The night was unusually quiet.
Moonlight blanketed the Heng Ming Sect, washing the towering peaks and ancient buildings in a pale silver glow. From a distance, the sect appeared peaceful, almost untouched by the tragedy that had unfolded earlier that day.
Yet beneath that calm exterior, unrest simmered.
The attack during the coronation had left a wound upon the sect that would not heal overnight.
Inside his residence, Xiaoyu stood by the window in silence.
The cool night breeze drifted through the open frame, brushing against her face, but it did little to ease the turmoil within her heart.
Sleep was impossible.
Every time she closed her eyes, the same scenes replayed themselves.
The masked assassins.
The screams.
The blood-stained hall.
Gu Liang's lifeless body.
Li Jianhong kneeling beside his father.
And finally—
The masked leader's gaze.
A simple glance.
Yet it lingered in her mind more than anything else.
Out of everyone present during the attack, why had the man looked directly at Yuchen?
Why not Tianyu?
Why not one of the Grand Elders?
Why Yuchen?
The question refused to leave her alone.
A quiet sigh escaped her lips.
The future she remembered was no longer unfolding as it should.
At first, she believed her transmigration had merely caused a few minor changes.
Now she wasn't so sure.
Gu Liang's death alone had shattered countless events she remembered.
The further things progressed, the less reliable her knowledge became.
And that terrified her.
Because the only advantage she possessed in this unfamiliar world was slowly disappearing.
Just then, movement below caught her attention.
Her brows furrowed.
A disciple was sprinting through the courtyard.
His movements were hurried and frantic.
Several guards immediately stepped forward to stop him.
After a brief exchange, their expressions changed dramatically.
One guard rushed toward the elders' residences.
Another disappeared into the darkness heading toward the administrative district.
Xiaoyu's eyes narrowed.
Something had happened.
Something serious.
A familiar sense of unease settled within her chest.
Outside the residence, Shen Wei slowly opened his eyes.
Standing beneath the moonlight, he resembled a silent guardian watching over the Sect Master's estate.
Nothing escaped his notice.
The moment the disciple entered the courtyard, Shen Wei had already sensed his presence.
A second disciple soon arrived.
The young man stopped several steps away before bowing deeply.
"Senior Shen."
Shen Wei's gaze settled upon him.
"What happened?"
The disciple swallowed nervously.
His face had gone pale.
"Another body has been discovered."
For a moment, neither man spoke.
Even the night air seemed colder.
Shen Wei's expression remained calm.
Yet a faint crease appeared between his brows.
"Whose body?"
The disciple lowered his head.
"Elder Han."
The words hung heavily in the air.
For the first time that night, Shen Wei frowned.
---
Three sharp knocks suddenly echoed through Xiaoyu's room.
Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
The urgency behind them immediately drew her attention.
"Enter."
The door opened.
Shen Wei stepped inside.
One look at his face was enough.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
Xiaoyu straightened.
"What happened?"
Shen Wei lowered his head respectfully.
"Sect Master."
Even now, hearing that title felt strange.
Unreal.
No matter how many times she heard it, she still couldn't fully accept it.
Yet everyone else already had.
To them, she wasn't Xiaoyu.
She was Yuchen.
The newly crowned Sect Master of the Heng Ming Sect.
"Elder Han has been found dead."
The room fell silent.
For a brief moment, Xiaoyu thought she had misheard.
"Dead?"
Shen Wei nodded.
"Murdered inside his residence."
A chill spread through her body.
Another elder.
Another death.
And this one had occurred after the assassins supposedly retreated.
There was only one possible explanation.
Someone dangerous was still inside the sect.
---
DONG!
DONG!
DONG!
The sound of the emergency bell exploded across the mountain.
Its thunderous echoes shattered the night's silence.
Within moments, lights appeared throughout the sect.
Disciples rushed from their residences.
Lanterns illuminated pathways and courtyards.
The entire Heng Ming Sect sprang to life.
Fear spread faster than any rumor.
Another elder had died.
And nobody knew who would be next.
Xiaoyu stepped toward the window.
From her position, she could see figures moving throughout the mountain like streams of light flowing through the darkness.
The atmosphere felt tense.
Unstable.
As though the entire sect stood upon the edge of a cliff.
"The Grand Elders have called an emergency assembly."
Shen Wei's calm voice sounded from behind her.
"They are awaiting your arrival."
Xiaoyu froze.
Awaiting her.
Of course they were.
She was the Sect Master.
The realization brought her no comfort whatsoever.
If anything, it only increased the pressure weighing upon her shoulders.
---
By the time Xiaoyu arrived at the Assembly Hall, the building was already overflowing with people.
The moment she stepped through the entrance, countless eyes turned toward her.
The pressure was immediate.
Overwhelming.
Elders.
Core disciples.
Sect officials.
Guard captains.
Every important figure within the Heng Ming Sect had gathered.
And every one of them was looking at her.
At Yuchen.
At their Sect Master.
For a fleeting moment, Xiaoyu wanted nothing more than to turn around and leave.
Unfortunately, a Sect Master could not run away from an emergency meeting.
Not without creating an even bigger crisis.
Inside, she was panicking.
Outside, Yuchen's face remained cold and expressionless.
A perfect mask.
One that had saved her countless times already.
Shen Wei followed one step behind her.
Silent.
Steady.
Unmovable.
As Xiaoyu ascended the platform at the front of the hall, the room grew even quieter.
Then, one by one, the gathered elders rose from their seats.
"Greetings, Sect Master."
Their voices echoed throughout the hall.
Xiaoyu nearly looked behind herself.
Before quickly remembering they were addressing her.
She gave a small nod.
Then took her seat.
The grand chair waiting at the center of the platform felt less like a throne.
And more like a cage.
---
The hall remained silent.
Eventually, one of the senior Grand Elders stepped forward.
His aged face was grim.
"Elder Han was found dead approximately one hour ago."
A wave of murmurs spread through the hall.
The elder raised a hand.
The noise immediately disappeared.
"He was discovered inside his private residence."
The atmosphere grew heavier.
"The cause of death was a single sword strike."
This time, even the elders reacted visibly.
A single strike?
Elder Han was not weak.
The ability to kill him so cleanly was terrifying.
Yet the elder was not finished.
"There were no signs of forced entry."
The hall instantly fell silent.
No forced entry.
The meaning was obvious.
Elder Han had known his killer.
Or at the very least, he had willingly allowed them inside.
A dangerous realization spread through the crowd.
Suspicion.
Distrust.
Fear.
People began looking at one another differently.
Friends suddenly seemed suspicious.
Allies suddenly seemed uncertain.
The foundation of trust holding the sect together had begun to crack.
Tianyu's expression darkened.
Beside him, even Zichen appeared unusually serious.
And standing among the disciples, Li Jianhong remained completely silent.
His eyes were colder than before.
Far colder.
The death of his father had changed something within him.
Something that would never return.
---
"The enemy remains within the Heng Ming Sect."
The Grand Elder's voice echoed through the hall.
Those words struck everyone like thunder.
Fear appeared openly on many faces.
Because no one could deny it anymore.
The attackers may have retreated.
But the true danger had not.
It remained here.
Hidden among them.
Watching.
Waiting.
Perhaps even standing within this very hall.
Xiaoyu slowly swept her gaze across the gathered crowd.
For the first time since arriving in this world, she truly understood.
The greatest threat was not outside the sect.
It was inside.
And for the first time since her transmigration—
She felt genuine fear.