The forgotten valley breathed with centuries of accumulated qi, its moss-covered stones humming as Zhao Rui's party followed Jinghui through thickening mists. Dun Che's claws clicked impatiently against the Path of Contemplation's worn flagstones.
"Flying's forbidden? Even sparrows got more freedom!" The fox demon's tail lashed a nearby prayer wheel into spinning frenzy.
Sun Xiaolan's Veilblade hissed warning as mists parted—revealing a weathered pavilion whose warped beams defied gravity through sheer spiritual inertia. Tianyin stood framed by collapsing archways, his saffron robes glowing like trapped sunlight.
Sanctum of Broken Prophets
The moment Zhao crossed the threshold, time unraveled. Carved bodhisattva eyes wept stone tears above, while below, his shadow fractured into seven warring silhouettes.
"Welcome to the Mirror of Unspoken Truths." Tianyin's voice resonated from decaying rafters. "Where even shadows dare not lie."
Dun Che sneezed violently. "Your truth stinks of mildew and dead dreams."
The retired abbot's laughter shook dust from ceiling murals depicting armageddons past. "Direct as ever, Honored Fox. Yet your companion..." Milky eyes fixed on Zhao. "...carries secrets even these walls hesitate to reflect."
Gaze of the Enlightened
Zhao's breath hitched as Tianyin's gaze pierced his defenses—a sensation akin to spiritual vivisection. The Tomb Passage Token burned cold against his ribs, its usual lunar hunger replaced by primal fear.
"Why cultivate?" Tianyin's question carved itself into the pavilion's central pillar in glowing sutras.
Memories surged unbidden—childhood streets shrouded in unnatural mists, the first time he'd awakened buried in grave soil. Zhao's answer emerged coated in half-truths: "To see celestial peaches bloom."
The abbot's fingernail scored fresh characters into wood: Liar.
Revelation Through Ruin
A collapsed wall revealed star charts older than civilization. Tianyin traced a clawed constellation with reverence. "The Dragon-Tiger Inversion Art hasn't been attempted since the Fall of Zhou. Yet lunar essence dwindles..."
Dun Che's ears flattened. "Zhang Songli dares?"
"Ambition outpaces wisdom." The abbot's staff ignited, projecting holographic records of disintegrating moons. "Ten generations past, my predecessor documented similar essence theft. The practitioner..."
Sun's gasp interrupted as the projection resolved into a face mirroring Zhang's—but crowned with phoenix feathers instead of daoist braids.
Whispers of Celestial Treason
"Your concern isn't moonlight theft," Tianyin murmured, watching Zhao's pupils dilate. "But what comes after. Should Zhang succeed..."
The projection shifted—showcasing a mountain range disintegrating beneath celestial claws. "...even immortals may kneel."
Zhao's fingers brushed the Tomb Token. "How long?"
"Seventy-nine days remain until the next Heavenly Flux." Tianyin's sudden cough speckled star charts with blood. "Should lunar essence remain siphoned..."
The unspoken consequence hung heavier than the pavilion's crumbling stones.
Epiphany's Bite
As twilight painted the valley in funeral hues, Jinghui materialized with bitter tea. Zhao noted the novice's trembling hands—and the fresh ink staining his sleeves depicting seven-fanged wolves.
"Master," Jinghui bowed, "the Whispering Archives confirm your theory."
Tianyin studied the scroll with detached interest. "The Violet Mansion's collapse. The Forbidden City's spectral uprising. All preceded by..."
"Lunar anomalies," Zhao finished, cold certainty crystallizing. "Zhang's not the first. Won't be the last."
The abbot's smile held grim approval. "Now you understand why this humble monk interrupted retirement. The game board spans millennia, Stormcaller. And you..."
A thunderclap shook the valley. Through shattered windows, they watched the moon bleed crimson.
"...just became its most crucial piece."