Chapter 30: Mastering The Shadows

There were games they played, too. For instance, Chao would tell him that he must go on the morrow to Shala the cook and ask her if this year's salted pork was leaner than last year's. And then he must report the entire conversation back to Chao that evening, as accurately as he could, and answer a dozen questions about how she stood, whether she was left-handed, if she seemed hard of hearing, and what she was cooking at the time. Wuyi's nervousness and reticence were never considered good enough excuses for failing to execute such an assignment. As a result, Wuyi found himself interacting with and getting to know a variety of the fort's lesser-known residents. Even if his inquiries were prompted by Chao, everyone seemed to appreciate his curiosity and were eager to share their knowledge. Inadvertently, Wuyi started to build a reputation as an "astute young man" and a "decent fellow." Wuyi came to understand that these exercises were not merely about memory but also about learning how to connect with ordinary people and grasp their mindset. Although Chao was unaware of his special abilities, this training significantly aided Wuyi. Now, he could understand people's emotions and thoughts as if reading an open book. He could control the statue's feedback on what he wanted to know and what he did not.

Numerous times afterward, a simple smile, a word of praise about the care of his horse, and a quick query to a horse attendant yielded him insights that no amount of money could have bought.

Other activities honed his courage and observational skills. One day, Chao presented him with a bundle of silk threads and instructed him to find out where Mistress Jizao stored matching silk threads and what herbs were used to dye them, all without asking her directly. Three days later, he was tasked with secretly taking her finest silk knives, hiding them behind a specific wine rack in the wine chamber for a span of three hours, and then returning them without being noticed by anyone. These tasks initially aligned with Wuyi's innate interest in mischief, a residual effect of his past life's occupation, and he rarely failed. If he did fail, he had to face the consequences himself. Chao had cautioned him that he would offer no protection and advised him to have a convincing story ready.

Wuyi became exceptionally good at lying. One might say he had a natural talent for it, possibly even before his birth in this world. He believed this skill was not accidentally imparted to him. These were the foundational lessons for becoming an assassin. Additionally, he learned the subtleties of sleight of hand and how to move without making a sound. He was taught where to hit a man to knock him out, where to hit to kill without a scream, and where to stab to minimize blood loss. He absorbed all these lessons quickly and effectively, thriving under Chao's commendation of his agile mind.

One day, after such an intense training session that Wuyi felt a familiar pull and pressure—a beckoning that he had come to associate with the sacred chamber—he closed his eyes and entered the sacred chamber within his mind. The chamber greeted him with its usual serenity, the Statues of Harmony and Valor glowing softly on the platform. But today, the sky above seemed restless; one star shimmered with an intensity that broke the tranquil pattern. As he watched, the star descended, its form shifting and coalescing as it reached the platform.

With a soft whisper, almost like the rustle of a cloak, the star transformed into a new statue. This one was carved from black stone, a stark contrast to its glowing companions. It depicted a figure shrouded in shadows, a dagger held in a poised hand, ready to strike. The aura it exuded was one of mystery and stealth, perfectly embodying the essence of the art he had been learning.

In front of this new statue floated a tome, its cover made from the dark feathers of a raven. "The Shadow Ledger," read the title, inscribed in silver letters that seemed to absorb the light around them. Drawn to it, Wuyi approached the tome and deciphered the ancient characters. The chant revealed itself: "Umbra Noctis, cloak me in the veil of secrecy!"

With a sense of anticipation, Wuyi recited the chant, "Umbra Noctis, cloak me in the veil of secrecy!" As the words resonated through the chamber, the Statue of Shadows glowed with a dark luminescence, as if shadows themselves were emitting light. Wuyi felt a shiver run down his spine, a new form of energy enveloping him. It was elusive, almost intangible, yet he felt as if he had merged with the shadows themselves.

Returning to the outside world, Wuyi sensed an immediate change. His movements felt more fluid, his awareness heightened. It was as if the shadows around him were allies, extensions of himself. Eager to understand this newfound power, he returned to the sacred chamber. The Statue of Shadows now emanated a steady, dark glow, its obsidian form alive with a mysterious light. Like its predecessors, the statue had been activated, drawing upon the energies of the world to fuel its unique form of power.

Standing amidst the trio of celestial warriors—Harmony, Valor, and now Shadows—Wuyi felt a sense of completeness. Each statue represented a facet of himself, a step on his path of mastery that he did not fully understand. After unlocking the statue, his activities became more masterful and fluid when it came to completing tasks given by Chao.

Over the next few days, Wuyi tested this statue. And this statue was what he needed. It solved his biggest problem that he had so far suffered when he used his cheat. The energy fluctuations that Boluo or the Patriarch could notice. The Statue of Shadows fixed that problem very easily for Wuyi. When he used the statue of harmony after activating the statue of shadows, neither Boluo nor the Patriarch took notice. He first tried with Boluo, a bit worried, but when he saw no reaction from Boluo, he decided to try it again in the Patriarch's presence. One lucky day when the Patriarch was passing by the training hall, Wuyi used the statue of harmony to get feedback from the Patriarch's thoughts. The statue told him that the Patriarch was deeply concerned about something. Wuyi watched closely if he received any reaction from the Patriarch, but there was none, as if nothing had happened. This pleased Wuyi very much; now he could use his cheat freely, he just had to make sure the statue of shadows was active before he activated the other two statues so he wouldn't get noticed.

Soon, Chao began to use Wuyi for small jobs around Lujingbao Fortress. He never disclosed whether these were tests of his skill or actual tasks he wished completed. Either way, Wuyi approached them all with unwavering devotion to Chao and his commands. In the spring of that year, he treated the tea cups of a visiting delegation from the merchant groups, making them more inebriated than they had planned. Later that month, he hid a puppet from a visiting puppeteer's troupe, forcing him to perform 'The Tale of the Hidden Flute,' a light-hearted folklore, instead of the intricate historical epic he had prepared.