The Black Swamp City never welcomed sunlight.
Even during the brightest hours of the day, the city remained cloaked beneath layers of dark mist and poisonous clouds that drifted endlessly across the heavens.
Ancient legends claimed that the land itself had once been cursed.
Others claimed that countless powerful cultivators had died here during forgotten wars, staining the very earth with resentment.
No one knew the truth.
Yet one thing was certain—
Black Swamp City was a place where darkness flourished.
A place where secrets survived.
And a place where countless schemes were born.
Deep within the most restricted district of the city—
far away from ordinary cultivators—
an enormous garden existed.
A garden unknown to the outside world.
A garden that should not have existed.
Rows upon rows of ancient medicinal herbs stretched across the land.
Some emitted crimson light.
Others released silver mist.
Many carried spiritual fluctuations so powerful that ordinary cultivators would lose control merely standing nearby.
Several of these herbs had already gone extinct throughout the Eastern Region.
Yet here—
they grew quietly beneath countless formations.
The air itself was rich enough to make one's cultivation rise.
In the center of the garden—
two figures stood silently.
One wore black robes.
His face remained hidden beneath a hood.
His aura was calm.
Cold.
Patient.
Like a venomous serpent waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.
Yu Long Wei.
Sect Leader of the Yu Long Sect.
The man responsible for countless hidden conspiracies throughout the Da Cang Empire.
Beside him stood another man.
Unlike Yu Long Wei—
his appearance was impossible to ignore.
Black liquid-like energy continuously flowed around his body.
The substance resembled living darkness.
It twisted.
Moved.
Breathed.
As though it possessed a will of its own.
Merely standing near him filled the surroundings with an uncomfortable pressure.
He was—
Hei Wu.
One of the hidden rulers of the Yue Sha Empire.
A man whose existence alone terrified countless kingdoms.
For several moments—
both men observed the countless herbs growing before them.
Then Hei Wu finally spoke.
His deep voice echoed softly through the garden.
"Sect Leader Long Wei..."
"We finally succeeded."
His dark eyes swept across the endless fields.
"After years of effort..."
"These medicinal plants have fully matured."
A faint smile appeared beneath his black aura.
"Now..."
"The Yue Sha Empire can finally begin rebuilding its history."
Yu Long Wei remained silent.
His gaze lingered upon a crimson flower glowing beneath several formations.
After a moment—
he nodded.
"Hm."
His voice was calm.
But hidden satisfaction existed within it.
Then he slowly turned toward Hei Wu.
"However..."
"Do not forget our agreement."
Hei Wu laughed.
A deep, chilling laugh.
"You need not worry."
"The Yue Sha Empire may be ruthless."
"But we do not betray our promises."
His eyes narrowed.
"When the time comes..."
"We will give you the throne that rightfully belongs to you."
For the first time—
a genuine smile appeared upon Yu Long Wei's lips.
A throne.
A kingdom.
A future beyond merely ruling a sect.
Such ambitions had always existed within his heart.
Yet before either man could continue—
a ripple appeared nearby.
A figure emerged from the shadows.
The newcomer wore black clothing embroidered with the symbol of a black leopard.
His movements were silent.
Almost ghost-like.
The moment he appeared—
he immediately knelt.
"Master Hei Wu."
"Sect Leader Long Wei."
His voice was respectful.
Hei Wu frowned slightly.
"Mo Chen."
"You rarely leave your post."
"What happened?"
The newcomer raised his head.
This was Mo Chen.
Hidden Commander of the Yue Sha Empire.
One of the empire's most trusted intelligence officers.
If he personally appeared—
the matter was never simple.
Mo Chen hesitated briefly.
Then spoke.
"Master..."
"There is news concerning the Wanling Empire."
At those words—
Hei Wu's eyes narrowed.
"Wanling Empire?"
"I thought it disappeared months ago beneath Void Chaos."
Mo Chen nodded.
"It did."
"At least... officially."
Yu Long Wei immediately sensed something unusual.
"Continue."
Mo Chen inhaled slowly.
"Princess Han Qing Li has been sighted."
The garden became silent.
Even the wind seemed to stop.
Hei Wu's eyebrows rose slightly.
"Han Qing Li survived?"
Mo Chen nodded.
"Not only survived..."
"She was seen within the Eastern Ancient Forest."
"Alongside a young man."
"A young man bearing a strange mark upon his forehead."
The moment those words were spoken—
Hei Wu's expression changed.
A forehead mark.
For some reason—
the description sounded vaguely familiar.
Yet he couldn't immediately remember why.
"So..."
"The younger generation of Wanling Empire still lives."
Mo Chen nodded.
"Princess Han Qing Li is alive."
"And according to our scouts..."
"Her beauty is beyond description."
Hei Wu chuckled.
"It is said that Han Qing Li possesses both beauty and talent."
"She should already be an Immortal Seed cultivator."
Mo Chen's eyes darkened.
"She is."
"I witnessed it myself."
Hei Wu looked surprised.
"You met her?"
Mo Chen nodded.
"My Black Leopard Talismans encountered her."
A trace of fear appeared in his eyes.
"And I personally witnessed the battle."
The garden became quieter.
Mo Chen was not weak.
For him to reveal such an expression—
something significant must have happened.
Hei Wu crossed his arms.
"What else?"
Mo Chen hesitated.
Then continued.
"But the Princess isn't what concerns me most."
"The strange boy is."
Yu Long Wei's gaze sharpened.
"Oh?"
Mo Chen's voice became serious.
"He was only a Meridian Tracer cultivator."
"But..."
"He froze every one of my Rank Seven Talismanic Black Leopards."
Silence.
Hei Wu stared.
Yu Long Wei stared.
Both men thought they had misheard.
"A Meridian Tracer?"
"Freezing Rank Seven Talismans?"
Mo Chen nodded.
"Yes."
"And his speed..."
A strange expression appeared upon his face.
"I have never seen anything like it."
"Even now I cannot understand it."
For the first time—
both Hei Wu and Yu Long Wei became interested.
Speed.
Forehead mark.
Frost power.
Something felt wrong.
Mo Chen continued.
"Actually..."
"I saw him years ago."
Both men looked toward him.
"Years ago?"
Mo Chen nodded.
"Within Blackwood Forest."
"He was merely an Energy Core cultivator then."
"But now..."
"He has already reached Three-Star Meridian Tracer."
The garden suddenly became quiet.
Too quiet.
Because both Hei Wu and Yu Long Wei understood the implication.
Two years.
Only two years.
Such cultivation speed was monstrous.
Yu Long Wei slowly narrowed his eyes.
"A forehead mark..."
"Frost power..."
His voice became increasingly cold.
Then he looked toward Hei Wu.
"Tell me."
"Are you absolutely certain the Lin Clan was exterminated?"
The question struck like thunder.
Hei Wu froze.
His mind suddenly began connecting countless fragmented memories.
The forehead mark.
The frost.
The speed.
A young boy standing amidst ruins.
A pair of eyes filled with hatred.
And a voice.
A voice he could never forget.
"If the Yu Long Sect had a hand in destroying my clan..."
"I will destroy all of you."
Boom.
The memory exploded inside his mind.
His breathing became unstable.
The Imperial Warriors Tournament.
The masked genius.
The youth who killed Hei Luo and Yan Lei.
The mysterious cultivator within the Treasure Realm.
The same frost.
The same speed.
The same forehead mark.
All of them—
were the same person.
Hei Wu's pupils shrank violently.
"No..."
His voice trembled.
"No..."
"Impossible."
Yu Long Wei immediately noticed something.
"What is it?"
Hei Wu slowly raised his head.
His expression had become ugly.
Extremely ugly.
"That boy..."
"The tournament champion."
"Shuan Hao."
Yu Long Wei remained silent.
Hei Wu's voice became hoarse.
"He isn't Shuan Hao."
The garden suddenly felt colder.
"He is Lin Shuan."
"The cursed genius of the Lin Clan."
For the first time—
even Yu Long Wei's calm expression changed.
"Lin Shuan?"
Hei Wu nodded.
Disbelief still filled his eyes.
"Yes."
"The boy should have died."
"That night..."
His fists clenched.
"Even I nearly died."
"He couldn't cultivate."
"He couldn't survive."
"So how..."
"How is he still alive?"
The question echoed through the garden.
No one answered.
Because no one knew.
Mo Chen quietly listened.
Meanwhile—
Yu Long Wei remained deep in thought.
After several moments—
he spoke.
"The cursed genius..."
"I remember hearing rumors."
"They claimed he possessed the talent to become an Empire Protector."
Hei Wu's expression became darker.
"He possesses far more than talent."
"If he truly inherited the Primordial Garden..."
"If he truly survived..."
"Then he is far more dangerous than before."
Mo Chen slowly nodded.
"And now..."
"He stands beside Han Qing Li."
Hei Wu completed the thought.
"Which means..."
"He either formed an alliance with the Wanling Empire."
"Or is about to."
The implications were terrifying.
A surviving Imperial Princess.
A surviving Lin Clan genius.
Two fallen powers.
One alliance.
And both possessed reasons to seek revenge.
The atmosphere became heavy.
Then suddenly—
Yu Long Wei stood.
His black robes fluttered.
The pressure surrounding him instantly increased.
Mo Chen lowered his head.
Hei Wu became silent.
Because they both understood—
the Sect Leader had reached a conclusion.
After several moments—
Yu Long Wei finally spoke.
"Find him."
His voice was cold.
Dangerously cold.
Mo Chen immediately bowed.
"Yes."
But before he could leave—
Yu Long Wei added another sentence.
One sentence that caused even Mo Chen to freeze.
"Do not appear before him."
Mo Chen blinked.
"...What?"
Yu Long Wei slowly looked toward him.
"If you value your life..."
"Stay hidden."
"Observe."
"Report."
"But never stand directly before Lin Shuan."
A chill ran down Mo Chen's spine.
This was the first time he had ever heard Yu Long Wei issue such a warning.
Hei Wu remained silent.
Because he understood.
Perhaps better than anyone.
The boy who should have died years ago—
was no longer the same boy.
Mo Chen immediately bowed.
"I understand."
Hei Wu nodded.
"I will arrange additional surveillance."
Both men quickly departed.
Their figures vanished into the shadows.
Soon—
only Yu Long Wei remained inside the ancient garden.
Silence returned.
The countless herbs swayed beneath the wind.
For a long time—
Yu Long Wei stood alone.
His gaze drifted toward the distant horizon.
Toward a past that could never return.
Toward a man he once respected.
Toward a choice that had changed everything.
Finally—
he spoke softly.
A voice filled with regret.
Filled with disappointment.
Filled with something almost resembling sorrow.
"Lin Zhen Hai..."
His eyes slowly closed.
"If only you had accepted my proposal."
The wind moved through the garden.
"You could have gained a new future."
His voice faded.
Yet hidden beneath those words—
was a truth known only to him.
A truth connected to the destruction of the Lin Clan.
A truth buried for many years.
And somewhere far away—
within the Imperial Capital—
Lin Shuan remained completely unaware.
Unaware that the shadows of his past had finally begun moving once again.
And that the enemies who once destroyed his world...
had finally realized—
that the boy they failed to kill...
was coming back for them.