The Sect's Grand Hall was a place meant to inspire reverence. Its towering pillars were carved with dragons that seemed to coil toward the heavens, and the jade-tiled floor gleamed like still water, reflecting the solemnity of those gathered. Yet, on this morning, the air was heavy not with awe but with suspicion.Elders lined both sides of the hall, their gazes sharp, whispering like wind through dead leaves. Some eyes carried open hostility, others veiled curiosity, and a rare few — pity. At the center sat the Council, nine figures cloaked in prestige, their robes embroidered with golden phoenixes.Above them, seated beneath the sect's great crest, was Sect Master Tianlong himself. His expression was unreadable, carved from the same immovable stone as the mountain they lived upon. His presence alone pressed down like an invisible weight, commanding silence even before he spoke.And into this furnace of judgment walked Jiang Hao.His robes were simple, his steps steady despite the ache in his body. Each movement reminded him of the backlash that still lingered, gnawing at his bones, but he carried himself as if it were nothing. Behind him trailed Mei Ling and Lin Xueyao, not permitted beyond the threshold of the hall, forced to watch him vanish into the blaze of political fire alone."Disciple Jiang Hao," an elder on the left announced, his tone like the crack of a whip. "You stand accused of harboring hidden power beyond your station, of invoking forces dangerous to the sect itself, and of defying the chain of command in your battle with Elder Qian. Speak — what defense can you possibly offer?"Murmurs rippled across the hall, like sparks feeding into flame.Jiang Hao bowed respectfully, his hands clasped. His voice carried steady, though quiet. "My defense is simple. I fought to protect the sect. Nothing more.""Nothing more?" scoffed Elder Bai, his face twisted in disdain. "You nearly crippled an elder! Do you call that 'nothing more'? You wield a power none can account for — not from the sect, not from any orthodox lineage! Such secrecy reeks of demonic taint!""Careful," came a sharp interjection from the right side — Elder Feng, Jiang Hao's master, seated in the position just below the sect master. His eyes blazed as he cut through the accusations. "To call my disciple tainted is to insult me as well. Jiang Hao's strength saved lives while others sat safely behind these walls. Shall we condemn him for succeeding where others might have failed?"A hush fell. Elder Feng rarely raised his voice, yet today it cracked through the chamber like a thunderclap.Sect Master Tianlong raised a single hand, silencing both sides. His gaze fell upon Jiang Hao, heavy as a mountain, sharp as a sword. "Jiang Hao… I have tolerated whispers about your diligence, your… low profile. But whispers grow teeth when unanswered. Tell me plainly: what is the source of your power?"The hall went still. Even the torches along the walls seemed to wait for his answer.Jiang Hao lifted his head. His golden eyes — though dimmed from strain — met the sect master's without wavering. "It is mine alone, Sect Master. A burden I neither flaunt nor abandon. If the sect commands, I will bear it in chains. If the sect doubts, I will bear its suspicion. But know this—"He straightened, his aura flickering like a storm barely restrained. "I have never once lifted my hand against the sect without cause, and I never will. My power exists to defend, not betray."His words hung in the air, balanced between defiance and submission, a blade's edge that left the council breathless.The sect master's expression did not change, but his eyes narrowed ever so slightly. For the first time, the faintest trace of intrigue flickered there."Very well," Sect Master Tianlong said at last. His voice rolled like distant thunder. "Then we shall test the truth of your vow."The words struck like a gong, and the elders erupted into murmurs once more.A clap of Sect Master Tianlong's hand silenced the hall. The sound was soft, but it carried the weight of command, and even the fiercest elder bowed his head."Bring forth the Chains of Origin," the sect master ordered.The words alone made several elders stiffen. From the shadows at the back of the hall, disciples carried forward a massive chest bound in silver runes. When the lid opened, light spilled out, illuminating links of iron so black they seemed to swallow the torchlight. Each link pulsed faintly, as if alive, as if listening.Whispers surged through the hall. The Chains of Origin had not been summoned in over a century. They were said to bind not the body, but the truth of the soul itself.Elder Bai's lips curled in satisfaction. "Yes, let us see what beast you hide in your heart, Jiang Hao."Jiang Hao remained silent, though a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips. Chains, trials, accusations… always the same dance. If they think this will break me, they've sorely underestimated how much I've already endured.The disciples carrying the chains hesitated before him, their hands trembling. Elder Feng stepped forward, his expression tight with fury. "Sect Master, these chains sap even a Nascent Soul cultivator to dust. He has only just recovered from battle backlash. This is—"Tianlong's gaze silenced him, though not unkindly. "If the boy is what he claims, Elder Feng, the chains will not condemn him. If not…" His voice dropped like a stone into still water. "Then better we know now."Elder Feng's fists clenched at his side, but he stepped back, his eyes burning with unspoken rage.The chains coiled around Jiang Hao like serpents, cold against his skin. Each link that touched him pulled not only at his strength but at the very core of his being. His breath caught as a pressure slammed into him, sharper and more merciless than any seal backlash. His knees threatened to buckle — but he did not falter.Elder Bai sneered. "See? Already trembling."But Jiang Hao's lips curved faintly. "Trembling, yes… breaking, no."The chains began to glow, their runes crawling across his arms and chest. The grand hall filled with a hum like a storm brewing inside stone walls. The elders leaned forward, eyes sharp, waiting to see what truth would surface.A heartbeat later, a vision exploded from the chains — a projection of Jiang Hao's inner self, drawn unwillingly into the open.Gasps rippled through the hall.For in that vision stood Jiang Hao's sealed form — golden, radiant, with immortal eyes and hair streaked with light. Behind him, phantom layers of seals shimmered like burning suns, each lock radiating power enough to terrify even the most seasoned elders.The sight sent the hall into uproar. "Impossible!" one elder cried. "That power—" "Those seals—what kind of cultivation is this?!" "No human bloodline could—"Sect Master Tianlong's expression remained unreadable, but his hand had tightened imperceptibly on the armrest of his throne.Jiang Hao met their shock with steady eyes, though the chains dug deeper, tearing at his core, making every breath agony. He forced the words through his teeth, each syllable hard as iron."You see my burden now. A power I did not seek… but one I alone will carry. If this makes me a danger, then bind me here forever. But know this—" His voice rose, echoing against the carved dragons, carrying across the trembling chamber. "I would rather be chained until I turn to dust than betray the hands that fed me."The chains shuddered, runes flickering violently, as though his defiance itself unsettled them.And then — something cracked.The vision wavered, a surge of uncontrolled power leaking from his second seal. Jiang Hao's body spasmed, blood spraying from his lips, the backlash ripping into him far worse than the battlefield. The elders recoiled, shielding themselves from the burst of qi.Yet still, he did not kneel.
