By ArkGodZ | DaoVerse Studio
The morning mist still blanketed the tiled roofs of the Cloud Sky Sect when Jian Yu opened his eyes.
The scroll had vanished—or perhaps it had simply dissolved—but the heat in his chest remained, pulsing like a second breath. Yuan was no longer beside him. Everything around him was quiet, except for the subtle scent of newly opened petals. The once-dead cherry tree in front of his pavilion was still in bloom.
He stood, trying to ignore the tremble in his fingers. He could still feel her presence on his skin, as if Yuan's touch—brief as it was—had left invisible marks.
Before he could gather his thoughts, a ceremonial knock echoed through his door.
"Jian Yu. By order of Elder Qian, your presence is required at the Hall of Echoes," came the formal voice of an outer disciple.
Jian Yu didn't reply. He simply nodded.
The Hall of Echoes was one of the oldest places in the sect, carved directly into the mountain's rock. Its spiral ceiling mimicked the rise of spiritual realms, and on the floor, a jade mosaic represented the first seven cultivation stages, etched into concentric circles:
Spirit Root Realm
Inner Essence Realm
Mortal Soul Realm
Ethereal Expansion Realm
Celestial Core Realm
Spiritual Form Realm
Fragmented Dao Realm
Jian Yu paused at the first ring, where his name glowed faintly:Spirit Root – Stage 3
The murmurs began.
"He awakened something… at that level?"
"Absurd."
"Or fake."
"Or possessed…"
Elders in long robes, adorned with elemental sigils, sat around an elevated platform. In the center, Elder Qian watched with eyes that felt too ancient for his body.
"Jian Yu," he began, his voice calm but firm. "What awakened within you is no simple advancement. We felt the tremor… and the Desire."
Jian Yu remained silent. Not out of defiance—but because he had no answers. Not for them. Not even for himself.
"A Dao… that acts before thought. That touches the spirit of those around it. That provokes, dominates, whispers promises," the elder continued. "Do you understand what you carry?"
"Not entirely," Jian Yu said, meeting the old man's gaze. "But I know it's not something I chose."
One of the senior disciples standing near the entrance scoffed.
"He hides behind words. If it were me, I would've sealed him on the spot."
Qian raised a hand. Silence returned.
"The Dao of Desire has been sealed before. There are… scattered, forbidden records. But you cannot seal what desires to be freed."
In that moment, Jian Yu felt the warmth return. The Dao's whisper slithered through his veins. His skin tingled. Someone nearby shivered—and blushed, not knowing why.
"He's doing it again!" the arrogant disciple shouted, stepping forward. "We can't allow this!"
Without waiting, he activated his technique. Energy formed into blades of wind in his hands.
But before he could strike, Jian Yu merely raised his eyes. A wisp of qi escaped—soft as a sigh—and the air broke apart in silence. The floor quivered. Petals from the distant cherry tree began to fall… despite the absence of wind.
The disciple stumbled backward, hands trembling. There had been no attack. No contact. But something inside him had… cracked.
"What… what was that?"
Qian remained seated.
"This is not a Dao to be tamed by doctrine," he said, locking eyes with Jian Yu. "It reminds the world of what we tried to forget."
Jian Yu left the Hall of Echoes without looking back.
The disciples parted silently, as if the space around him was sacred—or cursed.
Yuan stood at a distance, beneath the shadow of a stone gate. Her eyes searched for his, but she didn't step closer. She only watched… as if trying to recognize who—or what—he had become.
The walk back felt longer than ever. Every step was a question. Every whisper among the disciples, a doubt.
When night finally fell, Jian Yu didn't return to his pavilion.
He went to the gardens.
Moonlight painted the stone paths silver. The night flowers exhaled their fragrance into the still air, softening the sharp edges of his thoughts.
Jian Yu sat by the edge of a small lake and stared at his hands.
And then, for the first time since his rebirth, he saw something.
A silhouette.A feminine face shrouded in golden smoke.Tears. Desire. Guilt.
And a voice.
"You didn't save me…"
He blinked. The lake was still.
But inside him, the Dao… whispered.
End of Chapter.
Next Chapter: The Echo of Shadows
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