The morning after the western mountain trembled, Heavenly Cloud Sect was no longer peaceful.
Disciples gathered in groups, whispering about the red light that had appeared above the forbidden peak. Some claimed they had seen a demon's eyes in the clouds. Others insisted that an ancient immortal had awakened beneath the mountain.
One particularly imaginative disciple claimed that the heavens had opened and revealed the face of a dragon.
By breakfast, the dragon had supposedly grown nine heads.
By lunchtime, it had become a dragon emperor capable of destroying three continents.
Li Tian listened to these rumors while eating a bowl of plain rice.
He had to admit that the disciples possessed remarkable imaginations.
If they ever applied the same creativity to cultivation, Heavenly Cloud Sect might produce several geniuses.
Unfortunately, most of them seemed more interested in frightening one another.
Chen Wei dropped onto the bench opposite him, carrying two bowls of noodles.
"Have you heard the latest news?"
Li Tian continued eating.
"That the western mountain contains a nine-headed dragon emperor?"
Chen Wei froze.
"How did you know?"
"Because I heard the rumor five minutes ago."
Chen Wei leaned forward and lowered his voice.
"Then you haven't heard the important part."
Li Tian sighed.
"What important part?"
"They say the dragon emperor eats outer disciples first."
Li Tian looked at his friend.
"Why outer disciples?"
"Because inner disciples taste too bitter from excessive cultivation."
For several seconds, Li Tian said nothing.
Then he returned to his rice.
"Your sources are excellent."
Chen Wei nodded proudly.
"I have connections."
"You have a cousin who sells steamed buns."
"Exactly. He hears everything."
Before Li Tian could respond, a deep bell rang from the central mountain.
The sound spread across the sect.
Every disciple stopped talking.
A second bell followed.
Then a third.
Chen Wei's face turned pale.
"That sounds serious."
Li Tian put down his chopsticks.
"It probably is."
A voice filled the air, carried by the sect's spiritual formations.
"All elders, instructors, and designated disciples are to assemble at the main hall immediately. All other disciples must remain within their assigned quarters until further notice."
Chen Wei slowly stood up.
"Li Tian, if I disappear today, tell everyone I died bravely."
"You are going to your room."
"Exactly. A brave retreat."
He hurried away.
Li Tian watched him leave.
Then he noticed Elder Zhao standing at the entrance of the dining hall.
The elder's gaze settled directly on him.
"Li Tian. Come with me."
Li Tian looked down at his unfinished breakfast.
For a moment, he considered pretending not to hear.
Then Elder Zhao raised one eyebrow.
Li Tian stood.
"Yes, Elder."
Peaceful cultivation, he thought bitterly. One day, I will actually experience it.
The main hall of Heavenly Cloud Sect was built into the side of the central mountain. Its enormous stone pillars were carved with clouds, swords, and ancient formations. Usually, the hall hosted ceremonies, examinations, and discussions about sect affairs.
Today, every seat was occupied.
Sect Master Yun Dao stood on the raised platform at the front. Beside him sat the Great Elder, the Head of Discipline, the formation master, and several senior instructors.
Li Tian remained near the back, where he hoped nobody would notice him.
Elder Zhao directed him toward a small group of disciples assigned to record the assembly.
Li Tian accepted a writing brush and a stack of blank sheets.
Recording the meeting was a reasonable task. It required no fighting, no cultivation display, and no dangerous exploration.
For the first time in days, he felt that fate might finally be showing him some kindness.
Then Sect Master Yun Dao spoke.
"Last night, the ancient formation beneath the western mountain suffered a major disturbance."
The hall fell silent.
"After an initial investigation, we have confirmed that the disturbance did not originate from a natural spiritual vein or an ordinary demonic creature. An ancient sealing formation has become unstable."
A senior elder rose.
"Have we identified what lies beneath the mountain?"
"No," Yun Dao replied. "The chamber predates the founding of our sect. Its records are incomplete, and its formation is beyond our current understanding."
The Great Elder stroked his beard.
"Then why have we not abandoned the mountain and sealed the entire region?"
"Because the formation is connected to the sect's defensive network," the Sect Master explained. "Destroying or abandoning it without understanding its structure could destabilize the other formations."
The formation master nodded reluctantly.
"That is correct. The western mountain is not an isolated seal. It appears to be one part of a larger network."
Li Tian's brush paused.
He remembered the hidden compartment beneath the old shrine, the strange lines carved into the well, and the black marks that seemed to draw energy away from the formation.
Someone had been interfering with that network.
The disturbances were not simply an ancient seal weakening with age.
They might have been deliberately caused.
Li Tian lowered his head and continued writing.
He would share that suspicion with Elder Zhao later.
For now, he had no proof.
Sect Master Yun Dao continued.
"Until we understand the cause, the western forest will remain closed. No disciple is permitted to approach the mountain without direct authorization from an elder."
A murmur passed through the hall.
Then the Head of Discipline stood.
"Several patrols have reported suspicious spiritual traces near the western paths. We also recovered unfamiliar formation materials from an abandoned shrine."
He held up a small black metal needle.
"This object does not belong to Heavenly Cloud Sect. Its spiritual signature resembles techniques associated with an organization believed to have disappeared centuries ago."
The hall became completely silent.
The Great Elder's expression darkened.
"Do you mean the Void Court?"
The Head of Discipline nodded.
Li Tian nearly pressed his brush through the paper.
The Void Court.
The masked stranger had used that name when he appeared in Li Tian's courtyard.
The fox had warned him that the organization collected ancient artifacts, bloodlines, and forbidden techniques.
Now the sect's elders were discussing the same organization.
Li Tian carefully continued writing.
He did not want to become involved.
But it was becoming increasingly difficult to pretend that none of this concerned him.
"The Void Court was destroyed two hundred years ago," one elder argued. "Its headquarters were reduced to ruins. Its surviving members were hunted across the continent."
"Then someone has preserved its techniques," the Head of Discipline replied.
"Or the original reports were incomplete," another elder said.
The discussion grew heated.
Some believed a hidden branch of the Void Court had infiltrated the sect. Others argued that the recovered materials might have been planted to cause panic.
Sect Master Yun Dao allowed the debate to continue for several minutes before raising his hand.
"Enough."
The room fell silent.
"Whether the Void Court has returned or someone is imitating its methods, we will treat this matter seriously. Our first responsibility is to protect the sect and its disciples."
He turned toward the formation master.
"Can the defensive network be strengthened?"
"Temporarily, yes. But if the underground seal continues to destabilize, the network may become unreliable."
"Then reinforce the outer barriers and inspect every formation point. No one is to activate the ancient structures without my permission."
The formation master bowed.
Yun Dao's gaze moved across the hall.
"Any disciple who has witnessed an unusual event near the western mountain must report it. Information will be kept confidential."
Li Tian kept his eyes on the paper.
He had witnessed several unusual events.
He had seen a vision of the underground chamber.
He had heard the voice calling him my child.
He had watched the system react to an ancient memory.
And he had encountered a masked agent of the Void Court.
Reporting all of that would be the fastest way to attract the attention he had spent three years avoiding.
He decided that the definition of an unusual event could be interpreted with some flexibility.
After all, his life had been unusually inconvenient for several days.
That should count.
The assembly continued for another hour.
Elders were assigned to inspect the defensive formations. Senior disciples were ordered to strengthen the patrols. Outer disciples were instructed to remain away from the western paths.
Then Sect Master Yun Dao announced one final measure.
"Until the investigation is complete, all unusual cultivation fluctuations within the sect will be monitored. Anyone found tampering with the formations will be detained for questioning."
Li Tian's writing brush stopped.
All unusual cultivation fluctuations?
The system concealed his aura, but the ancient resonance had bypassed that concealment.
If the seal reacted to him again while the sect was monitoring spiritual energy, someone might notice.
He needed to be more careful.
The meeting finally ended.
Disciples began filing out of the hall, speaking in hushed voices.
Li Tian gathered his papers and prepared to leave.
"Li Tian."
He stopped.
Sect Master Yun Dao was standing beside the platform.
"Come here."
Li Tian approached and bowed.
"Yes, Sect Master."
Yun Dao looked at the notes.
"Your handwriting is neat."
"Thank you, Sect Master."
"Did you hear anything during the assembly that concerns you?"
Li Tian considered the question.
"The western mountain sounds dangerous."
A faint smile appeared on Yun Dao's face.
"An accurate observation."
Li Tian remained silent.
The Sect Master continued.
"You have been studying the ancient formation records under Elder Zhao. Have you discovered anything that might help us understand the disturbance?"
Li Tian hesitated.
He could mention the black lines that redirected spiritual energy. He could describe the formation needles found near the shrine. He could even tell the Sect Master that someone appeared to be drawing power away from the underground seal.
But without explaining how he had noticed certain details, his knowledge might raise more questions than it answered.
He chose a careful approach.
"This disciple believes the formation may have been altered by someone. The disturbances do not seem entirely natural."
Yun Dao's expression changed.
"Why do you believe that?"
"I noticed unusual marks in several formation diagrams. They appeared to redirect energy rather than simply stabilize the structure."
The Sect Master studied him.
"Did Elder Zhao show you those diagrams?"
"Yes, Sect Master."
It was technically true. Elder Zhao had shown him diagrams. Li Tian had simply noticed more than the elder realized.
Yun Dao nodded slowly.
"I will investigate that possibility."
He paused.
"Li Tian, if you discover anything else, tell Elder Zhao. Do not investigate the western mountain yourself."
"This disciple understands."
"Good. You may leave."
Li Tian bowed and walked away.
He had managed to share useful information without revealing his secret.
That was progress.
Unfortunately, he had also attracted the Sect Master's interest.
He decided that, from now on, he would avoid saying anything intelligent in public.
It was a difficult goal, but one worth pursuing.
By the time Li Tian returned to the outer disciple quarters, Chen Wei was waiting outside his room.
The moment he saw Li Tian, he rushed forward.
"What happened? Did the Sect Master announce the end of the world?"
"No."
"Did he order everyone to fight the dragon emperor?"
"There is no dragon emperor."
Chen Wei looked disappointed.
"Then why was the meeting so serious?"
"The ancient formation beneath the western mountain is unstable, and the Void Court may be involved."
Chen Wei's expression changed. Get faster updates on g.com.
For several seconds, he remained silent.
Then he slowly turned toward his room.
Li Tian grabbed his sleeve.
"Where are you going?"
"To pack."
"Again?"
"This time, I am serious."
"You were serious yesterday."
"Yesterday, I was inexperienced. Today, I am informed."
Li Tian sighed.
"Running away won't help. The entire sect is involved."
Chen Wei stopped.
He looked genuinely troubled.
"Then what should we do?"
Li Tian thought about it.
"We stay out of trouble, follow the elders' orders, and gather information carefully."
Chen Wei nodded.
"Excellent. I can do two of those things."
"Which two?"
"Stay out of trouble and follow orders."
"What about gathering information?"
Chen Wei smiled.
"I have connections."
Li Tian immediately regretted asking.
That evening, Li Tian returned to his courtyard and found Bao Bao sitting on his desk.
The fox had somehow acquired a small bowl of fish soup.
Li Tian looked at it.
"Where did you get that?"
"The kitchen."
"Did you steal it?"
"I prefer to think of it as a redistribution of resources."
Li Tian sat down.
"The sect's elders suspect that the Void Court has returned."
Bao Bao stopped eating.
"They found evidence?"
"Formation needles and a strange metal object."
The fox's expression became serious.
"Then the situation is worse than I thought."
"You know something about the Void Court."
"I know enough to dislike them."
"Why?"
Bao Bao lowered its head.
"Because they do not merely steal treasures. They search for things that should remain forgotten. Ancient bloodlines. Sealed beings. Remnants of civilizations that no longer exist."
Li Tian thought of the coffin beneath the western mountain.
"Do you think they want to release whatever is inside?"
"Perhaps."
"Or destroy it?"
"Perhaps."
Li Tian frowned.
"You are remarkably unhelpful."
Bao Bao resumed eating.
"I have been alive for a very long time. I have learned that pretending to know everything is a good way to die."
For once, Li Tian could not argue.
He opened the system and examined his stored cultivation.
Stored Cultivation: 1,135 years.
His strength was increasing, but the system's warnings had become more frequent. He needed to understand the relationship between his cultivation, the seal, and the voice that kept calling him.
Yet he could not afford to investigate recklessly.
The Sect Master had ordered everyone away from the western mountain.
The Void Court had agents inside the sect's territory.
And something beneath the earth seemed to recognize him.
Li Tian closed the screen.
"Tomorrow, I'll continue studying the formation records."
Bao Bao nodded.
"Good."
"And you will stop stealing food from the kitchen."
The fox looked offended.
"I cannot agree to unreasonable demands."
Li Tian pointed toward the window.
"Out."
Bao Bao jumped down from the desk.
"Fine. I shall go protect the spiritual fruits elsewhere."
It disappeared into the night.
Li Tian shook his head and lay down.
For a few minutes, the room was quiet.
Then the system appeared once more.
New information received.
Ancient formation activity has temporarily decreased.
Unknown entity remains aware of the host.
Li Tian stared at the final line.
"Of course it does."
Far beneath Heavenly Cloud Sect, inside the sealed chamber, the ancient coffin remained motionless.
The cracks across its surface had stopped spreading.
But the darkness within was no longer silent.
A voice whispered through the stone.
"The sect has begun to remember."
Another voice answered from somewhere deeper in the chamber.
"Let them remember."
A pause followed.
Then the first voice spoke again.
"Will the child survive?"
The darkness seemed to deepen.
"That depends," the second voice replied, "on whether he remembers who he is before they find him."
Above the chamber, the mountains stood beneath a peaceful sky.
And in his small courtyard, Li Tian slept without knowing that the next stage of his life had already begun.