"I missed you, buddy"Shi Ming said softly, eyes warm with emotion as he brought the bow to his lips and kissed it like a long-lost friend.
Xiao Wei, who had been casually observing, raised an eyebrow.
"Shadow Ming, why are you kissing that Tier 1 bow like it's a divine weapon?"Xiao Wei asked.
Shi Ming chuckled, still holding the bow with a tender grip.
"It's the first bow I ever used. Back when I was still a nobody trying to survive in the Cultivation World. This bow saved my life more times than I can count. And stop calling me Shadow Ming—my name is Shi Ming."Shi Ming said.
"Not anymore, you're my shadow now. Shadow Ming suits you much better."Xiao Wei said with a playful smirk.
Shi Ming rolled his eyes but didn't argue. Instead, he muttered under his breath.
"Forget it. Call me whatever you want. Shadow Ming... doesn't sound too bad, actually."Shadow Ming muttered, his lips curled slightly into an amused smile.
"Now what?"Shadow Ming asked, stretching his arms like someone who hadn't moved in years.
His Cultivation had reached the Ninth Layer of the Martial Master Realm, and his control over this new form was improving by the moment.
"You can't just wander around in that form. You'll attract every Cultivator, so you must follow me—but hidden. Enter my shadow."Xiao Wei said, his voice shifting back to seriousness.
"Enter your shadow? How am I supposed to do that?"Shadow Ming frowned.
In response, Xiao Wei summoned the Shadow Bird from his shadow. A sleek, dark bird fly out from within his shadow, flaring its ethereal black wings silently.
"Watch this"Xiao Wei said.
With a simple command, the Shadow Bird returned back into the pool of darkness beneath Xiao Wei's feet and vanished.
"See? It's easy. Just think about merging into the darkness below me. If you're really part of the Shadow Soldier now, it should be instinctual."Xiao Wei said.
"Alright, let's try this"Shadow Ming said, stepping closer. He closed his eyes and focused, willing his shadowy essence to loosen and flow. To his surprise, his feet began dissolving into the ground, and in moments, his entire body followed.
"It's working!"Shadow Ming said, his voice laced with excitement.
"Good, now don't speak unless I ask you to."Xiao Wei said.
'Don't worry, I'll keep quiet'Shadow Ming responded directly in his mind as he is connected to Xiao Wei.
With the final loose ends tied and no further reason to remain in the cave, Xiao Wei turned and stepped out.
Xiao Wei stepped out of the cave, his expression calm and composed, yet his eyes alert. The oppressive silence of the inner area of Tiger Mountain weighed on him like a heavy cloak. Though he had gained much in the last two months—a powerful Shadow Soldier, an enormous Storage Ring full of resources, and personal breakthroughs—he hadn't forgotten that danger still lurked around every bend.
He moved cautiously, each step calculated. Though his cultivation had reached the Eighth Layer of the Martial Apprentice Realm, he was still far from the top of the food chain in this perilous region. His Mountain Fist technique, now at Small Perfection, gave him a significant boost in combat, but it wasn't enough to confront stronger monster that might dwell deeper within.
Navigating through overgrown paths and narrow crevices, Xiao Wei made steady progress. At times, he paused and hid behind boulders or thickets when he sensed powerful monster auras nearby. With Shadow Ming now in his corner, he had someone to rely on in emergencies, but there was no reason to test his luck when stealth would suffice.
It took him an entire day to leave the inner area behind. As he crossed into the outer zone of Tiger Mountain, the atmosphere subtly shifted. The oppressive aura lightened, and the density of Spiritual Energy decreased. He could now hear the distant calls of birds, the rustle of small creatures in the underbrush, and the occasional roar of a beast fighting over territory.
His pace quickened.
After hours of carefully avoiding conflicts, Xiao Wei finally emerged from the forested mountain and reached the outer boundary. He cast one last glance back at the towering slopes of Tiger Mountain, the place where his fate had changed dramatically. In the last two months, he become far stronger than any normal Martial Apprentice Realm Cultivator. Now, he possessed a Ninth Layer of Martial Master Realm Shadow Soldier, a Tier 4 storage ring, and his mastery of Alchemy also become stronger.
With that, he adjusted his robe and made his way toward the Xiao Clan's territory, slipping through backroads and secluded paths.
The sun had dipped behind the horizon by the time Xiao Wei returned to the Xiao Clan.
The few months he spend in the Tiger Mountain had taken its toll on him—not just physically, but mentally and spiritually. After he return, he made his way straight to his room without speaking to anyone.
His body, sore from days of tense travel and battles, craved rest. Without bothering to change his dusty robes, he walked to the bed and collapsed onto it with a sigh.
As he lay there, eyes already closing, a voice echoed softly in the room.
"I'm going out for a walk"Shadow Ming said.
Xiao Wei opened one eye and gave a tired nod.
"Okay."Xiao Wei said as he fell asleep.
Shadow Ming didn't take his full human form—he remained a ripple of dark energy, a shadowy silhouette peeling away from the blackness beneath the bed. The outline of his form shimmered and shifted like smoke as he slipped through the cracks of the room.
With Xiao Wei already slipping into sleep, Shadow Ming exited through the door and began drifting silently through the Xiao Clan grounds. He didn't walk—he flowed, gliding along walls and under doorways, like a living shadow without substance. His senses absorbed everything around him.
The clan was unusually quiet for this hour. Faint lanterns lit the pathways, and a few disciples moved in small groups, but their expressions were tense. Whispers passed between them—talk of the Mo Clan, fear of war, uncertain futures. Shadow Ming picked up every word.
Soon, he reached the meeting hall.
Unlike the rest of the compound, this room was full of noise and urgency. Light from glowing crystals lit the chamber, casting long shadows across the wooden walls and polished stone floor. Several elders sat around a circular table, the atmosphere thick with tension.
No one noticed as a dark shape slithered into the room and curled into a shadow beneath the table.
"Patriarch, the Mo Clan has given us until tomorrow. They demand surrender, or they'll march on us. The Hu Clan has already abandoned the city and withdrawn their forces. We are alone now."Second Elder of Xiao Clan said, his voice strained.
Several elders grumbled, their voices overlapping in discontent.
At the head of the table sat Xiao Fen, the current patriarch of the Xiao Clan. His brows were furrowed deeply, and the corners of his eyes were lined with fatigue. His Cultivation had reached the Fourth Layer of the Martial Grandmaster Realm, making him the strongest fighter in the clan. But even he looked uncertain.
First Elder Xiao Ren slammed his palm against the table.
"Xiao Fen, we supported your decision when you stripped Xiao Bai of his position and killed him. We trusted your strength and your leadership. Now you speak of to run away from here?"Xiao Ren growled.
"Patriarch, you already sent a letter to him, didn't you?"Elder Xu, the Third Elder, asked in a measured tone, his eyes glinted with a flicker of hope.
The room fell silent. All eyes turned to Xiao Fen.
The heavy silence that followed the elders heated discussion was like a suffocating blanket draped over the Xiao Clan meeting hall. Every eye in the room turned to the head of the table, where Xiao Fen, the current clan Patriarch, sat with a calm yet distant expression. The lines etched across his face spoke not of age, but of stress, burden, and the toll of leading a clan facing annihilation.
At last, Xiao Fen broke the silence, his voice low and firm.
"The letter I sent to that man was returned. His reply was simple—he said he won't involve himself in our matters any longer."Xiao Fei said.
Gasps and murmurs rippled across the elders. Some looked at each other in disbelief, while others lowered their heads with a grim understanding. They had all pinned their final hopes on that mysterious figure, a powerful Cultivator who had once provided the Xiao Clan with life-saving assistance. His refusal meant they were truly on their own now.
Before anyone could speak, Xiao Fen turned sharply toward the First Elder.
"And Xiao Ren, don't shift all the blame onto me. Do you think I've forgotten what motivated your support back when we dealt with Xiao Bai?"Xiao Fei said coldly.
The First Elder narrowed his eyes but said nothing.
"You helped me because you wanted Mo Chen, Xiao Bai's wife, for yourself"Xiao Fen continued, his voice gaining a sharper edge.
"But you failed to capture her. And she chose death rather than let you humiliate her. That mistake—that failure—was yours."Xiao Fei added.