The aftermath of Lin Feng's victory in the Shadow Lotus Tournament was anything but triumphant. While disciples whispered about his strength and cunning, darker murmurs spread like wildfire through the Black Lotus Sect.
"He uses forbidden techniques," some said. "Soul-devouring methods that no righteous cultivator would dare to practice."
"Ambition like his leads to ruin," others whispered.
Lin Feng sat crossed-legged in his quarters, allowing the rumors to fly about him without resistance. His faction, led by Zhao Qing and Yan Wei, had intercepted enough to confirm the source: Elder Shen. Lin Feng's lips arced with a faint, mirthless smile.
"Elder Shen thinks he's so smart," Lin Feng murmured. "But a blade that cuts in the dark cuts both ways."
A knock disrupted his meditation. Yan Wei entered and his expression cut as sharp as ever. "The elders have assigned you a mission, Senior Brother," he said, placing a scroll before Lin Feng.
Lin Feng unrolled the parchment; his eyes narrowed as his gaze read through it. The mission seemed inconsequential enough-retrieve a batch of Scarlet Mistsilk from Riftspire Gorge, a perilous region infamous for rogue cultivator activity. But Lin Feng saw the reality beneath the surface.
"This isn't a mission," Lin Feng said with quiet words. "It's a trap."
Yan Wei tilted his head. "Elder Shen's doing?
"Who else?" Lin Feng said. "The place is too open, time too opportune."
Yan Wei smirked. "Shall we decline then?"
Lin Feng's eyes suddenly turned sharp. "No. Let's play the monkey. Let Shen think his tricks have worked; then we show him how it feels to underestimate me."
The night before he left, Lin Feng sat crossed-legged, the Seal of Calamity floating beside him. A soft black glow emanated from it, pulsating gently, and the whispers came as they always did, insidious and unending.
"Power beyond the heavens," the Seal hissed in his mind. "You could rule them all. Jiang Yue, Elder Shen, the entire sect—they would kneel before you if you embraced me."
Images flooded his mind—visions of towering spires, shattered beneath a wave of his qi; enemies obliterated with a single gesture; the Black Lotus Sect prostrated before him as he ascended to unparalleled dominion.
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Lin Feng opened his eyes, dispelling the visions. "I do not kneel to temptation," he said coldly. "You are a tool. Nothing more."
The whispers subsided but the Seal's glow appeared brighter for an instant, and seemed to taunt him.
---
Lin Feng and the others stood before Riftspire Gorge, dressed as Inner Disciples on a routine collection mission. Thinner air, jagged rocks thrust upwards like broken teeth, formed a maze of natural traps.
"Keep your formations tight," Lin Feng ordered, his voice calm, though his sharp gaze swept the ground for every crevice and shadow that could hide an ambush.
Among them was Jiang Yue, assigned to this mission by the plotting of Elder Shen himself. She walked beside him, a mask of neutrality on her face, but a tone that cut deep. "Careful, Lin Feng. If you lead us to failure, no amount of scheming will save your reputation."
Lin Feng didn't look at her. "And once you freeze again during the fight, then all your friends and allies combined can't save yours."
The barb hit home, and Jiang Yue could have burned through stone with that glare of hers.
Before things escalated any further, a sudden fluctuation in the surrounding qi caught their attention. Lin Feng's instincts flared, and he stood stock-still.
"Ambush," he barked.
No sooner were the words out of his mouth than a stream of rogue cultivators flowed from behind him, their weapons reflecting faintly in the dim light.
---
The leader of the rogue cultivators stepped forward oppressively. Xian Rong was a towering man clad in black armor, his aura full of chaotic qi. "Black Lotus dogs," he snarled. "Your lives end here."
Xian Rong raised his hand, and a Soul Disruptor Array sent waves of destabilizing energy rippling through the battlefield. The Inner Disciples staggered as their spiritual energy faltered, their techniques sputtering. Lin Feng stood firm, his expression unreadable. "Zhao Qing, take the left flank. Yan Wei, cover our rear. Jiang Yue—" "I don't take orders from you," Jiang Yue snapped, drawing her sword.
"Then try not to die," Lin Feng said briefly, turning to block Xian Rong's path.
The battlefield immediately turned into a mess. Lin Feng started his Thousand Veil Technique, sending illusory doubles darting into the chaos of battle, confusing the rogues and attracting attacks in their direction. Meanwhile, his Shadow Phantoms materialized from the darkness, tearing into the rogues with precision.
Xian Rong roared loudly; chaotic qi formed a vortex around his body. "You are all tricks and illusions!" he shouted, swinging his blade down towards Lin Feng.
Lin Feng dodged and moved out of the way, calm on the outside. "Tricks and shadows will do to finish with you."
As the fight grew intense, Lin Feng felt the Seal of Calamity vibrate at his side, its whispers louder. He hesitated for a fraction of a second before unleashing its power.
Black qi erupted around him, amplifying his Phantom Oblivion technique. The shadowy constructs surged forward, overwhelming Xian Rong's vortex and tearing through his defenses.
Xian Rong fell, his armor shattering as his qi dissipated. The remaining rogues, seeing their leader defeated, fled into the gorge.
---
Amid the aftermath, Lin Feng searched Xian Rong's belongings. Among the spoils was a jade slip bearing a symbol Lin Feng recognized immediately-the mark of the Eclipse Sovereign.
He activated the slip, and a cryptic message echoed in his mind:
> "Power flows to those who seize it. What will you sacrifice?"
Lin Feng's expression darkened. The attack wasn't a random act of aggression—it was part of a larger game.
"Eclipse Sovereign," he murmured. "So, you've finally made your move."
---
Returning to the sect, Lin Feng turned over the spoils to the elders, making sure not to include the jade slip. As Lin Feng described the successful mission and the trap foiled along with the rogues defeated, Elder Shen's face was sour.
"You were reckless," he finally said, his voice razor-sharp. "Using such techniques risked your team."
Lin Feng met his gaze evenly. “Recklessness would have cost us the battle. Perhaps your informants underestimated my capabilities.”
The subtle jab landed, and Elder Shen’s eyes narrowed.
As Lin Feng left the chamber, Jiang Yue caught up to him. “You’re playing a dangerous game, Lin Feng,” she said. “One day, you’ll push too far.”
Lin Feng's smile was slight, but it was sharp. "And someday, you'll realize you never pushed far enough."
Night fell. As Lin Feng meditated, the whispers of the Seal took on a louder, darker and insistent tone for the first time; less an offer, more a demand.