The Whispering Shadow
The path Chen had chosen led him straight into the abyss and retreating even one step would result in a terrible fate. He needed to justify the support he had received, not just from his father's family but also from his mother's side.
Yet, Yuan loomed over Chen's difficult path like an insurmountable mountain. Chen had planned to marry Wei on his own accord, further burdening his family with additional expenses. He had acted based on the rules of nobility, but he hadn't expected Wei's father to heartlessly abandon his own daughter to the Zhu Flame Demon family.
Chen Chen vented his frustration on Wei, shouting, "You! Tell me what your purpose is. Tell me now! I have paid so much for your expenses, so how can you help me? Are you aiding me in scribing or winning my master's favor? TELL ME! Yuan has already surpassed me by far, so what can I even do? You've been so disconnected from the world outside. Have you heard about the attack on your family? It's Magistrate Liu Xue of the Liu Immortals, the same family as Yuan's. You should be grateful; if it was Yuan's grandfather who attacked, your father wouldn't have lasted until our reinforcements arrived. If that were to happen, do you think you'd still be worthy of marrying into the Zhu Flame Demon family? You'd be no different from a girl in the border districts. How many aurums would a defeated magistrate's daughter be worth? You'd be worth nothing."
.
Chen continued to vent his frustrations on Wei, he found that his anger and stress were not subsiding in the slightest. The thought of Yuan becoming a scribe and taking away all his resources ate away at him, fueling his rage to a boiling point. Despite his outbursts, he was no closer to finding a solution, and his anxiety only mounted as the weight of his responsibilities and expectations bore down upon him. He paced restlessly around his room, his mind racing with thoughts of how to overcome this seemingly insurmountable obstacle.
Wei, witnessing Chen's torment, remained in the corner, afraid to intervene. The air was thick with tension as Chen relentlessly cursed Yuan and the Liu Flame Immortals, each venomous word echoing through the room. In a sudden moment of clarity, Chen stopped and looked at Wei with an evil smile. "It's Yuan, isn't it? He's the root cause of all the problems I'm facing," he said, his eyes gleaming with malice. Wei, initially confused by his statement, hesitantly nodded in agreement.
Chen's grin grew even wider as he declared, "Then all I need to do is remove the root cause, and my problems will be solved." Wei's heart dropped as she realized the implications of his words. If the Sect found out that Chen was plotting to have Yuan killed, the punishment would be severe. Yet, seeing Chen's deteriorating mental state, she chose to remain silent, unsure of how to dissuade him from this dangerous path.
Chen put his shirt back on and left his abode, setting out to find a solution to the root cause of his problems. Unbeknownst to him, this decision would lead him further into darkness and bring about consequences that would change the course of their lives forever.
The night was far advanced when Chen left the Houhui Sect's central complex, making his way toward the buildings at the edge of the sect's territory. After traveling for a while, Chen arrived near a building complex. Within the main complex, numerous cultivators and scholars resided, each with a retinue of twenty to thirty attendants. This pushed many people to seek accommodations in the surrounding areas, as the cost of living in the main complex was prohibitive for all but the most accomplished individuals.
As Chen ventured further from the central complex, the districts were ranked by their proximity to the heart of the sect. The closest ring housed many lower-level cultivators who could not afford to live within the main complex but who still managed to maintain a presence in the outer regions.
Clad in a dark cloak, Chen navigated through several districts until he reached the outermost one. Throughout his journey, he felt various gazes upon him—some curious, some malicious. His unfamiliar face and the aura of a powerful cultivator protected him from any unwanted confrontations.
At the end of a dark, deserted alleyway, there stood a rundown tavern. Its wooden sign bore the faded image of a crescent moon, and the door hung slightly ajar, revealing the dimly lit and quiet interior. A strong scent of alcohol wafted from the establishment.
Chen pushed the tavern door open and stepped inside. The place was small, with only a few tables. The bartender, a middle-aged man with graying hair, seemed unremarkable. In the corner, two burly men in tattered clothing sat at a table, nursing their drinks and picking at a plate of unappetizing dried meat.
Taking a quick survey of the room, Chen approached the bartender and lifted his hood. "I'm not here to drink," he said. "I'm looking for someone."
"Who?" the bartender inquired, his interest piqued.
"The Whispering Shadow," Chen replied. As the words left his mouth, the atmosphere in the room changed. The two men at the table ceased their actions, their attention now focused on Chen.
The bartender studied Chen for a moment before speaking, "That's a name I haven't used in a long time. Call me Lan; anyone who knows about the Whispering Shadow is a friend. But I'm curious, what does a young man like you want with me?"
"I want to hire you to kill someone," Chen replied, getting straight to the point.
"Who?" Lan asked, intrigued.
"Fairy Ling's apprentice," Chen answered.
Lan's expression darkened, and he asked, "Why would you want him dead?"
Chen hesitated for a moment before revealing, "I have my reason, and I believe he is a threat to the sect. Also, I've heard that you have a vendetta against Fairy Ling. This could be a chance for you to get back at her."
Lan considered Chen's words for a moment before asking, "Can you afford my fee?"
Chen produced a beautifully crafted magic pouch and poured out a pile of gleaming aurum coins onto the bar counter. "I've prepared a hundred thousand aurums as an advance payment. If that's not enough, we can negotiate the price."
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