Chapter 100: When the Wind Carries Secrets

  Creak—

  Xu Mo pushed open the massive doors of the Main Hall. Stepping out, he called for the Shadow Sentinel and relayed what the sect master had said. However, he deliberately left out one detail—the fact that he had intentionally brought up the Shadow Sentinel’s name in front of the sect master. He’d done it to confirm something: whether the sect master and the Ancestor were truly aligned in their plans.

  Although the sect master had tried to hide his confusion at the mention of the Shadow Sentinel, Xu Mo was certain he had struck a nerve. The sect master, too, had been left in the dark. Xu Mo couldn’t help but feel a flicker of excitement at the thought of what might happen next. He had subtly gaslit the situation, weaving a delicate web between the Sentinel, the Sect Master, and the Ancestor.

  A little bit of gaslighting wasn’t a crime. Life in the sect had been getting dull anyway—and how dare the sect master and the ancestor decide his fate without even asking for his opinion? They could have at least pretended to care. Not that he would’ve refused, considering how much the sect had invested in him. If he’d said no, his own conscience would’ve plagued him.

  ‘System, do you have a method to strengthen my mental barriers? Or something that can guard my mind?’ he asked inwardly, half-heartedly, not expecting much.

  Ding—

  [The System has a dedicated Mall where you can purchase items such as ancient artifacts and even legendary physiques—for a price. However, the System Mall is currently locked. Only after you’ve invested in 10 or more Children of Destiny will the Mall be accessible.]

  ‘Looks like I’ll have to invest, even if I don’t want to,’ Xu Mo thought. He had initially planned to wait until his Dao became strong enough to elevate him to the next stage. But now, with the looming challenge of the Secret Realm, he needed to grow quickly—without compromising his foundation.

  Sigh—

  Xu Mo looked down the familiar staircase he had once struggled to climb when first summoned by the sect master. Thinking back to his past self, he couldn’t help but let out a quiet laugh. He stood alone at the cliff’s edge, the wind teasing his bangs as they swayed in rhythm.

  He took slow, steady steps toward the brink. The wind guided him, his robes fluttering like banners. He surrendered to the moment, extending one foot past the edge.

  Xu Mo closed his eyes. A strong breeze swept past—a gust that would have once felt ordinary, now seemed to carry weight, meaning.

  And he jumped.

  —or more precisely, he fell.

  Xu Mo activated Qi Reinforcement, a thin membrane of energy encasing him like a protective veil.

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  The strong winds buffeting him as he descended the mountain did not leave a scratch. He didn’t care if some random passerby remembered him as a lunatic.

  Woosh—

  Like an arrow loosed from a bow, he fell faster and faster.

  "Look there! I just saw someone shooting down like a falling star!" said one of the inner sect servants, unable to keep up with Xu Mo’s speed. He could only assume a star had dropped from the heavens.

  Tap. Tap.

  Bai Xu tapped his index finger twice against the armrest of the throne. A wave of Qi pulsed out, enclosing the entire Main Hall within his domain. It severed all external contact—even the Ancestor would need thirty to forty minutes to break in. That was more than enough time.

  Shadow Sentinel trembled like a mouse caught in an alley with a fat cat blocking the only exit.

  It knew the truth—it had no choice but to answer everything honestly. Otherwise, this might be its final breath. Life in the Ancestor's personal army was never easy. From the moment the Ancestor had chosen it, its fate was sealed. During the brainwashing rituals, they had been told: if the protector’s identity or mission were ever compromised, they were to end their own lives immediately. If not, others from the same unit—ones it had trained with all its life—would be sent to eliminate them, no matter where they tried to run.

  "Don't try to commit suicide," Bai Xu said coldly, vanishing from his throne and reappearing behind Shadow Sentinel.

  Thud!

  "Aghh—!"

  Shadow Sentinel groaned in agony as its body rebelled, unresponsive to its commands.

  "Now, will you speak yourself, or shall I use... Soul Search?" Bai Xu’s hand hovered over the Sentinel’s head. "I’d rather not come across as too cruel to little Xue Mo."

  His fingers glowed faintly with suppressed power, ready to invade the Sentinel’s soul at the slightest hint of resistance. He had no time for games.

  "I-I...won’t tell you, eve-even if you—"

  Bang!

  Blood splattered. Bai Xu’s hand was now stained with the Sentinel’s blood. His eyes gleamed with a faint, eerie luster. In the dimly lit hall, where sunlight barely reached, the effect was chilling.

  Bai Xu invoked Soul Search—a technique that straddled the boundary between the righteous path and the demonic Dao. In his eyes, its nature depended on the user, not its origin. Still, it couldn’t be denied that the skill had its roots in the demon path.

  He stood still, unmoving, as flickers of memory coursed through him. His expression shifted subtly as images played out behind his eyes.

  But in the end, his brows furrowed deeply.

  Parts of the memory were missing—scrubbed clean. He saw the Sentinel’s birth, how it became an orphan after a beast attack, and how someone had saved it. But after that, there was a blank. It was as if someone had wiped its past away. The only scenes left were those of it appearing beside Xu Mo, secretly making reports. Then—again, nothing.

  And the final memory was of being crushed—by him.

  Snap—

  With a snap of his fingers, Bai Xu released the domain. It dissipated like glittering dust into the sunlight.

  "Did the Ancestor... suspect Xu Mo of being a spy?!" Bai Xu muttered under his breath.

  This conclusion had taken root only after piecing together Xu Mo’s words and the shocking memories he had just seen. The fact that the Ancestor himself had introduced the Shadow Sentinel now held a far more ominous weight.

  A/N: Can't believe we've hit 100 chapters. When I first started writing, I wasn’t even sure I’d make it past 20. Huge thanks to my patrons and all my Royal Road readers—your support, suggestions, and questions kept me going.

  Also, quick update: Book 1 is about to enter its final arc—The Secret Realm Arc. Don’t worry, there won’t be a break before Book 2 starts. Just wanted to keep you all in the loop.