Lin’s eyes widened as she saw Jiang Yan stagger, visibly drained from her journey through the collective consciousness. Without a moment’s hesitation, she moved to her friend’s side, steadying her with a hand on her shoulder.

“Fan, are you alright?” Lin asked, her usual teasing gone, replaced by genuine concern as she scanned Jiang Yan’s face for any sign of lingering distress.

Jiang Yan nodded, though her gaze was fixed on the towering armored figure standing silently at the room’s edge. Lin’s protectiveness quickly turned to wariness as she moved in front of Jiang Yan, her stance shielding her friend from the stranger’s imposing presence.

“Who are you?” Lin demanded, her voice laced with defiance. “And why are you here?”

The figure stood still, his presence suffocating in its silence. After a long pause, he finally spoke, his voice calm and resolute, carrying an authority impossible to ignore. “That is not for you to know.”

Lin’s fists clenched in irritation, but before she could retort, Jiang Yan took a cautious step forward, her voice steady and searching. “You seem to know something about Wu Meng. Why?”

The figure inclined his head slightly, though his expression remained hidden behind a mist obscuring his face. “A calamity will come your way.”

Lin shot a quick glance at Jiang Yan, suspicion clear in her expression. “Fan, do you know who this is?” she asked in a low voice.

Jiang Yan’s brow furrowed, her gaze lingering on the figure as she considered the question. “He should be the one who left the imprint on Wu,” she murmured, a note of uncertainty in her voice.

The figure’s silence seemed to confirm her words, but Lin’s patience was fraying. Her voice hardened, protective instincts bubbling up as she crossed her arms. “So, you’re tied to him somehow,” she said. “And now you’re talking about… a calamity?” She shook her head, skepticism coloring her tone. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

The figure met her gaze, his tone unyielding. “Forces are stirring beyond your understanding. Remaining here will bring your sect annihilation.”

Jiang Yan’s face showed a flicker of concern, recalling the vision she’d experienced—shadowy landscapes, rivers flowing dark beneath a crimson sky. The memory filled her with an ominous weight. “The vision I saw,” she ventured cautiously, “is it related to this… danger?”

The figure let the silence stretch before answering. “I have told you what you need to hear. Whether you heed it or not is up to you.”

Lin scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Right. As if we’d just turn tail at the first hint of trouble. We’ve handled plenty.”

The figure’s gaze didn’t waver. “Confidence is a sharp blade,” he said evenly. “But without caution, it will only cut deeper.”

Jiang Yan studied him closely, her gaze steady as she tried to read his intent. She glanced at Lin, whose defiance remained, then back at the figure. “We’ll consider your warning,” she said, her voice calm but carrying a hint of unease.

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Without another word, the figure began to blur, his form dissolving until it vanished. But his voice lingered, echoing as though carried by a distant wind. “If you remain, you should prepare Wu for what lies ahead.”

When his presence finally faded, Lin let out a sharp exhale. “A calamity?” she muttered dismissively. “As if we haven’t heard that one before. If something happens, we’ll handle it.”

Jiang Yan gave her a sidelong glance, her expression thoughtful. “Perhaps, but the vision I had… it felt real, like it was more than just a warning.”

Lin shrugged, her confidence unshaken, and reached out to pat her friend on the shoulder. “If anything happens, we’ll deal with it, Fan. Besides, maybe Wu will surprise us.”

Jiang Yan’s gaze lingered on Lin, her brows knitting together thoughtfully. “What if he’s the calamity?”

Lin’s bravado faltered for a brief moment before she scoffed, brushing off the notion. “Fan, he’s just a mortal with a strange imprint. Even with a soul imprint, there’s no way he could bring calamity to an entire sect.”

Jiang Yan wasn’t convinced. “What if the imprint connects him to something we don’t understand?”

Lin rolled her eyes. “Even if the imprint is powerful, it’s still just a fragment of someone else’s soul. It doesn’t mean Wu Meng himself has any real power—or any that could endanger the sect.” She folded her arms, her gaze steady. “No, the calamity has to be something else. But Wu is worth keeping an eye on, just in case there’s more to him than we realize.”

Jiang Yan nodded but kept a watchful expression. She looked up at the hole in the ceiling, her mind still buzzing. “There’s something else,” she added slowly. “A soul imprint shouldn’t be able to materialize. So why could this armored figure appear?”

Lin’s expression turned contemplative, a spark of curiosity lighting her eyes. “Maybe his original soul was powerful enough to stretch the rules, to manifest beyond what we’re used to seeing.”

“Or,” Jiang Yan added cautiously, “perhaps it’s something about the collective consciousness itself, a force that can interact with the world in ways we don’t understand. Either way, we’re missing something.”

Lin shrugged off the concern. “Whatever the reason, I’m not going to worry over every odd encounter. I’ll keep Wu Meng close, put him through the standard disciple tests, and see if he has potential. If he does, we’ll work with it. If not… we’ll handle it.”

Jiang Yan gave her a warning look. “Remember, Lin—some warnings aren’t meant to be ignored.”

Lin smirked. “I’m not ignoring anything. But if this so-called calamity shows up, we’ll handle it. Simple.”

With one final look, Jiang Yan nodded and leapt through the broken roof, disappearing into the sky. Lin watched her go, a smirk lingering as she turned back toward her manor, thoughts buzzing with plans for Wu Meng’s future.

Once alone, Lin reached into her robes, pulling out her sect’s jade badge, engraved with a flickering symbol of fire and wings. She channeled a small pulse of Qi into it, feeling the badge respond with a faint warmth.

After a moment, a voice answered—an elder handling internal assignments.

“Yes, Protector Lin?”

“I have someone here in my quarters that I’d like escorted out,” she instructed, tone both brisk and casual. “Bring him down to an empty room by the foot of the mountain. He can start there, and we’ll see what he’s capable of.”

“Yes, Protector Lin. Should he be prepared for the disciple entry test?” came the cautious response.

Lin’s smirk returned. “Let him get settled first, but keep a close eye on him. Report anything… unusual. He’ll join the next test.”

“Yes, Protector Lin.”

With a final pulse of Qi, Lin ended the transmission, slipping the badge back into her robes. She glanced up at the ceiling one last time, amusement flickering in her eyes as she thought of Wu Meng—and of the mysterious figure’s ominous warning.

“If he truly is a calamity, we’ll be prepared,” she murmured to herself, half-jokingly. “But for now… let's see what surprises he brings.”