The last of the wine was drained, the final vows sealed. As the red strings lay tied around their wrists, the bridal chamber slowly fell into silence, broken only by the flicker of lantern flames.
Then the lanterns dimmed. Shadows thickened.
In the darkness, murmurs turned to sighs, sighs to cries, until the silence of the chamber was replaced with the rhythm of two hearts finding one another at last. Time blurred, night deepened, and when it finally subsided, there was only stillness.
Tie Hongchen's body trembled with exhaustion. Her limbs refused to obey her, and she sank into Tai Jian's embrace, her cheek pressed against his chest. For years, she had lived for vengeance, her body like steel, her will like iron—but tonight, in the warmth of his arms, she felt fragile, human.
Tai Jian brushed a damp lock of hair from her cheek. His lips touched her forehead briefly, lingering with tenderness he rarely allowed himself to show.
"Rest," he whispered, though she had already drifted halfway into sleep.
Her lips curved faintly, forming a rare smile. For once, her mind carried no thoughts of revenge, no burden of her clan, no pain of her incurable condition. Only the warmth of the man who held her, and the knowledge that even if tomorrow never came, tonight had been enough.
For the first time in years, she slept soundly.
Tai Jian listened to her quiet breathing and finally closed his eyes as well. Outside the chamber, roses swayed in the night breeze, and guards stood watch with sharpened blades. Peace settled upon the mansion.
But far away, in another corner of the world, the night was anything but peaceful.
---
High above mortal dust, in a hidden realm where the air shimmered like molten gold, a lotus bloomed upon an endless lake. Upon it sat a man cross-legged, his form calm, his aura boundless. His very presence seemed to twist the space around him, as if even the heavens bent beneath his will.
Before him, a figure in golden robes bowed low, his head lowered in deference. The emblem of a phoenix glowed faintly on his chest. He was known as the Golden Phoenix Emissary, ranked Number Two in the Shadow Guild. His power was such that kings and sect masters would tremble at his name—yet here, in this presence, he dared not even lift his gaze.
"My lord," the emissary began solemnly, "the identity of the mysterious man from that day has been confirmed."
The man upon the lotus did not stir, his eyes closed, his voice calm as an ancient river. "Who is he?"
"That old dog Wushuang—who fancies himself peerless beneath sun and moon—has given birth to a tiger," the emissary replied.
At those words, the lotus trembled faintly. The man opened his eyes. Golden irises blazed forth, bright as twin suns. Within them danced countless emotions—triumph, sorrow, cruelty, wisdom—but above all, the vast vicissitude of time. To stare into those eyes was to drown in eternity itself.
"Dynasties rise and fall…" he murmured, as though speaking to ghosts. "Number Two, tell me—how many eras have passed since our rise?"
The emissary's expression tightened. "Three eras. All the former lords… gone. Only you and I remain. Our brothers long turned to dust. How swift time passes… haah."
The golden-eyed man's lips curved faintly. "After so many lonely years, at last an opponent worthy of my notice appears. Let us see if this tiger can truly roar."
The emissary hesitated. "My lord, Number Seven is dead. I intend to brandish my sword… and drink in his honor."
A chuckle escaped the lotus. "Preparing for a massacre, are you?"
The emissary's voice hardened. "It will be a long road ahead. You have never regarded mortals as opponents, yet this time you acknowledge one. That alone proves the danger is real. If so, then I must carve the way with my blade. Let me sharpen my sword in blood before the true storm comes."
The golden-eyed man tilted his head back, staring at the unseen heavens. His tone was faint, almost detached. "All is destined. None can escape the consequences. Number Two, tell me truthfully—do you hate me?"
Without hesitation, the emissary replied, "No."
"Good." The man's voice softened, carrying a strange loneliness. "It has been many years since we last shared a drink. Why don't we drink again, one last time?"
The emissary lowered his eyes, a shadow passing across them. "The last time we drank, all our brothers were present. Now they are dust. Our enemies, too, long gone. Only a prophecy remains—one you pretend not to fear."
The golden-eyed man's laughter was low and weary. "Fear? No. I am only lonely. If this tiger can end me, I would gladly descend to the netherworld, to sit with our brothers once more and tell them… we missed them."
The emissary's voice dropped to a whisper. "I crossed swords with him once. His potential is terrifying. If he survives long enough, he may surpass even us… perhaps even achieve what we could not."
The golden eyes sharpened, blazing like burning suns. "Then let fate decide whether he becomes a dragon or dies as prey."
---
The Qin State
The emissary straightened, his voice turning cold. "As for the Qin state—our situation is… negative. All of our spies have been executed in a single night. Not a single one escaped. That man is ruthless, cunning, decisive, and far faster than we calculated. Everything we built there has collapsed."
For the first time, a flicker of admiration stirred in the golden-eyed man's gaze. "So. The tiger bares his fangs sooner than expected. Good. Losses can be regained. He will soon deliver himself to our gate."
He rose slightly from the lotus, his voice echoing like a divine decree:
"We move to the Heaven Battling State. I will see with my own eyes whether its so-called war gods are fit to bear the weight of heaven and earth. If they are, I will raise them. If not—" His eyes turned cruel, shimmering gold like molten blades. "—then I will erase them from this world."
The Golden Phoenix Emissary lowered his head, his fists clenched tightly. He knew well the philosophy of the man he served. In the eyes of the Divine Emperor, all beings fell into two categories: useful, or useless. The useful were nurtured, favored, showered with resources. The useless… were cast aside like broken tools.
It was this knowledge that had driven the emissary to rise through endless ranks until only one man stood above him. And it was this same knowledge that whispered to him in the dark—that one day, even he might become useless.
The Divine Emperor's golden gaze pierced him, as if reading those very thoughts. But he said nothing.
Instead, he closed his eyes once more, and the lotus trembled with each breath he took.
---
Foreshadowing
In the far-off Qin capital, peace reigned for a single night. Within the bridal chamber, Tai Jian and Tie Hongchen lay entwined in rare tranquility. Roses swayed in the breeze, candles flickered low, and the air smelled faintly of sandalwood.
But in the unseen heavens above, ancient forces stirred. The prophecy whispered through forgotten temples, and the golden-eyed man who called himself Divine Emperor smiled faintly into the void.
"Come, little tiger," his voice rumbled across the ages. "Do not disappoint me."