Chapter 419: Chapter 419
"So, the Li Clan dares to announce their daughters as heirs of destiny, tied to carp and portals." Elder Zhan's voice was low, barely above a whisper, yet it carried through the hall like a blade drawn across steel — cold, precise, unmistakable. As his words spread through the room, an immediate chill slithered across the assembled elders and disciples, an involuntary inhale shifting the air as if the hall itself were drawing breath.
Faces visibly tightened, eyes darting to one another, a ripple of something akin to fear creeping into their bones as they absorbed the lethality of his decree. He let the words settle, watching faces shift in the lantern light.
"If the sisters enter the 'Eye', we must ensure they do not return! Their bodies will feed the darkness, and their names will become cautionary tales!"
Scoffing and Plotting
A ripple of scoffs followed his words.
Elder Fang, a scarred veteran whose lips seemed permanently curled in contempt, spat the words like venom. "Carp? Portals? Superstitions dressed in prophecy's silk robes. The Li Clan grows fat with arrogance, flaunting omens as if they were weapons, parading children as if they were legends." He slammed his palm on the table, making cups rattle. "It's an insult to every true warrior in this valley."
Elder Yun, her eyes narrowed to calculating slits, raised one elegant hand. "Do not underestimate omens, Fang. Your scars have made you blind to subtlety." Her voice was silk wrapped around a dagger. "The Spirit Carp with Golden Scales appears only when bloodlines run true and strong, when destiny's threads weave tight. It is said that during the reign of the old Tiger King, such omens foretold his rise, marking a time of unity and strength across the valley. If the carp guide them now, then the 'Eye' itself may favor them — and all our plotting will mean nothing but ash and regret."
Disciple Wei, young and brash and hungry to prove himself, slammed his fist against the table with enough force to make the wood groan. A flicker of doubt crossed his eyes, a memory of his sister warning him about the cost of ambition. For a moment, her voice echoed in his mind, questioning if the path of blood was worth the glory he sought. But the fleeting hesitation vanished as quickly as it came, consumed by the fire of his determination.
"Then we strike inside the 'Eye'!" His eyes blazed with the reckless courage of youth. "If they enter, they will not leave alive! We'll paint the walls with their blood and claim their destiny as our own!"
The hall erupted in a cacophony of voices, tension crackling through the air like lightning before a storm. Shouts rose and fell like clashing blades, each elder and disciple adding their voice to the chorus of ambition and bloodlust. The very walls seemed to absorb the violence of their intent, holding it, amplifying it, until the room itself felt like a weapon being forged.
The Shadow of the Eye
Elder Zhan raised his hand, and a profound silence swept over the room as if the very air had been locked in place. The flicker of lantern flames held their breath, casting flickering shadows that seemed to pause in their dance. Even the stone walls seemed to listen, echoing the stillness. His gaze was cold and commanding, his tone deliberate.
"The 'Eye' is no ordinary trial. It reveals truths, grants strength, but it also devours the unworthy with no mercy. Many years ago, it revealed the Phoenix Clan Chief's deepest fears, leaving him a shattered man who abandoned his throne. There was also the tale of a legendary warrior whose soul it consumed entirely, leaving behind only an empty shell. However, if they survive — and we would be fools to assume they won't — they will emerge stronger than any of our disciples, tempered by the 'Eye's' fire, forged in its darkness." He let that sink in.
"Ren with her portal, Lily with her carp, both carrying Shinsei's teachings and Li Shenwu's blood. Together, they could unite every clan in this valley under the Li banner, and we would all become footnotes in their legend."
Elder Yun leaned forward, her voice sharp. "But if they survive, they will emerge stronger than any of us. Ren with her portal, Lily with her carp. Together, they could unite the clans under Li Shenwu's banner."
Elder Fang sneered, his scarred face twisting into something ugly and determined. "Then we cannot allow survival. Simple as that." He looked around the table, meeting each pair of eyes.
"Spread word to the Crimson Lotus Sect — they already thirst for Li's blood. Let the Moonshade Clan know — they fear the Li Clan's rising power. If the Li sisters enter the 'Eye,' every rival, every enemy, every jealous sect must be ready to strike. We'll turn that trial into a slaughterhouse."
Yet, in the shadows of this plotting, none noticed the brief, calculating glance exchanged between Yun and another elder. Perhaps not everyone in the room was as eager for bloodshed as Fang believed. A faction within the Misty River Sect had long admired the Li sisters' courage and skill, seeing them as potential allies rather than threats. This dormant admiration threatened to unravel Fang's brutal design, sowing seeds of conflict that might not grow as expected.
The disciples exchanged glances, their eyes gleaming with a volatile mixture of anticipation and fear. The thought of facing the Li sisters inside the 'Eye' — those legendary daughters of prophecy — sent shivers racing down their spines like ice water. But the promise of glory, the intoxicating vision of returning as the ones who'd slain destiny itself, silenced their doubts and drowned their hesitation in ambition's seductive whisper.
The council hall seemed to grow darker as the lanterns flickered and guttered, their flames struggling against some unseen wind. One of the lanterns sputtered and went out completely, plunging a corner of the hall into deep shadow, a mirror to the council's sinking ethics. Shadows stretched across the carved walls like grasping claws, like hungry spirits drawn to the malice brewing within. Elder Zhan's voice cut through the gloom one final time, sharp and absolute as an executioner's blade.