as humiliation by the clan elders—had inadvertently saved him from being tracked through the blood connection.
The irony wasn't lost on him. Once again, being deemed worthless had somehow preserved him.
Instead of panicking, Wei Lian methodically gathered his few possessions: his worn cultivation robe with the Blood Weaving Clan's crimson thread insignia, a small pouch containing low-grade blood essence he'd painstakingly collected drop by drop during his own cultivation attempts, medicinal herbs for emergency healing, and most importantly, his hidden Rank 1 Reversal Flow Gu and Blood Memory Gu—both considered defective by the clan but precious to him.
The sounds of combat intensified from the direction of the outer valley. Wei Lian slipped from his quarters and immediately ducked into a narrow service passage—corridors used by servants to transport supplies and maintain the compound. Higher-ranked clan members considered these routes beneath their dignity to use, making them perfect escape paths now.
The compound had become a chaos of shouting and clashing cultivation techniques. From his hidden vantage points, Wei Lian recognized the intruders' distinctive indigo robes with silver trim—Yin Liu Sect cultivators, known for their space path techniques and long-standing rivalry with blood path practitioners.
"Exterminate the lower ranks, capture the elders," called out a muscular man directing a group of attackers. "Remember, they're significantly weaker when separated from the compound's formation!"
Wei Lian paused at this, filing away the information. He'd always noticed how clan members' powers fluctuated dramatically based on their proximity to the main hall, but hearing an enemy acknowledge this as a tactical consideration was revealing.
Moving between shadows, Wei Lian observed the invasion pattern. The attackers seemed to know exactly where key clan members would be, suggesting inside information. He narrowly avoided a patrol by ducking into a storage room filled with large Blood Essence Repository barrels—the clan's pride and primary resource.
Two Yin Liu Sect members entered moments later, speaking in hushed tones.
"The Ancient Blood Lake is the priority target," said one, a woman with a jagged scar across her cheek. "Once we neutralize it, their future sight advantage within the compound will be crippled."
"Elder Feng's information was precise," the other responded, an older man with cultivation marks visible along his exposed forearms. "With the clan members separated from their power source, they'll be practically helpless."
Wei Lian's breath caught. Elder Feng—one of their own council members—had betrayed them?
"Liu Mei's revival requires both the original essence and generations of accumulated blood stored in the innermost Seal Valley," the woman continued. "We must move quickly before the formation's protective measures fully activate."
Wei Lian remained perfectly still behind the massive barrels as they left, his mind racing with implications. The Ancient Blood Lake... a source of power he'd only heard mentioned in whispers among elders. Something that enhanced their abilities within clan territory and apparently the source of their famed future sight.
As he cautiously moved toward the inner compound, a memory surfaced—Elder Feng publicly excluding him from yesterday's ritual with cutting precision:
"Your reversed blood would contaminate our sacred formation," the elder had announced, causing snickers among Wei Lian's peers. "Stand aside while your betters contribute to the clan's protection."
In the Blood Weaving Clan, those with the bloodline gift to glimpse the future were revered. Wei Lian, with his blood flowing in reverse—allowing him to see only the past—was considered useless. A C-grade aptitude pariah in a clan that valued foresight above all else.
He touched the small pouch containing his Reversal Flow Gu. The clan had discarded it as defective, but Wei Lian had secretly discovered its resonance with his unique condition. Each use drained his vitality, aging him slightly, but it was his only advantage in a clan that had no use for someone who could see backward instead of forward.
A muffled scream from nearby snapped Wei Lian back to awareness. He peered around a corner to see Yan Fei—a Rank 2 Peak Stage cultivator renowned for his exceptional precognitive abilities—being confronted by three Yin Liu Sect members. Normally, a single Rank 2 from their clan facing multiple opponents would still hold the advantage due to their ability to foresee attacks before they happened.
But Yan Fei seemed diminished, his movements sluggish as if his famed future sight had abandoned him. The invaders pressed forward confidently, herding him toward one of the glowing formations.
"Your foresight fails you now that you're cut off from the lake's power," one taunted. "Not so special anymore, are you?"
To Wei Lian's surprise, just before being forced into the formation, Yan Fei's eyes met his across the distance. A flicker of recognition—then dismissal—crossed the older disciple's face before he was enveloped in crimson light and vanished.
Wei Lian pressed deeper into the shadows. Had Yan Fei seen him? If so, he hadn't bothered to alert his attackers. Perhaps being considered beneath notice had its advantages after all.
The explosions were moving inward now, toward the inner valleys. Wei Lian realized he needed to make a choice: attempt to escape the compound entirely or move deeper to discover what the Yin Liu Sect truly wanted. What was this Ancient Blood Lake? What did it have to do with the clan's future sight abilities? And who was Liu Mei, whose revival apparently required both "original essence and accumulated blood"?
A large contingent of Yin Liu Sect cultivators marched past his hiding spot, heading toward the normally restricted Ritual Valley. Their focused determination suggested they knew exactly what they were looking for.
Wei Lian made his decision. If he wanted to understand what was happening—perhaps even find a way to benefit from this chaos—he needed information. And information lay deeper within the compound, not in fleeing blindly.
He slipped from his hiding place and moved in the opposite direction of the escaping clan members, deeper into the heart of the Blood Weaving Clan's territory, toward whatever secrets lay hidden beneath their feet. Perhaps, for once, his ability to see the past rather than the future would prove valuable.
"In a world obsessed with what comes next," he whispered to himself, "sometimes the answers lie in what came before."