The air was heavy in the Hall of Balance as the Elder Council gathered to talk about the battle that took place after the Spirit Pool. Elder Shen sat upright, hands clasped across the table, a mask of veiled disdain upon his face. Lin Feng stood before the council, composed, eyes steady as they moved between his detractors and would-be allies.
"The Spirit Pool was defended," said Elder Ji, breaking the silence. "The Eclipse Sovereign's forces were routed. Yet, the damage to the Pool itself cannot be ignored."
Shen leaned forward, his voice sharp. "And who is to blame for that? Lin Feng's reckless tactics put the integrity of the Pool in jeopardy. He used the Seal of Calamity again, trumpeting its influence while he risked the most vital resource of the sect."
Lin Feng smiled thinly, his face cold: "Reckless or effective? The Pool still stands, the enemy repelled. Shall we blame success, Elder Shen-or your hesitation to act sooner?"
Lin Feng's words whipped murmurs up in the chamber. The rise of a hand from Elder Qiu, however, and the crowd fell silent. "This is not the time for personal vendettas. Lin Feng's leadership averted the destruction of the Pool. But the persistence of the Eclipse Sovereign does call for a more coordinated response."
Shen's lips pressed into a thin line, but he said nothing.
---
After this meeting with the Council, Lin Feng went to the Spirit Pool, where works were well under way to stabilize its damaged energy flows. That crystal water, which at one time had seemed so limpid and pure, now quivered with subtle distortions; the battle had left its trace there.
Lin Feng knelt beside the Pool and set the fragment of the Celestial Conduit at its center. The fragment began to glow with golden light as it connected energies with the Pool, and it would be able to restore the flow for a while.
The Seal of Calamity at his side hummed softly, its whispers burrowing into his mind. "You repair what they cannot. And yet, they doubt you. Foolish. Strike now, while they are weak."
Lin Feng resisted the temptation and focused on the fragment. As its energy harmonized with the Pool, a few patterns began to emerge in the water, carved into the very structure of the foundation of the sect.
"This Pool isn't just a resource," Lin Feng whispered. "It's part of a big formation. The sect relies on it much more than they think."
The Seal's voice darkened. "And when it falls, so does their power. Use it, Lin Feng. Control it, and you control them."
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---
While inside the inner halls, Elder Shen hastened to take advantage of the weakened Spirit Pool. He immediately gathered neutral elders and spread doubts about Lin Feng's goals and aims.
"Lin Feng relies on the Seal a little more with each battle," Shen said, modulating his voice with an insidious tone. "Do we wait until his ambition eclipses the needs of the sect? Or do we act before it's too late?"
Jiang Yue sat next to him and nodded. "He uses the Seal as both weapon and shield. If we don't contain him, the sect may find itself serving his will rather than the other way around."
Shen smiled thinly. "Then let us ensure his reach does not extend unchecked."
---
It wasn't until well into the night that Lin Feng got a jade slip from his man in the Eclipse Sovereign's ranks. The words were few, but insistent:
> "The Hidden Nexus has been found. The Sovereign makes for it. There is no time to waste."
Lin Feng's eyes suddenly narrowed. The Hidden Nexus was an ancient artifact said to amplify qi across vast distances, and should the Eclipse Sovereign claim it, that would mean their power grows exponentially, posing a real threat to the entire region.
The next morning, he brought the jade slip in front of the Elder Council with his findings presented with calculated precision. "The Hidden Nexus is in neutral territory," Lin Feng said. "If the Eclipse Sovereign succeeds in taking it, they will gain the advantage in this war. I propose an expedition to secure it before they do."
Immediately, Elder Shen counterattacked, "An expedition? Based on the intelligence provided by a rogue informant? This has the smell of a manipulation."
"Manipulation or foresight?" Lin Feng immediately refuted. "The Nexus is real, and its weight cannot be underestimated. It will be a disaster if we wait."
The voice of Elder Qiu then came-tone thoughtful, "The risk is great, but so is the potential reward. We cannot afford to be idle."
The council voted in favor, though Shen's expression betrayed his feelings. Jiang Yue was on the team-something to ensure the will of the sect concerning Lin Feng's actions.
---
Days and hours passed before the expedition. Lin Feng had gone into seclusion. Fragment of the Celestial Conduit and the Seal of Calamity floated in front of him as he sat in meditation. The energy mingled precariously.
He perfected the use of Celestial Shadow Veil to such an extent that he could freeze phantoms in place with one move. The constructs were traps, sentinels, and extended his reach across the field of battle.
Larger were the whispers of the Seal now, its tone more incisive. "They watch you, Lin Feng. Waiting for you to slip up. Crush them before they get the chance to act."
Lin Feng opened his eyes, his expression cold. “Let them watch. Their hesitation only strengthens my position.”
---
Before the expedition’s departure, Jiang Yue confronted Lin Feng in the sect’s training grounds. Her voice was sharp, her words cutting.
“You’re dragging the sect into your schemes,” she said. “How long before your ambition destroys everything?”
Lin Feng looked at her coldly. "Ambition keeps the sect alive, Jiang Yue; it's fear and hesitation that destroys it-perhaps you should reflect which side you're really standing on."
Her eyes turned thinner. "I would never allow you to wreck our sect, Lin Feng. No matter what, I would get you exposed."
Lin Feng closed in on him, his voice low but threatening. "You are overestimating your position. Be careful, Jiang Yue. I am far better at this game than you are."
The tension between them crackled like lightning, but Jiang Yue said nothing more, turning away with a flick of her robes.
---
Lin Feng stood at the edge of the Black Lotus Sect's territory, the wind carrying a light humming of the Celestial Conduit fragment in his hand. Behind him was the expedition team, with faces full of determinations and trepidations.
Jiang Yue stood amongst them, her eyes cold as ice. Zhao Qing and Yan Wei exchanged a wary glance; they were still steadfastly loyal to Lin Feng, but their anxiety was apparent.
The Seal of Calamity stirred beside Lin Feng as its murmurs wove in and out of his mind. "Betrayal surrounds you, Lin Feng. Do not wait for it to strike. Act first, or lose everything."
Lin Feng's eyes hardened as, in a cold tone, he stepped forward: "The moment they move, they're already mine."
The fragment shone weakly, the light flickering as Lin Feng led the group deeper into the unknown.