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The air in Misty Cloud Sect's courtyard had barely settled after the shock of Tang Ren's intervention. Whispers rippled through the crowd, dozens of cultivators exchanging glances, each trying to gauge the strength of the young man who had casually blocked and thrown back the Black Ruler wielded by Xiao Yan. None dared approach him directly, their instinct telling them that this was no ordinary youth.
Yan Xiaoyu stood frozen for a moment, her small hand still holding Tang Lian's. She had never expected to see her sister in such a tense situation, nor did she anticipate a figure like Tang Ren appearing so decisively at her side. Her violet eyes scanned him quickly. The boy's posture, his calm demeanor, the faint shimmer of shadow energy surrounding him—it all hinted at a power that far surpassed what anyone could guess.
"Mother…" Tang Lian whispered, tugging gently at Tang Ren's sleeve. She looked at Yan Xiaoyu with a mixture of awe and curiosity, unaware of the subtle calculations her brother had already made regarding the crowd.
Tang Ren nodded once, signaling that Lian should stay close. His eyes were sharp, moving over every cultivator, every guest, every member of the Nalan Clan who had gathered. The family's wealth and influence over their small city gave them authority, but the underlying currents of ambition and rivalry in the sects could erupt at any moment. He had learned long ago that strength alone was not enough; timing, patience, and perception were just as vital.
Meanwhile, Yan Yan, finally recognizing the familial connection, approached cautiously. Her violet robes swayed as she stopped a mere few feet from Tang Ren. "I… I did not expect…" Her words faltered, uncharacteristically uncertain.
Tang Ren's gaze softened slightly. "You've been gone a long time," he said calmly. "The past cannot be changed, but the present can be protected."
Yan Yan's attention flicked toward her sister. Yan Xiaoyu's hands were trembling slightly, her heart pounding as memories of her childhood, now fragmented by years of separation, resurfaced. She took a deep breath and moved closer, careful to stay behind the protective shadow that Tang Ren cast around her.
At that moment, the sound of shifting energy came from the entrance. The Pill King's envoy, still smarting from their earlier defeat, regrouped with renewed determination. Several cultivators moved forward, their Dou Qi flickering with intensity, testing boundaries. A murmur ran through the crowd. Many of these cultivators had reputations, some ranking as Dou Wang or higher, yet Tang Ren's aura made them hesitate.
Tang Ren's fingers flexed slightly, not yet unleashing the full potential of his Shadow attribute. It was unnecessary. A controlled pulse of shadow energy radiated outward, subtle but enough to make the aggressors reconsider. They paused mid-step, their movements stilled by an unseen force.
"This family is protected," Tang Ren murmured under his breath, his voice low and steady, carrying more weight than his size or age suggested.
Tang Lian tilted her head. "Brother… can you really protect everyone?"
Tang Ren's gaze softened again. "Yes. But we must remain cautious. Strength alone does not guarantee safety."
Yan Yan, sensing the tension, spoke with quiet authority. "Everyone, stand down. There is no reason for further conflict today." Her voice, calm yet commanding, reverberated through the courtyard. The cultivators hesitated, then slowly stepped back, wary of both the sect master and the shadow-cloaked youth beside her.
Tang Ren, satisfied that immediate threats were neutralized, finally relaxed his stance slightly. He crouched to whisper to Lian, who was peeking curiously around his legs. "Stay close to me. You must learn to observe, understand, and protect what matters."
Yan Xiaoyu, her voice trembling slightly, finally addressed her sister. "I… I thought I had lost everyone. I did not know you survived." Her hands gripped Yan Yan's tightly, the reunion tugging at the hearts of everyone who could see them.
Yan Yan, for the first time in years, allowed herself a faint, melancholic smile. "The world changed while I was gone… but some things remain. You, my sister… are one of them."
The small moment of peace, however, was not meant to last. From the shadows at the perimeter, several rogue cultivators—disguised as guests—began moving with intent, their Dou Qi subtly flickering. They had recognized Tang Ren's aura during the earlier confrontation and sought to test it themselves.
Tang Ren's eyes narrowed. With a subtle wave of his hand, shadows began to ripple along the edges of the courtyard. They coiled, shifting with uncanny speed, and wrapped around the aggressors before they could make a move. Within moments, they were immobilized, held securely yet unharmed.
The crowd gasped. Murmurs ran through the sect members. Even Yan Yan's apprentice, still recovering from earlier humiliation, glanced with shock at the boy who seemed to command the very shadows around him.
Tang Ren ignored the attention. His focus remained on the family before him. The reunion of Yan Yan and Yan Xiaoyu was fragile, and he intended to ensure that it would remain unbroken.
After a few tense moments, he released the shadows, allowing the restrained cultivators to collapse harmlessly to the ground. "Leave this place," he instructed. His voice, cold and unwavering, carried an implicit threat that needed no embellishment.
The enemies did not resist. The display of control and precision was enough to convince them that any further challenge would be futile. They scrambled from the courtyard, disappearing into the streets of the city.
Tang Ren turned to his mother and sister. "We must move quickly. The wedding is imminent, but danger may linger. We cannot allow complacency."
Yan Lian nodded, though she was too young to fully grasp the gravity of his words. Tang Xiaoyu took a deep breath, finally letting the tension drain from her shoulders, knowing that her niece and nephew had returned stronger than she could have imagined.
A brief, gentle laugh from Lian broke the somber mood. Tang Ren smiled faintly, the shadows around him softening. For the first time that morning, there was a sense of calm, of fleeting normalcy, as the family prepared to face the events that would inevitably follow.
The sky above shifted slightly, sunlight glinting off the distant mountains. In the quiet, Tang Ren felt the familiar pull of destiny, the whispers of dungeons waiting, treasures hidden, and challenges yet to come. His heart remained steady, his mind calculating, knowing that this moment of reunion was only the beginning.
For now, the family remained safe, the hidden strength of Tang Ren concealed from all but those who mattered most. The stage had been set, alliances silently acknowledged, and the shadows of power subtly stretching across the city.
And in the quiet, Tang Ren allowed himself a single thought: the world was vast, unpredictable, and dangerous—but with patience, cunning, and strength, even a shadow could command the tides of fate.
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End of Chapter 3.