Chapter 188: Shadow Master

The aura of the Shadow Master wafted in from the north side of Biluo City, like a fine needle piercing the skin—sharp and cold.

Su Yun stood before the mountain gate, gazing in that direction.

The night breeze blew that sweet fragrance everywhere, and several female Disciples guarding the gate couldn't help but sneeze.

Fairy Biluo walked up behind him and asked in a low voice, "Master, should I have the Disciples withdraw into the inner mountain first?"

Su Yun shook his head. "All of you go back. I will wait for her here alone."

Fairy Biluo opened her mouth, but in the end, she said nothing, turned around, and led the others away.

Only Su Yun was left in front of the mountain gate, the moonlight stretching his shadow out long.

The Shadow Master arrived quickly.

She did not take the city gate, descending directly from the sky.

A black silhouette streaked across the night sky and landed ten zhang in front of the mountain gate.

She wore a long black dress and a black veil hat on her head, with black gauze hanging down to her waist, completely obscuring her entire face.

The aura of the Peak Mahayana Stage radiated from her, like a stone thrown into water, with ripples pushing outward in circles.

Su Yun looked at her. "Are you the Shadow Master?"

From behind the black gauze came a woman's voice, light and cold. "Su Yun. You destroyed my Shadow Pavilion, killed my Protectors, and enslaved my subordinates. How do you intend to settle this score?"

Su Yun said indifferently, "You cannot beat me. It would be better to simply admit defeat and avoid getting a beating."

The Shadow Master let out a laugh.

The laugh was not loud, yet it was as grating as fingernails scraping against a slate. "To dare challenge me while only at the Late Mahayana Stage… You are truly the first."

She raised her hand, and purple-black lightning exploded from her palm, transforming into a lightning Dragon that lunged straight at Su Yun's face.

Su Yun did not retreat; he threw a punch backhanded.

The fist force collided with the lightning Dragon, and with a loud boom, a large crater exploded into the stone steps in front of the mountain gate.

Su Yun took a step back, but the Shadow Master remained motionless.

She struck out with another palm, this time with two lightning Dragons.

Su Yun gritted his teeth and took it head-on, stepping back two more paces.

The Shadow Master sneered, "Is that all the skill you have?"

Su Yun did not answer.

He mobilized all the power within his body, combining the Power of the Five Elements, Thunder Spirit Power, Ice Soul Power, and Blood Fiend Power into one.

Two phantoms appeared behind him, one ice-blue and one blood-red.

True Monarch Bingpo and the Blood-colored Girl channeled their power into his body.

His aura instantly climbed to the Peak of the Late Mahayana Stage.

The Shadow Master's black veil stirred slightly. "An ancient Nascent Soul? No wonder you are so arrogant."

Su Yun surged forward, a punch glowing with golden light smashing toward the Shadow Master's chest.

The Shadow Master raised her hand to block, but the palm force was shattered, and she stepped back.

Su Yun did not give her a chance to breathe, unleashing a barrage of punches and palms, each strike layered with the four types of power.

The more they fought, the more alarmed the Shadow Master became; this young man's spiritual power seemed inexhaustible, growing stronger with every exchange.

By the fiftieth move, the Shadow Master's palm technique slowed by half a beat.

Su Yun seized the opportunity and slammed a palm hard onto her shoulder.

The Shadow Master let out a muffled groan and stumbled back several steps, her veil hat tilting and revealing a pointed chin, her skin nearly transparently pale.

She quickly raised her hand to straighten her veil hat, her voice even colder. "You are courting death."

She formed hand seals, and purple-black lightning exploded from around her, transforming into a massive net that descended upon Su Yun.

This net was stronger than any previous strike, and Su Yun felt his spiritual power being suppressed, his speed slowing down.

He did not retreat, gritting his teeth as he punched at the lightning net.

The lightning net exploded; his fist was charred black, the flesh split open to reveal white bone.

But his other hand had already tapped the Shadow Master's brow.

A golden light flashed.

[Enslavement Successful]

[New Slave Acquired: Shadow Master. Loyalty: 31]

[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for receiving partial spiritual power feedback. Cultivation level increased.]

The Shadow Master's body stiffened, the killing intent in her eyes rapidly turning into obedience.

She lowered her head and said softly, "Master."

Su Yun withdrew his hand, looked at his charred fist, and frowned.

Fairy Zixia rushed out from the mountain gate, holding a healing elixir in her hand, and shoved it into his mouth.

Su Yun chewed twice and swallowed, and the wound began to heal rapidly.

He looked at the Shadow Master. "Take off your veil hat."

The Shadow Master reached up and removed her veil hat.

Beneath the black gauze was a young face, looking about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, with delicate features and thin, pale lips.

Her hair was very long, shiny black, and hung down to her waist.

Her eyes were deep purple, brighter than Shadow Four's, like two purple gemstones.

Su Yun asked, "What is your name?"

The Shadow Master said in a low voice, "I haven't used my real name since joining the Shadow Pavilion; I've long since forgotten it."

Su Yun asked again, "Why did you build the Shadow Pavilion?"

The Shadow Master was silent for a long time before speaking. "For revenge. My family was killed by people from the Seven Great Immortal Sects. I cultivated the Dark Thunder Art and built the Shadow Pavilion specifically to deal with them."

Su Yun said, "The Seven Great Immortal Sects no longer exist; only the Qinghe Sect remains."

The Shadow Master was taken aback, then smiled.

That smile was no longer cold and stiff, but rather quite beautiful. "Then my target for revenge is gone as well."

Su Yun nodded. "From now on, you will follow me. All remaining forces of the Shadow Pavilion will be merged into the Qinghe Sect."

The Shadow Master knelt and performed a salute. "This subordinate obeys."

Su Yun turned and walked into the mountain gate.

Fairy Zixia followed behind, and Shadow Two, Shadow Four, and Shadow Five also emerged from the shadows to follow at the end.

The Shadow Master stood up, brushed the dust off her dress, and silently followed.

Fairy Biluo was waiting at the entrance of the main hall.

Seeing the woman in black behind Su Yun, she was slightly taken aback.

Su Yun said, "This is the Shadow Master; from now on, she is one of our own."

Fairy Biluo nodded without asking further.

Su Yun sat in the main seat, and the Shadow Master stood by his side.

Fairy Biluo, Fairy Zixia, Shadow One, Shadow Two, Shadow Four, and Shadow Five stood below.

Su Yun spoke, "The matter of the Shadow Pavilion ends here. From today on, there is only one voice in the Qinghe Sect."

Everyone answered in unison.

Su Yun looked at the Shadow Master. "Can that Dark Thunder Art of yours be taught to others?"

The Shadow Master replied, "Yes, but it requires a Dark Thunder Spiritual Root. This type of Spiritual Root is extremely rare, encountered once in ten thousand years."

Su Yun waved his hand. "Then don't teach it; keep it for your own use."

The Shadow Master nodded.

Su Yun stood up and walked outside the hall.

The night breeze blew, carrying the fresh scent of flowers and grass.

He took a deep breath, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.

Zhao Lanxin was standing at the entrance holding a bowl of soup, and seeing him enter, she immediately handed the soup over.

Su Yun took it, blew on it, and took a sip.

The soup was very hot, so he blew on it two more times before continuing to drink.

Zhao Lanxin gestured to ask if his hand hurt.

Su Yun shook his head. "It doesn't hurt."

Zhao Lanxin didn't believe him and pulled his hand up to look closely.

The charred flesh had already healed, leaving only a faint scar.

She lowered her head, kissed the back of his hand lightly, and ran away with a blushing face.

Su Yun watched her back and smiled.

He finished the soup, placed the bowl on the table, and sat down in the main seat.

The Shadow Master was still standing by his side, head lowered.

Su Yun said, "You go rest as well."

The Shadow Master nodded and turned to leave.

Fairy Biluo was the last to leave.

She walked to the entrance, turned back, and asked, "Master, I have heard a little about the matter of the Divine Realm. When do you plan to go over?"

Su Yun replied, "When my cultivation breaks through the Peak Mahayana Stage. It will be soon; I just need to recruit another batch of female cultivators."

Fairy Biluo asked, "Are there still female cultivators left in the Immortal Realm to recruit?"

Su Yun said, "There are still quite a few among the Loose Cultivators. Although the major Immortal Sects have merged, there are still some female cultivators living in seclusion in the mountains who haven't come out yet. I will send people to find them tomorrow."

Fairy Biluo acknowledged and turned to leave.

Only Su Yun was left in the hall.

He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

Within his Dantian, the spiritual power fed back from over a hundred thousand enslaved individuals was still flowing slowly.

His Late Mahayana Stage cultivation was already stabilized, and he was only a thin film away from the Peak.

He opened his eyes and looked at the crossbeam of the hall ceiling.

The affairs of the Immortal Realm were finally nearing an end.

The next step is the Divine Realm.