Chapter 30: Shadows of the Past

As the festival continued in the Qin clan's compound, the atmosphere was electric with tension. Shenlong's return had shaken the very foundations of the clan, and though he had soundly defeated Qin Feng, his presence brought unease to the elders. They whispered among themselves, wondering what had transpired during his absence and what power he now wielded.

But Shenlong paid no mind to the hushed conversations around him. His focus was elsewhere—on the pendant that hung from his neck, glowing faintly as if responding to the events unfolding around him. It had been his silent companion since birth, and now that he had unlocked a portion of its power, it seemed to pulse with an ancient rhythm, almost as if guiding him toward something.

Later that evening, Shenlong walked through the forest on the outskirts of the Qin clan's territory, his mind racing with unanswered questions. The taste of victory over Qin Feng was hollow. His true enemies were still in the shadows, waiting for their moment to strike. And then there was the pendant—the key to his past, and perhaps his future.

As he ventured deeper into the woods, Shenlong's thoughts drifted back to his parents. The revelation that he wasn't their biological son had been a shock, and yet, it had made so much sense. Their coldness toward him, their indifference after his cultivation stagnated—it all pointed to the truth they had hidden for so long.

But why? Why had they kept the pendant a secret? And why had they raised him as their own if they weren't truly his family?

Shenlong clenched his fists, frustration boiling inside him. He needed answers. And he knew exactly where to find them.

Back at the Qin compound, the elders gathered in a dimly lit hall, their expressions grim. Shenlong's sudden return had thrown their carefully constructed plans into disarray. They had long since written him off as a failure, a once-promising talent who had been reduced to nothing more than a cautionary tale for the younger disciples.

But now, he was back—and stronger than ever.

"This cannot be allowed to continue," one of the elders, Qin Lao, muttered, his voice laced with concern. "Shenlong's power has grown exponentially. If he continues on this path, he could threaten the stability of the entire clan."

The other elders nodded in agreement, their faces lined with worry. Shenlong's return had upset the delicate balance of power within the Qin clan, and they could not afford to let him rise unchecked.

Qin Lao leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "We must act swiftly. If Shenlong is allowed to regain his influence, it will not be long before he starts asking questions. Questions about his origins. About the pendant."

At the mention of the pendant, the room grew even more tense. The elders had long known about the pendant's true significance—an artifact of immense power that had been passed down through the Qin bloodline for generations. But Shenlong wasn't truly of their blood, and they had feared what might happen if the pendant's full power was ever unlocked by someone outside the clan.

"We need to eliminate him," another elder whispered. "Before he learns too much."

Shenlong stood in front of a small, secluded house deep in the woods. This was where his adoptive parents lived now, far from the main compound. The house, though simple, seemed untouched by time, much like the memories that flooded his mind as he approached.

He hadn't seen them in years, not since they had abandoned him when his engagement was called off. They had barely spoken to him as he left the clan in disgrace, and now, as he stood at their doorstep, the weight of everything that had been left unsaid pressed heavily on his chest.

He knocked on the door, his heart steady but his mind racing.

After a moment, the door creaked open, and Shenlong's adoptive father, Qin Zhui, appeared in the doorway. The older man's eyes widened in surprise as he saw the figure before him.

"Shenlong…?" Qin Zhui's voice was barely above a whisper.

Shenlong met his gaze, his expression unreadable. "Father."

Qin Zhui hesitated for a moment, then stepped aside, allowing Shenlong to enter. Inside, the house was sparsely furnished, with only the bare essentials. His mother, Qin Mei, sat by the fire, her face etched with years of silent suffering. She looked up as Shenlong entered, her eyes widening in shock.

"Shenlong…" she whispered, her voice filled with disbelief.

Shenlong stood in the center of the room, the pendant around his neck glowing faintly in the firelight. He looked at the two people who had raised him, who had kept the truth of his origins hidden from him for so long.

"I know," Shenlong said quietly, his voice calm but filled with a quiet intensity. "I know I'm not your real son."

Qin Mei's face paled, and Qin Zhui's expression tightened with guilt. The silence in the room was deafening, broken only by the crackling of the fire.

After a long pause, Qin Zhui finally spoke. "We… we were going to tell you, Shenlong. But we feared what might happen if you knew the truth."

Shenlong's eyes narrowed. "What truth? Who am I really?"

Qin Mei looked down, her hands trembling. "You were left on our doorstep when you were just a baby. We don't know who your real parents are, only that you were found with that pendant."

Qin Zhui stepped forward, his voice grave. "The pendant is no ordinary artifact, Shenlong. It holds immense power, and the elders feared that if you unlocked its secrets, it could bring chaos to the clan."

Shenlong clenched his fists. "So, you let me grow up thinking I was part of the clan, only to abandon me when I needed you most?"

"We had no choice!" Qin Zhui's voice cracked, his eyes filled with regret. "The elders ordered us to raise you, to keep the pendant safe. But when your cultivation stagnated, they saw you as a liability. We couldn't protect you anymore."

Shenlong's heart hardened. "You could have told me the truth. Instead, you let me suffer, let me be cast aside like trash."

Qin Mei's eyes filled with tears. "We did it to protect you, Shenlong. The pendant… it's tied to a legacy far greater than any of us. If the wrong people find out—"

"I don't care about your excuses," Shenlong interrupted, his voice cold. "I've already unlocked part of the pendant's power. And now I need answers. Who are my real parents? What is this legacy you speak of?"

Qin Zhui and Qin Mei exchanged a worried glance, but before they could respond, a loud crash echoed from outside the house. Shenlong turned sharply toward the door, his senses alert.

The atmosphere grew tense as the front door was kicked open, and several figures cloaked in black stormed into the room. Shenlong's eyes narrowed as he recognized them—assassins, sent by the elders of the Qin clan.

"You've come to silence me, haven't you?" Shenlong growled, stepping forward to confront the intruders.

The lead assassin sneered. "The elders don't take kindly to those who dig too deep, Shenlong. You should have stayed hidden."

Shenlong's expression darkened, his aura flaring with power. "I'm not the same boy you once knew. If you think you can silence me, you're gravely mistaken."

With a single movement, Shenlong unleashed his Qi, the air around him vibrating with raw energy. The assassins hesitated for a moment, sensing the immense power radiating from him, but they quickly steeled themselves and charged.

But they were no match for him.

Shenlong moved with the speed and precision of a dragon, his strikes devastatingly powerful. Within moments, the assassins lay defeated, their bodies strewn across the room.

Breathing heavily, Shenlong turned back to his adoptive parents. "This is far from over," he said, his voice cold. "I will find out the truth—whether you help me or not."

With that, Shenlong left the house, his mind set on one thing: confronting the elders and uncovering the full mystery of his origins.