In the Dark Dragon Forest, a young boy wielding a short blade launched an intense assault against a masked youth. His attacks came swiftly and relentlessly, striking from every angle, as shadowy blades swept towards the masked figure. Yet, the masked youth stood motionless, calmly deflecting every strike with effortless swipes of his own short blade.
Suddenly, the boy leapt high into the air, gripping his blade with both hands. Energy rippled through the air as the blade, now charged with a fierce aura, descended with tremendous force. The masked youth glanced up, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Young Master, you've made a critical mistake again," he remarked. With that, he hurled his blade upward towards the boy. Just as the blade was about to hit, the boy's figure vanished.
"A decoy?!" the masked youth exclaimed in realization. Behind him, the boy emerged silently, blade slicing through the air with deadly precision. The strike was mere inches away when the masked youth's body turned pitch black and dissolved into a cloud of dark mist, dissipating into the wind and narrowly avoiding the attack.
"Where did he go?" the boy muttered, glancing around in confusion. He knew full well that the figure he had just attacked was the masked youth's true form, not an illusion conjured by movement techniques. Yet, the youth had disappeared entirely.
Moments later, the dark mist reassembled a short distance away, forming a human shape. The blackness faded, and the masked youth once again stood before the boy.
"Wow! Brother Anye, what kind of technique was that? It's incredible!" the boy exclaimed, his eyes wide with astonishment. Over the past few days, he had been sparring with Anye, who had suppressed his power to a level between the third and fourth tiers for fairness. The boy had finally come close to landing a hit today, only to have his efforts thwarted by such an extraordinary move.
"This technique is called Shadow Form. It's a branch of the Shadow Arts," Anye explained, a hint of a bitter smile appearing on his face. "I had to go through quite the ordeal to convince Yingmei to teach me." Clearly, the memory of that struggle was not one Anye wished to revisit. Still, he was impressed. Despite limiting his power, the boy had mastered his Phantom Step technique so well that it was nearly impossible to discern between his real body and his clones.
"Brother Anye, let's go again! This time, I won't give you the chance to use Shadow Form!" the boy said eagerly, taking up a fighting stance.
"No, that's enough for today," Anye said, waving his hand dismissively. "You should focus on your cultivation instead. Improving your tier will benefit you far more than practice right now." Anye reasoned that the boy had already honed his quick-slash technique and Phantom Step to a high degree. Further sparring would only be a waste of time; increasing his overall strength was what truly mattered.
However, the boy remained still, his expression thoughtful. It was evident that something was weighing on his mind.
"Young Master, is there something troubling you?" Anye asked.
"Brother Anye, do you think I'm ready to leave the Dark Dragon Palace and venture outside?" the boy asked hesitantly. His thoughts were still preoccupied with a white-robed boy who had been forced to flee the Divine Realm and now lived in the Beast Realm.
"Leaving the Dark Dragon Palace for training is indeed a good thing, and I shouldn't interfere," Anye replied. "But as a member of the noble Sitong family, you bear great responsibilities. The outside world is fraught with danger, and a single misstep could cost you your life. You should consult with the Master before making such a decision."
Hearing this, the boy said nothing more. He sheathed his blade into his Ling Ring, performed his Phantom Step, and swiftly flew toward the Dark Dragon Palace.
"So, he still hasn't let go of Dongfang Yifeng and the others," Anye murmured to himself, watching the boy vanish into the distance. Then, like a shadow, he too disappeared into the darkness.
Several days prior, in the main hall of the Dark Dragon Palace, a black-robed youth sat regally on a throne. Behind him stood a masked youth, silently awaiting orders.
"Master, it seems our conversation was overheard by the Young Master," the masked youth reported with a respectful bow.
"Yes, his inability to conceal his aura gave him away immediately," the black-robed youth replied calmly. "If he fails to hide himself properly when pursued, it will undoubtedly lead to his demise."
"Should we take precautions? The Young Master seems intent on leaving the palace to find Dongfang Yifeng and his group," the masked youth suggested.
"No need to worry," the black-robed youth said with a faint smile. "Nuo is a clever child. He knows he's not strong enough to survive outside yet. If he mentions wanting to leave, it means he's convinced himself that he's ready. When the time comes, I will test him myself to see if he truly has the ability to survive out there."
The boy, using Phantom Step, returned to the palace gates with a small earth dragon trailing behind him. Upon entering, he arrived at a vast courtyard where a fierce-looking, armor-clad middle-aged man was training a group of warriors mounted on dragons.
When the man saw the boy approaching, he immediately straightened his posture, placed his right hand over his chest, and bowed deeply—a gesture unique to the Sitong family's military. The warriors behind him dismounted and saluted in unison, even their dragons lowering their heads in respect.
"Uncle Hei, there's no need for such formality," the boy said with a smile as he stepped forward, the small earth dragon climbing onto his shoulder.
"Young Master, we are the Dark Dragon Army, the Sitong family's elite force. It is only proper that we show you the utmost respect," the middle-aged man replied.
"Are these all new recruits? They seem so young, and their dragons are still quite small," the boy observed.
"Yes, these soldiers have just transferred from the reserves. With the recent unification of the Demon Realm under the Master's leadership, we need fresh blood to strengthen our forces and consolidate our hold on the territories," the man explained.
"And the dragons? How old are they?" the boy asked, glancing at the dragons before turning to the small creature perched on his shoulder. He couldn't help but notice that, despite being six years old, his dragon, "Xiao Long," was still as small as the day it hatched.
"These dragons are around five to six years old," the man replied. "Dragons grow rapidly, which is why we start training them from a young age. But I've never encountered a dragon as small as the one on your shoulder, Young Master."
Hearing this, the small earth dragon let out a disgruntled cry, as if protesting the remark. Its chittering seemed to say, So what if I'm small? I'm nimble and quick, unlike those big clumsy brutes.
"Ha! Uncle Hei, it looks like Xiao Long is upset with you!" the boy laughed. "By the way, do you know where my brother Sitong is?"
"The Master is in the main hall. It seems he's waiting for you, Young Master," the man answered.
"Oh, is that so? Let's go, Xiao Long," the boy said, heading towards the hall with the small dragon in tow.
In the main hall, the black-robed youth sat at the center. To his right stood a curvaceous young woman dressed in black, while to his left stood a boy holding a black sword. Behind the boy were a burly man and a youth tinkering with a mechanical device.
"Hey, Ali, look at Yingmei over there," the tinkering boy muttered. "She's glued to the Master's side, practically glowing with admiration."
Ali said nothing, standing stoically in place.
"Tch, pretending to be all mysterious," the boy scoffed.
At that moment, the boy and his small dragon entered the hall.
"Nuo, you've arrived. I already know why you're here," the black-robed youth said. "Tell me, do you truly intend to find him?"
"Yes, I must find Brother Dongfang and ask him some questions," Nuo replied firmly.
"Very well," the black-robed youth sighed. "Yingmei, let's begin."
The black-clad young woman nodded, forming a series of hand seals as she chanted under her breath. A cloud of black mist appeared beside the boy, quickly coalescing into the figure of a masked warrior holding a long blade.
"This is the captain of one of the Shadow Corps squads. His strength is roughly at the third tier," the black-robed youth said. "If you can defeat him, I will allow you to leave and find Dongfang."
Nuo glanced at the masked figure. Saying nothing, he motioned for Xiao Long to step aside, drew his short blade from his Ling Ring, and prepared for battle.
"Master, that captain's strength seems closer to the fourth tier," the swordsman beside him murmured.
"Is it? My mistake, then," the black-robed youth replied with a chuckle.