CHAPTER 34 — THE SILVER-EYED STALKER
Silence clamped down on the hall.
Every torch flame froze mid-flicker. Dust stopped moving in the air. Even the faint hum of formations powering the headquarters died completely.
Only one thing moved:
The shadow entity drifting outside the window — humanoid in shape, but wrong in every way. Its limbs bent like loose fabric. Its body rippled like liquid darkness. And in its face were two silver, hollow eyes that reflected nothing.
Jason Wu's breath hitched.
"It's… watching me."
Li Xueyin stayed in front of him, protective instincts flaring. "Everyone, defensive positions!"
The elders reacted instantly.
Elder Yu slammed his palm onto the formation table.
Golden lines ignited across the floor.
**BATTLE FORMATION: EIGHT-POINT SHIELD ARRAY.**
Jason felt the air thicken as protective qi barriers snapped into position around the hall.
Wei Qing readied her spear. "It shouldn't be able to enter now. No creature can bypass—"
The shadow flickered.
And suddenly…
It stood inside the hall.
Not breaking the barrier.
Not bypassing it.
**It simply ignored its existence.**
Leon screamed, "IT WALKED THROUGH A HIGH-RANK FORMATION LIKE IT WAS A CURTAIN—WE'RE DEAD, WE'RE SO DEAD—"
Longwu Sword vibrated with sharp fury.
["That thing is not of your world. Formations cannot bind what reality doesn't fully acknowledge."]
Jason raised Longwu defensively. "Then what does bind it?"
["…Ideally? Nothing. But you're supposed to be special, so maybe you'll figure it out."]
"GREAT," Jason muttered.
---
### THE FIRST STRIKE
The entity tilted its head, silver eyes narrowing.
**"Wu… resonance detected."**
Jason's heart slammed against his ribs. "Stop calling me that!"
The entity stretched its hand — fingers elongating like melted metal — and shot forward faster than eyesight.
Elder Yu stepped in immediately. "BACK!"
He unleashed a wave of golden qi.
*BOOOOM!*
The impact shook the hall.
Jason shielded his face from the blast.
When the dust settled—
Elder Yu stood gasping, blood dripping from his arm.
The entity stood completely unharmed.
Its head slowly rotated toward the elder.
**"Interference noted."**
Lan Yuren's jaw clenched. "It… doesn't feel pain."
Wei Qing added, "It doesn't radiate qi either. It's like fighting a shadow with intelligence."
Leon peeked from behind a pillar. "A really muscular shadow!"
---
### JASON'S BLOOD REACTS
The entity's silver eyes locked onto Jason again.
**"Primary target acquired."**
A pulse shot through Jason's chest — from the pendant.
His heartbeat synced with it.
*THUMP.*
*THUMP.*
*THUMP.*
Jason staggered. "Not now—!"
Li Xueyin grabbed his arm. "Jason! Your bloodline seal is reacting!"
Longwu Sword hummed loudly.
["Boy — it's trying to read your fate. Resist it!"]
Jason clenched his teeth. "I'm trying!"
The entity moved.
This time, Jason barely saw it — a distortion, like a smear of darkness across the floor.
It reached him in an instant.
Elder formations lit up simultaneously.
**CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!**
But every barrier the entity touched collapsed like wet paper.
Leon screamed, "NOTHING IS STOPPING IT—JASON, DO SOMETHING WU-LIKE!"
Jason raised Longwu—
The entity's hand stopped centimeters from his chest.
Its silver eyes flickered.
**"Blood lineage confirmed.
Extraction protocol: commencing."**
Jason felt an icy pull in his veins, like his blood wanted to leap out of his body.
He gasped. "It's—draining—my qi!"
Li Xueyin shouted, "Jason, break free!"
Lan Yuren charged, slashing vertically.
His blade passed straight through the entity.
Wei Qing thrust her spear.
It passed through too.
Leon threw a chair.
It bounced off a pillar and hit him instead.
Longwu roared in Jason's mind:
["FOCUS! You fought your ancestor! Use what he taught you!"]
Jason gritted his teeth.
Chapter 31 whispered back to him:
*"Reveal your resolve."*
Jason raised his free hand.
His pendant flared.
A golden shockwave burst from his chest.
*WOOOMMM—!*
The entity staggered backward — its form glitching, distorting, flickering like a damaged reflection.
Li Xueyin gasped, "Jason—your resonance rejected it!"
Wei Qing shouted, "We can hurt it!"
Leon peeked again, "YOU can hurt it! I can scream moral support!"
---
### COUNTERATTACK
Jason steadied his breath.
Longwu Sword glowed — brighter than ever.
["Boy. Try the Wu Heart Pulse. Let instinct guide the swing."]
"Got it."
Jason dashed forward, sword sweeping horizontally.
The entity dodged — but not completely. Jason's blade grazed its torso.
Silver fluid leaked out — evaporating instantly.
The entity twitched.
**"Resonance contamination detected.
Threat level adjusted."**
Lan Yuren blinked. "Jason! You actually wounded it!"
Jason raised Longwu again. "Then let's try for real!"
He lunged, but the entity reacted faster.
It extended an arm that split into three shadow-limbs — all stabbing toward Jason's heart.
"JASON!" Li Xueyin screamed.
Jason braced himself—
But Longwu moved on its own, emitting a deep metallic hum.
*TING!*
A sphere of golden resonance burst outward.
The entity was thrown back into the far wall, its body dissolving into static distortions.
The room vibrated.
Leon shouted, "DID WE WIN?!"
The entity slowly stood.
Its form cracked, but repairing.
**"Reassessment complete.
This vessel insufficient.
Requesting backup."**
Jason froze. "Backup? Meaning—?"
Longwu Sword swore.
["…Oh no."]
---
### THE SKY BREAKS
Thunder split the horizon.
The sky outside tore open — a dark fissure spreading like an eye opening in heaven.
Silver light poured through.
Lan Yuren whispered, horrified, "More are coming."
Li Xueyin grabbed Jason's wrist. "We need to escape NOW!"
Wei Qing pulled the elders back. "Everyone fall back to the inner formation hall!"
The entity's cracked face turned up toward the sky.
And it whispered:
**"Three minutes."**
Jason's blood went cold.
"…Three minutes until what?"
The entity looked straight at him.
**"Until extraction force arrives."**
Longwu Sword trembled with fury.
["Boy — RUN.
This city will not survive their arrival."]
Jason turned to the others.
"WE MOVE—NOW!"
Azure Ridge began to shake.
The sky screamed.
And the extraction force descended.
[END OF CHAPTER 34]