Chapter 5 — The Shadow Throne
The border town was a place where law existed only if you could enforce it.Perfect for three fugitives with a dozen loyal trainees and no hesitation to spill blood when necessary.
The First Move
Hong Ye stood before the smoldering remains of a gang hideout, his coat flapping in the wind. Behind him, Lei Shen cleaned his blade, while Xiao Shen sat in the corner of the room, silently watching the last survivor of the gang squirm.
Xiao Shen's Insight of the Heart flared.Greedy, cowardly, low talent. Useful for errands but nothing more.
"Let him run," Xiao Shen said finally.The man bolted. That night, rumors spread of a new power rising — one that took over without warning, killed without hesitation, and spared only those who could be of use.
The Public Face and the Shadow
From the start, Xiao Shen refused to be the visible leader.
Hong Ye became the face — the "King" of the streets, making deals, showing strength, gathering public loyalty. His charisma drew the ambitious and desperate alike.
Lei Shen became the enforcer — his speed and precision making him the lightning strike that ended any challenge before it began.
Xiao Shen was the shadow — recruiting in secret, purging traitors, structuring operations so tightly that betrayal became impossible. Only Hong Ye and Lei Shen knew his true role.
Gaia's Contribution
The Intelligent Life – Universe Lord, Gaia, worked in the background, scanning city records, finding hidden routes, and building encrypted communication channels between their people.
[Gaia]: "Master, I have identified 34 potential recruits with above-average bloodline potential. Recommendation: secure them before rival factions do."Xiao Shen: "Mark them. We'll take them quietly."
First Underground Rulebook
By the end of the first year, their organization had rules — carved into the minds of every member:
Loyalty above all else.
No harm to innocents without just cause.
Power is responsibility, not privilege.
Breaking critical laws means death. No exceptions.
These rules were enforced with precision. Xiao Shen's Insight of the Heart made it impossible for lies to hide.
The School Plan
One evening, as the three sat in a rented safehouse, Xiao Shen spread out blueprints across the table.
"This is our future," he said.The others frowned — it looked like a school.
"An orphanage," Xiao Shen explained. "On the surface. But inside, a training ground. We raise children to be stronger than the monsters waiting in the shadows."
The name? Xiao Zhen Academy, in honor of his father.
Construction and Secrecy
Funds came from underground earnings, laundered through legitimate businesses.Hong Ye handled permits and public appearances.Lei Shen oversaw security.Xiao Shen designed the training curriculum using Heaven-Defying Comprehension — blending assassin discipline, martial combat, endurance training, and meditation into a single program.
Officially, Xiao Zhen was the principal.Unofficially, Xiao Shen was the headmaster, but no one outside his family, Hong Ye, and Lei Shen knew.
The First Class
The first intake was twenty children — orphans, runaways, and those the streets had chewed up. They were fed, clothed, and educated. And behind closed doors, they were trained in agility, strength, awareness, and mental fortitude.
As Xiao Shen watched them move through the obstacle course one rainy afternoon, he realized something.
They weren't just training soldiers.They were training survivors.
If you want, I can make Chapter 6 show how the school grows to 300+ students before the Nirvana Period, how Xiao Shen's Universe Body lets him train alongside them endlessly, and how he reunites with his family while still keeping his role hidden from the world.