The Emperor’s Treachery and an Abyssal Summons

Though his personal involvement seemed to have concluded (for the most part), Bai Chen was still compelled to attend the martial arts competition. He stood to the side, his gaze fixed on the soaring figures in the arena’s center, observing the vanquished plunge into an enigmatic abyss and the triumphant emerge, their steps heavy with effort.

Everything felt strangely detached, as if unfolding beyond his sphere. For days, Bai Chen’s thoughts had been consumed by King Qing’s revelations, wrestling with how to address them. Each time his mind wandered to the subject, a deep furrow would appear between his handsome brows.

Silently, he witnessed the Kings around him dwindle, one after another. Bai Chen was neither a coward nor a man of great pity; the deaths or injuries of others held no sway over him. Save for… that one person… In his mind’s eye, he saw someone with hair and eyes the same shade as his own, a kindred spirit in personality and preference.

King Qing had been closely observing Bai Chen’s every movement and expression. Though Bai Chen made no superfluous gestures, his face perfectly betrayed his inner turmoil. ‘He truly cares, doesn’t he?’ Qing mused. ‘Yet, rather than dwelling on that, he would be better served by assessing his current predicament. His Majesty must surely view him as a thorn in his side now. Achievements that eclipse one’s sovereign are, without doubt, the most perilous.’

Bai Qiao restlessly paced the courtyard, having walked countless circles. Since her arrival, aside from the daily task of transcribing military texts, she hadn’t encountered any other form of written word. She, who had once loathed studying and reading, now found herself longing for the days of diligent learning, preferring it to this endless idleness.

‘I had always believed that a girl like me, who carried herself with such a masculine disposition, wouldn’t be prone to emotional fluctuations. Yet now, I realize how deeply I miss my parents, who always kept me in line, and even my subordinates… I even find myself yearning for those I once fought. What could be more agonizing than this constant idleness?’

****

Bai Chen, his mind still adrift, remained rooted to the spot. ‘How desperately I wish to return! Will this tedious competition never conclude?!’ he thought.

“The final match! King Chi is victorious!”

‘The final match?’ Bai Chen jolted awake. ‘It’s finally over?’ A thought immediately surfaced: ‘Surely this isn’t merely a simple martial arts competition, is it? No, that’s impossible. His Majesty is far from a pedant; he wouldn’t summon all the Kings here so urgently. Such an act would undoubtedly alienate the very people he governs, especially when all those gathered are Kings themselves…’

“King Bai and King Qing, might you stay for a word?”

The voice held an indescribable gentleness, yet it was laced with an unyielding, undeniable authority that made Bai Chen’s form, already halfway out the palace doors, tremble. ‘At a time like this,’ he thought, ‘even an outsider would grasp the truth: all Kings who posed a threat to His Majesty’s sovereignty would vanish in the wake of this competition. What a lamentable fate for King Hong and King Hei, those innocent victims. King Zi, too, was likely slated for elimination, but King Chi had surprisingly defeated him prematurely.’

Once all the other Kings had withdrawn, Bai Chen and King Qing slowly approached His Majesty’s throne, kneeling on one knee as was customary.

“Your Majesty, do you have any further commands?”

“Heh… You two Kings have served me faithfully for a considerable time, and for that, I am deeply grateful.”

Upon hearing these words, both men involuntarily shivered. ‘Served for a long time?’ they silently echoed. ‘Does that imply it’s time for us to be eliminated?’ Though their minds raced with this chilling realization, they maintained a respectful tone as they spoke:

“Your Majesty is too kind. It is our utmost honor to serve you. We humbly inquire if Your Majesty still wishes for us to continue our loyal and unwavering service?”

Upon hearing this, a flicker of appreciation passed through His Majesty’s eyes. ‘Truly worthy of King Bai,’ he mused. ‘With a single sentence, he conveyed layers of meaning, preemptively blocking my path while simultaneously affirming his unwavering loyalty. Such a man… perhaps it would be best to eliminate him. Though he poses no immediate threat, should he ever harbor rebellious intentions, he would prove the most formidable obstacle to overcome.’

A smile played upon His Majesty’s lips as the thought solidified.

“Of course, it is indeed my good fortune to have such loyal Kings as yourselves to aid me. However, those Kings who fell earlier were also valuable assistants. I wonder if you would be able to help me retrieve them?”

Bai Chen visibly froze, a sudden realization dawning on him. ‘So this was his true objective,’ he thought, ‘to sacrifice the lives of other Kings to conceal his own insidious machinations?’

Swish!

Before he could fully react, he was abruptly sucked into a colossal black hole that had materialized beneath him. His right hand instinctively shot upwards, his gaze fixed on the diminishing speck of light above as the outside world seemed to recede further and further. ‘Can I… still go back?’ he wondered.

Soon, not a single glimmer of light remained; only oppressive darkness enveloped him. ‘No… I… I must return… Qiao… wait for me…’ he pleaded silently.

****