Night settled heavily over the Earth Sect.
Dark clouds drifted across the moon, casting long shadows over ancient halls and silent courtyards. The mountain winds carried an unusual chill, whispering through stone corridors like warnings nobody wished to hear.
Inside the Sect Leader's residence, a lamp still burned.
The Sect Leader sat alone before a wooden table.
He had not cultivated.
He had not slept.
Instead, he sat in silence.
Thinking.
Remembering.
His mind replayed countless scenes from recent months.
Xiao Tu repairing damaged courtyards.
Xiao Tu helping injured disciples.
Xiao Tu bowing respectfully to elders.
Xiao Tu smiling warmly even when receiving nothing in return.
Not once had the young man caused trouble.
Not once had he abused power.
Not once had greed appeared within his eyes.
Yet...
The Earth Vein had chosen him.
And that alone had become a problem.
The Sect Leader slowly closed his eyes.
"The Earth Sect has existed for over a thousand years..."
His voice was barely audible.
"I cannot gamble everything on a single person..."
Yet even as he spoke those words, his heart felt uneasy.
Because deep down...
He knew fear was guiding his judgment more than reason.
Far away, another gathering was taking place.
Inside the Elder Council Hall.
The atmosphere was tense.
Several elders sat around a circular stone table.
No one smiled.
No one relaxed.
At the center stood the Vice Sect Leader.
His expression was calm.
Confident.
Patient.
Like a man who had already predicted the outcome.
"The Earth Vein has remained silent since blessing Xiao Tu."
His voice echoed throughout the hall.
"Such an event has never occurred before."
Several elders nodded.
The Vice Sect Leader continued.
"What if the Earth Vein is transferring its foundation to him?"
"What if his existence eventually threatens the sect itself?"
"What if the Earth Vein leaves us entirely?"
Questions.
Only questions.
Yet fear fed upon uncertainty.
One elder frowned.
"But the boy has done nothing wrong."
Another elder nodded slowly.
"He has only helped the sect."
The Vice Sect Leader sighed.
"I know."
His tone sounded sincere.
Almost regretful.
"But danger does not always arrive with malicious intent."
His gaze swept across the room.
"Would you rather prepare now..."
"...or regret it later?"
Silence followed.
Heavy silence.
Then a voice finally broke it.
"Enough."
Elder Mu rose from his seat.
His eyes were cold.
Disappointed.
Angry.
For perhaps the first time in many years.
"The Earth Vein itself acknowledged him."
"He has harmed nobody."
"He has brought fortune to the sect."
His gaze landed directly on the Vice Sect Leader.
"And yet all I hear is fear."
The hall became quiet.
No one answered.
Because nobody could truly refute him.
The Vice Sect Leader remained calm.
"I am only protecting the future."
Elder Mu laughed bitterly.
"No."
His voice echoed throughout the chamber.
"You are protecting your control."
The room immediately froze.
Several elders lowered their heads.
The Vice Sect Leader's expression darkened slightly.
But neither man continued.
Because everyone already understood.
The conflict was no longer about Xiao Tu.
It was about what he represented.
Something pure.
Something beyond their control.
Hours passed.
Arguments rose and fell.
Opinions shifted.
Doubts spread.
And eventually...
The Sect Leader arrived.
The hall stood.
Silence returned.
The Sect Leader looked older than before.
Tired.
Weary.
Burdened.
His gaze swept across every elder.
Then finally settled on Elder Mu.
For a brief moment...
Regret appeared in his eyes.
Then it vanished.
"The decision has been made."
His words struck the hall like a hammer.
Several elders lowered their heads.
The Vice Sect Leader remained motionless.
Elder Mu clenched his fists.
"The Earth-Sealing Formation will be prepared."
Silence.
Cold.
Final.
Officially...
It would be presented as an examination.
A precaution.
A test.
Unofficially...
Everyone understood.
This was the beginning of Xiao Tu's downfall.
Elder Mu slowly closed his eyes.
For the first time in many years...
He felt ashamed of the sect he served.
After the meeting ended, Elder Mu walked alone beneath the night sky.
His footsteps felt unusually heavy.
Eventually...
He arrived outside Xiao Tu's residence.
The young man sat quietly beneath a tree.
Moonlight illuminated his peaceful expression.
As though he had been waiting.
"Elder Mu."
Xiao Tu smiled gently.
"You came late tonight."
The old elder stopped.
Countless words rose within his chest.
Warnings.
Truths.
Confessions.
Yet none left his mouth.
Because he already knew.
The moment he spoke...
Everything would change.
Instead, he only asked softly,
"Are you happy here, Xiao Tu?"
Xiao Tu seemed surprised.
Then he smiled.
A simple smile.
"Yes."
Elder Mu's heart tightened.
Because the answer carried no lies.
No resentment.
Only sincerity.
The old elder eventually turned and left.
Unable to say anything more.
Unable to save him.
Unable to save himself.
That same night...
Xiao Tu sat alone beneath the stars.
The mountain winds brushed softly across his robes.
His eyes drifted toward the distant horizon.
Then slowly...
He removed several smooth stones from a storage pouch.
Palm-sized.
Simple.
Ordinary.
He spent the next several hours carefully carving symbols into them.
Not cultivation techniques.
Not battle arts.
Messages.
One stone.
Then another.
Then another.
When finished, he pressed his fingers against each one.
A faint thread of soul energy entered the carvings.
Leaving behind his presence.
His thoughts.
His emotions.
And a single sentence.
The same sentence on every stone.
"I knew about it but still chose to accept it. But what about you?"
The words glowed faintly before fading.
Xiao Tu smiled softly.
Then hid the stones throughout the mountain.
One beneath the old courtyard.
One near the ruined bridge.
One beneath the ancient archway.
Places connected to his memories.
Places his brothers might one day discover.
Not because he expected them to understand.
But because he hoped they would think.
Especially Little Water.
Especially the brother whose emotions burned brighter than anyone else's.
Far away...
The bloodline connection stirred.
Little Death suddenly opened his eyes.
At the same moment, Little Water stopped cultivating.
Both sensed the same thing.
Something was wrong.
Not immediate danger.
Not death.
But inevitability.
Like fate itself tightening around someone they loved.
Little Water frowned.
"Little Earth."
The connection responded.
"Brother."
A long silence followed.
Then Little Water asked,
"Are you hiding something from us?"
Xiao Tu looked toward the stars.
His smile remained gentle.
"Not really."
Little Water didn't believe him.
Neither did Little Death.
But neither pushed further.
Because Xiao Tu had always walked his own path.
And because both of them could feel the sadness hidden beneath his calm.
Deep beneath the Earth Sect...
The Earth Vein suddenly trembled.
Only once.
A single pulse.
Soft.
Sorrowful.
Like the final beat of a grieving heart.
Elder Mu immediately opened his eyes.
Several elders sensed it as well.
The feeling was strange.
Not anger.
Not warning.
Not fear.
It felt like...
A farewell.
The Earth Vein was saying goodbye.
And somehow...
That frightened Elder Mu more than anything else.
Dawn eventually arrived.
Gray clouds covered the sky.
The mountain seemed quieter than usual.
As though even nature wished to remain silent.
Xiao Tu stood outside his residence.
Watching the sunrise.
Then footsteps approached.
An elder stopped before him.
His expression was composed.
Professional.
Yet strangely uncomfortable.
"The Sect Leader requests your presence."
Xiao Tu nodded.
As though he had expected this.
As though he had been waiting.
He looked once toward the distant mountains.
Then smiled.
Not sadly.
Not bitterly.
Simply peacefully.
"I understand."
Without hesitation...
He followed.
The elder walked ahead.
Xiao Tu followed behind.
And as they disappeared into the morning mist...
A cold wind swept across the mountain.
The trees rustled.
The earth grew quiet.
And somewhere deep beneath the Earth Sect...
The silent Earth Vein mourned.
Because the path ahead had already been chosen.
And fate...
was finally beginning to move.
---Waiting---