Dawn broke, casting pale light through the narrow window of Lin Chen’s cell. The iron door groaned open.

  A Law Enforcement Hall disciple stood outside, expression frosty. “The Grand Elder summons you.”

  Lin Chen rose, the heavy shackles clinking. He had spent the night circulating the Chaos Stellar Scripture, resisting the suppression runes. His true cultivationCondensation Stage Level 9remained hidden beneath an artfully maintained facade of Level 3.

  He followed the disciple through dim corridors to the main hall.

  The atmosphere was thick with killing intent. Three figures sat in judgment: the white?haired Grand Elder, his aura mountainous; Deacon Zhao Wuji, eyes flickering with cold light; and Fairy Moon of the Star Moon Sect, watching with detached interest.

  Zhao Hu stood supported by two disciples, his left arm bandaged, face twisted with venom.

  “Lin Chen.” The Grand Elder’s voice boomed. “Last night you admitted to crippling Zhao Hu’s cultivation. Today, do you have anything to say in your defense?”

  “Yes.” Lin Chen’s tone was clear and steady. “Zhao Hu brought five others to ambush me at the back mountain. He intended to kill me. I defended myself. When he used a Blood?igniting Pill and the Netherworld Palace’s ‘Blood Fire Palm’, demonic qi invaded his body. To protect my own life, I crippled his cultivation.”

  He paused, letting the words sink in.

  “Moreover, Zhao Hu colludes with the Netherworld Palace and practices demonic arts. Under Sect law, he should be crippled and expelled. My action merely removed a harmful element from the Sect.”

  “Lies!” Zhao Hu rasped. “He stole forbidden arts! Three days ago he was only Condensation Stage Level 3how could he defeat six of us? Something sinister is at work!”

  Zhao Wuji added coldly, “Grand Elder, his sudden leap in cultivation defies reason. I fear he has turned to evil techniques.”

  Fairy Moon spoke lightly. “The Chaos Stellar Body is an ancient sacred body. A surge in cultivation during awakening is normal. If Deacon Zhao is unfamiliar with the phenomenon, he may consult the Ancient Sacred Bodies Record.”

  Zhao Wuji flushed but held his tongue. The Star Moon Sect’s status, and the ancient covenant that bound it to the Azure Cloud Sect, left him no room to argue.

  The Grand Elder’s gaze sharpened. “Lin Chen, you claim Zhao Hu used Netherworld Palace techniques. Where is your proof?”

  Lin Chen produced a charred fragment of clothtorn from Zhao Hu’s garment the night before. Faint traces of black demonic qi still clung to it, emitting a subtle chill.

  The Grand Elder took the cloth. White light flowed from his fingertips, probing deep into the fabric. After a moment, his expression hardened.

  “There is indeed residual Netherworld Demonic Qi here.”

  Zhao Hu paled. “He forged it!”

  “Silence.” The Grand Elder’s pressure silenced the hall. “The Law Enforcement Hall judges for itself.”

  But the evidence was thintoo thin for a definitive verdict.

  Zhao Wuji seized the opening. “A scrap of cloth proves nothing. He could have tainted it himself to frame my son.”

  Lin Chen had expected this. Calmly, he said, “Then examine Zhao Hu’s dantian. The Blood?igniting Pill leaves ‘Blood?Fire Scorch Marks’. The Blood Fire Palm leaves demonic?qi erosion in the meridians. These cannot be faked.”

  Zhao Hu trembled. Zhao Wuji’s face turned to iron.

  The Grand Elder nodded. “Step forward.”

  Two disciples restrained Zhao Hu. The Grand Elder placed a palm over his dantian, and white light surged.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  A tense silence gripped the hall. All eyes were on the Grand Elder’s facefirst a frown, then a flash of shock, finally towering fury.

  “Indeed!” he thundered. “Scorch marks in the dantian, demonic?qi residue in the meridiansunmistakably Netherworld Palace techniques!”

  Zhao Hu slumped to the floor, his face ashen. His cultivation was already crippled; now his demonic arts were exposed. Death was certain.

  Zhao Wuji stammered, “Perhaps he was framed”

  “Framed?” The Grand Elder laughed in rage. “Do you take me for a child, Deacon Zhao? These traces cannot be fabricated!”

  Zhao Wuji fell silent, stiff with dread.

  The Grand Elder turned to Lin Chen, his expression complex. “You defended yourselfextenuating circumstances. But crippling a fellow disciple still violates Sect rules. In principle, punishment”

  “Grand Elder.” Fairy Moon’s voice cut through, plain yet carrying indisputable authority. “Under the ancient covenant, disputes among Star Pattern bearers are beyond the Sect’s authority. Lin Chen has awakened the Chaos Stellar Body. Zhao Hu attacked first. His crippling is his own fault.”

  Ancient covenant? Murmurs rippled through the hall.

  The Grand Elder hesitated, then sighed deeply. “Since Fairy Moon invokes the ancient covenant this matter will not be pursued further.”

  Zhao Wuji started to protest, but the Grand Elder silenced him with a glare.

  “Zhao Hu colluded with the Netherworld Palace and cultivated demonic arts. By law, he should be crippled and expelled. Since his cultivation is already ruined, he is hereby demoted to Menial Disciplenever to be promoted again.”

  Zhao Hu lay like a broken doll. Zhao Wuji helped him up, shooting Lin Chen a look of pure hatred before storming out.

  Fairy Moon approached Lin Chen, her gaze deep as the starry sky. “You didn’t enter the hidden passage last night.”

  “Knowing it was a trap, why would I?”

  A hint of approval flickered in her eyes. “Clever. But Zhao Wuji won’t give up. On assessment day, he will arrange for you.”

  “I know.”

  “Do you need help?”

  Lin Chen shook his head. “No.”

  Fairy Moon said nothing more. She turned and left, her figure dissolving like moonlight.

  Lin Chen stood alone, digesting her final words.

  The day of nine?star alignment is eighty?seven days away. Then, all Star Pattern bearers will gather. You’d best reach Spiritual Light Realm before then.

  Eighty?seven days. From Condensation Stage Level 9 to Spiritual Light Realmcrossing a major realm. The difficulty was immense.

  But he felt no fear. The Chaos Stellar Body was an ancient sacred body. If he couldn’t overcome this, how could he hope to save his father? How could he uncover the truth?

  He walked out of the Law Enforcement Hall into the morning sun. In the distance, Liu Ruyan stood at the edge of the bamboo grove. She nodded to him.

  “Senior Sister.”

  “I’m glad you’re safe.” Relief and guilt warred in her eyes. “About the passage I didn’t know it was a trap.”

  “It’s all right. You’ve already helped me more than enough.”

  Liu Ruyan lowered her voice. “I’ve asked an Inner Sect elder to speak for you. Deacon Zhao won’t dare act openly during the assessment. But hidden methods they’re harder to guard against.”

  “I’ll be careful.”

  “And this.” She took a jade slip from her sleeve and pressed it into his hand. “The complete Azure Cloud Foundation Heart Method. It contains everything you need to break through from Condensation Stage to Spiritual Light Realm. It should help.”

  Lin Chen accepted the slip. It felt warm, alive with knowledge. Gratitude swelled in his chest. “Thank you, Senior Sister.”

  “Prepare well.” Determination flashed in her eyes. “I’ll be watching when you take the assessment.”

  She turned and walked away, her green robe fading into the bamboo.

  Lin Chen gripped the jade slip tight and looked toward the back mountain.

  The Outer Sect was only the beginning. His father’s disappearance, the Netherworld Palace’s conspiracy, the secrets of the Star Pattern networkall of it demanded strength.

  And the first step was the assessment, now only three days away.

  He started toward the back mountain, a plan already forming in his mind.

  In three days, he had to “break through” to Condensation Stage Level 4the cultivation he would show the world. But his real goal was to consolidate his true power and prepare for the “accidents” Zhao Wuji would surely arrange.

  The cave behind the waterfall was his best chance. The Chaos Qi there was rich. It might help him advance another step.

  But more than thatZhao Wuji’s killing intent was now bare. The assessment would be a life?and?death battle.

  Lin Chen had already climbed out of the abyss. He was born for battle.

  The Chaos Stellar Body was an ancient sacred body. It did not fear mere schemes.

  “Come, then,” he whispered, fighting spirit blazing in his eyes. “Show me what you’ve got.”

  He stepped into the dense forest of the back mountain and vanished among the trees.

  But Lin Chen did not know that, in a top?floor window of the Law Enforcement Hall, Zhao Wuji stood shoulder?to?shoulder with a black?robed figure, watching him go.

  “The Valley Master has already made arrangements,” the black?robed man rasped. “On assessment day, there will be an ‘accident’. Even Fairy Moon won’t be able to protect him.”

  Zhao Wuji’s eyes were serpent?cold. “I want him dead.”

  “Rest assured.” The black?robed man’s smile revealed pale teeth. “The ‘old friend’ in the underground river has been hungry for a long time. This time, it won’t miss its prey.”

  The two exchanged a glance, their eyes equally sharp, equally cruel.

  And now, Lin Chen was already deep in the back mountain.

  The Star Pattern between his brows warmed slightlyas if sensing the call of distant stars, and the killing intent hidden in the dark.