(Palace of Supreme Dragon Glory)
As the meeting ended, the Imperial court official exited the hall. "We all know that the king will not punish the empress", said one court official. "Yes, considering that he went against the previous emperor and married her into the imperial household without his permission", said Lui Fu, the deputy Minister of Imperial Affairs, as he smirked in his pride of his knowledge.
As they walked off, a group of other officials was looking at them from behind.
"Do you think lord Arceus will survive this?" asked Liu Peng, Minister of Works with slight sense of concern in his voice, looking at his fellow official walking next to him, the Minister of Justice, Li Huan, "The Past is revealing itself, whether there is justice within it, remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure, justice is inevitable", said he as he looked in the distance, "But even so I still think Lord Arceus will survive he is after all the oldest…", said Peng Kai, the Chief Director of the Censorate, with certainty in his eyes before he was interrupted.
"We mustn't speak of that", said Liu Peng, softly looking around. "His right, our focus right now should be to catch Jing Ke, before something else happens", said Li Huan, with a commanding voice as they walked off.
As things are unfolding within the Imperial Court, and blurred lines are being drawn, so are things unfolding within the boundaries of the Great Clans.
(Shen Palace)
"My Lady, considering what has happened within the Imperial Clan and what transpired at the Court today, we should think of taking a stance", said one of the Shen Clan's advisors, with a stern voice as he pressed for a decision to be taken, "What stance? Are you suggesting we rebel?", asked Shen Wenyan, The Second Eldar, with fury in her eyes as she turned around to ask that question.
"No, My Lady, I wouldn't dare", said the Advisor, trembling in fear. "Instead of forwarding your own agenda, try looking for a solution to the problem, like the one of how someone managed to take an artifact from our fault?" instructed Wenyan as she walked off.
"Yes, My Lady".
(Hou Palace)
"Young master, please", said Butler of the Hou Palace. "Do you know why I have been summoned?" asked Wu'an, curious and nervous, but he got no reply and stepped into the hall.
As he walked into the hall, he could see his father sitting on his throne, and as he approached, there was another person there, it was his other father, Chen Changchen. "Kneel", instructed Hou Anwu, the Third Eldar, with a stern voice, and Changchen looked at him, concerned.
Meanwhile, at the docks of the Eternal Capital, a powerful figure is approaching, and at the same time, another powerful being has entered Esnor.
[Harbor]
"My Lord, we have arrived", said Jinyi, [a small man roughly looking like a man aged in his fifties, with a short mustache], the butler. As he opened the curtain of the doorframe of the deck of the floating ship, an old, aged man exited, with grey hair and a short grey goat beard, firmly built of figure with fur wrapped over his shoulder around his neck. "Ahh, we made it", said the old man, Zhuang Jinhui, the Prince of Su.
"Yes, grandfather", said a young teenage boy, standing next to him as he exited and walked towards the rim of the ship, Zhuang Jinxi, the Heir of the Prince of Su [a slim build boy, with long black hair running down his back and a very docile looking face] with his sword in hand, and a sheath sword hanging on his back.
As they walked off the ship, Jinhui suddenly felt a surge of energy that felt strangely familiar to him, a presence that he had long not seen or felt in millennia. "This presence, His here", said Jinhui as he flashed off. "Get this to the manor", Jinxi instructed Jinyi as he flashed off after his grandfather and Jinyi, looking on, shaking his head.
[Eternal God Gate]
"Surround him!" shouted the guards as they surrounded a strange man, wielding a massive blade, Guan Xi (Fire Blade Deity), a huge figure clad in red and black, with a short beard and mustache, and a very stern-looking face. As the guards surrounded him, he unleashed a surge of sword qi that knocked over every guard around him. "What strong sword qi", said the guard captain as he gathered sword qi and attacked Guan Xi.
[Palace of Supreme Dragon Glory]
As the two clashed, Zhi'an was busy reading memorials, "Your majesty", said the Grand Eunuch as he looked outside and then back at the emperor. Zhi'an glanced slightly up from reading the memorial and sniffed; he proceeded to read again.
[Eternal God Gate]
As they clashed, the captain was overwhelmed by Guan Xi and his powerful blade art. As the captain lost his footing and fell backwards, Guan Xi went in for the kill but was stopped by a powerful sword qi that forced him to step back.
"What?" asked Guan Xi as he landed on his feet after feeling the sword qi. As Guan Xi looked on, Zhuang Jinhui appeared before him and recalled his sword, which forced Guan Xi backward into his hand.
"Long time no see", said Jinhui as he looked at Guan Xi, "You…", said Guan Xi, realizing who Jinhui was and strengthening his grip on his blade.
As the Captain fell, he was caught by Jinxi, and he placed him on the roof of a building next to him, "Are you okay?" he asked gently. "Yes, thank you", said the captain, and they continued to look at the confrontation down below.
As they glance at each other, Guan Xi starts to recall their last encounter. "The last time we fought, it took two of you to take me down, but now there is only one", said Guan Xi as he stared directly into Jinhui's eyes, with a fiery look. "Are you afraid? I can kill you right now", he said, looking at Jinhui with fiery excitement. "I have lived a long life and fought in many battles where I saw death itself. I don't know this thing called fear", said Jinhui. He readied his sword qi and started to fight with Guan Xi.
As they fought, everyone in the area looked on in awe. "Grandfather", said Jinxi silently to himself, with a sound of worry in his voice. The guards started evacuating the nearby citizens to a safe space, so they wouldn't be affected by the strong sword qi that was being released.
[Palace of Supreme Dragon Glory]
"Zhou'er, summon Prince Su", said Zhi'an to the Grand Eunuch, calling him by his name. "Yes, Your Majesty", said the Grand Eunuch as he looked at the emperor, and he exited the room.
[Eternal God Gate]
As they fought, they were equal in terms of power and clashed once more, and drove each other back, both landing on their feet. "{Fire Blade Art}" said Guan Xi as he rode into the air, surrounded by a huge surge of sword qi and Inner Force as he activated his blade art, drawing all the swords of fighters in the vicinity, except Jinxi. He gathered them all to him, and as they circled him, he looked at Jinxi and said, "Interesting, another one".
He then turned his attention towards Jinhui again, shouting, "Go!" All the swords he had gathered went hurling towards Jinhui, but Jinhui's Inner Force stopped them before they could reach him. Jinhui then let go of his sword and stuck it in the ground, and used his Inner Force, emitting cold, frosty energy, to control the swords into the air. As he moved them with his hands, he slammed them back on the ground, scattering the swords and covering the area in a cold, frosty snow blanket.
Jinhui gripped his sword again in his hand and swung it in the air, creating small, sword-like, frost-like blades pointing at Guan Xi. "Frost Qi", said Guan Xi as he looked around him at the place that was now covered in a snowy blanket, "Been a long time since I felt this excited," as he gripped his blade, and Jinhui sent the little frostlike blades hurling towards Guan Xi. He deflected all of them and charged towards Jinhui, and Jinhui charged at him.
As they clashed with each other over and over again, Jinxi and everyone else looked on in awe, and Jinxi even felt his sword wiggling with excitement as it also wanted to join the fight.
As they fought, Guan Xi struggled to keep up with Jinhui's relentless attacks and was brought down to his knees. Enraged, he unleashed all his Inner Force and revealed his ultimate technique, [Hellfire Demon Blade Art]. As Jinhui saw him going full out, he looked at Guan Xi with an irritated look. He leaped up, landing on the roof of a building and also unleashing his frosty cold inner force, [Frost Sword Art: Devouring Seven-headed Serpent], creating seven massive icy frostlike serpents behind him and spiky thorns of ice appearing behind him as he stared at Guan Xi.
As they charged towards each other, in their final clash, their Inner forces clashed, and their sword and blades clashed, unleashing massive waves of sword qi, and Jinhui broke Guan Xi's blade by cutting it in half, sending him flying backwards but still landing on his feet and coughing blood as he gripped his chest. Jinhui landed on his feet, staring directly at Guan Xi, "Leave now". Guan Xi stood up straight and reluctantly flew off.
Jinhui sheathes his sword again, sending it back to Jinxi on his back, "Grandfather, are you okay?" asked Jinxi as he flew down to Jinhui, "Yes, I am Fine", answered he with a smile. "Thank you, my lord", said the captain, grateful.
At that moment, the Grand Eunuch appeared before them with the Imperial Guard, "Greetings, Prince of Su", said he, bowing.
"Grand Eunuch", said Jinhui, not looking surprised at the Grand Eunuch's appearance.
"His Majesty summons you", said the Grand Eunuch.
Jinhui looked at Jinxi, "Let's go", said he, and they all flashed off.