Chapter 28: All or Nothing

Dongyuan Sect, Dragonhead Peak.

Purple Cloud Hall.

The atmosphere in the hall was unusually heavy.

“At this moment, Elder Xu and elders from the other two sects remain at Silent Valley overseeing the situation. Disciples were dispatched ahead to return and report these developments.”

“To think such a thing could happen…”

The assembled elders exchanged uneasy glances.

One elder sighed softly and said, “At this point, worrying serves no purpose. If the secret realm is masterless, there will surely be an opportunity for it to reopen.”

Lu Ziye seemed about to speak but hesitated.

“What of the disciples from the other two sects?”

“From our sect, aside from Song Yan, Shao Sichao is also missing. Two disciples of the Spirit Talisman Sect are unaccounted for. As for the Profound Origin Sect… it seems only Wang Xi was drawn in.”

“Oh?”

Several elders turned slightly, exchanging looks.

“Wang Xi…”

Elder Zhang Guangyuan, who oversaw external affairs, furrowed his brow and contemplated for a moment before speaking:

“The Sect Master and several Grand Elders are still in seclusion. These matters will be handled by me.”

“Lu Ziye, when you returned to the sect, did you check the soul lamps of these two outer disciples for any anomalies?”

“Reporting to Elder Zhang, I examined them just now. Both soul lamps remain lit, but…”

“But what?”

“But… of the two, Song Yan’s soul lamp burns extremely faintly…”

Zhang Guangyuan drew a deep breath.

“I do not feel at ease with Xu Ziqing alone over there. That boy thrives on chaos.”

“Lu Ziye, by my order, you and your senior sister Qin Ying are to proceed to Silent Valley and assist Elder Xu Ziqing in managing the situation.”

“Your disciple obeys!”

“Old Li.”

“Speak!”

“Assign a disciple specifically to watch over the soul lamps of those two outer disciples. If there is any change, report at once.”

“Understood!”

One elder murmured, “Old Zhang, aren’t you overreacting? They’re only two outer disciples…”

Zhang Guangyuan fixed Yang Wenxuan with a long look, shook his head, and replied, “Elder Yang, as the Sect Master has said, our Dongyuan Sect cannot compare with great sects like Profound Origin or Spirit Talisman. The safety of every disciple must be carefully guarded.

“If one dies in a fair contest, bested by another outside, that’s a matter of ability and unworthy of undue concern.

“But this time, they were on a mission for the sect, drawn into a masterless secret realm, and disciples from the other two sects are also involved. This must be handled with caution.”

Yang Wenxuan nodded. “Very well.”

The elders were not fools. For two outer disciples, a few words of concern would suffice—there was little reason to make much of it. But with the secret realm and the other sects’ disciples involved, the stakes had grown complex. Elder Zhang’s call for caution was not without reason.

“Sister Huang, if convenient, please keep an eye on any news regarding casualties among the other sects’ disciples and inform me should you hear anything.”

“All right.”

…

Silent Valley, Hall of Clarity.

“Elder Xu, Elder Zou… there’s no need for such anxiety. Masterless secret realms have appeared in Chu before…”

“That’s not the reason.”

Xu Ziqing and Zou Yong exchanged a glance.

“It’s all too coincidental…”

The fluctuations of spiritual energy around Silent Valley had persisted for four or five months, yet only when the three sects’ disciples investigated together did a passage open. And it happened to be near Hidden Moon Pool and the ravine.

It was almost as if a cultivator of the demonic path had laid an ambush here.

But the casualties among all sects’ disciples were few—only a handful swept into the secret realm.

“No matter. Our sect’s inner disciple Wang Xi is among them; he should be able to protect the others.”

Shen Yu’s face bore not a trace of worry, only a strange calm, as if restraining something.

“Why was Wang Xi drawn in?”

“Sigh, the others say, that day he unleashed his spiritual power to shield the other disciples, but could not spare himself, and so…”

The Wang Xi of Shen Yu’s words was indeed a youth of rare talent, who cherished his fellow disciples.

“His sense of righteousness is admirable, but he was too eager for merit…”

Zou Yong offered a few words of comfort to Shen Yu, but Xu Ziqing simply regarded him steadily, his suspicion mounting at the man’s air of falsehood.

At that moment, Shen Huai strode into the hall.

“Elder Shen, I have urgent news!”

“What is it? Speak.”

Shen Yu cast a glance at this favored daughter of the Shen family.

Shen Huai’s face was solemn, pale.

“A report from the sect—Senior Brother Wang Xi’s soul lamp… has gone out.”

“What?!”

Shen Yu slammed the table, staring in disbelief at Shen Huai.

Xu Ziqing paid little mind to the news of Wang Xi’s death; he was far more intrigued by Shen Yu’s reaction.

Now this—this did not look like an act.

…

Nameless Mountain Valley.

Winding through the mountains, Song Yan’s steps were faltering; at dangerous stretches he had to use a dry branch for support.

It had been half a day since he escaped the secret realm.

He had no heart to discern his location. The immediate urgency was to find a secluded spot and tend to his injuries.

He came upon a mountain stream, where the northern cliff face held a natural cave—not deep, but sufficient.

From the possessions he had gathered from those two, Song Yan selected a flying sword and, mustering the last of his spiritual power, extended the cave’s depth by several yards.

Now, truly, he was at the end of his strength, nearly spent.

He had no energy to lay wards or arrays; he simply used nearby branches and leaves for some cover, then summoned Xiao He.

“Xiao He, I’m going into seclusion for a few days. During this time, I’ll need you to guard the cave entrance and make sure no one disturbs me.”

Song Yan estimated Xiao He’s strength to be around the third or fourth layer of Qi Refining—enough to ward off any villagers, children, or passing low-level cultivators who might stumble by.

“Yes!” Xiao He thumped her chest, nodding vigorously.

The little snake resolved that she would finally be useful and allow Yan Yan to recover in peace.

Song Yan retreated to the cave’s depths and sat in meditation, channeling spiritual energy to slowly mend his wounds.

Yet his thoughts were in turmoil.

“According to Wan Songran, that secret realm belonged to the Profound Origin Sect, but they could not control it stably, only barely opening and closing it using some spiritual artifact…

“The Profound Origin Sect’s real aim was twofold: first, to falsely incriminate disciples of the other sects, giving them cause to seize vital spiritual veins in the future; second, to eliminate promising talents from the other sects…

“But now Wang Xi and Wan Songran are dead, while I—the main target of their plot—am still alive…”

“They went to all this trouble, yet lost an inner disciple. Now, those in the Profound Origin Sect who know the truth will surely pin even graver charges, demanding an extravagant price…”

Song Yan’s eyes flickered, as if wrestling with a decision.

“If I return unscathed, that will only make me more suspect…”

“Perhaps even the elders of my sect may not be able to shield me…”

In truth, he could not even be sure if the sect would care about the fate of an outer disciple like himself.

In this world of cultivation, strength was everything, the strong preying on the weak.

Even if he returned, the elders might well abandon him under pressure from the Profound Origin Sect—it would not be unexpected.

Without power, all words were empty.

To endure humiliation and hide in the shadows—what good is survival if it means living so cravenly?

If only he could shine like a sword cultivator of old, even if it meant dying in a single, glorious strike—that would be a life worth living.

After a long moment, Song Yan’s eyes closed slowly, as if he had made a momentous decision.

He would risk everything.

The incantations of the Sword-Planting Art began to surface in his mind…

“Perhaps now is the best opportunity!”