Chapter 2: The Birth of Shadowveil
The ruins of an abandoned fortress loomed on the outskirts of Xel'Tharis. Crumbling towers stood against the neon-lit sky, vines of corrupted Qi snaking along their stone walls. The place had once been a noble estate before its family fell to ruin, leaving it a ghost of the past. Now, it was hers.
Xel'Varyn stood atop a broken balcony, her three arms crossed as she gazed down at the ragtag warriors below. They were the discarded, the forgotten—orphans, slaves who had escaped their masters, outcasts branded as cursed. But now, they stood tall. She had given them a purpose.
A System notification flickered in her vision.
---
[New Title Earned: Shadow Matron]
"The founder of a rising clan, she is the guiding hand in the darkness. To her allies, she is a mother. To her enemies, a specter of death."
Effects:
+10% Loyalty from subordinates
+15% Effectiveness when commanding familiars in battle
Unlocks Shadowveil Clan Mechanics
---
Xel'Varyn smiled, though her gaze turned sharp as she read the last line.
[Clan System Unlocked]
A second notification appeared.
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[Shadowveil Clan - Founding Conditions Met]
Clan Leader: Xel'Varyn (Cultivation Rank: Qi Master 5)
Recognized Base: Ruined Fortress of Var'Zun
Minimum Members: 20 (Current: 26)
Clan Influence: Local (Grows with reputation, resources, and strength)
Would you like to officially establish the Shadowveil Clan?
[Yes] / [No]
She clenched her fists. This was it. The beginning.
She pressed [Yes].
A surge of energy erupted from her core, spreading outward like ink across paper. The ruins trembled, the lingering Qi of past battles resonating with her own. The System responded.
---
[The Shadowveil Clan is Born]
A Shadowveil banner has manifested.
Clan members receive a 5% boost to cultivation speed when inside the fortress.
The fortress is now protected by a Shadow Veil barrier (weak but grows stronger with clan influence).
---
Black mist coiled in the air, solidifying into a banner above the fortress—a tattered sigil of a three-armed woman shrouded in darkness, her gaze burning with unyielding ambition.
Her people gasped. Then, one by one, they knelt.
"Shadow Matron!"
Xel'Varyn stepped forward, placing a hand on the banner, feeling the power thrumming through it. Her familiars stood at her sides—Nyx, the wolf of eclipsing fangs, and Veyne, the raven of whispered deaths.
"We are no longer forgotten," she declared, voice carrying through the ruins. "No longer prey. From this day forward, we are Shadowveil. We carve our own fate."
The ground trembled beneath them as if the world itself acknowledged her words.
---
Claiming Authority
With the Shadowveil Clan established, her focus turned toward securing dominance. The ruins were a start, but they needed resources, cultivation materials, and strength.
She moved through the fortress halls, assessing its potential. Many sections were in disrepair, but the underground tunnels remained intact. Her people could sleep there safely. The Shadow Veil barrier would hold against common threats, but stronger cultivators would tear through it with ease.
She needed to expand—and that meant eliminating competition.
Her first target was a small bandit sect that preyed upon the weak outside the city. They operated from a cavern network east of the ruins, shaking down merchants and lone cultivators.
Xel'Varyn gathered a team of ten. She led from the front, her third arm wrapped in a shadow-threaded gauntlet, crafted using remnants of Qi-infused materials scavenged from the ruins. Her wolf, Nyx, prowled ahead, vanishing into the darkness. Veyne circled above, his eyes glowing with unnatural light.
As they approached the entrance, a System prompt appeared.
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[New Quest: The Predator's Claim]
Objective: Eliminate the Moonfang Bandits
Reward: Third Familiar Slot Unlocked, Influence Increased
Bonus: Slay the Bandit Leader Yourself for an Additional Title
---
She grinned. Perfect.
The plan was simple.
Nyx struck first. A low growl echoed through the cavern before the wolf materialized inside the shadows of one of the sentries, dragging him into darkness. A gurgled scream followed, then silence.
Xel'Varyn moved next.
Her third arm lashed out, catching another bandit's blade mid-swing. Her fingers curled, crushing the steel like dried parchment. With her other hand, she swept her sword across his throat, spilling his blood onto the cavern floor.
The others panicked. Some fled deeper inside, screaming for reinforcements.
She let them run.
Veyne took flight, his wings spreading shadowy talons that struck from above, severing tendons and veins.
Xel'Varyn advanced, her presence overwhelming. She was not just a beggar anymore. She was a ruler. A predator.
The remaining bandits trembled as she stepped into the inner chamber, where their leader—a Qi Adept cultivator—awaited.
"You have two choices," she said, her cheerful tone at odds with the hidden ruthlessness in her eyes. "Swear loyalty… or die."
The bandit leader spat. "I kneel to no one."
So be it.
She lunged.
Phantom Grasp activated—her third arm extended unnaturally, a spectral claw manifesting over it. The bandit barely had time to block before her shadowy fingers tore through his spiritual defenses, grasping his very soul.
He screamed as she ripped the essence from his body, leaving nothing but an empty husk.
[Bandit Leader Slain - Bonus Title Earned]
---
[New Title: The Soul Harvester]
"She does not simply kill. She takes. Every life stolen fuels her rise."
Effects:
Kills have a 10% chance to restore Qi
Once per day, she can absorb the essence of a fallen enemy to strengthen her cultivation
---
Xel'Varyn shuddered as the stolen energy surged through her body. The cavern fell silent.
Her people watched, awe and fear in their gazes.
She wiped the blood from her cheek, her warm smile returning. "Well then… I suppose this place is ours now."
A cheer rose from her warriors. Shadowveil had claimed its first true victory.
---
Aftermath
With the bandits eliminated, the Shadowveil Clan expanded. The fortress thrived, its members growing stronger. Merchants dared to approach, trading supplies. The Shadow Veil barrier thickened.
And Xel'Varyn? She sat at the heart of it all, her three arms resting at her sides, her gaze fixed on the distant noble sects.
They would take notice soon.
And when they did, she would be ready.
The forgotten beggar was gone.
In her place, a ruler was rising.