Part Two
By midday, the inner sect began to feel it as well.
Two junior inner disciples argued in the corridor outside the alchemy chamber.
"If Heaven conversed with him, doesn't that imply alignment?"
"Or anomaly."
"Or favor."
"Or instability!"
The last word snapped louder than intended.
An elder passing by silenced them with a glare.
But the conversation did not disappear.
It multiplied.
In closed rooms.
In hushed speculation.
The elders reconvened before sunset.
This time, tension was sharper.
"It is beginning," Elder Han said quietly.
"What is?" Rui asked.
"Symbol displacement."
No one needed clarification.
The sect's authority rested on lineage, mastery, and celestial acknowledgment.
Heaven had acknowledged someone outside their controlled progression.
Not by granting power.
But by initiating dialogue.
That was more dangerous.
"We cannot suppress him," another elder said.
"That would validate martyrdom."
"We cannot elevate him."
"That would validate exception."
Silence.
Elder Rui finally spoke.
"Then we reinforce structure."
"How?"
"We accelerate the inner disciple evaluations."
Several elders understood immediately.
Force movement.
Force classification.
Reduce ambiguity.
Ambiguity breeds instability.