The twilight sun cast soft golden rays over the Shadow Mountain Garden, painting the grass in warm light. Amid the serenity, Xiao Xue, the little sister of Xuan Long, sat quietly near the lotus pond. Her small hands held a wooden toy as her eyes stared into the distance, waiting.
"Brother… you promised you'll be back soon…"
She whispered to the wind, her voice trembling.
Minutes passed… until soft footsteps echoed.
A shadow appeared.
Xuan Long landed gently before her. His gaze softened the moment he saw her asleep in the grass, her cheeks still damp with tears.
He walked forward silently, bent down, and lifted her in his arms with utmost care.
"Silly girl…" he murmured, brushing a strand of hair from her forehead.
"You kept waiting for me."
Carrying her inside the mountain palace, he laid her on her bed, covering her with a soft, fur-lined blanket.
He turned, leaving her to rest, and entered the grand hall.
The commanders of the Shadow Army had already gathered.
Xuan Long's expression returned to cold seriousness.
"Any updates?"
One of the demi-human scouts stepped forward and knelt.
"Master, several waves of assassins have infiltrated the mountain… all under Core Formation Realm. We've dealt with them."
Xuan Long nodded.
"Good. Continue patrols. If they come… let them die."
The demi-human saluted and left.
Xuan Long turned to Hei Mo, standing quietly with blood energy surrounding his aura.
"How many blood pills do we still have?"
"Only fifty remaining, Master."
"Give them to me."
Hei Mo obeyed without hesitation. Xuan Long walked into a private room, activated his Singular Replication, and with a faint light—fifty blood pills became one hundred.
He returned and tossed the pouch to Hei Mo.
"Now you have one hundred. Use them wisely."
Hei Mo blinked.
"Master… how?"
"Don't ask. Just use it. That's all you need to know."
Inside the Spiritual River Cultivation Chamber, Xuan Long stood silently.
The room pulsed with golden light as he activated his skill again.
The spiritual river doubled in flow. Its aura grew wild, sharp… intoxicating.
Cultivation speed now: 20x.
He nodded, then walked to the Medical Hall, where he replicated pills, herbs, scrolls, and medical treasures. Rows of glowing shelves filled with supplies.
"This is enough for now. Our foundations are ready."
Suddenly, soft footsteps approached from behind.
He turned.
It was Xiao Xue, rubbing her eyes, cheeks red from crying.
"Brother… you didn't come soon. You said you would…"
Tears welled in her big eyes.
"I waited for so long."
Xuan Long sighed, walking up to her and gently cupping her cheeks.
"I'm here now."
"You're mean. I don't want to talk to you anymore!"
He chuckled and reached into his spatial ring.
"How about this, then?"
He took out a pink silk dress, a box of toys, and a bundle of sweets wrapped in golden paper.
Xiao Xue gasped, eyes sparkling.
"F-For me?!"
"I went just to find these for you, little princess. I wanted you to look the most beautiful in the world."
Tears spilled again—but this time, they were from happiness.
She hugged him tightly.
"Thank you, Brother… I love them…"
He smiled, pulling her into his arms.
"You're the cutest thing in this world. No treasure is more precious than you."
She beamed and changed into the pink dress. Her eyes were big and bright, her hair tied with silver ribbons. She twirled and asked shyly—
"Brother… how do I look?"
Xuan Long raised an eyebrow and said with mock seriousness—
"Hmm… not good. Throw it away."
Her eyes widened.
"W-What?! Nooo! I like this! Don't throw it!"
He laughed.
"I'm joking. You look like the most beautiful princess in the whole continent."
"Hmph! You're bad!"
She puffed her cheeks and ran off to play with her toys.
He followed her, watching her play with a wooden bird and a talking doll, helping her wind up mechanisms and laughing along.
For a while, the warlord became… just a brother.
Later that night, Xuan Long returned to the forge chamber.
Using Singular Replication, he duplicated dozens of mid-grade spiritual weapons—swords, halberds, spears—and distributed them among his subordinates.
"If your weapons break in battle, use the second. Never fight unarmed."
Confused whispers rose.
"Master… why is everything doubled?"
"Two swords… two pills… two everything…"
Even Mu Chen, who stood silently, finally asked—
"Master… did you obtain an opportunity to… duplicate objects?"
Xuan Long was stunned for a second, impressed at the deduction.
But he quickly dismissed it.
"You don't need to worry about that. Just cultivate and protect this mountain."
"Soon… this mountain will be heaven itself."
That night, scouts returned to report an ambush.
"Master! A group of demonic cultivators tried to assassinate Hei Mo near the southern river."
"What happened?" Xuan Long asked.
"They were wiped out. Hei Mo's puppet and the two demi-humans handled everything."
Hei Mo stepped forward.
"We are becoming a target. More and more powerful people are approaching."
Xuan Long stood up from his throne, his eyes sharp like black blades.
"Let them come."
"But remember—loot them. Soul search them. Learn from them. Every technique, every pill recipe, every sword art—steal everything."
Mu Chen hesitated.
"Master… if we keep stealing from other sects… the world might unite against us."
Xuan Long turned, smiling coldly.
"And?"
"Are we a sect?"
"Are we nobles? Are we part of their world?"
He raised his voice.
"No. We are something else. We are shadow, and shadow does not kneel."
"If we become stronger than the world—we will break every rule."
The room fell into silence.
Then one by one… everyone nodded.