Chapter 198 - 196: Impending

Chapter 198: Chapter 196: Impending

’If the Five Beasts Skill could also resonate with a corresponding Demon Soul, it would be the fastest and most significant improvement for me...’

Besides the Dragon Elephant Seal Technique, the moves Fu Juemin used most often against his enemies were the Five Forms of Dynamic Skills from the Five Beasts Skill.

He just didn’t know if the opportunity for a Demon Soul to resonate with a Martial Art could be replicated with the Five Beasts Skill. This was something that needed to be tested.

He dismissed the thought and turned his attention back to the Talent Bar on his character panel—[Shadow Control].

This was the first Blue Level Talent Fu Juemin had ever obtained, and so far, he had only used it hastily a couple of times without properly studying it.

Thinking of this, Fu Juemin walked to the center of the room and stood still, his mind stirring.

"[Shadow Control]!"

An invisible ripple quietly spread out.

Instantly, the light from the crystal chandelier on the ceiling began to flicker, and the flames inside the gas furnace on the wall quietly died down.

Immediately after, clumps of ’blackness’ emerged from every corner of the room—from the corners, from under the furniture, from behind the curtains... These shadows, which should have existed on unlit surfaces, now seemed alive, like pitch-black snakes slithering across the floor, rapidly converging on Fu Juemin.

The shadows gathered, the blackness growing thicker and more viscous. It climbed up Fu Juemin’s ankles, swiftly covering his entire body like ink.

Within a few breaths, Fu Juemin was completely engulfed by a layer of flowing ’black’.

But then, the coalesced mass of shadows suddenly seemed to lose all support and control. It violently dispersed, vanishing without a trace in the blink of an eye.

The light from the chandelier and the flames in the furnace immediately returned to normal.

At the same time, Fu Juemin’s figure silently materialized in a corner on the other side of the room.

This was the effect of the Talent, [Shadow Control].

’It’s not just simple Hiding in the Shadow. When the Talent is fully activated, I can even affect the light distribution within a certain range, actively creating shadows I can command...’

The scene just now, where countless shadows leaped onto Fu Juemin like living creatures, wasn’t the shadows coming to life. It was Fu Juemin constantly adjusting the light distribution along their path, allowing the shadows to cover and overlap his body step by step.

The so-called ’Shadow Control’ has ’control’ at its core—manipulation.

’After my body merges with the shadows, I can directly evade some physical attacks, such as swords, fists, and bullets from ordinary handguns.

But high-powered gunpowder...’

Fu Juemin thought for a moment, then shook his head. ’I’m afraid not.’

The experience of Hiding in the Shadow was marvelous. For him, in his [Shadow Control] state, every shadow was a ’door’ he could briefly inhabit, and behind the door was a small ’gap’ that overlapped with reality.

He could walk within this space, the price being the corresponding movement of the shadow in reality.

However, this ’door’ and ’gap’ were quite fragile. Intense light or a violent energy burst was enough to tear them apart and forcibly ’squeeze’ him back into reality.

’On a mundane level, it’s a god-like skill, useful for concealment, assassination, attack, and defense... But if I come up against high-energy, high-burst methods, I’ll have to think twice...’

Fu Juemin deactivated [Shadow Control] and slowly walked to the window.

His original bedroom had been completely destroyed during the assassination attempt by the Guardian Demon, so he had moved to a new room in the southeast corner of Ink Garden.

The room was still luxuriously Western-style. The entire south wall was made of French floor-to-ceiling windows, half-covered by dark green velvet curtains.

Fu Juemin stood before the window, watching the snow fall ever thicker outside. The light and shadows on the glass flickered in his eyes as his thoughts drifted...

Twenty minutes later, a slow and steady knock sounded on the door.

Perhaps because there was no response for a while, the door was gently pushed open.

Big Cat stood at the doorway holding a tray full of nourishing medicinal food. His gaze swept over the empty room. He stood there silently for a moment before quietly retreating and closing the door behind him.

At nightfall, the Jianghai Defense Command was like a steel behemoth gradually awakening in the wind and snow.

Searchlights frequently swept back and forth across the snowy night sky, while down below, patrol teams paced tirelessly back and forth.

Next to a light tower, a young operator was mechanically maneuvering a searchlight beam across the high walls.

The moment the beam passed, a flicker in the corner of his eye seemed to catch a dark figure standing silently on the concrete wall, which was covered in snow, ice, and barbed wire.

A gust of wind whipped snow into his face, startling him. He jerked the light beam back to the spot and swept it back and forth. But the top of the wall was empty, with only the wind and snow howling.

’Seeing things...’

He muttered, slapping his frozen cheeks, and didn’t give it another thought.

He didn’t know that Fu Juemin was, in fact, standing right there, calmly watching him.

With [Shadow Control] active, the night itself became Fu Juemin’s most perfect curtain.

Unless he was continuously locked onto by a strong light, ordinary sight couldn’t capture his presence at all. He stood blatantly under the noses of countless sentries, yet it was as if he existed in another dimension.

’Should I go in?’

Fu Juemin gazed toward the deepest part of the headquarters, his eyes flickering slightly.

Luo Zhengxiong had been injured by his Four Souls in One Body state. Without a doubt, now was the best time to finish him off.

He could faintly sense that Luo Zhengxiong’s aura was still in that same underground space from before.

But the feedback from [Yao Ling] was that the Commander’s Mansion was already heavily guarded, layer upon layer, like an open-mouthed sack waiting for him to jump in.

He couldn’t be sure of Luo Zhengxiong’s current condition. Although Four Souls in One Body was powerful, he could only barely maintain it for a short while. If he failed to succeed in one strike, his strength would instantly plummet. If he couldn’t escape, he would be in serious trouble...

Besides, Luo Zhengxiong should be aware of this ability, which came from the Guardian Demon. Three days was enough time for him to set up targeted defenses...

After weighing his options, the glimmer in Fu Juemin’s eyes finally faded.

.....

The snow fell for half a day and through the night.

The next morning, the sky finally cleared, and the accumulated snow reflected the cold sunlight.

At the entrance of Ink Garden, Fu Juemin walked out slowly, holding Xu Xinyi’s hand.

He was wearing a raven-blue wool overcoat with a plaid wool scarf. The cuffs of his inner shirt were exposed, adorned with elegant mother-of-pearl cufflinks...

The ’clash’ between his Great Success Dragon Elephant Skill and Great Success Pharmacist Skill had brought his current physique to an unprecedented state of perfection. He was neither too thin nor overly burly, his handsome features possessing a masculine edge.

His attire today further highlighted the dashing and dapper style of a noble young master.

Xu Xinyi had also dressed up for the occasion. Her makeup was exquisite, and she clung tightly to his arm, her eyes filled with an unconcealable joy and happiness.

He had promised Xu Xinyi he would accompany her for shopping and a show this morning. Early on, several cars and their escort of Qinglian Gang guards were already waiting at the gate.

Seeing Fu Juemin and his companion emerge, the driver waiting by the car immediately opened the door.

Fu Juemin helped Xu Xinyi into the car. Just as he was about to stoop and follow her in, he suddenly froze, then slowly straightened up.

"Give me the gun."

Fu Juemin beckoned to a Qinglian Gang man standing nearby, his face calm.

The man was stunned for a second, then quickly handed over the pistol tucked into his waistband.

It was a common ’Broomhandle’ pistol, the grip worn shiny from use.

Fu Juemin weighed the heavy piece of iron in his hand, then suddenly raised his arm, aimed at a distant, withered tree, and pulled the trigger.

BANG!

The gunshot cracked, startling a large flock of crows in the woods, which took to the sky in a dark cloud.

Fu Juemin narrowed his eyes, raised the muzzle slightly, aimed at the chaotic flock of birds, and pulled the trigger again.

BANG!—BANG!

The two shots were almost simultaneous. In response, a small black shape broke away from the flock of crows and plummeted straight toward the snow-covered ground.