The night wind howled around the cliffside, carrying the scent of the sea far below. The old bell tower groaned against the gusts, its beams creaking like an old man's bones.
Lin Yan stood frozen between two dangers — the hooded stranger with eyes like molten gold, and Zhao Feng, whose presence felt sharper than any sword.
Bai Qian's gaze darted between them, her fingers flexing nervously at her side.
"Hand it over," Zhao Feng said, stepping forward. "The pearl you stole. You're not worthy to even touch it."
Lin Yan's pulse quickened. "You mean this?" he asked, though his hand stayed on the pouch.
Zhao Feng's lips curled. "Good. Then I won't have to search your corpse."
---
Without warning, he moved.
One heartbeat, he was standing; the next, his blade was a streak of silver aimed at Lin Yan's throat.
The hooded man reacted first. His palm shot out, intercepting Zhao Feng's sword with a clang that rang louder than the wind. Sparks flew.
"Go!" the stranger barked at Lin Yan. "Now!"
But Zhao Feng's allies surged forward, surrounding them. Blades gleamed in the moonlight.
Bai Qian stepped in front of Lin Yan, her sleeves whipping in the wind. "You're making a mistake, Zhao Feng."
"Get out of the way," he snarled. "Or I'll kill you too."
---
Steel flashed. The first attacker lunged for Lin Yan — and something inside him snapped.
The pouch at his chest grew suddenly hot, searing through the fabric.
In that instant, time seemed to slow.
He saw the sword descending toward him… saw every grain of wood in the crumbling bell tower… saw the faint shimmer of energy rising from the pearl.
Then — boom.
A shockwave exploded outward from his body. It wasn't sound, but pressure, like the air itself had turned solid. The attacker was hurled backward, crashing through a half-rotted beam. Dust rained from the ceiling.
The pearl blazed in his hand now, its smooth surface crisscrossed with glowing cracks that pulsed like a heartbeat.
---
"What—" Zhao Feng's eyes widened. "That's impossible. It was supposed to be dormant."
The hooded man gave a grim smile. "Awake, is it? Good. Then maybe we stand a chance."
Before Lin Yan could ask against what, Zhao Feng lunged again. This time, his sword met not flesh, but a swirling barrier of pale light that had risen from the pearl.
"Lin Yan!" Bai Qian shouted over the clash. "You have to get out of here — they'll bring the elders!"
The hooded man swung his arm, sending a wave of golden fire toward Zhao Feng's men. Two were thrown clear over the edge of the cliff, their screams swallowed by the sea below.
---
The fight turned chaotic.
The bell tower shuddered as blades struck wood and stone. Pieces of the roof caved inward, the old bell above swaying dangerously.
Lin Yan's breathing grew ragged. The pearl's power was wild, surging through him like a storm. His vision blurred at the edges, but every movement felt sharper, faster.
Zhao Feng roared, pouring spiritual energy into his sword. The steel glowed crimson, and with a single slash, he shattered the barrier around Lin Yan.
The impact sent Lin Yan skidding backward, his heels scraping on the worn boards. He teetered at the very edge of the cliff.
---
The hooded man appeared beside him, gripping his shoulder to steady him. "Hold on to it. No matter what happens, don't let them take it."
Lin Yan swallowed hard. "Who are you?"
The man's golden eyes met his. "Your father's brother in oath. I promised to protect you — and the pearl."
A shadow fell over them. Zhao Feng had leapt high into the air, sword poised to strike them both down.
The hooded man raised his palm, summoning a shield of golden fire. But Lin Yan knew it wouldn't be enough.
---
The pearl pulsed again. This time, the glow spread up his arm, wrapping around his chest like living light.
Without thinking, Lin Yan thrust his hand toward Zhao Feng.
A beam of pure energy erupted from his palm, slamming into Zhao Feng midair. The force was so great that it sent him crashing into the bell above.
The ancient bronze shuddered — and then it rang.
The sound was deafening, not just to the ears but to the soul. Lin Yan felt it in his bones, in his heartbeat. The vibrations raced outward, shaking the entire cliffside.
Cracks spiderwebbed through the bell tower's supports.
---
"We have to go!" Bai Qian shouted.
The hooded man nodded sharply. He seized Lin Yan's arm and leapt toward the cliff edge.
For a heartbeat, Lin Yan thought they were plunging into the sea — but the man's boots struck a narrow ledge hidden beneath the cliff face. They raced along it, the roaring wind tearing at their clothes.
Behind them, the bell tower collapsed in a cloud of dust and splintered wood.
---
When they finally stopped, Lin Yan's chest was heaving. The pearl had gone cold again, its cracks fading back into smooth stone.
Bai Qian caught up, her face pale. "They'll hunt us. Zhao Feng won't stop until you're dead."
Lin Yan gritted his teeth. "Then I'll find out why."
The hooded man gave him a long, measuring look. "You're in the middle of a war you don't understand. But if you truly want answers…" He glanced toward the dark forest ahead. "You'll have to follow me beyond the sect's borders. And once you do, there's no going back."
---
Lin Yan looked down at the pearl, feeling its faint heartbeat against his palm.
He thought of his father's name, restored in secret.
Of Zhao Feng's fury.
Of the truth still buried in shadow.
His decision came in a single breath. "Then we go."
The hooded man nodded. "Good. From here on, your life will never be your own."
And with that, they stepped into the forest — leaving the sect, and Lin Yan's old life, behind.