Shadowless Race and Shadow Race (Part 2)
Mu Yu inquired, “What’s this technique they used?”
Cheng Yan answered, “I’m going to assume you’re aware both races are foreign races – relative to Third Heaven. Shadow race’s style relies on shadows. To simplify further, they’re shadows to begin with. The shadowless race refers to those who’ve lost their shadows.”
“Now this is challenging my imagination. I do remember Qing Ming having a body after I erased his shadow.”
“That was a person enveloped in a shadow. Shadows cannot move independently, which is why they control a body using their shadow. The light, logically, is their worst fear.”
“How did the two races end up as enemies?”
“I’m guessing the shadows want to usurp the rule of those rolling them,” Xiaoshuai guessed.
“Pretty much. They’re the same race. They were originally ordinary humans until they practiced a style that led to them splitting off from their shadow. For the record, the same result will occur if anyone else learns the style. The shadow then develops a mind of its own, and this has led to the conflict we know as of today. Whoever wins the struggle will gain control over the other. It should come as no surprise that shadows perceive themselves to be superior, and shadowless race, too, believes themselves to be superior.”
Mu Yu cast his gaze down at his shadow. “How did the two civilisations develop? How do they nurture their own kind?”
“Is that important?”
“Just feeling inquisitive.”
“… My guess is they search for gifted cultivators to impart their style to. Once they’ve learnt it, the process repeats. To prevent the spread of shadows, the shadowless race probably kills the disciple’s shadow right away. For the shadow race, I suppose they help the disciple control their real body so that the shadow rules.”
“Sounds similar to Ghost Gate as well as Life and Death Sect’s discipline.”
Xiaoshuai queried, “Is it a strong discipline? Giving a shadow a mind of its own sounds pretty cool.”
“Shadow Syndicate enough to shake people up?” Cheng Yan rhetorically asked.
Mu Yu inquired, “So… this merging technique you speak of is…”
“Since they can separate their shadow and real body, they can also merge them back together. The prerequisite is erasing one mind,” enlightened Cheng Yan.
“How did you get your hands on the technique?”
“Somebody must’ve given Dong Zhi a job when he was searching for me. I killed him and joined Shadow Syndicate as Dong Zhi, consequently learning of the two races’ secret… I also gleaned soul race’s plans to manipulate elemental demons into assaulting cities, Ghost Gate’s agendas and that’s how I ran into you at Pure Peace City.”
“So that was you who killed all of those Ghost Gate disciples using the snow eagle.”
“I wanted to have a word with you until I noticed the bloodlust energy’s influence on you. I followed you to Pill Cauldron Sect since you wouldn’t listen to me while under its influence.”
“And then?”
“I paid a visit to shadowless race after I made a promise with you to try and pinch their fusion technique. Sadly, both races caught on.”
“That’s why Huang Quan is trying to assassinate you?”
“I’ve already dealt with Huang Quan; I can’t get a warm up out of fighting him. The fusion technique is their biggest secret, and both refuse to use it for they consider it disgraceful to merge together again. I’d hedge a bet they still want me dead.”
“You make it sound like it’s not worth you fretting over. Lie Shang is always complaining about having to clean up my messes, yet your messes are far more dramatic than mine. I wonder where we learnt to make enemies from. I don’t recall Shifu ever lecturing us on the topic, and I’m not even trying to stir the pot! By the way, how did you learn of their secrets? I imagine they would guard such secrets tightly.”
“Shifu left some information behind at Mount Dustfallen prior to his disappearance. He was the one who was researching the topic for Xiang Nan’s sake. Well, I’d say he was studying the topic to liberate us from the threat of the spirit lords. He came up with the idea I mentioned but didn’t make it in time to tell us. I decided to take the leap and experimented on myself.
“The foreign races have grown their numbers using humans from our heaven; you could call them hybrids. To summarise, the soul race wants to rule Third Heaven. Shadow and shadowless race want to rule each other and have no vested interest in fighting the soul race or bothering with our heaven’s affairs. Hence, it makes no difference to me if they’re hostiles or not. I’ll kill anyone who threatens my family’s wellbeing.”
“I reckon I’ll be helpful, then, as I happen to be a veteran in that department.”
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