Chapter 6: The Father’s Journal and the Shadow Scout
The cave was dark, but Lin Yue could see a faint glow at the far end. He walked forward, his sword drawn, and found it: a small stone pedestal, on which rested a leather-bound journal. The journal was worn, its pages yellowed, but it was intact. Lin Yue picked it up, his hands trembling, and flipped to the first page.
It was his father’s handwriting—neat, precise, the same handwriting that had filled the letters he’d sent Lin Yue when he was a child.
“Day 1: I’ve discovered something. The Azure Dragon Pearl isn’t just a sacred artifact—it’s a prison. It holds a fragment of the Dark Dragon’s soul, a being that destroyed half the realm a thousand years ago. The Shadow Sect wants to release it. They think merging it with the Azure Dragon Codex will let them control it.”
Lin Yue’s breath caught. The Dark Dragon. He’d heard stories about it—ones of fire and destruction, of cities reduced to ash. If the Shadow Sect released it… the realm would be doomed.
He flipped to the next page.
“Day 7: Elder Zhang is acting strange. He’s been meeting with a man in a black cloak—someone from the Shadow Sect. I think he’s planning something. I need to warn Elder Mu, but I’m not sure who to trust.”
“Day 10: They’ve taken her. Elder Zhang’s wife. I saw them—two Shadow Sect scouts, dragging her into the woods. Elder Zhang tried to stop them, but they threatened to kill her if he didn’t cooperate. I need to help him, but I don’t know how. If I tell Elder Mu, Elder Zhang will be arrested. If I don’t… the Shadow Sect will get the pearl.”
Lin Yue closed his eyes. So his father had known. He’d tried to help Elder Zhang, but he’d been caught in the middle.
He flipped to the last page, his heart racing.
“Day 14: They’ve framed me. Elder Zhang stole the pearl, and they’re saying I did it. The Shadow Sect is here—they’re in the sect, hiding in the walls. They want the jade pendant. They want Lin Yue. I’ve hidden this journal in the Misty Forest, in the cave with the illusion magic. If you’re reading this, Lin Yue… run. Don’t let them find you. Don’t let them get the codex. The fate of the realm depends on it.”
The journal fell from Lin Yue’s hand. His father had known. He’d known the Shadow Sect was after him, after the codex. And he’d sacrificed himself to protect Lin Yue.
A tear rolled down Lin Yue’s cheek. He picked up the journal, folding it and tucking it into his robe. He turned to leave, then froze. A man stood in the cave entrance, his face hidden by a black cloak, his hands glowing with dark qi.
“Thank you for finding the journal,” the man said, his voice cold. “Lord Xiao will be pleased. Now, hand over the jade pendant—and the journal. And I’ll make your death quick.”
Lin Yue drew his sword, his eyes glowing with blue light. “I don’t think so.”
The man laughed, stepping forward. “You’re just a boy, Lin Yue. A boy with a broken meridians and a fancy book. You can’t stop me. You can’t stop the Shadow Sect.”
Lin Yue channeled dragon qi into his sword, the blade glowing bright blue. “Try me.”
The man lunged, his hands striking out. Lin Yue dodged, swinging his sword. The blade cut through the man’s cloak, but the man didn’t slow down. He grabbed Lin Yue’s arm, his dark qi surging into Lin Yue’s body. Lin Yue screamed, feeling his qi drain—but he didn’t let go of his sword. He swung it again, this time piercing the man’s chest.
The man fell to the ground, gasping. He looked up at Lin Yue, his eyes wide. “Lord Xiao… will find you… he’ll—”
His voice faded. He was dead.
Lin Yue stood, his arm throbbing, his qi low. He looked at the man’s body, then at the cave entrance. The fog was still thick, but he could sense it—more Shadow Sect scouts, heading his way.
“We need to leave,” Long Xuan said, his voice urgent. “They’ll be here soon. And we need to get back to the sect—we need to tell Elder Mu what we’ve learned.”
Lin Yue nodded, picking up his bag. He walked out of the cave, the journal and map tucked safely into his robe. The fog was thicker now, but he didn’t care. He had a mission—to save his father, to stop the Shadow Sect, to protect the realm.
And he wasn’t going to fail.