Chapter 23: Forging Alliances

The cool morning air hung heavy with tension in the Inner Sect. Rumors of Jiang Hao's involvement in the Fire Spirit Jade incident had spread like wildfire. Though the Elders had yet to deliver judgment, Jiang Hao's reputation was crumbling. Those who had once flocked to his side began to distance themselves, whispers of doubt and betrayal tainting his name.

At the heart of this chaos, Ye Tian stood unshaken, his ambitions beginning to take root.

Zhou Lie's Return

In Ye Tian's courtyard, Zhou Lie arrived hurriedly, his face flushed from excitement and exertion.

"Ye Tian! It's done. The suspicion around Jiang Hao is growing stronger. His allies are scattering like rats." Zhou Lie couldn't hide his grin, the satisfaction in his voice clear.

Ye Tian, sitting calmly on a stone bench, twirled a dried leaf between his fingers. "Is that so?"

"Yes," Zhou Lie continued, practically bursting with energy. "The Elders are beginning their investigation. It's only a matter of time before Jiang Hao loses everything. And his former lackeys… well, they're starting to look for other leaders."

Ye Tian finally glanced up, his golden eyes gleaming coldly. "Good. Power isn't taken—it's offered. Let them come to me."

Zhou Lie's grin faltered for a second as he processed the words. "You're saying… you want them to approach you?"

Ye Tian's smirk was faint but sharp. "Of course. Why waste effort recruiting pawns when the disillusioned will seek me themselves? Strength always draws the ambitious."

Zhou Lie nodded quickly, understanding. "And if they hesitate?"

Ye Tian's voice dropped, icy and commanding. "Then give them a reason not to."

A Sudden Visitor

As the sun began to set, painting the sky in deep reds and purples, a lone figure approached Ye Tian's courtyard.

Ye Tian sat quietly beneath a tree, his eyes closed as he meditated, his senses subtly attuned to the world around him. When the figure arrived at his gate, he spoke without opening his eyes.

"You're far from your usual circles, Jiang Hao."

A low, bitter laugh answered him. Jiang Hao stepped into view, his once-pristine robes slightly disheveled, his expression twisted with anger and desperation.

"You…" Jiang Hao growled, fists clenching tightly at his sides. "You're behind this, aren't you? You set me up."

Ye Tian finally opened his eyes, his gaze calm but sharp. "Is that what you think?"

"Don't play games with me!" Jiang Hao snapped. "The Fire Spirit Jade, the rumors—this has your stench all over it!"

Ye Tian rose to his feet, his posture relaxed yet somehow more imposing than Jiang Hao's fury. "And what if I did?"

Jiang Hao's eyes widened in disbelief. "You admit it?"

Ye Tian smiled faintly, a cruel edge to his expression. "I don't need to admit anything. The truth doesn't matter—only perception does. And right now, Jiang Hao, everyone perceives you as guilty. Tell me, who will stand by you now?"

Jiang Hao's face turned red with fury, his fists trembling. "I'll kill you for this!"

He lunged forward, his palm blazing with spiritual energy.

But Ye Tian moved with lethal precision. Before Jiang Hao could react, Ye Tian's hand shot out, fingers pressing sharply into a pressure point on Jiang Hao's wrist. The energy dispersed, and Jiang Hao stumbled back, gasping in pain.

Ye Tian stepped forward, his voice a quiet whisper laced with malice. "You're already finished, Jiang Hao. Every step you take only sinks you deeper into the pit. If you want revenge, then rise and take it… if you can."

Jiang Hao stared at him, hatred burning in his eyes, but beneath that hatred was something else—fear.

"Ye Tian," Jiang Hao said, his voice low and hostile. "What do you want?"

Ye Tian pushed off the pillar and stepped toward him, his movements deliberate, like a predator stalking prey. "Want? No, Jiang Hao. I don't 'want' anything. But I do have something you need."

Jiang Hao narrowed his eyes. "And what would that be?"

Ye Tian's lips curled into a faint, almost cruel smile. "A way out."

Jiang Hao stiffened, his pride flaring up. "You think I need your help?"

Ye Tian chuckled softly, his tone dripping with mockery. "Don't play dumb. The evidence against you is piling up. Your underlings are scattering, and the Elders are looking for a scapegoat. You're one step away from being cast out or killed, and you know it."

Jiang Hao's face darkened. He hated how true those words were.

Ye Tian stepped closer, his voice lowering to an icy whisper. "I can clear your name. I can give you back everything you've lost. But…" He paused, his gaze sharp and unforgiving. "It comes at a price."

Jiang Hao clenched his fists, glaring at Ye Tian. "What's your price?"

Ye Tian tilted his head slightly, his expression unreadable. "Loyalty."

Jiang Hao froze.

Ye Tian's voice hardened. "You will swear your loyalty to me. Publicly or privately—I don't care. You'll follow my orders, do what I say, when I say it. I don't need half-hearted allies, Jiang Hao. I need tools that don't break."

Jiang Hao's breathing grew heavier, his pride clashing violently with the cold weight of his current situation. "And if I refuse?"

Ye Tian shrugged, turning his back to Jiang Hao. "Then you can rot in the Elders' Hall tomorrow. But make no mistake—without me, you're finished."

The air between them grew heavy, silent but suffocating. Jiang Hao's pride screamed at him to refuse, to spit in Ye Tian's face. But the shadow of his crumbling power loomed too large.

"…What else do you want?" Jiang Hao's voice was a whisper, each word filled with bitterness.

Ye Tian turned back, satisfaction gleaming in his golden eyes. "I need something valuable. A show of good faith."

Jiang Hao gritted his teeth and, after a long pause, reached into his sleeve. From within, he produced a jade slip and handed it to Ye Tian. "This is a mid-tier martial art. A hidden martial art that I got from a prominent family that fell into poverty. Only a handful of people know about it. I was saving it for myself… but now it's yours."

Ye Tian took the jade slip, turning it in his fingers as if inspecting its worth. "Interesting."

Jiang Hao's voice trembled with anger. "There. You have my loyalty and my offering. Now what?"

The Plan

Ye Tian's expression grew cold, sharp as a blade. "Simple. We shift the blame to someone else."

Jiang Hao looked up sharply, confusion flashing in his eyes. "What do you mean?"

Ye Tian stepped closer, his voice low and confident. "There must be someone among your followers—a weak link, someone greedy, someone expendable."

Jiang Hao frowned but quickly realized what Ye Tian was suggesting. A name slipped from his lips like venom. "Lu Heng."

Ye Tian smiled faintly. "Good. Here's what we'll do…"

Ye Tian turned, hands clasped behind his back as he began to explain. "First, we plant the evidence. Then, we let the whispers grow. Once the Elders begin their search, they'll find what we want them to find."

"Plant the evidence?" Jiang Hao asked cautiously.

Ye Tian glanced at him, his voice firm. "Just leave that part to me."

The Planting of the Evidence

Later that night, Ye Tian moved like a shadow through the Inner Sect. His footsteps were silent, his breathing steady as he approached Lu Heng's quarters—a small, isolated building on the edge of the disciples' area.

Lu Heng had been careless. His door lock was flimsy, and with a simple tool, Ye Tian slipped inside. The room was cluttered, a reflection of Lu Heng's greedy nature—half-empty chests, trinkets, and stolen odds and ends lay scattered about.

Ye Tian took out two items he had prepared earlier, A forged confession letter—a piece of parchment perfectly replicating Lu Heng's handwriting. It detailed a plan to steal the Fire Spirit Jade and pin it on Jiang Hao to weaken his position and a small shard of the Fire Spirit Jade—Ye Tian had subtly taken a piece earlier, knowing it could be traced back. 

His work done, Ye Tian stepped back and scanned the room, a cruel smile playing on his lips. "Even the Elders will believe this."

Sowing the Whispers

The next morning, Ye Tian's subtle manipulations began to unfold.

He didn't need to spread rumors himself—that was far too obvious. Instead, he approached two low-level disciples who had grievances against Lu Heng. Disciples who had been bullied, stolen from, or humiliated by him in the past.

"Lu Heng, huh? I hear the Elders have their eyes on him…" Ye Tian said casually, letting his words linger.

One disciple, a wiry boy with anxious eyes, perked up. "Why? Did he do something?"

Ye Tian shrugged, the corner of his lips lifting slightly. "I'm not sure. But I heard some interesting things about the Fire Spirit Jade. Someone saw Lu Heng sneaking around the vault before it went missing."

The disciples' imaginations took over. Like wildfire, the whispers spread through the sect.

"Lu Heng? That greedy bastard? I always knew he was up to something."

"Someone said they saw him late at night near the Inner Vault!"

"It makes sense—who else could it be? Jiang Hao might have been a suspect, but Lu Heng… well, he's always been suspicious."

By noon, the rumors had reached the ears of the Elders.

The Discovery

The Elders stormed into Lu Heng's quarters later that day, their expressions cold and imposing. Lu Heng was dragged inside by two senior disciples, his protests ringing out across the courtyard.

"I didn't do anything! Why are you searching my room?" Lu Heng shouted.

The leading Elder ignored him and gestured to the others. "Search everything."

Within moments, the trap sprung.

"Elder, look!" A disciple pulled the confession letter from beneath the bedding, the damning words written in Lu Heng's own style.

Lu Heng's face paled. "That's not mine! I didn't write that!"

Another cry came from the desk. "Here! Under the floor!" The shard of the Fire Spirit Jade gleamed faintly as it was held up to the light.

"This…" The Elder's eyes widened, and murmurs rippled through the crowd.

"It's the missing jade!"

"This evidence is undeniable."

Lu Heng fell to his knees, his face stricken with horror. "No… no! Someone planted this!"

His protests were drowned out by the Elder's booming voice. "Silence! Lu Heng, your greed and treachery have endangered the sect. You are guilty of stealing the Fire Spirit Jade and framing Jiang Hao!"

"No! Please, you have to believe me! I didn't—"

The Elder struck his staff against the ground, spiritual energy crashing down and silencing Lu Heng's voice forever. His ashes scattered across the floor, leaving no trace of the man who had been.

In the Aftermath

From the shadows, Ye Tian watched it all unfold with cold satisfaction. Jiang Hao stood nearby, his reputation restored, his face blank as he watched Lu Heng's fate.

"Just like you said," Jiang Hao murmured as he approached Ye Tian later. "They believed everything."

Ye Tian smirked, twirling the jade slip Jiang Hao had given him. "People see what they expect to see. Lu Heng was greedy. All I had to do was confirm their suspicions."

Jiang Hao lowered his voice. "You're… dangerous, Ye Tian."

Ye Tian's golden eyes glinted with cold amusement. "Remember that. Serve me well, Jiang Hao, and you'll survive. But cross me…"

Jiang Hao didn't need to hear the rest. He bowed deeply, his voice steady. "I will never betray you."

From a distance, Zhou Lie watched the two, shaking his head with a smirk. "Ye Tian… you're scarier than I thought."

Ye Tian said nothing, gazing at the sect in the distance, his plans beginning to unfurl like the petals of a dark, deadly flower.