CHAPTER 102 — Call of the Starfall Alchemists
Cloudsky Sect woke under a heavy sky. No storms brewed overhead, yet the very air felt thick—taut with coming war. The allied sects began reorganizing their disciples into new formations, and rumors spread like lightning:
"The Abyssal Ancestor marked Lin Xuan."
"The alliance now considers Cloudsky the spearhead."
"More cities fell last night…"
"Who can stop the Abyss now?"
In the main strategy pavilion, Lin Xuan stood at the center of floating jade screens, reading through countless battlefield reports, his expression carved in stone.
Mu, Wen, Bai (spear), Dragon-Bai, and several alliance elders surrounded him.
They were barely finished fortifying Cloudsky Sect, and already the world demanded more of them.
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1. War Council Reforms
"Begin."
The Cloudsky Sect Master gave a tired nod, gesturing for Lin to lead.
Lin's eyes flicked across the jade map.
"The Abyssal legions continue pushing south," Lin said, pointing at a widening swath of red. "Three major border cities are gone. The forests north of Crimson Phoenix Sect are infected with abyssal spore clusters. And demons are probing the barriers of Flower Pavilion territory."
The Starforge representative clenched his fists.
"They're expanding faster than predicted."
Lin didn't sugarcoat it.
"They aren't expanding. They're sweeping."
A chill settled across the room.
"We're stretched thin," Wen added. "We can't reinforce every town and city. And we can't leave Cloudsky undefended again."
Lin nodded.
"We need restructuring."
Alliance Restructuring Details
Lin's commands came clean and sharp:
Cloudsky Sect → Defensive core, main training hub, and spear army headquarters
Flower Pavilion → Southern forest scouts, poison-beast countermeasures
Starforge Mountain → Northern wall fortification, formation barriers
Crimson Phoenix → Sky patrols and aerial demon interception
"And our group"—Lin tapped the map—"will serve as the mobile strike force."
The Cloudsky Sect Master raised a brow.
"You intend to be everywhere at once?"
Lin shrugged lightly.
"I move faster than armies."
Dragon-Bai snorted proudly from Lin's shoulder.
"He means we move faster."
Several elders exchanged uneasy glances. They still weren't used to a dragon casually existing inside the sect.
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2. The Cry for Aid
A jade transmission talisman suddenly vibrated, glowing with urgent red light.
The room froze.
Mu leaned closer.
"It's a distress signal."
Lin gestured.
"Play it."
A holographic projection shimmered to life—
the face of an exhausted, terrified younger cultivator covered in dust and blood.
"Please… anyone… this is the Starfall Alchemy Clan! We request immediate assistance!"
Lin frowned.
Starfall Alchemy Clan?
The young man continued:
"Our homeland is directly in the path of the abyssal army! They breached two defensive formations—and we can't hold anymore! We request… beg any orthodox sect for aid!"
The recording flickered violently, ending with:
"—If anyone hears this… please… help— SKRRK—"
The projection shattered.
Silence suffocated the room.
Bai whispered, "Starfall… why does that sound familiar?"
Mu blinked. "Lin? You look like you've seen a ghost."
Lin didn't respond immediately.
He closed his eyes.
He remembered a dark cave, a skeleton seated in eternal meditation…
and the ancient storage ring filled with lost medicines.
Liang—the void transformation alchemist who died alone, betrayed during his ascension attempt.
His soul message:
> "Whoever finds this place… if you are kind, help my family once in this life."
Lin opened his eyes.
A quiet storm brewed inside them.
The Sect Master studied him.
"Lin Xuan… you know this clan?"
Lin nodded once.
"Yes."
Wen stepped forward. "Their name… is it related to that inheritance you gained?"
Lin didn't hide it.
"The void transformation realm alchemist whose legacy I inherited… came from the Starfall Alchemy Clan."
Mu gasped.
"This is… fate."
Lin exhaled slowly.
"I promised I would look after his clan if they ever needed help."
He looked at the map.
Their location was far—too far.
The alliance's forces were spread dangerously thin.
Helping them would risk Cloudsky's defenses.
An alliance elder whispered:
"We cannot afford to send troops that far. Every sect north of them has fallen."
Another added:
"It's a suicide route. Even Lin Xuan can't punch through the entire abyssal advance alone."
The Sect Master watched Lin carefully.
"You don't have to go," he said quietly. "You owe the world nothing more. Not now."
Lin shook his head.
"No. I do."
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3. Lin's Decision
He stepped toward the map, tapping the Starfall region.
"I'll go."
The room erupted.
"Impossible!"
"Too dangerous!"
"You're the spearhead—if you fall—"
"What if the Ancestor acts again?"
Lin raised his hand, silencing them.
"I move faster alone. I'll take Bai, Wen, Mu, and Dragon-Bai. No armies."
Bai nodded instantly.
"Where you go, I go."
Wen smirked coldly. "I owe you too many lives to disagree now."
Mu placed her hand over her cauldron. "And the Starfall Clan are our fellow alchemists."
Dragon-Bai chuffed proudly. "Master, I hunger for more abyssal food."
The Cloudsky Sect Master stared at them.
"You all understand the risk?"
Lin's voice was calm.
"If we ignore them, the abyss will swallow an entire ancient clan of alchemists. Their knowledge and stores will be corrupted. That would strengthen the abyss…and weaken every orthodox sect."
Silence.
Everyone understood.
He wasn't just honoring a vow.
He was preventing the abyss from consuming another pillar of civilization.
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4. The Saint's Warning
When the meeting concluded, Lin returned briefly to his inner earth.
Shengyuan met him immediately.
"You intend to leave again."
"Yes."
Shengyuan's eyes narrowed.
"Then listen carefully, Lin Xuan. The Abyssal Ancestor did not simply notice you. He targeted you because—"
"The world inside me is vulnerable, unprotected, and brimming with potential," Lin finished.
Shengyuan paused.
"…So you learned."
Lin nodded.
"And I won't let him have it."
The saint sighed.
"Then take extreme caution. Your inner world is evolving, but it still lacks a Heavenly Will. Until it forms one, the Abyssal Ancestor will try to breach it through you."
Lin smirked faintly.
"Then he'll try."
Shengyuan's voice deepened.
"Understand this:
If he devours your world, he will become a true demigod overnight."
"And if he doesn't?" Lin countered.
Shengyuan smiled faintly.
"Then you will."
The two shared a long, silent look—
a Saint and a future sovereign.
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5. Departure
Lin exited his inner earth and stood with his group at the edge of Cloudsky Mountain.
Mu adjusted her robes, Wen checked his daggers, Bai twirled his spear, and Dragon-Bai curled tightly around Lin's shoulders.
The Sect Master approached.
"Will you be swift?"
Lin looked toward the distant horizon.
"The abyss is already marching. If we delay…"
He tightened his grip on his spear.
"…the Starfall Clan will be erased."
The Sect Master placed a hand on his shoulder.
"You walk a path no one else can walk. Do not fall, Lin."
Lin nodded.
"I won't."
With a surge of solar energy, Lin Xuan shot into the sky—
A streak of golden light racing toward a distant clan, a broken promise, and the front lines of the abyss.
Behind him, Bai, Wen, Mu, and Dragon-Bai followed, flames and shadows trailing.
Cloudsky Sect watched them vanish into the horizon.
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