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Morning light spilled across Misty Cloud Sect, sharpening every shadow and revealing the aftermath of yesterday's chaos. The courtyard was quieter now—too quiet. Servants avoided eye contact, disciples walked stiffly, whispering only when they believed no one could hear. Tang Ren knew the look: fear mixed with curiosity and the beginning of respect.
He ignored it.
Respect earned through noise was temporary. Respect earned through silence and controlled power lasted.
Tang Lian walked beside him, holding his sleeve lightly. Her eyes darted from one unfamiliar building to another, trying to memorize everything. Yan Xiaoyu followed behind them, still overwhelmed by the sudden reversal of fate.
Yan Yan joined them last. Her expression was composed, but Tang Ren spotted the fatigue beneath her eyes. She had spent the night speaking with elders, calming factions, and securing temporary stability. Weak leaders begged for approval. Real leaders made decisions.
Tang Ren preferred the second category.
As they reached the inner training grounds, Yan Yan finally broke the silence.
"Ren… what you displayed yesterday was not ordinary. Even Misty Cloud Sect has no record of shadow affinity manifesting that way."
Tang Ren didn't look at her. His gaze tracked the disciples sparring ahead—wooden swords, controlled Dou Qi, predictable movements. Their foundation was solid, but their intent lacked edge.
He answered calmly, "There is no benefit in placing limits on potential."
Yan Yan paused—not because she didn't understand, but because she did.
Before she could speak again, an elderly figure stepped onto the platform.
Her presence shifted the atmosphere instantly.
White robes. An insignia embroidered with ancient silver threads. Eyes sharp enough to slice pride in half.
The Great Elder of Misty Cloud Sect.
Disciples bowed immediately.
Yan Xiaoyu froze.
Yan Yan's expression tightened for the first time.
Tang Ren stood still—unmoved, uninterested.
The Great Elder's attention swept the group before settling on Tang Ren. Her expression didn't reveal approval or hostility—only evaluation.
"You are the boy who disrupted yesterday's ceremony."
It wasn't a question.
Tang Ren nodded once.
"And the one who manipulated shadow force beyond what a Dou Master should be capable of."
Again, no question.
Again, a single nod.
A whisper ran through watching disciples—some in awe, some in fear, some in envy.
The Great Elder continued, her tone even:
"Power without acknowledgment is arrogance. Power without discipline becomes chaos. So tell me—what do you seek in this sect?"
Tang Ren finally looked directly into her eyes.
Calm. Unshaken. Sharp.
"I did not come to seek permission. I came to protect what is mine."
A few disciples gasped.
Yan Xiaoyu grabbed her sister's hand.
Yan Yan stayed silent, eyes fixed on the exchange.
The Great Elder's expression didn't change, but the faint shift in her posture revealed interest.
"Then allow me to test whether you have the right to speak with such confidence."
She gestured.
From behind her, a masked figure stepped forward—Dou King realm. His aura carried refined killing intent, not the sloppy, uncontrolled aggression of ordinary fighters.
A silent duel request.
The courtyard tensed.
Tang Lian tugged her brother's sleeve, whispering, "Brother… fight?"
Tang Ren placed a reassuring hand on her head.
"No," he murmured.
The masked Dou King stepped within ten meters.
Two meters.
One—
—And suddenly stopped.
He could not move.
His body trembled violently as shadows coiled around him like sentient serpents. Cold sweat ran down his neck as fear overwhelmed combat instinct.
Tang Ren hadn't taken a single step.
The courtyard went silent.
The Great Elder's brows lifted—not in anger, but acknowledgment.
Tang Ren spoke—calm, controlled, final:
"The world already knows how to fight. But very few understand how to end a fight before it begins."
The shadows released.
The masked Dou King collapsed to one knee, breath shaking.
The Great Elder finally spoke again.
"Very well."
She turned, hands resting behind her back.
"From this moment… Misty Cloud Sect recognizes Tang Ren not as a guest, not as a child—and not as an outsider."
She paused.
Everyone held their breath.
"He will be granted full sect privileges and treated as a Core Disciple."
Shock exploded through the audience.
Even Yan Xiaoyu nearly stumbled.
Tang Ren remained still, expression unchanged—but his eyes lowered slightly toward Tang Lian and Yan Yan.
For them—not for the sect—he would accept.
The Great Elder added quietly, only loud enough for him to hear:
"And one day… when the world forces you to choose between silence and war—remember that the strongest are not those who crush mountains."
She looked at his shadow—alive, coiling, waiting.
"But those who decide when to let the mountain fall."
She left without waiting for response.
The courtyard remained speechless as Tang Ren finally turned, placing a hand on his mother's shoulder and gently guiding his family forward.
Not running.
Not hiding.
Just walking—like someone who had already decided the world would move for him.
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End of Chapter 4