The tournament grounds buzzed with restless energy, the crowd's cheers blending into a steady hum of chaos. Xiao Lian wiped the sweat from her brow as she slipped into the shadows of a deserted corridor, her heart still pounding from her last match. The cold stone walls of the sect felt more suffocating than usual, as though the very structure of the arena was watching her.
[Warning: Anomalous energy detected.]
SIS's voice resonated in her mind like a distant echo, sharp and urgent.
[Energy signature classified as Blood Moon resonance. Intensity rising.]
Xiao Lian stilled, her fingers curling around the hilt of her sword.
"Blood Moon?" she whispered.
[The Blood Moon is a celestial event associated with heightened spiritual activity, often linked to dark rituals or forbidden techniques. The next occurrence is… tonight.]
Her pulse quickened. Tonight.
She glanced at the sky through a narrow slit in the stone wall, the sun was beginning its descent, streaking the clouds with hues of crimson and gold. The moon wouldn't rise for hours, but the mere thought of it sent a chill down her spine.
Coincidence? Or something far worse?
Xiao Lian slipped back into her quarters after making sure no one had followed her. She shut the door carefully, bolting it before sitting cross-legged on the floor, her mind racing.
"Show me everything on the Blood Moon," she whispered.
[Accessing archive…]
Glowing text scrolled through her vision — ancient records, fragmented scrolls, bits of forgotten knowledge. Most of it was cryptic, riddled with warnings of corruption and chaos, but one line caught her attention:
"The Blood Moon is a beacon to slumbering shadows. A night of awakening, where bloodshed feeds the abyss."
Her chest tightened. The sect tournament, the endless brutal fights, the gathering of powerful cultivators, the blood spilled on the arena floor.
Was this entire event a ritual? She shook her head, her fingers digging into her knees. It was insane. Paranoia. And yet…
[Energy resonance increasing. Connection to arena formation detected.]
Her blood went cold. The arena itself was channeling the energy? Before she could spiral further, she pushed herself up and slipped out of her room, moving swiftly through the corridors like a shadow. She needed to tell Ji Ren.
In a minute, She found him sharpening his sword in the training hall, the rhythmic scrape of metal on stone echoing through the room. He didn't look up as she approached.
"You're staring," he muttered.
Xiao Lian ignored the jab. "I need to talk to you."
Ji Ren glanced at her, taking in her tense posture and sharp eyes. He set his blade aside with a sigh. "This better not be about your next opponent."
"It's not," she said, lowering her voice. "It's about the tournament itself."
His gaze darkened. "Go on."
She quickly relayed what SIS had detected, the rising energy, the Blood Moon, the strange connection to the arena. Ji Ren listened in silence, his jaw tightening as she spoke.
When she finished, he leaned back against the wall, rubbing his temples like she'd just given him a migraine.
"You're serious?" he muttered.
"Dead serious," she said, eyes blazing.
Ji Ren let out a low laugh, shaking his head. "You've been reading too many scrolls. You think the sect is using the tournament for a blood ritual? That's insane, even for them."
"Is it?" she snapped. "We've already seen how ruthless the elders are. They control every aspect of this sect...why not the tournament too?"
He ran a hand through his hair, frustration rippling off him in waves. "Even if...and I mean if... this conspiracy is real, what do you want me to do? Confront the sect master? Demand answers?"
Xiao Lian stepped closer, her voice a sharp whisper.
"I want you to dig."
Ji Ren blinked, caught off guard by her intensity.
"I can't investigate this alone," she continued. "But you're the sect's golden boy. You can move through places I can't." She paused, her voice softening. "I need your help."
Ji Ren stared at her for a long moment, something unreadable behind his eyes. Then he cursed under his breath and grabbed his sword.
"I hate you," he muttered, already heading toward the door.
Xiao Lian allowed herself a small, bitter smile.
"I know."
.
.
.
Hours passed. The matches continued. Blood soaked into the stone, and the sun finally dipped below the horizon. The moon was rising, its light bleeding into the sky like a slow-moving wound.
Xiao Lian waited in her room, pacing like a caged animal.
[Energy spike detected. Threshold nearing critical level.]
Her chest tightened. Then, at last, there was a sharp knock on her door. Ji Ren slipped inside, his face pale as a ghost.
"You were right," he breathed, shutting the door behind him. "I overheard two elders talking, they're using the tournament as a catalyst. Something about feeding the formation."
Xiao Lian's heart pounded.
"What are they trying to awaken?"
Ji Ren shook his head, his voice laced with anger and fear.
"I don't know," he said. "But whatever it is… it's already started."
They both turned to the window and watched as the full moon, crimson and terrible, rose above the arena like an omen of death.