Chapter 10 – Shadows Move: The Jade Reaper's Hunt Begins
The wind had changed.
High atop a withered cliff, cloaked in moonlight, a man in jade robes sat cross-legged. Around him, five black-robed figures knelt in complete silence, waiting like blades sheathed in shadow.
"Target confirmed," one whispered. "Soulbond has stabilized. Twin Link resonance verified."
The man's fingers tightened slightly on his obsidian flute.
"Then begin the hunt," he said. "I want them separated, frightened, and bleeding."
His voice was emotionless.
"Let them taste despair... before I harvest their cores."
Peace Before the Storm
Far away, inside the now-empty cavern of the Trial, Zhao and Tang stood barefoot before Bai Qian.
"I can feel her," Zhao said, flexing his fingers. "Even when we're apart. It's like… my heartbeat syncs with hers."
Tang smiled faintly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Then don't break it."
They had passed the test. The pain of the soulflames had forged something permanent between them—something both thrilling and terrifying.
"I still don't understand," Zhao said, turning to Bai Qian. "Why help us? What do you gain from all this?"
Bai Qian was silent for a long time.
Then she said softly, "Because I failed… the first time."
Tang frowned. "What do you mean?"
"I once had a bond like yours. But I let fear win. He died in my arms, screaming my name."
She turned away, her voice colder now.
"I swore if I ever found the next pair… I would not let history repeat."
She handed Zhao a scroll. "This will lead you to the Whispering City. A hidden forge master there can awaken your Soul Weapon. You'll need it."
"Need it for what?" Tang asked.
Bai Qian didn't answer.
The Assassins Arrive
That night, they camped under a cliffside ledge, the stars muted behind drifting clouds.
Tang was stirring the fire when she suddenly paused.
Zhao looked up from polishing his blade. "What is it?"
"…There's no wind."
Indeed, the leaves weren't rustling. The fire wasn't flickering. The air itself felt still—like the world was holding its breath.
Zhao rose slowly.
"Draw your weapon."
From the treeline, five shadows emerged, silent as ghosts. Black robes. Masked faces. Emitting no qi.
Assassins.
Twin Link, First Battle
They didn't speak.
One lunged forward with a twin-bladed crescent dagger aimed at Zhao's throat.
CLANG!Zhao blocked the strike with a twist of his arm, parrying just enough to open space.
Two more rushed Tang from behind—until her fingers glowed red and a whip of phoenix fire lashed out, snapping into their ribs.
"Zhao—now!" she shouted.
Their minds linked instantly.
[TWIN SOUL RESONANCE – ACTIVE]+25% speedQi Streams MergedShared Field: 5 meters
Zhao felt her instincts flowing into him—when to dodge, where to strike, how to feint.
He dashed under a blade and kicked an attacker's kneecap inward.
Tang launched a pulse of heat directly into the night, bursting a fire trap beneath the ground they'd prepared earlier.
BOOM!
One assassin went flying, robe scorched and mask cracked.
But the leader hadn't moved. He simply stood behind the others, watching silently.
"Who sent you?!" Zhao demanded.
The masked leader spoke at last.
"The Reaper calls. The soul debt must be paid."
Before Zhao could question it, the man flicked a jade token into the fire and vanished into smoke. The others followed suit—fleeing into the darkness.
The Message in the Ash
When the flames died down, only the token remained—partially melted.
Zhao picked it up, frowning. "It has writing."
Tang leaned over his shoulder, eyes narrowing.
Your soul bond awakens an ancient sin.The Reaper remembers what the world has forgotten.Come to Hollow Peak... or more blood will follow.
Beneath the message was a strange emblem—a serpent devouring the moon.
Zhao's voice was low. "What the hell is Hollow Peak?"
Tang touched the brand glowing faintly on her wrist—the same flame mark Zhao bore.
"He knows who we are. But we don't know him. That's a problem."
Bai Qian's Secret
At that moment, Bai Qian stood alone at the mouth of the cave, watching the same stars.
She spoke aloud, though no one stood near.
"You moved too soon," she said to the shadows. "They're not ready."
A voice answered from the void.
"You broke the pact, Bai Qian."
"I kept it," she whispered. "I'm guiding them."
"Then why hide the truth?"
Silence.
The Reaper's Next Move
Meanwhile, across the continent, in a ruined temple drowned in moonlight, the Jade Reaper stepped into a ritual circle made of crushed bones.
He stared into a shallow pool of black water. The image of Tang Xinyi and Zhao flickered within it—sleeping beside each other by the cliff fire.
He touched the water.
Their fire flickered in real life.
"Let them love," he whispered. "It makes the betrayal taste sweeter."
The pool cracked.
A low growl echoed through the night.
Something… ancient… had awakened.
TO BE CONTINUED...