Heaven’s Shadow

Chapter 114: The Growth of Black Fire

The woman’s name was Su Qingjun.

Lu Chen knew her name. He also knew that she was an exceptionally talented disciple of the Kunlun Sect, only a step away from reaching the Golden Core stage despite her young age. She had a renowned and powerful Nascent Soul master, Mu Yuan Zhenren. Since her branch, the Iron Branch, was weaker, her master and the other elders placed their hopes for the branch’s future resurgence on her.

She was a favored child of the heavens, one of the four most exceptional talents, and one of the brightest young geniuses in the Kunlun Sect, even more prominent than He Yi.

A servant disciple like Lu Chen could only watch her back from a distance, as they were worlds apart.

Perhaps only the beautiful red feather cloak that looked like burning flames reminded him of the small mountain village, the mountain, and the swallows within.

Lu Chen watched her figure disappear into the depths of Liuxiang Garden, then turned and left quietly.

※※※

After being selected for spiritual power cultivation and coming to work at Liuxiang Garden, Lu Chen’s living quarters also changed. Compared to his previous residence in Shipan Valley, his new place was noticeably better. It was twice as large, with much brighter lighting and more furniture, including a desk by the window.

Perhaps it was these unseen benefits that made many servant disciples flock to this opportunity.

Ah Tu was a hybrid of two types of demonic beasts. Although its combat power seemed quite low at the moment, which was disappointing considering its parentage, its recovery speed was impressive. When Ah Tu was first rescued in the Land of Confusion, its broken leg healed much faster than Yi Xin’s broken arm. Now, despite recently breaking some bones, it had almost fully recovered.

Lu Chen squatted down and petted Ah Tu’s head. Ah Tu wagged its tail and barked twice, looking towards the door.

“Hmm? Do you want to go out and play?” Lu Chen asked.

Ah Tu wagged its tail even more vigorously.

Lu Chen smiled and said, “You really fear nothing. You just recovered from broken bones and already forgot about it?”

“Woof, woof, woof…” Ah Tu whined, seemingly unconcerned.

“Alright,” Lu Chen said, laughing. “Do whatever you want, but don’t cause me any more trouble. Besides, it’s dark outside and there’s a curfew. You can’t go out now. Wait until tomorrow.”

With that, he closed the door tightly. The room went dark as there was no lamp lit, making the surroundings barely discernible. Lu Chen walked to the bed and sat down, with Ah Tu following him.

In the darkness, Ah Tu’s eyes began to glow with a faint green light, creating a slightly eerie yet strangely beautiful sight, like pure, translucent emeralds.

Lu Chen watched Ah Tu’s eyes for a while, then looked away, lying on the bed quietly.

After a while, there was a rustling sound as Ah Tu jumped onto the bed and curled up beside Lu Chen. The faint green light in its eyes gradually faded as it seemed to fall asleep.

The night deepened, and as time passed, the surroundings became completely silent.

Then, in the darkness, Lu Chen suddenly opened his eyes.

His breathing and heartbeat remained unchanged compared to before, so even the most sensitive observer would find it difficult to detect any difference. In this pitch-black darkness, his pupils seemed to blend into the surrounding shadows.

Like black flames silently burning.

Inside and outside the room, everything was silent.

After a long wait, he slowly raised his right hand towards his chest.

Just as his palm was about to touch his chest, another strange arm suddenly emerged from the darkness and pressed down on his hand.

Lu Chen looked over.

Two clusters of green flames slowly lit up in the darkness, right next to him. The paw pressing down on his hand belonged to Ah Tu.

Lu Chen was neither surprised nor alarmed. He just quietly looked into Ah Tu’s strange eyes. After a while, he smiled and softly asked, “Do you want to go too?”

Ah Tu gave a low bark, as if in response.

“Alright,” Lu Chen said, then reached out with his other hand to embrace Ah Tu.

During this process, Ah Tu cooperated fully, without any struggle. Its body radiated warmth, adding a touch of comfort to the cold night.

In the darkness, Lu Chen held Ah Tu close, then once again placed his right hand on his chest, took a deep breath, and pressed down.

※※※

The familiar sensation of floating suddenly hit him, a whistling roar echoing in his ears, distant yet near. That moment felt particularly long, but in an unintentional instant, Lu Chen’s surroundings brightened, and he found himself in a different place.

Lu Chen and Ah Tu fell to the ground of the “tree hollow.”

The fall was neither severe nor painful. Ah Tu quickly leapt up and joyfully ran to the side, sniffing around curiously.

Lu Chen sat up from the ground and glanced around.

He hadn’t been in this “tree hollow” for a while. The last time he was here, he and Bai Lian were suddenly drawn in, along with Ah Tu, due to a strange resonance between the girl’s divine tree branch and the seed in his body. Fortunately, Bai Lian remained unconscious due to some unknown force and did not discover Lu Chen’s biggest secret.

Compared to the past, the tree hollow had changed significantly. The ancient and mottled tree walls had regained some vitality, with the misty green aura entwined in the tree patterns becoming more concentrated. Lu Chen even noticed some new green buds sprouting from tree knot-like formations on the walls.

All of this was thanks to the essence he extracted from the divine tree branch that day. The branch was said to be the only remaining piece of the divine tree in the world, containing an almost infinite life essence. Only such abundant power could rejuvenate this ancient tree hollow.

Among all the changes brought by the essence of the divine tree branch, what caught Lu Chen’s attention the most were the outlines of two doors that had appeared deep within the tree walls in front and behind him.

They were merely outlines because even when Lu Chen approached and touched them, he couldn’t find any seams. The doors seemed to be hidden behind the misty green aura and mottled bark, visible yet untouchable and unopenable.

Lu Chen tried many methods, all to no avail. Even recalling his life in the demonic sect, including all the legends and sights he had encountered, yielded no similar references to these doors.

Doors are meant to be opened, so what lay beyond these doors?

Lu Chen subconsciously thought of that day, the starlit sky in his memory, and the seemingly endless dark void.

He suddenly felt a chill.

※※※

“Woof, woof, woof…”

Barking nearby snapped Lu Chen out of his thoughts. He turned to see Ah Tu near the central puddle of the tree hollow, cautiously looking into the water, occasionally barking at its reflection, seemingly nervous.

Lu Chen walked over and looked into the water, seeing Ah Tu’s reflection. He couldn’t help but laugh, “Don’t be alarmed, that’s your own reflection.”

Ah Tu glanced at Lu Chen, whimpered softly, then suddenly barked at the water again.

“Woof, woof, woof, woof…”

Lu Chen, slightly puzzled, moved closer and followed Ah Tu’s gaze. The black dog was looking through its reflection in the water, deeper into the clear water.

Lu Chen suddenly fell silent.

He silently watched Ah Tu, noting how its fur bristled slightly with tension.

After a while, he walked over, squatted beside Ah Tu, and hugged its head. Feeling his familiar warmth and scent, Ah Tu quickly calmed down, stopped barking, and relaxed.

“It’s alright,” Lu Chen whispered, “It’s just a pesky fire.”

Ah Tu didn’t respond or react, remaining quietly by his side. Lu Chen looked down through the water, and saw, in the clear depths, a shadow gradually emerging behind the shimmering reflections.

It was a mass of black fire, burning silently at the bottom.

But the next moment, Lu Chen’s pupils suddenly contracted.

The black fire seemed larger than he remembered.

The black flames burned silently, a familiar sight that would never fade from his memory, like a demon etched deeply into his mind.

Lu Chen slowly raised his head, furrowing his brows as he looked around the seemingly revitalized ancient tree hollow. He suddenly wondered if, amid this vitality, the mysterious black fire was also absorbing the life essence and growing, just like the tree hollow?

Could the black fire, like the ancient tree hollow, possess some unimaginable form of life?

(Please vote, thank you.) (To be continued.)