The Whispers of a Shadow

The next moment, Shen Xian’s figure landed beside her.

Out of the corner of her eye, Zhuang Xun glanced at her, reminding her, “Senior Sister, please be careful.”

Shen Xian nodded with a confident smile. “Of course.”

Opposite them, the shadow monster began to look around anxiously after Shen Xian uttered the time-slowing incantation, seemingly searching for someone.

Seizing this brief lull, Zhuang Xun heard Shen Xian’s voice from beside her.

“Little Zhuang Xun, did you notice how she transformed into this state?” Shen Xian gripped her staff tightly, waiting for the opportune moment.

Zhuang Xun stared at the shadow monster’s erratic movements, shaking her head. “No. My watch didn’t activate when I approached, Senior Sister.”

Yet, just before they had emerged from hiding, she had felt a strange sensation for a fleeting moment. However, this couldn’t confirm any connection between that odd feeling and the other party’s transformation. Perhaps she had merely been overly sensitive, her senses mistaken.

Calmly, Zhuang Xun pieced together all the observations in her mind, then spoke slowly. “But… when the clouds dispersed and the moonlight shone upon Senior Yin Ning, the shadow beneath her feet completely enveloped her.”

“There’s absolutely no common thread…” Shen Xian mused, a hint of vexation in her voice. Then, her gaze hardened as she looked toward the creature. “Let’s deal with it first and rescue Yin Ning!”

Perhaps provoked by the sudden, threatening pressure emanating from Shen Xian, the shadow monster ceased its anxious searching and stared intently at her.

It mumbled indistinctly, “Mine… she belongs to me…”

Zhuang Xun instinctively felt a sense of dread.

The shadow monster roared loudly, “SHE’S MINE!!!”

Accompanying the fierce roar, its massive teardrops transformed into sharp, piercing swords, hurtling toward Zhuang Xun and Shen Xian. They were far more violent and imbued with greater killing intent than before.

“Senior Sister! Watch out!” Zhuang Xun cried out.

She glanced at Shen Xian, whose smile remained etched on her lips. Yet, unlike her usual demeanor, her eyes were freezing cold.

Extremely calmly, Shen Xian aimed her staff at the shadow monster, slowly chanting, “Blossom, wither, rebirth… in this cycle, remain undefiled.”

As soon as the words left her lips, her sleeves fluttered gently in the breeze, and the light and shadow around her began to swirl. A massive shield of cherry blossoms expanded outward from their position, blocking all the incoming teardrop-swords.

Immediately, Shen Xian swiftly chanted a second spell. “This wind, these flowers, in this instant, serve my will. Wind, envelop these beautiful yet fragile blossoms, transforming them into sharp blades, Sakura!”

With a flick of her hand, a flurry of cherry blossom petals swirled into the air. Each petal was as thin as a cicada’s wing, yet they flew with dazzling sharpness toward the shadow monster, executing a magnificent, intricate assault.

Zhuang Xun looked at Shen Xian, who had raised her chin, seemingly waiting for praise. Just as the words of commendation reached her lips, the shadow monster opposite them began to shift its body once more.

Zhuang Xun stood vigilantly beside her senior; a slight lean would bring them into contact. She had initially thought the shadow monster’s advance would be halted by her Senior Sister’s attack. However, it stubbornly continued to move forward, despite every part of its body being sliced apart by the cherry blossom petals.

Within a few seconds, all the wounded areas were once again covered by flowing shadows, restoring them to their original state. It was as if no damage had ever been inflicted.

Seeing this, Shen Xian sighed regretfully and said, “Honestly… I wanted to show you my skills as a Senior Sister.”

“Senior Sister, you are formidable,” Zhuang Xun praised earnestly, looking deep into Shen Xian’s eyes. “Truly.”

Within moments, Shen Xian turned her head away, her ears flushed crimson. “That’s obvious! I am a Senior Sister, after all!”

She cleared her throat. “However, my attacks aren’t effective against it. It seems to have strong self-healing abilities,” Shen Xian analyzed rationally. “Little Zhuang Xun, do you still remember how to purify a monster that was once human?”

“Yes. One must find the rationality that still exists within them as a human. Even if it’s just for a moment.”

Zhuang Xun turned her head, her gaze sweeping over the creature. The shadow monster continued to mumble something beneath its breath.

Her senior’s time-stopping magic was different from hers. Shen Xian’s magic had a smaller range and was only capable of slightly slowing down the flow of time rather than halting it entirely. Thus, the surrounding leaves still swayed lazily in the wind.

Ignoring the rustling of the leaves, Zhuang Xun closed her eyes, concentrating intently to discern what the shadow monster was saying.

The surroundings became pitch black, and the voice grew increasingly distinct in the darkness.

‘Why… why can’t you trust me?’

‘I truly don’t rely on you, I like you… I love you. Wuwuwu…’

“What’s wrong, Little Zhuang Xun?” Shen Xian’s words pulled Zhuang Xun back to reality.

Zhuang Xun abruptly opened her eyes, taking a deep breath as she looked at her partner. Shen Xian’s eyes were filled with worry. “What happened?”

Zhuang Xun took another deep breath, shaking her head. “Nothing happened.”

“Tell me the truth.”

“…I think I saw some illusions.”

Was that truly an illusion?

After closing her eyes, she felt as if she had entered the depths of the shadow monster’s—no, Senior Yin Ning’s—inner world. It was pitch black, with only one weak but vast source of light. A small child sat there, crying incessantly. Then, as she prepared to walk toward the child, a dark shadow blocked her path. She could do nothing but stand in the darkness, watching the light illuminating the child shrink little by little.

That feeling of powerlessness had made her shiver. It was then that Shen Xian had called her awake.

Shen Xian frowned slightly. “What happened?”

Zhuang Xun briefly recounted the vision.

Shen Xian’s worried expression deepened. “It seems we need to resolve this quickly. Otherwise, Yin Ning will be in danger.”

Having said that, Shen Xian gripped her staff as if preparing to launch another frontal attack on the shadow monster. Zhuang Xun grabbed Shen Xian’s arm.

Shen Xian looked at her in confusion. In that instant, a question suddenly arose in Zhuang Xun’s mind.

She slowly asked, “Senior Sister, can you understand what it’s saying?”

Shen Xian’s face showed bewilderment. “Little Zhuang Xun, you can understand it?”

Zhuang Xun’s doubts were resolved. Senior Sister wasn’t someone who would immediately attack without attempting communication first. It was only because she couldn’t understand the opponent’s words, and their attacks were consistently lethal, that she had decided a swift resolution was necessary.

“Mm,” Zhuang Xun nodded.

Shen Xian lowered her staff, her gaze briefly falling on the shadow monster. “What did it say?”

Zhuang Xun paused. “Senior Sister, you believe what I say? Understanding monsters’ speech—it sounds strange, one would expect suspicion…”

Shen Xian’s eyes glinted, her tone calm. “Little Zhuang Xun, would you lie to me?”

Zhuang Xun shook her head.

“Then what reason do I have not to believe you?” Shen Xian’s hand moved slightly to grasp her junior’s. “Little Zhuang Xun, our primary goal now is to rescue Yin Ning. What the shadow monster is saying is very important right now; I need you to tell me.”

Zhuang Xun made up her mind, recounting everything the shadow monster had said from beginning to end, and also relaying its current murmurs.

Upon hearing this, the smile on Shen Xian’s face slowly faded. A bitter expression flickered in her eyes for a moment, then was replaced by a resolute determination.

“I have a plan. Little Zhuang Xun, I need your help.”