Chapter 151
Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW
Chapter 151: The Shadow Clan Royal Family
Outside Tianwu City in the central region, wild grasses grew thickly, and dry, decaying stumps dotted the landscape. An ancient pavilion stood in the heart of a deep valley, its ruins stark against the sky, with birds flying overhead and faint shadows cast by the sparse trees.
This pavilion had the same shape as the ancient pavilion at the peak of Sword Demon Mountain, but the one on Sword Demon Mountain no longer existed. In the world, this was the only such ancient pavilion left.
A woman in purple robes sat on one of the bamboo chairs inside the pavilion, her back turned to Ming He. She gazed lightly at the mountain rocks outside, seemingly lost in thought, her black hair flowing down her back like a waterfall.
Ming He stood quietly outside the valley for a moment, walking through the wild grass and around the dry wood until she reached the ancient pavilion. She looked up at the flowing clouds in the sky, and she vaguely remembered that day in front of the bamboo building at the Liu Yun Sect, with the same sunlight and gentle breeze.
“Are you waiting for me, second Senior Sister?” she softly asked, her clear and bright eyes shining with a smile, just like the little Junior Sister from before at the Liu Yun Sect.
Lou Qing Shang was momentarily caught off guard by her bright gaze. As her heart trembled, a faint smile appeared on her lips. “Yes!”
I have indeed been waiting for you, day after day, with longing in my heart.
Ming He smiled radiantly and lowered her gaze, looking earnestly at the woman in purple. “Second Senior Sister, I did it.”
She said this with purpose.
This great game of heaven and earth was not only a shocking gamble against the alien races but also a test bestowed upon her by the so-called heavenly principles.
Her second Senior Sister, Lou Qing Shang, was actually a part of that test.
“I am not of the human race.” This was what Lou Qing Shang had said months ago.
She was indeed not of the human race, yet she was also not a member of the alien races.
She was neither from the Demon Race nor the devil race; she belonged to the Shadow Clan.
The Shadow Clan was one of the Myriad Races, coming from the battlefield of the heavens and not belonging to the Tianwu Continent.
Senior Brother Mu Qian said that there are both good and bad among the alien races, just as there are traitors among the human race. There are no absolute rights and wrongs in the world.
Just like Wei Rou, who was clearly of the alien race yet stood with the human race.
Ming He looked at the woman in front of her, who was smiling like a gentle breeze. She lowered her gaze and recalled asking Fu Yao on the peak of Canglan Mountain what she would do if she fell into darkness.
At that time, the Lord of the Imperial Palace, dressed as a youth, smiled and replied, “Lou Qing Shang belongs to the Shadow Clan.”
So, she understood everything.
As an alien race, the Shadow Clan was not as large or powerful as the Tian Yan Tribe; their numbers were few, and their power uncertain, yet they possessed three unique supernatural abilities.
The first ability is to deceive the heavens and conceal heavenly secrets.
A thousand years ago, Xin Ming Zhu, the Left Envoy of the demon race, was able to deceive all human cultivators and take over their bodies to get close to Mu Chen, thanks to the assistance of Lou Qing Shang’s mother, a member of the Shadow Clan royal family.
After all, someone able to become a young leader like Mu Chen wouldn’t be a fool.
The second ability is to seize luck and claim it as their own.
This was why Xin Ming Zhu approached Mu Chen.
Among the many races of the Tianwu Continent, the human, demon, and devil races are the strongest, yet the luck of the human race is the mightiest, unmatched even by the combined forces of the demon and devil races.
Thousands of years ago, when the seal of the battlefield of the heavens was shattered, the Tianwu Continent faced imminent peril. All the Myriad Races rushed in, and it was during this time that the Shadow Clan entered the Tianwu Continent.
Later, human cultivators sacrificed their own blood to seal the breach of the battlefield of the heavens once more. Many powerful allies at the Earth Emperor Realm and Human King stage rushed to the battlefield, allowing the Tianwu Continent to endure and regroup for a thousand years.
However, the environment of the Tianwu Continent was not suitable for the survival of the Shadow Clan.
In this realm, the spiritual energy was abundant and the air pristine, a setting ill-suited for the Shadow Clan, beings born to dwell in darkness. Thus, even without a decree from the human race to pursue them, the Shadow Clan began to dwindle significantly.
Eventually, only those of the Shadow Clan with the Royal Bloodline clung to survival, until they encountered Xin Ming Zhu.
The demon race mastered the art of creating puppets; by becoming a puppet, one could sustain life through the vitality and soul of their master.
Just as Qing Yue survived by relying on that prince of the alien race.
The Shadow Clan had no choice but to submit to Xin Ming Zhu, obeying her commands and serving her to secure their survival.
Therefore, when Xin Ming Zhu aimed to plunder the fortune of the human race, the Shadow Clan royal family had no option but to comply. As she drew near to Mu Chen, they approached the leader of the Merchants’ Guild.
Seizing the fortune of heaven and earth was also a form of plunder.
Thus, when Xin Ming Zhu was slain by Mu Chen, the Shadow Clan royal family naturally could not continue to survive.
Her death left behind the newborn Lou Qing Shang, who knew nothing, causing great distress to the powerful allies of the Imperial Palace and the Merchants’ Guild.
At that time, the leader of the Merchants’ Guild had already sacrificed in battle on the battlefield of the heavens.
Lou Qing Shang, parentless yet bearing the blood of the Shadow Clan, was ideally suited for elimination.
However, she carried the fortune of the Merchants’ Guild and was linked to the destiny of the Tianwu Continent. Like Mu Chen, who once bore the fortune of the human race, her death would harm the spirit of fortune in the unseen realm of the Tianwu Continent.
This would, in turn, affect the Merchants’ Guild.
The Merchants’ Guild, the primary resource hub of the Tianwu Continent, supplied weapons, pills, medicinal materials, and intelligence to the powerful allies of the human race on the battlefield of the heavens. Thus, it was imperative that it remained stable.
Therefore, Lou Qing Shang could not die and was to be made the Young Master of the Merchants’ Guild.
This was likely the final act of the Shadow Clan royal family to preserve her life and bestow upon her a noble status.
But how could they allow her to live without taking her life? That was another question.
After discussions with other powerful allies, Fu Yao decided to let her grow up normally, concealing her identity as a member of the Shadow Clan, allowing her to be simply Young Master Lou Qing Shang of the Merchants’ Guild.
Thus, she could cultivate Swordsmanship and peruse ancient texts.
Yet, she was not human but a member of the Shadow Clan, raised among humans.
Consequently, Lou Qing Shang could not control her Shadow Clan Supernatural Abilities.
The first ability was not destructive.
But the second ability was a lethal strike.
During her youthful training, she inadvertently seized the fortune of a promising young human cultivator, causing him to suffer severe injuries in the ensuing battle and nearly lose his life.
It was then that Fu Yao and other talented young human cultivators truly understood the might of these Supernatural Abilities.
They had no means to prevent future calamities and dared not let Lou Qing Shang remain in the Merchants’ Guild or the central region. They could only seal her Supernatural Abilities and entrusted her to Qu Lingyun.
Sealing her abilities also confined her once free-spirited heart. Knowing her true heritage clouded her mind, preventing her from wielding a sword and realizing her dream of becoming a sword cultivator, riding the winds with a blade in hand.
Lou Qing Shang’s path in Swordsmanship ended there.
Later, when Ming He gained the acknowledgment of the Star Lock, the humans became increasingly reluctant to allow her to stay with Ming He. Thus, this ancient pavilion became her place of confinement.
As for why Lou Qing Shang had to become her Senior Sister, this leads us to discuss the Shadow Clan’s third Supernatural Ability.
The third supernatural ability of the Shadow Clan is the power to transform shadows into souls and serve as storage vessels.
This means a natural ability to possess spiritual bodies, allowing beings from all races outside the Shadow Clan to seize them. By nourishing it with their own essence blood, the spirit of the Shadow Clan will merge with the soul of the possessor, becoming nurturing sustenance.
The body belonging to the Shadow Clan will undergo a complete transformation, becoming the highest spiritual body within the possessor’s race.
The Shadow Clan itself will become the possessor’s shadow, hiding in darkness and becoming a sacrificial life, losing all freedom and independent consciousness.
This fate is hundreds of times more tragic than being a puppet of the demon race.
Of course, such a method is too cruel and comes at a heavy price, and few dare to try it easily, especially in the Tianwu Continent.
Ming He did not know what the specific cost would be, but since Fu Yao said so, he would naturally do everything in his power to protect her, even if the price was his own life and that of other human cultivators.
This was Fu Yao’s backup plan for her.
This was the meaning of Lou Qing Shang’s existence.
She was also a piece in the chess game of heaven and earth, but one that had no control over her destiny.
Ming He looked at her right hand, thinking that perhaps having her cultivate Swordsmanship from the very beginning was a strategy from the humans.
Because she was indeed meant to practice Swordsmanship.
This ancient pavilion severed her connection with the world, removing the risk of her uncontrollably using her supernatural abilities to seize the luck of others, just like the ancient pavilion on Sword Demon Mountain was filled with Restrictions to lessen the time and frequency of Sword Demon’s descent into madness.
Now she had become the young leader of the human race, with the luck of the entire human race tied to her, so Lou Qing Shang would be free.
"Second Senior Sister, I am now the young leader of the human race," Ming He raised an eyebrow, curving her lips while whispering to Lou Qing Shang, her pride and joy clearly evident.
She was demonstrating with her actions that regardless of the past, she would always be her Second Senior Sister, the same Second Senior Sister who had once handed her a purple storage pouch in the library of the Liu Yun Sect.
"I know," Lou Qing Shang blinked, her eyes shimmering as her smile deepened, "Is the purple Merchants’ Guild token I gave you still with you?"
She suddenly spoke softly, her tone, rhythm, and question mirroring perfectly the words she spoke on that day at the ancient pavilion when Ming He had escaped to this place.
Ming He nodded, "It’s still here."
Then she pulled out a warm purple token from her bosom, its surface scarred and pocked, showing signs of breaking.
This was the token that Liu Yu had given her on Canglan Mountain.
She had once asked the gentle-looking lady in palace attire, "What is the purpose of this token?"
Why did Sword Demon regain his sanity because of the purple light emitted by the token? Why could the humans track her movements during her escape thanks to the token?
The lady, Liu Yu, had remained silent, only smiling at her before turning to leave.
So now, Ming He looked at Lou Qing Shang while holding the token, her eyes naturally revealing her inner confusion.
"This token is the source of the Merchants’ Guild’s luck," Lou Qing Shang smiled, "Long ago, I could already control my supernatural abilities."
So she had transferred the luck her mother had bestowed upon her to this token and then given it to Ming He during their time at Liu Yun Sect.
Yet no one had told her.
"This was originally a token used by the Imperial Palace to suppress my Shadow Clan bloodline. Its seals and the ancient pavilion on Sword Demon Mountain come from the same source, which is why it can awaken Sword Demon’s consciousness."
"This chess game of heaven and earth has been in preparation for quite some time."
"Little Junior Sister, do you know about the existence of the Tianji Pavilion? It is a place that can glimpse the secrets of the heavens and know the future."
"From the moment they appointed me as the Young Master of the Merchants’ Guild, perhaps the trajectory of my life was already destined."
After all, the term "heavenly secrets" is too profound.
No one knows if everything today is a deliberate scheme by the human race or simply going with the flow. Or perhaps it is a matter of being mindful amidst the predetermined situation, seeking the best outcome through human efforts.
"This token has already been stained with your blood, hasn’t it?" Lou Qing Shang said, firmly taking the purple token from Ming He’s hand. She smiled as her gaze lowered, a drop of crystal-clear blood falling from her lips right onto the center of the token.
Ming He frowned, watching as the token floated away from Lou Qing Shang’s hand, releasing rippling purple light that enveloped both her and Lou Qing Shang.
It seemed to be a cleansing of the heart and an enlightening clarity.
It appeared as if, in the unseen realm, a new bond formed between Lou Qing Shang and her.
As the purple light dispersed, the token became warm and translucent again, returning to the condition Ming He first saw it in, with all the battle scars and fractures caused by Sword Demon completely vanished.
Lou Qing Shang slowly crouched down, carefully tying the purple Merchants’ Guild token to Ming He’s waist, the jade tassel billowing in the wind, faintly resembling its former beauty, yet the two standing here were no longer the same as before.
She stood up and looked at Ming He with a smile, "From now on, remember not to lose it again."
Because this token would be tied to her life and that of Lou Qing Shang.
"Little Junior Sister, you can trust me."
At that moment, the woman’s clear voice echoed in Ming He’s mind, resonating repeatedly across the void.
Lou Qing Shang smiled, her expression light and gentle, "From now on, I will be your shadow guardian."
A shadow guardian hides in the dark, ready to be a substitute when needed, just like Zhan Qing Yi is to Qin Chu Yi.
Only in this way could she step out of the confinement of the ancient pavilion and attain the so-called freedom.
She never had the right to choose.
Whether willing or not, they were both pieces on the chessboard of heaven and earth.
They were all pawns prepared by destiny for her.
Lou Qing Shang would be Ming He’s shadow guardian.
Indeed, as the young leader of the human race, her status was undoubtedly noble and required a shadow guardian.
Thus, it was clear she was arranged this way from birth.
Lou Qing Shang’s mother, that member of the Shadow Clan who became a puppet of the demon race, still believed she could deceive the humans to protect her child’s noble life.
How could that be? The human race has never been known for being merciful.
The powerful allies of the Imperial Palace are certainly not indecisive saints.
Yet no one ever asked for her opinion.
Did they care if she wanted her Second Senior Sister to be her shadow guardian?
Did they care if she even wanted a shadow guardian of her own?
In the face of life-and-death moments, as a sword cultivator fought desperately, did she not need a shadow to replace her?
Tianji Pavilion.
To glimpse the secrets of heaven and know the future.
Do cultivators not realize that heavenly mandates cannot be defied?
If it were that simple, where would rebellion against fate or resurrection from death come from?
Ming He looked up at the sky, clear blue as always, seeming to retain the colors of the past.
She clenched her fists and lowered her gaze, feeling the subtle connection between herself and Lou Qing Shang, her voice hoarse and low, "Second Senior Sister, you don’t really need to do this."
"What if I willingly choose to?" Lou Qing Shang responded, her smile unwavering, bright and fresh like a gentle breeze flowing over mountain slopes.
"Little Junior Sister, I am willing," she said, looking down with sparkling eyes, "after all, I need to atone!"
Moreover, she was not the only one atoning for her elders.
So she did not feel lonely.
At least the young leader of the human race is Ming He, who is a bright, straightforward, and determined sword cultivator, which is already very good.
Atonement.
Ming He paused, her breath almost stopping for a moment, as countless thoughts surged in her mind, quickly fading; she didn’t even know what to think.
Lou Qing Shang said she was atoning for her mother.
But at that time, she hadn’t even been born and knew nothing at all.
She knew her Second Senior Sister was innocent, yet as she looked at the elegant figure before her, recalling the blood mist that dissipated in the air, she opened her mouth but couldn’t utter a word.
She was not the victim and had no right to claim innocence.
She had even less right to say that there was no need for atonement.
In this whole affair, she was an outsider, and even now as the young leader of the Tianwu Continent, she lacked the right to voice her thoughts.
She was never Yóu Lìng.
