Chapter no.6 The Shadow Corps

[Cradle of Shadows - Principal's Office] 

"There's absolutely no way." Principal Huang Li, venerable head of the Soul Academy, declared firmly to the cloaked, masked individual before him. His voice, seasoned by years of experience, was filled with resolve. But the person across from him was no less formidable.

"He will be wasted otherwise." Retorted the cloaked figure, hidden behind a mask resembling a phoenix, three indigo markings on its forehead indicating a high rank. This was a symbol of the elite squadron known as the Shadow Corps.

"He will follow a standard curriculum and learn like the others-"

"Irrelevant when you consider that he won the trail you suggested." The masked individual cut him off, the distorted voice carrying an unmistakable edge.

"I won't endure your criticisms," Huang Li retorted, his tone authoritative. "I adhered to the rules-"

"Rules decided upon by a deluded, dying man like you. You will endure my criticisms, Huang Li. You've made mistakes, and it's time you own up to them. I will be taking away Zhongli."

"There's no reason for him to join. There's no need to put him through this kind of stress."

"Zhongli one first position by a land slide!" The masked figure exclaimed, their body tense. "Or are you too cowardly to admit that your plan to rise up in the political sphere failed?"

A palpable aura of hostility filled the office, sending shivers down Huang Li's spine. "Watch your words, Phoenix. You're addressing me Principal," he responded in an icy voice.

"Hahaha, you are are fool if you think your position has any power over me." The answer was equally cold. 

A tense silence filled the room, and Huang Li could only sigh in exhaustion. "Forgive me, Phoenix." He sighed. 

"Zhongli clearly must have cheated to win."

"What's your plan for him if he has cheated?"

"A balanced path, under Professor Jiang's guidance."

"Hmm, so if your daughter had won, would you consider her cheating ?"

Huang Li took a deep breath. "No."

Phoenix resisted the urge to hit his own forehead. The mask was quite resilient, and it would hurt needlessly. 

"Haung Li, your plan has been already known by the Shadow Corps, we weren't going to allow your cheating daughter into the ranks of the Elite but to our surprise, a new candidate showed up."

"Joining the Guard is not a normal way to start a cultivator's path."

The figure threw his hands in the air. "He will never live a normal life, Huang Li! Accept that. His childhood wasn't normal, and his life as a cultivator won't be either and he has proven to the corps that he is worthy.*

"Joining the Guard will warp him."

"Being a cultivator will warp him, Huang Li."

"You won't let this go, will you?"

"Absolutely not, Huang Li. He has too much potential. He is potential."

"You won't exploit him, Phoenix!"

"By the heavens, Huang Li! I know you don't care for the boy, so stop acting."

"We never had such a young member of the corps before."

Even behind the mask, Huang Li could feel the flat look Phoenix was giving him.

"I am sure, you won't be spouting this nonsense if your daughter had won, this discussion is over; I'm taking Zhongli. If you continue to object, I will resort to ending your pathetic existence and I'll still have him." Phoenix's tone was resolute. "Do we do this the easy way or the hard way?"

Huang Li paled as he sighed. "The easy way," he finally said, his voice filled with disappointment.

Phoenix nodded, his eye-roll so potent that Huang Li could practically hear it. 

"Call upon him ! Call upon the newest member of the Shadow Corps!" 

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[ Cradle of Shadows - Student Dormitory ]

Zhongli woke up, eyes bleary from lack of sleep and stomach protesting in hunger, to the sound of someone insistently knocking on his door. It took a minute for the boy to collect himself and realized he was on his couch. Racking his brain to understand why he was on his living room rather than in his bed, Zhongli yawned. A yawn wide enough to unhinge his jaw. It was at this moment he remembered the strange, heavy, never felt before wave of exhaustion falling on him like a cloak of lead earlier in the morning. Before he could think about it in more detail, the knocks on his door doubled and the blond hopped off of his small sofa and stumbled through his room, his gait shaky, towards his door.

"Yes, yes," groaned the dark skinned boy while opening the wooden panel.

Standing in his doorway was a masked individual. Zhongli started slightly, stifled another yawn, and shook his head left and right to dissipate the last remnant of sleep.

"What can I do for you?"

"You have been summoned by the Principal. Be at the office at noon. It is currently eleven, for your information."

"Yes, Sir," answered Zhongli with a bow. The masked individual simply disappeared in a swirl of leaves, his mission accomplished. The dark skinned boy yawned again. It was unusual for him to feel this tired, as normally, a few hours of sleep had him energized for a day.

Zhongli chalked it up to the test and closed his door when what the masked individual had just told him hit him truly. He was summoned by the Principal. The event of the night flooded his mind. 

He had won the test and was going to become a member of the Shadow Corps.

What did the principal want with him? Would he kill him for taking away his daughter's position?

.....

A knock on the door interrupted quietness of the principal office as Huang Li glanced at one of the commanders of the Shadow Corps in the office.

Huang Li sighed as he gave the signal causing his wife and secretary, a petite brunette woman, was standing in the frame.

"You summoned Zhongli, Principal Li ?"

"Indeed, Miki, thank you."

The woman nodded once and allowed a purple haired, blue-eyed boy to enter the office. The armored door was closed immediately.

"You asked for me, Principal." Zhongli said in his best monotone.

"Yes, boy, I did," answered the principal eventually. 

"You are here to discuss your path of cultivation. Sit down please."

Zhongli gave a nod of acknowledgement and moved to take the offered seat. His poise, however, was momentarily disrupted as a masked man materialized in the room, as if out of thin air. The mask was elaborately designed, taking the shape of a fearsome dragon's visage. Intricate details were etched into the porcelain, with sharp fangs, flaming eyes, and overlapping scales giving the dragon an intimidating aura. It was a stunning piece of craftsmanship, and it effectively concealed the identity of the man behind it. The moment the dragon-masked man spoke, Zhongli had to suppress an instinctual startle, his pulse quickening in response to the sudden interruption.

"Hello."

The risk of cardiac arrest averted and after some choice curse words about sneaky cloaked freaks muttered under his breath, Zhongli chose to answer.

"Hello, S-Sir."

"Dragon."

Zhongli nodded. "Yes, Lord Dragon."

"Dragon here as a proposal for you, Zhongli. I want to be clear that you are in no way forced to accept. Am I clear?" asked Huang Li as Dragon and Zhongli both rolled their eyes at the old man's deceptively sugar coated words.

Zhongli nodded. "Clear, Principal."

The boy eyed the masked man with undisguised curiosity. 

" Zhongli Xingchen born October tenth, year one thousand two hundred and fifty-three of Fire Celestial calendar. Made second year yesterday by finishing first in the martial skeleton trail." The masked shadow enumerated.

"Friends with one dead Huan Jing and an Imprisoned Chen Ling"

"Yes."

"Individual is smart yet lacks motivation. He also displays a lack of focus during certain activities but has been seen training to the point of vomiting and bleeding himself to unconcious. The last two behavior can be attributed to Zhongli's craving of revenge against Huang Li."

Zhongli felt his heart sink at those words as he glanced at Huang Li who didn't dare raise even his aura in the presence of Dragon.

"How do you feel about this report?" Dragon asked, surprisingly gentle.

Zhongli looked up at the mask and gulped. Averting his eyes from the blank armor of porcelain, the boy bit through his own constricted throat. "I… It's true," Zhongli said feebly.

"If I told you, you could gain the power to kill this old man, would you be interested?"

The dark skinned boy's eyes shot up and anchored themselves on the blank mask, trying intently to see through the porcelain as he glanced at the old man, who just stayed silent.

Zhongli's jaw went slack seeing the blank expression on the old man's face.

"If I told you, you could be away from the world, would you be interested?"

The boy started to nod enthusiastically before disbelief slowly etched its way in his blue orbs. After a second, they went down. "Yeah, but I doubt any of that is possible."

"A fair sentiment. That is why I would like to offer you a trial run."

"A trial run?"

"A trial run in Shadow Corps."

"I… I… Why?" Zhongli eventually asked, trying to pinch himself that this wasn't a dream or a hallucination even though he knew this was going to happen, the opportunity when it presented itself was something that Zhongli could fully process as a part for reality.

Him, an ordinary grade spiritual roots cultivator was going to join the Elites.

The masked man shifted. "Just yesterday," began the operator in a neutral voice, "you infiltrated the tower of tomes in the Dreamland arrat without using Qi, in a way no one even thought about, demonstrated creative abilities in inscription arrays and demonstrated excellent use of martial arts."

The ANBU took a deep gulp of air, his breathing short from the enumeration. "And you ask why? Despite what some might say, that's what I call talent, and it has the excellent taste to be backed up by hard work."

Zhongli was flustered at what he was quite certain was praise. 

"You… You mean it?" The dark skinned boy smiled, illuminating the room. "He he, I knew I was awesome."

"First lesson, Zhongli, whether you accept or not: a shadow corps member must be humble."

The dark skinned boy nodded. "Yes, Lord Dragon." He answered in a subdued voice.

"Good. Now, Zhongli, what will you decide?"

Zhongli looked down at his feet, his hands resting on his lap. 

"But what about Chen Ling?" One insidious, traitorous part of his brain whispered. "What about my revenge against Yuzhen?" It continued. 

Zhongli, who had been frozen silent for two minutes now flailed suddenly, startling the two older cultivator slightly and palmed his face with both his hand before dragging them down. Cheeks and lower eyelids stretched downward, Zhongli sighed. Why was it so complicated to make such a simple decision? The question was simple, yes or no. 

Did he want to have a mask, wear a coat, and be able to attain his revenge? Hell yes! 

Did he want to free Chen Ling ? Hell Yes ?

His resolve finally made, Zhongli looked back up at the principal first, then at Dragon second. "I accept," said the boy, his voice firm and his gaze set.

A heavy dread filled Huang Li's heart as he grappled with the daunting realization. He had inadvertently provoked a cultivator who, in just a few decades, would undoubtedly surpass him in strength and seek revenge for Huan Jing's death. If only Dragon hadn't been present, if only his servants had succeeded in eliminating Zhongli without the protective shadow of the Shadow Corps, the boy would have been long gone, never having the chance to become a thorn in his side.

Dragon was content to simply nod once to signify he had heard the boy and cleared his voice.

"Wear this mask." 

Zhongli nodded as he grabbed the mask Dragon gave him.

"Remove your mask."

Blue eyes wavered with confusion. "What?"

"Simply remove your mask."

Zhongli mutely obeyed.

"Good," began Dragon solemnly, "this is your very last opportunity to refuse this mask and the service as a member of the shadow corps and walk away. Do you wish to do so?"

That was an easy answer to give. "No, Lord Dragon !"

"Zhongli Xingchen, do you swear to give your sweat, your blood, and your life if necessary to defend the Umbral Hand and its interests?" Dragon began, his distorted baritone suddenly rolling in thunderous, powerful waves, rooting the boy in his chair.

"Do you swear to show bravery in adversity, resolve in duty, steadfastness in death?" Dragon continued.

"Do you swear allegiance to the 

Immortal Demon Sect, obedience to your officer, but above all, do you swear loyalty towards your comrades?" Dragon thundered behind his mask, starring the blond boy down.

Zhongli hesitated the fraction of a second before he jumped out of his chair, his blood boiling. "I swear it!"

A second later, the dark skinned boy sputtered, his ears erupting in steam, as he realized his lack of mannerism.

 Dragon surprisingly snorted. Maybe.

With mirth in his voice, the commander spoke again. "Then fasten your mask, Zhongli Xingchen, and may it be a reminder of your oath to the Immortal Demon Sect."

Zhongli nodded furiously before he donned the headband, his hands fumbling a bit from the adrenaline.

"I'm a member of the Shadow Corps now," Zhongli calmly said with a smile, his voice filled with peaceful, assured confidence. It was not boastful promise, nor was it a questioning statement. 

"Indeed," confirmed Dragon. Silence fell for a few seconds in the office before the man fished a piece of paper from the depth of his cloak. "Now, if you're still interested about Shadow Corps, sign that please." The commander deadpanned.

A sweatdrop formed on Zhongli's brow.