Published at 27th of September 2024 8:55 am

Chapter 30: The Shadow of Consequence

This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl

The sun had just begun its descent, casting long shadows over the forest as Wei Long and his companions made their way back from the now-destroyed Jade Serpent Sect stronghold. The air was thick with the weight of everything that had happened, and each step felt heavier than the last. Wei Long walked slowly, his body exhausted and his mind tangled in a whirlwind of emotions.

Lin Mei walked beside him, silent but supportive. She could sense the storm of guilt and confusion brewing inside him. Though they had made it out alive and with their bonds intact, she knew the battle Wei Long had fought was far from over.

The others walked a short distance ahead, their conversation hushed as they cast occasional glances back toward Wei Long. They had seen what he was capable of, the darkness that had taken hold of him. And while they trusted Lin Mei, uncertainty lingered in their eyes.

Wei Long could feel their unease, and it gnawed at him. They had every right to be wary. After everything he had done, after how far he had fallen, trust was something that would need to be earned again.

“I never thought it would come to this,” Wei Long muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.

Lin Mei glanced at him, her expression soft but firm. “You’re still here. That’s what matters.”

Wei Long shook his head, his gaze fixed on the ground ahead. “But at what cost? How many lives did I take? How much did I lose chasing power?”

The silence between them stretched for a moment, the weight of his words sinking in. Lin Mei didn’t have easy answers, but she knew one thing for certain: he couldn’t carry this burden alone.

“Everyone makes mistakes, Wei Long,” she said quietly. “You can’t change what’s already been done. But you can decide what you do from here. That’s where your true strength lies.”

Her words resonated with him, but the weight of his past still pressed heavily on his shoulders. He wanted to believe it was as simple as choosing a new path, but the consequences of his actions weren’t so easily undone.

They continued in silence until they reached a small clearing where the group decided to set up camp for the night. The sun had almost disappeared behind the horizon, and the first stars began to twinkle in the deepening sky. As the others busied themselves gathering wood and preparing a fire, Wei Long found a quiet spot at the edge of the clearing and sat down, staring into the growing darkness.

He closed his eyes, trying to still the restless thoughts that plagued him. Every time he tried to push the memories away, they surged back—faces of the fallen, the power he had unleashed, the overwhelming hunger that had driven him to destroy. The orb’s whispers had faded, but the darkness it had stirred within him still lingered, like a shadow he couldn’t shake.

For a while, he sat there in silence, lost in his own thoughts. But then, footsteps approached, and he opened his eyes to see one of the others—Han Qiang—standing a few feet away, holding out a bowl of soup.

“You should eat,” Han Qiang said simply, his expression neutral.

Wei Long hesitated for a moment before accepting the bowl. “Thank you.”

Han Qiang nodded but didn’t leave. He stood there for a moment, as if weighing his words, before speaking again. “You know… we’ve all lost something in this fight.”

Wei Long looked up, surprised by the statement. Han Qiang’s face was hard, but his eyes held a depth of understanding that Wei Long hadn’t expected.

“I’ve seen men fall to power before,” Han Qiang continued, his voice low but steady. “Some never come back. Some do. But it’s not about what you were—it’s about what you choose to be after.”

Wei Long didn’t respond immediately, letting the words sink in. It wasn’t the forgiveness he expected, but it wasn’t condemnation either. There was a truth in Han Qiang’s words, one that struck a chord within him.

“I don’t know if I can come back from this,” Wei Long admitted after a long pause. “I don’t know if I deserve to.”

Han Qiang shrugged, a slight smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Maybe. Maybe not. But that’s not for me to decide. You’ll have to figure that out for yourself.”

With that, Han Qiang turned and walked back toward the campfire, leaving Wei Long alone with his thoughts once more.

As the night deepened, the fire crackled in the center of the clearing, casting warm light and long shadows around the group. Wei Long sat apart from them, though he could feel their presence like a distant comfort. He wasn’t ready to rejoin them fully, not yet. But there was something reassuring in their closeness, even in silence.

Lin Mei sat near the fire, her gaze occasionally drifting toward Wei Long. She didn’t press him, didn’t try to pull him back into the fold too quickly. She understood that this was a journey he had to take at his own pace.

But her faith in him remained unwavering.

_______________________________________________________________

Far from the camp, deep in the heart of the Jade Serpent Sect’s ruins, a figure moved through the rubble. The night was quiet, save for the soft rustling of the wind through the broken stone.

The figure, cloaked in shadow, knelt near the shattered remnants of the black crystal that Wei Long had destroyed. It was barely recognizable now, reduced to fragments, its once-powerful energy dissipated into the ether. But to the figure’s trained eye, there was still something left—something faint, a flicker of the power that had once controlled Wei Long.

The figure reached out, brushing a hand over the shards. A faint hum of energy pulsed beneath the touch, barely perceptible but unmistakable. The orb’s power wasn’t completely gone.

“Interesting,” the figure murmured, standing up and pocketing one of the larger shards.

Without another word, the figure turned and disappeared into the night, leaving the ruins in silence once more.

_______________________________________________________________

Back at the camp, Wei Long stirred restlessly in his sleep. His dreams were fragmented, flashes of the battles he had fought, the lives he had taken, and the power he had wielded. But beneath it all, something else lingered—a presence, faint but growing.

It was the same darkness that had once consumed him, but it felt distant now, like a shadow on the horizon. Yet, even in the dream, Wei Long knew it was still there, waiting for the right moment to return.

He awoke with a start, his breath coming in sharp gasps. For a moment, he didn’t recognize where he was, the remnants of the dream still clinging to him. But as his eyes adjusted to the darkness of the camp, he saw the faint glow of the fire and the quiet forms of his companions sleeping nearby.

Lin Mei was sitting up, watching him with concern. She hadn’t slept, keeping a silent vigil as he rested.

“You okay?” she asked softly.

Wei Long nodded, though his heart still raced. “Yeah. Just… a dream.”

Lin Mei studied him for a moment before giving a small nod. “We’ll figure it out. Together.”

Wei Long offered her a faint smile, though the weight of the dream still hung over him. He didn’t want to admit it, but he knew the darkness wasn’t finished with him yet.

And somewhere, out in the night, it was watching. Waiting.

Share