Heaven’s Shadow

Returning to the mountain with a belly that seemed to have grown a size larger and having devoured almost all the meat and bones, Ah Tu the dog spent the entire journey back burping contentedly.

On this sunny afternoon, Kunlun Mountain was serene and beautiful, with verdant forests and rolling hills. Occasionally, one could see a few waterfalls cascading down, giving those walking the mountain path a feeling of being in a fairyland.

The spiritual mountain was like a place where spiritual energy was omnipresent.

There were few travelers on the mountain path, as this was inside the Kunlun Sect’s gates. Most people here were Kunlun disciples of various ranks, mostly cultivators of Qi Refining or Foundation Establishment stages, as the miscellaneous disciples had many tasks and could not afford to be so leisurely.

Thus, Lu Chen stood out a bit. However, since there were few people and cultivators generally preferred not to meddle in others’ business, no one paid much attention to him.

As Lu Chen walked along, he suddenly saw someone approaching from the opposite direction on the mountain path. The people in front of Lu Chen, whether Foundation Establishment or Qi Refining disciples, almost all nodded and smiled in greeting when they saw the person. Among the voices carried by the wind, “Senior Brother He Yi” could be clearly heard.

Lu Chen stopped in his tracks, looked ahead, and as the figure approached, he could clearly see the resolute and handsome face of He Yi. After a moment, Lu Chen stood by the roadside and, as He Yi passed by, calmly greeted him, “Senior Brother He.”

As He Yi brushed past Lu Chen, his steps slowed slightly. He turned to glance at the inconspicuous disciple standing by the roadside, nodded to him, and then continued walking forward.

A breeze blew from the forest, swirling a fallen leaf between them before it drifted away and fell to the ground, rolling off into the distance.

Lu Chen stood there for a while. After the other Kunlun disciples had left, only the black dog Ah Tu remained by his side.

Lu Chen glanced at Ah Tu and suddenly said, “Since we’ve encountered him and we’re free, why not follow and see where he’s going?”

Ah Tu tilted its head, looking somewhat puzzled.

※※※

Lu Chen turned around and walked in the opposite direction. Although He Yi had previously walked this path, he had already gone far ahead. However, Lu Chen did not hurry to catch up but walked leisurely.

Ah Tu ran a few steps ahead, gently sniffing the ground as it trotted forward.

Lu Chen followed Ah Tu, walking for a long time. As he observed the surrounding mountain terrain, his brows suddenly furrowed. The path grew increasingly desolate, with no signs of lodgings or residences. As they went further, human footprints became rarer, and wild grass began to cover the path, emitting a sense of desolation.

After walking a while longer, guided by Ah Tu’s keen nose, Lu Chen had ventured far down the remote mountain path. Then, he suddenly saw a nameless peak hidden beneath tall mountains, mostly shrouded in shadow.

Though it was quite a distance away, a very strong, ominous aura emanated from the peak. Lu Chen’s expression changed slightly as he looked ahead.

In the distance, he could vaguely see He Yi’s blurred silhouette entering the shaded side of the nameless peak. The darkness seemed to engulf He Yi’s figure almost instantly, and nothing else was visible.

Lu Chen glanced around at the mountain terrain and then focused his gaze back on the nameless peak. After a moment, he muttered to himself, “I didn’t expect to find such a sinister place on Kunlun Mountain. This shouldn’t be…”

His expression showed a mix of surprise and confusion, but he soon regained his composure and prepared to move forward. However, before taking a step, he suddenly remembered something and turned to look at Ah Tu.

The black dog was sitting quietly behind him. As Lu Chen looked over, Ah Tu wagged its tail gently.

Lu Chen pondered for a moment, walked over, squatted down, and patted Ah Tu’s head, saying, “There might be some dangerous things ahead, so you should stay here.”

Ah Tu, not understanding fully, merely looked up at Lu Chen, lightly whimpering, and then licked Lu Chen’s palm.

Lu Chen smiled, the warmest he had been all day. He stroked Ah Tu’s head and patted it gently, saying softly, “Play here for a while. Either wait for me here, or if it gets dark, go back to Feiyan Terrace to sleep, okay?”

Ah Tu barked once and then walked toward the side of the mountain path, occasionally looking back at Lu Chen.

Lu Chen smiled at Ah Tu, waiting until the dog ran out of sight into the nearby forest before slowly turning around. He looked once more at the darkness behind the mountain peak, his expression returning to its previous solemnity. After a moment, he silently moved forward, reaching the edge of the darkness. There, like a drop of water merging with the sea, his figure silently disappeared into the depths of the blackness.

※※※

Ah Tu frolicked in the forest, breathing in the fresh air, bouncing around, occasionally chasing birds, and digging in the dirt. It seemed so carefree that it almost forgot about its owner.

Unknowingly, Ah Tu had wandered far into the forest, arriving at a small valley covered in white granite.

As a dog, Ah Tu had always been mainly interested in food and showed little concern for stones, trees, or similar things. It had the same reaction to the white granite valley, slowly walking past the edge of the valley as if it was about to continue running forward.

However, just then, a beautiful little girl’s face suddenly appeared from the largest white rock in the valley. She looked at Ah Tu and smiled. Then, lying on the largest rock, she waved at Ah Tu and called out, “Come here!”

When Ah Tu turned its head, it saw a girl just over ten years old. Despite her young age, she carried an unusual air of authority.

This beautiful girl, resembling a fallen fairy, was naturally Bai Lian.

Ah Tu stood still, looking a bit surprised and somewhat wary. It seemed astonished to encounter Bai Lian in such a remote corner, but its wariness did not diminish.

Bai Lian, however, did not appear to dislike the black dog. Instead, she waved at Ah Tu again, smiling as she said, “Silly dog, aren’t you coming?”

Ah Tu hesitated for a moment before slowly walking over.

As Ah Tu approached, Bai Lian’s smile first turned to shock, then gradually faded, and her expression became somewhat somber. She noticed the various scars on Ah Tu and its missing eye and half-tail, all hinting at some terrible events that had befallen the dog.

Ah Tu slowly reached the base of the large rock and looked up at Bai Lian.

In an instant, Bai Lian floated down from the top of the rock, landing not far from Ah Tu.

“What happened?” Bai Lian asked, frowning as she looked at Ah Tu.

Ah Tu barked in response, but it seemed no one could understand its meaning.

This left Ah Tu looking somewhat dejected and disappointed.

But Bai Lian’s gaze shifted back to Ah Tu’s dreadful wounds as she murmured, “It seems your Celestial Wolf bloodline is quite impressive. Despite being so mistreated, you’re still alive…”

She slowly squatted in front of Ah Tu. Instinctively, Ah Tu took a step back, and throughout, its eyes remained filled with fear and suspicion.

“Hmm, wait a minute.” Bai Lian suddenly spoke, her gaze fixed on Ah Tu as if she had discovered something unusual. After pondering for a moment, she whispered, “It seems… there’s a hint of Blood Eating aura…”

She extended a hand and gently placed it on Ah Tu’s head. Ah Tu’s body tensed slightly but remained submissive, lying down in a compliant manner.

Bai Lian seemed satisfied with this and did not intend to make things difficult for Ah Tu. She remained deep in thought for a while before speaking to herself, “Could it be that there’s a second person on Kunlun Mountain who knows the Blood Eating Secret Method?”

“Who is that person?” She suddenly asked, lowering her head to stare into Ah Tu’s eyes.

Her voice sounded somewhat cold, and after a brief moment of silence, Ah Tu suddenly stood up.

It looked at Bai Lian and let out a low growl from its throat, like a beast provoked into anger, slowly revealing its white fangs to Bai Lian.

Seeing Ah Tu’s reaction, Bai Lian suddenly smiled and said, “A beast is still a beast. No matter how talented, it’s still dumb, isn’t it? I know who that person is.”

She extended her hand and patted Ah Tu’s head. Ah Tu turned its head to avoid her touch, but Bai Lian’s palm still made contact with its head, pressing down gently.

Bai Lian’s brow relaxed, and her fingers lightly moved. Gradually, a white mist began to emanate from between her fingers, carrying a dense chill that evaporated in the air like the coldest ice.

The Wind and Snow Sutra.

Kunlun Sect’s Winter Peak, and the unique secret method of the Transformation Realm True Monarch Bai Chen.

Ah Tu seemed to sense something and immediately lay down, no longer daring to move.

Bai Lian smiled and nodded, saying, “It seems you’re still smart. Is this also a trait of the Celestial Wolf bloodline? But I find it strange that the Blood Eating Secret Method hasn’t driven you mad.”

“This doesn’t seem right. Let me take a closer look.” (To be continued.)