Madam Qu—or at least that was the name she gave—laid out the situation with practiced precision. A large, weathered map was unrolled on the central table, covered in markings and hastily drawn indicators. Her finger moved swiftly over the towns and outskirts, pointing out the locations of recent attacks, suspected hideouts, and potential ambush routes.
"These are the zones we believe the Shadow Dwellers are moving through," she said, her voice clipped but clear. "We've reinforced key points with formations and posted lookouts. You'll be stationed here, here, and here," she gestured again, assigning groups to their positions. "Tracking teams will rotate every three nights to avoid fatigue and becoming predictable."
As the sky outside began to darken, she gave them one last look, her sharp eyes lingering particularly on the younger cultivators.
"Since nightfall is close, I want you in your positions before dark," she said. "And remember—do not wander off alone. Do not engage or chase after the Dwellers if they flee. It's always a trap."
Though the words were spoken to everyone, it was clear who they were meant for. The instructors, like her, were peak-stage cultivators. The experienced ones had seen enough not to take risks. The warning, stern and pointed, was for the mid-stage cultivators—young, hungry, and often foolish.
Lin Shu silently nodded, feeling the weight behind her warning. He had no intention of dying here.
Lin Shu kept his eyes on the treeline as the others exchanged words behind him, their voices low but enough to carry in the quiet night.
He was stationed on the outskirts, just far enough from the forest to see into it, yet still within the range of the lantern arrays set up by the instructors. Dozens of glowing formations lit the perimeter, casting steady, golden light across the ground—a deliberate measure. Shadow Dwellers thrived in darkness; denying them that was step one in keeping everyone alive.
His companions walked alongside him in a loose formation. Three mid-stage cultivators, all from different parts of the region, but united now by this mission. They hadn't spoken much since meeting, and the silence stretched… until one of them finally broke.
"I hope we find the hideout soon," muttered a lanky youth with twin daggers strapped to his waist. "I don't wanna spend too much time here. The tournament's coming up, and if I do well enough, I might get a spot at the Azure Crystal Mines."
A snort came from another, broader boy with thick arms and a mace on his back. "Haha, please. You think you'll earn a spot? Everyone's trying to get into the mines. Doesn't matter if they're early-stage or peak—so long as they're under eighteen, they're eligible. You're gonna be facing seniors who've trained for years longer."
The third one, a quiet girl with her hair tied in a rough braid and a thin sword on her back, added, "Don't forget the ones with powerful backers. Xie Lang will definitely be there.And Han Yi too."
The group fell silent for a moment at the mention of those names. Lin Shu didn't speak. He didn't need to. Just hearing Han Yi's name again brought back that awkward conversation. And Xie Lang… he had no desire to cross paths with him.
They kept patrolling in tense silence, the forest looming on the horizon, its edge just far enough to keep the dread from crawling into their bones. And then it happened.
A sharp, whistling sound tore through the air—too fast, too precise.
CRACK!
Something struck one of the nearby light formations, shattering it instantly. The glow blinked out, and in its place, shadows rushed in like a flood. The formation was simple, just a light-generating array with no defenses. Cheap and easily replaceable, but now it was gone. And in the absence of that light, darkness bloomed like a stain across the earth.
"What the hell?" one of the patrollers muttered, stepping back instinctively.
The group tensed, their gazes fixed on the forest. And then they saw it.
A tall creature emerged just past the treeline. Its back was hunched, its limbs far too long, each arm ending in claws like black steel. The face was a nightmare—its eyes hollowed out, empty of all light, and its jaw stretched wide with rows of sharp, uneven teeth. The thing didn't skulk or flee. It stood there in plain sight, inhuman and still, watching them.
It didn't need to hide. It wanted them to see.
Lin Shu's breath hitched. The creature raised one of its long arms, and in its clawed hand was a rock the size of a fist.
CRACK!
The rock sailed through the air with terrifying force and shattered another formation. Again, darkness poured in.
"They're… destroying the formations," someone muttered in disbelief.
"They're cutting off the light," Lin Shu said, his voice sharp with realization. "Quickly! Use the flare!"
One of them fumbled a bit but managed to light and fire a bright-red flare into the sky. It hissed upward and exploded in a burst of crimson light—visible to anyone stationed nearby.
But it might be too late.
They saw it then—more rocks, arcing through the sky, each targeting a formation. One by one, they were picked off, the darkness spreading like a net meant to smother them. The creature in the woods didn't move. It only watched.
And they understood.
This wasn't random. This was strategy.
"They're trying to corner us," the sword-wielding girl said, her voice low.
Two choices remained, and neither was ideal.
They could run—retreat to the town's entrance and wait for reinforcements.
Or they could stay—defend the remaining formations until help arrived, risking their lives to keep the light alive.
The shadows grew closer.
Their decision had to be made now.
"The reinforcements will arrive quickly since we aren't too far," Lin Shu said sharply. "So don't let them break the formations. Protect them! And if any of you have long-range battle skills, use them on the beasts!"
Without hesitation, Lin Shu activated Ivory Dominion. His armor formed around him, bone-white and jagged, like a walking fortress crowned with horned edges. He stood tall in the center of the chaos, his presence alone commanding attention. But even now, he held back. Thunderbolt Arc would reveal too much. He couldn't risk that. Not yet. Instead, he'd defend the formations directly—by force.
The beasts in the forest began to grow impatient. More rocks came flying in rapid succession, aiming to collapse the outer ring of light. But this time, they failed. Every formation that was guarded—every point protected by a cultivator—held firm. The light persisted.
But that light was fading.
The group now stood in a circle of light. Beyond that? Pure, suffocating darkness. The creatures—those twisted, long-limbed things—moved within it. Their shapes were only hints, their presence felt more than seen. They circled, quick as shadows, probing, testing.
And then they acted.
They avoided Lin Shu.
They avoided the boy with the mace, whose size and weapon made him a threat.
Instead, they targeted the others.
The dagger user to the far left—suddenly a blur lunged from the dark. The girl with the sword—something dashed at her before vanishing again. Feints. Probes. They weren't trying to kill just yet. They were trying to wear them down. Make them panic. Make them run.
Then—an opening.
A beast rushed from the shadows and slashed at the boy standing just next to Lin Shu. The boy managed to defend, steel clashing with claw. But he stumbled from the impact.
In an instant, Lin Shu dashed forward. Lightning Steps surged beneath him, crackling beneath his feet. He launched himself through the air, closing the distance with frightening speed.
His bone-clawed gauntlets struck.
SLASH!
The beast screeched and twisted back, its shoulder torn open by Lin Shu's strike. But even injured, it didn't fall. It retreated—back into the shadows, melting into the darkness as if it had never been there at all.
They were being hunted.
The creatures weren't attacking in groups. They were attacking in turns—hit, pull back, circle, wait. Their goal was clear.
Exhaust the group. Shake their focus. Wait for someone to panic. And the moment one of them fled from the circle of light?
That would be their end.
Lin Shu clenched his fists.
"They're trying to make us run," he said, voice low. "Don't give them the chance."
The group continued to fight, their breathing growing heavier, strikes becoming sloppier, tension mounting with every second.
"Why are they taking so long?!" the mace user growled, smashing a rock mid-air before it could shatter another formation. "Don't tell me they're dealing with dwellers elsewhere too—damnit!"
Lin Shu didn't answer. He wasn't even listening anymore. His eyes were scanning the area, mind already working through contingencies. Reinforcements weren't coming. At least not in time. That meant staying here any longer was a gamble he wasn't willing to take.
I'm not dying here. Not for them.
He glanced at the others—some trembling, others still stubbornly holding formation. The girl with the sword already looked overwhelmed. The dagger user was bleeding. Lin Shu's lips barely curled beneath his emotionless mask.
All I need is a moment.
He wouldn't run blindly, of course. That was suicide. But if one of them slipped—if someone panicked and ran—then the dwellers would pounce. And while they were distracted? Lin Shu could slip away. Use them as cover. Maybe even nudge the chaos along. A small wound to one of them, misdirected, unseen in the dark—just enough to tip the scales.
He didn't plan to head for the entrance either. That would take too long and force him to run along the town wall, risking even more encounters. No, he had something better.
The broken sections of the wall.
They were high—too high to climb. Thick—too thick to break.
But Lin Shu didn't need to do either. He'd already seen the fractured edges, the collapsed stone, the places where time and battle had carved gaps wide enough for someone like him to slip through. Beyond them lay the abandoned ruins of the old district—houses shattered, streets forgotten, shadows thick and undisturbed. Dangerous, yes. But empty. Silent.
And more importantly, unguarded.
If he moved fast enough, stayed low and careful, he could disappear into the city before the dwellers realized he was gone. His speed, his defense, and his lack of empathy—they were his edge. As long as he wasn't the main target, he'd survive.
Let them hold the line, he thought coldly. Let them die if they want.
He'd make his move the moment an opening came.
Like He always did.