NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 6: Chapter 6 The Shadow of the Shen
Recap:
At the Inner Sect Banquet, Long Tianyu showcased his prowess by taking down key opponents in the Flame Lantern Duel, including the formidable Long Jun, known for his icy demeanor. However, as he made his exit, an assassin from within the clan, bearing the emblem of the Shen family, launched a surprise attack.
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The morning in the Long Clan's inner court appeared serene, but beneath that tranquil facade, danger lurked.
Long Tianyu sat in deep meditation, his senses reaching out into the surroundings. The **Soul Sense Bead** emitted a faint buzz.
Someone was watching him.
"Third time this week," he muttered to himself, eyes still closed.
"They're getting bolder."
But he wasn't too concerned; he was on the hunt as well.
> [Daily Sign-In Available: Location Inner Archives]
> Reward: Secret Scroll Shen Clan Ancestral Records
Sign in.
> [Sign-In Successful!]
> You have obtained: Secret Scroll Shen Clan Ancestral Records
> Content: Hidden alliances, bloodline experiments, and underground demonic contracts.
As he opened the scroll, he froze.
*They were involved in bloodline engineering? And demonic fusions?* His hands tightened into fists.
Among the records, he found a project titled **Project Chimera**, with *Long Shen's name* listed as the lead contributor.
The pieces began to fall into place.
Long Shen hadn't betrayed him just for power; he needed Tianyu's **Dragon Bloodline** to complete the fusion experiment.
---
Later that day, Tianyu slipped into the forbidden wing of the **Herbal Vault**, cloaked in Shadow Veil Dust, a rare stealth item he had unlocked from the system just last week.
Within minutes, he located what he was after: **Soul-Tracing Incense**.
Burning it over a shard of the dagger that had been thrown at him the previous night would unveil the attacker's path for up to three days prior.
Tianyu made his way back to the willow grove and lit the incense.
A ghostly trail of blue smoke slithered through the courtyards and halls, leading straight to the **Hall of the Shen Family's Matriarch**, **Lady Shen Rou**.
So it's her, Tianyu muttered to himself.
She had always been one of the clan's silent figures—smiling, distant, and untouchable. But now, he realized: she was the serpent wrapped in silk.
---
Under the cover of night, Tianyu slipped into the Shen Courtyard.
The Soul Sense Bead buzzed ominously—an ambush?
> [Hidden Quest Triggered: Face the Shadows of the Shen]
> Objective: Survive the ambush and interrogate the clan traitor
A grin spread across Tianyu's face. Let's get this started.
---
Suddenly, a flurry of talismans erupted from the trees.
Four black-robed warriors emerged, all loyal to the Shen clan, their presence tainted by a strange, corrupted Qi.
Tianyu dodged the first wave, retaliating with a wide-range fire burst.
One of the attackers screamed, rolling on the ground in agony.
The other three closed in fast.
Tianyu's new passive ability, **Dragonstep Phantom**, kicked in.
He danced through their strikes, countering with blazing palms and sweeping blades.
In just a few minutes, only one remained—a masked woman wielding twin daggers.
She was quick and silent, moving like the wind as she targeted his pressure points.
Tianyu parried her strikes and seized her wrists.
"Speak." She struggled against his grip. He activated the **Soul Pressure Technique** from an earlier sign-in, and he could feel her mind begin to crack.
"I... I was sent by Lady Shen. She said she needs your bloodline before the eclipse."
Tianyu's eyes narrowed.
"The eclipse?"
"She's fusing something... something ancient with your uncle's soul..."
Before she could reveal more, her chest erupted—an internal soul lock detonated. *Boom!*
Her body crumpled to the ground, eyes wide in death.
Tianyu stood there, silent.
She had sacrificed her own people to conceal the truth.
But it was too late for her. He now understood that **Long Shen hadn't betrayed him alone.**
He was merely a pawn in a much darker game.
---
> [Hidden Quest Completed: Face the Shadows of the Shen ]
> Reward: Draconic Flame Core Stage 1 unlocked
> Effect: Flame Qi now inflicts spiritual damage; minor soul-burn effect applied to enemies
He felt it ignite within; his fire wasn't just heat anymore.
It was fury. It was vengeance.
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Teaser for Chapter 7:
The Shen Matriarch is gearing up for a blood sacrifice during the eclipse. Long Tianyu must now sneak into her hidden temple and uncover the truth behind Project Chimera.