First Time Recruiting a T0 Protagonist, Obtaining the Seal of Destiny

"Calm down, Xu Tun."

A deep voice came from nearby.

Xu Tun turned toward the sound and saw a man slowly emerge from the shadows.

It was Li Xuanfeng—the one who had forcibly taken him here.

"Who the hell are you? Why did you bring me here?" Xu Tun demanded through gritted teeth, his eyes filled with wariness and hostility.

He couldn’t understand it. He had devoted himself to cultivation solely for revenge, so why had he been dragged into such an absurd situation?

This world… why did it seem determined to target him at every turn?

Li Xuanfeng didn’t answer. Instead, he walked straight to a stone table and lightly traced his fingers over the shadowy patterns carved into its surface.

In an instant, the shadows in the entire hall flickered violently, accompanied by a piercing, resonant hum.

Then, a spectral figure gradually materialized above the stone table—a massive, grinning ghostly face formed from shadows, its mouth stretching ear to ear to reveal rows of gleaming white teeth.

"Welcome to the Shadow Courtyard, Xu Tun."

The ghastly face spoke in a voice that echoed like overlapping reverberations.

"We’ve been waiting for you for a long time."

Xu Tun froze. "Waiting for me? What do you mean?"

He was completely lost.

Glancing around, he noticed the black-robed figures standing silently in the corners, their cold eyes fixed on him like he was prey ready for slaughter.

The next second—

Gurgle!

Another ghostly face, this one weeping, materialized behind Xu Tun.

Its shrill voice pierced into his mind, forcing out every one of his secrets.

"Xu Tun, don’t you want revenge?"

"Don’t you want to make the Empress Linglong pay for betraying you?"

"How… could you have forgotten all about it?"

BOOM!

The words struck Xu Tun like a thunderbolt, sending his mind into chaos.

"Wha—?!"

His eyes widened, and an involuntary cry escaped his lips.

These people… knew his deepest secret?!

"Who… the hell are you?!" Xu Tun snarled at the figures surrounding him, his teeth clenched.

The feeling of being completely exposed was unbearably unsettling.

For the first time, he felt a chill crawl down his spine.

"Us?"

The two ghostly faces seemed amused by the question.

They let out shrill laughs before dissolving into black mist and vanishing from Xu Tun’s sight.

The next moment—

RUMBLE!

The ground trembled violently.

Twenty-four dark golden pillars burst from the earth, each engraved with twisted carvings of weeping and grinning ghosts.

Eight of them bore masked figures standing atop them, their crimson pupils gleaming eerily under an eerie blue glow.

HUM!

With the pillars’ emergence, the atmosphere in the hall grew even more oppressive, as if even breathing had become difficult.

Then—

Two figures slowly emerged from the shadows, each seated on a throne woven from darkness.

On the left was Qin Luo, wearing a half-weeping ghost mask. His left eye was a swirling black hole, while his right burned with icy-blue flames.

On the right was Su Muwan, her face concealed behind a grinning ghost mask that oozed black mist. The corners of her lips curled in a playful smirk.

"We are called… the Shadow Courtyard."

Qin Luo’s voice was deep and commanding, carrying an undeniable authority.

The Shadow Courtyard!

Xu Tun’s pupils contracted.

He stared up at the eerie beings before him, his breath growing slightly ragged.

An organization unheard of even in the ancient realms.

Yet… they knew about Linglong?

They knew everything about him?

What kind of conspiracy lay behind this?

Could it be… even his rebirth had been part of their calculations?

"What… do you want from me?" Xu Tun asked through clenched fists, forcing down his unease.

Qin Luo answered coolly, "We have descended upon this world to change it."

"To shatter its chains and reshape its order."

"That is our purpose."

"And you, Xu Tun."

Su Muwan took over, her tone light yet laced with threat. "Your fate has already been decided."

"Whether you join us or not, you will be swept into this storm."

"The only difference is… the choice is yours."

Xu Tun’s mind was in turmoil.

The sheer power radiating from these two was suffocating, and their words dripped with temptation and coercion.

He didn’t know what to believe—or how to respond.

"Why me?" he finally asked, his voice hoarse and trembling.

"Because you have potential."

Qin Luo’s fingers curled, summoning a wisp of shadow energy that pointed at Xu Tun. "You carry hatred within you. That obsession is the fuel we need."

"Obsession?"

Xu Tun repeated the word softly, Linglong’s image flashing through his mind.

She was his deepest scar—and his greatest driving force.

"Exactly. Obsession."

Su Muwan looked down at him with a mocking tilt of her head. "We won’t force you to do anything. But you must understand—on your own, you will never reach the Empress Linglong."

"She exists on a level far beyond your comprehension."

Xu Tun fell silent for a moment before suddenly lifting his head, his gaze resolute.

"What if I refuse?"

"Refuse?" Qin Luo scoffed. "Then you’ll remain a discarded pawn, tossed around by fate."

"Perhaps one day, you’ll die by her hand again—just like in your past life."

!!

The words stabbed into Xu Tun’s heart like a blade.

His jaw tightened, his fists shaking with barely restrained fury.

"What do I have to do?"

In the end, he forced out the question.

Qin Luo and Su Muwan exchanged a glance, their lips curling in unison.

"It’s simple."

Qin Luo raised his hand, his finger aimed at Xu Tun. "Submit to the Shadow Courtyard. Become one of our forces."

"We will provide you with every resource, nurture your growth—until you are strong enough to challenge the Empress Linglong."

"But remember one thing."

Su Muwan added with a smirk, "Once you choose this path, there’s no turning back."

"Betray the Shadow Courtyard, and your fate will be death."

She glanced at Qin Luo, as if seeking approval for her performance.

Qin Luo blinked. Good, good.

Su Muwan: …?

Xu Tun took a deep breath, his eyes scanning his surroundings with conflicted intensity.

He knew there was no way out.

His identity in the outside world was already blacklisted.

Either he accepted this, or he abandoned all hope of revenge.

The Shadow Courtyard knew more than he did.

By following them, he could uncover the truth—and finally make that treacherous woman pay.

"Fine. I accept."

"A wise choice."

Qin Luo nodded in satisfaction, then waved his hand. The shadowy chains binding Xu Tun vanished instantly.

"Then pledge your allegiance, Xu Tun."

His lips curved as he laid out the terms. "Swear eternal loyalty to us."

Feeling his ankles freed, Xu Tun didn’t hesitate.

He lowered his head and spoke firmly.

"I pledge my eternal loyalty to you both."

[Grand Army Command—Activate!]

【First Time Subduing a T0 Protagonist!】

【Reward Obtained: Seal of Destiny (Can create individuals certified by the Heavenly Dao as "Chosen Ones." Requires the ability to infuse them with fortune (condition met) and the power to manipulate fate threads (condition met)).】

Hearing the voice in his mind, Qin Luo smiled in satisfaction.

"Welcome to..."

"the Shadow Garden."