Liu Yun and Lin Fei traveled swiftly through the dense forest west of the capital. Three days had passed since their departure, and they had yet to see signs of pursuit. The Imperial Jade Seal floated silently between them, occasionally pulsing with light as it scanned for threats.
"Do you think the Emperor held them off?" Liu Yun asked as they paused near a stream to rest.
Lin Fei cupped her hands in the water and drank before answering. "The Imperial Guards are formidable, but against Protocol Administrators?" She shook her head. "I suspect the Emperor sacrificed something valuable to buy us time."
The Seal glowed briefly. "Imperial communication network detected. Message incoming."
A small light projected from the Seal, forming the image of Commissioner Zhao Lin. His face looked haggard, with a fresh cut across his cheek.
"The capital stands, but barely," he reported. "The Administrators demanded your surrender. When the Emperor refused, they attempted to seize control of the palace."
"Casualties?" Liu Yun asked, dreading the answer.
"High among the guards," Commissioner Zhao admitted. "But the Emperor activated ancient defenses built into the palace itself. The Administrators weren't expecting that level of resistance."
Lin Fei leaned forward. "And now?"
"An uneasy stalemate. The Administrators have withdrawn to the Protocol Temple but have surrounded the capital. No one enters or leaves without their inspection."
Liu Yun frowned. "What of your mission to find the other bloodlines?"
"Complicated, but proceeding. I've dispatched trusted agents to the Southern Marshlands. As for our suspicion about a bloodline within the Protocol Administration itself—I may have a lead."
"Be careful," Liu Yun warned. "If they discover your investigation—"
"I know the risks," Commissioner Zhao cut in. "Focus on your journey. The Western Mountains hold more than just the Earth Vein descendant. According to ancient maps, one of the trial grounds lies hidden there as well."
The projection flickered as Commissioner Zhao looked over his shoulder. "I must go. Communication may be restricted in coming days. Trust the Seal's guidance."
The image disappeared, leaving them in silence.
"We should keep moving," Lin Fei said, standing. "The mountains are still four days away at our current pace."
They traveled until nightfall, making camp in a small clearing hidden by dense underbrush. As Liu Yun prepared a small fire, Lin Fei drew patterns in the dirt around their camp.
"Phoenix Sect protection wards," she explained. "They'll mask our energy signatures from long-range Protocol detection."
Liu Yun watched her work, impressed by the precision of her movements. "How did you learn your sect's techniques if they were destroyed?"
Lin Fei's hands didn't pause in their work. "My grandfather escaped the purge. He was just a child then, hidden by his mother in a secret chamber beneath their compound. He witnessed everything through a grate in the floor—his entire family executed by Protocol enforcers."
"I'm sorry," Liu Yun said quietly.
"He dedicated his life to preserving our bloodline and techniques," she continued. "Taught me everything before he died three years ago. His last words were about the covenant awakening soon."
The Imperial Jade Seal hovered closer. "Phoenix bloodline confirmed at eighty-seven percent purity. Sufficient for covenant activation."
Lin Fei rolled her eyes. "Thanks for the assessment. Always good to know I'm pure enough."
Liu Yun couldn't help but smile at her sarcasm. It was refreshing after the formality of the imperial court.
"What about you?" she asked, completing the final ward. "How did you discover your bloodline?"
Liu Yun told her about the hidden scroll room, his father's efforts to keep him from the sword techniques, and the gradual awakening of his powers. He hesitated when he reached the part about the sacrifice required of the Sword Sovereign.
Lin Fei noticed his pause. "There's more, isn't there?"
Before he could decide whether to share this burden, the Seal pulsed urgently. "Protocol energy signature detected. Distance: one kilometer and closing."
They extinguished the fire immediately. Lin Fei reinforced her wards while Liu Yun drew his sword, ready for battle.
"Single signature," the Seal updated. "Administrator class, but... irregular pattern detected."
Lin Fei and Liu Yun exchanged confused glances. "Irregular how?" Liu Yun asked.
"Pattern contains covenant resonance," the Seal replied. "Possibility: approaching entity is both Administrator and bloodline descendant."
Lin Fei gasped. "The hidden bloodline within the Protocol? Here?"
Liu Yun gripped his sword tighter. "Or a trap designed to make us believe exactly that."
They waited in tense silence as the presence drew nearer. Finally, a figure emerged from the trees—a young man in modified Administrator robes. He held no weapon and his hands were raised to show he meant no harm.
"I come alone," he called out. "My name is Wei Chen, Third Rank Administrator of the Protocol's Eastern Division."
Liu Yun stepped forward, sword still ready. "Why are you here?"
Wei Chen's eyes fixed on the Imperial Jade Seal. "Because that called to me. I've been having dreams for months—dreams of a covenant and a gathering of seven."
The Seal floated toward him, glowing brightly. "Wind Whisper bloodline detected. Covenant recognition confirmed."
Lin Fei lowered her defensive stance slightly. "You're one of us?"
Wei Chen nodded slowly. "I didn't understand until recently. I was adopted by an Administrator family as a child. I never knew my true heritage."
"Convenient," Liu Yun said, still suspicious. "An Administrator appears just when we need an inside connection."
Wei Chen didn't flinch from Liu Yun's distrust. "Test me if you must. The covenant knows its own."
The Imperial Jade Seal hovered between them. "Verification ritual available. Requires blood offering from both parties."
Liu Yun and Wei Chen locked eyes across the clearing. The future of their mission—perhaps the entire cultivation world—might depend on this moment of trust or betrayal.
"Let's begin the ritual," Liu Yun decided. "The covenant will reveal the truth."