The mist did not drift like common fog.
It crept—slow and deliberate—sliding over the earth before coiling around the husks of withered trees.
The air thickened, every breath dragging like molten lead into his lungs.
Yan Zhi stood unmoving at the heart of the haze, his clothes still clinging with half-dried blood.
Pain throbbed along his arms, while the Shadow Essence within his meridians surged wildly—like a river whose banks had shattered.
From within the pale gloom, two crimson lights flickered to life.
Eyes.
Not rushing. Not eager. Simply… watching. Measuring.
Footsteps followed—measured, unhurried, yet each step sent a muted tremor into the ground.
That aura…
Far beyond the Alpha from before, Yan Zhi thought. This was no mere beast. This… was a sentinel.
It emerged from the veil—a Shadowfang Alpha Elder, towering thrice the size of an ordinary Alpha.
Black mist clung to its body like a living shroud, rippling with a will of its own.
Its breath came heavy, each exhale spilling cold vapor that bit at the air.
Yan Zhi retreated, summoning Shadow Step—but the veins within him screamed, tearing with the force of Essence.
His vision wavered. The Elder lunged.
A blur.
A shadow given fangs.
He twisted aside, letting claws carve the earth and split the stone beneath.
The hunt began.
Yan Zhi wove through gaps in the haze, guiding the Elder into a narrow gorge between two monolith stones.
When the beast leapt, the air between them ignited with a sigil—violet-black, intricate, spinning with ancient rhythm.
The Shadow Vein within him trembled in recognition.
And then—memory.
A fragment not of Yan Zhi, but of Xie Tianluo—
Guardians of the Vein… sentinels that test those who dare to ascend.
The Elder struck once more. This time Yan Zhi moved as if pulled by the sigil itself, his strike finding the beast's ribs with brutal precision. The massive creature crashed to the ground with a roar… yet Yan Zhi, too, fell to one knee.
The mist roiled. The Elder did not die.
It stared at him for a heartbeat longer—then faded into shadow.
Where it had stood remained a single crystal shard, pulsing like a living heart.
Without hesitation, Yan Zhi reached for it.
The instant his skin met its surface, the shard liquefied into black light, sinking into his flesh.
Essence tore through his body in a roaring tide.
Second Path — Vein of Devouring Shadows — unlocked.
Before triumph could settle, the mist spiraled upward, drawn into the heavens. A vortex yawned open, and from its heart, a colossal gate of shadow took form.
A voice—ancient beyond ages—spoke directly into his mind, each word like the toll of a forgotten bell:
"Those who step forward… prepare yourselves."
Yan Zhi lifted his head.
And though pain still gnawed at his veins, a faint, defiant smirk touched his lips.
"So… the real game begins."
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Cultivation & Vein Record — Excerpt from the Shadow Archive
Cultivation Realm Hierarchy (Lower to Higher):
1. Mortal Foundation
2. Qi Awakening
3. Essence Forging
4. Vein Opening
5. Core Ascension
6. Spirit Transcendence
7. Void Dominion
8. Eternal Sovereign
Vein System: Each cultivator possesses unique Veins that channel and shape their Essence. Advancement often requires awakening new Veins through trials, combat, or rare treasures.
First Path: Vein of Silent Shadows — Concealment and fluid movement through darkness.
Second Path: Vein of Devouring Shadows — Absorbs hostile Essence, eroding the opponent's strength while feeding the wielder.
(Further Paths remain sealed.)
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