Sixteen Years Later
Lai Guanlin's Pov
"Gēge! Gēge, wake up!"
Xinyu's voice rang like a bell as she shook me vigorously, pulling me from the comfort of sleep.
I groaned, tugging the blanket over my head. "Ā-Yu, your brother still wishes to dream…" My voice was heavy with sleep, my tone none too pleased.
"But Niáng bought us new headbands!" she beamed, dangling hers before me. Her soft hair tickled my face as she leaned closer. "Look, she got you one too!"
She handed me a pale yellow headband, its silk delicate, its thread glinting with faint gold.
At the sight of it, drowsiness fled. I sat up at once and took the headband with care. "Where… did Niáng find the silver for something like this?" I asked, astonished.
"I don't know," she shrugged, "but she said it's a gift. She cooked a feast too. Hurry!"
She skipped out of the room. I rose, rubbing my eyes before sitting in front of the mirror. Gently, I combed my hair and tied the headband around my forehead.
"Wah… I look like one of those young nobles," I whispered to my reflection, lips curling into a small smile. "Only those born of gold wear this."
Stomach growling, I left my room and joined Niáng and Xinyu at the table.
"Hurry now, while the rice is still hot," Niáng said, scooping a generous portion into my bowl.
"Niáng," I said, staring at the headband in my hand, "how did you afford this for me and Xinyu?"
She smiled, the kind of smile that warms even the hardest of winters. "Mother has been working hard. I wished to give my children something to make them smile."
I clutched the headband to my chest. "It's beautiful, but… please, do not exhaust yourself for our sake. You don't have to give us gifts all the time."
"It brings me joy to see both of you happy," she said, ruffling my hair and then Xinyu's. In that moment, I felt blessed to have her.
My eyes wandered to the empty seat beside me. Would things have been different… if he were still here?
Meanwhile — Jade Gong
Zhong Jinxiao's Pov
"One! Two! Three! Keep the rhythm steady!"
"Uncle Zhao," I said, stepping forward, "they have been training since dawn. Perhaps they should rest."
He placed a hand on my shoulder, his laughter short. "Jinxiao, assassins do not rest."
"And yet I rest. Am I not one of them?"
He turned, his eyes sharper than before. "You question me now, after all these years?"
"I merely—"
"I have a meeting with His Majesty right now," he interrupted. "You will oversee the rest of the training."
I bowed as he left through the gate. Once the coast was clear, I turned to the line of trainees.
"Everyone, take a break!" I instructed.
They all bowed as one before dispersing. I returned to my chamber and slid the wooden door shut behind me. Sitting at my table, I unsheathed my sword and cleaned its steel surface. My reflection stared back at me—cold, unreadable.
The only thing I remembered from my childhood was the clang of blades and the silence between commands. I had taken countless lives, all in his name. I don't even know anyone with the surname Zhong but still I kept it, I feel like an outcast but also a slave sometimes.
I sheathed the blade and stepped outside for air.
Uncle Zhao won't even notice if I'm gone a while…
I slipped from Jade Palace and made my way to the river. When I arrived, I shed my robe and garments, wading into the cool, clear water. The chill bit into my skin, but it felt… cleansing.
It had been too long since I felt something so simple.
Back in the Village
"Guanlin!" Niáng called from the house as I watered the garden.
"Yes?"
"Can you fetch some clams from the river, dear?"
"Of course!"
I set the bucket aside and picked up the woven basket. As I made my way through the village, familiar faces greeted me.
"Good morning, Guanlin!"
"Good morning, Uncle!" I replied with a smile.
Life in Zhongyin was peaceful. The people here were kind, and even His Majesty was said to walk among the common folk from time to time.
When I arrived at the river, I removed my shoes and stepped into the shallows, searching the sand for clams.
But then—clothes. Folded neatly on the bank.
"But I'm alone here…" I murmured.
I ignored it, continuing my task. That is, until someone rose from the water.
"AHHH!" I screamed, throwing a clam at the intruder.
"Ow!"
"Li Wei!" I shouted. "You scared me half to death!"
He burst into laughter. "Got you again!"
"What are you even doing here!?"
"Isn't it obvious? I'm trying to swim here." He dove back underwater before I could protest.
"Li Wei! Stop being such a fool—AHH!" He then grabbed my foot from below, startling me.
"Li Wei!"
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Jade Palace – Later That Day
I rose from the water and dried myself beneath the sun's gaze. After redressing, I returned to Jade Gong.
Thankfully, Uncle Zhao had yet to return. So I resumed my duties.
"Everyone, return to your formations!" I called. The assassins obeyed in unison.
Inside the Golden Palace
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Zhao Lianyu's POV
"Zhao Lianyu," the emperor said, his voice grave, "do you know why I summoned you here?"
"No, Your Majesty. I do not."
"He has returned… and this time, he is far stronger."
My eyes widened. How could that be possible?
"You must act swiftly," the emperor continued. "Just as you warned me sixteen years ago—should he rise again, this land will know ruin."
I dropped to one knee. "Yes, Your Majesty. I shall ready my assassins for whatever comes."
"Be certain of your words, Lianyu."
I bowed once more, then turned and departed. My heart beat heavily within my chest as I climbed into my carriage, returning to Jade Palace.
War stirred on the horizon.
--------------------------------------------
Back at The River
"Li Wei, have you ever wondered why there are ordinary people like us?" I asked, as we sat by the river's edge. Between us sat a wooden bucket brimming with clams we had gathered from the muddy shallows.
Li Wei glanced at me, puzzled. "What do you mean by 'people like us'?"
"I mean… look at the Shadow Sect, or the former Magic Sect. Those people—those sects—they're… unique, aren't they?"
He tilted his head, frowning. "So, you're saying we're not special because we don't belong to a sect?"
There was a pause before he added, "And besides, don't you remember? The Magic Sect was outlawed years ago after the poisoning incident. Even being 'unique' carries a heavy price."
I stared into the current of the river, letting his words settle. He had a point. We were just common folk, born in a vast land full of hidden dangers and forgotten legends.
Li Wei broke the silence again. "Wasn't your father once part of the Shadow Sect?"
I shifted uncomfortably, his words scraping against memories I rarely visited.
"He was… but I was just a child. My mother was still carrying Xinyu at the time," I said, attempting a half-hearted smile.
Then came the question I didn't expect.
"Guanlin, do you ever want to join the Shadow Sect?"
I turned to him, narrowing my eyes. Without a word, I shoved him into the river.
"You!—"
His splash echoed across the valley.
"Bring me some clams later, Guanlin!" he shouted, sputtering in the water as I walked off with the bucket in hand.
By the time I reached the gate of our modest home, the scent of fresh earth and distant incense welcomed me.
"I'm home," I called, pushing the wooden door open.
"Gēge is here!" Xinyu's voice rang out as she ran to greet me, her small arms wrapping around my waist.
My mother emerged from the house, wiping her hands on her robe. "Oh, you're back. Did you manage to catch any?"
I nodded and offered her the bucket. "See? It's full. Li Wei helped… though I left him to soak in the river." I laughed.
She chuckled, gently brushing the hair from my forehead. "Let's be kind to your friend. He'll get his share once the clams are cooked."
Just as she turned away, Xinyu tugged at the hem of my robe.
"Gēge," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I'm scared."
I knelt beside her, concern creeping into my voice. "Scared? Why, little one?"
"I saw the notice posted outside," she murmured. "There are rumors… they say he's come back."
My eyes narrowed. "Who?"
She looked at me with wide, fearful eyes.
And then it struck me.
Jade Palace
Zhong Jinxiao's Pov
I stood tall before the line of assassins I had been training for years. Each stood still, awaiting my command, when a guard approached hastily.
"Young Lord has arrived!" he announced, bowing before stepping aside.
The palace gates swung open, and Uncle Zhao strode forward, his presence cutting through the air like a blade. He turned to the trainees.
"All of you, halt," he commanded.
They obeyed instantly.
"I've watched each of you grow since your first day at the Shadow Sect. But now, the time for drills is over. The real mission begins." He paused, his voice darkening. "Xue Wuren has returned."
A hush fell across the courtyard. Whispers stirred, confusion and fear flickering in their eyes. I, too, had never heard that name.
I stepped forward. "Forgive me, Uncle Zhao… Who is Xue Wuren?"
He turned to me slowly, unreadable.
"It is your task to kill him," he said simply, then turned to his guards. "Send word to Zhongyin and Hueding! Alert every outpost and settlement—he must not slip through our grasp."
The guards bowed and disappeared into the corridors.
Still, I stood there, rooted in place. Why such urgency over a man I had never heard of?
I tried once more. "Uncle Zhao… please. Tell me who this man is. I need to understand the weight of this task."
He hesitated, then finally spoke.
"Years ago, there existed a powerful order—the Magic Sect. It was a sanctuary for those born with strange abilities. Xue Wuren was among them. His magic was poison… and it grew beyond control."
I listened silently.
"He claimed the lives of everyone within that sect, leaving no soul behind. The emperor declared the sect forbidden. Wuren vanished for a time, spreading death wherever he went, until we finally caught and executed him."
His voice tightened. "Or so we thought."
Before I could ask further, he turned and walked away.
So he poisoned his own people… and survived execution?
If Uncle Zhao says it is true, then I have no choice but to believe it. But something in my chest twisted—a strange unease I could not explain.