Whispers of discord

 The Xiang Sect was abuzz with activities as members and elders alike went about their various activities. However, underneath the seeming calm, confusion and turmoil roiled. The sect's courtyard buzzed with tension, the usual hum of activity subdued by a darker undercurrent. Disciples gathered in small groups, their whispered conversations laden with speculation. Every now and then, someone would glance toward the horizon, as if expecting someone to appear out of thin air. They were all waiting for Li. They had all heard of Li's disappearance into the dark Abyss while training with an Elder.

In one corner of the courtyard, under the shade of a willow tree, Zhang Wei paced back and forth, his brow furrowed with worry. His hands were clasped behind his back, and his jaw was set tight.

"Where could he be?" he muttered.

"Senior brother Zhang Wei, please stop pacing, its making me more nervous" Mei Ming said gently, though her own fingers fidgeted with the hem of her robe. She was seated cross-legged on a stone bench, her usually calm demeanour betrayed by the tightness around her eyes.

Lei Yun and Lei Chen sat nearby, their expressions mirroring the worry that hung over the group. Lei Yun, the quieter of the twins, broke the silence.

"Do you think the rumours are true?" she asked softly, her voice tinged with fear. "That Li... fell into the abyss while training?"

"No," Lei Chen said firmly, though his clenched fists betrayed his uncertainty. "That's nonsense. Li's strong. He wouldn't just... disappear like that."

"But Elder Yuan was there," Mei Ming pointed out. Her voice trembled slightly, but she steadied herself. "He hasn't returned either. It's been almost three months now. And you know what they say about the Abyssal Rift, it's a one-way trip."

Zhang Wei stopped pacing, turning to face the group. "Enough. We don't know anything for sure. Until we do, we focus on facts, not rumours."

"But what if …." Lei Yun began, but Zhang Wei cut her off with a sharp look.

"No 'what ifs.' Li is our friend, our brother. He wouldn't just vanish like that. You know how resilient and powerful he is."

"But he is so young! Can he survive the abyss alone without us? Lei Chen said sadly

The group fell into a heavy silence, the weight of Lei Chen's words settling over them.

Across the courtyard, a pair of senior disciples passed by, their conversation carrying to the group.

"I heard Elder Yuan was attempting to push Li too hard during training," one of them said, his voice low but conspiratorial.

"Typical of him," the other replied. "They say Li was trying to control the power of Chaos, and it got out of hand."

"I never liked him one bit! Always so uppity, acting as if he is better than everyone else simply because the sect master chose him as a direct disciple' another huffed in indignation.

"Are you even sure he is not a spy from a bigger sect? Cos how could such a young boy be wandering alone in the forest to the point of almost getting mauled by wild pigs? I am sure the whole scene was staged." Said a burly boy with pimples all over his face.

"Well, for me the issue is not witnessing the challenge he issued to fight Bai Chen in two years. Its almost two years now. I was looking forward to him receiving a thrashing"

"Maybe we will still get to witness this" laughed another

"Ever heard of anyone returning from....."

Their voices trailed off as they moved out of earshot, but the damage was done.

Lei Chen's fists slammed against the stone bench. "Why are they always so quick to judge? Li's is a far better person than of them combined! Even with how young he is."

Mei Ming placed a calming hand on his shoulder. "They don't know him like we do. Let them talk; it won't change the truth."

Zhang Wei, however, was staring at the ground, deep in thought. "Power of Chaos," he murmured.

"What about it?" Lei Yun asked.

"If Li really did attempt to control the power of Chaos and something went wrong, could it be that Li's innate power clashed with Chaos? Or…" Zhang Wei's voice trailed off, his brows knitting together.

"That's impossible," Lei Chen interrupted. "Li's been training his power for months. He's been training to master his innate power and had been doing afairly good jobof it. There's no way would have clashed with Chaos."

"But Chaos isn't an ordinary power," Mei Ming said cautiously. "It just doesn't take people over."

"I read somewhere that Chaos chooses its wielders. Li's power has some similarity to Chaos. I think something more powerful is at play here and Li is in the middle of it" declared Zhang Wei in frustration.

The implication of Zhang Wei's words hung heavy in the air.

Suddenly, a familiar voice broke through the tension.

"Still worrying about your precious friend?"

The group turned to see Gao approaching, a smirk plastered across his face. Behind him trailed a few of his lackeys, their expressions smug.

Zhang Wei stiffened. "What do you want, Gao?"

"Nothing, really," Gao said, his tone mockingly innocent. "I just couldn't help but notice how... quiet things have been without Li around. Almost peaceful, wouldn't you agree?"

Lei Yun shot to her feet, her eyes blazing. "Say what you mean, Gao, or get lost."

Gao's smirk widened. "Fine. If you insist. Word is, your golden boy bit off more than he could chew. Tried to play hero by summoning and trying to control Chaos and ended up paying the price. It's a shame, really. I was looking forward to showing him his place."

"Watch your mouth!" Lei Chen growled, stepping forward.

"Or what?" Gao taunted, his lackeys laughing behind him. "You'll do what Li couldn't and try to fight me? Face it, your friend was a reckless fool. And now he's gone."

Before Lei Chen could lunge, Zhang Wei placed a hand on his chest, holding him back. "He's not worth it," Zhang Wei said coldly, his gaze never leaving Gao's.

Gao chuckled. "Wise choice, Zhang Wei. You're smarter than I thought."

As Gao and his group walked away, still laughing, Mei Ming let out a frustrated sigh. "Why does he always have to stir the pot?"

"He's a vulture," Lei Yun muttered, sitting back down. "He thrives on others' pain."

"I'm going to kill him when I have the chance. I haven't forgotten what he did in Qinxu forest" vowed Lei Chen with clenched fists

Zhang Wei crossed his arms, his expression unreadable. "He'll get what's coming to him sooner than he thinks."

As the day stretched on, the group remained in the courtyard, their conversation growing more subdued. The sun dipped lower in the sky, casting long shadows across the sect.

Finally, Lei Yun spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. "Do you think Li's... coming back?"

Zhang Wei hesitated. "I don't know," he admitted. "But I do know this, if anyone can come back from something like this, it's him."

Mei Ming nodded. "He's faced impossible odds before. We just have to trust him and believe."

Lei Chen sighed, leaning back against the tree. "Trust is one thing. But if he really is in danger, how long are we supposed to sit here and do nothing?"

Zhang Wei's eyes narrowed. "We're not doing nothing. We're waiting for the right moment. If the elders don't have answers soon... we'll find them ourselves."

"But what about the sect master? He's been gone for so long. Maybe he can do something about it when he returns," said Mei Ming.

"And how soon would that be? You just said it yourself that the sect master has been away for too long! We can't pin our hopes of saving Li on him," snapped Lei Chen.

"Like I said earlier, we may have to rescue him ourselves," declared Zhang Wei

The group exchanged determined glances, their bond stronger than ever despite the uncertainty.

Suddenly, Zhang Wei and the others felt a sudden chill, as if a storm was brewing on the horizon.

"Please be safe, Li," Zhang Wei said quietly, his fists clenched. "We will find you, no matter what it takes."

Unbeknownst to them, a shadow lingered on the outskirts of the courtyard. Hidden among the trees, a figure watched them with calculating eyes.

"Interesting," the figure muttered to himself, a sinister smile spreading across his face. "So the boy's friends are more loyal than I expected. This could be... useful."

The figure brought out a funny looking device and spoke into it.

"The boy's friends are planning something and I think this is the break we need. Inform our man in the sect to intensify his observation of them. Make sure its done immediately" he whispered into the device commandingly. An indistinct response could be heard before he put the device back in his robes.

With a swirl of dark energy, the figure then vanished, leaving behind only the faintest trace of malevolent qi.