The marketplace was noisy, filled with merchants shouting and customers bargaining. Ye Tian walked calmly through the crowd, his black cloak brushing the cobblestones. Around him, his shadow disciples were hidden, ready to move at a single thought.
"Patriarch, there are people coming from the west alley," a disciple whispered.
Ye Tian's dark eyes followed them. "Let them come. They'll learn what it means to face a shadow unseen in the night."
Ahead, a group of young men in fine clothes approached, their arrogance thick in the air. They were members of the Mo Clan, the spear-using family that had once cast out Lan Yuhua and her mother. These were the arrogant scions, young masters who thought wealth and status made them untouchable.
"Who's this wandering in our market?" one sneered. "Step aside, or you'll regret it."
Lan Yuhua walked close behind Ye Tian, tension in her eyes. "They're from the Mo Clan… they dare interfere with you?"
Ye Tian's lips curved slightly. "Let's see how far their pride goes."
The young masters drew spears and swords, circling him with confidence.
"Patriarch, shall I strike?" one disciple whispered.
"Not yet. Let them act first," Ye Tian replied calmly.
The lead Mo Clan scion lunged with his spear, but daggers spun around Ye Tian, guided by his psychokinesis. Spears and swords were intercepted midair, shattering silently before they could touch him.
"Impossible!" the young master shouted.
Ye Tian stepped forward, and his presence alone silenced the crowd. "This shadow cannot be seen in the night… but you can feel it now."
Disciples struck invisibly, taking out the remaining Mo Clan attackers with surgical precision. Within minutes, fifty-five of them lay dead, their screams cut off before anyone could react. Civilians froze in awe and terror.
"Patriarch… fifty-five dead. All from the Mo Clan," a disciple reported.
Ye Tian's lips curved faintly. "Good. Let the fear spread. Reputation first, charm later."
A system pop-up appeared:
Reputation +300
Charm +50
Fear induced: 99% of onlookers
Lan Yuhua's eyes widened. "I… I never imagined anyone could move like that. You're… terrifying, Patriarch."
"Good. That fear will serve you. That fear will serve us all," Ye Tian said.
---
Later, in a secluded yard, Ye Tian began training Lan Yuhua in the shadow techniques and psychokinesis that would define her path.
"Focus on the space between intention and action," he said, tossing a dagger lightly. It spun midair, stopping only when she reached out to catch it.
"Yes… Patriarch," Lan Yuhua breathed, bowing slightly.
Mu Qingyao watched, leaning close. "Nightlord… you're beyond anything I imagined. Even she trembles before you."
Ye Tian's hand brushed hers briefly. "Fear, loyalty, love… all tools. Use them well."
"Love?" Mu Qingyao whispered, blushing. "Are you… feeling it now?"
"Perhaps," Ye Tian said, scanning the horizon. "But first, power must come."
Ye Xiuying, observing nearby, whispered, "Brother… I understand why you are Patriarch. No one can ever disobey you."
Ye Tian's lips curved faintly. "Correct. Those who disobey… won't live to try twice."
The night stretched on. The Mo Clan had felt the full force of Nightshade Hall, and Lan Yuhua had begun her path. The shadow disciples moved silently, and Ye Tian's influence grew with every step — a shadow that could not be seen, but was felt everywhere.