Kael stared at the silver pendant.
His own voice was still echoing in his mind.
“This is where I died in my seventh life.”
For several seconds, he couldn't move.
Then the Black Lotus cultivator on the ground suddenly laughed.
“You finally remembered.”
Kael's eyes snapped toward him.
The masked man slowly stood.
Blood ran from the corner of his mouth.
“You shouldn't have.”
Kael tightened his grip on his sword.
“What happened in my seventh life?”
The man laughed again.
“Ask yourself.”
He raised his hand.
A strange black mark appeared on his palm.
Lin Yue's expression changed.
“Kael, move!”
The mark exploded.
BOOM!
Black smoke filled the alley.
Kael immediately pulled Lin Yue backward.
Three shadows disappeared into the smoke.
“They're escaping!”
Lin Yue moved to chase them.
“Don't!”
Kael stopped him.
The pendant was still glowing.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
He looked toward the street.
People were running.
The tournament continued only a few streets away.
If Black Lotus had attacked them here, they had a reason.
“They wanted us to find this message,” Kael said.
Lin Yue frowned.
“What?”
“They could have taken the pendant.”
Kael looked at the silver object.
“But they didn't.”
A chill passed through him.
This wasn't an attack.
It was a warning.
Or a trap.
Suddenly, footsteps came from the end of the alley.
Kael raised his sword.
A young woman stepped into view.
Mei.
She looked at the destroyed alley.
Then at Kael.
“You opened it.”
Kael's expression hardened.
“You knew about the pendant?”
Mei didn't answer.
“Who are you?”
She looked directly into his eyes.
For a moment, Kael saw another memory.
Moonlight.
Blood.
Mei standing opposite him.
His own sword lying broken beside him.
And her voice—
“I'm sorry, Kael.”
The vision vanished.
Kael took a step backward.
Mei noticed.
“You remembered something.”
“What happened?”
“In your seventh life?”
Kael nodded.
Mei lowered her eyes.
“You died because you trusted the wrong person.”
“Who?”
She looked at Lin Yue.
Kael's expression changed.
Lin Yue immediately stepped back.
“What are you implying?”
Mei shook her head.
“Nothing.”
Kael's patience snapped.
“Stop speaking in riddles!”
His Human Flame burst from his palm.
Mei's expression became serious.
“If you want answers, survive the tournament.”
Kael stared at her.
“Why?”
“Because someone has already changed the tournament.”
A bell rang in the distance.
Once.
Twice.
Then three times.
The crowd suddenly became silent.
Lin Yue looked toward the Martial Hall.
“That isn't the normal bell.”
Mei's face turned pale.
“No.”
Kael felt the Human Flame inside him tremble.
“What is it?”
Mei whispered—
“The death bell.”
A powerful aura suddenly swept across Lushan City.
Every cultivator felt it.
Kael's eyes widened.
That aura was far beyond anything he had encountered.
Then a voice echoed through the entire city.
“The tournament is cancelled.”
A pause.
“All participants are ordered to remain inside the Martial Hall.”
Kael looked at Mei.
She was staring toward the arena.
“What happened?”
Mei slowly answered.
“Someone has been murdered.”
“Who?”
Her eyes met his.
“The tournament judge.”
Kael's heart sank.
The tournament hadn't even reached the second round.
Yet someone had already made the first move.
And somewhere inside that Martial Hall—
the person responsible was waiting for Kael.