By the time evening returned to the Twilight Ember Sect, the entire mountain felt heavier.
The lanterns along the stone paths flickered in the cool breeze.The sky dimmed from orange to deep purple.Disciples finished their chores and returned to their rooms.
Li Xuan walked quietly to his own small room, keeping his movements slow and slightly unbalanced — the same weak act as always.
But inside…his dantian trembled with life.
When he closed the door behind him, he paused for a long moment, listening.
Silence.
No footsteps.No whispers.No shifting shadows.
Good.
He lit a small candle.Its flame danced lightly, the dim light casting long shapes across the wooden floor.
The Grand Immortal spoke immediately.
—Tonight, you cultivate. But do not rush. The first night after opening the dantian is dangerous. Many die from greed.
Li Xuan nodded. "I'll be careful."
He sat on the floor and crossed his legs.
The small warm river inside him pulsed softly, waiting.
But before he began…a quiet knock sounded on the door.
Not loud.Not threatening.
Just one single tap.
Li Xuan's breath tightened.
"…Yan Ling?" he whispered.
"No," came a voice.
A familiar voice.
Calm.Quiet.Empty of anger.
Zhao Ren.
Li Xuan stood up slowly, careful not to disturb the Qi inside him.
He didn't open the door.He didn't move closer.
"…What do you want?" Li Xuan asked through the wood.
A short silence.
Then Zhao Ren said:
"I need to talk to you."
Li Xuan's fingers unconsciously tightened.
Zhao Ren continued:
"I'm alone."
Another silence.
Then words Li Xuan never expected to hear:
"…I won't touch you. I'm not here to fight."
Li Xuan felt suspicious tension creep through him.
He opened the door a little — just enough to see Zhao Ren standing outside.
And it was true.
Zhao Ren was alone.
His posture wasn't aggressive.His hands weren't clenched.His expression wasn't mocking.
Instead… he looked confused.
Almost troubled.
Li Xuan narrowed his eyes. "Say what you came to say."
Zhao Ren let out a slow breath.
"I don't care about you. I don't care if you live or die. But right now… Elder Qiu is acting strange."
Li Xuan kept silent.
Zhao Ren continued:
"He's been watching everyone. Not just you. He's restless. Nervous. And he keeps talking to that elder in red."
Li Xuan felt a cold pressure in his chest.
Zhao Ren's voice lowered.
"Li Xuan… I don't know what you did. But Elder Qiu thinks someone dangerous awakened in our sect."
Li Xuan's heartbeat tightened.
Zhao Ren frowned.
"And for some reason… he thinks it might be you."
Li Xuan stayed silent.
Zhao Ren wasn't lying.His voice carried no mockery, no arrogance — only fear.
A different kind of fear.
Fear toward Elder Qiu.
Not toward Li Xuan.
Zhao Ren stepped closer to the door, but not aggressively.
"I'm warning you," he said. "If Elder Qiu decides you're the one he's looking for… he won't confront you directly."
Li Xuan's eyes sharpened. "…Then what will he do?"
Zhao Ren's jaw tightened.
"He'll make it look like an accident."
Li Xuan's breath froze.
Fall from a cliff.Poisoned food.Beast attack in the forest.
All common excuses.
Zhao Ren finished quietly:
"…I don't care if you hate me. I don't care if you despise me. But don't let Elder Qiu catch you off guard."
Li Xuan stared at him.
"Why warn me?" he asked.
Zhao Ren looked away.
"…Because Elder Qiu is dangerous for everyone. Not just you."
Li Xuan understood.
Zhao Ren wasn't helping him out of kindness.
He was helping himself — indirectly.
If Elder Qiu was hunting someone…then every disciple was in danger.
Zhao Ren took a step back.
"That's all I wanted to say."
He turned to leave.
But before he did, Li Xuan asked softly:
"Zhao Ren."
Zhao Ren paused.
Li Xuan looked at him steadily.
"Are you afraid?"
Zhao Ren didn't turn around.
He only answered with a single word.
"…Yes."
Then he walked away into the shadows.
Li Xuan closed the door gently.
Silence returned.
The Grand Immortal spoke:
—Interesting. Even your enemy can smell blood in the wind. Elder Qiu will not wait long. You must grow tonight.
Li Xuan sat again.
He closed his eyes.
He inhaled slowly.
And he began.
Qi around him trembled gently, drifting toward his open dantian like faint threads.
Tonight…
He would take the next step.
While enemies circled outside.
While shadows moved across the sect.
While the moon watched quietly from above.