Every official, from land baron to chief advisor was in the room, all were staring at the one-armed imperial guard, who was trembling from the pressure and humiliation.

“My l-lord, the third prince has boarded one of the hundred-mile house ships”, he stammered and finally continued “we couldn’t catch up”

His answer was unsatisfying as countless scoffs reverberated in the room. The emperor smiled evilly, his eyes gleaming with malice.

“I could easily take your only arm,” he said, “But I'll give you a chance.”

The tone he used, was akin to a lion playing with a mouse whose tail was bound by its claws – as if able to determine its fate.

Imperial Guard Ming shivered; a cold chill ran through his body. His visage could not show the discontent. Even though he won and killed Stone Heart in the end, the victory had costed him his arm. This was his soft spot, an inconceivable seed of hatred sprouted in his heart. He had to vent his anger on that brat – whis.

“You shall track the third prince down; we suspect that he has the key to the Asura King trove”, the emperors’ visage was grim, he waved his hand signaling for something to be led in.

A tall, slightly slim man in a gray robe walked in. His steps were neither humble nor was it arrogant, but he left an air of authority – the second prince, Shang Chi.

“Take Shang Chi with you”, the emperor said proudly, his confidence for the boy could be felt in his tone.

Shang Chi cupped his hands and made a slight bow, everyone in the wall including the emperor nodded slightly.

The bowing Ming tilted his head and took a glance at the slightly handsome lad who had just crossed into manhood, ‘so this is the rumored genius’.

In the entire continent there were countless sects and factions, with thousands of disciples, each had its own martial arts but one thing they had in common was the need for resources.

These included, pills, herbs and even cultivation techniques. Hence Shang Chi being a prince of the entire continent, it wouldn’t be shocking that he’d excel in cultivation.

Even a pig with weak genes, if it were to be plugged with food, it’ll get fat. The Imperial Guard Ming scorned, he was the real warrior, having spent years, consolidating and understanding bottle necks was the real way – not just being spoon fed.

However, this was only in his head, as soon as Shang Chi walked in a lot of officials began singing his praises.

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“Where others would take 10years to break through the foundation realm, the prince has surpassed them and reached the second seal of Warrior realm, his potential is immeasurable”, the elder who spoke had an inverted corn beard, which he strokes shamelessly while chuckling

“Treasurer Joe, don’t you think you’re speaking out of line, we all know that the prince Chi’s name revibrates throughout the entire kingdom, he’s peerless”, the royal advisor quickly stopped the royal treasures advances. He also knew that gaining the favor of the second prince at this time would solidify his position when he ascended, so even though he sounded reprimanding, he was instead tiling his own path.

Seeing the immature behavior of his subordinates, the emperor sighed. He also knew that of all his children, the second prince was the most dazzling, but he did not look pleases. The second prince was also known of his arrogance and obscene behavior.

‘a rough jade’, he thought as he stared down.

"Be careful, in a foreign land, one must be humble.”, the emperor shifted his glare towards Shang Chi, “Don’t be too overbearing and don’t lose the face of our kingdom”, he sternly said.

“Dismissed”, the emperors let out. Ming and Shang Chi walked out of the room, leaving a tense atmosphere behind them.

…

“My lord, the matter of Asura King is too sensitive”, the quiet advisor finally spoke, his visage serious.

“The inheritance could push our kingdom to the third grade”, the advisor’s sentence was followed by a nod from countless elders.

Legend has it that the seal which bound the underworld to our world was broken, allowing countless ghosts to escape and form their own race alongside humanity. This new race, known as the phantom race, was unlike any other, with powers and abilities that defied all logic.

They were said to be able to manipulate the souls of the living and the dead, controlling minds and bodies. They could even disappear at will, making them impossible to fight using conventional means. Their bodies were intangible, and couldn't be harmed in any physical way.

Despite this, it took a group of experts to seal them away in the entrance to the underworld. Years later, the news of the death of the Asura King spread like wildfire, but with it came rumors of his hidden inheritance.

Some believed it was a myth until a decade ago, news spread that the Asura Tomb had been discovered and the key to the tomb was a peculiar mask and it just so happens at that time a faction was running rampant on the continent.

They called themselves, Acultist Sect. The matriarch, `the ruthless witch`, who was rumored to be the wielder of the mysterious phantom mask. The emperor, Shang Du, had subdued her only for the mask and made her the third imperial concubine.

However, when the `ruthless witch` realized the secrets of the mask, she made contact with the Acultist sect.

The emperor secretly sent his elite soldiers and annexed the entire sect and inflicted wounds on the third concubine, but she denied the rumors of the mask, knowing, even if she were to admit it, they’d prefer a dead person to keep the secrets.

Until one day, when the concubine reappeared with a child, she suddenly revealed her face.

This made Shang Du suspicious and kept the concubine under watch, at that time the third prince, who was growing up.

His face was unparalleled on the entire world, but no one made assumptions till information came from the Endless Sea, that one of the properties of the phantom mask…

Was to enhance beauty two levels and decrease it two levels. At the same time, the third prince was secretly plotting to escape the kingdom after milking the treasury.

On that fateful evening, his majesty, Shang Du heard of the princes’ atrocities and linked them with the mask. He was filled with rage, and reached a chilling conclusion: the third prince had the mask and was plotting to use it for his own gain. That same night, the third concubine was found dead, and no one would believe it was an accident.

…

“Send the Scorpion Army, tell them to assist the prince in the background”, his majesty finished his calculations and ordered. The scorpion Army was like his left hand, that he’d trained in private, it could aid him in troubling times.

…

Hechu, whis sneezed in the corridor, ‘who is wishing me bad?’, he brushed off the trail of mucus on his face and fixed his clothes. He now wore a feathered cyan robe, looking extravagant.

‘This is flashy’, he commented himself, and looked ahead of him, noticing a few ladies coming his way, they wore the same dresses that revealed they’re truculent thighs. They had their hair tied down and looked extremely innocent, he figured they must be the attendants on the ship.

“Hey, sisters”, he called out, he now knew the conventions used in this world, albeit weird he had to go with the flow, for now. He had chosen to play the role of a noble young master, he couldn’t use his status of the third prince of Shang Dynasty, he’s still a wanted criminal.