Chapter 20: The Dragon Qi’s Concealment and a Final Farewell
The second day before their departure dawned with a light fog, softening the edges of the Azure Cloud Sect’s rooftops. Lin Yue was already at the Spirit Spring, his breath fogging in the cool air, focused on a new challenge: concealing his dragon qi. The corrupted qilin in the Shadow Palace’s tunnel could sense cultivators’ qi—even with the Shadow Sect token, Lin Yue’s dragon qi was too distinct, too bright. If the qilin detected it, they’d be dead before they reached the ley line core.
Long Xuan’s voice echoed in his mind, guiding him through the delicate process. “Concealment isn’t about hiding your qi—it’s about wrapping it in something else. Like covering a flame with a cloth, not snuffing it out. Use the spring’s pure qi as a ‘sheath.’ Let it wrap around your dragon qi, dulling its glow.”
Lin Yue closed his eyes, focusing on the tiny grain of dragon qi in his dantian. He pulled a wisp of spring qi toward it, carefully wrapping it around the dragon qi like silk. At first, the dragon qi resisted—bright, stubborn, refusing to be contained. But Lin Yue persisted, adjusting the tension of the spring qi sheath, letting it mold to the dragon qi’s shape.
After an hour, he opened his eyes, holding out his hand. No blue light glowed—no hint of dragon qi at all. If he didn’t focus, he could barely sense it himself. “It worked,” he whispered, a small smile tugging at his lips.
“For now,” Long Xuan warned. “The second you’re in danger, your dragon qi will try to break free. You’ll have to stay calm—focused—if you want to keep the sheath intact.”
Lin Yue nodded. He knew it wouldn’t be easy, but it was better than walking into the qilin’s den with a glowing target on his dantian. He stood, brushing grass from his robes, and headed back to the cabin to pack.
Xiao Yu was already there, folding a spare set of black robes—stolen from the dead Black Robe Enforcers, to help them blend in—into a leather backpack. Beside her lay a pile of supplies: dried meat, water skins, Master Liu’s antidote vials, and a small dagger etched with fire runes.
“Elder Mu wants to see us before we leave,” she said, looking up as Lin Yue entered. “He says he has something for you—from your father’s old quarters.”
Lin Yue’s heart skipped a beat. He’d avoided his father’s quarters since the sect fell, too afraid of the memories. But now, with the chance to hold something of his father’s—something that might help—he couldn’t say no.
Elder Mu waited in the small, dust-covered room, standing beside a wooden chest. The air smelled of old paper and sandalwood, his father’s favorite scent. “Your father kept this chest locked,” Elder Mu said, handing Lin Yue a small brass key. “He said it was for ‘when Lin Yue needs it most.’ I think now is that time.”
Lin Yue took the key, his hands trembling. He inserted it into the chest’s lock, turning it with a soft click. Inside, he found a stack of old journals—more than the one he’d found in the Misty Forest—and a small, leather-bound pouch. He opened the pouch, and his breath caught: a tiny, silver dragon pendant, identical to the jade one around his neck, and a folded note.
“My dearest Yue,
If you’re reading this, I’m no longer with you. But know this: I never stopped fighting for you. The silver pendant— it’s a backup. If the jade pendant’s dragon qi is drained, this one will 唤醒 (awaken) it. Keep it safe. Keep yourself safe.
The journals have maps— hidden paths through the mountains, safe villages where you can find allies. Use them. And when you face Lord Xiao… remember: strength isn’t in qi alone. It’s in the people you love, the promises you keep.
I’ll be with you, always.
Father.”
Tears blurred Lin Yue’s vision. He folded the note, tucking it into his robe, and slipped the silver pendant around his neck, letting it rest beside the jade one. “Thank you,” he said to Elder Mu, his voice thick.
Elder Mu clapped a hand on his shoulder, his eyes soft. “Your father would be proud. Now go—Xiao Yu’s waiting. And Lin Yue… be careful. The Shadow Palace is a den of darkness. But you carry light with you. Don’t let it be snuffed out.”
Lin Yue nodded, turning to leave. As he walked back to the cabin, the fog began to lift, revealing the sun climbing higher in the sky. He thought of his father’s words—strength isn’t in qi alone—and knew they were true. With Xiao Yu by his side, with the maps and the pendants, with the disciples who’d fought beside him… he wasn’t just carrying light. He was carrying hope.