The wind whispered through the trees as Yun Jian stood face to face with the man cloaked in black. The stranger's robes shimmered faintly, as if sewn from the very shadows of the night. His eyes glowed faintly red, like embers that refused to die out. Though the air was still, Yun Jian felt a chill crawl along his skin—his instincts told him this man was not human. Not entirely.
"You've awakened," the man said again, his voice like dry leaves rustling in the dark. "I have waited a long time to see the Shadow Arts live once more."
Yun Jian narrowed his eyes. "You knew what's inside me?"
The stranger tilted his head slightly. "I know more than you can yet comprehend. You are not the first to wield the Shadow Arts… but you may be the last."
Yun Jian's hands flexed at his sides. The strange power from earlier still lingered within him—less chaotic now, more dormant, but still burning with potential.
"Who are you?" Yun Jian asked. "Why were you waiting?"
The man took a few steps closer, and Yun Jian tensed. But instead of attacking, the figure extended a hand and drew a glowing sigil in the air—a complex glyph of interwoven lines, pulsing with violet energy. It hovered between them, humming with ancient power.
"My name is Shi Luo," he said. "I am one of the last remaining Wardens of the Forbidden Realms. My duty is to guide the next bearer of the Shadow Arts. And now… that bearer is you."
Yun Jian stared at the glyph. The patterns seemed oddly familiar, as though he'd seen them in a dream or perhaps in the recesses of his mind. "What are the Forbidden Realms?"
"Places outside the knowledge of this world," Shi Luo replied. "Remnants of an older age—before the cultivation sects, before the Empyrean Court. They are the domains of the primordial forces, sealed away when mortals became too arrogant to share the world with gods."
Yun Jian frowned. "And the Shadow Arts… came from one of those realms?"
Shi Luo smiled faintly. "Indeed. From the Realm of No Light, where even time and space submit to shadow."
For a moment, Yun Jian said nothing. Then, he looked down at his hands, remembering the night's bloodshed, the way the shadows had bent to his will, the way he had felt nothing as he ended lives.
"Why me?" he asked. "I didn't ask for this. I just wanted to protect my village."
Shi Luo's smile vanished. "No one asks to become a Sovereign. The power chose you. And now that the seal has broken, your destiny has begun. Whether you embrace it or not… others will come for you."
"Others?"
"The cultivators of the Empyrean Court. Rival sects. Beings long buried beneath the earth. Once they learn you exist, they will see you as a threat… or a weapon."
Yun Jian clenched his fists. "Then let them come."
Shi Luo chuckled. "Spoken like a Sovereign already."
A long silence passed before Yun Jian spoke again. "What do I have to do?"
"There are Five Keys hidden across the Forbidden Realms," Shi Luo said. "Each one unlocks a deeper level of your power. They are trials—not just of strength, but of soul. Pass them, and you will become a being who rivals even the Shadow God who first created your power."
"And if I fail?"
"You'll die," Shi Luo said flatly. "And worse, your body may become a vessel for something far darker."
Yun Jian nodded slowly. He had already seen death. Already lost everything. What more could the world take from him?
"Where do I start?"
Shi Luo raised the glyph again. "Step through. This sigil is a portal to the First Realm: The Hollow Grove. There, the Key of the Beastheart lies buried beneath the roots of a tree older than the sky."
Before Yun Jian could speak, the sigil flared and expanded into a swirling black vortex.
"But beware," Shi Luo added, his voice suddenly grave. "You are not the only one seeking the keys. Others have already begun their journey. And one among them is the heir of the Eclipse Sect, a cultivator of immense power who believes the Shadow Arts should be purged forever. His name is Li Xuan. If he finds you…"
"I'll be ready," Yun Jian said, and stepped into the portal.
The Hollow Grove
The sensation of stepping through the portal was like falling through fog—no wind, no sound, only pressure. When Yun Jian emerged, he landed lightly on moss-covered ground.
The grove was dim, illuminated by strange, glowing spores floating gently in the air. Trees with black bark and silver leaves towered overhead, their roots twisting like serpents through the earth. The air was thick with magic.
Yun Jian took a cautious step forward, the shadows responding to his every movement. It was like they wanted to protect him, obey him.
The Key lies beneath the Tree of Night, the whisper inside him said.
He pressed forward, guided not by sight but by instinct. The trees began to part, leading to a circular clearing. At its center stood a massive tree with bark blacker than midnight. Its roots pulsed with dark energy.
Yun Jian approached, only to feel the air shift. A low growl echoed from the shadows behind him.
He turned.
A beast stepped from the darkness—eight feet tall, with a muscular body covered in black fur, eyes like burning coals, and fangs dripping with shadow. It was a Gloomfang, a guardian of the First Realm.
The beast lunged.
Yun Jian dodged just in time, the claws grazing his shoulder. Pain lanced through him. He rolled and came to a crouch, summoning his power. Shadows coiled around his arms, forming twin daggers.
He met the Gloomfang head-on, blades clashing against claws. The battle was fierce—the creature was fast, and every strike of its claws sent shockwaves through the grove. Yun Jian's movements grew sharper, more fluid, as if his body was remembering techniques he had never learned.
The beast roared, charging for a final blow. Yun Jian raised both hands, shadows surging upward into a massive lance.
"Abyss Piercer!" he shouted.
The spear struck true, impaling the Gloomfang through the heart. The creature howled once more before dissolving into smoke.
Yun Jian fell to his knees, gasping.
The Tree of Night responded. Its roots unfurled, revealing a glowing black crystal: The Key of the Beastheart.
Yun Jian reached out. The moment his fingers touched the crystal, a surge of power coursed through him. Visions flooded his mind—of ancient battles, of Sovereigns before him, of the true origin of the Shadow God.
And in the distance, another presence stirred.
Far away, atop a silver cliff overlooking the Forbidden Realms, Li Xuan opened his eyes.
"So… the new Sovereign has claimed the first key."
He stood, his white robes fluttering in the wind, and unsheathed a blade so sharp it hummed with divine resonance.
"I will end this bloodline… once and for all."