Chapter 15

Chapter 15: The Whispering Shadow

The temple's corridors were quieter than usual. The air held the weight of unspoken worries, and every disciple moved with a purpose—preparing, sharpening their blades, reinforcing the walls. War was no longer a distant possibility; it was inevitable.

Xiao Lian walked through the courtyard, his mind heavy with thoughts of his sister. Xiao Yan's presence was like a splinter in his soul—alive, yet unreachable. A sister, yet a stranger.

"Distracted again?"

He turned to see Yun Mei leaning against a pillar, arms crossed.

"She's my sister," Xiao Lian admitted. "I thought she was dead."

Yun Mei studied him. "And now she's an assassin working for the Hidden Fang."

Xiao Lian exhaled. "Yes."

Yun Mei frowned. "Then what will you do when she's sent to kill you?"

He had no answer.

The Shadow That Watches

That night, Xiao Lian sat in meditation beneath the ancient pine tree at the temple's edge. The Windblade rested on his lap, humming softly with unseen energy.

The wind stirred, carrying with it a whisper—a presence.

His eyes snapped open.

Someone was watching.

Without hesitation, Xiao Lian shifted, moving just as a thin, curved dagger sliced through the space where his neck had been.

He rolled forward, drawing his blade. His attacker—a masked figure cloaked in black—moved like a shadow, their strikes swift and silent.

Xiao Lian deflected each attack, feeling the Windblade respond in kind. The air around them trembled, the wind bending toward him.

He was faster than before. More in tune.

His opponent seemed to notice, hesitating for just a fraction of a second. It was enough.

Xiao Lian twisted, his blade cutting through fabric, drawing a thin line of blood across the assassin's arm.

The figure leapt back, landing on a tree branch with unnatural grace. Then, without a word, they vanished into the night.

Xiao Lian steadied his breath, but his heart pounded.

This was no ordinary assassin. They had been testing him.

A Warning from the Past

"The Whispering Shadow," Tian Shu said grimly when Xiao Lian reported the attack. "They are more than mere spies. They are watchers, chroniclers of fate."

Master Zhao scoffed. "A fancy name for a band of killers."

Lady Shen shook her head. "No. They do not kill unless necessary. If they sent an agent here, it means they are observing something they deem important."

Tian Shu turned to Xiao Lian. "And it seems that something is you."

Xiao Lian tensed. "But why?"

Ren Bai sighed. "Because you are not just a swordsman anymore. You are an heir to something greater."

The room fell silent.

Xiao Lian clenched his jaw. The Windblade pulsed at his side.

The Hidden Fang, the Whispering Shadow… too many forces were now converging around him.

And in the shadows, Wu Jian was still waiting.