093 Invading the Shadow

09

3 Invading the Shadow

The Shadow Clan’s headquarters was steeped in a suffocating atmosphere.

Inside Hei Yuan’s office, Ren Xun and Dave sat across from the Clan Elder, their expressions unreadable. The tension in the air had reached its peak, but Ren Xun, ever the sharp-tongued one, leaned back in his chair and smirked.

“I told you so.”

Hei Yuan exhaled slowly, his fingers tapping against the dark wood of his desk. “I thought you were exaggerating.”

Dave and Ren Xun exchanged a glance.

The Shadow Clan elder sounded regretful, but there was no true admission of fault in his tone—just the acknowledgment that he had underestimated the situation.

“I did put thought into your warnings,” Hei Yuan continued, his golden eyes narrowing slightly. “But I struggled to trust Gu Jie’s words.”

That got a reaction.

Ren Xun scoffed, folding his arms. “Because of her lower realm?”

Hei Yuan nodded, unbothered by Ren Xun’s disdain. “A person’s cultivation dictates their insight into the Dao. You can hardly blame me for doubting a mere Spirit Mystery cultivator’s ability to predict disaster.”

“Mere?” Dave raised an eyebrow. “She’s been in Spirit Mystery for quite some time now. That’s not exactly a low realm.”

Hei Yuan sighed. “I recognize that. And I understand that those who reach Spirit Mystery manifest supernatural abilities. I even admit that her prophetic ability is valuable.” He glanced toward the window, as if searching for answers beyond the confines of the office. “But even so, I needed more than just ‘a feeling of misfortune’ to move an entire clan.”

Ren Xun clicked his tongue. “And what about now? Do you need more proof?”

Hei Yuan frowned. “The people I sent outside haven’t made any reports.”

Dave’s expression darkened. “That’s because the island is surrounded.” He leaned forward, his voice lowering. “And we’ll be hard-pressed if we don’t make a decision soon. The people you sent are all probably dead.”

Hei Yuan was silent for a moment, his brows furrowed in thought.

Then he spoke. “The fog formation should hold them back.”

Dave shook his head. “For how long?”

“If it comes to it,” Hei Yuan continued, ignoring Dave’s skepticism, “our clan still has the lake’s dragon. It has promised to protect us in our time of need.”

Before either of them could respond—

BAM!

The doors slammed open, and a familiar figure stormed in.

Hei Mu.

She was seething, her sharp eyes locking onto Hei Yuan with unrestrained frustration.

“Why are the outsiders still here?!” she demanded, her voice filled with anger. “It’s been a month, hasn’t it?! We had an agreement!”

Hei Yuan’s eyes lingered on Hei Mu’s furious face, his expression unreadable. But when he finally spoke, his tone was measured.

“The clan is in a time of crisis,” he admitted. “I’d like to get whatever help I can get my hands on.”

Hei Mu’s scowl deepened. “What are you talking about?”

Hei Yuan leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temple. “I sent out scouts to investigate the gathering misfortune, but they never reported back.”

That made Hei Mu pause. “What misfortune?” Her arms, which had been folded across her chest in irritation, loosened slightly.

Dave took the opportunity to step in. “We’re surrounded.”

Hei Mu’s gaze snapped toward him.

“The island is surrounded,” he continued. “The Shadow Clan could use every bit of help it has.”

Hei Mu’s expression darkened, her lips pressing into a thin line. Then, her glare returned in full force, directed solely at Dave and Ren Xun.

“Out.”

Dave raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”

“Get out!” Hei Mu snapped. “You outsiders have already overstayed your welcome. This is a discussion for the Clan Elder and me.”

Dave held up his hands, shrugging. “Fine.”

Ren Xun sighed but didn’t argue, following Dave out of the room.

—

They walked toward the eastern wing, their steps slow and deliberate. Neither of them spoke for a while, the tension settling between them like a heavy fog.

Eventually, Ren Xun broke the silence.

“You think we’ll be fine?”

Dave glanced at him. “You mean without His Lordship?”

Ren Xun nodded.

Dave’s expression remained calm. “I was given a mission—to protect. And I intend to do that.”

Ren Xun exhaled sharply. “Then what about evacuating? We could use more of those teleportation scrolls.”

Dave didn’t answer immediately. He understood the thought process. The teleportation scrolls were their best bet for getting people out safely.

But he also understood something far more pressing.

“It wouldn’t work,” Dave finally said.

Ren Xun frowned. “Why not?”

“Because we’d be caught sooner or later.” Dave’s tone was grim. “If we don’t have the mobility of the Floating Dragon, we won’t get far. Making a run for it isn’t an option.”

Ren Xun went quiet, digesting the words.

Dave didn’t need to explain further. With his Divine Sense, he could feel the sheer number of hostile forces waiting beyond the fog.

The only thing separating the Shadow Clan from complete annihilation was the fog formation and the lake surrounding the island.

And Dave had a sinking feeling that wouldn’t be enough for long.

Ren Xun frowned as they walked through the dimly lit halls of the Umbral Scripture Hall, the library that had served as their base of operations for the past month.

“What about Senior Da Wei?” Ren Xun asked. “Have you heard from him?”

Dave shook his head. “No. I tried contacting His Lordship, but for some reason, I can’t reach him.” He paused, a slight frown creasing his usually impassive face. “It seems he’s caught up in something.”

Ren Xun clicked his tongue, clearly displeased with the answer. But there was nothing either of them could do about it.

Inside the library, Gu Jie sat beside Ren Jingyi’s aquarium, whispering something to the goldfish. The gentle glow of lanterns cast shadows along the wooden shelves, their flickering light barely illuminating the ancient tomes stacked around them.

Ren Xun scoffed. “What’s the use of talking to a fish?”

Gu Jie ignored him completely.

Instead, she turned her attention to Dave. “What’s our next course of action, Senior?”

Before Dave could answer, Hei Mao spoke up. “I want to stay.”

Dave shook his head. “We had no plans of recklessly leaving anyway.”

If it were just him, he was confident he could escape. The stats of His Lordship’s body were far beyond human limitations. In fact, beyond superhuman. Dave could abuse that to slip past the enemy encirclement.

But that wasn’t an option.

His Lordship had given him a mission: Protect them.

So, escape was out of the question.

Dave took a deep breath. “I have access to His Lordship’s Item Box. There are a few treasures inside that might be useful.”

The others exchanged glances.

“Item Box?” Hei Mao asked, tilting his head.

Dave realized the term was foreign to them. “A storage space only His Lordship can access. However, the problem is that many of the items inside have a level restriction.”

Gu Jie frowned. “What does that mean?”

“It means you can only wield them if you’re worthy of them,” Dave explained. “The artifacts won’t recognize you unless you meet certain conditions.”

For the next hour, they tested various items from Da Wei’s collection.

The equipment distribution took some time, but they arrived with something satisfactory.

Hei Mao selected a magic bow called Eye of the Sun. It was lightweight, yet the string hummed with latent energy. When he pulled the bowstring, a golden arrow of light formed, illuminating the dim library.

Gu Jie claimed a whip called Accursed Serpent. The moment she gripped the handle, the whip writhed like a living thing, its dark scales gleaming with eerie runes.

Hei Mao, amused, glanced at Ren Jingyi’s aquarium. “The fish wants to fight too.”

Dave blinked, looking at the goldfish.

Ren Jingyi was staring at him intensely, her tiny body floating in the water expectantly.

“…Fine,” Dave muttered, searching for something suitable.

After some consideration, he handed Ren Jingyi a ring that granted extra stats with a Magic Missile spell imbued in the ring.

To everyone’s shock, Ren Jingyi swallowed it whole.

“Makes sense,” commented Dave. “After all, it wasn’t like Ren Jingyi could wear a ring.

A moment of silence passed.

Then, to their absolute disbelief, Ren Jingyi flew out of her aquarium.

Water coalesced around her form, shaping itself into a serpentine cloak that allowed her to glide through the air.

“She—she’s flying?!” Ren Xun exclaimed, stunned.

“She’s only at Will Reinforcement,” Gu Jie muttered, watching as Ren Jingyi twirled mid-air, flicking her tail. “And yet…”

Hei Mao, who had the ability to speak to fish, smiled.

“She says thank you,” he said, bowing his head slightly toward Dave.

Dave simply nodded.

Even a fish wanted to fight.

That was all the more reason to make sure none of them fell behind.

As the artifact distribution wrapped up, Dave turned his gaze toward Ren Xun.

Unlike the others, Ren Xun had yet to find a suitable artifact.

It wasn’t for lack of trying—he had tested several items from His Lordship’s Item Box, but none had responded to him.

It probably had something to do with his realm. Martial Tempering was only the first step on the path of cultivation. Most artifacts worth wielding required at least Mind Enlightenment to properly activate. That was how it appeared to Dave at least.

Ren Xun sighed and crossed his arms. “Forget it,” he muttered. Then, as if suddenly coming to a decision, he turned to Dave. “Can I use your Puppet Armor instead?”

Dave blinked. “You want this?” Dave accessed His Lordship’s Item Box. With a flicker of thought, the Puppet Armor materialized before them, standing like an empty sentinel in the dimly lit library.

Ren Xun’s eyes gleamed as he stepped forward, running his hands over the intricate engravings.

“I won’t wear it myself,” Ren Xun explained. “I’ll modify the formation inscriptions so I can control it remotely.”

Dave watched as Ren Xun got to work, inscribing new formations into its inner framework with rapid, precise movements.

The Puppet Armor was incredibly advanced, packed with all sorts of abilities. In fact, Dave himself couldn’t believe that His Lordship had managed to acquire something so masterfully crafted in just four days.

Ren Xun, as if reading his thoughts, let out a small chuckle. “You’d be surprised.”

Dave turned to him. “What do you mean?”

Still focused on his work, Ren Xun confessed:

“I was actually involved in the crafting process. Secretly.”

Dave’s brows furrowed. “Explain.”

Ren Xun sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “At the time, I wasn’t sure if I could trust Senior Da Wei, so I left loopholes in the design.”

“…Loopholes?” Gu Jie’s eyes narrowed.

Ren Xun raised his hands in defense. “Hey, don’t look at me like that! I wasn’t planning anything bad! I just… made sure I had a fail-safe in case Da Wei ever turned against us.”

Gu Jie scowled at him.

But Dave simply shrugged. “That’s fine.”

Ren Xun blinked. “You’re not mad?”

“I understand why you did it,” Dave said. “You were looking out for your father, for the Empire, and for your own interests. I can’t fault you for that.”

Ren Xun stared at him for a moment, then laughed. “You’re too forgiving.”

Dave shook his head. “No. I just consider you a friend.”

Ren Xun froze. Then, after a moment, his shoulders relaxed, and he let out a genuine chuckle. “Well, thanks for that.”

With that, he resumed his work, adjusting the Puppet Armor’s formations.

“This should let me control it from a distance,” Ren Xun explained. “Not as good as having it fully equipped, but still useful.”

For a brief moment, he reminisced.

“I spent a few vacations at Master Hua’s smithy,” Ren Xun muttered absentmindedly. “I guess that experience is finally paying off.”

Dave took a step back, surveying everyone.

They were ready.

Or at least, as ready as they could be.

But was it enough?

Dave knew the enemy forces were overwhelming. Hundreds of hostile presences lingered just beyond the fog formation, waiting for an opening.

He was tempted to equip the others with more artifacts, but they’d likely reached their limit.

Artifacts were powerful, but lesser cultivators lacked the fortitude to endure them. The artifacts he had already distributed would push them to their absolute peak. Any more, and they might face penalties for forcefully wielding items beyond their means.

Even the strongest treasures were useless if they crippled their user.

“…This will have to do.”

He exhaled deeply, steeling himself for the battle ahead.

Dawn arrived, casting a dim, gray light over the Umbral Scripture Hall.

Dave had kept vigil throughout the night, standing watch while the others rested. He had spent hours trying to contact His Lordship through Voice Chat, but there had been no response.

Still nothing.

The silence unnerved him.

By now, His Lordship should have checked in, even if only to scold Dave for worrying too much. But there was nothing—not even a static buzz.

Something was wrong.

A soft rustling pulled Dave from his thoughts as the others began to stir.

Gu Jie stretched, rolling her shoulders as she sat up. Hei Mao followed, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Ren Xun let out a groggy sigh, running a hand through his hair.

Nearby, Ren Jingyi floated lazily in the air, her translucent form cloaked in a thin film of water.

Gu Jie turned to Hei Mao, her gaze steady.

“…Are you sure about this?” she asked.

Hei Mao’s expression hardened, but he didn’t hesitate. “I am.”

“It’s fine if you don’t want to fight,” Gu Jie continued. “You don’t have to force yourself. The same goes for you, Jingyi.”

Hei Mao shook his head. “I want to.”

Ren Xun scoffed, still groggy. “Since when did you become a fighter? I don’t remember you doing anything.”

Hei Mao glanced at him, then smirked. “That’s because I’ve been training when no one was looking.”

Ren Xun frowned. “...Huh?”

Hei Mao crossed his arms. “Elder Hei Yuan took time to teach me some entry-level techniques. Stealth, mainly.”

Ren Xun’s eyes narrowed. “Since when did Elder Yuan have the time for that?”

Hei Mao shrugged. “Guess he thought it was worth it.”

Dave listened quietly, arms crossed, until Hei Mao turned to him with a grateful nod.

“And Senior Dai Fu here helped me refine my combat sense.”

Dai Fu. Right. The name still felt strange, but Dave let it slide.

Gu Jie sighed. “Just don’t get yourself killed.”

Hei Mao gave her a mock salute. “No promises.”

Just then, a rumbling quake shook the hall.

The walls trembled, dust falling from the ceiling as a deep, resonant hum filled the air.

Dave snapped to attention.

The others froze, eyes wide.

A moment later, the distant sound of panicked footsteps echoed through the corridors.

A Shadow Clan member burst in, face pale.

“The fog formation has been broken!” he shouted. “Elder Hei Yuan, Hei Mu, and Hei Ma have awakened the Guardian Dragon!”

Dave’s frown deepened.

So, it had begun.

The attack was coming.

A heavy weight settled in his chest, but he forced it down. He had anticipated this, prepared for it.

Still… something felt off.

If Elder Hei Yuan, Hei Mu, and Hei Ma were already taking action, then why hadn’t the Shadow Clan’s Patriarch made an appearance yet? Why was he still absent?

Dave didn’t like this.

Not one bit.