Black Magic Rose Chapter 18
byChapter 18: Encirclement and Protection
Shu Yijin’s “Prohibition” acted like an invisible barrier, turning Wen Jingheng’s room into an isolated island. The following days were unusually calm. Shu Qing never appeared again, and even the subtle, lingering gazes of the Wen Family seemed to vanish. But Shu Yijin knew this tranquility was merely the prelude to a storm.
The Elder Council would never let the matter rest. Although he had managed to fend off their probing attempt that day, it had completely exposed that he was not as harmless as he appeared. A person who could remotely establish such a powerful barrier while severely injured, and who could precisely counter Shu Qing, could not possibly be just an ordinary, discarded son abandoned by the family. Those old foxes of the Wen Family were likely mobilizing forces in secret, preparing a more lethal strike.
Shu Yijin’s injuries were slowly recovering, but the strain of forcefully suppressing the backlash and establishing the “Prohibition” was immense; he was far from fully healed. He continued to tend to Wen Jingheng daily, his movements growing softer, and the time he spent there subtly lengthening. Sometimes, he would simply sit quietly by the bed, watching Wen Jingheng’s peaceful sleeping face, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the faint Black Rose mark on the other man’s chest—a mark only he could clearly perceive.
Through this mark, he could sense that Wen Jingheng’s sea of consciousness was no longer completely silent. Undercurrents were stirring in the depths, and the “tendency” toward him (or rather, toward the existence of “Shu Yijin”) was becoming increasingly obvious. This was both a good sign, meaning the Seal was continuously loosening, and a huge risk—the timing of Wen Jingheng’s awakening had to be completely under his control, not a moment too soon, and not a second too late.
However, the tree desired peace, but the wind would not cease.
Late that night, Shu Yijin was meditating in the guest room, trying to sort out the chaotic power still surging within his body. Suddenly, he snapped his eyes open, a sharp glint flashing in his crimson pupils.
They’re here!
Around the manor, several powerful auras appeared without warning, silently converging like ghosts. These auras were sharp and unified, carrying the trained, lethal intent of seasoned fighters—they were incomparable to the rabble Shu Qing commanded. Was this the secret force nurtured by the Wen Family, or had the Elder Council deployed their true trump card?
Without the slightest hesitation, Shu Yijin’s figure instantly vanished from the guest room, appearing the next moment at the entrance to Wen Jingheng’s bedroom. He could not allow them to enter this room, absolutely could not let them discover Wen Jingheng’s true condition, and certainly could not let the ensuing battle affect him.
The moment he stood firm in the hallway, several dark figures, blending into the night, appeared at both ends of the corridor, blocking all escape routes. The newcomers were all dressed in unified dark combat gear, wearing masks that covered half their faces, revealing only pairs of cold, emotionless eyes. The weapons they held were not ordinary swords, but special armaments that shimmered with strange runes, clearly designed to counter supernatural powers.
“Young Master Yijin,” the leader’s voice was flat and devoid of emotion, yet carried an undeniable tone of command, “The Elder Council requests your presence. Please come with us.”
Shu Yijin stood before Wen Jingheng’s door, his figure seemingly slender but as steady as a mountain. There was no panic on his face; instead, he curved his lips into an extremely faint, mocking smile: “In the dead of night, making such a fuss… Is this the Wen Family’s way of treating guests?”
“This concerns the safety of the Wen Family, and we have no choice. Please cooperate, Young Master, to avoid harming the innocent.” The man’s tone remained cold, but he deliberately emphasized the words “harming the innocent,” his gaze subtly sweeping toward the door behind Shu Yijin.
The threat was self-evident.
The chill in Shu Yijin’s eyes instantly solidified into ice. He let out a soft laugh, which echoed through the silent corridor, carrying an unsettling, eerie quality: “Innocent? The one you intend to touch is my ‘husband.’ In front of me, how dare you speak of innocence?”
Before his voice faded, the aura around him abruptly changed! The Evil God’s pressure, which he had deliberately restrained, erupted like a beast unshackled! Dense, almost tangible black mist surged out from him, causing the lights in the corridor to flicker violently, the temperature to plummet, and tiny black ice crystals to begin forming on the walls and floor!
The black-clad figures clearly hadn’t expected him to tear off the pretense so decisively, and they were momentarily stunned by this sudden, terrifying power that far exceeded their estimates! Their movements froze simultaneously!
Now!
Shu Yijin’s figure shot out like a phantom, launching the attack first! He didn’t use any flashy spells, only simple, direct strikes with his palms and fingers, yet every blow contained the destructive power of annihilation! Black mist coiled around his fingertips; wherever it passed, the air hissed as if being corroded.
The black-clad men were well-trained and instantly formed a defensive array. Their runic weapons glowed, weaving an energy net, attempting to trap him. However, Shu Yijin’s level of power was far beyond their comprehension. His attacks were vicious and precise, often penetrating their defenses from impossible angles. When the black mist touched their bodies, it clung like a maggot in the bone, frantically eroding their energy and vitality!
For a time, light and shadow flashed chaotically in the corridor, punctuated by the dull thuds of energy collisions and the sharp ringing of clashing weapons. Shu Yijin fought against superior numbers, his figure flickering erratically amidst the encirclement, his crimson eyes tracing an eerie path in the darkness. He was surprisingly holding his own!
But he knew this was only temporary. His severe injuries greatly restricted his strength; prolonged combat would inevitably lead to exhaustion. He had to break through quickly, or… wait for a variable.
The shockwaves of the battle continuously slammed against the surrounding walls and barriers, yet Shu Yijin kept Wen Jingheng’s door firmly shielded behind him, preventing even a trace of power from leaking inside. He was like an insurmountable barrier, isolating all danger.
However, even the most careful plan has a flaw.
One of the black-clad men, struck and sent flying by Shu Yijin, flashed a look of ruthlessness in his eyes as he hurtled backward. He forced out his last breath, and a poisoned dagger in his hand flew out. It was not aimed at Shu Yijin, but traced a bizarre arc, bypassing the main fight, and silently shot toward the gap beneath Wen Jingheng’s bedroom door like a venomous snake!
The strike was too sudden, and the angle was extremely tricky. Shu Yijin was currently being desperately entangled by two other men and clearly had no time to defend!
If that poisoned dagger were allowed to enter the room, the consequences would be unimaginable!
In that instant, Shu Yijin’s mind was devoid of any calculation or weighing of pros and cons. An almost instinctive reaction drove him—he could not let him be harmed! Absolutely not!
“Get lost!”
Shu Yijin let out a low roar, completely disregarding the fatal attack coming from behind him. He forcibly twisted his body, exploding with maximum speed in a near-suicidal maneuver, appearing instantly in front of the door!
“Pfft!”
The sound of a sharp weapon piercing flesh rang out. The poisoned dagger failed to touch the door panel; instead, it plunged deeply into Shu Yijin’s left shoulder, which he had timely thrust forward to block it! Simultaneously, because he had forcibly abandoned his defense, he took the full, solid impact of the other two black-clad men’s attacks on his back!
“Ugh!” Shu Yijin groaned, his face instantly turning deathly pale. A mouthful of fresh blood surged up his throat. But he stood his ground, refusing to retreat even half a step! The black mist surged wildly, instantly corroding the dagger in his shoulder to dust, but the poison and the heavy blow to his back still caused his aura to rapidly weaken.
In this moment, time seemed to freeze.
The black-clad men were also momentarily stunned by this reckless act of protection. And in this instant of silence—
“Clang!”
A faint, yet incredibly clear sound came from inside the bedroom door behind Shu Yijin. It sounded like something… had dropped onto the floor.
Immediately afterward, an indescribable, vast, and Holy Energy fluctuation, like a volcano that had slept for millennia, erupted without warning from behind that door! Golden light pierced through the door seams, illuminating the entire corridor in a brilliant glow!
The light was so warm, so pure, yet it carried supreme majesty and fury, causing all the black-clad men to feel their souls tremble, irresistibly wanting to kneel!
Shu Yijin whipped his head around, his crimson eyes filled with disbelief and shock, staring at the door.
Inside the room, on the sickbed. Wen Jingheng still had his eyes tightly closed, but a complex golden mark was shining brightly on his brow! And the hand resting by his side was, at some point, clenched tightly into a fist.
Had he woken up? No, not fully. But this power… was the unconscious protective force he unleashed when he sensed Shu Yijin was in danger!
Shu Yijin looked at the Holy Energy light pouring through the door crack—a power fundamentally opposite to his own but equally formidable—and felt the unmistakable, surging rage ignited by his injury. For a moment, he was rooted to the spot.
The group of black-clad men were utterly terrified by this sudden development and the terrifying Holy pressure. Their offensive halted, and they exchanged glances, unsure whether to continue the attack or retreat immediately.
In the corridor, only the sound of blood dripping from Shu Yijin’s shoulder and the surging golden light behind the door remained, silently testifying to a protection that transcended position and calculation.