Chapter 18: The Trap Within
Night had fallen over the Azure Sky Sect, but no one slept peacefully.
The mountain air was cold, the moon hidden behind thick clouds, and a faint tension clung to every courtyard like mist.
Inside the inner chamber, Elder Shen sat before a small table covered with old scrolls and sealed reports. His expression was calm, but his mind was sharp and alert.
Across from him stood the Sect Leader, cloaked in deep blue robes, watching silently.
> "Are you certain this will work?" the Sect Leader asked.
Shen gave a faint smile.
> "Elder Feng is too proud. He'll come to confirm the rumor himself. Once he acts, we'll have him cornered."
> "And the others?"
> "Ren Huo will follow him. The boy's too afraid to disobey."
The Sect Leader nodded slowly.
> "Then let's see if the snake bites."
He rose from his seat.
> "I'll remain hidden with two trusted elders. When the moment comes, we strike."
Shen bowed his head slightly.
> "Understood."
As the Sect Leader left the chamber, Shen exhaled quietly and looked out the window.
Far below, faint torches glimmered near the lower storehouse. The trap was set.
---
The Lower Storehouse
At the edge of the sect grounds, the lower storehouse sat half-hidden beneath tall pines.
Inside, rows of wooden crates and jars lined the walls — a mix of herbs, Qi stones, and sealed toxins.
Elder Feng stepped inside first, holding a lantern. His eyes darted across the room, wary and impatient. Behind him, Ren Huo followed, his steps hesitant.
> "Are you sure this is safe?" Ren whispered.
> "Quiet," Feng snapped. "We burn the evidence and leave. Once the poison's gone, Shen will have nothing."
He motioned for Ren to close the door. The air inside thickened, carrying the sharp, bitter scent of herbs.
Feng knelt beside a stack of jars and pried one open. A faint green mist escaped, glowing softly in the dark.
> "Nightmarrow," he muttered. "Just a few drops ruined that boy's life. Pity."
Ren looked away, guilt flickering across his face.
> "We didn't have to go that far…"
> "We had to," Feng cut in. "If Raizen had joined the sect, that boy Ashen would have followed. And if Ashen gains recognition, our positions will crumble. Elder Shen already favors him."
Ren's voice trembled slightly.
> "Still… if the Sect Leader finds out—"
> "Then he'll find out nothing," Feng said coldly. "By morning, this will all be ash."
He raised his hand, channeling Qi into a small orb of flame. It hovered over the jars, the air beginning to shimmer with heat.
---
The Hidden Eyes
From the ridge above the storehouse, Elder Shen watched quietly with two disciples, his Qi completely suppressed.
Not far behind, cloaked by concealment, the Sect Leader and two senior elders waited as well.
Shen whispered,
> "There — he's moving to destroy the evidence."
The Sect Leader's voice was calm but firm.
> "Wait until he speaks. We need his confession."
Inside, Feng's voice echoed faintly through the night air.
> "Burn it all. No one must know what happened to that village boy. If the truth spreads, we lose everything — our influence, our authority."
> "Elder Feng…" Ren said weakly, "what if Elder Shen suspects us?"
> "He already does. That's why this ends tonight."
The Sect Leader's eyes hardened.
> "That's enough. Move."
---
The Confrontation
The doors of the storehouse burst open.
Cold wind swept through the room as Elder Shen stepped in, his voice cutting through the smoke.
> "So it was you."
Elder Feng froze. The jar in his hand slipped, shattering against the floor. The faint green mist hissed into the air, sizzling as it touched the flames.
> "Elder Shen?" Feng's voice was tight, forced. "You're mistaken."
> "Am I?" Shen said coldly. "You broke sect law, poisoned a participant, and now you're trying to erase the evidence."
> "Baseless accusations!" Feng snapped. "Do you have proof?"
> "I don't need proof when you're holding it yourself."
The Sect Leader stepped out from the shadows behind Shen, his presence filling the room like thunder.
> "That's enough, Feng."
Feng's face drained of color.
> "Sect Leader… you—"
> "I heard everything."
The silence that followed was deafening.
Ren Huo stumbled back, pale and shaking.
> "Elder Feng, what do we do?"
Feng's eyes darted wildly, his Qi flaring in panic.
> "We… we fight!"
He raised his hand and unleashed a violent burst of fire Qi, blasting toward the doorway. Shen countered instantly, slamming his palm against the ground.
The earth trembled, throwing the flames upward and scattering the embers harmlessly.
> "Still resisting?" Shen said sharply. "You only make your guilt clearer!"
Feng gritted his teeth and tried to flee through the side window, but a surge of spiritual pressure pinned him down — the Sect Leader's power.
> "Elder Feng," the Sect Leader said coldly, "you've shamed this sect and endangered its name. You will answer for your crime."
> "No!" Feng shouted, his face twisted in rage. "You think I'm the only one? The sect has always used power to silence truth!"
> "Enough," Shen said firmly. "Take him away."
Ren Huo tried to escape during the chaos, but one of the elders caught him by the arm.
> "You're not going anywhere," the man growled.
---
The Judgment
At dawn, the entire Azure Sky Sect gathered in the main courtyard. Word had already spread that Elder Feng and his disciple had been captured.
Disciples whispered among themselves, shocked and confused.
The Sect Leader stood before them, his expression solemn.
> "Last night, Elder Feng was found guilty of poisoning one of our participants and attempting to destroy the evidence."
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
> "He betrayed our trust, our laws, and our name. Therefore, he is stripped of his title and will be exiled from the Azure Sky Sect immediately."
Elder Feng, bound by spiritual chains, glared at them all.
> "You think this ends with me?" he shouted. "This sect is already rotten! You just can't see it yet!"
Guards silenced him and dragged him away.
The Sect Leader's voice grew firm.
> "Let this serve as a warning. The Azure Sky Sect may fall, but not from outsiders — only from corruption within. Let this day mark our renewal."
The crowd bowed deeply.
Some looked fearful, others relieved.
Elder Shen stood to the side, quietly observing.
He caught sight of Ashen at the back of the crowd — calm, expression unreadable.
For a brief moment, their eyes met. Shen gave a small nod.
Ashen returned it silently.
---
Aftermath
Later that night, Elder Shen visited the recovery hall.
Raizen lay asleep, his breathing steady. Lina was by his side, watching over him.
Shen looked at her gently.
> "He's stable now. The poison will take time to fade, but with the right treatment, he'll recover some strength."
Lina's eyes brightened.
> "So he'll walk again?"
Shen smiled faintly.
> "If fate allows."
He turned to leave, but Ashen appeared at the door.
> "Elder Shen."
> "Ashen," Shen said, turning. "You shouldn't be here at this hour."
> "I just wanted to say… thank you."
Shen chuckled quietly.
> "You should thank yourself. If not for your persistence, none of this would've come to light."
Ashen shook his head.
> "I only did what I had to, I hated that I can't do anything."
Shen studied him for a moment — the calm eyes, the faint glow of hidden power — and sighed.
> "That may be what worries me most."