Weylan returned to the Twilight Sect about an hour after he separated from Jalen and Tian—and the moment he arrived at his quarters, a figure rushed toward him.
Shae.
She didn't speak at first. She simply wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a tight embrace. Her white robes fluttered around them like wings, and for a moment, Weylan felt like a child again—protected, cherished, safe.
"I was worried," she whispered, her voice trembling. "You vanished without a word. Where were you?"
Weylan hesitated, then offered a soft smile. "I went for a walk, Master. I didn't mean to scare you or leave without telling anyone."
Shae pulled back slightly, her hands still on his shoulders. Her eyes searched his face, as if trying to read the truth behind his words. "I'm just glad you're safe," she said finally. "There was… an incident."
Weylan's brow furrowed. "Incident?"
Shae's expression darkened. "That boy—Tian. He was an imposter. It seems he was pretending to be a relative of yours so he could breach our sect. He killed one of our sect members and escaped."
Weylan had heard about someone dying upon arriving at the sect. But Tian being the culprit? No. That didn't make sense. Tian is an early Star Realm expert. The person who died was in the mid-moon realm. The point is Tian didn't stand a chance against such an opponent. And even if by some miracle he did, there was no way he could have done so without drawing a commotion, and absolutely no way he escaped the Twilight Sect undetected. The guards would have caught him in no time. And even if that should fail, he couldn't get through the barriers and offensive formations that are potent enough to be a hindrance even to a Sky Limit Realm expert. It was impossible.
If he should guess who the murderer is, it's no doubt that young Sage Realm cultivator. The one who had teleported him out of the sect without triggering a single alarm. The one who had revealed truths Weylan wasn't ready to face.
He couldn't help but wonder. How did he do it? Break into the sect undetected?
Shae tilted her head. "Are you alright, Yanon?" she asked gently. "Are you experiencing your migraine again? I will go make you more spirit-calming tea."
"No, Master," Weylan said, his smile tight, almost forced. "I'm alright. It's just… I'm wondering how a Star Realm expert managed to kill and leave the sect undetected." He wasn't asking this because he wants to know per se; he just wants to know what his master and sect think happened.
Shae's eyes narrowed slightly. "That I'm not so sure of. The other elders and I figure he was masking his cultivation with a spirit tool or some powerful formation skill, but even so it would be challenging to do so without alerting anyone."
Weylan nodded slowly, though he didn't believe the theory. Not because he thought Shae was lying—far from it. He assumed she and the elders had drawn their conclusions based on the information available to them. They didn't know about Jalen. Didn't know Tian hadn't acted alone. From their perspective, the logic held. Misguided, yes. But not dishonest.
If anyone was being dishonest, it was Weylan himself. Normally, he would've told her everything. But this time… he didn't. And he wasn't sure why.
"Do you know his reason for doing this, Master?"
"I'm not sure," Shae replied. "I thought he was actually here for you, and when you were missing, I figured he managed to somehow subdue and take you. That was my greatest fear."
"As you can see, Master, I'm well. So no need to be concerned about me."
"I will always be concerned about you," Shae said softly, brushing a hand through his hair. Her touch was warm, familiar, and comforting. "Do you have any hint where that kid could have gone?"
"No, Master," Weylan said. "As I said, I went out on a walk. I didn't even know all of this occurred until you told me." That was a partial lie.
Shae's gaze sharpened. "But the guards informed me that you hadn't passed through the gate. So how could you leave the sect without them noticing?"
Weylan's heart thudded. He hadn't considered that. Jalen had teleported him out—and back in. No gate. No formation breach. No trace.
"I'm tired, Master," Weylan said, deflecting. "Can I go to bed now?"
Shae studied him for a long moment. Then she nodded. "Alright. Go rest. But we'll talk about this in the morning."
"Yes, Master." Weylan bowed, and Shae took in his form for a few moments before turning to leave.
As soon as she was gone, Weylan got into bed and lay back slowly, eyes tracing the flickering shadows on the ceiling. The mist outside pulsed against the glass, thick and slow, like a living thing. It reminded him of the fog in his mind—always there, always shifting. He'd lived with it for over six years. The migraines. The blank spaces. The moments when memories felt close, then slipped away like smoke.
He'd never questioned it. Not really. Master Shae had always been there with her tea, her soothing voice, and her gentle touch. She'd told him it was normal for people who suffer from amnesia to have these side effects. That healing would take time. That some wounds couldn't be rushed.
But now he wondered—had she ever wanted him to remember?
He thought of the way she'd looked at him just now. Concerned. Loving. But also… watchful. Like she was measuring his words. Like she was waiting for something.
And he thought of that Sage Realm cultivator. The way he'd spoken—not with anger, not with manipulation, but with certainty. Like someone who'd seen this pattern before. Like someone who knew exactly what kind of trap Weylan was in.
If the tea truly suppressed his memories, then what else had it suppressed? Feelings? Instincts? Warnings?
He clenched his fists. He didn't want to believe it. Didn't want to think that the woman who'd saved him—the woman he loves—might also be the one who'd caged him.
But the doubt was there now. Quiet. Persistent. Like the mist.
He will drink no tea tomorrow.
Not until he knew.
Not until he was sure.
Because if that Sage Realm cultivator was right—if his memories had been stolen, not lost—then the truth wasn't just buried.
It was buried on purpose.
And that changed everything.