7

The bells of Yueluo Gu tolled thrice, and the resonant notes rolled down the mountainside like the voices of ancient dragons roused from deep slumber. The sound reverberated through pine forests and white stone courtyards, stirring the plum blossoms from their branches until they drifted like prayers to the cadence of the whispering wind.

One by one, the cultivators made their way towards the Learning Hall.

The Learning Hall itself stood atop a marble rise carved into the bones of the mountain. Its rooftop stretched wide like a phoenix's wings, while the latticed windows let in the pale morning sun, casting shadows on the redwood floors. A stream of incense smoke danced through the timbers, weaving through the hanging scrolls of calligraphy and ancient diagrams of celestial peaks.

Kaolin entered without a word, closely followed by Wei Lan. His robes fluttered gently as he moved, the sigils embroidered along his sleeves catching the golden sunrays.

He took his place among the cultivators, yet stood apart, as the Immortals noticed his presence and reacted, exchanging words with one another about his sudden decision to join the Cultivators' Night. Kaolin's gaze, however, did not scan the hall or let those prying eyes bother him. It instead fixed immediately on the figure gliding through the great doors.

Zhenhai's robes cascaded like silver-blue silk, ethereal and fluid, stitched with the emblem of the Jinlian Sect. He moved with grace and the quiet command of a seasoned cultivator. And yet, as he passed between the rows of seated cultivators, Kaolin could see it, the falter in his step, the flicker of weariness hidden behind calm eyes. His qi, while steady, was turbulent beneath the surface.

Right then, Zhenhai's gaze found Kaolin's, followed by a brief pause and a silent exchange that lasted far too long. Kaolin averted his eyes – too late. The Immortal beamed widely and raised a hand, gesturing towards the central stand, where plum wine had been poured into a white jade cup.

"Master Kaolin," he said. "Come. Let me thank you properly."

The hall hushed. Dozens of cultivators turned towards Kaolin, each of them eyeing him with an equal mix of jealousy and dread.

Kaolin stepped forwards slowly, and Wei Lan, watching from the side, felt something stir uneasily in his chest. The way Kaolin looked at Zhenhai… it wasn't just respect or awe; no, this was something else entirely, and he didn't like this bizarre insight one bit.

Zhenhai lifted the jade cup. "You were not offered wine yesterday. Please. Share one with me now, as gratitude for saving my life. Twice."

Wei Lan moved to speak, frowning. "I beg your forgiveness, His Highness. But Master Kaolin doesn't drink—"

But before he could finish, Kaolin had already reached out and accepted the cup, lifting it to his lips without hesitation. He drank, eyes fixed not on the wine, but on Zhenhai's face. But he quickly looked away and tried hard not to show any hint of weakness or recognition. The last thing he wanted was for her spirit to recognise his and curse him for causing such a wretched fate.

Then… something shifted.

His body stiffened, and his eyes quickly drifted to the outside through the open gates, and his senses heightened – on alert. The faint hum of birdsong beyond the hall had vanished, and only stillness remained, like the calm before the storm. Something was amiss.

He turned abruptly and moved in a flash of motion, vanishing from the stand and reappearing at the threshold of the hall, his robes snapping in the wind like the banners outside.

His hand shot up on instinct, seconds before he actually saw what it was he caught mid-air.

An arrow, black-feathered and brimming with cursed qi, streaked through the air, aimed for the Immortal's heart. But he caught it before it could strike, his palm flaring with burning light. And then, another hail of arrows followed right after this, shattering like glass, raining sparks onto the steps.

"We're under attack!" Kaolin's voice thundered across the hollow as he positioned himself between the open door and Zhenhai. "Take your positions and protect His Highness!"

The cultivators, who had been paralysed by the sudden shift in the air, now snapped into motion. Swords rang free from their sheaths and dozens formed a defensive array, so that the golden sigils rose around Zhenhai as a shield of light. They moved with the practised grace of experienced disciples, but none moved faster than Kaolin himself. He was already outside, eyes narrowed to the horizon.

And then the mountain shook and a roar split the sky like lightning striking heaven. A tear opened in the air itself, a rift of red light, and through it poured the enemy. Demons and Devils, twisted by years of corruption, leapt from the void. They crashed into Yueluo Gu's outer walls with unprecedented speed, and their claws raked sacred stone, their chilling cries shaking the cliffs, even.

Kaolin drew his sword and struck the first demon mid-leap, cutting through its body with ease. His spiritual qi exploded in a spiral of gold and blue despite the events of yesterday, having recovered faster than usual due to the white wolf he thankfully devoured, reducing the creature to ash. He then whipped around. Another. Then another. He moved like the wind and never stopped.

Amid the chaos, however, he soon noticed someone who was neither a devil nor a demon. It was a figure shrouded in black, standing still, and his face was hidden beneath a mask etched with infernal symbols. He wasn't attacking, just watching in the shadows and giving commands.

Blood splashed across his face as he struck another demon down just as it lunged at him from the side. Still, he didn't take his eyes off the figure at the centre of the chaos. That aura… it was all too familiar. It felt like him, it felt like Rongjie. But if he was correct, that meant, even in this lifetime, he was conspiring with the Demons. It would be a lie to say he wasn't surprised by this insight. He'd always believed that Rongjie betrayed the Korrans out of spite, but why continue that wretched partnership when their clan had long since been lost to the winds?

With these thoughts weighing him down, Kaolin surged forwards, cutting a path towards the hooded figure. Demons hurled themselves at him at the same time, but with one sweep of his blade, determined to find out the truth once and for all, he tore through six creatures at once. His palm ignited with celestial flame as he slammed each and every one of them onto the ground, sending a shockwave in every direction.

But the masked figure moved before he could reach him, upwards, soaring into the sky like a fallen star, bypassing him entirely. Kaolin followed the figure's strange path to the skies, tracing the fabric of his cloak as it tore through the wind and soared above the Learning Hall, his bow already raised and aimed directly at Zhenhai.

Kaolin spun mid-air as soon as he realised what was going on, and a blinding ray of light burst from his hand, striking the bow and shattering it into splinters. Another followed, this one aimed at the figure's face, and the mask flew off. Kaolin caught a glimpse – just a glimpse – of a face beneath. But before he could take a closer look, the figure snatched the mask and slammed it back onto his face.

That was when the hooded figure finally met his eyes, and time slowed. Kaolin saw in those eyes what should not be possible: recognition. This was indeed not their first encounter, and it wouldn't be their last one, either. The hooded figure then raised a hand, and all of a sudden, the Demon Army retreated.

Smoke swallowed their forms, shadows slithered into cracks in the earth, and in a heartbeat, the mountain was quiet again. The leader of the Demon Army then jumped onto the roof of the Learning Hall and disappeared behind it.

Kaolin followed. Or tried to. But a fallen demon caught onto his legs, and he struck it down before leaping up on the rooftop, ignoring the wounds across his shoulder, cutting down every single creature trying to slow him down. When he reached the rooftop, however, there was no sign left of the figure, only silence and nothing else.

Immortal Lord Zhenhai was safe for now, albeit he couldn't tell when another attempt to take his life would occur in the future due to his weak qi. All he knew was that he couldn't let something like this happen again, not when Immortal Lord Zhenhai was the vessel chosen by her.

He had to find the Jade of Tear as soon as possible, which meant he had to go into seclusion and cultivate, but also snack on as many evil spirits, demons, and devils as possible. But even if everything went accordingly to his plan, this would still require more than one hundred years of cultivation to achieve. By then, Immortal Lord Zhenhai could fall into another deadly slumber or fall victim to another assassination attempt.

"Kaolin! What on earth just happened?" Wei Lan disrupted his train of thought as he appeared on the rooftop, concerned. "Why are the Demons here?"

"Seems like we're not the only ones aware of His Highness's illness," Kaolin replied, then turned to fully face him. "As to why the Demons would want to take Immortal Lord Zhenhai's life, I'm as clueless as you."

"Now what? What's the plan? Shall we just… leave? Just in case another attack—"

"You keep watch over Zhenhai, make sure he doesn't die until I return."

"What do you mean? Where are you going?"

"I need to speed things up and cultivate – the faster, the better."

Wei Lan blinked. "Why, all of a sudden? What changed? I thought we—"

"Change of plans. Why do you look so surprised? It's not like the first time I've ever done that."

"You're doing all this just to save Immortal Lord Zhenhai?" Wei Lan paused, having a hard time finishing his sentence. "But I don't understand, Kaolin. Why on earth would you—"

"The soul within the Immortal belongs to my wife. If I turn a blind eye and let her soul perish, do you think I can forgive myself for what happened to her all those years ago? I have to do this, whether I like it or not. Not for my own sake, but for hers – to give her a second chance."

"Your wife? Are you saying the spirit trapped inside Zhenhai's body is… a female?"

"Keep this to yourself for now. The fewer people who know, the safer His Highness is. That's why…" Kaolin placed a hand over Wei Lan's shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze. "Whatever you do, you must keep by His Highness' side and make sure he's safe. Do you understand?"

Although he hesitated for a few seconds, Wei Lan finally bowed in confirmation. "I shall wait for your safe return and keep Zhenhai safe. But I won't guarantee anything, just so you know…"

Hearing this, Kaolin let out a hearty laugh, one that stayed with Wei Lan over about two hundred years as he awaited his master and bosom friend's return from the underwater caves outside of Mount Qixian.