“That's right, he's your big brother. He'll take you to worlds you've never even imagined and lead you to conquer them all, so your illusion arts can truly shine!” Luna, the sword spirit, smiled as she spoke.
“Is he really that powerful? Why do I feel like he's so different from us?” The little boy looked at Evan Chu, his eyes full of curiosity.
“He's the greatest genius under heaven, of course he's different. You'll understand in time. Trust him—if any of us are ever in danger, he'd lay down his life to protect us.” Luna declared, her voice full of conviction.
Evan Chu stepped forward and said, “Still got your guard up against me? Your third sister was just like you—at first, she was terrified I had some scheme against her. But now? Ask her if she's still scared.”
The boy fell silent for a moment, then nodded. “Alright! I trust you all! From today on, you're my big brother. I'll follow you and see that colorful world you talked about for myself!”
“Good! What's your name? Now that we're family, you can reveal your true body, right? I'm ready to bring you out of here.” Evan Chu said, his tone warm and inviting.
“I don't have a name. Big Brother, why don't you give me one?” The boy grinned, his happiness shining through.
“Then from now on, you'll be Tom Chu—Tommy for short! So, just how strong are your illusion arts? Why not show your big brother a little?” Evan Chu teased, clearly interested.
“I'd rather not. My illusions take a lot of mental effort, and if you all get trapped, it'll be a mess. I don't want to see everyone looking all flustered. Tommy's illusions are only for bad people who want to hurt us. Big Brother, you won't be mad, right?” Tom Chu whispered, sneaking a glance at Evan Chu's face.
“Why would I be angry? Just hearing you talk, I know your illusion arts are incredible. Show me next time when you get a chance. For now, switch to your true body so I can carry you out. If you walk around looking like a little boy, you'll attract some dangerous experts.” Evan Chu said earnestly.
“If they see you like this, they'll wipe your memories and turn you into a mindless killing tool. That's why your third sister and second sister almost never show themselves—it's for their own safety.” Evan Chu explained.
“Okay! I can still talk to you all even in my true form. I’m so happy to have a big brother and two sisters!” Tom Chu laughed. As a gentle white light enveloped him, a hazy pearl floated into view.
Evan Chu recognized this as Tommy’s true body—the Mirage Pearl, an innate spiritual treasure just like Jade Chu. “Tommy, you and Jade Chu should enter my storage ring. You two can chat inside while I check if the Ghostveil Labyrinth has any other treasures we can take together.”
“Big Brother, if you’re looking for something, just ask me! I know this place better than anyone. There aren’t any big treasures, but there are a few little herbs that might be useful. How about I fetch them for you?” Tom Chu offered eagerly.
“Great! We'll wait here. I can't wait to see what kind of surprise Tommy brings me.” Evan Chu laughed, feeling even more satisfied than after a hard-won battle with his beloved women.
Tom Chu left, leaving Evan Chu and the others behind. “Big Brother, now that we have Tommy, I’ll never be lonely again. I’m so happy!” Jade Chu exclaimed, her voice full of joy.
“Glad you’re happy, but you’re the big sister now—no bullying him, alright? You have to take care of your little brother!” Evan Chu teased, laughter in his voice.
“Evan, with Tommy by your side, your safety in the Netherworld has leveled up again. With Jade Chu and Tommy’s abilities, even if you run into a Fifth-Layer Venerable Martial expert, you’ll be able to escape. Coming to the Shade Clan was a stroke of luck—if the Shade Lord hadn’t tested you, you might never have met Tommy.” Luna said, excitement in her voice.
“Honestly, I know what he’s up to. At first, he looked down on me, only agreeing to the trial for Ivy’s sake. But after I smashed the Grand Elder, he started to see my true value. Now he wants to recruit me for the Shade Clan.” Evan Chu said, eyes sharp.
Still, he doesn’t fully trust me. He’s been to the Ghostveil Labyrinth countless times—maybe he doesn’t know about Tommy, but he’s aware of the illusion domain and the hidden treasures here.” Evan Chu mused.
If I can get a treasure from here and hand it over to him, maybe he’ll finally let his guard down and treat me as a true ally of the Shade Clan. The Five Netherworld Races look peaceful on the surface right now…
But if any faction suddenly rises, that fragile peace will explode into chaos. The Five Races could be at war again in no time.” Evan Chu said, his tone grim.
Just then, Tommy came running back, clutching three mist-shrouded stalks of grass. He handed them to Evan Chu, saying, “Big Brother, this is the most valuable thing here. Don’t underestimate it—ordinary people can’t get it, since it either makes them hallucinate or hides itself completely. But with me around, that’s never a problem.”
“Evan, this is a real treasure! Mirage Immortal Grass—who would’ve thought it’d show up here? Even in the Immortal Realm, it’s incredibly rare. You have to keep it safe—it’ll be invaluable later, especially for your Violet Thunder Fox.” Luna said, genuinely excited.
“Thank you, Tommy! This grass is fantastic! I never expected you to give me such a big surprise right after we met—it’s incredible!” Evan Chu accepted the Mirage Immortal Grass and carefully stored it in his storage ring.
“No need to thank me, Big Brother! It’s what I should do—I’m your little brother now!” Tommy laughed, full of pride.
After that, Jade Chu and Tommy reverted to their treasure forms and entered the storage ring, while Luna returned to the Frostbane Sword. The Ghostveil Labyrinth instantly changed—no more endless mist, just a small lawn a few hundred meters across, covered in pale red grass and tiny flowers, beautiful and tranquil.
Evan Chu wasn’t surprised by the change. He knew it was because Tommy and the Mirage Immortal Grass had left. This was the true form of the Ghostveil Labyrinth. His Chaos Dragon Force was a bit depleted, so he decided to rest and recover before leaving.
The next day, Evan Chu stepped out of the Labyrinth. The City Lord’s Mansion people all kept their distance—no one dared look down on him anymore. The Shade Lord was stunned to see him return so quickly.
“Evan, how did you get out so fast? Did you already find a treasure?” The Shade Lord asked, astonished.
“That’s right. The Ghostveil Labyrinth has returned to its original state. Here’s what I found inside—take a look, Shade Lord.” Evan Chu said, pulling a stalk of Mirage Immortal Grass from his storage ring.