Tie Hongchen's camp was silent under the shroud of night. The banners of her army swayed gently in the wind, the flickering torches throwing long shadows across the encampment. The tense silence that hung in the air was broken only by the restrained breathing of two captives kneeling before her throne—the Golden Phoenix Emissary and the manifestation of his clone.
Tie Hongchen sat upon her seat, her figure cloaked in majesty, her aura restrained yet undeniably oppressive. Her eyes glimmered with the sharp light of one who looked down upon heaven and earth.
"Golden Emissary's clone," she said, her voice calm but carrying the weight of thunder. "I can give you a chance… to devour your main body."
The words fell like a bolt of lightning, making even the armored guards stationed at the sides shudder.
The clone raised its head slightly, its eyes dim but flickering with a strange light. "What do you want?" it asked, tone low and cautious. None could tell whether it was fear, suspicion, or anticipation that clouded its mind.
"You fool!" The main body's voice was sharp, dripping with disdain as he glared at his counterpart. "She is deceiving you! You cannot devour me. You are merely a part of my consciousness. You exist because I exist."
Tie Hongchen leaned forward slightly, her lips curling in a cold smile. "Nothing is impossible. You once thought your clone could never revolt against you, and yet here he is—kneeling before me, free from your shackles. If we could sever your influence over him, what makes you think we cannot cut the final thread between you both?"
Her words carried a ruthless clarity that pierced the very foundations of the Golden Emissary's belief.
"Think, clone," she pressed, her voice steady, never rising in volume yet heavy as a mountain. "To Di Yi, you are merely a chess piece. Even if you remain loyal, he will not accept you back. Weigh your options carefully. Between Di Yi, who abandoned you, and me, who offers you freedom—who is truly your enemy?"
The main body's lips twisted into a sneer. "Naive! You think you can outwit the shadow? Even if he devours me, he will remain bound. He is a fragment of the darkness—he can never leave. The shadow's will is eternal. Darkness must always exist."
At those words, Tie Hongchen closed her eyes. For a moment, silence reigned in the tent. Even the captives held their breath. When she opened her eyes again, her aura had completely dissipated. Her overwhelming presence faded, leaving her looking almost like a mortal woman.
"You are right," she said quietly.
Her words made both the main body and the clone falter.
The main body let out a disdainful snort. "At least you have some self-awareness."
But Tie Hongchen's eyes did not waver. Slowly, she stood, her voice ringing out like the toll of a great bell. "And yet… you are also wrong. I once believed I would forever remain encased in the dark, drowning in the abyss of shadows. But here I stand."
In that instant, her aura surged forth once more. Crimson flames burst into existence, and an armor of red manifested upon her body, glowing with a light that seemed to defy the night itself.
Both the main body and the clone froze, their eyes widening in shock and disbelief.
"That armor…" The main body's voice trembled. "The Red Emissary!"
The tent itself seemed to grow colder at those words.
The Seven Emissaries were feared throughout the world, ranked by strength with the Golden Emissary hailed as the mightiest beneath the Shadow Master. Yet within the inner circle, there were whispers—whispers of one who had once stood above even the golden throne. The Red Emissary.
Long ago, the former Shadow Master had taken two disciples: Di Yi, and the one known only as the Red Emissary. None knew her true name, only that her surname was Tie. Her power was unmatched, her legend unrivaled. And then—she vanished. Declared a traitor. Erased from the records.
Rumors said she was crippled, others that she was executed. But every disciple of the Shadow Guild remembered her words: "If I can only live in the shadows, what difference is there between me and a corpse? I would rather step through the gates of hell than hide from the light."
Now, the truth stood before them, clad in crimson armor.
"What… what is your relationship with the Red Emissary?" The Golden Emissary's voice was hoarse, his eyes narrowed in disbelief.
Tie Hongchen's lips curved into a faint, almost mocking smile. "You do remember her then? I thought you might have chosen to forget."
"Forget?" The Golden Emissary shook his head, his voice heavy. "Who would dare to forget such a figure? She was a legend carved into the very bones of the guild."
Tie Hongchen's voice hardened, proud and unyielding. "She is my mother."
The revelation crashed down like a hammer.
The Red Emissary—the taboo of the Shadow Guild, the one who had shattered its chains and embraced the light—was her mother.
Tie Hongchen had always carried her mother's legacy with pride. Though she had never seen her face, her father's stories painted her as a flame that refused to be smothered. For those stories, she had trained in sword and strategy with relentless determination, each victory earning her another glimpse into her mother's past. Later, by fate's cruel design, she discovered the diary her mother left behind—a diary that unveiled the bitter truth of her origins.
The Golden Emissary's voice trembled. "Impossible… She died years ago. The Master himself declared her execution! How can she still live? How can you exist?"
Tie Hongchen's eyes grew cold. "The shadow guild thrives on lies. Do you truly think the truth is what they tell you?"
The Golden Emissary lowered his head, despair slowly drowning him. "If you are truly her daughter… then my fate is sealed." His voice carried helplessness, unwillingness, and dread. He knew in that instant—he would be the first emissary devoured by his own clone.
---
Meanwhile, far away, Tai Jian advanced steadily toward the Shadow Guild's main base. His steps were calm, his eyes sharp, but his instincts screamed danger.
Suddenly, the void itself split open. A terrifying strike descended upon him, faster than thought.
Tai Jian's body reacted before his mind—he stepped sideways, a fraction of a heartbeat faster than death. The attack cleaved past him, ripping open the earth where he had just stood.
His eyes narrowed, cold and dangerous. With a wave of his hand, sword-light slashed toward the void. Two figures emerged, their hands bleeding with deep gashes hastily sealed with mana.
They stood with stiff backs, their auras grim, but their eyes betrayed the pain they suppressed.
"Tai Jian," one of them said, voice hoarse, "the Master… wants to meet you."
Tai Jian's lips curved into a cold sneer. "It seems your master doesn't value your lives at all."
The battlefield of shadows had only just begun.