Beneath the broken stars of the Wailing Valley, the air hung thick with ancient resentments and forgotten blood. Priyanshu stood on a jagged cliff edge, looking down at the valley below, where a hundred thousand bones lay buried under soil soaked with slaughter.
This was where ten sects once clashed in a war so cruel that even the heavens sealed the place. A perfect location for a villain to build his legacy.
Beside him, Alaya knelt in silence. Her silver hair flowed freely, and a black lotus mark glowed faintly on her back. Her aura, though unstable, had grown stronger since her awakening.
"System," Priyanshu whispered. "Time to build the stage."
[Main Quest Activated: Establish the Hidden Sect – Condemned Blade Sect][Requirements: Sect Core, Founding Symbol, Hidden Fortress, and Oath-Bound Followers][Reward: Hidden Sect Blessing | Shadow Communication Network | Upgradable Base Functions]
He raised his hand, and his Create and Destroy Domain erupted in dark brilliance. From the earth below, black blades sprouted like grass—each forged from the grudges of the valley's fallen warriors.
The system provided a blueprint: a fortress built underground, veiled by spatial illusion and layered formations. The Heart of the Sect would be forged from Priyanshu's own divine essence—his commitment to ruling from the shadows.
He bit his thumb and pressed the blood onto a slab of obsidian.
"I name this place... the Condemned Blade Sect."
Lightning cracked above, despite the still skies. The formation activated.
The cliff crumbled and reassembled. Massive stone towers rose from the depths, engraved with countless runes. Hidden blade spirits sealed themselves within the walls. Each stone had the weight of a buried war.
Alaya watched with reverence. "This is not a sect... It's a war memorial."
Priyanshu smirked. "It's both. A graveyard for the world's justice... and the cradle of my vengeance."
The system chimed again:
[Condemned Blade Sect Created][Current Rank: Hidden Tier – Grade F][Sect Members: 2][You are now eligible to invite hidden cultivators, outcasts, and traitors.][Feature Unlocked: Hidden Mission Board – Generates personal tasks for disciples][Feature Unlocked: Sect Cultivation Array – Absorbs grudges and converts into spiritual energy]
Alaya took her first oath, her sword trembling in her hands. "I, Alaya Verin, once Princess of the Nightshade Empire, now walk the condemned path. I vow to cut through the world's hypocrisy and kneel only to my Master."
As her blade struck the stone in vow, a storm erupted around the sect—black rain that only fell within the valley.
Priyanshu raised his hand as it poured.
"Let the world believe I am gone," he whispered, "while I prepare the sword that will cut through fate."