After the kingdoms of Lianhua and Xiyue formed a powerful alliance against the black Scorpion, other kingdoms began to follow suit. Fear gave way to courage and most rulers finally realized it was better to fight back than kneel like lambs awaiting slaughter.
But Emperor Hanwa of Jingling saw things differently.
He believed his kingdom was far too weak to resist the might of Hei Xiezhi, the infamous Black Scorpion. Instead of joining the resistance, he chose to grovel for mercy. He reached out to Hei Xiezhi, offering his loyalty in exchange for safety.
To prove his worth, Hanwa betrayed his neighbors.
He had just signed a pact with the Kingdom of Lingxia—a stronghold known for its warriors and snowy mountains—but he turned on them without remorse. Feeding Hei Xiezhi valuable military secrets, he opened the path for the Scorpion King's armies to invade.
The betrayal was devastating.
The Emperor of Lingxia and his soldiers fought with the fury of cornered wolves, but they were no match for the brutal and overwhelming tactics of Hei Xiezhi's mercenaries. Within days, Lingxia fell and blood painted the ice fields red. Only one member of the royal family escaped—the emperor's fourth son, Yan Qing. He fled under the cover of night, later disguising himself as a commoner and vanishing into the wind.
Months passed.
Hei Xiezhi, however, grew restless. He despised peace. The world had grown too quiet, too dull. And so, for his next "game," he turned his eyes on Jingling—the very kingdom that had sold itself to him.
Hanwa thought he had bought safety with betrayal but he was wrong.
Conquering Jingling was child's play for the Scorpion King. With no alliances left and no trust from his people, Hanwa's kingdom collapsed in mere hours. The gates were opened from within. The soldiers surrendered without a fight and the palace, once a symbol of Jingling's pride, was bathed in fire and screams.
Hei Xiezhi kept his promise—but only to himself.
He showed no Mercy
---
Yan Qing had been wandering ever since the fall of Lingxia. He had no home, no food and no one to call family. The snow that once blanketed his homeland now felt like ice in his blood. He belonged nowhere—but one thing kept him alive: Revenge.
No matter how long it took, he would make those responsible pay.
And he knew exactly who had betrayed his father—Emperor Hanwa of Jingling. Yan Qing had already begun planning a way into Jingling's palace, intending to slit the traitor's throat himself. But before he could act, fate made its own move.
Hei Xiezhi attacked Jingling.
The betrayal that once protected Hanwa had now brought ruin to his gates. To Yan Qing, it was a twisted gift. Jingling was reduced to ashes, saving him the trouble. But he wasn't finished yet.
He knew Hei Xiezhi's style—the Scorpion King rarely killed royal women. He preferred to break them slowly, turning them into trophies for his pleasure house. Yan Qing guessed correctly that at least one of Hanwa's daughters had been spared for that fate.
And so, he followed the soldiers who carried her away.
He kept to the shadows, pretending to help when needed, earning their trust with false smiles. But his heart held only one mission: To kill her with his own hands. To make her suffer, so her father—wherever his cursed soul might be—would feel even a shred of the pain that Yan Qing's family had felt.
---
But killing her— that would be too easy, too quick and too merciful. Yan Qing wanted something deeper and more painful.
He wanted her to trust him. To cling to him like he was her only lifeline in a world that had turned its back on her. He wanted her to feel safe—the same way her father had once made others feel, just before stabbing them in the back.
Let her look at him with soft, grateful eyes. Let her smile, thinking he's different and let her begin to hope again.
Only then—when her broken soul began to stitch itself together again through him—only then would he crush it with his bare hands.
That…that would be real revenge.
He would not strike her down as a stranger. He would become her savior, her confidant and her everything.
And then destroy her slowly and intimately.
Just like her father destroyed his people.
---
Emperor Zixuan sat heavily on his throne, deep in conversation with his chief advisor. The air in the chamber was tense—thick with worry and the faint scent of incense. They spoke in hushed tones about the man who haunted every ruler's nightmares __Hei Xiezhi, the Black Scorpion. His name alone could silence a room.
Just as the advisors began to describe the horrific fall of yet another border kingdom, the heavy doors of the throne room slammed open.
A breathless man stumbled in, his face pale and drenched with sweat. "Your Majesty!" he cried. "I just received a message—my friend in the kingdom behind ours… he says the Black Scorpion and his army are marching straight toward us!"
He fell to one knee, holding out a tightly rolled scroll. "Here, Your Highness."
His hands trembled violently as Emperor Zixuan took the scroll.
The chamber fell into dead silence as the emperor read, his face darkening with every line. Then, without a word, he handed it to his advisor.
"How many soldiers are we talking about?" the advisor asked, though his voice quivered with fear.
"The letter only says a massive army…" the messenger whispered.
A calm, cold voice broke the silence.
"Hundred thousand."
They turned sharply. Prince Ling Yue had emerged from the inner chamber, his robe flowing like a shadow behind him.
"What?!" the advisor gasped, stepping back.
Even the emperor's hands stiffened. "What are we supposed to do about this?" he muttered, more to himself than anyone else.
He glanced back at the scroll, then out through the open window toward the horizon—as if he could already hear the rumble of the enemy army approaching.
"They're close," Leng Yue said. "We may not even have enough time to call for help."
The emperor rose slowly to his feet, face pale. "Then we must do something bold."
He turned to his son.
"We will send out a decree… A challenge."
His voice steadied. "Any warrior, general, or prince who can defeat the Black Scorpion shall.....earn the hand of my daughter in marriage.