Third Person POV
The next day, assassins from Jade Palace scattered across the Golden Palace, lying in wait for Xue Wuren's arrival. Days passed. Then a week. Still, no word. No sightings. No messages. Nothing but silence.
Zhong Jinxiao's POV
From the watchtower, I stared into the distance, waiting. Hoping. Fearing.
Still no sign of him.
I eventually descended and walked to Uncle Zhao's study. There he was—calmly painting calligraphy like time hadn't frozen for the rest of us.
I opened the door and bowed before stepping in. "Uncle Zhao, it's been days. This Xue Wuren man still hasn't shown."
He met my gaze with those sharp, calculating eyes. He studied me for a long moment before setting down his brush.
"He's cunning, Jinxiao. Townsfolk from Qinglong spotted him in the forest one night. That's how the word reached His Majesty."
I blinked. "Qinglong? That's a long way from here. Why were we ordered to assemble so early?"
I hesitated before continuing, "Uncle Zhao… our assassins are wearing thin. Their energy's—"
Before I could finish, he slammed the ink pot to the ground, black liquid spreading across the floor like spilled rage.
"The early bird gets the worm, Jinxiao!" he snapped, voice slicing through the air. "And better to be early than dead!"
I flinched. I couldn't defy him. I owed him. Since childhood, he had been my anchor, my guardian. This—everything I do—was repayment.
Quickly, I bent down, picked up the pot, and placed it back on his desk. "I should have considered that, Uncle Zhao. I apologize."
As I turned to leave, his voice stopped me. "You're the fiercest assassin we have, Jinxiao, before Zhao Hualin. And yet you speak like someone soft."
I didn't reply. Just closed the sliding door behind me.
He was right. Why am I hesitating now? I'm an assassin. I was trained to kill.
So why... am I feeling like this?
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Lai Guanlin's POV
I lay quietly on the hammock in our backyard. The village seemed peaceful, but I knew fear lingered in everyone's heart.
Once, I believed the dark sorcerer was a myth—just a bedtime tale. But now? I wasn't so sure. I wondered what became of the descendants of the once-feared Magic Sect after it was outlawed.
My thoughts were interrupted when something thudded against my head.
"Ow!"
I looked up—and over the fence, Li Wei was waving an apple in the air.
"Are you insane? You nearly gave me a concussion!" I shouted, rubbing the sore spot.
"What are you doing lying there? Waiting for the sky to rain gold?" he teased, chomping on his apple.
Rolling my eyes, I grabbed the apple and walked over to a water bucket to wash it.
"You've always been this childish," I said as I joined him by the fence. "Since we were little."
We leaned on either side, biting into our apples.
"So," he asked with a more serious tone, "when do you think he'll show up? And where?"
I looked down. "I hope it's just a rumor. I really do."
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Third Person POV
Xinyu awoke to soft thumps just beyond her room. She rubbed her eyes and tiptoed toward the noise, curiosity guiding her steps.
As she opened the door, she was met with a strange sight: a beautiful white rabbit hopping gently across the courtyard.
She gasped and reached for it—but it bounced away.
Enchanted, she followed it. Slipping past the gate unnoticed, she tailed it into the streets, bumping into people as it zigzagged ahead. Eventually, the bunny vanished into the crowd.
She sighed in disappointment and turned to go home—but froze when she heard screams.
People were running. Faces twisted in terror. Items fell from their arms as they fled.
Xinyu turned—and there he stood.
A cloaked man in white, his body shrouded in swirling dark smoke. Behind him marched armed soldiers—no, undead warriors—carrying weapons forged in shadow.
Her lips trembled. "W-who are you?"
The man stepped forward slowly, voice hauntingly gentle. "Have you seen my son?"
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Lai Guanlin's POV
"What's going on?" I asked, alarmed by the chaos outside.
Li Wei looked just as startled and shrugged. But I didn't wait. I dashed to the front gate and threw it open.
People were screaming, running, fleeing.
"Guanlin! Stay inside!" Li Wei called after me.
I was about to close the gate when—
"Xinyu!"
I saw her—frozen in the middle of the street. face pale. I sprinted toward her and pulled her into my arms, but our legs were too weak to move.
"Please, don't hurt us," I begged, trying to pull her away.
The man kept walking toward us, slow but deliberate. "Have you seen my son?" he repeated.
"You're not real… you're just a myth!" Xinyu cried, squeezing her eyes shut.
The road had emptied. Everyone else had vanished. Just the two of us—and him.
I stumbled and fell to my knees, shielding my sister behind me. I felt it then. Death. It was near.
But just before the darkness closed in—
"Niáng?"
My mother stepped between us and the shadowed man.
"Run. Now," she whispered, eyes fierce.
"No—come with us!" I pleaded.
"Take your sister. Now." She turned to the man, tears streaming down her face. "Please… take me instead. Spare my children."
"Niáng, no!" Xinyu cried.
Shaking, I stood in front of Xinyu again, shielding her. "Please, sir, have mercy…"
There was silence.
Then—whoosh!
Flying darts rained down from behind. Assassins! Assassins from Jade Gong had arrived. A few of the undead warriors fell.
Xue Wuren's attention shifted, and I seized the moment. I grabbed my mother and sister's hands and ran.
We ran out of fear as tears flow down my eyes, but then—
A pulse of dark energy flew straight toward me. I turned to shield Xinyu, but my mother—
She threw herself in front of us.
She fell.
"Niáng!" I screamed.
I cradled her in my arms, blood staining my sleeves. Xinyu knelt beside me, sobbing.
"Gēge… she's been poisoned."
I stared at the wound. The myth was true. This was his magic.
I carried her back inside, laid her down in bed, and frantically searched for herbs, medicine—anything.
But nothing worked.
Panic set in. I clawed at my own scalp, falling to my knees.
"Gēge…" Xinyu whimpered. "The poison has cure right?. Will… will she die?"
I lost it.
"There has to be!" I shouted, slamming my head into the wall. Over and over, until the world tilted—
—and darkness took me in as my body fell to the ground.
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Zhong Jinxiao's POV
I stood silently in Uncle Zhao's study when Shen Yao burst in, breathless.
He knelt. "Young Lord, Zhongyin has been attacked by Wuren."
My heart skipped.
Uncle Zhao slammed his fist into the table. "Zhao Yao, What happened?!"
"Three of our assassins are dead. Poisoned. Wuren fled once our agents arrived."
"Send more. Find him!" the Young Lord shouted.
Shen Yao bowed and left as he shook his body.
I stepped forward. "Would you have me go as well?"
He sat down slowly, chest heaving. "At this point… yes."
I turned, ready to leave—but he stopped me.
"Jinxiao." His voice was quieter now. "Don't die out there."
I paused, nodded once, and disappeared into the shadows.