Chapter 17: Whispers Beneath the Lotus Shrine
The wind over the courtyard blew cold, cutting through the fabric of Lin Ma's robe as he swept the stone path with quiet diligence. A few months ago, he had been a forgotten CEO clinging to life in a crumbling apartment. Now, he was a servant in a secluded sect with hidden intentions. The transition had not been smooth, but it had been revealing.
The disciples of the Lotus Shrine rarely paid him any attention, except for the old master and a girl named Yunhua, who brought him leftovers and asked odd questions. She seemed to know he didn't belong here—at least not in the way the others did.
That morning, the elder master had called him to the inner hall. There, incense curled around the ceiling like silent prayers, and the statues of ancient deities loomed with closed eyes and hidden smiles.
"Lin Ma," the old man said, peering over a scroll, "Your hands are clumsy, but your spirit is... resistant to corruption. That is rare."
Lin Ma bowed. "Thank you, Elder."
"Do you know why we call this the Lotus Shrine?"
He shook his head.
"Because even in the filthiest of ponds, the lotus blooms untainted. This sect was founded to test the soul—not sharpen the sword."
The words stayed with him all day.
But that night, Lin Ma's world cracked again.
A shadow moved through the back corridor near the prayer room. It wasn't just darkness—it was presence. Heavy. Ancient. Watching.
He followed it.
His feet made no sound against the wooden floor, and he slipped into the shrine where the statue of the Thousand-Armed Bodhisattva stood. The doors were ajar. Lantern light flickered. The air stank of burnt oil and something metallic—blood?
A figure stood kneeling before the statue.
It was Yunhua.
She was chanting something under her breath, her hands glowing faintly with blue light. Not prayer—but spellwork. Something forbidden.
"You shouldn't be here," she said, her voice suddenly sharp.
Lin Ma froze. "I—I saw someone. I thought…"
"You're mistaken," she said, standing. "Go back. Now."
But he didn't move.
"Yunhua… what are you doing here? What is this place really?"
She stared at him for a long moment. Then she sighed. "This shrine isn't just a place of worship. It's a seal."
"A seal?"
"Long ago, a demon known as the Sable Lord was trapped beneath this mountain. The Lotus Sect was founded not to worship—but to contain him. Each generation, a sacrifice must be made to keep him locked away."
Lin Ma's stomach dropped. "And who... who is sacrificed?"
She didn't answer.
But she didn't need to.
He had seen the way the elders looked at the newer disciples—especially the orphaned ones. Young, desperate, with no one to miss them.
Lin Ma clenched his fists. "That's insane. You're killing people for a story?"
She turned her gaze to the floor. "You don't understand. If he escapes, the realm falls. Entire kingdoms—burned to ash."
"How do I know that's true?"
"You don't," she said. "But I do."
Silence followed, thick and brittle.
Finally, she walked past him. "You've seen too much. Be careful what you ask next, Lin Ma."
He didn't sleep that night.
He sat beside the candle in his room, staring at the charm his mother had once given him—the only thing he had brought from his old life.
When he touched it now, it glowed faintly.
He remembered the elf from the otherworld who had once appeared in his system's panel. "I've found you," she had whispered. Then she vanished.
He'd thought it was a dream.
Now he wasn't so sure.
The next morning, the shrine buzzed with preparation. A new disciple had arrived—a boy no older than fifteen. Orphan. Quiet. Lin Ma's heart sank.
The pieces clicked.
This was the next sacrifice.
That night, he returned to the prayer room. Alone. The statue of the Bodhisattva stared down, serene and indifferent.
"What do I do?" he whispered. "If I let them go through with it, I'm no better. But if I stop them… I might unleash a demon."
The charm in his palm warmed.
A panel blinked to life in front of him—his system.
> Hidden Task Activated:
Save the boy without breaking the seal.
Reward: Partial Memory Recovery.
Penalty: Soul Fragment Lost.
Lin Ma breathed out slowly.
He had a choice. At last.
And this time, he would not fail.
---
End of chapter