The jade slip arrived with neither warning nor messenger. It suddenly showed up in front of Lin Feng when he was in meditation and succeeded in startling him, something that rarely happened. He stared for a moment at the small, glowing object; the surface was shrouded in faint black mist, pulsating rhythmically as if alive.
He carefully lifted the thing, the coolness touching his fingers as he did. As a thread of qi was fed into the slip from him, there immediately arose an echoing deep voice within his head.
> "To the soul that denies the heavens: find me upon the Shadowed Summit. The road to real power stands before you, if you have the guts to seize it. Decline, and you shall be the target of the heavens' fury all by yourself."
The words were clear, yet laced with unspoken menace. Lin Feng's eyes narrowed as he set the jade slip aside. This was no ordinary message: it was an invitation, a warning-a summons, really-from one who clearly knew of his reincarnation.
"Eclipse Sovereign," Lin Feng murmured. He had heard whispers of this figure-a leader among the rogue alliances, their power enough to unsettle even the sects. Yet for them to know of his past life…
He thought over it for a while; rejecting them would be equivalent to resistance, and perhaps it might turn the combined alliance against the Black Lotus Sect. To agree was dangerous too, for there was the likelihood of him falling into the trap that this Sovereign would weave for him.
A light smile appeared on Lin Feng's lips. "Why not?" he said to himself. "If they know my past, I must know their intentions."
He began to fabricate an alibi and got Zhao Qing and Yan Wei to spread rumors of his cultivation in seclusion. Then he snuck out of the sect at night.
---
Shadowed Summit was a jagged spine of mountains, wrapped in eternal darkness, as though the heavens themselves spewed it out. The air reeked of malice, and the few scattered clumps of plants that clung to life were twisted and gnarled.
Lin Feng proceeded with caution, having Thousand Veil Technique up. The technique created faint illusions of himself flickering just out of sync with reality, confusing any who might observe him from a distance.
Ahead, he sensed movement - a faint ripple in the surrounding qi. Three rogue cultivators emerged from the shadows; their weapons were drawn, and their auras oppressive.
"You tread where you do not belong," one of them snarled, his blade glinting with crimson light.
Lin Feng tilted his head, his voice calm. "I come in answer to the Sovereign's summons. Will you block their will?"
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The rogue wavered, his eyes darting to his companions. Lin Feng seized the moment. With a light wave of his hand, a Shadow Phantom appeared behind the trio, its form an exact duplicate of Lin Feng's.
The fight was swift and surgical. The phantoms distracted the rogues, forcing them to attack illusions, while Lin Feng struck from the shadows with lethal efficiency. Their bodies collapsed to the ground, their qi dissipating into the dark.
"No witnesses," Lin Feng murmured, continuing toward the summit.
---
The summit was a featureless plateau, its sides falling precipitously into an abyss that seemed to swallow all light. The figure of one man in black robes stood at its center, his face hidden by a silver mask inscribed with runes.
Lin Feng approached slowly, his expression neutral but his senses sharp. The figure radiated an oppressive aura, their presence bending the surrounding qi like a storm.
"Lin Feng," the Eclipse Sovereign said, his voice deep and resonant, carrying an unnatural weight. "The heavens conspired against you once, and yet here you stand again."
Lin Feng was silent, his mind racing. The Sovereign knew of his reincarnation, but how much? And more importantly, why did they care?
"You seek power," the Sovereign continued. "As do we all. But power alone is not enough to challenge the heavens. It requires unity, strategy, and sacrifice. Join me, and together we will reshape this world."
Lin Feng smiled faintly, his tone measured. "You offer unity, yet you command rogues. You speak of power, yet you wish to take mine. Why should I put any trust in your words?"
The Sovereign softly chuckled. "You are cautious. Excellent. Caution will do you good in the wars that lie ahead."
---
To test Lin Feng's worth, the Eclipse Sovereign gestured toward a side of the plateau. From the shadows emerged Bai Xian, a wiry man with sharp eyes and a faint smirk.
"This is Bai Xian, one of my lieutenants," the Sovereign said. "Prove your value by defeating him."
Lin Feng's eyes narrowed as Bai Xian stepped forward, fluid and confident. The rogue did not say a word as he launched his attack; the air around him began to distort as illusions materialized.
The battlefield contorted in unnatural ways. Shadows lengthened and deepened into a labyrinth of false pathways and mirrored walls. Lin Feng's reflection stared back at him from every direction, each one striking with identical precision.
Lin Feng activated his Thousand Veil Technique, creating his own illusions that moved in chaotic patterns, disrupting Bai Xian's control of the battlefield. The clash became a dance of deception, both combatants weaving through layers of falsehoods to strike at each other's core.
Finally, Lin Feng unleashed his Shadow Consumption Technique, absorbing the remnants of Bai Xian’s illusions to fuel his own attack. A wave of black qi surged forward, overwhelming Bai Xian and leaving him sprawled on the ground.
Lin Feng stood over him, his expression unreadable. “Mercy is not weakness,” he said, stepping back.
The Eclipse Sovereign watched silently, then nodded. "You have proven yourself, Lin Feng. But know this—trust is forged in blood, not in words."
---
Upon returning to the Black Lotus Sect, Lin Feng found the Inner Disciple quarters in chaos. Jiang Yue's faction had accused his followers of hoarding resources, leading to open conflict. Zhao Qing and Yan Wei met him at the gates, their faces tense.
"It's worse than we expected," Zhao Qing said. "Jiang Yue has senior disciples backing her now."
Lin Feng's eyes darkened. "Then we expose her flaws."
Through his careful maneuvering, Lin Feng had Jiang Yue's ally, Wei Zhen, exposed as a double agent serving an external sect. The revelation sent Jiang Yue's credibility crashing, and she was forced to retreat from the conflict.
---
That night, Lin Feng was summoned to Elder Shen's chambers; the elder's gaze was sharp, his voice cold.
"Your actions have disrupted the sect," said Elder Shen. "You may think yourself untouchable, but the sect will not tolerate chaos."
Lin Feng met his gaze evenly. "Chaos brings growth, Elder Shen. Without it, stagnation consumes us.
The elder's eyes narrowed. "Do not overreach, Lin Feng. You are useful, but only insofar as you remain loyal."
As Lin Feng left, his mind churned with plans. Elder Shen's warning was clear, but Lin Feng knew the elder's position was far from secure.
---
Within his own rooms and silent space, Lin Feng closed his eyes as memories of the Eclipse Sovereign's words replayed. The world was finally starting to change, its framework fragile to the whims of every man.
"The heavens may conspire," he whispered, his qi spiraling in a malevolent flow, "but I'll be the one writing that ending."