Legend of the Divine Archer

The interior of the Shao family's domain was exactly as Yan Bai had expected—an elegant, traditional layout with single-house courtyards arranged around open spaces. Rare flowers bloomed in precisely manicured gardens, their placement carefully designed to harmonize with the natural flow of the estate.

The group was led into a spacious hall, where numerous chairs lined the room, occupied by other visitors patiently awaiting their turn.

"What's going on?" Yan Bai asked the guard guiding them.

"Aren't you here for the stone?" the guard responded.

"Stone? What stone?" Yan Jin questioned, his brows furrowing slightly.

"The Shao family recently acquired a mysterious magic stone, and they're seeking a powerful soul master to decipher it. I thought that was why you came."

Yan Jin barely hesitated before replying smoothly, "Yes! Of course."

They were directed to their seats, and as Yan Jin settled in, his senses expanded, sweeping over the room. Among the gathered individuals, three stood out—each possessing soul energy strong enough to be worth noting. He let out a quiet scoff before turning toward Wei Xi, who had been unusually silent.

Beneath the dark ribbon covering his eyes, Yan Jin's eyelashes trembled slightly—an almost imperceptible movement, yet the first in years.

Yan Jin leaned in and whispered, "Are you okay, Little Xi?" Though the boy had grown into a young man, in Yan Jin's mind, he was still the child he once guided.

"I'm not sure," Wei Xi admitted, his voice low.

Yan Jin chuckled softly. "Don't overthink it. If there's an issue, I can afford a little extra to raise you properly."

Wei Xi said nothing, but the tension in his shoulders eased slightly.

They waited for nearly half a day before footsteps finally echoed through the hall. Yan Jin instantly took note of the steady, authoritative gait, carrying the weight of immense presence. Two lighter steps followed—a delicate aura, refined yet contained, and another younger, wilder presence.

As he expected, a middle-aged man entered, flanked by two youths—a boy and a girl.

"Thank you all for coming," the man greeted, his voice calm yet commanding. "I am Shao Han, eldest son of the Shao family. These are my children, Shao Ming and Shao Ling."

The other visitors stood respectfully as he addressed them, moving through the room and speaking to each group in turn. Eventually, he reached Yan Jin's party, his gaze narrowing slightly.

"This young brother… I don't believe we've met," Shao Han said directly to Yan Jin. Unlike Wei Xi and Yan Bai, who radiated strength comparable to his own son, Yan Jin's presence was eerily unremarkable—so subdued it was as if he weren't there at all. That, in itself, made him all the more intriguing.

Yan Jin smiled faintly. "You should be calling me nephew," he corrected. "I'm of the same generation as your children. If Uncle Shao doesn't mind, the matter at hand is rather sensitive. I would prefer to speak with you in private."

Before Shao Han could respond, a voice from the crowd interrupted.

"This brother, we are all here for the reward. Why are you trying to take a shortcut?"

Yan Jin barely turned his head. "Did you not hear me say it was a sensitive matter?" he replied, his tone calm, almost indifferent.

The man scoffed. "Younger brother, don't be so arrogant—"

"Don't call me younger brother," Yan Jin cut him off coldly. "You cannot afford it."

The dismissive remark was like a slap to the face. The man's expression darkened, his fury igniting as he stepped forward, preparing to attack.

But before he could make a move, Yan Jin was already ahead of him.

With nothing but a slight lift of his index finger, an overwhelming force crashed down upon the hall. The air trembled as an invisible weight slammed the man into the ground with bone-crushing force.

Shao Han's sharp eyes narrowed as he observed the scene. He sensed nothing from the attack—no fluctuation of energy, no discernible movement. For a moment, he even doubted whether it had come from the blind young man at all. But the nature of the suppression was unmistakable. It was soul energy—an incredibly potent one, strong enough to neutralize Sir Hui, a renowned soul master, in a single move.

A hushed silence fell over the hall. The other masters instinctively stepped back, wary and watchful.

After a long moment, Yan Jin lowered his finger, releasing the crushing pressure.

"I have no interest in meddling with your assignment," he said calmly. "So don't meddle with mine."

His gaze shifted back to Shao Han. "Uncle Shao, my friends and I are willing to wait until your business is complete."

The experienced old man immediately understood—Yan Jin was giving him face by not escalating the conflict. He nodded appreciatively.

"Thank you, Nephew… erm—" He hesitated, unsure how to properly address the blind young man.

"Yan Jin," Yan Jin supplied smoothly.

"Good Nephew Yan." Shao Han smiled, recovering quickly. "Shao Ming, Shao Ling, stay and accompany our guest while I deal with this matter." With that, he excused himself, leaving his children behind.

As soon as he was out of sight, the two teens introduced themselves.

"Friends, I am Shao Ming, and this is my sister, Shao Ling," the boy said with a friendly grin. "Why don't we move to the side courtyard for some tea?"

"No need to be too courteous. Just call me Yan Jin," Yan Jin replied as they walked out of the hall. He gestured toward his companions. "These are my younger brothers, Wei Xi and Yan Bai."

Shao Ming's eyes lingered on the two spearmen. They were about his age and carried weapons similar to his own. The itch to cross spears with them was almost unbearable.

"You don't seem like you're from around here. Where do you come from?" Shao Ling asked curiously.

"We're from the Northern Region," Yan Bai answered.

"That must have been such a long journey!" she said, her eyes lighting up with excitement.

"It was," Yan Bai nodded. "We traveled through the Babel Tower."

Shao Ming's expression immediately brightened with interest. "Do you know about Huang?"

Wei Xi, who had been quiet until now, raised an eyebrow. "You've heard of Huang?"

"Who hasn't?" Shao Ming said animatedly. "He's the greatest villain on the continent! Rumor has it he killed a scion from the Nie family and even broke a death-row criminal out of the tower."

"Oh?" Yan Jin's lips curled slightly. "And where did you hear all this?"

"My older brother was discussing it with my grandfather." The boy shrugged. "Did you meet Huang in the tower?"

"I did," Yan Jin said casually, swirling the tea in his cup. "I even exchanged pointers with him."

Shao Ming leaned forward, eyes gleaming. "Really? Between the two of you, who was stronger?"

Yan Jin took a slow sip before replying with a small smirk. "Me, obviously."

Shao Ling narrowed her eyes. "You don't look that strong."

"Shao Ling! You can't talk like that to guests." Shao Ming shot her an apologetic look. "Please excuse my sister—she's just very honest."

Yan Jin chuckled. "No need to worry about it."

Shao Ling hesitated for a moment before speaking again, her voice quieter this time. "Brother Yan Jin, can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead," he said, watching her carefully.

"Are you… a soul master?" she asked, her tone almost shy.

Yan Jin set his cup down. "Does this have something to do with the stone your clan possesses?"

She bit her lip before finally speaking again. "Please… help our clan."