Heaven’s Shadow

“So, are you going to thank me?” 

After knocking and walking into Lu Chen’s room, Yi Xin leaned against the table with a triumphant expression, smiling at Lu Chen.

Lu Chen nodded repeatedly and said earnestly, “Do I even need to say it? It’s all thanks to Miss Yi’s keen insight and timely warning that I got this opportunity.”

“Hehe!” Yi Xin seemed even more pleased, crossing her arms and boasting, “Well, what can I say? It’s just how smart I am. That day I happened to run into Sister Su on the road. Even though I only exchanged a few words with her, I could tell from her tone that she was quite concerned about the hawthorn fruit matter. So I figured, with others unavailable, she’d definitely want to take a look herself, right?”

Lu Chen nodded vigorously, repeatedly saying “yes, yes” as if he had just had an epiphany. “You’re really too smart and clever!”

Yi Xin sighed and put on a pained expression. “It’s a pity that others, each trying to outsmart the other, took every opportunity to cut corners. Sister Su must have been watching from the side and surely disapproved. Seeing you working so diligently and cultivating the hawthorn well, it would be strange if you weren’t selected. So,” she said earnestly to Lu Chen, “Brother Lu, you should remember this lesson for the future: don’t be lazy or try to cut corners!”

“Alright, alright, I remember it all. You’re absolutely right.” Lu Chen laughed, showing infinite patience as if he would listen to Yi Xin no matter what she said. Yi Xin began to feel a bit embarrassed by her own boasting, her face reddening as she gave him a playful glare.

“So, did I help you out this time?” Yi Xin asked.

“You were a huge help.” Lu Chen replied.

Yi Xin extended her hand with a grin and said, “Then give me a reward. Quickly, please!”

“Shall I offer myself as a reward?” 

“What!” Yi Xin was startled, her face flushing crimson. She scolded, “Hey, Brother Lu, you’re being improper again. What are you saying!”

Lu Chen burst into laughter and waved his hand, “Just kidding.”

“You always joke like this. Remember, back when we first met in the Chaotic Land, you also said something about offering yourself. How shameless!”

Lu Chen laughed, “You didn’t want to offer yourself, and now you don’t want me to offer myself either. Wow, you’re really hard to please!”

“Hey… can you talk properly, Brother Lu?” Yi Xin looked like she was about to jump onto the table in frustration, her face red and eyes glistening with tears.

Lu Chen shrugged, pulled her down to sit beside him, and then said with a smile, “Alright, alright, no more jokes. I’m over ten years older than you, so I shouldn’t take advantage of you… Hmm, but as for a gift, I’m at a loss for what to give you right now.”

Yi Xin suddenly looked up at him.

Lu Chen didn’t notice, just lowering his head in thought for a moment. “How about this: I don’t have anything good on me at the moment, but when you find a suitable husband and get married, I’ll give you the best gift then, okay?”

“When I get married?” Yi Xin appeared somewhat shy but her eyes were bright and clear, like gentle waves reflecting beautiful, shimmering light, as she asked softly.

Lu Chen smiled, “Yes.”

Yi Xin stared at him for a while and then giggled, “Alright, but remember, you promised the best gift!”

Lu Chen extended his hand with a smile and said, “A gentleman’s word!”

Yi Xin nodded seriously and also extended her fair hand, slapping his palm with a crisp sound, and said loudly, “Even four horses can’t catch up!”

For a moment, their hands touched, and an unusually soft feeling seemed to pass from their palms. Lu Chen withdrew his hand and sat on the edge of the bed, as if suddenly remembering something, then muttered to himself, “Ah, let me think, I don’t think I can be considered a gentleman…”

“Hey!” Yi Xin jumped up in a fury, rushing over to push him down. Lu Chen fell onto the bed laughing heartily, while Yi Xin, both amused and angry, slapped him several times and huffed, “You’re such a bad person, so bad. You promised something and now you’re trying to go back on it… You’re too bad!”

※※※

Under the bright blue sky and clear sunlight, the majestic Kunlun Mountains stood tall, like colossal giants on the earth, nurturing countless beings and hiding unknown darkness and shadows.

When the warm sunlight fell on the house, everything looked so calm and peaceful. With almost no one around, the sound of footsteps breaking the tranquility was exceptionally clear and loud.

Two people were approaching: Du Kong Zhenren and his disciple He Yi.

**Chapter 143: Promise**

About ten yards away from the room, there were guards stationed. However, after He Yi handed over the letter from Xian Yue Zhenren, they quickly stepped aside. Several of them cast lingering glances at He Yi, seeming to be more interested in the young man than in the venerable Du Kong Zhenren.

He Yi’s face bore some resemblance to his younger brother He Gang, although this was before He Gang’s disfigurement. After many days apart, He Yi’s face looked a bit pale, possibly due to prolonged confinement in the cave and lack of sunlight. However, aside from this, he appeared in good spirits, calm, and seemingly unaffected by the previous incident.

When they reached the door of the room, Du Kong Zhenren stopped, and He Yi, who had been following half a step behind, also came to a halt.

With no one else around, Du Kong Zhenren looked at his disciple with a hint of satisfaction and smiled, “When I promised the Sect Master back then, I did have some concerns for you. This opportunity was too precious for you, so I had to seize it first.”

He Yi showed a touch of gratitude on his face and bowed his head slightly, saying, “I am deeply grateful for your kindness, Master. It’s really hard for me to repay it.”

“But seeing you like this now, I’m reassured.” Du Kong Zhenren said casually with a smile, “I was worried that the previous incident might have had a severe impact on you, disturbing your mindset and affecting your cultivation. But it seems you not only remained unaffected but have actually made progress. You should be just a step away from breaking through to the Golden Core stage, right?”

He Yi smiled with a determined expression but did not speak.

Du Kong Zhenren nodded, saying, “That’s right. When the situation is not yet ripe, it’s best to remain low-key and patient. If you can view this setback as a form of tempering, it will benefit your cultivation in the future.” He then seemed to recall something, and with a faint smile, continued, “Nowadays, everyone in the sect thinks Su Qingjun is a prodigy. But I’m not so sure. Her future achievements might not necessarily surpass yours.”

He Yi was surprised by this and asked, “Master, what do you mean?”

“Su Qingjun does have talent, and she is indeed formidable. However, the reason she broke through to the Golden Core stage so early is largely due to the resources her family, the Su Clan, and her master, Mu Yuan, have lavished on her. The Su Clan is desperate to have a Golden Core cultivator to uphold their reputation, and Mu Yuan’s ambitions are even greater!” 

“Greater than Mu Yuan’s ambition for a Golden Core cultivator…” He Yi’s expression changed slightly as he whispered, “You mean Mu Yuan wants to make her… a True Monarch?”

“Exactly.” Du Kong Zhenren sneered, “Mu Yuan is the leader of the Iron Branch, and he’s long been dissatisfied with the decline of the Iron Branch. But with his abilities, how can he shake our Kun Branch? After all, the Kun Branch has True Monarchs Bai Chen and Tian Lan overseeing it.”

“So, for the Iron Branch to flourish, their only hope is for an extraordinary talent to emerge from their ranks and reach the Divine Transformation stage. That would create a significant upheaval, leading to a meteoric rise!”

He Yi was silent for a moment before nodding, “What you say makes sense. It’s no wonder Mu Yuan is so meticulous in his care for Sister Su. I’ve heard that he is exceedingly demanding in her training, allowing no errors or regrets.” He then smiled, “It’s commendable that Sister Su has managed to progress so fiercely under such immense pressure.”

Du Kong Zhenren chuckled, showing an air of indifference. “This is just the beginning; there’s still a long way to go. Let’s wait and see how things turn out.” He paused, then looked at He Yi and added, “In any case, the path of cultivation is long and fraught with challenges. Xiao Yi, you have talent and capability, but in your future cultivation, you must be able to remain calm and focused to achieve great things.”

He Yi stepped back, deeply bowed to Du Kong Zhenren, and said solemnly, “I will heed the Master’s teachings.”

Du Kong Zhenren nodded and said, “That’s all for now. Remember what I said. Let’s go in.”

He Yi replied, “Yes,” and stepped forward to open the door.

Du Kong Zhenren added, “This matter involves the Demon Sect and is of great importance. The Sect Master takes it very seriously. You need to investigate thoroughly, strive to catch the culprit, and uncover the truth. Do not slack off.”

He Yi replied, “Understood, Master.”

With a creak, the doors were pushed open, and a dark, eerie aura seeped out of the room. It seemed that the outside light could not penetrate inside for the moment, and an unpleasant, strange odor wafted out.

As He Yi was about to enter, Du Kong Zhenren suddenly chuckled to himself. He Yi turned to look and asked, “Master, what’s the matter?”

Du Kong Zhenren said, “It’s nothing. I just suddenly thought of something and couldn’t help but laugh at Mu Yuan’s foolish ambition.”

“What is it?”

Du Kong Zhenren leisurely replied, “Mu Yuan, in his grand ambition, has pushed his disciple to reach the Golden Core stage even earlier than Bai Chen and Tian Lan. The entire Kunlun thinks of her as a prodigy. But, he’s so focused on his own joy that he hasn’t considered whether our Kun Branch’s mighty True Monarchs, Bai Chen and Tian Lan, are pleased or not with the Iron Branch’s actions.”

Saying this, Du Kong Zhenren laughed to himself.

He Yi, standing beside him, turned his gaze to the dark, gloomy room ahead and suddenly felt a chill run through his heart.