(21)Winds of change on broken peak
A heavy silence fell over Broken Peak, the kind of silence that didn't just occupy air—it pressed on bones. Early morning mist clung to the broken pillars and cracked courtyards of the half-ruined sect, still recovering from its rebirth. Birds dared not chirp, and the wind itself seemed hesitant to pass through.
Aarav sat cross-legged in the Sect Master's Hall—or what remained of it. A cracked statue of some long-forgotten cultivator loomed behind him, its eyes watching like a ghost of the past. He was meditating, but not out of calmness. His body trembled slightly.
"I can't believe I reincarnated... again... and nearly died from goosebumps," he muttered, eyes still shut. "Who gets goosebumps while watching a romantic drama and collapses on the spot?"
Outside the cracked doorway, footsteps approached. A familiar voice broke the silence. "Master... there's a slight problem."
Aarav didn't move. "Aren't there always?"
It was Meiyu, his self-proclaimed First Disciple. She entered with her arms crossed and a raised brow. "The second disciple you accepted last night is apparently a… kleptomaniac spirit tamer. He tried to steal from the Spirit Herb garden."
Aarav opened one eye. "We have a Spirit Herb garden?"
"We do now," she said dryly. "Because I planted one. With actual effort. And sweat."
Aarav sighed. "He's stealing from your hard work, which I absolutely ordered… retroactively."
Meiyu's glare sharpened. "This sect needs rules, Master. Structure. Discipline."
"Pfft," Aarav said, waving a hand. "We're barely a sect. More like a halfway house for weirdos."
"Master, you need to start acting like a real Sect Master!"
He stood, dusting off his tattered robe. "Fine. Bring them all. It's time for a sect-wide meeting."
---
They gathered in the broken courtyard.
Five disciples now. A misfit crew.
1. Meiyu – A sharp-tongued martial artist who accidentally set her previous sect on fire during a spar.
2. Tian Zhu – The kleptomaniac spirit tamer with sticky fingers and guilt in his eyes.
3. Bao – A massive brute who once mistook a cursed demon for a barbecue pig.
4. Lianhua – A quiet girl with ghost-white eyes who spoke only in riddles.
5. Piko – A child genius who refused to be addressed as anything but "Doctor."
Aarav stood before them, arms crossed behind his back, trying to look authoritative. His robes were slightly too big and his hair had a rooster tail.
"Disciples," he said, voice echoing off broken stone. "We are standing at the edge of greatness… or madness. Possibly both."
Piko raised a hand. "Statistically speaking, more likely madness."
"Shh," Aarav said. "I am your Sect Master. My power grows with each disciple, and as you grow stronger, so does this entire sect."
Bao blinked. "You mean... we're like... batteries?"
Aarav paused. "In a deeply spiritual sense. Yes. Batteries of destiny."
Meiyu facepalmed. Lianhua giggled softly. Tian Zhu subtly shifted his pouch away from Bao's view.
"But," Aarav continued, "outside this sect, I am as strong as a wet noodle. A brave cockroach could defeat me in single combat."
Piko mumbled, "Do cockroaches have cultivation ranks?"
"Stop. You're derailing my momentum."
Then, from behind them, the clouds swirled. A massive, unnatural gust swept across the courtyard. The cracked stones glowed faintly, and from the main gate, a strange shadow crept forward.
A newcomer.
He wore torn rags, and his hair was wrapped in an animal skin. His eyes were wild, but his presence carried pressure—a silent howl that screamed of violence. He dropped to his knees.
"Master," he said. "Please accept me."
Everyone stared.
Aarav scratched his head. "Another one? What's your problem—er, I mean—your talent?"
"I speak to demons," the man whispered. "I can hear them sing."
Aarav blinked. "Okay, that's either very useful... or very terrifying."
Piko muttered, "Definitely the second."
"Welcome to Broken Peak," Aarav said with a hesitant smile. "We have snacks on Sundays."
---
Later that night, Aarav sat in the meditation cave deep within the mountain. The system flickered in his mind like a flickering lantern.
> Disciples: 6 Sect Area Expanded by 12 meters Current Influence Radius: 42 meters
He sighed. "Still can't go to the nearby noodle stall without losing all my power…"
A sudden rumble shook the air.
A red flame surged from the distant sky, crashing into a nearby forest outside the sect's barrier.
Meiyu ran in, panting. "A flaming… something just hit the Earth. Want me to check?"
Aarav's eyes narrowed.
"No… I'll go."
Everyone gasped.
"You'll go outside the sect area?" Meiyu asked.
"I must," he said solemnly. "If I don't return in ten minutes, send a stronger cultivator. Or a broom."
And with that, he stepped out. His power began to fade instantly.
Every muscle in his body screamed.
But what he saw lying in the crater made it worth it.
A golden crystal.
Inside it, a face.
A soul.
A Guardian.
To be continued…
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Reader Question: What do you think the soul in the golden crystal is? A former master, a demon, or something else entirely? Leave your theories below!