The moon cast a silvery light upon the Dragon Palace, providing Shi Jiu with just enough illumination to weave his way through the labyrinth of courtyards and halls. His heart pounded in his chest, adrenaline coursing through his veins as he drew closer to his target.
Despite his confidence after dispatching the poison detector dingshe, he wasn’t sure how if he was able to battle Shi Xue, something that left his heart in unease.
As Shi Jiu’s heart pounded like a drum, he was still determined to complete his mission. He took a deep breath and steeled himself, and in a single fluid motion, unsheathed his sword.
The wind whispered into his ears, carrying the sounds of chaos and fear in the background. It filled him with delight, something he wasn’t confident in sharing with his master.
Ever since his body was littered with scars. Shi Jiu had changed. He’d become despotic, frustrated, bitter…but mostly hateful.
He hated everything about the Imperial Family. And would be sure to let the world know after he desecrated the corpse of the emperor’s son!
The prince’s courtyard appeared in sight and Shi Jiu’s anger roiled. He took deep breath, calming himself. He couldn’t afford to alert the other dingshe’s he just needed Shi Xue’s attention.
He swirled the Qi within his Core Dantian and kicked off the air. The stewards, attendants and staff personal of the Palace were too occupied to notice his ascent into the air.
Shi Jiu scaled the prince’s courtyard walls and landed with a crouch, sword in hand and hate in his heart! The vibrant colours of the lush gardens seemed muted beneath the moonless sky and Shi Jiu.
As he stood there, his ears pricked at the sound of rustling leaves. Then, He narrowed his eyes, realising he’d been spotted by the ten imperial guards stationed throughout the courtyard. Five guards were stationed around the residence itself whilst the remaining five were standing in the garden with him.
In that very second of frozen time, the air within the courtyard grew tense instantly, the scent of sweat and anticipation hung heavy. Qi swirled around the garden like a hurricane, as their eyes glinted with ferocity. The menacing presence that exhumed from them could squash a bug instantly.
But not Shi Jiu.
As he heightened his senses, swirling the Qi within his Soul, Core and Mind Dantian. He took one step forward and surged his Qi through his fifteen open Dantians.
Shi Jiu beamed like light in the darkness, surrounded by the Imperial Guards. He spread his legs entering the Stars of Heaven, the second stance of the Heavenly Star Sword Style.
As his Qi steadied, he centred himself, watching the dantians of the five men charging at him. I can’t muster the right amount to kill them in one fell swoop, Shi Jiu thought. Fine…I’ll kill them slowly.
The guards appeared in front of Shi Jiu, Qi surging venomously. With a quickened heartbeat he evaded the first guard’s strike with a graceful pivot, then countered with a quick slash across the shoulder, forcing him to collapse on the ground, maimed.
As the other four guards retreated, Shi Jiu’s sensed the guards who were protecting the residence began to to move.
The subtle additional footsteps, began to roil up his legs, vibrating from the ground. They’re trying to encircle me, He mused.
As a faint flicker of light pulsed on the weapons of the imperial guards. He slowed his breath, keeping it controlled and steady, and his focus unwavering.
He feinted left, but spun right, leaving his sword outstretched as a silvery blur of moonlight met another guard’s attack.
The metal sang as Shi Jiu and the four guards battled each other, blades cutting through the air, shimmering with such deadly grace.
As their weapons continued to clash, sparks flew like fireflies in the night. Shi Jiu side stepped a guard, leaving himself exposed to his left.
A guard rushed in, but only caught the tip of Shi Jiu’s sword as he whipped it around his body in arch-like slash, falling him in one motion.
As the remaining three guards rushed, it was clear they were no match for Shi Jiu’s skill, speed and temperament. His sword flowed effortlessly, like water as he struck down another guard.
The scent of blood began to mingle with the fragrant garden air. The once tranquil courtyard transformed into a battlefield, the sounds of metal clashing and the cries of the fallen guards filling the night.
With the guards of the garden dead, only five more were left until the little prince head would’ve been sent flying.
As Shi Jiu prepared to confront the remaining five imperial guards, he sensed something different in their approach. Their movements were more coordinated and deliberate, their Qi harmoniously synced as they formed a tight formation.
The two attackers lunged at Shi Jiu simultaneously, their weapons streaking through the air with deadly accuracy.
The attack forced him to deflect and block at the same time, but Shi Jiu used the momentum of their strikes to weave around them gracefully.
As his sword sheened with Qi, he appeared in front of one with, sword arching over his head, but most importantly…ready to kill.
Three defenders appeared in swords and spears brandished. The trio blocked Shi Jiu’s attack and spun violently trying to bring Shi Jiu down with their kicks.
They succeeded, in forcing him to retreat. Not willing to lose this opportunity, the other imperial guard, appeared behind Shi Jiu slashing his blade in upward motion.
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Shi Jiu appeared behind him in flash, using a majority of Qi swirling in his Core Dantian. He brought his sword down again, but was met with the trio of imperial guards once more. This…formation…I know it. Shi Jiu huffed internally. “The Iron Dragon Teeth Formation!” He growled.
The imperial guards didn’t speak, but Shi Jiu could tell they were communicating with their Qi.
The two attackers began applying pressure, whilst the three imperial guards countered every move Shi Jiu attempt to take them out. So much so, frustration began creeping into his mind.
The two forces battled for a few moments, which seemed like an eternity to anyone who’d be looking on, thankfully no one was there.
The flawless coordination of the Imperial Guards conducted was done with lethal precision, forcing Shi Jiu on the back foot many times.
Shi Jiu knew he had to adapt his strategy to break the formation. He couldn’t rely on brute force to dismantle their well-orchestrated defence.
As his mind raced, analysing the movements and positions of the guards as they advanced towards him. Then, they made a fatal mistake.
Shi Jiu sense a fluttering lapse in their Qi synchronization when the attackers fell back after attack, leaving the defensive trio to cover their mistake. Of course…this attack was meant for three…not two.
Shi Jiu leaped into the air, his sword dancing like a whirlwind. He darted between the guards, using the lapse in their Qi synchronization and sliced through the defences of the attackers with swift, calculated slashes.
The imperial guards scrambled to regroup, but Shi Jiu’s relentless assault gave them no respite. He knew that breaking the formation was key to his victory, so he continued to exploit the vulnerabilities he’d created in their defence.
As one of the attackers fell, from a stab to the gut. The formation crumbled, leaving the remaining guards exposed and vulnerable.
A smile flashed across Shi Jiu face, then he pressed his advantage, his sword a river of moonlight as it flowed from one target to the next. With four Imperial guards remaining, confidence began to soar higher than the moon.
As the adrenaline coursed through his veins, a guard lunged at Shi Jiu with a savage snarl, sword slicing through the air with deceptive speed.
Shi Jiu’s ears registered the whistle of the blade as it neared him, and he pivoted gracefully to his left, narrowly avoiding the strike. In a single fluid motion, Shi Jiu countered, his sword flicking out like a viper’s tongue to strike the guard’s exposed wrist acupoint.
A cry of pain and shock escaped the guard’s lips as his weapon clattered to the ground, his arm suddenly numb and useless. He half-spun, poking holes in the guard’s chest, forcing blood to seep out.
He kicked off the ground, floating eight meters over a hedge, guarding himself from the three remaining guards. Another guard tried to catch him off guard, hoping exploit Shi Jiu’s momentary vulnerability. But Shi Jiu was ready, the sensation of the wind on his skin alerting him to the incoming attack.
He feinted to his right, drawing the guard’s attention before spinning back to his left and sweeping his sword low. The tip of his blade struck the second guard’s ankle acupoint, causing the man’s leg to buckle beneath him as he crumpled to the ground.
Shi Jiu stabbed in him the neck, hitting his carotid artery, then sliced his head free in one motion, as he raised his sword in arc, to block the newly enraged guards.
“YOU BASTARD,” One of the moaned.
“My parents were married you ingrate! I’m no bastard!” Shi Jiu spat back.
The remaining pair attacked in unison, hoping to overwhelm Shi Jiu with their combined strength. Their swords shimmered in the dim moonlight, the clang of metal-on-metal ringing as Shi Jiu parried their strikes. He danced between their blades, sensing an opening in one of their defences.
He surged forward, his sword flashing like lightning as he aimed for the guard's shoulder acupoint. A guard tried to twist away, but Shi Jiu’s flicked his sword up at an unusual angle, slicing the guard under his armpit, he then spun violently, severing his arm from his shoulder, then kicked him to the ground. “That’s for calling me a bastard!”
The final guard’s eyes widened in fear as he realized he was the last man standing against Shi Jiu’s relentless assault.
Shi Jiu trailed left, slicing the neck of the imperial that was on the ground mopping, then turned back to him. “That’s for making me tired!”
The guard huffed, his breath was ragged, and beads of sweat trickling down his face. The salty scent mingled with the coppery smell of blood in the air.
He gripped his spear so tight; the wood began to creak aloud under the pressure.
Shi Jiu circled the guard, sensing his desperate rhythm of his heartbeat. With a sudden burst of speed, Shi Jiu closed the distance, and the two warriors clashed in a blur of steel and fury.
The guard fought with the ferocity of a cornered animal, waving his spear at every turn but Shi Jiu was relentless, venomous even. His sword, a tempest of silver as he sought out the guard's weaknesses.
The guard made a desperate lunge, ploughing his sword toward Shi Jiu’s head.
He dodged the thrust by tilting to the side. Shi Jiu surged Qi through his arm, channelling it into his sword.
Like a whisper in the night, he sidestepped the attack and deftly struck the acupoint on the guard's neck.
The man crumpled to the ground, his spear slipping from his fingertips.
As the spear thudded to the ground, Shi Jiu whipped his blade in an upward motion, slashing him across the back and decapitated him in fluid motion.
As he stood there, Shi Jiu surveyed the carnage around him, the sound of battle dissipated completely, replaced by oppressive silence.
He’d decimated the ten imperial guards with calculated precision. He’d struck their acupoints with unerring accuracy.
That wasn’t usual his style for fighting, but with the formation becoming troublesome, he had to be crafty.
A trait he despised, as that was Shi Xue’s way of fighting.
He turned, looking at the carnage once again and shook his head. “Am I strong? Or has the quality of the Imperial Guards fallen? Humph…doesn’t matter.”
The air was heavy with the scent of blood, with grim resolve, he turned away from the fallen and ascended the staircase leading to the youngest prince’s residence.
As he moved through the luxurious chambers, his footsteps echoed through the study, dining room, and other opulent spaces befitting a prince’s residence.
The rooms were eerily silent, a stark contrast to the chaos and bloodshed outside.
Shi Jiu arrived at the bedroom, for a second, he hesitated, sensing someone in the room, but their Dantian wasn’t open.
He opened the door, fully expecting it to be empty and it. Shi Jiu was shocked to find the prince sleeping soundly in his bed, as if the world outside did not exist.
Baffled, he approached the bed, his sword poised to strike. He stabbed the body once, twice, three times, and blood began to seep into the fine silken sheets.
Shi Jiu’s expression turned grim as he stood the young Prince’s body. He pulled the carcass over and began carving the prince’s face, feeling elation roil through his body.
A faint tingle washed across his neck, making his hair stand, an ominous sensation rumbled behind him, making him question it. He turned around, gnashing his teeth the moment he saw Shi Xue standing behind him.
As Shi Jiu’s anger roiled within, he stared into abyss of Shi Xue’s cold calculated eyes. Then his eyes drifting down to the muted, mundane gardener robes he wore. His hands were mudded, yet, he still held his sword with conviction in his left hand. The boots he wore were brown and meshed with dozens of grass blades, making him truly seem meek.
A fitting disguise for a bastard such as this. “Shi Liu said you were a steward,”
“That was my role yesterday…” He said calmly.
“Bastard.”
As Shi Jiu’s heart pounded in his chest, he tried to lunge at his Shi Xue, but his body refused to move. His eyes drifted to Shi Xue’s bloodied sword, then a chill crept up his spine.
Shi Jiu’s vision began to blur and his body began to slump. He tried to raise his arms but his body just wouldn’t respond!
His head tilted to the side, then with his last breath escaping his lips. Darkness claimed him, leaving him lifeless and headless flailing to the cold palace floor.