The rain poured in steady sheets as Kai Feng and the twin sisters rode along the winding mountain path toward one of the twelve chapters of the Obsidian Peak Sect—Ironwood Chapter.
It had been three days since they left Clearwater Village. Kai was still adjusting to the weight of his restored Qi. The battle against the Ghoul of Lightness had forcibly unblocked his meridians, but his control was still unrefined. He had spent the past days meditating, refining his Qi circulation, trying to mold it into something usable.
And now, they had arrived at their next destination.
Ironwood Chapter was one of the larger factions under the Obsidian Peak Sect's command. It was responsible for recruiting new disciples and handling external affairs.
Commander Kong had mentioned that this chapter's leader, Commander Wu Jiang, was highly ambitious.
The scent of damp earth and fresh rain should have been calming, but the air was thick with something unusual.
Liu Yue noticed it too. "The Qi flow here is strange," she murmured, eyes scanning the surrounding trees.
Kai exhaled. "Let's stay alert."
As they crossed the final ridge, Ironwood Chapter came into view.
Ironwood Chapter looked like any other sect stronghold—tall black walls, watchtowers, banners fluttering in the storm.
Kai exchanged a glance with the twins before stepping forward.
"The Sect Lord has arrived," the guard announced when he saw the party approaching.
The gates creaked open.
Kai walked ahead, observing everything carefully.
There were disciples sparring in the training grounds.
Many of them looked sick—skin pale, lips cracked, dark veins running up their arms.
Liu Yue whispered, "These people… their life force seemed drained."
Kai frowned. "By what?"
Before she could answer, a booming voice echoed across the courtyard.
"Sect Lord Kai Feng!"
A broad-shouldered man strode toward them, his black robe lined with golden embroidery—Commander Wu Jiang.
The Commander was smiling, but there was something… wrong about it. His eyes were too bright, his expression stretched too wide.
Kai kept his expression neutral. "Commander Wu Jiang."
The Commander bowed deeply. "It is an honor to welcome you to Ironwood Chapter."
Kai's gut twisted.
There was something unsettling about this place.
Something hidden beneath the surface.
Commander Wu Jiang gestured toward the main hall. "Please, come inside. We have prepared a feast in your honor."
Kai hesitated but nodded. "Lead the way."
Inside the grand hall, tables were filled with fine dishes—roast pheasant, braised pork, exotic fruits from distant regions.
Disciples stood on either side of the hall, their expressions blank, their postures rigid.
Kai sat at the head of the table, Liu Yue and Liu Yu positioned on either side like silent sentinels. Across from him, Commander Wu Jiang poured wine with a measured grace, his expression an enigma—neither welcoming nor hostile, yet laced with something unreadable beneath the surface.
Kai picked up a cup but didn't drink. "Ironwood Chapter looks… different from the other Chapters that I have visited."
Wu Jiang chuckled. "Ah, we have made great progress, Sect Lord! I have devised new cultivation methods that have greatly strengthened our disciples."
Wu Jiang chuckled, waving a hand dismissively. "Ah, all in due time, Sect Lord. You must be weary from your journey. Come, let us feast, and we shall discuss matters after you have rested."
Kai's lips pressed into a thin line. He didn't like waiting. But pressing too hard now might alert Wu Jiang that he was suspicious.
So, he nodded. "Lead the way."
Inside the grand hall, a lavish feast had been prepared. Long tables were filled with roast pheasant, braised pork, and fruits from distant regions. Candles flickered in golden sconces, casting shifting shadows across the walls.
Kai took his place at the head of the table, Liu Yue and Liu Yu flanking him. Across from him, Wu Jiang poured wine with a measured grace, his expression an unreadable mask.
Kai picked up a cup but didn't drink. "Ironwood Chapter looks… different from the other Chapters that I have visited."
Wu Jiang chuckled. "Ah, we have made great progress, Sect Lord! I have devised new cultivation methods that have greatly strengthened our disciples."
Kai's grip tightened on the cup. "Is that so?"
Wu Jiang leaned forward, his smile never faltering. "We have made great advancements in our cultivation methods."
Kai's gut twisted.
This was the man Commander Kong had mentioned—ambitious, cunning, and known for experimenting with unconventional cultivation techniques.
Kai forced a polite smile. "Advancements?"
Kai set the cup down. "Commander Wu Jiang, you mentioned advancements in cultivation. What exactly have you been working on?"
Wu Jiang chuckled, shaking his head. "Ah, Sect Lord, let us not rush. These are matters best discussed when your mind and body are well-rested."
Kai's fingers tapped against the table. "You're avoiding the question."
Wu Jiang's smile widened. "Not avoiding—delaying. Tomorrow, you shall see for yourself."
Liu Yu leaned forward, eyeing him warily. "And why not now?"
Wu Jiang chuckled again, swirling his wine. "Because some things are best appreciated with clarity, young one."
Kai didn't like it.
But he had played enough chess in his past life to recognize a stalemate. Wu Jiang wasn't going to reveal anything tonight.
So he exhaled and leaned back in his chair. "Fine. We'll rest."
Wu Jiang's eyes glimmered with something unreadable. "Excellent."
Kai didn't miss the way Wu Jiang subtly signaled to a nearby disciple—nor the way the disciple nodded and left the hall.
Their guest quarters were lavish, far more luxurious than necessary. Soft silk bedding, warm incense, and a quiet, undisturbed atmosphere.
Too quiet.
As soon as the servants left, Kai spoke. "We're being watched."
Liu Yue nodded. "I noticed. There were hidden formations along the hallway."
Liu Yu rolled her shoulders. "So what's the plan? We're obviously not waiting for morning."
Kai smirked. "Obviously."
Liu Yue frowned slightly. "Wu Jiang is hiding something. And if he doesn't want us to see it now, it must be happening at night."
Kai nodded. "Then we see it for ourselves."
At midnight, they moved.
Dressed in dark robes, Kai, Liu Yue, and Liu Yu slipped from their chambers, avoiding the surveillance formations Liu Yue had detected earlier. They followed the faintest traces of energy, moving through the dimly lit corridors of the Ironwood compound.
The deeper they went, the more unnatural the air became.
They reached a hidden passage at the far end of the compound—a narrow stairwell leading downward, partially concealed by a tapestry.
Liu Yu grimaced. "Always the underground dungeons."
Kai exhaled. "Cultivators love their secret basements."
They descended in silence.
The deeper they went, the stronger the stench of blood and decay became.
Then they heard it.
A muffled scream.
Kai froze. His hands clenched into fists.
They weren't just imagining things.
Liu Yue whispered, "It came from the end of the corridor."
Kai moved faster.
And then, as they turned the final corner, they saw rows of iron cages lined the walls. Inside the cages are men and women, their bodies frail, their eyes hollow.
Some were shackled to stone slabs, their skin covered in glowing inscriptions, their bodies twitching as dark Qi seeped from their pores into golden siphoning arrays.
Others were strapped into strange contraptions—tubes inserted into their veins, draining their life force into crystal vials.
Some weren't even alive anymore.
Lifeless husks sat slumped against the bars, their mouths open in silent screams, their bodies drained of all vitality.
Liu Yu clamped a hand over her mouth.
Liu Yue's entire body tensed, her hands trembling in quiet fury.
Kai… couldn't breathe.
This was worse than he imagined.
This wasn't cultivation.
This was slaughter.
He stepped forward, reaching for the bars of the nearest cage. A frail man inside barely reacted, his breath shallow, his skin waxy.
Kai's fingers curled tightly around the bars.
"Who did this to you?" he asked, voice low.
The man barely turned his head, his lips parting in a whisper.
"…Ironwood… Wu Jiang…"
Kai's chest burned.
He had known Wu Jiang was hiding something.
But this—this was beyond simple ambition.
This was madness.
Liu Yue's voice was tight with restrained rage. "Master, what do we do?"
Kai inhaled sharply, his decision already made.
"We end this."
Liu Yu grinned, cracking her knuckles. "That's what I wanted to hear."
Liu Yue nodded. "Then let's move quickly."
Kai turned back to the prisoners. "We get them out. Then we deal with Wu Jiang."
Liu Yue hesitated. "And the disciples? Many of them are just following orders."
Kai's jaw tightened.
Not all of Ironwood's members were innocent.
But not all of them were guilty either.
"We handle it case by case," he muttered. "But first—" He pressed a hand to the bars, sending a pulse of Qi through the metal.
With a shattering crack, the locks exploded.
The prisoners inside barely reacted. They were too weak and too broken.
Kai clenched his fists. "Yue, see if you can stabilize them. Yu, get ready for a fight."
Liu Yu smirked. "Way ahead of you."
The alarm would be raised soon.
Ironwood Chapter had been hiding in the shadows for far too long, conducting such depraved experiments on innocent victims.
And now? Kai was going to do something about it.