Shadow's Origins

Hearing his shadow's words, Daniels's brows furrowed.

A hint of surprise mixed with a bit of shock flashed past his eyes as he caressed his long white mustache with his left hand.

"Tell me what happened," He didn't need to be a genius to guess that something went wrong on the guard's side, or else his shadow would never find it hard to explain a situation and report it to him.

The silhouette didn't dare take more time from his master as he recited what happened, a bit of astonishment mixed in his tone.

"I didn't see the whole scene since I arrived a bit late, however, the moment I did, the guard's aura was nowhere to be seen or found. After searching for a few minutes, I tracked his traces to a formation near where his aura had disappeared."

He paused for a moment and then continued, knowing the next words were the most crucial.

"It was a tier-1 sealing formation that didn't take any effort to break. However, I found the guard's body buried right underneath it with a hole penetrating his chest, his heart missing."

"What about the kid?"

"Nowhere to be found, Master."

Daniel rubbed his chin as he fell deep in thought.

After a few minutes, he uttered.

"I'll call you in a few days for a risky mission, prepare for it." He then waved his hand and the shadow disappeared.

There was nothing more to say, if his master told him he would call him in a few days, that was it.

As for the risky mission?

The shadow never cared about it.

He cultivated since his younger days to die for his master and obey his orders.

So what if it was risky?

Even if it meant his death, he would gladly take upon the mission without a shred of fear.

That was the meaning of a 'shadow'!

Someone who was saved by his master on the verge of death, trained diligently by him. His life was never his but his master's.

He wanted such a relationship and so did his master, there was no reason to complain nor sound his worries.

After his shadow left, Daniel couldn't help but smile," Oh Lilia, you finally made the mistake and gave in to your emotions. Did you think I'll never check on the guard thinking the mission was a sure success? Well, you made a mistake, hehe."

Indeed!

The only reason the old man never bothered to ask about the kid's whereabouts, was his mother.

He knew that since his shadow never mentioned him, it meant that his mother made sure to give him a tool to escape from this secret place as fast as possible. 

Daniel wouldn't be surprised if Lilia herself helped him through his escape.

As for the kid killing his guard and escaping without help?

That thought never crossed Daniel's mind.

It was just unrealistic.

No matter what kind of mystical things he had witnessed in his life, he would never conclude that a kid without any cultivation base or special prowess since youth would be able to accomplish such a feat.

Daniel was so delighted by this news that he couldn't wait for the future.

As for what he will do with this news? 

Not even his shadow knew!

"I just wonder where that kid would go next, will he run to the nearby sect? Or to a faraway city to vanish for good?" Daniel didn't know such an answer, but he soon will.

***

The night was over, and the insects filling the pathway were already gone some time ago.

After diligently cultivating for a whole day and breaking through to the second realm in one full sweep, Yone opened his eyes and stood up.

He easily noticed the change in his environment and knew that it was morning, and from the rumbling of his stomach, he could guess that its time.

"Sigh...It's time to look for food and some water," Yone sighed in disappointment as he thought about leaving this place.

He really wanted to stay here for some more time, but a lot of reasons were forcing him to leave.

Ignoring every rational reason, the mere fact that he couldn't go for days without food and water made him extremely frustrated.

From the memories he received, he found out that only people above the foundation establishment realm could go without food for days and even weeks if needed.

Unfortunately for him, he wasn't one of them.

He then placed his finger on the formation right in front of him, he wasn't planning on instantly opening the lock, but instead taking a quick pique outside.

From what he knew, he was in the middle of the forest, inside a tree that faced a narrow road leading to the depths of a mountain range filled with ferocious beasts.

Many people, including cultivators and youngsters who just walked on the path of cultivation, would head there to hunt for resources. For cultivators, ferocious beasts' cores held a high amount of pure qi, depending on the beast's rank, which could increase their cultivation speed manifold.

As for merchants, it meant wealth and a lot of money that almost everyone would risk their lives for, that's a trader's life after all.

Click!

The formation made a clicking sound, and a scene appeared right in front of Yone.

"Hmm," Yone fell in thought as he looked at the peaceful scenery displayed by the formation.

There was not much to be described, it was just a narrow empty road sandwiched between countless gigantic trees in the middle of Snow Lake Jungle.

"Let's wait a bit more," Yone wasn't hasty with his actions since he knew better than everyone the dangerous beasts roaming around this forest.

Even the guard had special routes to take which he studied for years for him to exit this jungle safely.

As for why the guard placed the exit of his secret pathway in such a dangerous location that only cultivators above the 7th layer of the foundation establishment realm could enter?

Such an answer was quite simple.

The more dangerous the place, the safer it was!

The guard knew that there was no way anyone would find this formation since no one would bother looking for one here.

As a weakling spy armed with a measly tier-1 formation.

He had to take such risky measures or his mission would never succeed, resulting in his death.

The Clan behind the guard wasn't dumb by sending a weak cultivator to act as a guard inside the black rose secret location which the kingdom thought was theirs.

They knew that sending anyone stronger than that would increase the chances of discovery. Hence, they sent a weak spy to report major actions taken by the village.

For example, big events like the appearance of the Ice Witch Charlotte.