Under the force of the fierce winds, the trees and tall grasses swayed violently, as if sharing Zhang Yu's shock. He stood frozen, his eyes wide open, silent.

"The Prince of the Ji Empire himself... is calling me? No, and for storytelling specifically?! Even if I'm not the smartest person, this is very clear! How can this be a prince? Or... am I just overthinking it?"

Zhang Yu turned completely, clasped his hands together again, and lowered his head. "Your Royal Highness, if you can confirm the treatment for my sister, forget about the stories—whether you ask me to climb the sky or dig into the depths of the earth, I will obey without hesitation!"

Despite the deep respect in his voice, no response came from the prince. A moment passed. The loud chirping of the birds filled the silence, as if they could not bear it. Zhang Yu remained in place, his anxiety growing more and more.

It seemed like his entire fate depended on a single word from the prince. He felt a lump in his throat, almost choking him.

Half the incense stick had burned. The silence was so thick that the fall of a needle would sound like thunder. Beads of sweat appeared on the foreheads of some soldiers, as if they had lost their sense of time, not daring to even breathe audibly.

"Is the prince... angry?" one of them wondered anxiously. "If so... we are as good as dead!"

As for the generals, they remained completely still—like stone statues, showing no signs of life. They embodied the eerie calm before the storm.

"He won’t order my arrest, will he?" Zhang Yu thought. "I haven’t said anything wrong!"

Suddenly, small stones rose from the ground, hovering in the air. The earth shook slightly. The temperature rose. A suffocating feeling crept through the place. Although it was not directed at them specifically,

fear found its way into the hearts of the soldiers in the back rows. Some of them trembled, while those closer to the center barely reacted—they were used to this. Only a few showed a change in their expressions.

As for Zhang Yu, his eyes widened in terror. He realized his complete helplessness. The presence of a tyrant loomed over his mind, making him feel like nothing more than a trivial insect. A crushing pressure squeezed his chest, threatening to stop his heartbeat.

His instinct was right. A suffocating aura seeped into the air, unnoticed at first. They only became aware of it when the winds turned into violent whirlwinds swirling around them. The nearby shrubs were uprooted. As for the birds? They fled in terror.

It didn’t take long for the winds to grow fiercer. The tangled currents turned into sharp blades cutting through the air. The massive trees that had withstood storms began to show deep, twisting cracks. Even some leaves were split into halves.

From the middle of the procession, the aura flowed out from inside a luxurious carriage. Inside, the prince sat, tapping his finger rhythmically on the wooden surface—as if composing a deathly tune.

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After a moment, he stopped. He rested his fist on his temple and exhaled deeply. His face darkened, and his eyes narrowed slightly. Then, with a nonchalant wave of his hand, he muttered, "Intriguing... Even rats have grown bold enough to bite. A mere peasant dares to bargain with me, a Prince of Ji? How strange. What kind of fools have I encountered? Does he think himself important?"

Other thoughts flooded his mind. He closed his eyes as if lost in deep contemplation. A quarter of an incense stick passed before he inhaled the cool air, and his grim face slowly relaxed.

Finally, he opened his eyes. Their gleam was unwavering, his confidence absolute. A sinister smile curled on his lips, as if a wicked idea had just been born—a perfect trap.

He said in a calm, confident voice, "Of course, my friend. If you doubt my words, I’ll give you a promise. Fang Bai! Bring me the brush and the paper!"

Outside, the suffocating aura began to fade, allowing the warriors to finally breathe again. Just moments ago, they had felt as if a mountain was crushing them. As the aura disappeared, the winds also calmed—completely, as if exhausted from their frenzy.

Among the soldiers, those who had kept calm suddenly found their bodies shaking—not from relief, but from pure terror. Some pinched their skin as if trying to confirm they weren’t dreaming. One of them turned to his companion, his eyes wide in panic.

"A-Are you sure this is the prince?!"

His companion didn’t answer—not because he couldn’t, but because his tongue had dried up completely. His eyes trembled as his veins pulsed violently. Then, he dropped his gaze. In the blink of an eye, his hands were soaked in blood, holding a severed head.

A surge of terror hit him like a lightning bolt. He felt as though he was staring at death itself. His legs gave way, but he barely stayed standing.

"No... don’t move! If you do... you’ll die!"

He almost dropped the severed head. Desperately, he raised his gaze. But… he shouldn’t have done that. But could it have made a difference?

His eyes met the general’s. One gaze pleaded for life, the other… was the cold stare of a demon.

All traces of fear vanished from the soldier’s face, replaced by overwhelming despair. His skin turned pale, and finally, his knees buckled and he fell to the ground.

In that moment, the general furrowed his brow. The air twisted, forming an invisible blade. A raven croaked before the soldier’s head exploded in a burst of blood, his body collapsing lifelessly. The bird swooped down, tearing at the corpse, quenching its thirst with the crimson liquid.

The general looked at the body indifferently. No emotion showed on his face as he spoke coldly, "Weaklings have no place among us. If you let your emotions control you, go serve that despicable prince, Ji Chang."

The soldiers had no choice. They raised their weapons together, and their chant echoed through the air.

"Long live Ji! Long live Ji! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

But their fear wasn’t just of the general’s words—it was of the prince’s actions themselves. He wasn’t a forgiving man, but an arrogant tyrant who might kill for the slightest reasons. One word from him could determine the fate of thousands. Even animals weren’t safe from his brutality.

There was no room to oppose his will. He was an absolute ruler—a true tyrant.

In the midst of their shock, a horse moved from the center of the procession, ridden by a handsome knight. Immediately, the soldiers cleared the way for him, lowering their upper bodies in a sign of respect. They were elated. The knight’s spear pierced the sky, looking like a celestial ruler.

His eyes were far more beautiful than the twinkling stars. His muscles were defined, as if his body had been painted by an artist who perfected his masterpiece. He was perfect! There were no flaws in his appearance.

He approached the prince’s carriage, lowered his head, and his ear ornaments, shaped like white swords, swayed. He waved his hand and lowered the spear to the ground. "Your esteemed Highness, here is the brush and paper."

Zhang Yu calmed down, his heartbeat slowed, and his trembling ceased. He stood naturally again. His facial expressions returned to normal, but more than that, he appeared relaxed, as though sinking into warm water.

General Fang Bai’s voice was angelic. It sounded like a musical instrument playing the tune of life, pulling you with it through the dancing grasses and above snowy mountains, in the springs and depths of the seas.

Despite the dramatic entrance of General Fang Bai, what Zhang Yu or the soldiers did not realize was that behind this angelic appearance and what lay beneath it, there was a well-hidden ugliness...

At the carriage, the prince extended his hand. The sunlight reflected off the green dragon coiled around it. To the prince, dragons seemed like mere lizards. It was made of metal, but it was extremely shiny. The scales were crafted with precision,

making the soldiers feel as if they were truly moving. When the air struck the dragon, a terrifying roar echoed! This dragon was the symbol of Ji. He took the paper and brush, saying calmly, "Leave now."

General Fang Bai nodded before bowing and disappearing among the hundreds of soldiers. A strong voice spread, but within it was a warning, "Say it, Zhang Yu, what do you want as a guarantee of my words?"