Immortal Paladin

Inside the dimly lit patriarch’s office, Hei Yuan sat behind a heavy wooden desk, his fingers pressing against his temples. The walls were lined with old scrolls, clan records, and ancient weapons encased in polished wooden frames. A faint scent of ink and sandalwood lingered in the air.

Across from him stood Hei Ma and Hei Mu, the son-in-law and eldest daughter of the patriarch. They stood stiffly, their expressions taut. The remnants of their earlier altercation with Da Wei still lingered—Hei Mu’s clothes were damp from her unceremonious plunge into the lake, and Hei Ma’s pride was as battered as his broken sword.

Hei Yuan exhaled sharply, his patience thinning. “What were you thinking?!”

Hei Mu scowled, crossing her arms. “We were protecting the clan!”

Hei Ma, always the more composed of the two, bowed his head slightly. “Elder Yuan, that man disrespected us. He humiliated my wife and struck my daughter. Would you have had us stand by and do nothing?”

“Yes!” Hei Yuan snapped, slamming his palm onto the desk. The force sent a few scrolls rolling off the edge, but he barely noticed. “That was exactly what you should have done! Do you have any idea what kind of person you just tried to fight?”

Hei Mu scoffed. “An arrogant brat who likes to throw his weight around?”

Hei Yuan let out a bitter chuckle, shaking his head. “An arrogant brat? You saw his strength firsthand! You think I sat back and let him insult us out of cowardice?” He leaned forward, his piercing gaze locking onto his juniors. “I did it because we have no chance against him.”

Silence fell over the room.

Hei Ma frowned. “Elder Yuan, surely you overestimate him. He’s strong, yes, but—”

“Judgment Severance.”

Hei Yuan’s voice was cold.

“Or whatever that spell is…”

Hei Mu and Hei Ma flinched at the words.

“The technique that erased our formation like it was nothing.” Hei Yuan’s voice dropped lower, as if the walls themselves had ears. “Tell me, do you know what kind of power that is?”

Hei Mu remained silent, but Hei Ma’s brows furrowed. “Some kind of sword intent?”

Hei Yuan nearly laughed at the absurdity. “If only it were that simple.” He leaned back, rubbing his temples. “I don’t know what it was, but it wasn’t ordinary. It swallowed all energy—formation, Qi, everything. Do you understand what that means? Our strongest defenses, meaningless. Our killing array, useless. If he wanted to, he could have leveled this entire island.”

Hei Mu paled slightly but stubbornly held her ground. “Then what? We let him do as he pleases? Hand over our history for some spirit stones?”

Hei Yuan’s lips curled into a sneer. “Some spirit stones? Do you know how much he just paid?”

Hei Ma hesitated. “It was… a lot.”

“One million!” Hei Yuan barked. “He gave us one million spirit stones, without haggling, just to read our records. Now, we have an obligation to him! I was hoping to force him to turn away by asking such an unreasonable price, but what did he do? If we don’t cooperate after so much he had compromised, losing our reputation would be the least of our worries... Ask yourself, Ma... Why didn’t he just kill you when you failed so miserably in your attempt to kill him?”

This time, neither of them spoke.

Hei Yuan pressed on. “That isn’t the behavior of a man looking to rob us. That is the behavior of a man who could take what he wanted but chose not to. Do you understand what kind of monster we nearly made an enemy of?”

Hei Mu’s hands clenched into fists, her lips pressed into a thin line.

”Maybe he’s just naive,” Hei Ma sighed. “Then what do we do?”

”Look at the mirror and ask yourself that,” Hei Yuan closed his eyes for a moment before speaking. “We don’t have leverage in the first place and that was for a fact. For now, we cooperate. Give them access to the records. Watch them, but don’t provoke them.” His voice hardened. “And, under no circumstances, are you to mention the Abyss Clan.”

Hei Mu and Hei Ma stiffened.

Hei Yuan’s eyes glowed ominously in the dim light. “That boy, Hei Mao… he’s dangerous. Not because of his strength, but because of who he might be.”

He exhaled deeply, his fingers curling into a fist. “And if Da Wei ever learns the truth, I don’t know if we’ll be able to stop him.”

“I CAN’T ACCEPT THIS!” Hei Mu raised her voice. “WE ARE THE PROUD SHADOW CLAN, MASTERS OF THE ABYSS. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE!”

At the back of Hei Yuan’s mind, he hoped Da Wei slapped some sense into Hei Mu… but clearly, he had only further provoked her bad qualities.

Hei Yuan’s gaze drifted to the dim lanternlight casting shifting shadows across the walls, but his mind was elsewhere—fixated on the massive, overwhelming shadow that loomed over him earlier. Da Wei’s presence had been oppressive, but the true horror lay in the unseen.

His shadow was too big.

That fact alone disturbed Hei Yuan far more than the display of raw power or the wealth of spirit stones Da Wei had so casually thrown at them. He had not told the others, choosing to withhold the information to maintain some semblance of composure among them. If Hei Mu or Hei Ma had known, they would have acted much more rashly, possibly worsening their already precarious situation.

The ability to see the shadows of others was not something just anyone in the Shadow Clan possessed. It was a gift reserved for the Shamans—a sacred, secretive role within the clan. It was the very source of Hei Yuan’s influence, the reason his voice carried weight despite being born into a branch family. His ability to see the depth of a person’s shadow was what made him more than just an elder—it made him a force to be reckoned with.

But that same gift was also a curse.

For centuries, their clan had suffered under the Grand Emperor’s punishment for their past collusion with the Black Clan. Since then, no new clan member manifested Abyss Sight. The rumors whispered that they had been cursed—either by the Emperor himself or by their old, now-bitter rivals: the Black Clan.

And yet… Hei Yuan had inherited the ability.

This fact alone was enough to cause unease among the clan. They feared him. He could feel it in the way certain elders watched him, their suspicion barely veiled. After all, the current patriarch was well past his prime, while Hei Yuan, despite appearing aged, still had centuries of lifespan ahead of him. He had never sought power—never once entertained the thought of seizing the clan for himself—but that did not stop the whispers.

Because of this, Hei Yuan had deliberately held back his cultivation.

It wasn’t his fault that the patriarch trusted him more than the other elders. It wasn’t his fault he had been born a branch member. But none of that mattered. The moment he displayed ambition, they would turn against him. That was why he remained cautious.

“Elder Yuan, we can’t let them leave with the boy,” Hei Mu said, snapping him out of his thoughts. Her arms were crossed, her soaked robes now dry, but her temper had not cooled.

Hei Yuan frowned. “You think forcefully taking him back is a solution?”

“If not force, then at least some claim over him,” Hei Ma added. “That child has already stepped into the Fourth Realm at such a young age. You saw it yourself—his potential is enormous. Wouldn’t it be a waste to let him remain under that… Da Wei’s influence?”

Hei Yuan leaned back, his gaze flickering to the swirling shadows in the room. Hei Mu had accused the boy of being a fake. Such hypocrisy… Still, the truth was… she had been wrong.

Hei Mao was no fake.

Hei Yuan had seen it clearly with his Abyss Sight. Members of the Shadow Clan or the Black Clan always carried deeper, more distinct shadows than outsiders, a reflection of their bloodline and connection to the abyssal arts. That boy… he was one of them.

And yet, he was not raised within the clan.

Maybe he was from the Black Clan? However, considering his story, probably not… The Black Clan have strict breeding policies after all…

Where did the boy truly come from?

That was what troubled him the most. Who had hidden him away all these years? And how had he suddenly appeared now, escorted by such an unpredictable and dangerous man?

“…And if Da Wei refuses to hand him over?” Hei Yuan asked, his voice measured.

Hei Ma’s eyes gleamed with greed. “Then we negotiate. He paid a fortune for access to our library. That means he needs something from us. We use that.”

”Do you truly think he’s that much of a pushover?” Hei Yuan’s fingers tapped lightly against the desk. There was wisdom in Hei Ma’s words. For now, they had to tread carefully. He could not afford to be reckless—not with Da Wei, and not with the uneasy balance within his own clan.

Still… his eyes lingered on the flickering shadows, thinking there was a ghost hiding there.

He was probably overthinking about it.

The problem with Hei Ma’s suggestion was that what Da Wei needed from them wasn’t just knowledge—it was because of Hei Mao.

Hei Yuan had observed it clearly. Every word Da Wei spoke, every action he took, was centered around protecting the boy. The sheer amount of spirit stones he had thrown at them for access to their records wasn’t out of idle curiosity or scholarly pursuit. It was because Hei Mao wanted answers. And Da Wei was willing to back him, even if it meant tearing apart an entire formation without hesitation.

That was not the behavior of a mere benefactor.

Hei Yuan was no fool. He had lived long enough to see countless cultivators come and go, and he knew the look of someone who had staked their claim. Da Wei cherished the boy. Not just as some passing responsibility, but something deeper—perhaps as a disciple… or even as family.

The boy had called him Big Brother, after all.

That single title spoke volumes. It wasn’t something a mere traveling companion would use. Cultivators were not known for forming attachments easily, and yet here was Da Wei, a man who wielded power casually yet terrifyingly, allowing himself to be addressed in such a familiar way.

Hei Yuan tapped his fingers against the desk, his mind calculating.

If Da Wei valued the boy this much, then he would not tolerate anyone taking him away.

Which meant… Hei Ma’s idea of staking claim over Hei Mao was not as simple as it sounded. Da Wei had already placed the boy under his wing. Would he allow the Shadow Clan to impose their authority over him? Would he allow them to dictate Hei Mao’s fate?

No.

And therein lay the danger.

This wasn’t a simple matter of negotiation anymore. If they made the wrong move, Da Wei would not hesitate to destroy them. Cultivators had killed for less. The fact that he hadn’t killed anyone yet was a testament to his restraint, but that restraint had limits. Was knowledge of Hei Mao’s past truly worth provoking a man like that?

Hei Yuan exhaled slowly. He had to be careful. If he miscalculated, it wouldn’t just be his position that was at stake. The entire Shadow Clan could be buried in this man’s shadow.

This was a mess—an absolute mess. His gaze flickered between Hei Mu and Hei Ma, both of whom stood rigid before him, their expressions ranging from frustration to thinly veiled hostility.

He hadn’t wanted to reveal this. Knowing too much could be dangerous. But if he didn’t make them understand, their foolishness could lead the Shadow Clan to ruin.

He closed his eyes briefly, recalling the moment he laid eyes on Da Wei.

The shadow that loomed behind that man… was far too vast.

Hei Yuan’s Abyss Sight had always been a source of prestige within the Clan, granting him insight into people’s nature, their power, their presence. And in all his long years, he had never seen a shadow like that.

Not even the current Patriarch, a Seventh Realm cultivator, could compare.

Da Wei’s shadow was deep, endless, and too unnatural. It twisted and writhed, shifting like it had a will of its own. It did not belong to any single plane of existence. It was ancient. It was watching. It was something that should not be provoked.

Hei Yuan finally looked up, his voice low and firm. “You will not lay a hand on Da Wei or his people.”

Hei Mu scowled. “Are you suggesting we let that arrogant fool trample all over us?”

Hei Ma crossed his arms. “That man wields power carelessly. He humiliated my wife, remember? Or have you gone truly senile? He humiliated me. If we do nothing, what does that say about our Clan?”

Hei Yuan slammed his palm on the desk, the force making both of them flinch. “It says we are wise enough to recognize when we are dealing with something beyond us.”

Silence fell.

Hei Yuan narrowed his eyes. “You weren’t there when I saw him with my Abyss Sight.” He leaned forward, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. “That man is something else. His shadow is too large… too unnatural. And remember, I am still an Elder. So you better fix your tone, boy…”

Hei Mu’s lips pressed into a thin line, but Hei Ma scoffed. “You think we should just cower, then?”

Hei Yuan’s patience thinned. “You misunderstand. This is not about cowering. This is about survival.”

He leaned back, folding his arms. “Do you think it’s a coincidence he arrived here, now of all times? The Patriarch is in seclusion, attempting to break through to the Eighth Realm. The process is dangerous enough—any disturbance could cost him his life.”

Hei Mu and Hei Ma stiffened.

Hei Yuan continued, his voice colder now. “The spirit stones we acquired just now—those will be crucial in ensuring his breakthrough. If the Patriarch succeeds, our Clan will finally have a true powerhouse again.” His sharp gaze landed on the two. “But if something happens to him because of your recklessness, the blood will be on your hands.”

Hei Mu’s expression darkened. “You think Da Wei will be a threat to the Patriarch’s breakthrough?”

“I think,” Hei Yuan said evenly, “that he is an unknown. A dangerous unknown. We do not know his full capabilities. We do not know his motives. But what I do know is that we cannot afford a conflict right now.”

Hei Ma let out a slow breath, still looking unconvinced, but at least no longer argumentative. “Then what do you suggest?”

Hei Yuan’s fingers tapped against the desk. “For now, we keep the Patriarch’s seclusion a secret. If Da Wei finds out, we don’t know how he’ll react. And until the Patriarch emerges, our highest priority is avoiding provocation.”

Hei Mu clenched her fists but nodded begrudgingly. Hei Ma sighed, rubbing his neck.

“Good,” Hei Yuan said, his voice softer now. “You may both leave.”

Hei Mu was the first to turn on her heel, storming out with a frustrated huff. Hei Ma lingered for a second longer before shaking his head and following after her.

As the door closed behind them, Hei Yuan finally allowed himself to lean back in his chair.

Hei Yuan let out a slow breath, his fingers drumming against the desk. He had underestimated their reaction.

He had expected resistance—of course he had. But this level of hostility? If he had told them earlier, if he had given them more time to stew on it… things would have escalated even worse.

They might have provoked the other members of the Clan, roused them into action. And if that happened… would they have gone so far as to summon it?

His gaze flickered toward the window, where the lake beyond stretched ominously under the dim light.

The being that slumbered within it.

A last resort. A true desperate measure. A secret known only to a select few.

The thought sent an uncomfortable shiver down his spine. His warning this time would suffice for now, especially after being reminded of the Patriarch’s situation. The spirit stones they acquired from Da Wei probably also helped.

Had Hei Mu and Hei Ma been any more reckless, would they have even considered calling upon it?

That pair… they had no respect for the Abyss Sight.

It was a sacred ability, one that allowed them to see beyond what normal cultivators could perceive. A gift. A burden. A proof of lineage.

And yet, Hei Mu dismissed it outright.

Perhaps it was her own bitterness, her deep-seated resentment at having been born a woman in a Clan where only men could contend for the seat of Patriarch. Had she been born a son, she might have been able to seize power. Instead, she was married off, forced to contend with fate in ways that did not align with her ambitions.

She hated it. And she hated him.

Hei Yuan exhaled, composing himself before calling for a servant. The young man entered swiftly, bowing his head.

“Elder Yuan,” the servant greeted respectfully.

Hei Yuan straightened. “How is Da Wei settling in?”

The servant hesitated for half a breath before answering. “He and his people have taken to their resting place without complaint. However…”

Hei Yuan’s gaze sharpened. “Speak.”

The servant swallowed. “They do not seem… wary. It is as if they hold no fear of being in foreign territory. They rest as if they are in their own domain.”

Hei Yuan’s fingers clenched. Of course they did.

Because Da Wei knew that he could leave at any time.