New chapter 14

# Chapter 14 — Underground Echo

# Sun City — Xu Family Inner Courtyard

The rain finally stopped near dawn.

But Sun City did not recover.

If anything—

the silence afterward felt even heavier.

---

Xu Yuan sat quietly beneath the courtyard tree while staring at the slowly brightening sky.

For once—

he wasn’t joking.

Wasn’t relaxing.

Wasn’t pretending everything remained fine.

Because that voice from last night still echoed faintly inside his mind.

> “Found… you…”

---

Nearby disciples moved nervously throughout the Xu Family grounds carrying formation materials and spirit stones.

Everyone looked exhausted.

No one slept properly.

---

Lin Hao slowly walked into the courtyard holding tea.

“You look terrible.”

Xu Yuan accepted the cup calmly.

“Thank you.”

“That wasn’t a compliment.”

“I still appreciate it.”

---

Lin Hao sat beside him afterward before lowering his voice.

“The city lord officially ordered all younger cultivators to remain inside family territory.”

Xu Yuan nodded lightly.

“Reasonable.”

“That’s your reaction?”

“What else should I say?”

Lin Hao stared blankly.

“You were almost dying last night!”

“That sounds slightly dramatic.”

“You grabbed your chest and collapsed!”

“…When you describe it like that, it does sound concerning.”

---

Suddenly—

Xia Yu quietly entered the courtyard.

Several nearby disciples unconsciously moved aside as she passed.

That happened more often lately.

Xu Yuan noticed people naturally becoming quieter around her now.

Almost respectful.

Or cautious.

---

She stopped beside Xu Yuan silently.

“You’re unstable.”

Xu Yuan blinked.

“That sounds rude.”

“Your spiritual energy.”

Her silver eyes narrowed slightly.

“It’s fluctuating.”

Xu Yuan’s relaxed expression faded slightly.

Because he already knew she was right.

Since last night—

something inside his body felt wrong.

Not injured.

Not damaged.

Almost…

awakening.

---

Lin Hao immediately looked alarmed.

“You’re cursed now too?!”

Xu Yuan sighed deeply.

“You really assume the worst immediately.”

“LOOK AROUND!”

Fair point.

---

Before the conversation could continue—

Third Elder Xu Jian suddenly entered the courtyard quickly.

His expression looked unusually serious.

“All core disciples and direct descendants gather in the main hall immediately.”

Nearby disciples instantly became nervous.

Even Xu Yuan frowned slightly.

Meetings involving every major disciple rarely happened unless situations became truly dangerous.

---

Several minutes later—

the Xu Family main hall filled completely.

Elders stood near the front while younger disciples gathered quietly behind them.

The atmosphere remained tense.

---

Third Elder finally spoke.

“An underground formation was discovered beneath the eastern forest.”

Instant silence.

Several disciples immediately looked shocked.

Ancient formations were already dangerous enough.

Underground ancient formations were worse.

---

Another elder continued:

“City scouts discovered large spiritual fluctuations beneath the mountains late last night.”

Xu Yuan quietly narrowed his eyes.

Underground.

Again.

---

Then—

one elder placed several broken black crystal fragments onto the stone table ahead.

The moment Xu Yuan saw them—

his chest resonance instantly reacted again.

Cold pressure spread through his body violently.

---

Xia Yu immediately noticed.

So did the elders nearby.

Third Elder frowned.

“Xu Yuan?”

Xu Yuan slowly looked toward the black crystals.

Fragments from his visions.

Exactly the same.

---

Then suddenly—

BOOM!

The crystal fragments on the table violently trembled.

Several disciples stepped backward instantly.

Red light briefly flashed across the surface of the crystals.

And for one terrifying moment—

every person inside the hall heard a faint whisper echo around them.

Ancient.

Cold.

Hungry.

---

Several weaker disciples instantly turned pale.

Lin Hao nearly fell backward completely.

“What was THAT?!”

No one answered.

Because even the elders looked shaken now.

---

Xu Yuan slowly clenched his hand tightly.

The resonance inside his chest grew stronger again.

Almost responding to the crystals.

Like both originated from the same source.

---

Then suddenly—

one crystal fragment cracked apart completely.

CRACK.

A faint crimson symbol briefly appeared in the air above the table.

An eye.

Watching silently.

Then it disappeared instantly.

---

The entire hall remained silent afterward.

No one moved.

No one spoke.

Because everyone inside the Xu Family understood one terrifying truth now.

The thing beneath the eastern forest—

was trying to wake up.