Chapter 4: Shadows in the Ruins

Lin Mei's defiance hung in the air like a challenge. She crossed her arms, her soot-streaked face illuminated by the flickering lantern light of the ancestral hall. "I'm not running," she said, her voice steady. "If the clan's in danger, I'll face it here. With you."

Lin Wei clenched his jaw. The system's countdown pulsed in his vision: [Task Progress: 30/48 hours]. Every moment she stayed risked exposure—of his secrets, of the system, of the fragile lies holding the clan together. But her resolve mirrored his mother's, stubborn and unyielding.

"Then stay close," he muttered, tossing her a vial of Lullbloom pollen. "And don't do anything reckless."

The bandit camp sprawled at the edge of the Crimson Marsh, a ramshackle collection of tents encircling a crumbling watchtower. Moonlight glinted off the ancestral sword embedded in the tower's peak—its blade dulled by neglect but still humming with latent qi.

Lin Wei crouched in the shadows, the Ghoststep Treads' ethereal energy muffling his breath. Beside him, Lin Mei shifted impatiently.

"This is your plan?" she whispered. "Sneak in, grab the sword, and pray?"

"Quiet," he hissed, though her presence unnerved him more than the bandits. The system hadn't warned him she'd insist on joining.

He activated the Ghoststep Treads, their silken threads wrapping around his feet. "Wait here."

"Like hell," she said, slipping a dagger from her sleeve.

Before he could protest, she darted toward the nearest tent.

The camp was eerily disciplined for bandits. Uniformed sentries patrolled in Thunder Valley's colors, their whispers sharp with purpose. Lin Wei's stomach churned. Uncle Tao's doing. The betrayal cut deeper now, seeing their clan's enemies wearing the Lin's stolen insignia.

He scaled the watchtower, the Ghoststep Treads silencing his steps. The ancestral sword resisted as he gripped its hilt, its qi recoiling from his touch. A memory flashed—his father's hands on the blade, sparring with him in sunlit courtyards.

"You don't recognize me, do you?" he murmured. The sword hummed, conflicted.

Below, a shout erupted.

Lin Mei stood in the center of the camp, her dagger pressed to a bandit's throat. "Where's the Lin Clan's sword?" she demanded, her voice too loud, too bold.

Idiot.

Lin Wei leapt from the tower, landing silently behind a cluster of tents. He palmed the system's Decoy Scroll—a forged letter implicating the Jade Sword Sect—and dropped it into a bandit's satchel.

"Intruder!" A sentry spotted Lin Mei.

Chaos erupted.

Lin Mei moved like wildfire, her dagger slashing in practiced arcs. But she was an alchemist, not a warrior. A bandit's axe grazed her arm, drawing blood.

Lin Wei acted before he could think.

He shattered a Frostfern Seed underfoot, releasing a burst of icy mist. The camp plunged into cold darkness.

"Run," he hissed, yanking Lin Mei into the shadows.

"You—" she gasped, staring at his hands. Frostfern residue glittered on his fingertips, a telltale sign of qi manipulation.

He silenced her with a glare, dragging her toward the marsh. Behind them, bandits shouted, their confusion amplified by the Decoy Scroll's discovery.

The ancestral sword weighed heavily on Lin Wei's back as they staggered into the clan compound. Dawn tinged the horizon, but the southern garden glowed unnaturally—the Frostfern Seeds had sprouted overnight, their silver stems twisting skyward.

Lin Mei wrenched free, clutching her wounded arm. "You used qi back there. Don't bother denying it."

He turned away. "Bandits talk. They'll blame the Jade Sword Sect now."

"That's not what I—"

A tremor shook the ground. The garden's spirit vein pulsed, golden light fracturing the soil. The Frostferns bloomed in unison, their petals scattering luminescent pollen like stardust.

Lin Wei's system interface flared:

[Spirit Vein Awakening: 15/100]

[Warning: Unstable energy surge detected.]

Elder Qiang's voice boomed across the compound. "Wei! The sword—now!"

Lin Mei grabbed his wrist, her grip iron. "This isn't over."

In the ancestral hall, Lin Wei slammed the sword into its pedestal. The clan's defensive formation flickered to life, ancient runes searing the walls with light. Elders murmured in awe, but Lin Wei's eyes stayed on Lin Mei.

She watched him from the doorway, her gaze sharp enough to carve truths from bone.

[Task Completed: Retrieve Ancestral Sword]

[Reward: Ghoststep Treads (silent movement for 1 hour)]

The system's notification felt hollow.

As the elders celebrated, Lin Wei slipped into the garden. The Frostferns towered now, their roots churning the soil. The spirit vein's energy whispered promises of power—and ruin.

"What have you done?" Lin Mei's voice cut through the dawn.

He didn't turn. "What I had to."

"You're lying. To them. To me." She stepped closer. "Why?"

The Moonlit Veil warmed against his chest, its secrets bleeding into his skin. Some truths, he knew, were too heavy to share.

"Ask me again when the clan is safe," he said.

[Task Progress: 42/48 hours.]