The Imperial Capital sprawled beneath them like a sleeping dragon, its lantern-lit streets forming glowing veins through the darkness. Lin Feng and Ming Yue stood atop the Golden Sun Sect's guest tower, their cultivation robes whipping in the high winds as they surveyed the ancient city.
"Somewhere down there," Ming Yue said, her voice barely audible above the wind, "beneath all those people, all that history..."
"A seal," Lin Feng finished. "And if Li Mei's translations are correct, it's been there since before the First Emperor."
The thought was chilling. Millions of people lived their lives in the capital, never knowing what slumbered beneath their feet. The Azure Cloud Sect's seal had nearly broken with only a few hundred people nearby. Here, if something went wrong...
Azure Destiny thrummed softly at his side, a reminder of both danger and duty. The sword had been increasingly active since they'd arrived in the capital three days ago, as if it could sense something resonating with its own ancient purpose.
"My father's sources in the Imperial Court are worried," Ming Yue continued. "There have been... incidents. Nothing as dramatic as what happened at your sect, but concerning nonetheless. Nightmares spreading through entire districts like a contagion. Wells that draw up water black as ink. Children speaking in languages that died ages ago."
"The same pattern," Lin Feng nodded. They'd seen similar signs in the weeks before the Azure Cloud Sect's corruption had become obvious. "How many know about this?"
"Too many and too few." Ming Yue's face was troubled in the moonlight. "The Court Artificers have noticed something's wrong, but they don't understand what they're dealing with. The Imperial Guard has increased patrols, but they're looking for human threats. And the common people... they know something's happening, but each neighborhood has its own theories, its own fears."
A flash of movement caught Lin Feng's attention – a signal from the street below. Wei Chen had returned from his reconnaissance of the Imperial Library.
"We should go," Lin Feng said. "The others will be waiting."
They made their way down through the Golden Sun Sect's compound, a sprawling complex that served as both martial academy and diplomatic mission in the heart of the capital. The sect's presence here dated back centuries, a testament to its close ties with the Imperial Court.
In a private meeting room deep within the compound, they found the rest of their team already assembled. Wei Chen was spreading documents across a large table, while Li Mei and Zhao Kuo conferred quietly in one corner. A new face had joined them – Han Jing, the Golden Sun Sect's chief archivist and Ming Yue's maternal aunt.
"Tell me you found something," Li Mei said as they entered.
Wei Chen's usual cheerful demeanor was subdued. "I found something, all right. Whether we'll like it is another matter." He gestured to the documents he'd laid out – ancient maps of the capital, architectural drawings, and what appeared to be astronomical charts.
"The Imperial Library's restricted section contains records dating back to the city's founding," he explained. "Most of it is mundane – construction plans, tax records, that sort of thing. But there are gaps. Specific periods where records just... stop. And they all coincide with major construction projects in the oldest part of the city."
"The Temple District," Han Jing said, her scholarly voice carrying the weight of certainty. "It's always been odd, how many temples were built there, layer upon layer over the centuries. Different dynasties, different religions, but always in the same place."
"Building sacred sites on top of older sacred sites is common enough," Zhao Kuo pointed out.
"True," Han Jing acknowledged. "But look at this." She pulled one of the astronomical charts closer. "These measurements were taken during the reign of Emperor Yong, over eight hundred years ago. They show a type of spiritual energy emanating from the Temple District – energy that doesn't match any known cultivation method or natural formation."
Lin Feng felt Azure Destiny stir as he studied the chart. The pattern was familiar – similar to what they'd discovered beneath the Azure Cloud Sect, but more... refined, somehow. More controlled.
"They knew," he said quietly. "The First Emperor's advisors – they knew what was down there. The temples weren't built to worship gods. They were built to contain something else."
"A scholarly consensus," Han Jing agreed. "But there's more. Every sixty years, like clockwork, the Imperial Court orders major renovations to the Temple District. Always with the same peculiar requirements – specific materials, specific configurations, specific rituals that must be performed during construction."
"Reinforcing the seal," Li Mei realized. "But if that's true... we're overdue. The last renovation would have been..."
"Five years ago," Ming Yue finished. "But it never happened. The Imperial Treasury was depleted after the border wars, and the renovation was postponed."
A heavy silence fell over the room as the implications sank in. Lin Feng's hand found Azure Destiny's hilt, drawing comfort from the sword's warm presence.
"How long?" he asked.
"Based on the energy readings we've been able to detect?" Wei Chen consulted another document. "Months, maybe weeks. The seal is degrading faster than the ones at Azure Cloud Sect. Whether that's due to age or the missed renovation or something else entirely..."
"We need to get down there," Zhao Kuo said firmly. "See what we're dealing with before it's too late."
"It won't be easy," Ming Yue cautioned. "The Temple District is heavily guarded, and the underground portions are considered sacred ground. Even with my father's influence, we can't just walk in and start poking around."
"Then we don't walk in." Lin Feng traced a path on one of the maps. "These old maintenance tunnels – they're still accessible?"
Han Jing nodded. "Technically, yes. Though they haven't been used in generations. The entrances were sealed during the Last Reform period."
"Sealed can be unsealed." Li Mei was already making notes. "We'll need detailed maps of the tunnel system, guard patrol schedules, and information on any active security formations."
"And a reason to be in the area that won't attract attention," Wei Chen added. "The Festival of Burning Leaves is in three days. The temples will be busy with preparations."
"Good." Lin Feng straightened up, his decision made. "We use the festival as cover. Wei Chen, work with Han Jing to get us those maps. Li Mei, Ming Yue – see what you can learn about the security arrangements. Zhao Kuo..."
"Scout potential escape routes," the big man nodded. "Already on it."
As the others moved to their tasks, Lin Feng remained at the table, studying the ancient charts. Azure Destiny's presence felt heavier than usual, as if the sword was trying to tell him something about what lay ahead.
"We're missing something," he murmured to himself. "Something about why this seal is different..."
But answers would have to wait. Dawn was approaching, and with it the beginning of their most dangerous mission yet. The fate of the Imperial Capital – and perhaps the entire realm – would depend on what they discovered beneath those ancient temples.
And somewhere in the darkness below, something was stirring, awakening from a slumber that had lasted longer than empire itself.