In a dark cell in the imperial dungeon, a man was weakly leaning his back to the cold wall.
He coughed up blood and panted heavily.
He got locked up inside the imperial dungeon.
It was dark in every corner of the cell. Only the moonlight from the small hole that only rats could fit was the only source of light.
He could hardly see anything since his vision was too blurry. He could hear small rats squeaking and running around. He was too weak to care about the rats and the stinky smell of the dungeon.
Even moving just a bit is dense for him. His wounds would bleed endlessly. Feels like his skin was being peeled. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fist.
The wound he got from being pierced by the sword got worst.
His trembling hands touched the wound on his waist and saw his hands covered with dark red blood.
Despite the bruises and wounds on his face, they still didn't hide his handsome features.
He was Qin Zichen.
The emperor of the Leng Dynasty.
The man had long black hair that reached his waist. Tall nose, chiseled jaws, thick-arched eyebrows, thin lips, and white jade skin.
He had bruises everywhere on his face and body. His complexion was pale.
His white robe was smeared with blood.
Qin Zichen was assassinated last night. His martial art skills are superb. He manages to kill a lot of shadow assassins with just a swing of his sword.
But the poison in his body had acted out. His trusted general knows when the poison in his body will trigger and weaken him.
During the full moon, he would feel a gut-wrenching pain. He would cough up blood non-stop until he blacked out.
His empress's mother passed away when he was 12. Thus, leaving Qin Zichen with no one protecting him.
When the empress died, he became an unfavored prince. His Jade palace became isolated.
There was no one to serve him. He suffers from hunger often.
And if he had to eat, he would sneak into the imperial kitchen and steal some warm steam buns.
Even during winter, he had no coat or blanket to cover him. There's also no coal to heat his room.
One day, one of Consort Wang's servants caught him stealing food. He was flogged twenty times.
Despite practicing martial arts, Qin Zichen was still a little boy.
Qin Zichen knows fully well that he cannot fight back. If he does, he will have no chance to rise in the future. So he endured the pain.
He was whipped mercilessly.
The Consort Li had arrived and helped him out. He wasn't grateful to her or anything.
He hated his imperial father and Consort Li. Consort Li might look kind and generous. But, he could clearly see the cunningness in her eyes.
Qin Zichen got poisoned because Consort Wang had forced him to drink it.
He knew that it was Consort Li who instigated Consort Wang to do it.
He wanted to crush both Consort Li And Consort Wang.
So he decided that he should gather power first before attacking them.
Qin Zichen heard from everyone that the Yan Kingdom once again wanted to invade Leng.
He took this opportunity and presented himself to his Father Emperor to participate in the battle. Qin Zichen knows that he would never hesitate to send him there.
And to his expectations, The emperor sent him there.
Yan kingdom had been tyrannizing for the past decades.
However, when Qin Zichen was sent to the border to fight the Yan army, he managed to make the Yan Kingdom retreat.
He came back to the palace victorious.
He killed thousands of the Yan army. He was heartless and cruel on the battlefield. He had no restraint when killing his enemies.
He was named "the war demon."
The Late Emperor didn't favor Qin Zichen. He sent Qin Zichen to the battlefield, anticipating Qin Zichen's death.
He never thought Qin Zichen would come back victorious.
He was annoyed since he wanted the Second Prince to ascend the throne.
If Qin Zichen cumulated immense power in the court, the Second Prince would never be a choice for the Dragon Seat.
Almost half of the officials in the court supported Qin Zichen. Only a small number of officials supported the Second Prince.
The people of Leng had praised him endlessly. Many were very grateful to him.
Qin Zichen had participated in a lot of battles. He never once loose.
It gave the emperor a hard time.
If he grants Qin Zichen a title, It will increase his power and influence.
If he doesn't, he will be criticized by the public.
His image of being a benevolent emperor will vanish if he doesn't give recognition and appreciation.
He didn't want to tarnish his own reputation. He still wanted everyone to see that he was loving and benevolent.
Thus leaving him with no choice but to bestow Qin Zichen the title "Qin Wangye."
...
Qin Zichen once again coughed up blood. He clutched his chest and tried gasping for air.
He laughed mockingly to himself.
He Lost his mother at a young age,
His trusted general had betrayed him,
his title got stripped, his own father and brothers were his enemies, and he would be executed tomorrow.
He was only spared because the Crown Prince of Yan Kingdom wanted him to be publicly beheaded.
Everybody is his enemy!
The cold wind blew through the small window. It was snowing heavily, and the winter season in Leng state is much frosty than winter in the Yan Kingdom.
It was so cold that he shivered and hugged himself. He had nothing but thin clothes on him. Some parts of the clothes were even torn apart.
He was about to drift off when a voice called out to him.
[Qin Zichen!]
He suddenly felt alerted. He looked around but only saw nothing since its dark.
[You can never see me because I'm living in your head]
"In my head?" He said weakly. He gently touched his head.
"Heh! I must be imagining things." he scorned.
[No, I can assure you that you're not hallucinating.]
"Then show yourself to me," he spoke coldly.
[I can't! Like I said, I'm living in your head.]
"Then you're not real." he lazily spat out the words.
[Do you want to get out of here? Do you want to reclaim the Leng Kingdom and punish those traitors?]
"Of course I do! I wanted to punish those traitors. I will pull their eyes out and have their heads rolling on the ground. I will let them feel excruciating pain!" he said coldly. Darkness and killing intent flashed in his dark black eyes.
[So, do you agree now?]
"Agree to what?!"
[To get out of here and avenge yourself]
Qin Zichen agreed.
[Qin Zichen binding to System 045 10% 23% 45% 79% 100%]
[Binding Successful! 100% Complete] a robotic voice sounded in his head.