The Fallen King and a Sudden Awakening

Bai Chen and Qing stood back to back, silently listening to the slowly approaching footsteps. To his surprise, Bai Chen felt his heart quicken in his chest. He had never experienced such a feeling before, a profound sense of fear. ‘This is… the first time I’ve ever felt like this,’ Bai Chen thought, momentarily stunned.

Perceiving Bai Chen’s unusual discomfort, Qing offered a faint smile. “The atmosphere here exerts a pressure that could shatter one’s spirit,” he remarked. “Protect your heart, regulate your breathing, and simply maintain unwavering focus.”

Bai Chen offered no reply. Despite his disdain for being lectured by Qing, he nevertheless took a deep breath, consciously regulating his breathing as instructed. His gaze sharpened, fixating on the erratic, slowly approaching footsteps ahead—a clear indication of a clouded mind. Beneath his cloak, Bai Chen covertly clenched his fists.

“Swish!”

Bai Chen flinched, then realized it was Qing who had conjured the light. In the pervasive gloom, a cyan flame danced between his thumb and forefinger. ‘To ignite a cyan flame in this profound darkness? Isn’t that just cultivating an even more unsettling ambiance?’ he mused inwardly.

After a quick, silent grumble, Bai Chen’s gaze returned to the front. However, the scene was now entirely different. With this meager light, Bai Chen, whose vision was already keen, could finally discern the figure before them…

It was Purple King, a figure legendary for the regal purple aura that enveloped him. The color purple, the very essence of nobility, had always found its perfect embodiment in him. His was an absolutely kingly demeanor, one that instilled in all who beheld him an irresistible urge to bow in reverence. Bai Chen had witnessed it before; even with his own formidable presence, he had been profoundly awed by the innate majesty Purple King exuded. This was truly the bearing of a monarch.

Yet, the Purple King standing before them now was utterly devoid of that former grandeur. Only tattered garments hung loosely upon his frame, which was marred by wounds and grime, presenting a picture of abject wretchedness. Most notably, his once awe-inspiring eyes had long since lost their vibrant spark. Unfocused and vacant, they were fixed upon Bai Chen, causing an involuntary shiver to run down his spine, though he quickly suppressed it.

With a subtle tremor of his hand, a sword shimmering with brilliant white light materialized in the inky blackness, dazzling beyond measure. Purple King’s vacant gaze was drawn to this radiant glow; his unfocused eyes, illuminated by the stark white, took on an unsettling, almost spectral quality.

“Whoosh!”

A sound tore through the air as Purple King’s tattered cloak billowed behind him, propelled by his sudden, fierce lunge. All vestiges of his former calm and reason had vanished; he was a pure force of unbridled aggression. Bai Chen instinctively raised his arm to parry the attack, a quick glance sideways revealing that Qing was already deep in combat.

No longer allowing himself to be distracted, Bai Chen fixed his gaze firmly on Purple King. The blade in his hand remained visible; he saw no point in rendering it intangible, convinced that Purple King, in his current state, would be unable to perceive its direction anyway.

Swish!

The Purple King abruptly vanished from Bai Chen’s sight, leaving him momentarily stunned. ‘He can still utilize internal energy in this condition? Shouldn’t he be nothing more than a frenzied combatant?’ Sensing a surge of internal energy behind him, Bai Chen swiftly brought his sword to block.

“Clang!”

The resounding clash of cold steel confirmed his suspicion: Purple King, in this deranged state, made no attempt whatsoever to conceal his internal energy. Bai Chen swung his blade back, carving a brutal arc. Pfft! Blood erupted, and a hideous gash tore across Purple King’s chest.

Already weakened, Purple King immediately crumpled to the ground, desperately clutching his chest, his head bowed low, his body trembling perceptibly. Bai Chen raised his sword high, then brought it down with lethal intent.

“?”

Bai Chen cast an irritated glance at Qing, who had clamped a firm grip on his arm. “What exactly are you doing?”

“He hasn’t completely lost his mind yet,” Qing explained. “He didn’t descend here long before us. Your recent attack has already roused him significantly. There’s no need to kill him.”

Bai Chen regarded Qing with a subtle, veiled expression, slowly lowering his hand, though the murderous glint in his eyes remained undiminished. “Do not presume this is me making concessions to you!”

Qing merely offered a slight shrug. ‘Bai Chen… he truly is the most challenging character. But if it were for *that* person… would you still be so unyielding?’

****

At that very moment, Bai Qiao slowly stirred from her deep slumber. Her eyes fluttered open, taking in the opulent surroundings, the luxurious appointments that felt even grander than Bai Chen’s own royal manor. Bai Qiao instantly understood her location.

“Click!”

A sound echoed from the doorway. Just as she expected, His Majesty stood framed there, his back to the light. He presented an imposing, towering silhouette, yet it failed to conceal his inherently captivating, almost alluring features…