The pavilion of Elder Mo Tian perched on a cliff overlooking the Ninefold Mountain Sect, its jade-tiled roof gleaming under starlight. Inside, the air was thick with the scent of sandalwood and spiritual qi, a stark contrast to the dusty trials below. Wei Chen sat cross-legged on a woven mat, the jade tablet hidden in his tunic, its warmth a constant reminder of the danger trailing him. Lin Xiyue lounged nearby, her sword propped against her knee, while Su Meilin stood by a window, her white robes catching the moonlight like a celestial veil.
Elder Mo Tian sat before them, his Nascent Soul aura a heavy pressure that made Wei Chen's meridians ache. The elder's eyes, sharp as a hawk's, studied him. "Wei Chen," he said, voice low and deliberate, "your performance in the trials was… unexpected. A frail heir with no cultivation, suddenly wielding celestial techniques. Explain."
Wei Chen's mind raced. The Jade Sovereign's memories urged caution, but lying to a Nascent Soul cultivator was a gamble. "Just a bit of luck, Elder," he said, flashing a grin. "The ancestors must've taken pity on me." He patted his chest, where the tablet pulsed, hoping his sarcasm would deflect scrutiny.
Lin Xiyue snorted, twirling a strand of hair. "Luck? Scholar, you dodged a spirit serpent like you've been training for years. Spill it, or I'll make you." Her tone was teasing, but her eyes were sharp, searching for cracks in his story.
Su Meilin turned from the window, her fan snapping shut. "Elder Mo Tian, his qi resonates with an ancient source. I sensed it during the trials—celestial, pure, but unstable." Her gaze met Wei Chen's, a silent plea to trust her. "He may not understand it himself."
Wei Chen shot her a look, half-grateful, half-wary. She was covering for him, but her knowledge of the tablet unnerved him. "Thanks for the vote of confidence," he muttered, then turned to Mo Tian. "I found a relic in my clan's shrine. It… woke something in me. That's all I know." It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the full truth either.
Mo Tian stroked his beard, his expression unreadable. "A relic, you say. Curious. The Ninefold Mountain Sect has long studied celestial artifacts. Show it to me."
Wei Chen's heart sank. The tablet was his only link to the Jade Sovereign's past—and its secrets were his burden. "It's just a family trinket," he said, shrugging. "Nothing worth an elder's time."
Lin Xiyue leaned forward, smirking. "Hiding something, scholar? You're not that good at it." Her teasing held an edge, as if she sensed his unease.
Before Mo Tian could press further, a low hum filled the pavilion, and the jade tablet flared, its glow leaking through Wei Chen's tunic. He clapped a hand over it, but not before Mo Tian's eyes narrowed, and Su Meilin's widened. Lin Xiyue's jaw dropped, her sword clattering to the floor.
"Well, that's inconvenient," Wei Chen said, forcing a laugh. "Guess the ancestors really want attention tonight."
Mo Tian rose, his aura pressing harder. "That is no trinket. Its qi is celestial, tied to the Celestial War. Hand it over, boy, or—"
A scream cut through the night, sharp and panicked, from the spires below. The pavilion's windows rattled as demonic qi surged, thick and malevolent. Wei Chen's tablet burned, and he was on his feet, dagger in hand, before he could think.
"Assassins," Su Meilin said, her fan glowing with celestial light. "They've breached the sect's arrays."
Lin Xiyue grabbed her sword, her grin fierce. "Finally, something fun. Scholar, try to keep up." She bolted for the door, Wei Chen and Su Meilin close behind.
They descended to the fourth spire, where initiates fought shadowy figures cloaked in black, their daggers dripping with demonic venom. The sect's defensive arrays flickered, weakened by sabotage. Wei Chen's Jade Soul Scripture flared, forming a green shield as he blocked a strike aimed at an injured disciple. His qi, now at Late Qi Condensation, surged stronger, fueled by the tablet's warmth.
Lin Xiyue's Flame Blossom Strike lit the night, carving through an assassin. "Not bad, scholar!" she called, dodging a dagger. "But you're still too slow!"
Su Meilin's fan spun, sending waves of celestial qi that stunned the attackers. "Focus, Xiyue," she said, her calm fraying. "They're after the tablet."
Wei Chen's eyes narrowed, spotting a cloaked figure retreating into the mist. The tablet burned hotter, and a memory flashed: a masked figure, Shadow Viper, plunging a blade into the Jade Sovereign's back. "Not this time," he muttered, chasing the figure with Jade Sovereign's Step.
The pursuit led to a cliff's edge, where the assassin turned, their mask glinting under the stars. "You're no mere heir," a raspy voice said, laced with demonic qi. "The Jade Sovereign's shadow lingers. Give us the tablet, or the sect burns."
Wei Chen's dagger glowed, his qi straining. "You'll have to pry it from my corpse," he said, lunging. The assassin parried, their strength at Early Foundation Realm overwhelming his. But Lin Xiyue and Su Meilin arrived, their attacks forcing the figure to retreat, vanishing into the mist.
The trio stood, breathless, as sect elders arrived to secure the spire. Mo Tian's gaze locked on Wei Chen, heavy with suspicion. "That tablet draws danger like moths to flame," he said. "You will train under me, boy. And you will tell me everything."
Wei Chen nodded, his mind racing. The assassins, the tablet, the memories—they were tied to his past life, a puzzle he was only beginning to solve. Lin Xiyue nudged him, her grin returning. "Nice moves, scholar. Maybe you're not hopeless after all."
Su Meilin's hand brushed his arm, her touch fleeting but warm. "Be careful, Wei Chen," she whispered. "The tablet's power is awakening, and so are its enemies."
As they returned to the pavilion, Wei Chen felt the tablet's pulse, a heartbeat of secrets and power. The Ninefold Mountain Sect was his path to strength, but it was also a trap, and he was walking deeper into it with every step.