It was unmistakable—demonic energy.
The Shushan Elders stared in horrified disbelief, unable to deny the aura emanating from Justin. As righteous practitioners, they recognized the dark, twisted force for what it was; only a pure-blooded demon could radiate such potent demonic energy. And yet, here was Justin, a figure they'd held in the highest regard, now shrouded in that unmistakable, vile power.
"Such intense demonic energy... this is only possible for a pure-blooded demon," Second Elder Ryan Xia stammered, his words faltering.
"No... it cant be!" Simon Shang choked out, face ashen. "Justin was always righteous, a practitioner of the Pure Qi of Heaven and Earth technique! This has to be some illusion!"
His voice trembled as he grappled with the impossible truth. He felt the world crumbling around him, his hope slipping away. He and Justin had been allies, close as family. If the Heaven-Peering Mirror revealed the truth, then Justin had been a demon all along—a revelation that would tarnish everything they'd shared, dragging him down with it.
"Impossible!" Simon closed his eyes in despair, silently praying for the mirror's vision to fade away. Yet he knew, as did everyone, that the Heaven-Peering Mirror did not lie. If it showed Justin as a demon, then the truth was undeniable.
Above, the Great Elder went pale as he watched Justin's demonic aura rage within the mirror's vision. He gasped, unable to contain the shock, and a mouthful of blood sprayed from his lips as he understood everything.
Justin… was a demon. The Sword Demon had seen through the deception, striking without hesitation. Relief mixed with fear flooded the Great Elder; he shuddered to think what would have become of Shushan had Justin taken the Sect Leader's mantle.
"Oh, we were on the brink of catastrophe," he whispered, sweat dampening his robes. It all made sense now—the unease, the nagging doubts he'd felt about Justin. But who could have imagined such betrayal?
"And not only Justin… even the Ancestral Elder is a demon!" His gaze locked onto the mirror as the vision shifted, revealing the mysterious figure—now unmistakable—as they killed the Ancestral Elder in the Grand Emperor Pavilion. Before his death, the elder, too, had unleashed demonic energy.
The mirror's image faded, leaving a heavy silence as the truth sank in. Shushan's worst fears had come to pass: not only had demons infiltrated their ranks, but they had nearly ascended to the sect's leadership.
"No one could have foreseen this," someone muttered, their voice barely a whisper. "We feared Shushan was under siege from outside forces, but the danger came from within."
A wave of dizziness passed through many elders, the revelation shaking them to the core. They had been on the brink of disaster, saved only by the Sword Demon's timely intervention.
"We must act quickly," the Great Elder said, steel returning to his voice. "Bring Simon Shang, Ethan Lu, Terry Lin, and others from Justin's lineage. Confine them all to the Thunder God Platform!"
The Thunder God Platform—a prison second only to the Demon-Suppressing Tower itself—was where Shushan held its most dangerous criminals. Those once respected elders would now be questioned, scrutinized for any connection to demonic influences.
Faces turned white as the Great Elder issued each name, a list filled with Shushan's former elite. Though they might be innocent, their association with Justin demanded thorough investigation. The Great Elder's commands were merciless, his resolve absolute. Even if they hadn't knowingly betrayed Shushan, their days of respect and honor were over.
Simon's heart sank, a chill sweeping over him. He and his peers were condemned, entangled in Justin's corruption. Their pleas, their protests, would fall on deaf ears; the stain of suspicion was indelible. Not even he knew if they might have unwittingly aided the demons in some way.
"Damn Justin! Damn demons!" Simon cursed under his breath, fury and despair mingling as he followed the guards leading him to the Thunder God Platform.
As Shushan's mightiest elders were led away, Second Elder Ryan Xia wiped cold sweat from his brow. "Thank the heavens this was kept secret. If the other sects learned of this… Shushan's honor would be shattered."
"What now, Great Elder?" Ryan asked, uncertain. "The position of Sect Leader… who should take it?"
The inquiry hung in the air, the silence reflecting the gravity of the question. The revelation had left Shushan leaderless, reeling from betrayal. The Great Elder's gaze swept over the remaining elders, but none seemed capable of shouldering the immense responsibility. The sect needed a leader with destiny, someone who could unite the energies and legacy of Shushan.
One elder finally suggested, "Great Elder, why not take up the mantle yourself?"
But the Great Elder shook his head. "I am old and have not long left. My time must be spent in meditation and preparation for the end. The position of Sect Leader must go to another."
Desperation filled the hall; the sect had lost too much already. And with the Great Elder nearing the end of his life, the weight of uncertainty settled heavily over them.
"Perhaps we could seek the guidance of our patriarchs," another elder suggested. "The Sword Demon has intervened before—he might be persuaded to guide us through this crisis."
"No," the Great Elder replied, his voice heavy. "The patriarchs, the Sword Demon among them, have their duties. They would not interfere with mortal affairs unless absolutely necessary."
Defeated, the elders exchanged glances, each mind racing to think of any other viable candidates. Yet no one seemed capable, no one bore the destined air of the sect's former leaders. And in that silence, they arrived at a single, reluctant conclusion.
"Summon Sarah Qin back to Shushan," the Great Elder declared at last, the decision settling like an inevitable tide. "She alone is fit for this."
The others nodded, their weary expressions underscoring the desperation of the hour. In the end, they had no choice. Though young, Sarah's destiny and talents marked her as the only hope they had.
…
A year passed.
In her return, Sarah Qin assumed the position of Sect Leader, a role many from the outside mocked as a sign of Shushan's decline. But within the sect, her presence inspired quiet resilience. Under Sarah's leadership, Shushan retreated from the world, focusing inward in a bid for renewal.
And so, three hundred years passed in relative peace. During that time, Sarah grew in strength, confronting and mastering the Nine Layers of Sword Trials. At last, she reached the Golden Core stage, stunning the elders with her achievement. Who could have imagined that the young Sect Leader would accomplish such a feat?
The sect elders, initially opposed to her trial, now watched with pride and awe as Sarah shattered expectations. At last, she returned from her trials, and a few months later, found herself near the Swordmaking House.
"So much time has passed," she murmured, brushing her hand over the worn stone at the house's entrance. "Three hundred years gone in the blink of an eye."
A wistful smile played on her lips as she gazed at the now-abandoned building. Memories of the gentle, unseeing boy who had once crafted swords here surfaced in her mind. Jason Chu—the reclusive youth who had spent his days quietly honing his craft, seemingly untouched by the chaotic world outside.
"Jason, who would have thought that since we parted that day, we would be separated by life and death?" she whispered softly, sorrow tugging at her heart. She had risen to great heights but had lost the simple joy of their friendship.
Though she held the position of Sect Leader, her heart felt strangely empty. As the years of cultivation dragged on, she had come to realize how isolating the path of power could be. Her friend, once a source of laughter and solace, was now gone, and the years had only deepened her loneliness.
In the silence of the Swordmaking House, Sarah sat on a moss-covered stone, staring at the house's faded walls, as if waiting for the shadow of a distant friend to reappear.
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