Chapter 23: The Whispering Blade
A crimson moon loomed above the academy grounds that night, veiled in a haze of ghostlight clouds. The air was heavier than usual—choked with tension, as if the world itself was holding its breath.
Luo Qingshen stood atop the northern watchtower, staring down at the courtyard where a strange ritual had taken place two nights ago. The markings were gone now, wiped away by the caretakers, but traces of unnatural energy still lingered in the air like ash after a fire.
Behind him, footsteps echoed on the stone stairs. He didn't turn.
"You've been standing here for hours," Elira's voice said quietly. "The others are starting to notice."
"I need them to," he said, his voice even. "Let them believe I'm just a reclusive genius. The more they think they know me, the less they truly do."
Elira stood beside him, her gaze following his. "You're not going to tell me what you've found?"
"Not yet." He turned to face her, eyes glowing faintly under the moonlight. "But soon, we won't be the only ones looking for answers."
⚔️ Meanwhile, Beneath the Academy...
In a sealed, forgotten catacomb far beneath the school, five cloaked figures stood in a circle. On the floor between them was a bound student—eyes wide with terror, mouth gagged.
"Another failed candidate," one of them muttered, tapping a scroll against their palm.
"Unfortunate," said another. "But the Whispering Blade must be fed."
A black dagger hovered in midair—its edge weeping shadow. It trembled, as if hungry. As the ritual began, the bound student's body jerked violently—absorbed, consumed, and then… gone. Only the faintest echo of a scream remained.
"The seal weakens," the leader said. "Soon, even the Headmistress won't be able to contain us."
⚙️ Back at the Dorms
Qingshen sat on the edge of his bed, the System screen floating before him in golden light.
[Void Protocol Detected.]
[Cursed Faction Interference: 47% ↑]
[Divine Equilibrium Imbalance Detected.]
[New Directive Unlocked: "Trace the Whispering Blade"]
So it has a name now, he thought. He reached into the air, fingers weaving invisible symbols as his personal codex flickered open.
—Nullfang Form Shift: "Warden's Eye"
—Passive Activated: "Vein Sight"
His vision shifted—he could see glowing ley-lines in the air, like veins of mana threading through the academy. But more importantly, he saw disruptions—fractures where energy bled unnaturally, like wounds left by forbidden power.
One of them pulsed beneath the west library.
"That's where we go next," he muttered.
📚 The Library
At midnight, Qingshen entered the west wing of the academy library. The lights were dim, the corridors long and silent.
He reached a row of ancient grimoires and pulled one from the shelf. A rumble vibrated through the walls. The shelf rotated, revealing a hidden stairwell lined in runes.
At the base of the stairs, a cloaked figure waited.
"Expected you sooner," the girl said—silver eyes glowing in the dark.
"You've been following me," he replied calmly.
"I've been watching you. There's a difference." She stepped forward, removing her hood. Her hair shimmered like moonlight, her expression unreadable. "Name's Kareth. I know what you're after."
"Then tell me about the Whispering Blade."
She hesitated, then held up a sigil—cracked, flickering with cursed light.
"It's not a weapon," she whispered. "It's a will. A curse born of a broken oath. The Vile Concord feeds it souls to keep it from awakening. But if it ever fully stirs…"
Qingshen narrowed his eyes. "Then it becomes a new god."
Kareth nodded. "Or worse. Something that even gods fear."
🌌 System Ping
[Mythic Tier Intel Unlocked.]
[Hidden Questline Branch: "Sever the Concord" activated.]
[Warning: Divine-Class enemies inbound.]
Elira's voice echoed through Qingshen's telepathic bond.
"Trouble. The Headmistress just went into lockdown. Someone broke into the Vault of Origins."
Qingshen clenched his fist. "It begins."