The forest is covered in thick mist. Broken arrows lie scattered across the muddy ground. Thirty masked assassins surround the expedition.
ASSASSIN LEADER
(shouting)
Kill them!
Leave the princess alive!
The assassins charge.
SHINZI
Formation!
Protect Shin!
The Crimson Lotus disciples immediately form a defensive circle.
SHIN
(confused)
Why only me...?
QIAO TIAN
Stay behind us.
Don't leave the circle.
An assassin leaps from above.
WHOOSH!
Qiao Tian draws his sword.
CLANG!
The assassin's blade shatters.
Before he can react—
SLASH!
His sleeve is sliced open.
He falls backward.
ASSASSIN
He's... too fast!
Three assassins rush Shinzi simultaneously.
SHINZI
You're looking at the wrong opponent.
His crimson sword bursts with spiritual energy.
BOOM!
One spinning slash.
The three assassins are thrown backward into nearby trees.
XUAN DAO
(sighs)
Children these days...
They don't even know how to ambush properly.
Five assassins surround him.
ASSASSIN #2
Old man...
Die!
They attack together.
Xuan Dao doesn't move.
At the last moment—
He flicks one finger.
BANG!
A shockwave explodes outward.
Five assassins are launched into the swamp.
SHIN
(clapping)
Senior Xuan!
That was amazing!
XUAN DAO
(chuckles)
Watch carefully.
That wasn't even one percent of my strength.
Suddenly...
The ground trembles.
RUMBLE...
Everyone freezes.
The muddy swamp begins bubbling.
Large cracks spread across the earth.
DISCIPLE
What is that...?
A gigantic beast slowly rises from beneath the swamp.
Its body is covered in black scales.
Its eyes glow blood red.
Huge tusks protrude from its jaw.
DISCIPLE
Black Marsh Beast!!
Run!!
SHINZI
No.
If it reaches the disciples—
Everyone dies.
QIAO TIAN
I'll take the left.
You take the right.
SHINZI
(smiles)
Let's see which one of us reaches it first.
QIAO TIAN
Don't slow me down.
For the first time...
Both young masters rush forward together.
BOOM!
Their spiritual energy erupts.
Silver and crimson streaks race across the battlefield.
ON A DISTANT CLIFF
A man watches everything.
Long black robes.
Cold eyes.
Yu Yan.
Beside him kneels a spy.
SPY
My Lord...
Should we intervene?
YU YAN
No.
Let them exhaust themselves.
Then...
We'll take the sword.
His gaze slowly shifts toward Princess Shin.
She is helping injured disciples.
YU YAN
(softly)
So...
You've grown this beautiful...
Princess.
His smile becomes unsettling.
BACK TO THE BATTLE
The beast roars.
ROOOOOAR!!
Its massive tail sweeps toward Shinzi.
QIAO TIAN
Shinzi!
Without thinking...
Qiao Tian dashes across the battlefield.
She pushes Shinzi aside.
BOOM!
The tail smashes into the ground where he had been standing.
Mud explodes everywhere.
SHINZI
(startled)
...You saved me.
QIAO TIAN
You'd have done the same.
Their eyes meet briefly.
Before another word can be spoken—
The beast attacks again.
SHIN
Brother!!
Look out!!
A disciple is trapped beneath a fallen tree.
The beast raises its enormous claw.
SHINZI
No!
We're too far!
Shin's expression changes.
Her cheerful smile disappears.
Her eyes begin glowing crimson.
The wind starts swirling around her.
QIAO TIAN
(confused)
...Princess?
XUAN DAO
(under his breath)
No...
Not now...
Shin slowly raises one hand.
The ground begins trembling.
Lotus-shaped crimson energy appears around her tiny body.
Every cultivator on the battlefield feels a terrifying pressure.
DISCIPLE
Wh-What is happening?
SHIN
...Don't...
...hurt...
...my family...
A crimson shockwave bursts from her body.
BOOOOOOM!!
The beast is blasted backward dozens of meters.
Trees snap in half.
The remaining assassins are thrown to the ground.
Even Qiao Tian and Shinzi stare in disbelief.
The crimson aura vanishes instantly.
Shin blinks.
The glow in her eyes disappears.
SHIN
(confused)
...Huh?
Why is everyone looking at me?
She sways weakly.
SHINZI
Shin!
He catches her before she falls.
SHIN
Brother...
I'm...
sleepy...
She loses consciousness.
Shinzi holds her tightly.
His face is filled with worry.
Qiao Tian kneels beside them.
QIAO TIAN
Her pulse is stable.
She's only exhausted.
Xuan Dao quietly watches Shin.
His expression is unreadable.
Only he understands...
That power wasn't ordinary spiritual energy.
Far away on the cliff, Yu Yan's smile fades for the first time.
YU YAN
...So the rumors were true.
He turns away.
YU YAN
Retreat.
The game...
has only just begun.
The surviving assassins disappear into the mist.
FADE OUT.