Alright Sai, here is a natural, smooth continuation from your Chapter 29 in
Night fell quickly over Celestial Veil Sect.
By the time the four disciples unpacked and changed into fresh robes, a cool wind had swept across the mountain, carrying with it the scent of pine and distant rain. Lanterns flickered to life along the corridors, their amber glow dancing across tiled roofs and carved pillars.
Shen Yu rubbed his sore shoulders dramatically as he followed Ling Wei toward the Inner Hall, grumbling under his breath.
"Next time, someone else carries the supplies."
Ling Wei arched a brow. "Next time, someone else will also be responsible for the trail of chaos you leave behind?"
Shen Yu's mouth fell open. "Chaos?! I walked normally!"
"Mm. You tripped over three rocks and an innocent tree root."
"That root attacked me—"
Xiao Rong's boisterous laughter cut through the hallway as he dragged a slightly exasperated Yu Zhen with him. "Shen Yu, you and nature are lifelong enemies. Accept it."
The teasing kept the atmosphere light—until they reached the Sect's main courtyard.
There, Sect Leader Yuanyan stood waiting.
His robes were still dusted with formal gold thread from the gathering, but his expression… was far too serious for a simple welcome.
Ling Wei immediately noticed the tension in his posture.
Yu Zhen straightened.
Shen Yu blinked in confusion.
"Disciple Shen Yu," the Sect Leader called, voice calm but heavy with meaning, "come forward."
Shen Yu froze. "M-me?"
Xiao Rong nudged him hard. "Go! He's not calling your ghost."
Shen Yu stumbled up the steps, bowing quickly. "Sect Leader, did I… did I commit a mistake again?"
For a moment, the Sect Leader didn't answer. His gaze drifted—from Shen Yu, to Ling Wei, to the two boys behind them.
Then his tone grew quiet, solemn:
"There was… an incident at the borders of our territory while you were away."
Ling Wei stiffened. "Something breached the barrier?"
"No," the Sect Leader said. "Something tested it."
A cold ripple passed through the group.
Yu Zhen exchanged a glance with Xiao Rong.
Shen Yu felt his heartbeat pick up for no apparent reason.
The Sect Leader's eyes returned to Shen Yu, and his voice dropped lower:
"And for reasons we still cannot understand… the disturbance reacted strongest when your presence drew near the gates."
Shen Yu's breath hitched. "My presence?"
Ling Wei stepped forward sharply. "Sect Leader, Shen Yu has shown no unusual activity recently. If there is suspicion—"
"I am not accusing him," Sect Leader Yuanyan said gently. Then, to Shen Yu:
"But the Sect must examine you. Your qi resonance has… shifted."
Shen Yu looked down at his hands, heart thudding. Qi? Shifted?
"Tomorrow at dawn," the Sect Leader continued, "you will undergo an internal qi assessment in the Star Mirror Pavilion."
Yu Zhen inhaled sharply. "The Star Mirror Pavilion? But that place is only used for—"
"For those whose fate may be tied to the Sect's hidden legacies," the Sect Leader finished for him.
Shen Yu paled.
Ling Wei reached out and lightly gripped Shen Yu's forearm, steady and grounding. "Don't overthink. I'll be with you."
Shen Yu nodded, swallowing tightly.
Sect Leader Yuanyan dismissed them gently. "Rest for now. Tomorrow may reveal answers you were never prepared to seek."
As the four boys turned to leave, none noticed the thin line of shadow slipping across the farthest courtyard wall—silent, deliberate, watching.
The air grew colder as night deepened across the Celestial Veil Sect.
After their brief meeting with the Sect Leader, the four disciples retreated to their quarters in uneasy silence. The cheerful banter that had filled their journey home faded, replaced by a quiet heaviness none of them could ignore.
Shen Yu sat cross-legged on his bed, staring at his palms as if they were foreign. Shifted qi? Hidden legacies? Why me? Nothing made sense.
Ling Wei stood nearby, arms crossed, watching him with a calm that didn't match the tension in his eyes.
"Stop glaring at your hands," Ling Wei finally said. "Your qi won't suddenly jump out and dance."
Shen Yu slumped forward with a groan. "I don't get it! Why does everything weird happen to me? I was supposed to just… train here. Make friends. Not be tied to some ancient Sect mystery!"
Ling Wei moved closer, voice softening. "Shen Yu. Take a breath. Whatever this is, you're not facing it alone."
Shen Yu peeked up at him. "…You'll really come with me? Even into the Star Mirror Pavilion?"
"Of course," Ling Wei said without hesitation. "Unless someone drags me away by force."
Shen Yu's shoulders relaxed the tiniest bit.
In the courtyard outside, Xiao Rong suddenly appeared at their window, face squished comically against the frame. "Shen Yu!! Are you dying?! Should we prepare your funeral rites?!"
Ling Wei slammed the window shut with a bang.
Yu Zhen sighed behind Xiao Rong. "Rong… stop scaring him."
"But his qi changed! Doesn't that mean ghosts or exploding organs or something—"
"Absolutely not," Yu Zhen muttered, grabbing Xiao Rong by the collar and dragging him away like a misbehaving puppy.
A small laugh escaped Shen Yu. The first in hours. Ling Wei allowed himself a small smile.
(Later that night)
Near midnight, Ling Wei left to report to his master, leaving Shen Yu alone. The room, though warm, felt oppressive with thoughts spiraling endlessly.
He lay awake, listening to the wind whistle through the courtyard lanterns.
That was when he heard it.
A faint hum.
Soft. Almost like… someone whispering behind the walls.
Shen Yu sat up slowly. "Hello…?"
The sound didn't answer. But the lantern beside his bed flickered violently, bursting into a crackle of golden sparks that illuminated the room—bright, sharp, unnatural.
Shen Yu froze, breath caught in his throat.
Then suddenly—
Everything went quiet. As if the world itself exhaled.
He stumbled out of bed and ran into the hallway, heart pounding.
And at that exact moment, Ling Wei appeared from around the corner, moving fast.
"Shen Yu!" He grabbed his shoulders. "I felt your qi spike from the training yard. What happened?"
Shen Yu's voice trembled. "I—I didn't do anything. The lantern just—went crazy."
Ling Wei's grip tightened protectively. "Stay close to me. Don't leave your room alone tonight."
Shen Yu nodded shakily.
Unseen by either of them, far across the Sect walls, two silhouettes watched the disturbance ripple through the night air.
Feng Lan frowned. "Did you feel that? His qi… it responded to something."
Mo Qing's eyes gleamed with cold understanding. "Yes," he murmured. "And it is growing faster than I expected."
Feng Lan glanced at him. "Then why don't we strike now? He's untrained. Vulnerable. One decisive blow—"
Mo Qing raised a hand, stopping the thought with a dark smile.
"No, my dear Feng Lan. Shen Yu must remain untouched. His awakening is the key to obtaining Celestial Veil's greatest secret. If he dies now, everything collapses."
Feng Lan's brows furrowed. "Even you can't predict the full extent of his power?"
Mo Qing turned his gaze toward the Sect, eyes sharp like a blade slicing through fate.
"He is more important than even Shen Yu knows."
(Dawn approaches)
The next morning arrived too quickly.
Shen Yu stood at the entrance of the Star Mirror Pavilion, palms sweating inside his sleeves. The enormous doors were carved with ancient constellations, glowing faintly with spiritual light.
Xiao Rong bounced nervously beside him. "Wow… I didn't know a place like this existed. Why do we never train here?! It looks cool!"
Yu Zhen smacked the back of his head. "Because it's dangerous, idiot."
Ling Wei reached out and adjusted Shen Yu's collar. "You ready?"
"No," Shen Yu whispered. "Yes," Ling Wei said firmly. "You are."
The heavy doors slowly opened with a deep, echoing groan, revealing a vast chamber filled with star-shaped mirrors hanging in midair, each one reflecting not the present—but echoes of the past.
The Sect Leader stood inside.
"Shen Yu," he said gently. "Step forward."
Shen Yu inhaled shakily, and stepped into the center circle.
The mirrors began to glow.
His heartbeat thudded.
Ling Wei stood at the threshold, tense. Yu Zhen and Xiao Rong hovered behind him, breath held.
The lights intensified, swirling around Shen Yu like ribbons of stardust.
Then—
A pulse.
A violent surge of energy exploded from Shen Yu's core, flooding the chamber with blinding light.
He gasped as visions—fragments, shadows, memories not his own—flooded his mind:
A crying infant wrapped in azure cloth. A dying elder whispering, "Protect the child… he carries the Remnant Veil…" A hidden charm sealed by Celestial Veil. A prophecy unfinished. Two Sect leaders arguing: "He must never know!" "If the Remnant awakens… the world will shift!"
Shen Yu screamed, clutching his head.
Ling Wei lunged forward. "SHEN YU!"
But the Sect Leader blocked him with a barrier. "Do not interrupt—he is awakening!"
The final vision struck like lightning:
A symbol— glowing in the shape of the Celestial Veil's crest— burned itself into Shen Yu's qi core.
And then—
All the mirrors shattered at once.
Shen Yu collapsed.
Ling Wei caught him before he hit the ground, holding him tightly. "Shen Yu! Shen Yu, stay with me—look at me!"
Shen Yu's eyes fluttered open, dazed.
And in a trembling whisper, he asked:
"Ling Wei… what am I?"
The chamber fell silent.
No one… had an answer.