Wang Li stood frozen in the darkened archive hall, his mind racing.
Lan Yue had deceived him. Not only had she lured him into this dangerous sche, but she was also after sothing entirely different from what she had claid.
The sa thing you are—truth.
Her words lingered in his mind like a poisonous whisper.
But what truth was she seeking? And why did she need to sneak into the restricted archives to find it?
He glanced at the sealed cabinets filled with ancient scrolls and jade slips. There had to be sothing here worth risking her life for.
Steeling himself, Wang Li turned toward the nearest cabinet. He had no way to bypass the restrictions like Lan Yue had, but if she was willing to co here, it ant sothing important was hidden within.
He had to find out what.
The Unwanted Guest
Just as he took a step forward, a chilling presence swept over him.
He spun around.
A figure stood in the doorway, draped in dark robes, the flickering light casting eerie shadows across their face.
"Curious little disciple," the voice was smooth, unhurried. "You shouldn't be here."
Wang Li's muscles tensed. This was no ordinary sect mber. The spiritual pressure radiating from this person was imnse, almost suffocating.
A peak-stage Nascent Soul cultivator.
Wang Li forced himself to stay calm. "Neither should you," he countered. "I assu you're not here for late-night reading."
A chuckle. "Smart. But foolish."
In an instant, the figure moved. A blur of motion, faster than Wang Li's eyes could track. He barely had ti to react as a hand lashed out toward his throat.
Instinct kicked in. He dodged, feeling the wind of the attack graze his neck. He countered with a quick strike to the ribs, but his opponent twisted effortlessly, avoiding the blow as if he had predicted it.
Too fast.
Wang Li knew he was outmatched. He had to escape.
He leaped backward, flipping over one of the archive shelves, knocking it down in an explosion of scrolls and jade slips. The distraction gave him just enough ti to dash toward the exit.
The mont he burst out into the courtyard, he sent a surge of Qi into his legs, propelling himself forward like an arrow. Behind him, he could feel the overwhelming spiritual energy of his pursuer closing in.
Then, suddenly—
A blur of silver.
A whip of energy lashed out from the shadows, striking the ground between Wang Li and his attacker. The impact cracked the stone path, sending a shockwave rippling outward.
Wang Li turned to see Mu Qingling standing atop the pavilion roof, her eyes blazing.
"You're late," he panted.
She smirked. "You always get into trouble when I'm not watching."
The dark-robed figure hesitated, then let out a soft laugh. "Interesting."
Without another word, they vanished into the night, their presence fading as if they had never been there.
Wang Li let out a slow breath, his heart still pounding.
"Who the hell was that?" Mu Qingling asked, dropping down beside him.
"I don't know," Wang Li admitted. "But they were powerful."
"And now you owe another favor," she said, folding her arms. "So? What were you doing in the archives?"
Wang Li hesitated, then decided to tell her everything. If he was going to get through this, he needed her help.
By the ti he finished, Mu Qingling looked troubled.
"So Lan Yue's playing her own ga," she murmured. "And now soone powerful is involved."
Wang Li nodded. "I need to figure out what she was looking for. But I can't risk sneaking back in again."
Mu Qingling tapped her chin. "Maybe you don't have to. There's soone else who might already know."
Wang Li frowned. "Who?"
She grinned. "Feng Yuling."
The Frost Lotus's Answer
The next morning, Wang Li t Feng Yuling in the secluded training ground behind the mountain peak.
She sat beneath a frost-covered tree, eyes closed, absorbing the cold Qi that swirled around her. When she sensed his presence, she opened her eyes, amusent flickering in their icy depths.
"You look like you've had a rough night," she said.
"Rough is an understatent," Wang Li muttered, sitting across from her. "I need answers."
She raised an eyebrow. "And you think I have them?"
"You have connections. If anyone knows about hidden records in the archives, it's you."
Feng Yuling leaned back, studying him. "And why would I share such privileged information?"
Wang Li exhaled. "Because the Azure Sky Sect is involved. Because a powerful cultivator just tried to kill in the archives. And because if this continues, the entire sect might be in danger."
Feng Yuling's amusent faded. For a mont, she was silent. Then, she spoke.
"There are rumors," she admitted. "That an elder of the sect once discovered sothing... forbidden. He recorded it in a jade slip and hid it within the archives. But no one knows what it contained."
Wang Li's mind raced.
"Could it be connected to the Azure Sky Sect's infiltration?"
"It's possible," she said. "But if Lan Yue was after it, she must know sothing we don't."
Wang Li stood. "Then I need to confront her."
Feng Yuling smirked. "Be careful. Lan Yue isn't soone you can predict easily."
Wang Li exhaled. He knew that better than anyone.
And yet, if he wanted to survive, he had no choice.
Lan Yue held the key to everything.
Reviews
All reviews (0)