Chapter 17: Veins of Deceit
Morning light bled through the mist that hung over the Azure Sky Sect.
But peace was nowhere to be found.
Disciples moved quietly through the courtyards, glancing at each other with suspicion. Every whisper seemed sharper, every silence heavier. The incident had changed something — not just in reputation, but in trust.
Elder Shen stood in the herb courtyard, inspecting rows of storage jars lined neatly along bamboo shelves. Two disciples followed behind him, carrying ledgers and scrolls.
> "Start with the records from three nights ago," Shen said. "Every vial, every bottle, every transfer. Don't miss a single name."
The disciples nodded and hurried to work.
Shen's gaze swept over the courtyard. To anyone else, it looked perfectly ordinary. But he could feel it — the subtle disorder. Some jars were moved recently. Some seals broken and resealed.
He knelt beside one shelf, brushing his fingers along a faint burn mark on the wood.
His expression hardened.
> "Nightmarrow Extract leaves behind trace burns… even when sealed properly," he murmured. "Someone handled it here."
---
The Investigation Begins
One of the disciples approached nervously.
> "Elder Shen, we found a page missing from the tonic record — the one used by the recovery hall."
Shen took the ledger, his brow furrowing.
> "Missing pages?"
> "Yes, Elder. It was torn out cleanly."
He turned to the other disciple.
> "And the healer roster?"
> "Unchanged, Elder. Only one name worked that night — Healer Min."
Shen thought for a moment.
> "Bring her to me."
Moments later, a middle-aged woman arrived, bowing respectfully.
> "Elder Shen, you called for me?"
> "Yes. During the night of the poisoning, you were assigned to the recovery hall. Did anyone access the storage before the matches ended?"
The woman hesitated.
> "I… I don't recall exactly, Elder. There was much movement that evening. Elders came and went, checking the injured participants."
> "Which elders?"
> "Elder Feng… and Elder Rui. They said they were verifying the treatment process."
Shen's eyes narrowed.
> "Did either of them handle the tonics?"
> "I believe… yes, Elder Feng examined one of the bottles. He said he wanted to ensure the mixture was stable."
The disciples exchanged glances. Shen's tone grew sharper.
> "And you didn't think to report that someone outside the healing division handled restricted medicines?"
Healer Min bowed deeply, trembling.
> "Forgive me, Elder! I didn't want to offend an elder's authority."
Shen sighed quietly.
> "I see. You may leave — but tell no one we spoke."
She left quickly, her steps hurried and uneven.
When she was gone, Shen looked toward the disciples.
> "Seal this courtyard. No one enters or leaves without my order."
They bowed and ran to follow his command.
---
The Root of Corruption
By midday, Shen had gathered enough fragments to form a picture — but not yet proof.
Elder Feng's shadow appeared in every detail: missing records, manipulated bottles, frightened healers.
But Shen knew the man was cunning. He wouldn't act alone.
He stared down at the faint traces of the burn mark again, fingers pressing against the surface.
The poison's residue still lingered.
> "Someone tried to clean this up," he muttered. "But not carefully enough."
He stood up, brushing dust from his robe.
> "If Feng really did this, he's not just after power. He's sending a message."
The wind stirred the bamboo leaves. A faint sound — soft footsteps — came from behind him.
> "You shouldn't be here, Elder Shen."
He turned sharply. It was Ren Huo, standing by the entrance with two junior disciples behind him. His tone was polite, but his eyes betrayed tension.
> "Sect Leader ordered all elders to cooperate with your search," Ren Huo said smoothly. "But perhaps I can assist. Elder Feng told me to ensure the storage remains… untouched."
Shen raised a brow.
> "Untouched, or undiscovered?"
Ren Huo forced a smile.
> "You misunderstand me, Elder."
> "Do I?" Shen's voice hardened. "Then explain why the records under your supervision have missing pages."
Ren Huo froze. His hands twitched slightly — a tell Shen caught instantly.
> "I… I don't know. Maybe one of the scribes misplaced them."
Shen took a slow step closer. His spiritual pressure flared just enough to make the air ripple.
> "Be very careful with your words, boy. Lies have weight here — and the truth always finds its way out."
Ren Huo swallowed hard but held his ground.
> "You can't accuse me without proof, Elder Shen."
> "Not yet," Shen replied quietly. "But I will."
Ren Huo's forced composure cracked for a second — then he turned sharply and walked away, muttering to his men.
Shen watched him go.
His gut told him everything he needed: Ren Huo was involved, but he wasn't the mastermind.
---
The Sect Leader's Worry
That night, the Sect Leader called Elder Shen to his private chamber.
> "You've been silent all day," the leader said. "Tell me what you've found."
Shen bowed.
> "Enough to confirm that the poison came from within the sect. The Nightmarrow residue was found in our own storage courtyard. Records were destroyed, and one of the elders accessed the tonics before the poisoning occurred."
The Sect Leader's expression darkened.
> "You mean Elder Feng."
> "Yes, though I can't prove it outright. He covered his tracks well. And I believe someone else aided him — Ren Huo, most likely."
The Sect Leader leaned back, tapping the table slowly.
> "If we expose them without evidence, the sect will fracture from within. If we wait too long, we'll look weak."
Shen nodded.
> "Then perhaps we use their own fear against them."
The Sect Leader raised an eyebrow.
> "Explain."
> "I'll spread word that I've already found proof — and that it points to a third party outside the sect. Feng will move to confirm it himself. When he does… he'll reveal what he's hiding."
The Sect Leader's eyes glimmered faintly.
> "Risky. But effective."
He leaned forward.
> "Do what you must, Shen. But if this gamble fails, you may find yourself surrounded by enemies."
Shen smiled faintly.
> "I already am, Sect Leader."
---
The following morning, rumors began to circulate — this time inside the sect.
Elder Shen had supposedly found traces of a foreign cultivator near the recovery hall, one skilled in poison craft.
Whispers spread like fire.
Elder Feng heard the rumor while overseeing outer disciples. His eyes narrowed immediately.
> "Foreign cultivator? That old fool's fishing."
Ren Huo shifted uncomfortably beside him.
> "What if he's not? What if he really found something?"
Feng's voice dropped.
> "He didn't. He's trying to draw me out."
He turned, his tone low and dangerous.
> "We move tonight. Burn what's left in the lower storehouse. If they find even a trace of Nightmarrow, we're finished."
Ren Huo hesitated.
> "If we burn it, someone might notice."
> "Then make it look like an accident," Feng hissed. "I'll handle Shen if he gets too close."
---
A Silent Witness
What neither of them knew — someone was close.
A shadow lingered at the edge of the bamboo grove near the storehouse. The faint silver of moonlight reflected off a familiar pendant — one that once belonged to Raizen's group.
Ashen stood there, listening quietly. His eyes glowed faintly under the dark sky.
He had returned earlier than anyone expected.
> "So it was them," he whispered. "Elder Feng… Ren Huo…"
His fists clenched, flames sparking faintly from his knuckles.
> "They took Raizen's legs for their ambition."
He turned toward the mountain path, where faint torchlight marked the elders' quarters.
> "If Elder Shen's moving against them… he'll need help."
He stepped out from the shadows, his white aura flickering like moonfire.
> "No more rumors. No more lies. This time, I'll see the truth myself."