As we entered Baixu City, the gateway to the Empire of Silang, the energy of the bustling streets hit me like a wave. From the carriage, I drew aside the curtain, and my breath caught at the sight. Despite it being midday, the streets were alive with noise—merchants shouting to peddle their wares, children laughing as they darted through the crowd, and travelers negotiating for supplies.
Yet amidst the vibrancy, my gaze snagged on a figure that made my heart stutter—a woman. Her long, curly hair shimmered like silk under the sunlight, her petite frame moving delicately as she navigated through the throng. Her pale, round face was achingly familiar. For a moment, the world seemed to tilt, and I could swear Jinjing—my betrothed, long since lost to me—was alive and standing before me.
I stared, unblinking, as my heart warred between hope and logic.
But the illusion shattered as a man suddenly grabbed the woman's wrist. She struggled, her movements frantic, but his grip only tightened. Without warning, he struck her across the face.
A white-hot rage surged within me, my vision narrowing to a tunnel. Before I could think, I leapt from the carriage, propelled by pure instinct. I reached the man in seconds, grabbing him by the collar and landing a blow that sent him reeling. He hit the ground hard, but I wasn't done. My fists flew, one after another, until his face was bloodied, his nose crooked, and his pleas for mercy reduced to weak groans.
"Enough!" Ruan Yanjun's voice rang out like a whip, cutting through the haze of my fury.
I froze, my fists trembling mid-air as clarity returned. My chest heaved, and I looked down at the man beneath me—barely conscious, his blood staining the cobblestones. Horror crept in as I realized what I had done. My hands were shaking, not just from exertion, but from the sickening understanding of my actions.
What came over me?
The answer was as clear as it was chilling. The dark core within me—it had stirred, feeding on my rage and driving me to violence.
Ruan Yanjun was by my side in an instant, his hand gripping my arm as he hauled me upright. The woman, shaken and now attended to by concerned onlookers, was forgotten as he led me back to the carriage.
Once inside, he dropped onto the seat opposite me, his lips curling into an infuriating smirk. "A-Fan," he drawled, his voice laced with mockery, "did that woman remind you of Jinjing? Did you imagine that brute hurting your precious wife, so you decided to knock him out cold?"
I flinched at his words, my hands clenching into fists on my lap. "It wasn't—" I started, but stopped myself. What excuse could I offer? The truth would only amuse him further.
"You really are full of surprises," he continued, clearly enjoying himself. "For someone so soft-hearted, you certainly can pack a punch when the mood strikes."
I bit my lip, willing myself to stay silent. His taunts were like barbs, but they paled in comparison to the turmoil roiling inside me.
That was when it hit me—a clash of qi within my core, light battling dark. The dark core, now roused, radiated with a fierce hunger, its energy invasive and insidious. My light core, its natural opposite, responded in kind, surging with equal force to suppress it. But instead of balance, the two forces collided violently, creating chaos within my body.
I pressed a hand to my chest, my breathing shallow as my vision swam. Pain lanced through me, both physical and mental, as the battle raged.
"A-Fan." Ruan Yanjun's voice shifted, the teasing edge replaced with something sharper—concern. He leaned forward, his sharp eyes studying me. "Something's not right with you."
"I... It's..." My words faltered as my body went limp, drained by the relentless storm of qi.
Ruan Yanjun didn't hesitate. He reached into his robes and pulled out a small vial, shaking out a round, pearlescent pill. "Here," he said, pressing it to my lips. "Take this."
I swallowed it with difficulty, the pill dissolving almost instantly. A cooling sensation spread through me, soothing the raging energies and silencing the chaos in my core. My body sagged in relief, though exhaustion still weighed heavily on me.
"Fool," Ruan Yanjun muttered, leaning back but keeping his sharp gaze on me. "Do you want to die of qi deviation? You need to learn control. That dark core of yours isn't something you can just ignore."
I nodded weakly, unable to argue.
"Rest," he commanded, his tone leaving no room for debate. "We'll deal with this when you're stronger."
As I closed my eyes, the image of the woman who resembled Jinjing haunted me. I wasn't sure which frightened me more—the memory of her, or the dark force within me that seemed to gain strength with each passing day.