Shadows

The sinister figure, still cloaked in darkness, reappeared deep within the mountain caves far from the sect. The air was heavy with the scent of damp stone and the faint hum of concealed wards. Three other figures, their faces obscured by masks, waited within a dimly lit chamber illuminated only by flickering torches.

"You're late," one of them hissed, a woman with a cold, sharp voice.

"I bring news worth the wait," the man replied smoothly, lowering his hood. His eyes gleamed with malice. "The boy's friends are planning something. Their loyalty to him is unwavering, even after nearly three months."

Another figure, tall and broad-shouldered, chuckled darkly. "Naive children. Do they really think they can retrieve him from the Abyss?"

"They don't need to succeed," the first figure said. "They just need to lead us to him, or at least distract the sect enough for us to act."

The woman crossed her arms, her tone skeptical. "How do we know they'll even leave the sect? Most of the elders are firmly against any attempts to retrieve the boy. They think he's already dead."

"They will," the man said confidently. "Their resolve is obvious. If the elders won't act, they will. And when they do…" His smile widened. "We'll be ready."

The tall man cracked his knuckles, his voice rumbling like distant thunder. "And when we find him?"

The man's smile turned cruel. "We finish what the Abyss couldn't. Li may be powerful, but isolated, drained, and alone? He's vulnerable. We'll eliminate him and whatever threat he may be to us in the future."

The woman nodded slowly, though her eyes glinted with suspicion. "What about his friends? If they survive, they'll rally the sect against us."

"They won't survive," the tall man growled. "Loose ends are a liability. And even if they do, their sect is not strong enough to go against us."

The group fell silent, each lost in their grim thoughts. Finally, the man in the hood spoke again. "For now, we wait. Our informant in the sect will alert us the moment they make their move."

The woman leaned against the wall, her gaze distant. "And the elders? They're no fools. If they discover us…"

"They won't," the hooded man said firmly. "By the time they realize what's happening, it'll be too late. The boy must be exterminated before he gains full control of his power and becomes like his ancestor, unstoppable. We all know what that will mean for our lineages."

"If it entails getting rid of the entire sect in order to kill the boy, then that's exactly what we will do" declared the woman arrogantly while the others nodded in agreement.

Meanwhile, within the grand hall of the Xiang Sect, the elders convened. Their faces were grave, the air thick with tension. The topic of their discussion was clear, Li's disappearance into the abyss.

"This cannot continue," Elder Fang declared, slamming his hand on the wooden table. "It has been nearly three months. No one has ever returned from the Abyss. We must accept the inevitable."

A murmur of agreement swept through the room, though not all shared Elder Fang's pessimism.

"Accept the inevitable?" Elder Yuan's voice cut through the room, sharp and unyielding. He rose from his seat, his eyes blazing. "Li is not just anyone. He is the sect master's direct disciple and carries a power none of us fully understand. He deserves more than our resignation."

"What do you propose, Yuan?" another elder asked, his tone skeptical. "We have no way of tracking him, let alone retrieving him from the Abyss, that's if he's alive, which I doubt."

"There is a way," Elder Yuan said after a pause. "But it is… forbidden."

The room fell silent. Elder Yuan's words hung heavily in the air, their implications clear.

"You mean to use the Soul-Seeking Art?" Elder Lin's voice was barely above a whisper, yet it carried the weight of her shock. "Yuan, that technique is forbidden for a reason. It risks the seeker's life as much as the one being sought."

"And what is a life without purpose?" Elder Yuan countered, his voice rising. "If we abandon Li now, what message does that send? That we discard our own when the odds are against us? That we are cowards, unwilling to risk ourselves for the future of our sect?"

"You speak of honour, but what of wisdom?" Elder Fang interjected. "The Soul-Seeking Art is dangerous. If you die in the attempt, we lose not only you but also any hope of stabilizing the sect. Our resources are better spent on the thousands of living sect disciples not chasing ghosts."

"Li is not a ghost!" Elder Yuan's voice thundered through the chamber. "He is alive. I can feel it. The bond between master and disciple is not so easily severed."

"And yet, the sect master is not here to confirm your feelings," Elder Lin said softly. "He has been absent for months, leaving us to make these decisions without his guidance. What does that say about his priorities?"

The room grew sombre at the mention of the sect master's absence. It was a topic they rarely discussed openly, but it weighed on them all.

"We all know that the sect master went to the capital of the empire to seek answers concerning Li's bloodline. Elder Yi's prophecy about the sect annihilation and the curse surrounding Li's bloodline cannot be swept under the carpet. The only way out is to seek answers," said elder Lin

"Perhaps the sect master knows more than we do," another elder ventured cautiously. "Perhaps he is on his way back from the emperor's library even as we speak."

"Or perhaps he has abandoned us," Elder Fang muttered, earning him a sharp glare from Elder Yuan. "Perhaps he got answers to his questions and saw there was no way for the sect to survive the looming disaster and decided to bail on us."

"How can you even think such about the sect master who has stood by this sect through thick and thin? Protested elder Han in anger.

"We do not question the sect master's motives," Yuan said firmly. "But his absence does not absolve us of our responsibilities. I will not stand idly by while we let Li's fate be decided by the Abyss."

"And if you fail?" Elder Lin asked, her tone gentle but pointed. "What then, Yuan? What will your death accomplish?"

Yuan hesitated, his resolve wavering for the first time. "It would prove that we did not give up on him. That we fought until the end."

Silence fell over the chamber, the elders each lost in their thoughts. Finally, Elder Lin spoke again.

"Yuan, I admire your conviction. Truly, I do. But we must consider the sect as a whole. Our resources, our numerous disciples, our future. Li is one life among many. A precious life, yes, but we cannot risk everything for him."

"Then I will act alone," elder Yuan said quietly but firmly. "I will not ask for your permission or your approval. But I will not abandon my disciple."

The room erupted in protests, voices clashing as the elders argued. Some supported Yuan, their voices rising in his defence. Others condemned him, warning of the consequences of his actions.

Finally, Elder Fang cleared his throat, silencing the room. "Enough. If Yuan wishes to pursue this path, we cannot stop him. But he does so at his own peril."

Elder Yuan met Fang's gaze, his expression unwavering. "So be it."

The elders dispersed soon after, their meeting adjourned but their tensions far from resolved. Elder Yuan lingered in the chamber, his thoughts heavy as he prepared to take the first step in his dangerous journey.

A few days after the friends met in the courtyard, Zhang Wei and the others though they were unaware of the elders' deliberations, met behind the medicine courtyard. They sat in their usual spot under the willow tree, their conversation hushed but intense.

"We can't wait any longer," Lei Chen said, his voice firm. "If the elders won't act, we will."

"And how do you propose we do that?" Mei Ming asked, her tone sharp. "We don't even know where to start."

"The Abyss," Zhang Wei said quietly. The others turned to him, their expressions a mix of shock and disbelief.

"You're not serious," Lei Yun said, her voice trembling. "The Abyss isn't just dangerous, it's a death sentence."

"And what do you think Li is facing right now?" Zhang Wei countered. "If he's alive, he's fighting for his life every second. We can't just sit here and do nothing."

Mei Ming placed a hand on Zhang Wei's arm, her expression pained. "You know I want to save him as much as you do. But rushing into the Abyss without a plan isn't bravery, it's suicide."

"Then we make a plan," Zhang Wei said firmly. "We gather supplies, we study the terrain, and we prepare ourselves. But we don't give up. Not on Li."

The group fell silent, the weight of Zhang Wei's words settling over them. Finally, Lei Chen nodded.

"I'm with you," he said. "Whatever it takes, I'm with you."

Lei Yun hesitated, fear warring with determination in her eyes. "Me too. But we have to be smart about this."

Mei Ming sighed, her resolve hardening. "Fine. But we do this together. No one acts alone."

Unbeknownst to them, their conversation was being observed from the shadows. The sinister figure smirked, his plans falling perfectly into place.