The news of Zhao Xin's defeat at the hands of Li Lin spread like wildfire. Within mere minutes, the entire Dawnkeep was abuzz with shock and disbelief.
How could the esteemed General of Demacia, who had served King Jarvan III for 13 years without a single loss, lose to a young foreigner?
For the many guards who revered Zhao Xin, the news was hard to accept, yet it was undeniable. Dozens of witnesses had been present at the scene, and Zhao Xin himself had publicly admitted his defeat to Li Lin.
The young man's extraordinary speed, which left only faint afterimages visible to the naked eye, was nothing short of monstrous. If he were an enemy on the battlefield, even a full hundred-man squad of the Dauntless Vanguard would likely fail to take him down.
As the guards whispered among themselves, the tale reached the ears of King Jarvan III and the newly-awoken Jarvan IV, prompting an immediate summons for both Zhao Xin and Li Lin.
This unexpected call disrupted Li Lin's plans to meet with Morgana. He had intended to discuss her sister, Kayle, and strategize how Morgana would announce her return to the public in the coming days.
While approaching the Hall of Valor, Li Lin noticed the stiffness in Zhao Xin's expression, hinting at the discomfort of bruises or injuries from their earlier duel.
Raising his right hand, Li Lin's sleeve transformed into a small container filled with a purple liquid.
"General Zhao, please drink this," he said.
Zhao Xin glanced at the vial in Li Lin's hand, his expression tinged with curiosity. "What is this?"
"A shimmer potion. It heals injuries quickly, similar to the health elixirs we have back home."
Without hesitation, Zhao Xin accepted the potion and drank it in one gulp. Returning the empty vial, he watched as it seamlessly melded back into Li Lin's sleeve.
"Your attire is remarkably convenient," Zhao Xin commented.
"I could create similar armor for your use," Li Lin offered with a faint smile.
Zhao Xin hesitated, clearly intrigued but cautious. "I've heard that Hextech gear in Piltover is both rare and exorbitantly expensive. I imagine your technology would cost a fortune."
Despite earning a considerable salary as the King's personal guard, Zhao Xin wasn't sure if his savings could cover something as advanced as Li Lin's "nano armor."
Reading Zhao Xin's thoughts, Li Lin chuckled. "Since I brought it up, it's naturally a gift. No payment is necessary."
Shaking his head, Zhao Xin replied firmly, "While I appreciate your generosity, I also know there's no such thing as a free meal in this world…"
"But I enjoy gifting things to my friends, especially those I respect."
"..."
Zhao Xin studied the sincerity in Li Lin's eyes and remained silent for a moment. Years of mingling with nobles and serving the King had sharpened his intuition. He could tell that Li Lin had his own reasons for coming to Demacia.
However, as long as those reasons didn't threaten the King's safety, Zhao Xin didn't feel the need to intervene.
Feeling the pain in his body unexpectedly fade, Zhao Xin looked at Li Lin in amazement. "Your potion is even more effective than the elders' healing elixirs."
Li Lin gave a modest nod and then posed another question. "It's been about 20 years since you left your homeland. Have you ever thought of returning?"
Zhao Xin's face softened with a trace of nostalgia. Instead of answering, he countered, "And you? You spent two years in Piltover, yet now that the war is over, you haven't returned either, have you?"
Li Lin wasn't surprised that Zhao Xin knew his background; King Jarvan IV had likely briefed his trusted guard about him. It would have been more surprising if Zhao Xin didn't know.
"That land holds nothing for me anymore," Li Lin replied, his tone steady.
Zhao Xin understood the unspoken sorrow in those words. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up."
"It's fine—it's in the past now," Li Lin said with a faint smile. "I've found a new home."
"As have I," Zhao Xin admitted with a sigh, his tightly-held composure giving way to a bittersweet smile.
"My parents passed when I was young, and I was raised by the village elders… But after being captured by Noxus, I was left with nothing. It was His Majesty who gave me a reason to keep living."
He paused, his voice growing resolute. "I have no ties to peace or comfort. Serving and protecting King Jarvan III is the sole purpose of my life. I would rather die for honor than live in regret."
Li Lin could sympathize. After years of bloodshed and hardship, even the most resolute individuals would falter without a goal. Thankfully, King Jarvan III had given Zhao Xin a purpose, forging him into the steadfast General of Demacia.
"In that case…" Li Lin's tone grew serious, his expression sharpening. "General Zhao, there's something I must warn you about."
"Hm?" Zhao Xin turned, meeting Li Lin's intense gaze.
A strange unease stirred within Zhao Xin.
"No matter what happens, you must stay by the King's side—even if it means disobeying his orders."
"I would never defy His Majesty," Zhao Xin replied, his brows furrowing in confusion.
"I mean in extraordinary circumstances," Li Lin clarified, leaving his meaning ambiguous. "When the time comes, you'll understand what I mean. Ah, we're here."
Their conversation came to a halt as they arrived at the Hall of Valor.
Though questions lingered in Zhao Xin's mind, he quickly shifted his focus. They were about to meet the King, and Zhao Xin's composure returned.
Nodding at the guards by the entrance, he entered the vast hall with Li Lin at his side.
Inside, King Jarvan III sat upon his throne. Standing before him were Jarvan IV, Barrett, and Tiyana, engrossed in a conversation.
Hearing the sound of footsteps approaching the grand hall, everyone turned their eyes toward Li Lin and Xin Zhao.
"Hahaha! At last, our two valiant warriors have arrived!" Jarvan III's hearty and resonant voice echoed throughout the Hall of Valor.
"My apologies for being late, Your Majesty," Xin Zhao stepped forward and bowed, offering an apology.
He should have been at the royal chamber by the time the king awoke, standing guard by Jarvan III's side.
"It's no matter, no matter! Haha, I'm just surprised to see our hero here displaying such incredible skill!"
Jarvan III waved off the concern with a laugh, his gaze filled with amusement as it lingered on Li Lin. "Who would've thought—you've broken Xin Zhao's undefeated streak, one that's held for over a decade!"
"You never told me you had this level of skill!" Jarvan IV exclaimed, punching Li Lin playfully on the shoulder.
He had always assumed Li Lin relied heavily on his advanced-tech battle armor and didn't think his personal combat ability was so formidable. Jarvan IV had even believed that in a one-on-one fight, he could come out on top. Yet, here was Li Lin, defeating his uncle Xin Zhao, a man widely regarded in the military as the 'first warrior of Demacia.'
Even Tiyana, the Grand Marshal, found her evaluation of Li Lin rising silently in her mind.
"Our Chief Steward Xin Zhao has always wished for someone to defeat him," Barrett interjected with a chuckle. "And now, you've granted his wish!"
"Actually, Chief Steward Xin Zhao's abilities far surpass mine," Li Lin replied with a modest smile. "The only reason I was able to win was because I've used a self-developed serum capable of permanently enhancing physical strength. It's somewhat similar to the Iron Elixir of Freljord."
"Iron Elixir?" Jarvan III's face lit up with astonishment. "I encountered something like that years ago during our northern campaign against the barbarians. That battle was to reclaim the battle flag that my late mother and her handmaidens had sewn. The barbarians who drank it became completely different people, returning to peak form even after suffering severe injuries. It was truly remarkable."
"Indeed," Barrett added with a nod. "Those barbarians were relentless after taking that stuff."
"Hmph, no matter what elixirs they use, they're still just a disorderly mob," Tiyana scoffed, her disdain for the Freljordians evident in her tone.
"Ah, true enough," Jarvan III sighed. "But that battle environment was heavily unfavorable to us, and we were deep behind enemy lines. We barely managed to retrieve my mother's cherished flag. It's all thanks to Xin Zhao that we succeeded."
"Your praise is too generous, Your Majesty. I was merely carrying out my duty to bear the flag."
"But without you, the soldiers' morale would never have rallied, nor would we have achieved that miraculous victory," Barrett commended.
"Li Lin," Jarvan IV suddenly interjected, his interest piqued, "about your serum—does it have any side effects?"
"None whatsoever. In fact, my companions have used it as well, and the results have been excellent."
Li Lin then gave a concise explanation of the effects of his "Genetic Enhancement Serum" and "Active Boost Elixir." Jarvan IV's eyes sparkled with excitement as he turned eagerly to his father seated on the throne. "Father!"
Tiyana frowned at the prince's intent and immediately cut in, "This must not be done!"
"But…"
"Ah, we're all family here. Let's not argue over this matter." Jarvan III raised his hand with a weary sigh, clearly tired of disputes. "We'll discuss it later."
His gaze then returned to Li Lin. "Actually, there's another reason I summoned you here today."
As the king's words fell, he rested his hand against his chin in thought. After a moment of silence, he straightened in his seat.
"What are your thoughts on Demacia's Mageseeker Edict?"
"This…" Li Lin was taken aback. The king's sudden and direct question caught him off guard.
Though they were not in the presence of the council members or other stalwarts of the Illuminators, the individuals here were nonetheless pillars of Demacia. Among them was Tiyana, whose zero-tolerance for dissent was well known.
Li Lin quickly scanned the faces of Jarvan IV, Xin Zhao, Barrett, and Tiyana. Even the youthful Jarvan IV showed no discernible emotion, leaving Li Lin with no easy read of the room.
"The king asked you a question," Tiyana prompted.
Jarvan III gestured for her to remain calm. "Give him a moment to gather his thoughts. This is no simple question."
Turning back to Li Lin, he added, "Don't worry. This is a private conversation. Speak your true thoughts freely."
Li Lin hesitated for a moment, composing his thoughts. He then looked Jarvan III in the eye and replied with calm resolve, "To be honest, I find Demacia's Mageseeker Edict somewhat biased."
His words made Tiyana's expression darken slightly, but the others remained unperturbed, as though they shared similar sentiments.
"Oh? And why do you think so?" Jarvan III leaned forward with a curious expression.
"As I understand it, Demacia's ancestors were forced westward by the devastation of the Rune Wars, eventually discovering this petricite-rich forest on the western edge of Valoran."
Jarvan III nodded in affirmation, signaling that Li Lin's historical recount was accurate.
"But despite their aversion to magic, it cannot be denied that many of them possessed magical talent. At least, this is what Morgana has told me."
The fact that the founders of Demacia wielded magic was evident. The first king, Orlon, had wielded the hammer now borne by Poppy, which spoke for itself.
However, such truths were absent from Demacia's records. Even if foreign historical accounts suggested otherwise, they were not accepted by the Demacian people.
Thus, invoking Morgana as a witness provided Li Lin with some protection—at least enough to silence someone as rigid as Tiyana.
Li Lin stole a glance at her. Sure enough, while her expression soured, she refrained from interrupting him.
Taking advantage of the moment, Li Lin continued, "Later, the Winged Protectors arrived with their father, Ziramar, gathering followers—many of whom were proficient in magic.
"But when the Winged Protectors parted ways due to ideological differences, their conflict ravaged much of the fledgling city-state.
"To prevent such tragedies from recurring, the new king established the Mageseekers and issued an edict banning magic entirely within Demacia's borders."
"Indeed, that is the case," Jarvan III remarked with a raised brow, seemingly impressed. "I'm surprised you know so much."
"I've always been an avid learner, particularly of history. I've even studied the fallen empire of Shurima extensively," Li Lin responded with a lighthearted grin.
Tiyana, however, could hold back no longer. "And what exactly is your point?" she demanded coldly.
Li Lin shrugged. "It's simple. Magical aptitude is hereditary. Although Demacia's early kings banned magic, they did not eradicate those who practiced it.
"As a result, their descendants continue to inherit magical abilities, which is one of the reasons magic persists despite the ban."
"Preposterous!" Tiyana shot back, immediately turning to the king. "Your Majesty—"
"Actually, I find Li Lin's argument quite reasonable."
Jarvan III's response left Tiyana stunned, while Jarvan IV, Xin Zhao, and Barrett exchanged subtle, varied reactions.
Li Lin could tell that they, too, were skeptical of the Mageseeker Edict. Seizing the moment, he pressed on, "I may not know much about magic, but one thing is clear from our experiences with Shyvana—the people of Demacia fear magic more than they hate it.
"This fear isn't limited to commoners; even those with magical abilities feel the same way. This fear is the root of Demacia's current discord.
"We've already faced the terror demon Fiddlesticks in the frontier town. Though it has been sealed by Zoe, it demonstrated the catastrophic consequences of fear taken to its extreme."
Li Lin's words drew Jarvan III into deep thought.
The Hall of Valor fell into silence for a long while before the king finally murmured, "So… what are you suggesting?"
"This is merely my personal opinion, and if it is inappropriate, I ask for your understanding."
Li Lin bowed slightly before delivering his conclusion: "Magic is intertwined with the very essence of Demacians. Rather than outright banning it, we should establish comprehensive laws to manage it responsibly.
"The people are the foundation of a nation. Only by uniting them in purpose can we ensure lasting stability and prosperity for Demacia, securing its legacy for generations to come… wouldn't you agree?"
(End of Chapter)