Chapter 5: Shadowed Resolve

The night was still and heavy with an ominous silence. The usual whispers of wind through the trees seemed to be holding their breath, waiting for the violence to come. In the shadows of the dilapidated courtyard, Li Wei stood motionless, his body tense and his mind swirling with a mixture of emotions. He knew they were coming. The weight of their murderous intent hung in the air, thick and suffocating.

Chen Feng had sent them.

Azrael's voice echoed calmly within Li Wei's mind, as always a steady and commanding presence. "Three at the sixth stage of Qi Refinement. They approach swiftly, yet with arrogance. They believe they have already won."

Li Wei clenched his fists, his fingers trembling slightly. He had faced their kind before—disciples blinded by ambition and cruelty, willing to do whatever Chen Feng commanded for a chance to gain favor. And yet, something about tonight felt different. The tension in the air, the stakes—they were higher than before.

"I know," Li Wei replied inwardly. "But I need to handle this."

Azrael's response was immediate, a ripple of curiosity touching his ancient voice. "Thou wouldst claim control over our body for this conflict? Dost thou forget the power we now wield together? Why risk thy fragile hands when I could crush them effortlessly?"

There was a pause, and in that moment, Li Wei considered his next words carefully. Azrael had been in control ever since their souls had fused. The ancient necromancer had steered their path, made the decisions, and exacted retribution where necessary. It had been effective—brutally so—but it had also changed Li Wei in ways he had not fully reconciled.

"I need to fight this one, Azrael," Li Wei insisted, his tone firm. "I don't want to just... kill them."

Azrael's voice hummed with faint amusement. "Ah, thy lingering attachment to morality. I had thought it a fleeting weakness, yet here it remains, tethering thee to the ideals of the living. Thou wouldst spare thy enemies? Art thou so naive as to believe they will show thee mercy in return?"

Li Wei's jaw tightened. "No, I know they won't. But I have to face them myself. I can't just let you take control every time things get difficult."

Azrael was silent for a moment, his presence brooding, as if weighing Li Wei's words. The ancient necromancer had lived through countless centuries, conquering and subjugating souls without hesitation. Mercy was an alien concept to him. Yet, the symbiosis between their souls required understanding. Li Wei's desires were not entirely irrelevant.

Finally, Azrael spoke again, his tone one of reluctant concession. "Very well. Thou hast earned the right to test thy mettle, though I find thy methods wanting. I shall relinquish control to thee for this conflict. But know this, Li Wei—should thy compassion endanger us, I will not hesitate to reclaim what is mine."

Li Wei felt a strange sense of relief. "Thank you," he said quietly.

"Do not thank me," Azrael replied. "Instead, heed my guidance. For though thou shalt wield the sword, it is my wisdom that will guide thee to victory."

Li Wei nodded, taking a deep breath as he prepared himself. The three attackers were drawing closer. Their qi signatures were strong—each one a force to be reckoned with. He could feel the malicious intent pouring off them in waves.

Suddenly, the wooden gate to his courtyard creaked open, and three figures stepped into the moonlit clearing. They were dressed in the black robes of the Shadow Moon Sect, but their faces were twisted with contempt and bloodlust. Li Wei recognized them instantly as Chen Feng's lackeys—disciples who had long ago abandoned honor in favor of survival in the sect's brutal hierarchy.

The leader, a tall disciple with a scar running across his face, sneered as his eyes landed on Li Wei. "Chen Feng was right. You really are still hiding out here like a coward."

The other two laughed, fanning out to either side of their leader. "It's almost a shame," one of them added. "We were expecting a fight, but this will be over before it starts."

Li Wei stood his ground, his heart pounding, but his resolve unwavering. "You don't have to do this," he said, his voice steady but laced with warning. "Leave now, and no harm will come to you."

The leader scoffed, his eyes glinting with malice. "You really think you can stop us? Chen Feng ordered your head. You should be grateful we're making this quick."

Li Wei's fists clenched at his sides. He had no illusions about their intentions. These men were here to kill him, and nothing short of a miracle would change that. But he wasn't about to roll over and die. Not now.

Azrael's voice whispered in the back of his mind. "They are overconfident. Exploit that arrogance. Move swiftly, strike without hesitation. Thou must not allow them to gain the upper hand."

Li Wei nodded subtly, taking the advice to heart. He could feel the pulse of power flowing through his veins—the result of the cultivation breakthroughs he had achieved with Azrael's guidance. Even though he was only at the fifth stage of Qi Refinement, he could sense the strength of the shadows at his command.

The first disciple charged without warning, his sword gleaming in the moonlight as he aimed a vicious slash at Li Wei's throat.

Li Wei moved on instinct, ducking low and stepping to the side, narrowly avoiding the blade. In the same fluid motion, he summoned the shadows around him, bending them to his will. A tendril of darkness shot out from the ground, wrapping around the attacker's arm and wrenching the sword from his grip.

The disciple's eyes widened in shock, but before he could react, Li Wei spun and delivered a precise strike to his chest, sending him staggering backward.

"Good," Azrael's voice purred approvingly. "Thou hast the speed and precision necessary to overcome them. But do not let thy mercy dull thy blade."

Li Wei tightened his grip on his sword, turning to face the other two attackers. They were approaching cautiously now, clearly surprised by his sudden display of strength.

"Enough of this," the second disciple snarled, his hands glowing with dark qi. "We'll end you right here!"

Li Wei braced himself as the disciple unleashed a barrage of qi-infused strikes. He could feel the energy tearing through the air, but he stayed calm, focusing on the rhythm of the fight. As the first strike neared, Li Wei stepped aside, letting the attack sail past him harmlessly. The second strike came just as fast, but Li Wei was already moving, ducking under the blow and countering with a sweep of his own blade.

The disciple grunted in pain as Li Wei's sword cut across his arm, leaving a shallow but stinging wound. His frustration was evident, but Li Wei remained calm, his eyes focused and determined.

"I don't want to kill you," Li Wei said, his voice low but firm. "Leave now, and this can end."

The third disciple, a wiry man with a cruel grin, laughed harshly. "You're soft, Li Wei. That's why you'll never survive in this sect."

He lunged forward, his sword raised high, but this time Li Wei was ready. He sidestepped the attack and swung his blade in a clean arc, aiming for the man's exposed side. His sword struck true, and the disciple stumbled back, blood seeping from the wound.

Azrael's voice hissed in the back of his mind. "Thou showest too much restraint. Strike decisively, or they shall regroup and crush thee."

Li Wei gritted his teeth. He could feel the tension mounting. These disciples were ruthless, unrelenting. He knew Azrael was right—if he didn't end this quickly, they would overpower him.

But something held him back. He wasn't like them. He didn't want to kill them, even if they deserved it.

Azrael's voice grew colder. "Thy hesitation will be thy downfall, Li Wei. Art thou so determined to show mercy that thou wouldst endanger us both?"

Li Wei struggled with the conflict inside him. He didn't want to become like Chen Feng, like the others who saw death as a tool for power. But he also knew that sparing them could lead to his own destruction.

The second disciple recovered from his earlier wound and charged again, his face twisted in anger. Li Wei parried the blow, their swords clashing with a sharp metallic ring.

"I won't die here," Li Wei thought to himself. "But I won't kill them either."

With a deep breath, he threw the disciple back with a burst of qi, creating distance between them. His eyes flicked to the leader, who was circling around, looking for an opening.

Azrael's voice cut through his thoughts, impatient now. "Enough of this charade. Thou hast had thy chance, and thou hast squandered it. Stand aside."

Li Wei's heart sank. He knew what was coming. "No, wait—"

But it was too late. Azrael's presence surged forward, and Li Wei felt the ancient necromancer take control. His body moved on its own, his limbs no longer under his command.

Azrael's voice was calm, almost disappointed. "I warned thee, Li Wei. Now, allow me to show thee how to finish what thou hast begun."

With a fluid motion, Azrael turned his attention to the second disciple, who was still recovering from the last attack. Without hesitation, Azrael summoned the shadows to him, wrapping them around his sword in a deadly coil.

The disciple barely had time to react before Azrael's blade pierced through his chest, the shadows seeping into the wound and consuming his life force. The man let out a choked gasp, his eyes wide with terror, before crumpling to the ground.

Li Wei's mind screamed in protest, but his body obeyed Azrael's will.

Azrael turned to the remaining two disciples, who were now frozen in shock. "Thou art fools to have come here underestimating me."

He raised his hand, and the shadows obeyed. Tendrils of darkness shot out from the ground, ensnaring the leader and the other disciple in their icy grip. They struggled in vain, their faces contorted in fear.

With a flick of his wrist, Azrael ended them both, their bodies collapsing lifelessly to the ground. The courtyard was silent once more, save for the faint rustling of the wind.

Azrael sighed, his voice heavy with disdain. "Thou wilt learn in time, Li Wei. Mercy is a luxury we cannot afford."

Li Wei's consciousness returned, and he staggered, horrified at what had just transpired. He looked down at the bodies of the three disciples, their eyes staring blankly into the void.

"I… I didn't want this," Li Wei whispered, his voice shaking.

Azrael was unfazed. "They would have killed thee without a second thought. Thou must embrace the truth of this world, or it shall consume thee."

Li Wei fell silent, the weight of his actions pressing down on him. He knew Azrael was right, but the hollow feeling in his chest refused to go away.

Azrael, sensing his reluctance, spoke again, this time with a hint of patience. "In time, thou wilt understand. Now, let us not waste these vessels."

With a practiced motion, Azrael began the Soul Enslavement Art, binding the souls of the fallen disciples to his will. One by one, their lifeless forms shuddered, and their eyes flickered with a dull, eerie light.

"They are thine now," Azrael said softly. "Use them as tools, for that is all they are."

Li Wei stared at the reanimated corpses, his heart heavy with conflicting emotions. Was this what his life would become?