---The earth shuddered beneath my feet as a suffocating darkness crawled across the battlefield. The air thickened, the temperature dropping as if the world itself was holding its breath. I knew—before the figure emerged—that something ancient and deadly was arriving.Ding.> System Alert: Existence-Class Entity ApproachingTarget Identified: Shadow SovereignThreat Level: MaximumRecommended Action: Activate full combat mode, evasive protocols, and Dao resonance.The system’s voice was a quiet hum in my mind, the only one who heard it. No disciple, no enemy, no ally would ever glimpse this silent companion.From the shadows stepped the Sovereign—a towering silhouette wreathed in living darkness, its eyes twin voids that swallowed light. It moved with terrible purpose, shadows twisting and writhing like serpents ready to strike.Qi Yan’s fiery gaze locked on the Sovereign with a mix of awe and fear. Even the mighty envoy of the Thrones paled in its presence.I felt the system wrap ar