Heaven’s Shadow

To the bustling city of Kunwu, this day was probably just an ordinary day. For many who were involved, it might have been even more lively than usual.

He Gang was one of those people.

Over the past days, He Gang had been moving around various shops in Kunwu City, secretly inquiring about the “vermilion” spiritual material as instructed by his elder brother He Yi. 

However, this task was proving difficult. First, there were too many shops in the city, and vermilion wasn’t considered a particularly rare spiritual material; many shops sold it. Second, he was tracking the identities of buyers, which was awkward—small buyers’ shops wouldn’t pay attention, while large buyers’ shops were cautious and reluctant to reveal anything.

It was only due to the Kunlun Sect’s authority in the area that He Yi had given him a token, which helped He Gang get some leads from major shops. Unfortunately, these leads, after investigation by He Gang and He Yi, turned out to be useless.

He Yi didn’t seem to mind and didn’t reprimand He Gang, but He Gang felt somewhat guilty and disappointed, feeling he let his elder brother down.

The two brothers had a close relationship since childhood. He Yi, being older, was naturally more talented and fortunate, always taking care of He Gang. Even after the incident with Yi Xin, despite facing criticism and pressure, He Yi had never abandoned his younger brother.

He Gang was not foolish, and he was grateful for this care. Without his elder brother, he felt he might have been abandoned or disregarded by everyone. The elder brother’s affairs were his own, and he wished to do everything he could not to disappoint him.

Thus, despite the lack of progress in tracing the vermilion, and He Yi’s suggestion to take a break and try other methods on Kunlun Mountain, He Gang continued his inquiries privately, holding on to a slim hope.

Unfortunately, the situation still showed no improvement. On this day, as he left a major shop with nothing to show for, his mood was quite gloomy.

At this moment, he unexpectedly saw a familiar figure on the bustling Chang Street—Yi Xin.

The instant He Gang saw Yi Xin, he was struck with a shock. It was hard to describe his feelings at that moment. In retrospect, he couldn’t say he deeply loved her, but the way this seemingly innocent girl had suddenly turned on him with such cruel and harsh means, plunging him into an abyss of misery, was beyond his expectations.

It wasn’t exactly love turning into hatred.

He no longer felt love for Yi Xin, only deep-seated hatred.

For a moment, He Gang felt an impulse to rush forward, grab the woman, and stab her repeatedly, to slash her face and then demand to know why she had inflicted such harm upon him.

But he resisted, as he had a crucial task to complete, and couldn’t afford to fail his brother’s important business. Moreover, he wasn’t completely out of his mind and knew that acting impulsively in the public eye of Kunwu City would not only leave him nowhere to hide but might also implicate his brother.

I cannot harm my brother. This was the strongest force keeping He Gang’s violent emotions in check. He glared fiercely at the seemingly troubled girl from the side, then decided to walk away.

However, at this moment, a man emerged from the crowd on Chang Street and greeted Yi Xin, capturing He Gang’s attention. The seemingly close relationship between Yi Xin and the man ignited a fire within He Gang.

Brother Lu? She was so intimate with him, as if they were very close, but the man appeared so ordinary and plain. Where… huh?

He Gang’s pupils suddenly constricted as if struck by lightning.

He fixed his gaze on the man beside Yi Xin, his mind racing, and then he finally remembered—he had seen this person before, in the land of confusion.

It was that guide! The one who led them to Black Armor Mountain in search of the Evening Mist Flower but ended up causing them to be attacked by the terrifying Black Boars!

—

In that moment, He Gang felt his mind go blank, yet as if overwhelmed by a stormy sea, he felt he was on the brink of recalling something extremely important but couldn’t quite grasp it.

He hid in a shadowy corner by the roadside, glaring at Lu Chen and Yi Xin with eyes that seemed to be on fire, observing their friendly conversation and the intimate gestures.

Before the trip to the land of confusion, he was a promising young talent in Kunlun Sect, admired by many, and his elder brother was even regarded as having the potential to achieve the Nascent Soul stage.

—

However, everything shattered after that nightmarish journey to Black Armor Mountain in the Land of Confusion…

Until today, He Gang had become a wretched figure, neither human nor ghost, and had even dragged his elder brother into punishment, eventually getting expelled from the Kunlun Sect. All this misery, the source of it all, instantly fell upon that detestable man!

If it weren’t for him leading the way, for his guidance, who would have gone to the dangerous Black Armor Mountain? Who would have encountered those terrifying Black Boars?

It was him, it was him—everything was because of him!

At that moment, He Gang wished he could tear Lu Chen into a thousand pieces!

When he saw Yi Xin and Lu Chen being so intimate, a fire of rage burned fiercely in his heart, scorching every part of him, even making his eyes turn red.

These two, when did they start colluding?

Were they, were they… involved in some secret relationship even back in the Land of Confusion?

Suddenly, it was like a cold shower, a revelation that struck him—he seemed to understand everything at once, everything made sense now.

The questions that had puzzled him finally had answers.

Back then, among the three people in Black Armor Mountain, Yi Xin had the lowest cultivation and least experience, yet why did Han Shishu die tragically, and he himself was severely injured and disfigured, while this woman emerged unscathed?

It must be related to this man, they must have had a private relationship, so this pair of scoundrels intentionally harmed them!

Such thoughts roared in He Gang’s ears like a malevolent ghost’s wail, consuming all his thoughts. At this moment, he couldn’t consider other facts he had deliberately ignored.

For example, Yi Xin didn’t originally know Lu Chen; for example, Yi Xin was also injured when she returned from the Land of Confusion; for example, He Gang had been the one relentlessly pursuing Yi Xin, and perhaps Yi Xin was meant to compensate him for the harm he suffered.

In pain, people often cling to their preferred beliefs, regardless of their truth.

You all must die!

He Gang stared at the two, consumed by rage, silently roaring as if he was about to rush at them and fight to the death. But at that moment, suddenly, a group of people emerged from the other side and surrounded Lu Chen and Yi Xin.

—

He Gang’s step halted in astonishment.

He stood among the crowd, secretly observing the situation in the center, and quickly understood the general course of events.

Indeed, Lu Chen was not a good person!

He had offended even the young masters of the Su family in Kunwu City and had even caused them to be beaten. But soon, He Gang discovered something even more infuriating.

This scoundrel Lu Chen was actually involved with Su Qingjun, the renowned and almost divine woman of the Kunlun Sect, who was as exalted as a celestial being.

Even at his peak, He Gang had never dared to dream of developing any relationship with a woman like Su Qingjun. In his mind, such a celestial-like woman could only be matched by his respected elder brother, He Yi.

He had even fantasized that, when his elder brother achieved greatness and became a Nascent Soul cultivator, the Dao partner by his side would be someone as talented as Su Qingjun.

The perfect match of male and female, admired by all—who wouldn’t envy that?

He would have greatly respected this sister-in-law, wholeheartedly wishing his elder brother and sister-in-law supreme glory and fame!

But suddenly, everything he had dreamed of seemed to shatter before his eyes.

How could someone like Su Qingjun possibly be connected with this ant-like man, Lu Chen?

Yet according to the Su family’s useless young masters, Su Qingjun seemed to have beaten up her own family’s brothers for this man.

What does this mean?

Could it be that the celestial-like woman had indeed been involved with this man?

He Gang clenched his fists in the crowd, breathing heavily, feeling as though all his blood was boiling. At that moment, he even hated Su Qingjun to the core.

How dare you betray my elder brother?

You are all villains, the whole world is full of villains… He roared in his heart as he watched the Su family members arrogantly insulting Lu Chen and taking him away.

Yi Xin, in a state of extreme anxiety, suddenly ran off, probably to seek help. He Gang watched her retreating figure for a moment, then hesitated, but soon realized that his hatred for Lu Chen had surpassed his concern for Yi Xin.

He resolutely followed the Su family’s group, feeling a sense of satisfaction as he saw Lu Chen being pushed and beaten. As he neared the gates of the Su residence, surrounded by a large crowd, he had to squeeze his way in.

In the process, he unintentionally bumped into a silent fat man in the crowd, but neither seemed to notice. As He Gang continued to push forward, he didn’t notice the deep worry in the fat man’s eyes, who was intently watching Lu Chen being captured by the Su family.

Even when he saw the Su family members pushing and hitting Lu Chen, a cold and violent murderous intent flickered in the fat man’s eyes.

—