"The seventh prince of Beili," Su Muyu frowned slightly. "I've met another of your princes. He looks very different from you."
Xiao Yu smiled. "Which one?"
"The sixth prince, Xiao Chuhe," Su Muyu replied.
Xiao Yu's smile froze on his face. He frowned and said, "So it's him."
"Prince Xiao Yu is the son of Consort Xuan, born on the same night as the sixth prince, though slightly later," Jin Xuan said slowly. "The head of the Su Family must have met Consort Xuan before."
Su Muyu nodded. "I have. At the end of our battle to kill Ye Dingzhi, when we were in dire straits, it was Consort Xuan and the Lone Sword Immortal who arrived and stopped Ye Dingzhi."
"Indeed. In that case, Consort Xuan could be considered your savior. How interesting," Jin Xuan said with a faint smile. "But do you know of Consort Xuan's connection to the Shadow Sect?"
Su Changhe's voice turned grave. "Consort Xuan is Yi Bu's only daughter, a sacrificial pawn in the marriage alliance between the Shadow Sect and the former Jingyu Prince's residence."
"Correct. Therefore, Prince Xiao Yu is, in fact, Yi Bu's grandson," Jin Xuan said, his hands tucked into his sleeves, his tone indifferent.
Su Changhe and Su Muyu exchanged a glance, both seeing a trace of solemnity in each other's eyes. The two had just endured a fierce battle and were already weakened. Yet the grand eunuch Jin Xuan, who had suddenly appeared before them, was far more formidable than any of their previous opponents—someone they would struggle to defeat even at full strength.
Jin Xuan's right hand, hidden in his sleeve, slowly rubbed the ring on his left hand. He seemed to relish these moments of silence, as if everything was perfectly under his control.
"Grand Eunuch," Xiao Yu called softly.
Jin Xuan smiled at Su Changhe. "Head of the Su Family, your killing intent is too sharp. I feel as if a winter wind is cutting across my face, stinging like a blade."
Su Changhe scoffed. "Facing the foremost expert of the imperial court, one careless moment could mean death. How could I suppress my killing intent?"
"And what of the head of the Su Family?" Jin Xuan turned to Su Muyu.
"If you've come for vengeance, then we will fight. But it seems that is not your purpose," Su Muyu replied.
Jin Xuan nodded. "We care little for Yi Bu's life or death. But after his passing, according to tradition, the successor of the Shadow Sect should be—"
"Me," Xiao Yu interjected.
"The Shadow Sect?" Su Muyu straightened slightly.
"Head of the Su Family, I sense your killing intent as well," Jin Xuan said with a smile, seemingly unbothered. "It appears you dislike the term 'Shadow Sect.' So after tonight, there will be no more Shadow Sect—only the Dark River."
Xiao Yu nodded. "The Shadow Sect will vanish from this world with this fire."
"Erasing the Shadow Sect from existence is no easy feat. At the very least, your fire alone cannot achieve it," Jin Xuan murmured. "The truth about the Dark River will soon be uncovered, and you will be hunted as criminals. To step from darkness into the light—yet the light often hides greater dangers."
Su Changhe pondered briefly, then suddenly sheathed his weapon and straightened his posture. "So you've come to negotiate terms."Jin Xuan smiled, "Are we negotiating terms?" He extended a finger and lightly pointed it at Su Changhe.
Su Changhe swung his palm to strike at the True Qi, but the moment it touched his hand, the energy suddenly dissipated. By the time he regained his senses, he felt a surge of blood and Qi churning in his chest, which he forcibly suppressed with his own energy before returning to normal. Frowning, he asked, "What kind of martial art is this?"
"Let's just say it's a very interesting one," Jin Xuan replied with a smile.
"I will take over the forces left behind by the Shadow Sect, but the Shadow Sect will cease to exist. Everything that happened tonight will be nothing more than an accident. And from tonight onward, the Dark River will remain just the Dark River," Xiao Yu said slowly.
"Terms?" Su Muyu asked gravely.
"For now, there are none," Jin Xuan said, lightly flicking his sleeve. "The Dark River is a formidable entity. We simply wish to have one more powerful friend. Is that reason sufficient?"
"That reason is somewhat laughable," Su Muyu said earnestly.
Jin Xuan paused, then chuckled, "The Head of the Su Family is truly an interesting person."
"No one would be willing to pay such a high price just for a friend—unless that friend is very useful," Su Muyu said, looking up. "But if it's for exploitation, then it's not what one would call a friend. The two are contradictory."
"That is the Su Family Head's definition of a friend. I believe the Head's definition might differ," Xiao Yu said, glancing at Su Changhe.
Su Changhe grinned, "My definition of a friend is Su Muyu."
"How touching," Jin Xuan remarked, gazing up at the bright moon in the sky.
"Regardless, if the Grand Eunuch is truly willing to help," Su Muyu said solemnly, "the Dark River will remember this kindness."
Su Changhe shrugged, "After all, we don't have any other choice, do we?"
"Then, until we meet again," Jin Xuan and Xiao Yu stepped aside, clearing a path.
"Farewell," Su Muyu and Su Changhe swiftly passed by them, heading toward the Shadow Sect's main gate.
Jin Xuan and Xiao Yu continued forward. Xiao Yu murmured, "Do you think they took what we left for them?"
Jin Xuan watched as the Ten Thousand Scrolls Tower slowly crumbled before them. "Judging by the earlier scene, they certainly did. The bond between those two brothers is even deeper than we imagined."
"That makes things interesting," Xiao Yu said with a cold laugh.
"Friends?" Jin Xuan lowered his head with a faint smile. "We do need friends—but one is enough."
"May I boldly ask, Grand Eunuch, who do you think will ultimately stand before us? Su Changhe or Su Muyu?" Xiao Yu inquired.
Jin Xuan thought for a moment. "Su Changhe. I have a feeling he walks the same path as us."
As they neared the main gate, Su Muyu suddenly pulled out a stack of papers from his robe. "Chang He, these are for you."
Su Changhe took them. "What is this? From the Ten Thousand Scrolls Tower?"
"The section about you had these papers. I didn't read them, but I suspect they might contain records of your origins," Su Muyu replied. "You’ve always said you don’t remember your childhood. See what’s written here—it might help."Su Changhe hesitated for a moment, then finally shook his head with a smile. Raising his hand high, a swift gust of wind swept through, scattering the stack of papers into dust. "What's done is done. From now on, for Dark River, for you and me, there's only tomorrow."
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