Clouds had covered the moon, hiding its silver glow behind dark curtains. The Clear Sky Sect slept under a chilling quiet—too quiet, as if even insects refused to disturb the night.
Hao Wuya sat beneath the plum tree in Elder Yun's courtyard, legs folded, breath calm.
This was the first time he had ever attempted night cultivation.
Xueyi lay beside him on her stomach, kicking her legs in the air, chin resting on her hands, staring at him with full focus.
"You look like a statue."
"…Is that good?"
"No! You look too serious! You're supposed to look cultivating, not dead!"
"…I see."
Wuya's eyes closed again.
His breath slowed.
His heartbeat steadied.
His mind sank inward, into a rare clarity.
This time, he felt it—
The faint Qi between heaven and earth—
Drifting.
Flowing.
Waiting.
Elder Yun Feixue watched from the porch, arms crossed, her presence protective and calm.
"Good. Let the world enter you, Wuya."
Xueyi nodded fiercely.
"Yes! Let the world do whatever Master said!"
"…I am," Wuya murmured.
---
THE SABOTAGE BEGINS
Far away, under the sect's outer wall—
A jade charm buried beneath the courtyard pulsed softly.
A faint red light spread into the earth.
Into the formation.
Into the courtyard.
Toward Wuya.
Wuya inhaled—
And suddenly felt pressure in his chest.
Sharp.
Heavy.
Wrong.
His veins tightened.
His meridians stiffened.
His breath stuttered.
Xueyi jolted upright.
"Wuya?! What's wrong?!"
Elder Yun stepped forward instantly.
"Wuya?! Speak!"
Wuya pressed his hand to his chest.
"…My meridians… feel heavy."
Xueyi panicked.
"HEAVY?! They're supposed to be LIGHT! What happened?!"
Elder Yun's eyes widened.
"Someone interfered."
Wuya forced a breath.
"…My Qi flow… slowed."
Elder Yun stepped beside him, placing her hand on his back.
"Hold still."
She sent a slow pulse of her Qi into him.
It reached his meridians—
—and hit a sticky resistance.
Her eyes sharpened.
"A sealing force… Whoever placed it wanted to suppress your cultivation. This is sabotage."
Xueyi gasped.
"Those outer disciples?!"
"No," Elder Yun said coldly.
"This is more refined. More dangerous. A higher elder did this."
Xueyi gritted her teeth.
"Who?!"
Elder Yun didn't answer.
Her silence said everything.
---
WUYA'S HEART DOESN'T SHAKE
Elder Yun worked steadily, gently pushing her Qi into Wuya to ease the suppression.
Xueyi hugged Wuya from behind.
"Don't die…"
"…I'm fine."
"You always say that!"
"…Only when I am fine."
"YOU NEVER KNOW—!"
Wuya opened his eyes slowly.
In the dark night, they glowed faintly.
"Xueyi."
She froze.
"Yes?"
"I will not die from this."
"…Okay."
"And I am not afraid."
"…Are you sure?"
"Yes."
Xueyi buried her face in his shoulder.
"Then I'll be brave too."
Elder Yun softened her expression.
"…Good girl."
---
LADY LINGHAI WATCHES
Unseen from the bamboo grove, Lady Linghai stood watching them.
Her golden eyes gleamed softly.
"He resists a meridian seal… without collapsing?"
She placed a hand over her heart.
"What kind of existence did this sect just receive…?"
Her divine sense swept the courtyard.
She noticed something else.
"…The Moonveil girl… her aura just shifted."
She narrowed her eyes.
"Her seal is awakening faster… because of him."
The wind rustled the bamboo gently.
Linghai vanished.
---
XUEYI'S SECOND AWARENESS
As Elder Yun suppressed the seal's effects, Xueyi clung to Wuya's side.
But then—
She froze.
Her pupils shrank.
"…Something's coming."
Elder Yun straightened instantly.
"What?"
Xueyi pointed trembling toward the forest.
"My Moonveil… it's warning me again!"
Wuya stood.
His breath steadied.
His heart rate neutral.
"…Another threat?"
Elder Yun's face darkened.
"Not so soon…"
Bushes rustled violently.
Branches snapped.
The ground trembled faintly.
Xueyi grabbed Wuya's sleeve.
"Wuya… it's big."
Wuya placed a hand on her head.
"…Stay calm."
"I CAN'T!"
"…Try."
She glared at him.
"Wuya, this is NOT the time—"
Something erupted from the trees.
A beast—huge, muscular, covered in dark scales.
But not a Ravager.
This one was different.
A Blacksteel Hornwolf.
Xueyi nearly fainted.
"THAT THING HAS ARMOR—!!!"
Elder Yun's expression darkened further.
"…Someone is testing you again."
Wuya stepped forward.
Xueyi grabbed him immediately.
"NO! YOU'RE SUPPRESSED! YOU CAN'T FIGHT LIKE THIS!"
Wuya shook his head.
"I can."
"No you CAN'T! Sit down!"
"…I will not."
She glared at Elder Yun.
"MASTER, TELL HIM NO!"
But Elder Yun shook her head slowly.
"I trust Wuya's judgment."
Xueyi looked betrayed.
"I don't want judgment! I want him alive!"
Wuya placed a hand on her cheek.
"I will return."
She trembled.
"Wuya…"
He gently moved her back behind Elder Yun.
"…Stay with Master."
Xueyi grabbed his hand tightly.
"Come back."
He nodded.
"I will."
---
THE BEAST ATTACKS
The Blacksteel Hornwolf lowered its head, metal horn gleaming with killing intent.
Elder Yun summoned her fan.
"I'll support from the side."
Wuya nodded.
The beast roared—
—and charged.
Its speed broke the air.
Wind exploded behind it.
Xueyi screamed.
"WUYA—!!"
Wuya did not move.
Not until the last moment.
He inhaled.
Exhaled.
Stepped forward.
And—
Wind-Step Art: First Form
His body blurred.
The beast missed his torso by inches.
Wuya slammed his palm into its flank.
The beast staggered.
Xueyi blinked.
"…He's faster… even with suppression?"
Elder Yun frowned.
"No. That's not normal. His body is adapting."
Wuya landed lightly.
The beast turned, enraged.
Its horn glowed dark red.
Elder Yun's eyes widened.
"Wuya! Dodge—!!"
The horn fired a blast of condensed force.
The ground shattered.
Stone flew like knives.
Xueyi screamed.
Wuya exhaled slowly—
And stepped aside again.
The blast missed him by a hair's width.
His movements weren't perfect—
He stumbled slightly at the end—
The seal was still restricting him.
But he didn't fall.
The beast roared and charged again.
Wuya crouched.
His fist tightened.
Elder Yun's eyes widened.
"He's using body strength alone…"
Wuya stepped into the strike—
And punched the beast's jaw.
CRACK
The wolf staggered backwards, metal plates dented.
Xueyi covered her mouth.
"Did… did he just punch metal…?"
Elder Yun whispered:
"…His body is terrifying."
---
THE BEAST'S COUNTERATTACK
The beast roared in fury, lunging with its claws.
Wuya blocked with his forearm—
A mistake.
The claws dug into his skin.
Blood trickled.
Xueyi screamed.
"WUYA—!! YOU'RE BLEEDING!!"
Wuya stepped back slightly.
His left arm stung faintly.
"…I'm fine."
"YOU'RE NOT—!!"
Elder Yun moved to intervene—
But Wuya shook his head.
"Master. Let me finish."
Elder Yun hesitated.
Then nodded.
"If you feel danger, step back immediately."
"…I will."
He didn't.
The beast leapt again.
Wuya ducked and swept its legs.
It fell.
He jumped onto its back—
And punched its neck.
Cracks formed.
Again.
Cracks deepened.
Again—
BOOM
The beast hit the ground and stopped moving.
Dust settled.
Silence filled the courtyard.
Xueyi ran straight to Wuya.
"You idiot!! You're bleeding!! You're—"
Wuya touched her cheek softly.
"I am okay."
She sobbed.
"Every time you fight I lose ten years of life—!!"
"…I'm sorry."
"DON'T apologize! Just STOP getting hurt!"
"…I can't promise that."
"THEN DON'T FIGHT!!"
"…I can't promise that either."
Xueyi trembled.
"Why…"
Wuya looked at her gently.
"…Because I have to."
---
THE HEAVENLY OBSERVER'S FRUSTRATION
Above the clouds—
Lightning flickered again.
The celestial observer slammed his staff into the clouds.
"He resists suppression…
He defeats my beast tests…
He grows in defiance…"
He glared toward the mortal world.
"Heaven does not lose.
Not to a child."
His voice shook the sky.
"We will escalate."
---
Elder Yun's Fear
Back in the courtyard, Elder Yun placed her hand on Wuya's back.
"You're hurt. Let me heal you."
Wuya nodded slightly.
Xueyi hugged him from behind again.
"You scared me…"
He closed his eyes.
"…I know."
Elder Yun's Qi flowed into him.
Her expression slowly twisted into alarm.
"Wuya…"
Wuya opened his eyes.
"Yes, Master?"
"The suppression is… growing."
Xueyi gasped.
"How?! Why?!"
Elder Yun looked at the ground.
"Someone is reinforcing the seal from afar."
Wuya's breath steadied.
"Does it matter?"
"It matters a great deal!" Elder Yun scolded. "You can't cultivate at all under this suppression!"
Xueyi grabbed him.
"Then let's break it! NOW!"
Elder Yun shook her head.
"No. Breaking it here will disrupt the formation and might injure Wuya. We must remove it at the source."
"…Where is the source?" Xueyi demanded.
Elder Yun fell silent.
Wuya answered.
"…Moonfall Cliff."
Xueyi froze.
"NO. Absolutely not. Out of the question. No way. NEVER."
Elder Yun whispered:
"That place… is too dangerous."
Wuya looked at them both.
"…I have to go."
Xueyi grabbed his robe desperately.
"NO!! YOU'LL DIE!!"
Wuya touched her cheek gently.
"I won't."
"But the Codex—!!"
"…I will survive."
"How do you know?!"
Wuya looked at the moon.
"…Because I promised you."
Xueyi stared at him in disbelief.
"…Wuya…"
Elder Yun stepped closer.
"If you insist on going…
I will accompany you."
Wuya shook his head.
"No."
Both women froze.
"…Wuya?" Elder Yun whispered.
"You can't go alone!" Xueyi screamed.
Wuya closed his eyes.
"I have to.
The Codex requires I face a life-and-death choice alone."
Xueyi fell silent.
Elder Yun's lips tightened.
"…So that is the condition."
Wuya nodded.
"…Yes."
Xueyi began crying silently.
"…Wuya…"
He wiped her tears gently.
"I will return."
"You better."
"I will."
Xueyi hugged him tightly.
Elder Yun placed a gentle hand on both their shoulders.
"Then prepare.
At dawn, your path begins."
Wuya looked at the moonlit sky.
His eyes calm.
Steady.
Unshakable.
The Sixth Sign-In awaited him.
And the heavens trembled again.