Beneath Qingye Sect, past sealed tunnels and forgotten vaults, the ancient formation stirred. Lines of script long dulled by time began to pulse faintly, glowing with runes none dared teach. A low hum vibrated the stone, like a heartbeat waking after centuries of stillness.
In a hidden chamber, Elder Mo opened his eyes from meditation.
> "The seal weakens…" he muttered grimly.
He turned toward a black jade mirror hovering beside him. It showed Lin Ho in his courtyard, calmly cultivating, unaware of the storm brewing beneath his feet.
---
Lin Ho's Courtyard
Lin Ho exhaled slowly, the Primordial Spiral Breathing Technique circulating without flaw. The Chaos Qi within him was thicker now, no longer just formless mist — it shimmered with weight and intent. His breakthrough to Late Meridian Forging was near. Yet something felt… off.
The air trembled faintly.
A whisper flickered past his ears — not a voice, but an impression.
> "Beneath you… it waits."
He opened his eyes sharply. No one. But the Qi around him had shifted slightly, like a warning.
> "There's something below the sect…"
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Mission Briefing Hall
Later that day, Lin Ho stood before Elder Qiu and four other chosen disciples — all selected for a reconnaissance mission to the nearby Ruins of Beiyun. Among them was Mei Lan, the quick-witted formation expert, and Jian Yu, a stoic sword cultivator known for his silence.
Elder Qiu's voice was calm but carried weight.
> "The ruins are activating again. Last time, we lost a squad. This time, you're going in to map out any structural changes and recover any cultivation relics. But more importantly — if you find the source of the spiritual disruption, report. Do not engage it."
Lin Ho frowned slightly. He could already feel it — the same presence as earlier. The ruins were connected to it somehow.
---
That Night
As the team gathered at the sect gates under the moonlight, Lin Ho stood apart. Jian Yu was checking his blade. Mei Lan was adjusting her defensive talismans.
> "Something on your mind?" she asked Lin softly.
> "Just a feeling," he replied.
She smiled faintly. "Well, when someone with undefined affinity and cracked the root-testing crystal says that, I listen."
He didn't laugh, but appreciated the levity.
As they departed into the forest, none of them noticed the brief ripple of space behind them — as if the world itself flinched.
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In the Depths
Below the sect, in the heart of the sealed chamber, a black eye opened — lidless, ancient, and filled with knowledge long abandoned.
> "Chaos… has returned."
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End of Chapter 76