Chapter 22: The Calm Before the Storm
🔹 The Long Road Back
The cold morning air bit at my skin as I moved through the dense forest, my robes torn, my body aching from battle.
I had barely escaped Fengyang, the ruins still lingering in my mind—along with the black-robed warrior's chilling words.
"You cannot stop what is coming. The war has already begun."
Gao Ren was dead, consumed by an unnatural force.
And I had seen the Blood Core Army with my own eyes.
The Hidden Master wasn't just planning to control the Demonic Cult.
He was preparing for something far worse.
I needed to return to the Seventh Division.
Because war wasn't just coming.
It was already here.
🔹 The Seventh Division in Turmoil
By the time I arrived at the Seventh Division's stronghold, dawn had broken over the fortress.
The massive black walls loomed ahead, banners fluttering against the chilling wind.
But something felt off.
Normally, the Seventh Division was a place of discipline, ruthless but structured.
Now, it was uneasy.
Disciples moved in hushed whispers, tension thick in the air. Some gripped their weapons tightly, others cast nervous glances at the inner hall.
I stepped past the gates, ignoring the stares.
Then, as if waiting for me, two figures stood in the center of the courtyard.
Xiao Rin.
Lan Yue.
Their expressions were ice-cold.
🔹 A Confrontation of Trust
Xiao Rin's violet eyes locked onto mine, sharp and unforgiving.
"Where the hell have you been?" she demanded.
I exhaled, brushing off the dirt from my robes. "Handling a mission."
Lan Yue's jaw tightened. "Qiu Hong sends you on a mission, and suddenly the entire Seventh Division is thrown into chaos? Coincidence?"
I frowned. Chaos?
Xiao Rin tossed a blood-stained letter at my feet.
I picked it up, my grip tightening as I recognized the seal—Wu Jian's insignia.
"Qiu Hong, your time is up. The Seventh Division will fall. I am coming for you. Prepare for war."
My eyes narrowed.
So Wu Jian had finally made his move.
I looked up. "When did this arrive?"
Lan Yue's tone was clipped. "Last night."
Xiao Rin took a step closer, voice lower, more dangerous.
"And now, you suddenly come back—injured, exhausted, and refusing to talk about what happened out there?"
I met her gaze, my mind racing.
Tell them about the Hidden Master?
Or keep it a secret?
🔹 The Hidden Master's Threat
I sighed.
"I found Gao Ren."
Lan Yue's eyes widened. "Where is he?"
I exhaled. "Dead."
Xiao Rin's fingers tensed around her dagger. "How?"
I clenched my fists. "He didn't just die. He was erased. Like his very existence was consumed."
For the first time, Xiao Rin looked visibly disturbed.
Lan Yue frowned. "What could do something like that?"
I hesitated. Then, finally, I said it.
"The Hidden Master's forces."
Silence.
Xiao Rin was the first to speak. "He's real, then."
I nodded.
Lan Yue's face darkened. "And you didn't tell us sooner?"
I exhaled. "I wasn't sure until now."
Xiao Rin's jaw tightened. "What else?"
I looked between them.
"Wu Jian is a distraction," I said. "The real war is already happening. The Hidden Master is moving in the shadows, and the Blood Core Army is just the beginning."
Their expressions hardened.
🔹 The War Meeting
We moved toward the inner chambers, where Qiu Hong was waiting.
The Vice-Leader of the Seventh Division sat at his usual spot, but his expression was grim.
"You're back," Qiu Hong said smoothly, though his eyes flickered with something unreadable. "And just in time."
I placed Wu Jian's letter on the table.
"He's making his move," I said.
Qiu Hong chuckled darkly, tapping the parchment. "I expected this."
Xiao Rin frowned. "Then why haven't we retaliated?"
Qiu Hong leaned forward. "Because we don't just have one enemy anymore."
He turned to me.
"You saw something, didn't you?"
I nodded. "The Blood Core Army. And something even worse."
Qiu Hong exhaled. "The Hidden Master."
Lan Yue crossed her arms. "So what's the plan?"
Qiu Hong smirked. "We let Wu Jian think he has the upper hand."
Xiao Rin raised an eyebrow. "We let him attack?"
Qiu Hong's grin widened. "We let him believe he's attacking. But the moment he steps onto our battlefield…"
His eyes gleamed.
"We bury him."
🔹 The Plan for the Battle
Qiu Hong laid out the strategy.
1 . Stage a False Retreat – We make it seem like the Seventh Division is weaker than it really is.
2 .Lure Wu Jian's Forces into a Dead Zone – A location where we can cut off his retreat.
3 .Ambush from the Shadows – We don't fight him head-on. We dismantle his army from the inside.
Lan Yue frowned. "That's risky."
Qiu Hong smirked. "Everything is risky now."
Xiao Rin turned to me. "And what's your role in all of this?"
I smirked.
"I take out Wu Jian's strongest warriors."
🔹 The Calm Before the Storm
As the final battle preparations were made, I found myself standing outside, watching the sky darken.
Xiao Rin approached, her usual smirk absent.
"You're sure about this?" she asked.
I nodded. "Wu Jian needs to be dealt with. But he's not the real fight."
She studied me for a moment.
Then, softly, she said, "You're not fighting alone, you know."
I glanced at her. "I know."
She scoffed. "Then don't do anything stupid."
I chuckled. "No promises."
She sighed, then stepped back. "War starts tomorrow."
I watched her go, exhaling slowly.
Because deep down, I knew—
Tomorrow's war was just the beginning.
🔹 End of Chapter 22