The mortal forest was quieter than Xu Tianming had imagined.
Tall trees stretched endlessly toward the sky, their leaves whispering softly under the gentle wind. Sunlight filtered through the branches, scattering golden fragments across the ground. It was peaceful. Too peaceful.
Beside him, Mo Yanluo walked calmly, his black hair swaying lightly with each step. Unlike the oppressive aura of the Demon World, this place felt… lighter.
Xu Tianming inhaled slowly.
"…This place feels strange."
Mo Yanluo glanced at him. "Strange?"
Xu Tianming hesitated.
"…Familiar."
He didn't understand why. But his chest felt heavy.
As if something buried deep within his past was stirring.
They walked deeper into the forest.
Then—
Mo Yanluo suddenly stopped.
His eyes narrowed.
"…We're not alone."
Xu Tianming's body tensed instantly.
The wind stopped.
The leaves froze.
Silence fell like a suffocating veil.
Then—
A voice echoed from behind.
"Xu Tianming."
Xu Tianming froze.
His pupils shrank.
That voice—
Slowly, he turned around.
A figure stepped out from the shadows.
White robes.
Cold eyes.
His master.
Behind him stood five more cultivators, their auras sharp and oppressive. Their robes bore no sect symbol—but their killing intent was unmistakable.
Hunters.
Xu Tianming's heart pounded violently against his chest.
"…Master."
His master observed him silently.
Then his gaze shifted to Mo Yanluo.
"…So this is where you ran."
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
One of the hunters stepped forward, his eyes gleaming with greed.
"I can feel it."
He smiled.
"The supreme bone."
Another spoke.
"He truly has it."
Xu Tianming's fists clenched.
Mo Yanluo stepped slightly forward.
Protecting him.
His master's lips curved faintly.
"You belong to me, Tianming," he said. "Come back."
Xu Tianming said nothing.
His silence was answer enough.
Mo Yanluo spoke instead.
"He's not going anywhere."
His master's gaze shifted to him.
"…And who are you?"
Mo Yanluo did not answer.
Xu Tianming stepped forward slowly.
His heart was no longer trembling.
It was calm.
Cold.
He raised his hand.
Dark energy stirred.
The air around him grew heavy.
His robes began to shift.
White turned to black.
Light vanished into shadow.
Demonic aura flowed through his veins.
His master's expression changed.
"…What did you do?"
Xu Tianming met his eyes.
His voice was steady.
"I chose my own path."
For the first time—
His master's calm facade cracked.
"You dare?"
His killing intent exploded.
The hunters moved instantly.
One vanished.
Reappeared behind Xu Tianming.
Sword descending—
CLANG!
Mo Yanluo blocked it.
Dark energy surged from his palm, forcing the hunter back.
Xu Tianming moved.
His hand struck forward.
Shadow energy pierced through the air.
The hunter barely dodged.
Another attacked from the side.
Xu Tianming twisted, but the blade grazed his shoulder.
Blood fell.
Pain burned through him.
Mo Yanluo appeared beside him instantly.
"You okay?"
Xu Tianming nodded.
"…Yes."
But they both knew the truth.
Their enemies were stronger.
His master watched calmly.
"You're still weak."
He stepped forward.
Pressure descended like a mountain.
Xu Tianming's body trembled.
His master raised his hand.
Energy gathered.
Then—
He attacked.
Xu Tianming barely blocked.
The impact sent him crashing backward.
Pain exploded through his arm.
Mo Yanluo attacked from the side, dark energy erupting violently.
His master turned.
Blocked effortlessly.
"Pathetic."
He struck Mo Yanluo across the chest.
Mo Yanluo flew back, crashing into a tree.
The trunk shattered.
Xu Tianming's heart tightened.
"Yanluo!"
Mo Yanluo coughed, blood staining his lips.
But he stood.
Still fighting.
Still protecting him.
Xu Tianming's chest burned.
Not from pain.
From rage.
He attacked again.
Faster.
Stronger.
But his master was too experienced.
Too powerful.
A strike landed.
Xu Tianming fell to one knee.
His breathing ragged.
His master approached slowly.
"You were never meant to be free."
He raised his hand.
Preparing to finish it.
Mo Yanluo's fingers tightened around the jade pendant at his waist.
He crushed it.
CRACK.
Far away—
In the Demon World—
Two figures opened their eyes.
Li Feng.
Mo Zhu.
They felt it instantly.
Danger.
Xu Tianming.
Mo Yanluo.
Without hesitation—
They disappeared.
Back in the forest—
His master's attack descended.
Then—
The world froze.
Pressure.
Unimaginable pressure.
Everyone stopped moving.
Fear filled the air.
A voice echoed.
Cold.
Absolute.
"You shouldn't touch what belongs to us."
Darkness gathered.
A figure stepped forward.
Black robes.
Black mask.
Eyes like endless abyss.
The Shadow Emperor.
Li Feng.
Beside him—
Mo Zhu.
Demon Lord.
His master's face turned pale.
"…Shadow Emperor…"
His voice trembled.
Real fear.
Li Feng said nothing.
He simply looked at him.
His master stepped back instinctively.
"No…"
He turned. Tried to escape. He never made it.
Li Feng raised his hand slightly. Darkness swallowed him.
His body froze. Cracked. Shattered. Gone.
As if he had never existed.
The hunters screamed.
Mo Zhu moved.
They died instantly.
Silence returned.
Xu Tianming stood frozen.
His master was gone.
The man who raised him.
The man who betrayed him.
Ended.
Just like that.
Mo Yanluo walked to his side.
"You did well."
Xu Tianming looked at him.
"…We survived."
Mo Yanluo smiled faintly.
Li Feng approached slowly.
He stopped before Xu Tianming.
For a moment—
Neither spoke.
Then Li Feng placed his hand on Xu Tianming's shoulder.
"You're free now."
Xu Tianming's eyes trembled.
Free.
The word felt unreal.
Mo Zhu spoke calmly.
"The past no longer controls you."
Xu Tianming looked at the place where his master had died.
He felt no regret.
No sorrow.
Only clarity.
He turned.
Faced forward.
Toward his new future.
Beside his brother.
Beside his family.
In the shadow of the Demon World.
And for the first time—
Xu Tianming no longer belonged to Heaven.
He belonged to the shadows.