Chapter 174: The Shadow

The sun had fully set, the marketplace was nearly empty, and the three knew it would be completely dark in less than a quarter-hour.

If they used lightness skill to fly back now, they could just make it to the academy before total darkness fell.

But Pan Yun lowered her gaze, thought for a moment, and decided to walk back.

"I still trust Heaven—if it says someone is on this path, they're likely here," Pan Yun said. "Let's search along the way. His disguise is excellent—rare and hard to come by."

Miao Zhen and Miao He agreed, and as they turned back, they paid closer attention to the dense woods on either side of the road.

At this hour, only a few scattered classmates remained on the path; they moved quickly, clearly eager to reach the academy before full darkness.

There were others like Pan Yun and her companions walking slowly, but they were numerous, traveling in groups.

With more people, courage grew; even if night fell, they weren't afraid.

Pan Yun saw them and quickened her pace, following at a steady, unhurried distance.

Miao Zhen and Miao He hurried to catch up, quietly exhaling in relief—there was safety in numbers.

The five boys ahead sensed them and glanced back.

Because of the dimming light, they couldn't make out Pan Yun's face, but they saw her academy Daoist robes and her figure.

Clearly, they were younger students than themselves.

One boy immediately slowed his pace, allowing Pan Yun and the others to catch up.

Pan Yun saw this, raised an eyebrow—when they turned back, she had intended to approach and greet them, to walk together—but changed her mind.

This distance—neither close nor far—was better; it spared her unnecessary socializing.

Pan Yun didn't like talking.

She was an introverted person.

Night descended; the wind now carried a chill, the summer heat dissipated, and Pan Yun's restless heart instantly calmed—she couldn't help but smile.

Darkness came abruptly; a shadow loomed overhead, like a vast cloud obscuring the moon just as it began to show a sliver of light.

A gust of wind passed, and she heard the boys' laughter ahead: "This wind feels so good—I told you it's better to walk later, right? The daytime was scorching—I felt like I'd melt…"

Pan Yun flung the black cat from her shoulder into Miao Zhen's arms. "Watch over them."

Before the words were out, she had already darted after the wind into the dense woods.

Miao Zhen cried out, "Little Master!"

The boys ahead turned, catching only the fading edge of Pan Yun's robe, then rushed forward. "Sister, what's wrong?"

Miao Zhen glared at them. "Idiots, you didn't even notice one of you is missing!"

The boys froze, exchanged glances, then realized one was gone—their eyes widened. "W—W—Wenjie? Where's Wenjie?"

"I—I don't know—he was right here just now, even talked to me…"

Miao Zhen: "A black shadow took him. My little master chased after it."

"Then we should go too."

Miao He blocked them. "Don't go. My little master is powerful—we'd just be a burden. Stay here and wait."

Miao Zhen nodded. "No one moves."

"You can't just order us around—who knows what monster took Wenjie? We have to save him. If you're scared, stay here."

Miao He still stood in front of them, solemnly saying, "No. My master said if you're not good at fighting, stay far away in such situations—don't be a hindrance. You're first-years, right? You've learned little. You didn't even notice one of you vanished—what good would you be if you went?"

"We're first-years, but how many years is your little master? She looks even younger than us!"

"She's a first-year too, but—"

"Wait," one boy finally realized, studying Miao Zhen and Miao He closely. "I recognize you—you're from Mount Sanqing's three…"

Miao Zhen glared. "Three what?"

"... hree Heroes."

Miao Zhen: "Hmph!"

Miao He: "Hmph!"

"So the one chasing Wenjie is Pan Yun!" The boys instantly felt reassured.

They knew Pan Yun.

During entrance exams, she bested Fifth-Year student Zhang Weiyi in swordplay.

But her most famous feat was severely injuring Fourth-Year students Nong Zhiyi and Dai Yong, then publicly confronting Headmaster Zhang and Hallmaster Lin.

Though they hadn't witnessed it themselves, they'd heard the story countless times—they even attended the trial assembly.

Nong Zhiyi and Dai Yong had suffered terribly.

Dai Yong had regained consciousness, but now he was dazed.

Mount Sanqing claimed he had the mental capacity of an eight-year-old; few believed it.

He looked no older than four or five.

But Mount Sanqing's abbot said he could still grow after recovery.

She had crippled two people by herself.

The boys' confidence surged—they wanted to go in. "Let's help her!" Miao Zhen: "Just don't slow her down."

"We'll gain experience, and aren't you curious what took Wenjie?"

"That thing snatched someone without a sound—it might be even stronger. We shouldn't go," another boy said. "Let's hurry back to the academy and summon the masters."

Miao Zhen, a level-headed child, considered briefly and agreed—this plan was better. "We'll return to the academy for help."

"Leave Wenjie and Pan Yun behind? That's not loyal…"

"Don't talk about loyalty—go now." The boys were passionate but knew their limits—they didn't even know when or how Wenjie vanished. Charging in would be suicide.

The four surrounded Miao Zhen and Miao He and sprinted toward the academy.

Meanwhile, Pan Yun followed the black shadow through the woods; just before reaching the mountainside, it abruptly halted, seized the person in its grasp, and turned to flee in another direction.

Pan Yun landed on a branch where it had stood, glanced at the spot it had been watching, frowned slightly, then continued chasing the shadow.

Pan Xiaohei was screaming inside her mind: "Too far! Too far! I'm dying—"

But soon it fell silent; Pan Yun felt Pan Xiaohei drawing nearer.

Seeing the shadow's direction, Pan Yun knew something was wrong—her face darkened, and she poured spiritual power into her legs, surging forward.

!. ead

Wind roared past her ears, trees blurred backward—the shadow shot out of the woods. Pan Yun followed, slapped a palm at its back, and launched two talismans to block its path.

The shadow halted mid-charge, spun, and attacked Pan Yun…

The six boys rushing toward the academy suddenly stopped, halted by the floating talismans.

Pan Yun clashed with it four or five times in an instant, her hands brushing Wenjie several times, trying to snatch him away—but each time, she was blocked.

The boys saw the dark mass and screamed: "H—H—He's a ghost!"

"Wenjie's unconscious—hurry, use talismans!"

Though they were Daoists and had studied capturing ghosts and demons, they'd never practiced—panicking, they fumbled for talismans, grabbed any they could, lit them, and hurled them at the shadow.

At least they remembered to activate them before throwing.

Pan Yun flipped away, dodging the incoming talismans. She didn't blame them for their poor aim. Landing, she met the shadow's charge—Wenjie still clutched in its grip. Her legs planted like a compass, her body pivoted like a compass's arc, skimming the ground to evade it, then snapped upright and slammed a palm forward.

Her hand pierced the black mist and struck solid flesh—it was flung backward. Pan Yun simultaneously struck its elbow with her left hand, caught the falling Wenjie, kicked off the ground twice, and retreated over ten paces, pulling Wenjie clear of the battle.

The boys were still frantically hurling talismans at the flung shadow—Miao Zhen threw a thunder talisman, chanted the incantation, and a bolt of lightning split the air, striking the ground beside the shadow.

A crater formed. The boys gasped, pulling out their own thunder talismans—but before they could finish their incantations, the shadow vanished into the dark woods.

The boys shouted to charge after it—but the unknown woods yawned like a monstrous maw. They halted, too afraid to advance.

Pan Yun laid the unconscious Wenjie on the ground. The boys rushed back, asking anxiously: "Is Wenjie alright?"

Pan Yun felt his neck. "Pulse and breath—still alive."

"Move aside, let me." Miao He pushed forward, pulled out his needle pouch, felt Wenjie's pulse, then drew a needle and stabbed it into his hand.

Wenjie's body twitched, then slowly opened his eyes.

In the darkness, the shadow surrounded him, revealing only pairs of glowing eyes—as if ready to devour him at once.

His lips trembled. "G—Ghosts…"

A clawed monster reached out and slapped him. "Wenjie, don't be afraid…"

"Aaaah—"

After the scream, all fell silent.

In the dark, Wenjie ventured, "Xia Wencheng?"

"Who did you think I was?"

Pan Yun had already pulled out a fire starter and lit it.

In the dim glow, Wenjie saw his companions surrounding him.

Tears streamed down his face—he hugged them tightly. "I was terrified! There was a monster—did you see it?"

"We saw it. It took you, then Pan… Pan Senior Sister chased it down and rescued you."

Pan Yun nodded slightly, accepting the title of Senior Sister. "Miao He, is he alright?"

"Fine—just knocked out."

Pan Yun: "Good. Let's return to the academy."

Xia Wencheng: "Senior Sister, aren't we going to catch that monster?"

"Exactly! Letting it roam free will bring disaster!"

Pan Yun: "We'll catch it—but if not for you, I'd have gone after it now. But you're here, so your safety matters more."

"I'll take you back to the academy. The academy will handle this."

In her past life, Pan Yun had at least completed graduate school and often encountered such situations during field assignments; she knew exactly how to handle them.

First, we must ensure the students' safety; the school will deal with the rest afterward.

Miao Zhen and the others still hadn't developed this mindset: "Little Uncle Chen, could Chen Ziwu also be in that shadow's hands?"

"Are there others still in the monster's grasp? We're many—why not go in together to rescue them?"

(End of Chapter)