"The Zhao family attacked the Chen compound two days ago! They said it was revenge for something, but no one knows what. The fighting lasted hours!"My heart dropped. I released the man and sprinted toward my family's compound.Please let them be okay. Please.I reached the compound and found it heavily damaged. Walls were broken. Buildings burned. Bodies—both Chen and Zhao family members—lay in the courtyard."Wei!"Uncle Feng ran toward me, his arm in a sling but otherwise okay."What happened?" I demanded."The Zhao family went mad! They attacked without warning, claiming we'd stolen something from them. We fought them off, but the damage is severe. Several family members are dead. Many more injured.""Where's grandfather?""In his chambers. He was hurt during the fighting but he'll survive."I rushed to grandfather's room. He lay in bed, bandages covering his chest. But his eyes were alert when he saw me."Wei. You came home.""Of course I did. What happened here?""It was a setup

The morning sun barely touched the academy grounds when I woke. My body ached from yesterday's training, but my mind was already racing. Something about Master Shen bothered me—not in a bad way, but in a way that made me curious. The way he looked at me sometimes, like he was remembering something. The way he corrected my sword forms with techniques that seemed oddly familiar, like I'd seen them somewhere in the scattered memories of my father.I dressed quickly and headed to the training yard earlier than required. The compound was quiet except for a few servants sweeping the pathways. The air smelled fresh, carrying the scent of morning dew on grass. I liked these moments before the chaos of the day began, when I could think clearly without dozens of eyes watching my every move.But I wasn't alone.Master Shen stood in the center of the training yard, moving through sword forms so fluid they looked like a dance. His movements were precise, economical, wasting no energy. Each strike

"Someone told him. Someone who knows your family well enough to understand the significance of you being here." Master Shen turned to face me again. "Wei, I believe there's still a traitor in your family. Someone who's been reporting to the Four Pillars for years. And that person has told Magnus to watch you carefully." I'd suspected the same thing, but hearing it confirmed made my stomach tighten. One of my own relatives, someone I ate meals with and called family, was betraying us to our enemies. "Do you know who it is?" "No. Your father never figured it out either, though he suspected several people. The traitor is very careful, very patient. They've been undermining your family for over a decade without being caught." The morning had grown brighter now. Other students would be arriving soon for regular training. Master Shen and I stood up from the bench. "Wei, I'm telling you all this because I made a promise to your father, and because I believe you're strong enough to h

"Which makes him more dangerous. We need to move up our timeline. I'll wake the governor now, claim there's been an attack that requires immediate investigation. We'll present the evidence tonight, before Magnus can prepare a counter-narrative."Master Shen left to handle arrangements. Jin Hao helped me bandage my wound."This is getting serious," Jin Hao said quietly. "Magnus tried to kill you.""He's running out of time. The convergence is in three days. He needs to eliminate threats before then.""What can I do to help?""Watch my back during the meeting. Magnus might try something desperate."Within an hour, we were summoned to the Hall of Judgment. Despite the late hour, it was filling with people—the governor and his guards, academy teachers, senior students who'd heard about the attack.And Magnus, standing in the corner, his face expressionless.Governor Liu Yang sat at the head of the room, looking anno

The academy transformed overnight into a military camp. Governor Liu Yang's soldiers occupied every building, searching for Magnus and securing evidence. The Tower of Gods was sealed, its dark secrets finally exposed to daylight. Twelve more students were found in the underground chambers—all alive but severely weakened, their spiritual energy partially drained. I lay in the medical wing, my shoulder wrapped in bandages, watching the activity through my window. The healers said I'd been lucky—the sword had missed anything vital. But I didn't feel lucky. Magnus was still out there, and we had less than twenty-four hours before the convergence. Master Shen entered, his face grim. "The governor wants to see you. Can you walk?" "I can manage." He helped me to the Hall of Judgment, where Governor Liu Yang had established his temporary headquarters. Maps covered every surface. Guard captains reported search progress. The room buzzed with urgent energy. "Chen Wei," the governor said whe