The battlefield stretched endlessly, a graveyard of steel and crimson. Broken banners fluttered weakly in the wind, while the smell of blood and iron clung stubbornly to the air. For months, this land had been an altar of war between Qin and the Heaven-Battling State, yet today an unnatural silence pressed down upon it, as though the world itself awaited a shift in destiny.
At the center of the Qin encampment, seated upon a plain throne of dark wood, was a youth whose presence eclipsed the majesty of kings. Qin Tai Jian—seventh son of the Emperor, undefeated since the age of twelve, the titled War God of Qin.
His black hair hung loose and unkempt, shadowing his face and giving him the appearance of a wanderer rather than a prince. His green eyes, however, betrayed his nature—calm, deep, and inscrutable, as if the tides of the world could rise and fall without stirring him. No trace of vanity, no hunger for glory lingered in them. He seemed detached from everything, save perhaps the endless trials of war.
A soldier knelt before him, his voice breaking the silence.
"Your Highness, the crown prince selection is about to begin. His Majesty summons you back to the palace."
Tai Jian opened his eyes slowly. His gaze swept the soldier with neither impatience nor warmth.
"Not interested. Tell me the situation at the border."
The soldier hesitated, then lowered his voice.
"The Heaven-Battling Princess has also been summoned. Before returning, she prepares to launch one final assault."
For an instant—so brief it could have been an illusion—a spark lit within Tai Jian's green eyes. A flicker of surprise, buried swiftly beneath an ocean of calm. He leaned back, his expression unreadable.
"…I've changed my mind. I will return to the palace."
The soldier stiffened. He dared not question but bowed deeply. The truth was obvious: Qin Tai Jian's only worthy rival, Tie Hongchen, the Heaven-Battling Princess, was withdrawing. Without her, the battlefield had lost its meaning.
"Summon the generals," Tai Jian ordered, closing his eyes once more. "There is still one battle left to fight."
---
Far away, in the jeweled halls of the Qin palace, shadows of intrigue thickened.
"The Seventh Prince is returning," a guard reported to the third prince, who sat languidly upon an embroidered couch.
The pale-faced prince froze, his slender fingers pausing mid-motion. Though illness had long plagued him, his striking beauty was undimmed. A faint smile curved his lips, though his eyes glittered with unease.
"…Tai Jian, returning?"
"Yes, Your Highness. He refused at first, but upon learning that the Heaven-Battling Princess also leaves her battlefield, he agreed."
The third prince dismissed the guard, his smile fading. Throughout the palace, the news spread swiftly. Some princes whispered alliances, others tightened their grips on hidden blades. Few welcomed the return of their war god sibling; most saw him as a rival too dangerous to ignore.
---
And in the Heaven-Battling State, tension coiled just as tightly.
The princes of the realm gathered, their faces grim. All knew that their youngest sister, Tie Hongchen, outshone them in prestige and valor. Her return threatened their fragile balance.
"First Brother," a short, chubby prince murmured nervously, "you are the wisest among us. What shall we do?"
The eldest prince, composed and calculating, lifted a scroll. His eyes gleamed with cunning.
"Our sister's marriage must be considered. If she is wed to Qin's war god, then the war ends, our enemy is pacified, and Father will regard me as a wise ruler."
The other princes exchanged shocked glances, then gradually nodded. His scheme was perfect—remove Tie Hongchen, secure peace, and elevate his image.
Unbeknownst to them, the Qin princes schemed with equal venom, preparing to frame Tai Jian with fabricated evidence of affection for the enemy princess. Their end goal was the same: marriage.
Yet the two war gods themselves remained unaware, their thoughts bent wholly upon the battlefield.
---
That night, in the Qin war tent, generals gathered around a vast map.
"Your Highness, your strategy?" one asked nervously.
Tai Jian's finger traced the lines of valleys and rivers.
"The final battle will be fought here. The terrain favors neither side. Cavalry and infantry will clash in full force. Commanders will join the fray. I will personally lead the charge."
His words fell like iron. The generals bowed deeply, their unease thickening. They knew the omen—when Tai Jian was this calm, a storm was imminent.
---
Dawn broke.
The battlefield roared back to life. Drums thundered, banners whipped against the sky, and tens of thousands of soldiers marched into formation. On one side, the Qin army advanced like a tidal wave, their discipline unshakable under Tai Jian's command. On the other, the Heaven-Battling host burned with fiery momentum, led by their blazing star—Tie Hongchen.
She appeared at the front, clad in crimson armor that gleamed like fire. Her hair, dark as night, streamed behind her, while her eyes shone like molten gold. A spear rested easily in her grip, its tip radiating killing intent.
The moment their gazes met across the battlefield, time itself seemed to halt. Qin Tai Jian, cold and calm, Tie Hongchen, fierce and untamed—two war gods, reflections and opposites.
Then the drums ceased.
The clash began.
The earth trembled as cavalry thundered forward, infantry locking shields and raising blades. Steel screamed against steel. Arrows darkened the sky.
At the heart of the storm, Tai Jian moved. Sword in hand, his strikes were precise, merciless, flowing like water yet unyielding as iron. Every motion carried years of blood-forged mastery. Around him, enemies fell as if cut down by fate itself.
Opposite him, Tie Hongchen blazed through the chaos, her spear a streak of fire. Each thrust shattered armor, each sweep sent soldiers sprawling. Where she fought, morale surged; her presence was like a raging inferno none could withstand.
Finally, the tide of soldiers parted, and the two war gods met.
Their weapons clashed—sword against spear, calm against fury. Sparks ignited the air, the sheer force of their strikes sending shockwaves through the battlefield. Soldiers on both sides stumbled back, too afraid to near the storm of their duel.
"You're leaving," Tai Jian said between strikes, his voice steady, almost indifferent.
Tie Hongchen's golden eyes blazed. "And so are you."
Their weapons locked, faces inches apart, silence broken only by the hiss of steel grinding.
"For the first time, we agree," she smirked, before shoving him back and launching a strike that split the earth.
Blow after blow, neither yielded. They fought not as enemies alone, but as equals bound by the strange recognition that only those who walked the edge of war could share.
At last, after what felt like eternity, they broke apart, breathing heavily yet unbowed. Around them, the battlefield slowed, both armies sensing the futility of pressing further.
Tai Jian lowered his blade slightly. His green eyes, calm as ever, lingered on her for a long moment.
"This war ends here."
Tie Hongchen twirled her spear, then rested it against her shoulder.
"Until fate calls us again."
Without another word, they turned away, retreating to their respective armies. The clash ended not with conquest, but with silent acknowledgment.
---
Far away, in their palaces, their brothers schemed with ink and poison words, weaving nets neither war god could see. Marriage, alliance, betrayal—plots already written into their futures.
But for Qin Tai Jian and Tie Hongchen, the battlefield remained their truth. For now, the game of thrones and crowns was distant.
They knew only this: their paths, though parted, were destined to cross again.
---