The entire storage pavilion trembled.
Dust rained from the ancient beams overhead.
The blue spiritual flames lining the walls flickered violently, casting long shadows that danced like restless ghosts.
Outside, heavy footsteps crunched through the snow.
Slow.
Confident.
Murderous.
Elder Han.
Of course it was him.
I clenched the Inner Pavilion Access Token in my hand and exhaled slowly.
This old fox really had no shame.
First he came for my disciple.
Now he had followed us to our treasure ground.
His greed had finally outweighed his patience.
Beside me, Lin Xiaoyu grinned and rolled her shoulders.
"Round two?"
I glanced at her.
"Preferably not against someone stronger than you."
She clicked her tongue.
"You worry too much."
Before I could reply, the ancient spirit—Pavilion Keeper Mo Yuan—stepped forward.
His translucent robes fluttered despite the lack of wind.
His golden eyes had gone ice-cold.
A completely different aura radiated from him now.
Not the solemn caretaker from moments ago.
This was something ancient.
Something terrifying.
He turned to me and bowed slightly.
"Sect Master, please grant your command."
I looked toward the entrance.
The doors were still open.
Beyond them, through the drifting snow, a dark figure was slowly approaching.
Elder Han.
His eyes gleamed with greed as he looked past the doors and into the pavilion.
Then his gaze froze on the spirit.
For the first time since meeting him—
I saw genuine surprise on his face.
"A guardian spirit?"
He took another step forward.
Then sneered.
"So the rumours were true."
He glanced at me, his voice dripping with contempt.
"The trash sect really hid a treasure pavilion."
Xiaoyu took one step forward.
Golden light flickered around her fists.
I raised a hand.
"Wait."
Her eyes narrowed.
"You have a plan?"
I slowly smiled.
"Of course."
Internally, I was making this up as I went.
But that had been working surprisingly well so far.
I turned to Mo Yuan.
"Can the pavilion defend itself?"
The old spirit's expression remained calm.
"Within these walls, I possess limited authority."
The system screen instantly appeared.
PAVILION DEFENSE AUTHORITY
Guardian Spirit Power: Qi Refinement PeakEffective Zone: Floor 1 onlyLimitations: cannot leave pavilion
My grin widened.
Perfect.
Absolutely perfect.
I looked toward Elder Han, who had now reached the entrance.
Snow clung to the hem of his robes.
His spiritual pressure rolled outward like a cold wave.
The blue flames shivered.
His gaze swept across the shelves.
The chests.
The weapon racks.
The ancient spirit.
And finally—
The token in my hand.
His pupils contracted.
"That token…"
Ah.
So he recognised it.
Interesting.
I tucked it into my sleeve.
Elder Han's expression darkened instantly.
"Hand over everything in this pavilion."
Xiaoyu burst out laughing.
"Do all your sect people speak like idiots?"
I almost choked.
The old man's face turned black.
His spiritual pressure surged.
Snow exploded inward through the open doors.
"Impudent girl!"
He stepped across the threshold.
The moment his foot entered—
The pavilion lights flared.
BOOOOOOM!
Ancient runes ignited across the floor.
A massive formation array spread beneath Elder Han's feet.
His expression changed instantly.
"…A trap?!"
I folded my arms and smirked.
"Welcome to hell."
The blue flames shot upward.
Chains of spiritual light burst from the ground and wrapped around his legs.
Elder Han roared and released his qi.
BOOM!
The chains trembled.
Cracks spread.
Strong.
Much stronger than I expected.
Mo Yuan's eyes narrowed.
He lifted one glowing hand.
"Storage Pavilion Authority—Suppress."
The air itself became heavy.
A crushing force slammed downward.
Elder Han's knees buckled.
His eyes widened.
"What is this—?!"
He tried to force himself upright.
But the pavilion's suppression array had already activated.
The shelves trembled.
Ancient weapon stands lit up.
Dozens of old swords began humming.
The entire room now felt like the inside of a sealed tomb.
Mo Yuan's voice echoed.
"Intruders shall kneel."
CLANG!
Three spirit swords shot off the wall.
They hovered in the air, pointed directly at Elder Han's throat.
His expression finally shifted from anger—
To fear.
Beautiful.
Absolutely beautiful.
Xiaoyu crossed her arms and grinned.
"Still talking big?"
Elder Han glared at her.
Then suddenly—
His aura exploded.
BOOOOOM!
A surge of qi burst outward, shattering two of the spirit chains.
Mo Yuan's expression tightened.
The system flashed urgently.
WARNING
Enemy power exceeding projected output
Damn.
This old man was stronger than expected.
Elder Han broke free from one knee and raised his palm.
A blue river-shaped qi construct formed above his hand.
The signature technique of the Stone River Sect.
His voice thundered.
"Stone River Palm!"
The attack shot forward.
Straight toward Xiaoyu.
My heart dropped.
Too fast.
But before it could land—
Mo Yuan moved.
His translucent body blurred.
He appeared directly in front of Xiaoyu.
BOOOOM!
The palm strike slammed into the guardian spirit.
Blue and gold light erupted.
The impact shook the entire pavilion.
Dust rained down.
Several shelves collapsed.
But when the light faded—
Mo Yuan was still standing.
Completely unharmed.
His golden eyes now burnt with cold fury.
"You dare strike within the Sovereign Pavilion?"
The old spirit raised his hand.
Every sword on the wall trembled.
Then—
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
Ten spirit swords rose into the air.
Elder Han's face went pale.
"What—?!"
The swords shot forward.
Like lightning.
SHING! SHING! SHING!
Elder Han barely dodged the first three.
The fourth sliced through his sleeve.
The fifth grazed his shoulder.
Blood splattered onto the snow-covered floor.
His expression twisted.
This was the first real injury he had taken.
Mo Yuan's voice echoed like judgement.
"Leave."
Elder Han staggered back toward the entrance.
But greed still burnt in his eyes.
His gaze landed on Xiaoyu.
Then on me.
Then finally—
On the token.
He suddenly smiled.
A cold, ugly smile.
"I understand now."
I frowned.
He wiped blood from his shoulder.
"So that's why the heavens trembled."
My heart skipped.
He knew?
Or was he guessing?
His eyes narrowed at me.
"This sect…"
His voice dropped.
"…should have stayed buried."
The words sent a chill down my spine.
Before Mo Yuan could strike again, Elder Han suddenly crushed a talisman in his hand.
BOOM!
A cloud of blue mist exploded outward.
Teleportation.
The old man's body vanished.
Silence returned.
Only the drifting snow and flickering blue flames remained.
Xiaoyu clicked her tongue.
"He ran."
I exhaled slowly.
Yes.
But that wasn't the real problem.
The real problem was what he had said.
This sect should have stayed buried.
Which meant—
The Stone River Sect knew something.
Or someone above them did.
Mo Yuan slowly turned toward me.
His expression had become grave.
"Sect Master."
I looked at him.
He bowed deeply.
"The enemies of the past may have begun to awaken."
The system screen appeared.
MAIN STORY ARC UPDATED
The Buried Sect Secret – Activated
A slow grin spread across my face.
Danger.
Mystery.
Treasure.
And now ancient enemies.
Perfect.
This was exactly the kind of chaos I could work with.
Xiaoyu lifted the broken spirit sword and smirked.
"So what now?"
I looked deeper into the dark corridors of the pavilion.
Toward the staircase leading upward.
A second floor.
Still sealed.
I smiled.
"Now…"
I pointed toward the stairs.
"…we loot the rest of our own sect."
Her grin widened.
Now this was becoming fun.