Wuya's breathing steadied.
His heartbeat smoothed into a strange calm—
three-layered, rhythmic, powerful.
He woke slowly, blinking through the golden morning sunlight that filtered through Elder Yun's window.
Xueyi was lying against his side, still gripping his arm as if it were a lifeline, her moon-pale hair covering half her face.
Elder Yun sat quietly on a cushion, meditating but facing him.
Lady Linghai stood near the doorway, eyes half-closed, sensing the world outside.
Wuya exhaled.
"…I'm awake."
Xueyi jolted up immediately.
"WUYA—!!!"
Her eyes filled with tears again.
"You're awake… you're really awake… not half-awake… not whisper-awake… ACTUALLY awake!!"
She hugged him with enough force to crush ribs.
Wuya's breath escaped slightly.
"…Xueyi… gentle…"
"NO!!
You almost died!!
I'm NEVER gentle again!!"
Elder Yun opened her eyes and smiled softly.
"Welcome back, Wuya."
Lady Linghai nodded once.
"You survived your evolution.
That is… impressive."
Xueyi glared.
"Everything he does is impressive."
Wuya blinked.
"…Is that a compliment?"
"Yes! And don't get used to it!"
---
ELDER YUN EXAMINES HIM
Elder Yun moved closer.
"Let me check your pulse."
Wuya extended his wrist.
Elder Yun's fingers touched—
Her face stiffened immediately.
"…It changed again."
Wuya frowned slightly.
"How?"
Elder Yun pressed deeper.
"Your triple-layer pulse is now… denser. Balanced.
The void rhythm is no longer unstable."
Lady Linghai stepped closer.
"Show me."
She traced a golden rune over Wuya's chest.
A faint distortion rippled under his skin.
"…Impossible."
Xueyi panicked.
"What?! What's impossible?! Is he dying?! IS HE DYING AGAIN?!"
"No," Linghai said quietly.
"He has…
breath that circulates without Qi."
Elder Yun dropped her sleeve.
"…That cannot exist."
Linghai stared into Wuya's eyes.
"Your breath is acting like a foundation…
not of Qi…
but of void."
Wuya nodded slowly.
"…I felt something change inside me."
Xueyi grabbed his sleeve.
"Is it bad?! Tell me!!"
Wuya shook his head gently.
"…It is not bad."
Elder Yun placed her hand on his shoulder.
"It means your body is forming a base before cultivation even begins.
Before Qi gathering.
Before meridian nourishment.
Before anything."
Xueyi blinked.
"So he's… special?"
Elder Yun whispered:
"He is impossible."
Lady Linghai added:
"He is dangerous."
Xueyi hugged him tighter.
"He is mine."
Wuya sighed.
"…This argument again."
---
THE SECT MASTER CALLS HIM
A knock sounded on the door.
"Elder Yun.
Lady Linghai.
We must speak."
The Sect Master's voice was calm, authoritative.
Elder Yun stood.
"Wuya, come."
Xueyi instantly clung to him.
"No! He's not going anywhere with strangers!!"
The Sect Master blinked.
"…I am the Sect Master."
"I don't care!!
You can't ASK him questions while he's still hurt!!
Ask ME instead!!"
"…You don't know anything."
"I know EVERYTHING about Wuya!!"
Wuya patted her head gently.
"…I'll go."
Xueyi froze.
"But—!!"
"I'll be fine."
She lowered her head.
She hated it, but…
"…fine.
But I'm coming too."
Elder Yun sighed.
"…Fine."
Lady Linghai raised an eyebrow.
"…Fine."
The Sect Master sighed.
"…Fine."
---
PRIVATE MEETING — THE INNER HALL
The Sect Master led them to an ancient room deep within the mountain.
Torches burned quietly.
Air felt heavy.
Walls carved with the sect's oldest formations glowed faintly.
The Sect Master motioned.
"Sit."
Wuya sat.
Xueyi sat at his side.
Elder Yun and Linghai stood behind him.
The Sect Master stared at Wuya with sharp eyes.
"Child."
Wuya raised his head.
"Yes."
"You fought Heaven."
"Yes."
"You resisted a suppression none should survive."
"Yes."
"You awakened something unnatural."
"…Yes."
The Sect Master leaned forward.
"Tell me everything."
Wuya didn't lie.
He didn't reveal everything—
but he didn't hide the core.
"The Codex reacted.
My breath changed.
My body adapted.
And something… ancient… stirred."
Xueyi grabbed his sleeve nervously.
The Sect Master narrowed his eyes.
"A fragment awakened?"
Wuya nodded.
"Yes."
"What fragment?"
Wuya hesitated.
Then answered:
"…Eternal Void Pulse."
The Sect Master went silent.
The torchlight dimmed.
Elder Yun's breath caught.
Lady Linghai's hand pressed against the wall.
"Eternal Void…" she whispered.
"…this is worse than I thought."
The Sect Master stood abruptly.
His robes swayed like shifting clouds.
"Wuya.
Listen carefully."
Wuya nodded.
"You must grow strong—
very strong—
much faster than normal."
Wuya blinked.
"…Why?"
The Sect Master's voice dropped.
"Because Heaven will come again."
---
XUEYI'S NEW MOONVEIL ABILITY
As tension filled the air—
Xueyi suddenly gasped.
Her Moonveil Seal pulsed with a new layer of silver.
Linghai's eyes widened.
"…Her seal evolved again."
Xueyi blinked in confusion.
"Eh—?? What did I evolve??"
Elder Yun stepped closer.
"Concentrate, Xueyi.
What do you feel?"
Xueyi closed her eyes.
Then froze.
"Wuya."
Wuya looked at her.
"…Yes?"
"I can sense your heartbeat."
Wuya blinked.
"…What?"
"I can sense your body…
I can sense your breath…
I can sense—"
Her cheeks turned bright red.
"—EVERYTHING!!"
Wuya tried to move his hand away slowly.
Xueyi held it tighter.
"NO!!
Now I'll ALWAYS know when you're hurt!!"
Linghai murmured:
"That's… dangerous."
Xueyi glared.
"No it's not!
It means I can protect him!"
Linghai sighed.
"…What a foolish girl."
Xueyi hugged Wuya like a koala.
"I DON'T CARE!!"
Wuya exhaled softly.
"…This is going to be troublesome."
Elder Yun smiled.
"…You'll manage."
---
THE CODEX REVEALS THE NEXT SIGN-IN
Inside Wuya's mind—
The Codex pulsed again.
[Seventh Sign-In Unlocked]
A golden screen slid into view.
[Location: The Whispering Tombs]
[Condition: Touch the Tombstone of the First Silent King]
Wuya's expression darkened immediately.
The Sect Master noticed.
"What is it?"
"…The next Sign-In."
Elder Yun frowned.
"Where?"
Wuya looked up.
"…The Whispering Tombs."
Silence filled the room.
The Sect Master's face grew pale.
Elder Yun lowered her head.
Lady Linghai straightened sharply.
Xueyi looked confused.
"Where is that…? Why are you all scared…?"
The Sect Master finally answered.
"…The Whispering Tombs are forbidden even to us."
Xueyi's mouth fell open.
"FORBIDDEN—?!
AGAIN—?!
WHY DOES THE CODEX ONLY PICK HORRIBLE PLACES—?!"
Linghai added quietly:
"The Silent King is not a cultivator.
Not a beast.
Not a spirit."
Xueyi trembled.
"Then what is he…?"
Linghai's golden eyes hardened.
"…A remnant of a dead dimension."
---
OUTSIDE THE SECT — A NEW THREAT
Far outside the sect—
A second pressure rose.
Not heavenly.
Not divine.
Something… older.
Shadows moved through the forest.
A cold wind blew, carrying faint whispers.
A man with long silver hair stepped out of the fog.
His eyes glowed red.
Not with anger—
but hunger.
He touched the bark of a tree.
It rotted instantly.
He smiled faintly.
"The Eternal Void awakens again…"
He stepped forward.
"Time to retrieve what belongs to us."
The forest died behind him.
---
THE CHAPTER ENDS WITH A WARNING
Back in the sect—
Wuya felt a faint shiver run through his bones.
Not pain.
Not fear.
A warning.
He looked up at Elder Yun.
"…Someone is coming."
Lady Linghai turned toward the window.
Her eyes sharpened.
"Yes.
And he is not friendly."
The Sect Master straightened.
"Prepare the sect.
A storm approaches."
Xueyi hugged Wuya protectively.
"You are NEVER going anywhere alone again!"
Wuya sighed softly.
"…We will see."
Lady Linghai glared.
"I agree with the girl."
Elder Yun nodded.
The Sect Master added:
"You will remain under my protection until we understand this threat."
The Codex pulsed one last time.
[Seventh Sign-In Approaches]
And far outside—
the man with silver hair smiled.