Chapter 0 :

Daxia Dynasty, Capital City.

The first light of dawn broke through the sky, casting a golden glow across the city.

At the break of dawn, golden sunlight spilled across the majestic skyline of the imperial capital. The city, shrouded in mist, began to stir as merchants opened their stalls and the common folk started their day. Within the grand walls of the imperial palace, life was already bustling as servants hurried to and fro, preparing for the day's affairs.

In the courtyard of the Duke's estate, a young man in a flowing robe of light lavender stood at the center, drawing the attention of all around him. His name was Li Yuan, the Duke's only son and heir. He was known throughout the city not just for his noble birth, but for his exceptional talents. His presence commanded respect, and his appearance—graceful and composed—added to the aura of someone destined for greatness.

Li Yuan was practicing his swordsmanship in the early morning light. His long hair, tied loosely with a jade crown, fluttered as he moved with the grace of a dancer, his every motion precise and powerful. The silver edge of his sword glinted under the rising sun, a blur of motion as it cut through the air, each strike measured and flawless. Even the servants, accustomed to seeing him practice, couldn't help but stop in awe at his form.

As he finished, a servant approached and bowed low. "Young Master, the Duke requests your presence in the main hall."

Li Yuan wiped his brow with a silk cloth and nodded, his expression calm. He sheathed his sword and made his way toward the grand hall, his posture elegant yet relaxed. Even in this casual manner, there was an undeniable authority in his demeanor. He had the air of someone who could command armies and win battles, yet carried himself with a serenity that put others at ease.

The Duke, Li Yuan's father, was waiting for him at the head of the hall, his face stern but warm with paternal pride. "Yuan'er, it's time for you to start taking on more responsibilities within the household and beyond."

Li Yuan nodded, his eyes calm and determined. Though he was young, he had long been aware of the weight of his position and the expectations placed upon him. But unlike many of his peers, he never sought to shy away from his duties. He knew that the path of leadership was his destiny, and he intended to walk it with both grace and strength.

Thus, the story of the peerless heir began to unfold—one destined to leave an indelible mark on the world.

Start:

The Crown Prince of Qi is naturally very suspicious.

If it weren't for the cold and distant young man in front of him blocking an arrow for him, even if he were injured in the lower abdomen and bled out while leaning against this cold, damp mountain crevice, Li Yuan wouldn't have spared him a second glance.

He was a cold, aloof young man, silently holding his hand over a bloody wound on his abdomen. Without saying a word, he sat against the jagged rock wall in a narrow mountain crevice, his black satin cloth covering his face, leaving only a pair of indifferent, vigilant eyes visible. His eyelids were lowered, and he quietly breathed through the sharp pain in his abdomen.

Li Yuan was unharmed. Except for a lot of blood splashed on his body, the snow-blue satin robe of Hualuo was soaked in blood. Now it was dry and hard, and it was indescribable to stick to his body.

"Here, little brother." Li Yuan leaned sideways beside the young man, with the corners of his mouth slightly curled up, as he patted his shoulder. He pulled out a bottle of hemostatic medicine from his pouch and tossed it onto the ground between the young man's legs 

He coldly took it, still keeping his eyelids lowered. His slender, scarred hand picked up the small porcelain bottle, bit off the wax seal and poured the medicine onto his wound. The stinging liquid burned the wound, making him inhale sharply in pain. 

"Do you know who I am?" Li Yuan continued to lean casually against the stone wall beside him, his expression relaxed, showing no signs of having just gone through a life-and-death struggle.

The young man in black remained silent for a moment before shaking his head.

"I don't know why you blocked the arrow for me." Li Yuan said, his interest growing. His narrow eyes were half closed as he sized him up and asked, "What kind of reward do you want?"

"I...I just…" He seemed a little incoherent due to the pain. Pausing for a moment before forcing out, "I was just helping when I saw injustice."

Li Yuan raised an eyebrow, noncommittal. He had just returned from the remote, perilous Tianjue Mountain, and as the heir to the King of Qi, he had never been so disheveled. Before even entering the boundaries of Yuezhou, the escort was understaffed. He had thought nothing would go wrong, yet he still had been careless.

As soon as he dismounted he was surrounded by assassins. The attackers were all skilled fighters, and his guards were killed. It was done with such efficiency. 

At that moment, Li Yuan was holding his ground alone against several dozen assassins. His horse was fast, but it could only hold out for so long. Before long, a young man in black suddenly descended from the sky. Li Yuan didn't even see where he had come from.

This ghostly young man who appeared out of nowhere captivated all of Li Yuan's attention--

Even though his face was covered, revealing only his eyes, it was clear that he was very young. His half-length hair was tied up, with the front half neatly secured behind his shoulders. It gently swayed with the autumn night's cold breeze, and on his waist, two scabbards shaped like embossed green serpents hung from his sword belt.

Under the cold moonlight, his skin appeared unnaturally pale, as if it had been buried underground for years without seeing the light of day. His expression was melancholic and indifferent. When Li Yuan met his gaze, he felt a sense of fear and unease.

Before Li Yuan could take a closer look at his face, the young man bent his body and disappeared. In an instant, the nearest assassin to Li Yuan let out a horrible, continuous scream.Both hands frantically clawed at his own neck. A sword blade, like a venomous snake, coiled around the neck. With the single tightening of the blade, the head was served.

This young man's sword is soft, as flexible as a flowing ribbon, yet in an instant, it can take a life.

Dozens of assassins surged forward from behind. The young man in black swiftly pressed down on the beheaded corpse before him with his right hand, using the force to propel himself into the air. His long, powerful legs whipped back with lightning speed, leaving a trail of afterimages, mercilessly shattering the jaws of two men behind him. Wherever his soft sword swept, blood splattered, and the air was filled with the stench of blood and rain of gore.

In the instant he let go, he swiftly sheathed both swords at his waist. Between his fingers, he gripped more than a dozen iron caltrops. He sprinted toward Li Yuan, his hands sweeping back, launching each caltrop with perfect precision, guided only by his hearing. Behind him, blood sprayed, and under the moonlight, a sea of dark red bodies collapsed.

Li Yuan watched quietly, unable to suppress a silent sigh of admiration for such remarkable skill.

His face was covered, and his entire body was tightly wrapped in a form-fitting, dark outfit. Tall and slender, the only part of him visible was a pair of cold, distant eyes. In those eyes, a reflection of slaughter glimmered, as he calmly and methodically eliminated the threats before him.

Li Yuan carefully searched his mind for any memory of this young man's appearance, but it was in vain. His face was hidden, his movements concealed, just like the shadow guards of the estate.

His sudden appearance completely turned the tide of the battle in an instant. The assassins were forced to retreat step by step, while he single-handedly faced dozens of skilled fighters without showing any sign of being at a disadvantage.

He suddenly appeared beside Li Yuan, grabbed the reins of Li Yuan's horse, and led them both through the gap they had just broken, making their escape.

Li Yuan, long accustomed to leisure and being constantly protected, remained calm even in this life-threatening moment. Reclining leisurely on the horse back, he casually watched the man and, with a smirk and a hand resting under his chin, hummed a laugh and asked, "The shadow guards in the estate all have ranks. Which shadow number are you?"

He froze for a moment, instinctively biting his lip before quietly stammering, " I…..I…."

Li Yuan raised an eyebrow. He couldn't answer.

He wasn't a shadow guard at all.

Just as they were breaking through, the pursuing assassins launched a fierce attack with crossbow bolts, raining down like a storm. In a sudden leap, he threw himself on top of Li Yuan, knocking him down. A bolt that should have pierced through Li Yuan's back instead grazed his abdomen, leaving a deep gash with blood and flesh exposed, the wound looking brutal and severe.

His body was already marked with several deep wounds, and this latest arrow felt like the final straw. It left him struggling on the ground, unable to rise after a long effort.

Li Yuan lifted the severely injured man in black and pulled him into his arms, mounting his horse and galloping toward the depths of the forested valley. He held him close all the way, racing through the valley until they found a spacious yet well-hidden crevice with multiple exits. There, Li Yuan let the young man rest and catch his breath, allowing him to recover slowly.

Since sitting down, he hadn't spoken a word, cold and still like a wooden statue. The only sound he made was a single, low, raspy word when the pain surged as Li Yuan tightened the bandage around his wound, muffled by his mask: "Tighter".

Li Yuan muttered, "Damn" under his breath, frustrated by the situation yet still carefully tending to the wounded man.

This fierce, wild creature, with its untamed energy, became a silent form of temptation for Li Yuan, who had long grown accustomed to a life of luxury and comfort. The raw, primal intensity stirred something within him, an unspoken allure that teased at his composure.

The royal aristocracy's desire to dominate and tame had always been frighteningly strong.

Li Yuan crouched down, tearing a strip of silk from his own robe to bind the man's wound and stop the bleeding. As he tied it, a smirk played on his lips as he looked at the young man."Quite the skill you have, little brother. Do you have any family or friends traveling with you?"

He shook his head and quietly replied, " it's just me, alone"

His voice, tired and slightly hoarse, had a lazy yet pleasant tone, and Li Yuan found himself wanting to hear more. So, he asked again,"Little brother, may I ask your surname?"

In truth, he looked several years younger than Li Yuan, still with the youthful and inexperienced features of a boy. But in Yuezhou, that was the custom. Everyone called young women "sister" whether it was an old lady or a young girl herself. Similarly, young men were affectionately called "little brother" creating a sense of closeness and familiarity in conversation.

He froze for a moment, then remained silent for a while longer, quietly pressing his hand over the wound on his abdomen. Li Yuan, who had never really taken care of anyone before, had only haphazardly tied the bandage. By sheer luck, he hadn't worsened the wound or caused it to reopen, much to their fortune.

Li Yuan, feeling both persistent and bored, sent the horse back to inform the reinforcements. With nowhere to go for the moment, he found himself stuck in the crevice, waiting.

"That silk must feel stifling. Take it off". Li Yuan said as he casually sat down beside him, one hand reaching for the man's face covering. In truth, Li Yuan had been itching with curiosity, desperate to catch a glimpse of the face hidden beneath the dark mask.

The young man in black quickly covered the silk veil, his brows furrowing slightly. He raised his eyes to glance at Li Yuan, and with that same calm, slightly hoarse voice, he quietly said, " My face was ruined when I was young. Best if you don't look, sir"

A tiny mole rested on his eyelid, nestled between the folds of his delicate double eyelids, perhaps unnoticed even by him. Li Yuan chuckled softly, resigned. "Then how am I to thank you?"

The young man had remained distant and aloof, politely declining any offers of gratitude. Now, visibly tired, he leaned wearily against the stone wall to rest. After a brief silence, he finally spoke in a low voice, "Where did those assassins come from?"

"I have so many enemies, I've lost count". Li Yuan replied casually, exhaustion creeping into his voice. After days of travel and the recent chaos, he was utterly spent. He leaned sideways against the boulder wedged in the crevice, closing his eyes for a brief rest. Though he didn't dare fall into a deep sleep, the presence of the young man beside him, for some reason, gave him a strange sense of security. Li Yuan relaxed slightly, gripping the dagger hidden at his boot as he drifted into a light sleep.

The young man aware that Li Yuan was hiding something, chose not to press the matter. After a while, he slowly opened his eyes, and the deep, cold look in them softened. Quietly, he glanced at Li Yuan, who was resting by the pile of rocks. There was a fleeting warmth in his gaze as he silently observed the nobleman's peaceful slumber.

The nobleman, Li Yuan, had a distinct style. He favored light lavender robes, often draped in that calming snowy blue hue. His hair, long and flowing, would sometimes be gathered casually with a small jade crown, enhancing his serene and pristine appearance.

At that moment, Li Yuan was leaning back, his long hair quietly draped across the ground. The young man in black, deep in thought, quietly lifted a strand of Li Yuan's hair, his eyes lowered in silent contemplation.

When he snapped back to reality, he realized Li Yuan had already leaned closer to him, a slight smile on his lips. "Do you like it?"Li Yuan asked, amusement clear in his tone.

The young man, holding the strand of hair in his palm, stared blankly, caught off guard. For a moment, he looked utterly lost, his eyes wide as he gazed at Li Yuan. Just moments ago, this fierce creature had been cutting down dozens of assassins, yet now he resembled a guilty puppy caught in the act.

Li Yuan's mood lifted, and he chuckled softly.

Suddenly, the sound of hooves echoed from outside the crevice, growing closer and closer, until it stopped at the entrance where the two were hiding.

The young man's gaze suddenly turned icy and sharp. His hands gripped the twin swords at his waist, and in one swift motion, he flipped to his feet, staring intently at the entrance.

From outside, a series of synchronized, hurried voices called out in apology, "Forgive us, Your Highness. We arrived late."

It was the mount Li Yuan had sent off earlier, now returning with the shadow guards and a squad of reinforcements.

Li Yuan let out a breath of relief, but instinctively glanced behind him and felt a chill run down his spine.

The young man in black had disappeared.

Before he could react, two of the shadow guards rushed in, unable to restrain themselves. Seeing their master covered in blood, they immediately dropped to their knees at his feet, their voices trembling with fear. "Your Highness, are you injured?"

Shadow Guard Five glanced around in confusion, then asked in surprise, "Your Highness, wasn't Shadow One supposed to be by your side? Where is our eldest brother?"

Shadow Guards Four and Five had received word from Li Yuan to meet him at the border between Yuezhou and Xunzhou, but to their shock, the assassins had intercepted the heir apparent long before they could arrive.

"Don't worry. With your speed, you wouldn't even make it in time to collect my corpse while it's still warm".Li Yuan scoffed lightly, waving his hand dismissively. "I sent Shadow One on an errand. He won't be back for some time."

"Please, calm your anger, Your Highness."Shadow Guard Four, ever stoic, replied coldly,"We will do everything in our power to track down the assassins."

"There's no need. I already know where they're from"Li Yuan said, licking his dry lips before pulling out a single peacock feather from his sleeve and tossing it to Shadow Four.

Shadow Guard Four's face turned pale. It was clear he dreaded the sight of the peacock feather. "Your Highness, does this mean that in our journey to Tianjue Mountain, we've offended Peacock Manor?"

Shadow Guard Five finally exhaled in relief once he confirmed that Li Yuan wasn't injured. He muttered under his breath. "Peacock Manor? What a joke. How dare they provoke our Qi Palace! Your Highness, this is a blatant challenge. I'll report this to the prince immediately."

"Wait, don't go,Li Yuan frowned, leaning back against the stone wall as he considered the situation.My father is sick, and I've come to Tianjue Mountain to seek a cure. Whether or not I'll be successful is uncertain. Reporting this now would only burden him when he's too weak to respond."

"Did Master Chiyin refuse to help?"Shadow Five asked, scratching his head in frustration. "Figures. He's such a reclusive master, even the emperor can't guarantee his assistance"

"No,it's not that. Tianjue Mountain was attacked and besieged by assassins from Peacock Manor. The master is likely struggling to protect himself, let alone helping Qi Palace"Li Yuan said, sighing in frustration. "Let's head back."

"As you command". the two shadow guards responded.

Li Yuan gave a nod, but suddenly said, "Wait. Find someone for me."

"Who?"

Li Yuan paused, realizing he didn't know the young man's name or even his appearance. All he remembered was the sound of his voice "low, calm, and laced with a hint of exhaustion and lazy charm.

"A very handsome young man". Li Yuan tried to describe, "who wields a pair of soft swords."

The shadow guards exchanged puzzled glances. Shadow Five scratched his head again, muttering, "A very handsome young man? Doesn't that describe me?"

"Enough nonsense" Shadow Four said coldly. "Let's go find him".

Li Yuan brushed the dust off his sleeves and strode out of the mountain crevice, leaving the two guards to exchange another look of uncertainty.