Blood River

Outside the Ten Thousand Scrolls Tower.

Su Changhe sheathed his dagger and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. "As expected of the Shadow Sect's leader. You almost killed me."

Yi Bu lay in a pool of blood, the sword in his hand already broken in two. He gazed at the Ten Thousand Scrolls Tower, now engulfed in roaring flames, his eyes filled with unwillingness and resignation. Yet in the end, he only sighed. "It's finally over."

His thoughts drifted back many years ago, to a long street in Heaven Revelation City, where he had drawn his sword against his most beloved disciple.

"Qingyang, I'm disappointed in you," Yi Bu had said, watching the disciple he had personally raised point his sword at him.

"Master, I'm disappointed in you too," Luo Qingyang, who would later be known as the Lone Sword Immortal, had replied after a moment of contemplation. At that time, he was still just a young man making his first mark in the world.

The two then fought a fierce battle. Yi Bu had won, but Luo Qingyang's words lingered in his ears ever since.

"I've always wondered if there would come a day when I would draw my sword against you, Master. I thought that when that day came, I would no longer fear you. I would dare to pursue the things I truly love!"

But what were the things he truly loved?

Yi Bu didn’t seem to know the answer to that question.

From the moment he was born, his father had drilled into him the duty to restore the Shadow Sect to its former glory. That goal had taken root in his heart like a seed, and his entire life seemed devoid of personal desires—only that singular purpose remained. As a child, his greatest wish had been for nightfall, when he could bury his head under the covers and escape his father's lectures. In those moments, he wasn’t the hope of the Shadow Sect’s revival—just an ordinary boy.

Then one day, his father died, and he had no choice but to take up the sword left behind, becoming the youngest leader in the Shadow Sect’s history. He had always hoped for a son, someone to inherit his father’s expectations, but in the end, he only had a daughter, Yi Wenjun—whom he later traded away as a bargaining chip for the sect’s revival.

Later, he met Luo Qingyang.

Luo Qingyang became a Sword Immortal, was granted a city, yet still chose to part ways with him.

His life had been a complete failure. Not only had the Shadow Sect failed to rise again, it had vanished entirely under his leadership. He had lost both his daughter and his beloved disciple.

"They say that before death, a person’s entire life flashes before their eyes like a revolving lantern. You’ve been lost in thought for a while now—are you also reminiscing about your life?" Su Changhe stepped on Yi Bu’s hand, the one still clutching the broken sword. "Stop thinking. Look at me."

Yi Bu snapped out of his reverie and met Su Changhe’s gaze. "Do it."

"Tell me," Su Changhe leaned closer, "who else in Heaven Revelation City knows about the connection between the Dark River and the Shadow Sect?"

Yi Bu sneered. "Planning to kill them all, are you?"

"What if I am?" Su Changhe smirked. "You thought I couldn’t kill you, yet here we are."

"Don’t worry. If people knew that the infamous assassin organization of the martial world was secretly controlled by the imperial court, it would cause widespread panic. Only a handful know of the Dark River’s existence," Yi Bu replied."Just a few names. If you speak them, I might spare you an intact corpse." Su Changhe slightly increased the pressure under his foot.

"Chang He." Su Muyu's voice came from behind him.

Su Changhe tilted his head slightly. "Well? Did you find what you were looking for?"

Su Muyu nodded. "I did."

"What should we do with this old man?" Su Changhe blurted out, then immediately regretted it. "No, why am I asking you? I am the Grand Master of Dark River. If it were up to me, I’d chop off his limbs first—otherwise, he’ll never tell us who else in Heaven Revelation City is watching us."

"Even if you sever his limbs, he won’t tell you." Su Muyu glanced at Yi Bu on the ground. "You’ve killed plenty. You must have seen that look in his eyes before."

Su Changhe shook his head. "You’re just no fun. I only wanted to torment him a little."

"Let’s go." Su Muyu stepped past Yi Bu.

"Anything else you’d like to say?" Su Changhe leaned down to ask Yi Bu. "Out of the last shred of my conscience, I’ll listen."

"A shadow remains a shadow for life. If a shadow steps into the light, it can only vanish." Yi Bu mustered his final breath to speak. "You… will fail in the end."

"What a curse." Su Changhe flicked his wrist, sending a dagger flying to end Yi Bu’s life. He stepped over the corpse and caught up to Su Muyu. "Su Muyu, today’s a great victory. Let me treat you to a drink at Diao Lou Xiao Zhu."

"We didn’t burn down the Shadow Sect—we burned down the Imperial Father-in-Law’s residence." Su Muyu gave him a weary look. "We need to leave Heaven Revelation City immediately."

Su Changhe froze, pondering Yi Bu’s last words. If a shadow steps into the light, it can only vanish. If the Shadow Sect ceased to be the Shadow Sect and took on the identity of the Imperial Father-in-Law’s household, was that the so-called shadow stepping into the light? Then Yi Bu’s words weren’t just a curse—they were a reflection of his own fate.

"What’s on your mind?" Su Muyu asked.

"Nothing." Su Changhe shook his head.

The two walked side by side in silence until they passed the Shadow Sect’s main hall. Suddenly, they halted. Su Changhe gripped his daggers, his killing intent flaring. "Who’s there?"

Before them stood a tall man in a Purple Python Robe, accompanied by a boy no older than thirteen or fourteen.

"Su Changhe, Grand Master of Dark River. Su Muyu, head of the Dark River Su Family." The man in purple smiled. "An honor."

Su Muyu studied him. His demeanor, attire, and even the aura he exuded were strikingly similar to Zhuo Qing, the eunuch he had met before—yet his face was noticeably younger. A possibility dawned on him, and he spoke gravely, "You are Chief Eunuch Jin Xuan?"

Su Changhe stiffened. "The foremost martial artist of the imperial court."

The man in purple chuckled. "Sharp eyes. We’ve never met, yet you recognized me at a glance."

"What about me? Who am I?" The boy grinned at Su Muyu and Su Changhe.

Su Changhe tightened his grip on his daggers, ready to strike. "Perhaps who you are… isn’t all that important.""This is the first time you truly see the world, and tell them your name." Jin Xuan stroked the jade ring on his finger. "Speak louder."

"The seventh prince of Beili," the young man stepped forward. "Xiao Yu."