With his cold words still lingering in the air, Quinn's fingers tightened around the blade. The metal groaned under his grip before snapping cleanly in two, fragments scattering to the ground. The attacker stumbled back in shock, eyes wide as if staring at a nightmare in human form.
Quinn didn't give him the chance to recover. Black chains erupted from the earth, writhing like serpents as they coiled around the man's limbs. The assassin screamed, but the sound was cut short when the chains yanked tight, draining the very essence from his body until he fell limp, eyes glassy.
Gasps rippled among the surrounding assassins. The stench of fear mingled with the morning air.
"Monster…" one whispered.
"Kill him!" another barked, charging with his blade raised.
Quinn's expression remained carved in stone. He lifted his hand slightly, and the Soul Chains surged forward. Each strike was a blur—chains lashing out, binding, tearing, draining. One by one, the assassins fell. Their weapons clattered uselessly against the ground as the chains devoured what made them alive.
The dirt road was soon littered with collapsed bodies, the air heavy with the faint shimmer of stolen soul-essence fading into nothingness.
Then silence.
All eyes turned to the lone figure who had not yet moved—the leader. He stood at the far end of the road, his large blade resting on his shoulder. His face was still hidden, but the weight of his presence pressed down like a mountain.
Finally, he stepped forward.
"You're strong, boy," the man rumbled. "But strength borrowed from shadows is still weakness."
Without another word, he vanished.
Quinn barely had time to react before the man was upon him, blade whistling through the air. The impact rattled Quinn's bones as he caught the strike with crossed chains, sparks scattering from the clash. He staggered back, the ground cracking under his feet.
The leader was different— he was faster, heavier, merciless. Every swing of his blade tore through the air with bone-crushing force. Quinn lashed out with his Soul Chains again and again, but the man cut through them, leaving trails of broken links dissipating like smoke.
Blow after blow landed on Quinn. His body trembled under the punishment, his coat torn, blood spilling from his lips. Yet, his eyes burned brighter with every strike.
Zhenyu gripped the side of the carriage, his knuckles white. His heart hammered in his chest as he watched Quinn take hit after hit. "Quinn…" he whispered, voice tight with fear. He wanted to help, to do something—anything but he had no cultivation, no power. He could only watch.
Quinn dropped to one knee, the leader's blade pressing dangerously close. The assassin sneered. "This is the end, boy."
But Quinn's lips curved into the faintest of smiles.
"I don't think so…" he rasped. "It begins here."
The ground beneath them cracked open as a surge of Soul Chains erupted, far more than before. They shot upward in a storm of black links, wrapping around the leader's arms, legs, and chest. The man roared, straining to break free, but Quinn pulled his hands apart and the chains constricted with brutal force.
A faint glow of soul-essence began to seep from the man, dragged into Quinn's body. The leader's struggles weakened, his roars fading into a strangled gasp.
With one final pull, Quinn yanked the man's very essence into himself. The leader collapsed to the ground, lifeless, his body nothing more than an empty husk.
The road fell silent once more.
Quinn stood there, drenched in blood, his body trembling. His eyes dimmed, and he swayed as though the weight of the chains pressed on him too. Finally, his knees gave out and he dropped to the ground, weak and exhausted.
Zhenyu rushed to him, kneeling at his side. "Quinn! Can you hear me?" His voice shook, genuine fear breaking through his usual arrogance.
Quinn's breathing was shallow, his skin pale. Still, his lips moved faintly, his voice a whisper.
"You are right, men who refuse to seize power due forgotten."
His eyes fluttered, and darkness threatened to take him. The last thing he heard was his name being called by Zhenyu.
--------
Quinn opened his eyes and the first thing he did was to look around. He was currently lying on the bed, with a roof above his head.
"Brother!" Zi called and hugged him. "Brother, I thought you wouldn't wake up again!" She cried.
"How? I only passed out because I was exhausted," Quinn said and sat up. "The fight is not enough to take my life."
"Yes brother, but you got me worried. It's already daybreak," Zi said.
"Really?" Quinn asked, surprised and Zi nodded. He frowned. 'I really slept that long because of a simple fight? I'm still so weak after all.'
Seeing he was not happy, Zi became worried. "What is the matter, brother?" She asked him.
"Nothing," he replied and came down from the bed. He walked to the window and gazed down. "We are at the capital?" He asked.
"Yes, brother," Zi replied.
"Where is the prince?" He asked again.
"He was sent for by the emperor..."
Just as they were both still talking about Zhenyu, he walked in. The moment Zi saw him, something flickered in her eyes. No one noticed it.
"You're awake," Zhenyu said to Quinn who nodded. "That's good. About what happened yesterday, I'm sorry that you had to get involved in my case."
Quinn walked back to the bed and sat down. "You don't have to be sorry about it," he said, earning a glance from both the prince and Zi. "Since I decided to come to the capital with you, it shows that my mind is already made up. Besides, if I hadn't intervened, Zi could have gotten hurt."
Hearing this, Zi smiled.
"Sure. You are right about that." Zhenyu mumbled, almost seeming to be unhappy.
"Zi said your father sent for you," Quinn said.
"Yes," Zhenyu replied with a sigh. "The task wasn't completed, he's disappointed." He walked further into the room, his hands clasped behind his back. The weight in his steps was heavier than usual. His lips pressed into a thin line before he finally sat opposite Quinn.
"My father doesn't tolerate failure," Zhenyu said quietly. "What happened in the demon realm… the assassins… none of it matters to him. All he'll see is that the task he gave me was not done."
Quinn studied him silently. The faint light filtering through the window cast shadows across his face, making the weariness in his eyes all the more obvious.
"So he'll punish you," Quinn stated rather than asked.
Zhenyu chuckled, though it was bitter and without mirth. "That's what emperors do best, isn't it? Praise you in front of the court, and break you in the shadows. To him, I'm useful only if I accomplish what he cannot. If I fail…" He trailed off, shrugging. "Then I am disposable."
Zi frowned deeply, clutching Quinn's arm. "That's cruel… he's your father."
Zhenyu's expression softened as he glanced at her. "Cruelty is the first lesson in imperial bloodlines. You'll understand when you live inside these walls." His eyes shifted back to Quinn. "And that is why I said what I said last night. Even my own family wants me dead."
Quinn leaned back, folding his arms. "Then what's next? You intend to keep running from blades in the dark?"
For a moment, silence filled the space. Then Zhenyu's jaw tightened. "No. Running has only delayed things. Yesterday proved it. Whoever sent those assassins won't stop until they see that I'm gone. Which means…" He paused, then met Quinn's gaze. "I'll need your strength again."
Zi's eyes widened. "You mean… you want my brother to fight for you?"
Zhenyu nodded slowly. "I won't lie. Alone, I don't stand a chance against what's coming. But Quinn…" His eyes lingered on Quinn, sharp and calculating. "You're different. The power you wield—it's unlike anything I've ever seen though it still in the early stage. With you, I might survive long enough to change my fate."
Quinn was silent for a long while, his dark eyes unreadable. He looked at Zi, who was staring at him anxiously, and then back to Zhenyu.
"I am not your knight, prince," he said.
"I know... But you've fought for me once. You can still do it again."
Just then, a servant walked in.
"My prince, it's time to go," the servant said with a bow.
Zhenyu responded with a nod and the servant turned and left.
"I'll be going back to the palace. Whatever happens, I'll let you know."