The Invitation That Cannot Be Ignored
Chapter 15: The Invitation That Cannot Be Ignored
Morning came slow and cold.
Ye Xian sat in the physician's hall, carefully measuring powdered herbs into porcelain dishes. The scent of ginseng, dried lotus, and bitterroot filled the air, masking the tension that coiled beneath her skin.
She wasn't thinking about the medicine.
She was thinking about Lan Yue's request.
And about Shen Liwei's warning.
The walls of the Azure Wind Sect were closing in. Too many eyes. Too many questions.
She needed to make her next move before someone else made it for her.
But before she could decide—
A shadow fell over her.
"Physician Xie," a voice said.
Ye Xian looked up.
A young sect disciple stood before her, looking uneasy.
"You've been summoned to the Sect Leader's Hall."
Ye Xian stilled.
Not invited.
Summoned.
The room seemed colder.
She exhaled slowly, dusting the herbs from her fingers as she rose to her feet.
So. It had finally begun.
---
The Gathering of Swords
The Sect Leader's Hall was rarely used.
Only when something important was happening—a war declaration, an execution, or a meeting that would change the sect's future.
And today, it was filled with too many people.
Ye Xian stepped inside, her gaze flickering over the assembled figures.
At the center—Shen Liwei.
His posture was relaxed, but his gaze was sharp, weighing every person in the room.
To his right, Elder Zhao Rong, the sect's most senior strategist. His presence meant this was a political discussion.
To Shen Liwei's left, Bai Zhen.
The Laughing Swordsman.
His casual smirk didn't quite reach his eyes. He was one of Shen Liwei's most trusted friends, but right now—even he looked wary.
And then—
On the far side of the hall, seated like a man who owned the room itself—
Zhao Fengyun.
Ye Xian inhaled softly.
The air was thick with something unspoken.
Something dangerous.
And she was at the center of it.
---
The Game Revealed
"Physician Xie," Shen Liwei said smoothly. "Thank you for coming."
Ye Xian placed her hand over her heart, lowering her gaze slightly in measured respect. Controlled. Careful.
"I serve the sect, as always."
Shen Liwei nodded. "Then you won't mind answering a few questions."
A test.
Ye Xian didn't blink. "Of course."
Shen Liwei leaned forward slightly.
"Where were you last night?"
A blade hidden in words.
Ye Xian met his gaze, her expression calm.
"I was walking the outer halls. The storm made sleep difficult."
A half-truth.
She had been outside. She had been moving through the halls.
But she had also been meeting Lan Yue.
And she had also been watching Zhao Fengyun.
Shen Liwei's gaze didn't waver. "You weren't alone."
A heartbeat of silence.
He was testing how much she would admit.
Ye Xian smiled faintly. "No. I wasn't."
Another pause.
"Lan Yue," she added, before he could push further. "She had concerns about the sect's safety after the assassination attempt. I listened."
Bai Zhen let out a soft chuckle. "Ah, and here I thought you two were just getting some fresh air."
The mood in the room shifted slightly. The tension lessened.
A distraction—a temporary shift in the conversation.
Ye Xian let the silence stretch. Waited.
Shen Liwei studied her a moment longer. Then, finally—he leaned back.
"A good habit," he said. "Perhaps I should speak with her as well."
Ye Xian lowered her gaze slightly. The conversation wasn't over.
But for now, she had passed.
Or at least—survived.
---
A New Invitation
Zhao Fengyun had been watching her this whole time.
Now, he spoke.
"I hear you're quite skilled," he said casually. "Not just as a physician, but in other ways."
Ye Xian tilted her head slightly. "I do what is necessary."
Zhao Fengyun's lips curled. "Then perhaps you'll be useful."
The air tightened.
Ye Xian remained still.
Shen Liwei's gaze flickered toward Zhao Fengyun. Cold. Warning.
But Zhao Fengyun didn't care.
"His Majesty has summoned representatives from the sects," he continued smoothly. "A rare gathering of Jianghu's strongest forces."
Bai Zhen's smirk faded. He hadn't heard about this either.
Ye Xian inhaled slowly.
A summons from the Emperor.
To refuse was an insult.
To accept was a trap.
Zhao Fengyun turned to Shen Liwei. "Naturally, the Azure Wind Sect will attend. And I believe Physician Xie would be an interesting addition."
Ye Xian didn't react. But her mind was already moving.
Why?
Why would Zhao Fengyun want her there?
And who else would be attending?
Shen Liwei's fingers tapped lightly against the wooden table. "Physician Xie's talents are valuable here," he said smoothly. "Why should she attend?"
Zhao Fengyun's smile widened slightly.
"Because the meeting isn't just about alliances," he murmured. "It's about power."
A pause.
"And power," he added, "is something she understands well."
---
A Decision That Cannot Be Avoided
The room was silent.
Then—Shen Liwei exhaled.
His voice was unreadable when he spoke.
"If Physician Xie wishes to attend, I won't stop her."
A trap.
A test.
But not a command.
He was leaving the choice to her.
Ye Xian's pulse remained steady.
Zhao Fengyun was watching.
Bai Zhen was watching.
Shen Liwei was watching.
She could refuse.
She could stay in the sect, remain in the shadows.
But if she went—she would see the faces of Jianghu's greatest players.
She might even find the one pulling the strings behind all of this.
Ye Xian placed a hand on her heart, lowering her gaze slightly.
"If the Sect Leader permits it," she said smoothly, "then I will go."
Zhao Fengyun smiled.
Shen Liwei's expression remained unreadable.
Bai Zhen exhaled softly, as if amused.
And just like that—her path had changed.
---
The Shadow in the Rain
That night, as Ye Xian prepared for the journey, she felt it again.
A presence.
Not from inside the sect.
Not from a disciple.
Something else.
A whisper of movement in the trees beyond the courtyard.
Ye Xian didn't turn.
Didn't react.
But she knew.
She was being followed.
And this time—it wasn't the sect watching her.
It was someone else.
Someone from the outside.
Someone who had been waiting for her to make this choice.
And now—they were ready to move.
---
End of Chapter 15