The morning sun spilled pale light across the sprawling Lotus Temple grounds, yet the brightness did little to ease the tension thickening the air. Whispers fluttered like restless leaves through the corridors and training halls, carried on uncertain breath. Among the sea of robes and weapon cases, the disciples spoke in hushed tones, their eyes darting nervously between one another.
Lucien moved deliberately, his gaze sharp beneath the shadow of his hood. He felt the weight of their scrutiny, yet more pressing was the itch of suspicion gnawing at his thoughts. The sect was a nest of secrets and lies, and somewhere inside, the spider spun its web.
Today, the hunt would grow sharper.
As Lucien passed the training grounds, he caught snippets of conversation.
"They say the spy moves like a ghost."
"Could be one of the senior disciples—someone no one suspects."
"Who? No one would think it's Darren Vale."
The name struck a chord. Darren Vale—a senior disciple renowned for his charm and skill, admired by many and envied by a few. His easy smile and confident stride masked a hard edge few noticed. Lucien's gaze shifted discreetly to the figure ahead, watching how Darren interacted with others.
The system stirred within Lucien's mind — a quiet hum of awareness.
Crimson karma threads detected. Faint, but distinct.
Lucien's Karma Sight pulsed softly, illuminating a thin scarlet thread weaving invisibly around Darren's aura. It was a pulse of deceit, concealed beneath layers of charms and false merit. The thread throbbed with concealed sins, growing sharper with every glance Darren cast in Lucien's direction.
Lucien's heart did not race — instead, cold calculation settled deep within. This was the lead he needed.
Later that day, Lucien found himself in the garden pavilion—a secluded spot where bamboo rustled and koi swam lazily in shaded pools. Darren sat with his usual relaxed grace, but the tension between them was palpable.
Lucien stepped forward, voice low but firm.
"Darren. I know who you are."
Darren's eyes flicked up, a smirk playing at his lips. "Lucien Graves. The sect's self-appointed judge. What news do you bring?"
Lucien's gaze narrowed. "You are no disciple loyal to Lotus Temple. You are the brother of Cassian Vale, leader of the Crimson Vow Sect. You were sent here to spy, to poison this sect from within."
Darren's smirk hardened, pride flashing in his eyes. "So the hidden judge has eyes sharper than I thought. Yes, I am Darren Vale, and yes, I am Cassian's brother. But do not mistake me for weak. The sect is a game — a chessboard where pawns, knights, and kings move under shadow. I am but a piece, yes, but one that holds power."
Lucien stepped closer, voice deadly calm. "Your game ends here. The truth will not hide. Your lies will be judged and punished."
Darren laughed, low and bitter. "You think you can stop what's coming? You are but one man, playing a role you barely understand."
Lucien's eyes glinted. "We shall see."
The next morning, the entire sect gathered on the outer court platform. The midday sun beat down, casting long shadows from the wooden pillars and the rows of assembled disciples. Murmurs rippled through the crowd as Lucien strode into the center, his presence commanding immediate silence.
Raising his voice, clear and resolute, Lucien announced, "I challenge Darren Vale to a public duel. Let the sect bear witness to the truth."
A hush fell. The Sect Master sat on his elevated throne, silent and unreadable, watching intently from afar. The gravity in his gaze suggested this was no mere spectacle, but a move laden with political meaning.
Darren stepped forward, a cocky grin plastered on his face. "Very well. I accept. Let everyone see if the 'hidden judge' can back his words with power."
The crowd surged with excitement, eager for the showdown.
The training platform, circled by the throng of disciples, became an arena of judgment. Lucien and Darren faced each other, the tension palpable.
The duel began with swift, precise strikes, both combatants skilled and disciplined. But Lucien's calm belied the storm beneath — his system skills primed, his senses attuned.
As blades clashed, Lucien activated Karma Sight, the crimson threads of Darren's sins blossoming brightly for all to see. The crowd gasped as spectral chains of glowing light emerged, wrapping around Darren's form — the infamous Verdict Chains.
Lucien's voice rang out, "Your treachery will be exposed."
Darren struggled, trying to summon a talisman of concealment, but the system nullified it instantly, branding it forbidden.
With a final surge of power, Lucien's spectral blade pierced through Darren's defense, subduing him completely. The crowd fell silent, eyes wide as Darren was forced to kneel and confess his role as a spy before all.
The System chimed softly in Lucien's mind:
[Reward Granted: Verdict Slot Unlocked]
A surge of power filled him as the new slot expanded his ability to judge and execute corrupt souls.
The crowd erupted into cheers, chanting his name — the "Hidden Judge" of the sect, the avenger of truth.
Yet amidst the jubilation, the Sect Master's cold eyes lingered on Lucien, calculating and unreadable. Rein Aldric, lurking in the shadows, watched with a wary expression, understanding that the balance of power had shifted—and that war was looming.
That evening, alone in his quarters, Lucien sat in silence, the glow of candles flickering across the walls lined with ancient scrolls.
He thought about the day's victory, the cheers, the exposure of the spy — but also the dangers rising like a storm on the horizon.
Justice was no longer a quiet whisper in the dark. It was a blade flashing in the light, and with it came enemies, politics, and shadows more profound than before.
Lucien's fingers brushed over the new Verdict Slot's faint glow in his mind.
The war within the sect was just beginning.