Chapter 985 – Lord Shadow Blade

“Which clan do you hail from, honored one?”

If she wasn’t a Deep Shadow Elf of the Nightveil Clan, then she must be a Deep Shadow Elf from another branch.

As for other races, the two guards hadn’t even considered the possibility.

Besides Deep Shadow Elves, who could have trained both Shadow Assassin and Shadow Walker to such a level simultaneously?

“My name is Moira. I come from Quelariel and am a nature Elf of the Emerald Green Tribe…”

Mo Lan removed her hood, her emerald-green eyes gazing at the guards.

“You’re a nature Elf?!!” The two guards were stunned beyond belief.

Had they been Underground too long and fallen behind the times?

Since when did nature Elves take on dark-side professions? And at such a high level, no less!

“…I am also a seeker of the high Elf path.”

A seeker of the high Elf path! Well, that explained things.

Those who could pursue the path of the high Elf were all geniuses among the various branches, possessing multiple types of magical talent.

“Honored one, I need to inspect your letter of recommendation!” one of the guards spoke up.

Mo Lan understood and immediately withdrew her Shadow Binding Touch.

“The letter of recommendation checks out, but you still need to provide the correct passphrase before you may enter the clan territory,” the guard stated after his inspection.

“Shadow follows form,” Mo Lan said.

“Passphrase confirmed.” The two guards’ expressions relaxed slightly. “Follow me, Lady Moira. Until you meet Master Shadow Blade, you will be temporarily restricted to the ‘guest cavern.’ Do not wander freely, do not attempt to probe your surroundings, and do not engage others in conversation. This is for your safety as well as for the clan’s order. I trust you understand.”

“I understand.” Viola had told her about the Nightveil Clan’s various rules in advance, so Mo Lan was mentally prepared.

Under the “escort” of one guard, Mo Lan passed through the archway and officially entered the territory of the Nightveil Clan.

The interior was a vast labyrinth that perfectly merged natural caverns with exquisite architectural artistry.

Passages branched out in every direction—some as wide as plazas, others as narrow as a sliver of sky between cliffs.

Structures were built against the rock walls, making extensive use of luminescent Crystals and dark stone. Some areas were pitch black, while others had only the barest minimum of dim light, creating a pervasive sense of secrecy and oppression.

Occasionally, she could see other Deep Shadow Elves hurrying past. Most wore dark clothing suited for swift movement, their gazes sharp, their steps silent. They communicated with one another in brief, efficient exchanges. Quite a few cast curious glances at her—an outsider—subtly gauging her strength.

The guest cavern was located on the outer perimeter of the clan territory: a small, self-contained cave sealed by a stone door.

The interior furnishings were extremely sparse—just a stone bed, a stone table, and a stone stool. In one corner sat a small pool fed by a diverted underground spring.

There was no latch on the inside of the stone door, making it obvious that it could be opened from the outside at any time.

“Wait here. I will go report to Master Shadow Blade.” The escorting guard finished speaking, stepped out, and the stone door slid shut without a sound.

Mo Lan could sense that at least two more people were standing guard outside the door.

She surveyed this place that was nominally a guest cavern but in reality more resembled a prison cell, and chose not to touch anything inside.

Compared to Solar Corona Elves, Deep Shadow Elves seemed even more xenophobic—and entirely lacking in any semblance of hospitality.

Mo Lan recalled Viola’s description of her teacher.

“Master Shadow Blade… one of the Nightveil Clan’s top Shadow Assassins. His demeanor is so strict it borders on cold-blooded. In front of him, honesty is more useful than flattery, and strength is more reliable than background…”

The wait was longer than she had anticipated. An entire day and night passed without a single person coming to disturb her. The only contact was the simple—crude, even—food and water that was periodically slid through a small window at the bottom of the stone door.

Just as she was beginning to suspect that the Nightveil Clan intended her harm, the stone door finally slid open without a sound.

Standing outside was not the previous guard, but a Deep Shadow Elf male who appeared to be roughly thirty in human years, wearing a simple black robe.

His features were handsome but utterly expressionless. Standing there, he gave the impression of being elusive and ephemeral—as though he might vanish at any moment.

Master Shadow Blade!

No introduction was needed. Mo Lan immediately confirmed his identity.

“Mo Lan of Emerald Green?”

Master Shadow Blade spoke, his voice low. “In her letter, Viola described you in the most glowing terms. A nature Elf who has united eight Elven professions in a single body, all at advanced rank. But I only believe what I see with my own eyes and test with my own hands.

Viola’s letter of recommendation has earned you nothing more than the chance to stand before me.

Now, prove that you are worthy of the Dark Elf’s inheritance, and worthy of Viola’s praise.”

“I understand, Master Shadow Blade,” Mo Lan replied calmly. “How shall I prove myself?”

Master Shadow Blade did not answer immediately. Instead, he turned and walked outward. “Keep up.”

Mo Lan followed close behind.

They navigated through the labyrinthine network of caves until they arrived at an extremely well-hidden training ground located inside a massive stalactite column.

In the center of the training ground stood three figures.

All three wore black combat gear in a style similar to Master Shadow Blade’s, and each wore a mask that left only their eyes exposed.

Judging by their builds and the auras they faintly emanated, there were two males and one female. Their strength was… at least level 16 across the board. The smallest of them, the girl, gave Mo Lan the strongest sense of danger—she was likely a level 17 Shadow Walker.

“They are the ‘Fangs of Nightveil’—my students, and the most outstanding talents of this generation within the clan.

The rules are simple: within this arena, any means permitted, no time limit, until one side completely loses the ability to fight or concedes. You may use any ability you wish. Naturally, they will show you no mercy either.

If you win and prove that your worth far surpasses that of my students, then I will personally bestow upon you the complete inheritance of the Shadow Walker and Shadow Assassin paths at levels 19 and 20.

If you lose… I will still honor my promise to Viola and allow you to leave here safely.

But the matter of inheritance shall never be spoken of again.

The Nightveil Clan does not accept losers, and we will never entrust our inheritance to a ‘seeker’ who cannot even defeat my students.” Lord Shadow Blade declared.

Mo Lan’s gaze swept over the three Deep Shadow Elves poised and ready in the arena, then turned to Master Shadow Blade. Her tone was calm yet brimming with confidence:

“I accept the trial.”

Even if all three were level 18 Deep Shadow Elves, she would have no fear—let alone a mere level 17 Shadow Walker and two level 16 Shadow Assassins.

In fact, several strategies had already flashed through her mind in an instant.

Whether it was the Radiant Cleric’s “Holy Nova” shockwave or the Solar Knight’s “Searing Aura” burst, any single level 10 light-element magic spell would be enough to crush them and end the fight almost immediately.

After all, the suppression from her professional level advantage and the restraining effect of her magical energy were not gaps that technique could easily bridge.

But… that thought existed in her mind for less than a second before she dismissed it herself.

What Lord Shadow Blade wanted to see was probably not how powerful her Solar Knight or Radiant Cleric professions were—but rather how far she had truly progressed on the paths of Shadow Walker and Shadow Assassin.