Chapter 108: The Assembly of Vanguards

The spirit-wood doors of the Cloud-Sea Pavilion slid open, and Lin Tian stepped into the entrance hall. The clean spiritual energy of the Inner Sect felt very different from the heavy miasma of the Desolate Weeping Woods.

His black outer robe was still neat despite the battle, with barely a trace of what had happened outside. His expression remained calm as he walked in.

Aunt Lin followed half a step behind, supported by his arm. The fight had left her exhausted, and the familiar ache from her Qi Stagnation had returned, but she kept walking without complaint.

They entered the main hall.

Madam Shen was already seated at the large spirit-wood table in the center of the room. She wore her dark-crimson robe, her hair neatly pinned with a jade hairpin, while several jade slips lay before her.

The moment she saw Lin Tian, she set the jade slip in her hand aside and stood.

"Welcome back, Lin Tian."

The usual strictness was absent from her voice as she gave a respectful bow.

"Rise, Madam Shen."

Lin Tian released Aunt Lin’s arm and waited until she was steady before walking toward the head of the table.

***

Aunt Lin remained near the entrance for a moment, catching her breath as she looked toward the woman in crimson.

Within the sect’s strict hierarchy, the difference between an Outer Sect pavilion manager and an Inner Sect Vice-Manager was enormous. In the past, Aunt Lin would have been extremely careful around Madam Shen, knowing that a single decision from her could affect the supplies and resources needed for the forge.

But things felt different now.

Madam Shen’s gaze moved over her face and noticed the exhaustion there, the dampness of her robes, and the faint strain left by the battle. She understood at once how much Aunt Lin had pushed herself.

There was no hostility in her eyes.

Madam Shen turned toward the nearby side table and poured a cup of profound-ice tea. Instead of having someone else bring it over, she carried it to Aunt Lin herself.

"You’ve endured a lot today, Manager Lin," she said, her voice noticeably softer than the one she usually used with others. "Your meridians are under strain. This should help ease the discomfort."

Aunt Lin accepted the cup with both hands. The tea was cool when it touched her lips, and the spiritual energy within it slowly spread through her meridians, easing some of the ache that had built up in her chest.

"Thank you, Vice-Manager Shen."

She took another careful sip before lowering the cup.

"And thank you for the records yesterday. Without your help, the inspectors might have reached me before I could even begin the forging."

Madam Shen gave a faint smile.

"We serve the same purpose, Aunt Lin. Your forge and my records are simply different parts of the same work."

Her voice remained calm, but there was clear sincerity in it.

"Keeping your forge running is part of my duty."

Aunt Lin looked at her for a moment before giving a small nod. She understood what Madam Shen was saying without needing any further explanation.

The tea remained warm between her hands as some of the tension in her body finally eased. Neither woman said anything more, but the respect between them had already become clear.

***

"Sit," Lin Tian said from the head of the table.

Madam Shen and Aunt Lin took their seats, their attention shifting fully to him.

Lin Tian placed the dark-silver pagoda on the table. Even without being activated, it gave off a faint pressure that made the spiritual energy around it feel heavier.

"The test in the Desolate Weeping Woods went well," he said. "The Void-Stone and Profound Steel worked together without any instability, and the pagoda can suppress a Foundation Establishment beast without me needing enough cultivation."

Madam Shen studied the pagoda for a moment before looking toward Aunt Lin. "You forged a Tier 2 Peak-Grade artifact at Peak Qi Gathering?"

Aunt Lin shook her head slightly. "I only followed his design. He already understood how the formation should work."

Madam Shen’s eyes returned to Lin Tian, and the surprise in them deepened.

Lin Tian did not explain further. He let the matter settle before continuing, "And that method can be used for more than one artifact. That is where the two of you come in."

Madam Shen and Aunt Lin exchanged a brief glance before focusing on him again.

"I’m calling this the Shadow Web."

Lin Tian paused for a moment before continuing. "The sect relies on its Matriarchs and Elders for strength, but that’s not enough. A sect also needs disciples, resources, and the arrays and weapons that support them."

"Think of them as blood, veins, and bone. Disciples are the blood, resources are the veins, and arrays and weapons are the bones."

Both women remained silent, considering the meaning of his words.

Lin Tian turned toward Madam Shen. "Shen, you control the veins. From now on, tighten them quietly. Slow some of the Yin herb shipments, delay a few requisitions, and let certain requests take longer than they should. Nothing serious enough to raise suspicion. Make it look like ordinary mistakes."

Madam Shen gave a small nod. "I can do that. A few delays here and there won’t attract much attention."

Lin Tian then looked at Aunt Lin. "You control the bone. With Shen making sure your pavilion has the materials you need, start adding small weaknesses to the arrays and standard weapons you produce. Nothing an inspector would notice, but enough that I can find and use them when necessary."

Aunt Lin’s expression became serious. She thought about the idea for a moment before asking, "And the defensive arrays around the Peaks?"

"Those too. I want a hidden channel built into them. It should stay unnoticed during normal inspections and respond only to my Qi."

Aunt Lin gave a slow nod. "It will take careful work, but I can do it. With Shen moving the materials quietly, it shouldn’t draw attention."

Lin Tian nodded. "Good. Then we start with the parts that are easiest to move without notice."

***

A quiet pause settled over the hall.

Madam Shen and Aunt Lin remained seated, thinking about the scale of Lin Tian’s plan. They exchanged a brief glance, both beginning to understand where he wanted this to lead.

If Madam Shen controlled the herbs and pills reaching the Core Formation Elders, she would control an important part of the sect’s resources. If Aunt Lin controlled the defensive arrays protecting the private peaks, she would hold influence over another part of the sect’s strength.

Lin Tian was not planning to challenge the sect directly. That would only draw attention and make the Matriarchs and Elders wary of him.

He wanted something more lasting.

He wanted the sect to slowly come under his control.

By the time the elders realized how much of the sect depended on people loyal to Lin Tian, it would already be too late to separate those connections. Resources, arrays, weapons, and eventually the people managing them would all be tied to the same network.

Lin Tian’s gaze moved across the two women before settling back on the table. This was only the beginning. The sect held many talented cultivators, influential elders, and powerful Matriarchs, each with their own interests and weaknesses.

He had no intention of forcing all of them to submit at once.

With the System at his side, Lin Tian would use every advantage it gave him to bring the sect’s powerful Matriarchs under his control, one after another. A faint, dark smile appeared on his lips at the thought, and a strange excitement stirred in his chest.

Madam Shen’s expression became serious. "You’re planning to take control of the sect without giving them a reason to resist."

Aunt Lin looked at Lin Tian. "And by the time they realize what’s happening, most of the sect will already be in your hands."

Lin Tian gave a calm nod. "Exactly. I don’t need to destroy the sect. I need to control it."

His gaze moved between them.

"The Shadow Web will grow quietly. Once it covers enough of the sect, taking control will be much easier."

Madam Shen and Aunt Lin exchanged another glance before rising from their seats.

"We’ll follow your instructions," Madam Shen said.

Aunt Lin nodded. "I’ll make sure the forging side is handled carefully."

Lin Tian looked at both of them and gave a small nod. The Outer Sect was already within his reach, and his influence was beginning to extend into the Inner Sect as well.

The first part of his plan was in place.

He leaned back in his chair. "Rise. Madam Shen, give me your report. Where does Alchemy Peak stand?"

Madam Shen straightened and prepared to answer. Aunt Lin remained quietly beside the table, still tired from the journey.

Her mind briefly returned to the promise Lin Tian had made before they left the forest, but she kept it to herself for now.