The morning sun pierced through the floating peaks of the Azure Heaven Sect, casting golden light over the Outer Sect. Yet, despite the serene appearance, tension hung thick in the air.
Word of the previous night's events had spread like wildfire. The Inner Sect's first assassination attempt had failed spectacularly, humiliating their most elite disciples. The Outer Sect murmured in awe, while the Inner Sect seethed with rage.
The Inner Sect's Escalation
In the high halls of the Inner Sect, Qiu Jian slammed his fist against the jade railing, his silver hair shimmering with suppressed fury.
"This cannot continue!" he roared. "The boy… the Outer Sect prodigy… has made a mockery of our plans. We cannot rely on stealth anymore. Tonight, we strike openly, with full force!"
Another disciple, a Core Formation master, frowned. "We risk exposure, elder Qiu Jian. If he defeats us again… the Outer Sect will rise against us, and the elders will be forced to intervene."
Qiu Jian's crimson-tinged gaze hardened. "Let them intervene. Let them witness the consequences of inaction. He will not survive this assault. Prepare the elite squads. Every assassin, every strategist… we strike as one."
The Inner Sect's plan was no longer subtle—it would be a full-scale offensive, combining stealth, brute strength, and elemental techniques designed to overwhelm even Jin Baiyu's shadows.
Jin's Anticipation
In the Outer Sect, Jin Baiyu stood atop the western cliffs, crimson eyes scanning the horizon. Subtle disturbances in the spiritual energy signaled preparation—this was not another minor strike. This was the Inner Sect moving with intent to eliminate him permanently.
Wu Hao approached, concern evident. "Baiyu… they're coming in full force. This… this could be dangerous even for you."
Jin smiled faintly, a shadowy aura curling around his body. "Danger is only what the unprepared call it. Let them come. Every step they take will reinforce my understanding, my control, and my power. Prepare the Shadow Army. Tonight, we turn defense into domination."
The Battlefield Prepares
By nightfall, the Inner Sect's elite squads arrived at the Outer Sect's borders.
Sky-cloaked cultivators hovered, wind and lightning qi crackling around them.
Core Formation masters exuded overwhelming presence, ready to obliterate any opposition.
Hidden assassins and elemental specialists were scattered across the platforms, each prepared to strike simultaneously.
Yet every move, every formation, was observed through subtle shadow tendrils that Jin had extended days before—tendrils now capable of sensing even the faintest fluctuation of hostile qi.
"Wu Hao, signal the network," Jin whispered. "Let them step into the shadows and see their fate."
The Outer Sect disciples, loyal and trained, moved into their positions. Each knew their role, each empowered by Jin's shadow reinforcement, making them far more effective than raw cultivation level would suggest.
The Clash Begins
The first wave struck as Jin had anticipated. Elemental attacks collided with shadow containment, dissipating without causing harm.
Qiu Jian led the assault, attempting to strike Jin directly. But the moment his sword swung, shadows formed a cage around him, redirecting the force harmlessly into the ground.
He's even faster than I imagined, Qiu Jian thought, panic creeping in. How is this possible?
Before he could recover, Jin's crimson tendrils lashed out, siphoning his sword's energy and amplifying the backlash against him. He stumbled, barely maintaining control of his qi.
The Outer Sect disciples then moved in, coordinating attacks with Jin's semi-autonomous shadows. Elite assassins were neutralized with surgical precision. Elemental strikes were absorbed or redirected. Within moments, the battlefield was in Jin's control.
The Mortal Body Breakthrough
Amid the chaos, Jin withdrew slightly to the central platform. He closed his eyes, focusing on his mortal body—the vessel that had carried him through countless battles, the foundation for every breakthrough.
Energy flowed through previously dormant meridians, connecting every channel in a perfect lattice.
Shadows pulsed in tandem with his qi, reinforcing both offense and defense.
Crimson light radiated from his dantian, a sign that mortal cultivation had reached a new pinnacle.
With a deep breath, Jin opened his eyes, revealing a crimson aura that now radiated like molten steel, faintly visible even to the Outer Sect disciples around him.
So this is the power of a fully refined mortal body combined with shadow mastery, he thought. Even Inner Sect elites are now beneath me.
Demonstrating New Techniques
Jin Baiyu's next actions confirmed his breakthrough.
Crimson Shadow Strike: Semi-autonomous tendrils combined into a single, overwhelming attack capable of destroying even reinforced Core Formation defenses.
Spatial Distortion: Jin manipulated the flow of qi in a wide area, subtly shifting the battlefield and destabilizing enemy formations.
Soul Perception: His awareness extended through the shadows, sensing hostile intent before it manifested in physical action.
The Inner Sect's elite squads, confident in their combined strength, found themselves outmaneuvered, overpowered, and demoralized within minutes.
Qiu Jian, desperate, tried to regroup, calling elemental attacks in rapid succession. But each was anticipated, blocked, or reflected, leaving him drained and vulnerable.
"Impossible… he's… controlling everything," Qiu Jian gasped. "No one should be able to do this…"
Jin's smile was calm, almost serene. "Mediocrity fears control. That is all."
The Aftermath of Retaliation
By dawn, the Inner Sect's full-scale offensive had completely failed.
Core Formation elites were neutralized or incapacitated.
The Outer Sect's loyalists, empowered by shadow reinforcement, had suffered minimal casualties.
The battlefield lay strewn with the remnants of elemental constructs and shattered weapons—a testament to Jin Baiyu's dominance.
The Inner Sect's strategy had been outmatched, their arrogance turned against them. The Shadow Army had proven not only defensive efficiency but also overwhelming offensive capability when coordinated by Jin Baiyu.
Consolidating Power
In the quiet aftermath, Jin gathered his disciples atop the western cliffs. Shadows curled gently around him, glowing faintly in the early morning light.
"Tonight was not a mere victory," Jin said calmly. "It was a demonstration of what loyalty, strategy, and proper cultivation can achieve. Remember this: the strong do not fear attacks—they anticipate, control, and dominate them."
Wu Hao, still trembling, spoke. "Baiyu… they came with everything… and you… you handled it like it was nothing."
Jin's crimson eyes glimmered. "It was nothing. This was merely a warning. Inner Sect elites will continue to challenge us, but every strike they take teaches us more. Every attack strengthens the Shadow Army and hones my abilities. The higher they rise… the higher I ascend."
Foreshadowing Greater Challenges
Even as Jin basked in victory, he knew the Inner Sect would escalate.
Future assaults would be larger, with multiple Core Formation elites acting in unison.
Elemental masters and forbidden techniques would be deployed.
Inner Sect elders might even intervene personally.
Yet, Jin Baiyu felt no fear, only anticipation. The mortal body breakthrough, combined with his shadow mastery, made him nearly untouchable at this stage.
Let them strike. Let them test the limits. I am ready.
The floating peaks of the Azure Heaven Sect shimmered beneath the rising sun, and from the darkness, the Crimson Reborn and his Shadow Army looked down on the Inner Sect, a warning that the sect's hierarchy would never be the same again.