As the dinner came to an end, the King slowly rose from his seat, the flickering candlelight casting long shadows across his face. His gaze swept over the gathered ministers before landing on Zhang Se.
"Zhang Se, come with me."
A murmur rippled through the hall, the ministers exchanging glances of curiosity and concern. The King's voice cut through their whispers like a blade.
"No guards. No ministers. Just him."
Even Bai Ren, Zhang Se's loyal bodyguard, did not protest. He bowed and stepped aside, watching as Zhang Se followed the King through a corridor leading away from the grand dining area.
__________________________
They walked in silence for a while, their footsteps echoing through the dimly lit hallway. The scent of aged wood and burning incense filled the air. Finally, the King spoke, his voice heavy with frustration.
"This is all your father's fault."
Zhang Se glanced at him, startled. The King rarely spoke of the late Emperor so bluntly.
"He should have named an heir before he died," the King continued. "Now, the world will plunge into chaos for the throne succession."
Zhang Se clenched his fists. "I won't let that happen."
The King sighed deeply, shaking his head. "I'm afraid it has already begun."
He stopped walking and turned to face Zhang Se, his expression grim.
"The First Prince has allied with the northern barbarians. My spiders just reported that the Second Prince has sworn loyalty to the Shadow Sect."
Zhang Se's heart pounded. The Shadow Sect… A notorious organization of assassins feared across the empire. His mind immediately connected the pieces.
"It must be them," Zhang Se thought, his fists tightening. "The ones who tried to kill me on my way here."
The King studied Zhang Se's reaction carefully before continuing.
"And you? What do you have?" His voice was sharp, cutting deep. "No army. No support from the ministers. And…" He narrowed his eyes. "No Internal Qi to defend yourself."
Zhang Se swallowed hard. He opened his mouth to respond, but at that moment, they reached a large wooden door at the end of the corridor.
The Door to the Unknown
The King placed his palm against the door. Instantly, a deep blue energy shimmered across the surface like ripples in water. With a low hum, the door creaked open. A strange warmth rushed out from within.
The King stepped inside without hesitation. Zhang Se, however, hesitated at the threshold.
The King glanced back at him. "Well? Are you coming in or not?"
Taking a breath, Zhang Se stepped forward.
The moment he entered, a powerful force pressed down on him, nearly driving him to his knees. His breath caught in his throat.
The room was dimly lit by numerous candles, their flames flickering wildly as if disturbed by an unseen wind. The chamber itself was bare—except for the cage in the center of the room.
Inside the cage sat a tortoise.
But this was no ordinary creature.
The Tortoise of Power
The tortoise's shell gleamed like polished obsidian, etched with ancient runes that pulsed with an eerie blue glow. Its eyes burned like molten gold, filled with wisdom beyond human comprehension. As it breathed, the air itself seemed to tremble.
The pressure Zhang Se felt wasn't just from the room—it was coming from the tortoise itself.
He gritted his teeth, struggling to resist the sheer force of its presence. His legs trembled, and his vision blurred. It felt as though the very energy in the air was pressing down on his soul.
He barely managed to stay standing.
The King watched him with an unreadable expression. Then, with a smirk, he muttered:
"Good. You're still standing."
The weight of the energy pressing down on Zhang Se made his breaths shallow, but he forced himself to stand tall. His eyes remained fixed on the magnificent tortoise, the glowing runes on its shell pulsing like a beating heart.
The King studied him for a long moment before speaking.
"Do you know what this is?"
Zhang Se swallowed and nodded. "A Shiver Beast, Your Majesty."
The King gave a small, approving nod. "Yes. A Shiver Beast." He turned his gaze to the tortoise. "It is hard to comprehend that we are inside the shell of such a small creature. This whole city… How it functions is beyond understanding. Some say Shiver Beasts are gods. Others claim they are just animals that made a deal with the devil."
Zhang Se's eyes widened slightly. He had heard many myths about Shiver Beasts, but never before had he been told the truth so plainly.
The King turned back to him. "Do you know what the Shiver Beast of your kingdom is?"
Zhang Se straightened his posture. "Yes, Your Majesty. Before my father died, he showed me. It was a gorilla."
The King smirked. "Gorilla for strength. Tortoise for defense."
Zhang Se hesitated for a moment before asking, "Why are you showing me this, Your Majesty? It's dangerous."
The King's sharp eyes locked onto his. "Do you know what happens when a Shiver Beast dies?"
Zhang Se's breath caught in his throat. "Yes… If a Shiver Beast dies, all the royal family members connected to it qi will perish."
The King nodded. "I'm showing you this because I trust you—and to remind you that the Great Yan Shiver Beast must be protected at all costs, especially from your brothers. And to do that… you must be strong."
Zhang Se's breath caught in his throat.
"You will be marrying my daughter soon," the King continued, his voice steady but firm. "And right now, you are weak. How do you expect to protect her?"
Zhang Se clenched his fists. "I will do everything in my power to protect the princess."
The King let out a soft chuckle. "And how powerful is your power?"
Zhang Se had no answer. He remained silent.
The King sighed, walking closer until he was directly in front of Zhang Se. "Life has brought you down many times, but you keep getting back up. That is why I am giving you this."
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small wooden tag, pressing it into Zhang Se's palm.
Zhang Se looked down at it. The tag was old but smooth, with a spider carving etched into its surface.
The King's voice dropped into a serious tone. "With this tag, you have access to all my Spiders across the world. Use them well—to protect my daughter… and to fight your brothers."
Zhang Se tightened his grip on the tag before bowing deeply.
"I won't fail you, Your Majesty."
The King gave a small nod, his voice carrying a note of finality. "You won't."