Twilight descended over the Southern Marshlands as Liu Yun, Lin Fei, and Jiang Tao made final preparations for their departure. Their small vessel—crafted from interwoven reeds and reinforced with Water Weaver techniques—waited at the mouth of a hidden channel that would lead them to the underground passage.
"These will help you breathe underwater," Mei Song explained, handing each of them a translucent bubble containing a pulsing blue-green organism. "Living air sacs. They filter water through membranes, extracting oxygen. Place them over your mouth and nose when submerged."
Liu Yun studied the strange creature. "How long will they last?"
"Six hours at most," she replied. "More than enough to reach the transition point where water gives way to earth. Beyond that, you'll need Earth Vein techniques to navigate."
Jiang Tao nodded solemnly. "I've mapped the passages from the old records. The route should take us beneath the Administrator's perimeter defenses."
A distant rumble drew their attention to the horizon, where unnatural darkness was forming against the evening sky. Not storm clouds, Liu Yun realized, but something far more ominous.
"The suppression fields are intensifying," Lin Fei observed. "They're moving faster than we anticipated."
The blind Water Weaver elder approached, his weathered hand touching the surface of the nearest water channel. "The marshlands speak of intrusion. Administrator forces have begun their advance—testing our defenses, seeking weaknesses."
"We need to move now," Mei Song declared. "Our diversion must begin before they establish their full perimeter."
Liu Yun gripped the Earth Shattering Sword tightly. "We should fight together. Divided, we're more vulnerable."
"The covenant must continue," Mei Song countered firmly. "Three bloodlines united, with knowledge of the fourth's location. This chance may not come again for generations."
Lin Fei placed a restraining hand on Liu Yun's arm. "She's right. Every bloodline that joins us strengthens the covenant. We honor their sacrifice by succeeding."
Reluctantly, Liu Yun nodded. The Water Weavers had made their choice, just as the Earth Vein clan had in the Western Mountains. The Pattern demanded its price.
"The Imperial Jade Seal will guide you," Mei Song continued, watching as the artifact hovered over their vessel. "It has awakened more fully with each bloodline's recognition. By the time you reach the Sand Shapers, it may reveal knowledge even our ancestors didn't possess."
The seal pulsed gently, its jade surface rippling with symbols that shifted between solid and liquid states—reflecting both Earth Vein and Water Weaver influences.
"Remember," the tattooed lore keeper warned, "the Sand Shapers you seek may bear little resemblance to the bloodline recorded in our histories. Prepare yourselves for transformation beyond recognition."
As final farewells were exchanged, a series of low, resonant tones echoed across the marshlands—the Water Weavers' signal system, carrying complex messages through the vibration of water itself.
"The Protocol vanguard has breached the outer mists," Mei Song translated. "Their suppression technology affects a quarter of our territory already."
"Then it's time," the blind elder announced, raising his arms. The other Water Weavers formed a circle around him, their movements synchronized as they began a fluid, hypnotic dance.
The marshlands responded immediately. Waters that had been still for generations began to move, currents awakening beneath the surface. Vapor rose in tendrils, coalescing into thicker mist that swirled and twisted with purpose.
"Go now," Mei Song urged, her eyes already shifting to their full aquatic form—entirely black, with a luminescent blue ring around the pupil. "Follow the deep channel until it submerges. Then use the air sacs and trust the waters to guide you."
Liu Yun boarded the reed vessel with Lin Fei and Jiang Tao, the Imperial Jade Seal hovering above them like a navigator's compass. As they pushed away from the floating village, the Water Weavers' ceremony reached its crescendo.
The marshlands came alive with terrifying majesty. Waters rose in towering columns, mist solidified into phantom forms, and the very ground seemed to breathe beneath them. Liu Yun could feel the raw power of the covenant bloodline—not just individuals manipulating their element, but an entire ecosystem responding to its chosen guardians.
Their vessel glided silently through increasingly narrow channels, the sounds of conflict growing distant behind them. Occasionally, brilliant flashes of blue-white light illuminated the mist—Water Weaver techniques clashing with Protocol technology.
"The suppression fields were designed for individual cultivators," Jiang Tao observed as they watched another distant explosion. "The Administrators never anticipated an entire bloodline acting in concert with their environment."
Lin Fei nodded, her expression solemn. "Even so, technology can overcome natural advantage given enough time. The Water Weavers aren't fighting to win—they're fighting to delay."
"And to remind the Protocol why containment was preferable to confrontation," Liu Yun added, recalling the blind elder's words.
The channel narrowed further, the waters darkening as they followed a gentle descent beneath the surface. Ahead, Liu Yun could see where their path would plunge fully underwater—the entrance to the ancient passage network.
"This is it," Jiang Tao said, securing their minimal provisions. "Beyond this point, we commit fully to the underground route."
The Imperial Jade Seal pulsed brightly, descending to hover just above the water's surface. Its light revealed intricate carvings on the stone walls of the passage entrance—symbols representing both Earth Vein and Water Weaver bloodlines, intertwined in partnership.
Liu Yun took a final look at the marshlands behind them. In the distance, the Water Weavers' defense illuminated the night sky with ethereal blue radiance. Sacrifice to further the covenant's progress—the Pattern repeating itself once more.
"May the waters remember your courage," he whispered, then turned to face the dark passage ahead. Placing the living air sac over his mouth, he nodded to his companions.
Together, they submerged into the ancient depths, leaving the battle of the marshlands behind as they journeyed toward the crucible of the Northern Desert and the mysterious Sand Shapers who awaited them there.