Sun Xiao cried as he slew his son.

His tears were already dry as he looked at the cabin's nearest wall. The glimmering black sword shone in the torchlight.

Sun Xiao stepped over the corpse of the wretched woman near his son and fixed his gaze on the blade.

Beautiful, he thought as he extended his hand toward it. The weapon was pure black, as dark as a moonless night. Both hilt and blade defied the light as if yearning to consume it. The cabin seemed insignificant compared to the sword's imposing presence.

Gripping it tightly in his right hand, a shiver ran down his spine and a burning sensation ignited in his palm. He hurled the sword away, and it landed beside the woman. Her pale skin was marred only by the scorching blow his fire fist had delivered to her heart and a necklace with a semi-circle pendant with a Phoenix carved in it.

Sun Xiao looked at his hand and saw that the burn had already formed a completely black scar. His condensed Qi was unable to heal it.

"Wretched abomination," he muttered under his breath, eyeing the blade on the ground.

The two of them lying there, with the sword in the middle, created a macabre scene. What have I done? he asked himself, but deep down, he knew it was for the best. Second-guessing would do no good, especially not in this particular situation.

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A clicking sound came from the other door, followed by a loud cry. Sun Xiao's heart raced in his chest.

"Master," the young man bowed his head, cradling the baby, wrapped in cloth. "Their baby."

"Give it to me," Sun Xiao said, not waiting for further conversation. He took the child into his arms. The baby was barely a few months old, all smiles and giggles, as if delighted to see his grandfather for the first time.

Sun Xiao knew what he had to do, but hesitated as he saw the baby had a necklace just like the one from his mom, but with a dragon in it—the other half.

"I wonder what name they gave you," the older man said, gently handing the baby and then slowly moving his hand to the child's neck. "You are your father’s spitting image." The baby laughed out loud, and Sun Xiao's heart sank even deeper into his chest—his hand suddenly faltered.

The old man slowly placed a hand around the baby’s neck, posing himself to finish the job. However, the baby, oblivious to what was going on, simply grabbed his grandfather’s finger and giggled.

The elder glanced at his only heir lying dead on the ground. He shifted his gaze to the youth who had accompanied him on this mission and saw fear in his eyes. Sweat was beading on the young man's forehead as if he wanted to look away but couldn't bring himself to do it.

Ancestors, forgive me.

In a moment of folly, the Elder’s hand shot out, severing the head of his aide from his body. What he was about to do couldn’t leak—otherwise, the Sect would kill both him and the baby.

As he was about to leave the cabin, a clicking sound got his attention. Glancing over his shoulder he could see the black blade violently shaking on the ground, as if slowly following them.

"May the Heavens take pity on us," he muttered as he left the cabin in the woods.

"I'll make it right this time; I promise that to you, little one, and to your foolish father," the elder muttered.