Elder Tang came to him on the ninth day of the second month.
He was taller than expected from Shen Yu's description. Lean and angular, with white hair and intelligent eyes that assessed everything they landed on. He carried a plain walking stick that Wen Dao immediately identified as a weapon — the balance was wrong for a simple walking aid.
He appeared at Wen Dao's training session without announcement. He did not interrupt — he sat on a stone bench near the training area and waited until Wen Dao completed his form.
Wen Dao bowed and waited.
'The Iron Question Fist,' Tang said. 'I saw it demonstrated once, forty years ago. A wandering cultivator passed through this region. He used two forms in a sparring match.' He looked at Wen Dao's hands. 'Yours is better developed.'
'I had the original documentation.'
'From the central tower.' Tang nodded. 'The pendant. The mark. Shao Wei's inheritance.' He looked at Wen Dao without hostility. 'Shao Wei was a friend of mine. Years ago. Before his sect fell.' He paused. 'He was selective about who he trusted.'
'He trusted his judgment in a forest at two in the morning,' Wen Dao said.',
Tang almost smiled. 'That sounds like him.' He was quiet for a moment. 'I am going to be direct with you because it is more efficient. There are powers beyond this sect who want what's in that tower's inheritance. Not the technique — the technique is old and not unique. The other item.'
'The unnamed pill with the pale flame symbol,' Wen Dao said.
Tang's eyes sharpened. 'You know what it is?'
'I know it's connected to Shao Wei's inheritance. I haven't used it.'
'Don't.' The word came out with more urgency than the old man's calm exterior suggested he intended. He controlled it quickly. 'Not yet. Not until you know what it does.'
'Tell me.'
A pause. Tang studied him.
'Shao Wei's sect — the Pale Flame Sect — was founded by someone who ascended to the higher planes and left an inheritance method behind. A compressed power that, when taken at the right cultivation level, transmits the founder's partial understanding directly.' He set his walking stick across his knees. 'People have been searching for that pill for eighty years. Shao Wei hid it well.'
'And you want it,' Wen Dao said.',
'I want to understand it,' Tang corrected. 'What I want is irrelevant. What I'm telling you is: the people who destroyed Shao Wei's sect are still active. The Zhao family. The Iron Claw Gang is their instrument. When they learn that Shao Wei passed the inheritance to someone inside Iron Mountain Sect, they will apply pressure to this sect directly.'
Wen Dao was quiet for a moment.
'How long before they know?'
'They probably already suspect. Confirmation, perhaps two months.' Tang stood. 'I am not asking for the pill. I am asking you to accelerate your cultivation. Whatever level you need to reach to use that pill safely — reach it.'
'Why help me?'
'Because if the Zhao family takes the Pale Flame inheritance, they will have something that should belong to someone who will use it correctly.' He looked at Wen Dao directly. 'Shao Wei chose you. Shao Wei was careful about his choices.'
He walked away.
Wen Dao stood alone in the training area.
Two months. The Zhao family moving against the sect. He needed to accelerate everything.
He went back to his room and took out his cultivation schedule. He reworked it completely.
Then he went to find Zhou Jin.
He found the quiet disciple in the inner disciple courtyard, sitting against a wall, eating a plain meal.
'I need to reach Body Tempering Level Nine in five weeks,' Wen Dao said.
Zhou Jin looked up from his food. 'That's not possible at Level Six.'
'I have one more accelerant pill. That gets me to Level Eight. Three to Nine is hard training.' He looked at Zhou Jin. 'You've been at this sect for two years and no one knows your real cultivation level. I want to know what you are, and I want your help accelerating mine.'
Zhou Jin set down his food.
He was quiet for a long moment.
Then: 'I'm at Qi Condensation Level Three.'
Wen Dao had guessed high. Not that high.
'Why hide it?'
'I'm looking for something in this region. Staying at outer disciple level made movement easier.' He looked at his hands. 'The Pale Flame inheritance. I've been looking for it for a year.'
'For yourself?'
'For my sect.' He met Wen Dao's eyes. 'The sect Shao Wei's Pale Flame Sect was originally connected to. We never stopped looking.'
Another faction. Another interest in the pill.
But Zhou Jin had protected him twice without being asked.
'Help me reach Level Nine,' Wen Dao said. 'I'll tell you what I know about the pill when I've used it.'
Zhou Jin looked at him for a long time.
'Agreed,' he said.