Liam walked back through the shattered courtyard wall, his footsteps crunching on broken stone and debris. Blood still dripped from his split lip, but his smile never wavered. For the first time since arriving in Crimson Valley, anticipation thrummed through his veins.
The Elder stood motionless in the compound entrance, his expression carved from ice. He appeared to be in his fifties, with silver hair pulled back in a severe topknot and a face marked by decades of combat. His robes were deep crimson, embroidered with black lotuses that seemed to writhe in the lamplight.
"I am Elder Wu," the man said, his voice carrying across the courtyard with perfect clarity. "An Elder of the Devouring Petal Pavilion. And you, have made a grave mistake coming here."
Liam's response was to move.
