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Chapter 8 - Chapter 8: The Library’s Secrets

The Ninefold Mountain Sect's library was a cavern of jade and shadow, its towering shelves laden with scrolls and tomes that thrummed with the Tianxu Realm's ancient qi. Moonlight poured through crystal windows, casting patterns like scattered pearls across the polished stone floor, each glint a whisper of forgotten histories. Wei Chen stood in a secluded alcove, the two jade fragments in his tunic pulsing like twin stars, their celestial warmth stirring his Late Qi Condensation qi. The vision from last night—a jade altar, Lian Xue's betrayal—burned in his mind, a wound that drove him deeper into the library's depths. His dagger, etched with jade runes, rested at his side, a faint glow betraying its celestial origin.

Lin Xiyue leaned against a shelf, her sword glinting in the dim light, her crimson ribbon a splash of fire against her black hair. Her eyes, sharp as jade, scanned the shadows for threats, but her grin was all mischief as she nudged Wei Chen. "Sneaking into restricted vaults, scholar? You're bolder than I thought. Or dumber." Her teasing was sharp, but her shoulder brushed his, a warmth that sent a spark through his chest, mingling with the fragments' pulse.

Wei Chen flashed a grin, masking the tension coiling in his gut. "Bold, dumb—same difference when you're around, sword maiden. Keep up, or I'll leave you in the dust." His sarcasm was a shield, but the fragments burned hotter, their runes shifting in his mind, pointing to a hidden chamber. The library was a maze, and every step felt like a gamble with the Abyss Cult's eyes watching.

Su Meilin stood before a hidden door, her white robes glowing faintly under the moonlight, her jade fan tracing a celestial rune that hummed with power. Her moonstone eyes met Wei Chen's, and the fragments flared, as if recognizing her celestial blood. "The second fragment is within," she said, her voice calm but laced with urgency. "The library's vaults hold records of the Celestial War—clues to the tablet's purpose. We must move quickly; the cult is closer than we know." Her fan flicked, unlocking the door with a soft click, revealing a spiral stair descending into darkness.

Wei Chen's heart raced, the Jade Sovereign's instincts urging caution. "Great," he muttered, following her. "A creepy vault, demonic assassins, and a tablet that's basically a death magnet. My ancestors have a terrible sense of humor." His quip drew a snort from Lin Xiyue, but Su Meilin's lips twitched, a rare crack in her serenity that made his pulse skip.

The vault was a labyrinth of jade shelves, each tome radiating qi like a living pulse. Dust motes danced in the faint glow of Su Meilin's fan, which cast celestial light across walls etched with faded runes. Wei Chen's fragments pulsed, guiding him through the maze, their warmth a beacon in the cold. Lin Xiyue stayed close, her sword half-drawn, her eyes flicking to every shadow. "This place gives me the creeps," she whispered, her voice low but playful. "If we get jumped, I'm blaming you, scholar."

"Blame away," Wei Chen shot back, his dagger glowing faintly. "Just don't cry when I save you again." Her laugh was bright, a burst of warmth in the vault's chill, and he caught her glancing at him, her grin softer than usual.

Su Meilin paused before a sealed scroll, its celestial runes shimmering like stars. "This details the Celestial War," she said, her fan breaking the seal with a burst of qi. The scroll unfurled, revealing faded ink that spoke of a realm sealed by the Jade Sovereign, its infinite qi guarded by nine fragments. "The tablet was forged to lock that realm, preventing a cataclysm. But someone—Lian Xue—betrayed the Sovereign, scattering the fragments."

Wei Chen's fragments flared, and a vision hit like a tidal wave: a jade altar under a starry sky, nine fragments glowing, Lian Xue's voice soft and promising—"I'll guard them with my life"—then her blade plunging into his heart. He staggered, clutching a shelf, his breath ragged. "She… she swore to protect them," he gasped, the betrayer's face clear but her motives shadowed. "Why did she turn?"

Lin Xiyue grabbed his arm, steadying him, her grip firm but warm. "Easy, scholar. You're scaring me with that haunted look." Her tone was light, but her eyes were wide with concern, her hand lingering longer than necessary. "Who's this Lian Xue? Your past-life girlfriend or something?" Her teasing held an edge, a flicker of jealousy that made Wei Chen's lips twitch.

Su Meilin's eyes softened, her fan closing with a snap. "Your memories are tied to the tablet, Wei Chen. The Jade Sovereign was its guardian, and Lian Xue was… close to him. Her betrayal sparked the war." Her words were gentle but heavy, and the fragments pulsed, as if mourning the past.

Before Wei Chen could respond, demonic qi surged, the vault's shadows writhing like living things. Four cloaked assassins emerged, their daggers dripping with venom, their qi at Early Foundation Realm. "The tablet," one hissed, their voice echoing Shadow Viper's rasp. "Hand it over, Sovereign, or this vault becomes your tomb."

Lin Xiyue's sword ignited, her Flame Blossom Strike lighting the vault like a bonfire. "Try it, creeps!" she snarled, slashing at an assassin, sparks flying as her fiery qi clashed with their venomous blades. Su Meilin's fan spun, sending waves of celestial qi that stunned another, her movements graceful but deadly. Wei Chen's Jade Soul Scripture flared, forming a green shield that deflected a dagger aimed at his heart.

The fight was chaos, shelves toppling as qi tore through the vault. Wei Chen's qi strained, his Late Qi Condensation barely holding against the assassins' strength. The fragments glowed, fueling his dagger with celestial light. He parried a strike, his Jade Sovereign's Step blurring his form, and landed a Jade Soul Palm that sent an assassin crashing into a wall, scrolls scattering like leaves.

Lin Xiyue fought like a storm, her fiery qi carving through another assassin. "Not bad, scholar!" she called, dodging a dagger with a grin. "But you're still too slow!" Her eyes flicked to him, checking he was unharmed, a flicker of worry beneath her bravado.

Su Meilin's celestial waves pinned a third assassin, but the fourth—Shadow Viper—moved like smoke, their dagger grazing Wei Chen's shoulder. He hissed, blood seeping, but the fragments' warmth surged, steadying his qi. Su Meilin threw an elixir, its glow healing his wound, her eyes meeting his with quiet resolve. "Stay strong," she whispered, her fan deflecting another strike.

Together, they drove the assassins back, the vault shaking with the force of their qi. Shadow Viper retreated, their mask glinting as they hissed, "The Abyss Cult will claim the fragments." They vanished, leaving a jade token etched with a demonic sigil—the same as the spire attack. Su Meilin picked it up, her face grim. "The cult is embedded in the sect. We're running out of time."

Wei Chen clutched the fragments, their runes revealing a map to a hidden chamber deeper in the vault. "Then we find the second fragment now," he said, his voice firm despite the ache in his meridians. The vision of Lian Xue burned in his mind, but so did the warmth of Lin Xiyue's concern and Su Meilin's resolve. The vault's shadows held secrets—and he'd face them with his allies, no matter the cost.

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