Chapter 42: The Night Comes Crawling

A heavy silence blanketed the Blood Origin Sect.

Within the Grand Hall, runes flickered to life as the Sect Guardian Formation completed its activation cycle. Spirit energy surged in hidden channels under the tiles, weaving an invisible net around the entire mountain. The protection was subtle yet potent—an unassuming trap for the foolish.

Jin Zhen stood alone atop the Eastern Watchtower, staring into the starless void beyond the forest ridge. The wind was unnaturally cold, and not even a leaf dared rustle.

[System Alert: Unknown Entity Detected – Stealth-Class Signature Interference.]

[Countermeasure Activated – Phantom Net (Tier-2 Detection Array).]

[Result: Interference Identified. Probing... Entity Classification: Night-Class Wraith / Rank: Demigod Level Shadow Manifestation.]

[Warning: This entity is a projection. True form unknown.]

Jin Zhen's expression darkened slightly.

"So they send shadows now... clever."

Behind him, Elder Mo arrived, panting.

"Sect Master! A disturbance—north perimeter! All the spirit beasts in that region are howling!"

Jin Zhen raised his hand. A jade talisman materialized, etched with a red rune shaped like a crescent fang.

"I'll handle this myself."

---

The North Perimeter – Midnight

The trees warped as if recoiling from the thing that moved between them. Even the moonlight was devoured by its presence.

At the center of a clearing, the shadows thickened—converging into a humanoid form draped in smoke and crimson mist. No eyes. No face. Just presence.

"You are Jin Zhen," it said, voice like crushed bone.

"You're not very good at sneaking, are you?" Jin Zhen replied, stepping into the clearing.

The wraith didn't move.

"You've interfered with the Nightshroud Pact."

Jin Zhen smirked.

"Should I apologize, or does the Pact enjoy being wiped out?"

"You will regret standing in our path, mortal. Our reach is endless. Our blade—inevitable."

Jin Zhen's right hand twitched. A wave of spiritual pressure erupted from his body, compressing the mist around them. The leaves nearby exploded into ash.

[System Prompt: Combat Opportunity Detected.]

[Use SP to activate "Blood Origin Combat Arts – Variant: Shadow Cleave"? (Cost: 40 SP)]

He nodded.

[SP Used: 40]

A red scythe of qi manifested in his hand—crimson edges jagged and pulsating.

"Let's test your blade against mine."

---

The clash was instantaneous.

The wraith lunged with tendrils of shadow, trying to envelop Jin Zhen. But his scythe tore through the dark like thunder through clouds. He moved with terrifying grace—each step condensed with murderous intent.

Boom!

A crater opened beneath them as their forces collided. The trees screamed. The formation barrier rippled.

The wraith hissed and retracted.

"You're no mere human."

"I never claimed to be."

Jin Zhen's eyes gleamed with killing intent.

[Skill Activated: Crimson Reaver Step – Enhance speed and strength temporarily (Stackable)]

[SP Used: 30]

With a blur, Jin Zhen vanished and reappeared behind the entity, scythe already swinging.

The shadow figure barely dodged—but a deep gouge of spiritual flame tore through its form.

"Impossible…"

The projection flickered, weakening.

Jin Zhen raised two fingers.

"[Blood Seal]"

A glowing rune flew forward and locked onto the wraith's chest. It screamed as the symbol burned through its illusion.

The creature's body dispersed like smoke into the wind, leaving only a final whisper:

"You have invited the gaze of the Nightshroud Sovereign."

Then silence.

---

Moments Later – Inner Sanctum

Back at the sect's core, Jin Zhen sat in meditation, surrounded by a ring of floating SP crystals. The system buzzed as it absorbed the lingering energy of battle.

[System Notification: Combat Success.]

[SP Gained: +55]

[Unique Drop: Shadowcore Remnant (Fragment of Night-Class Entity)]

[System Analysis In Progress…]

[Warning: Higher Powers have marked your presence.]

Jin Zhen exhaled deeply.

"Let them come."

Then he opened his palm. The Shadowcore Remnant hovered, twitching with chaotic energy.

He crushed it.

[New Passive Unlocked: Shadow Immunity (Basic Tier) – Reduces damage and detection by dark-class techniques.]

[Technique Slot Available – Suggest Fusion?]

He nodded.

[Success. You have created a new technique: Crimson Eclipse Blade.]

[Effect: Gains stealth and burst effect against shadow-type enemies. Amplifies critical strike chance during night.]

Jin Zhen stood and stretched.

He could feel it. Every battle, every drop of SP, was carving him into something greater.

---

Elsewhere, in a Hidden Realm…

In a hall carved from black crystal, a figure draped in robes of moving mist stood before an altar of bleeding stone.

The shadow of Jin Zhen flickered inside a crystal orb.

"So, the Crimson Overlord grows bolder."

The Nightshroud Sovereign raised a hand.

"Send the Dagger Veil. No more pawns. Let's test his spine with an assassin's kiss."

---

Back in the Blood Origin Sect – The Next Morning

The disciples gathered for routine cultivation. Jin Zhen walked among them, hands behind his back, inspecting their techniques with a sharp eye.

He stopped by one young disciple fumbling through a basic breathing method.

"You're holding your breath like you're about to dive into a pond. Spirit qi doesn't like being strangled."

The boy paled. "Y-yes, Sect Master!"

Jin Zhen sighed and flicked his finger.

[SP Used: 5 – Sect-Wide Training Boost Activated for 2 hours.]

Golden runes appeared under the training platform, and everyone felt their qi flow with greater clarity.

Elder Mo appeared beside him.

"The disciples are improving faster than expected."

"They need to," Jin Zhen replied. "The shadow that's coming won't wait."