The garden of the thirteenth prince was quiet, filled with the faint fragrance of late-blooming flowers. Moonlight spilled across the petals, making them glow faintly in the night. Tai Jian plucked one blossom absentmindedly, twirling it between his fingers as though weighing his words.
"The most mysterious organization on the continent," he murmured, his voice heavy, as if each word carried a burden that pressed on his heart. "Of all my brothers, it is my seventh brother who remains the most elusive. He has vanished countless times without explanation, always chasing shadows. It was because of him that I took up the sword at the age of twelve, and it was because of him that I learned the truth about this organization."
He lifted his gaze to the distant horizon, his eyes hard as steel.
"They call themselves the Shadow Guild. They have existed for generations—long before even my grandfather's reign. Their strength is… terrifying. Invisible hands stretched across kingdoms, pulling strings no emperor dares cut."
Tie Hongchen's eyes narrowed, her breath catching. She said nothing, but the sharpness in her gaze urged him to continue.
Tai Jian crushed the flower gently in his palm. "For years, I have fought them in secret. I struck from the dark, made them bleed, but each time they rose again, stronger, deeper. Recently… they have touched something precious to me. They seek to break me. This time, they will not stop until they succeed."
He clenched his fist. "Even my father… my emperor… is shackled by their influence. Though unwilling, he cannot defy them. They have woven themselves into every corner of the continent. Their creed is simple—There are shadows everywhere. That is not just a saying—it is their truth. There is no escape from their eyes."
Tie Hongchen's cold expression softened for a fleeting moment. "You… want to help your father, but you cannot move because you are being watched?"
Tai Jian gave a grim nod. "Exactly. My martial arts are strong, and yours are not weak. But do not think lightly of them. When you began investigating their traces, they used you as bait—to test me. They wished to see if I posed a threat. Our fathers' intervention spoiled their plans. That intervention came with a price… the abolishment of our martial arts."
He smirked faintly, though there was bitterness in his eyes. "But perhaps that was not a curse. Perhaps… it was a blessing."
Tie Hongchen's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"
"You have heard of the martial arts of the ancient times?" Tai Jian asked. His voice dropped, low and secretive, like one whispering the existence of forbidden knowledge.
Her eyes flashed. "Don't tell me—you possess one?"
Tai Jian's lips curved slightly, though his expression remained unreadable. "I do. But it cannot be cultivated by one person alone. It requires two."
Her body stiffened, suspicion flashing in her eyes. "Dual cultivation?" she asked coldly.
Tai Jian shook his head at once. "Don't misunderstand. It does not demand… that. This technique requires us to cultivate together in order to neutralize our energies. Practiced alone, it leads only to destruction. With you, the overbearing yang in my veins can be tempered; with me, the freezing yin in your body can be balanced."
He withdrew a scroll from his sleeve and handed it to her. "This is the scripture."
Tie Hongchen accepted it but did not open it. Instead, she stared directly at him. "When?"
"Tonight," Tai Jian replied without hesitation.
Her eyes narrowed again.
"Don't misunderstand," he said calmly. "There are fewer shadows at night. And besides… no one dares intrude into the bedchamber of a married couple after dark."
Tie Hongchen said nothing more, though her guard remained. Together, they strolled through the flower garden, the silence between them filled with unspoken weight. Only when the last traces of the sun faded and night's darkness descended did they return to Tai Jian's palace.
The thirteenth prince's residence was unlike the grand and bustling palaces of his brothers. Few servants lingered, and those that did never entered his inner chambers. Tai Jian did not trust them—he rarely trusted anyone. For years, he had prepared his own meals, relying on no one.
That night was no different.
"I will help you," Tie Hongchen said unexpectedly, stepping forward to assist him as he prepared the evening meal. Her movements were clumsy, far removed from the discipline of the battlefield. Yet there was a quiet determination in her eyes.
When they finally sat together at the small wooden table, their simple meal between them, Tai Jian spoke.
"Tomorrow morning, we will visit Mother and Father."
Tie Hongchen gave a small smile. "No problem."
Tai Jian's eyes softened. "You are used to the battlefield. You are not familiar with court rules and customs. In this place, one careless step could bring trouble. Find time to learn them."
Tie Hongchen's smile turned sharp, her tone mocking. "You are worried about me? Don't tell me the great God of War of Qin has fallen for me?"
"Maybe," Tai Jian said without hesitation. His voice was calm, his eyes unwavering.
Tie Hongchen froze, her chopsticks pausing mid-air. "…You are a strange one. Your parents would never accept me, and I have no feelings for you. So forget it."
Tai Jian chuckled softly. "What a pity. If I had more time, perhaps I would have pursued you."
Her brows furrowed. "What do you mean… more time?"
His gaze turned distant, his voice heavy. "I was struck by the Heartbreaking Palm. My heart veins are severed. My time is limited. Ten years—no more."
Tie Hongchen's face shifted slightly. She turned away, her voice flat. "…What a pity."
"Come," Tai Jian said after a pause. "It is late. We should rest."
Inside their chamber, the moonlight spilled across the floor as they sat cross-legged facing one another.
"With this technique," Tai Jian said, unrolling the scroll before them, "I might suppress the injury. Perhaps even extend my time."
Tie Hongchen's voice was cold. "So you fear death after all."
Tai Jian threw back his head and laughed. "Fear death? No. What I fear is dying too early and leaving my family unprotected. If I fall, my enemies will descend upon them like wolves. I will not allow it. Before I rest in peace, I will tear this Shadow Guild apart, even if it takes my last breath."
As his laughter faded, his eyes grew sharp, unwavering.
What Tie Hongchen did not know was that Tai Jian had already resolved: in nine years' time, whether victorious or defeated, he would drag the Shadow Guild into the abyss with him. His life meant little; his loved ones meant everything. He had tasted the warmth of parents who loved him, the loyalty of soldiers who followed him, the sting of betrayal. That was enough.
And yet… there was something more.
That day on the battlefield, when his sword had been inches from Tie Hongchen's face, he had turned its trajectory every time. Not out of weakness, but because something within him rebelled at the thought of scarring her. For the first time, his heart had skipped a rhythm, one unfamiliar yet undeniable.
Since then, even in dreams, her face appeared before him. Even as he lay unconscious after battles, her image haunted him. He had long since wanted to see her every day. But when the marriage was arranged, he was nervous, and even when she stood before him, he lacked the courage to speak his heart. Perhaps it was because his time was short… or perhaps it was fear.
Yet one truth remained—though he acted indifferent, Tie Hongchen had already become his reverse scale. His bottom line. The one thing he would never allow anyone to touch.
When his fourth brother had cast a lustful gaze upon her, fury had nearly driven him mad. He could not explain why. But deep down, he knew the truth.
She was his.
Midnight arrived.
The two sat cross-legged upon the bed, their breathing steady as they followed the guidance of the ancient scroll. The air shimmered faintly as their opposing energies began to stir.
This was no simple technique. It was a path that demanded balance, trust, and unyielding will.
Yin and yang. Fire and ice. War and calm.
If successful, they would cultivate a special energy—mana. Tai Jian would embody yang mana, fierce and domineering. Tie Hongchen would bear yin mana, cold and unyielding. Practiced together, their powers would harmonize into the legendary yin-yang mana, an energy that could shatter mountains and rival the heavens.
But if they failed to balance it…
Tai Jian's body would erupt under the weight of his yang mana, burning him alive from within. Tie Hongchen's body would freeze, her organs turned to ice.
There was no middle path.
Tai Jian closed his eyes, inhaling slowly. "Five years. That is all we need to master this. Five years, and even if I die ten years later, your body will have adapted. You will never need another to temper the cold in your veins."
Tie Hongchen said nothing. Her gaze was steady, sharp, and unwavering.
In the silence of the night, their cultivation began.
And so, two hearts sat together, one aflame, the other frozen—
seeking balance amidst shadows that threatened to consume them both.