Victory comes not from the absence of doubt, but from the decision to act despite it. The greatest warriors I have known were not those who felt no fear, but those who trembled and fought anyway.
—Master Wu Zhi, Commander of Ten Thousand
The defensive barrier wasn’t going to hold, even with her supporting Mei Chen. She squeezed the other girl’s hand and decided they had to retreat. "Everyone off the wall—now!"
The remaining guards screamed as blood spears tore through their ranks up and down the length of the wall. Bodies tumbled from the battlements, leaving crimson trails against the stone. Zhang Huo and the Li brothers sprinted toward the stairs.
Mei Chen maintained a protective frost barrier around their retreat. It was the only thing protecting them so...
Xiulan picked up Mei Chen and slung her over her shoulder, eliciting a startled yelp. Their qi connection wavered but it managed to hold while they worked on two different things at once.
Metal screeched against stone as the enemy cultivators breached the gate. Their boots thundered across the wall-walk, claiming Blackmere’s defenses. Xiulan jumped off the wall, Severing Light in her free hand humming with accumulated spiritual energy.
"Miss Lin!" Liu Bao emerged from an alley, leading a contingent of city guards. His armor bore fresh dents and scorches.
A hail of arrows whizzed overhead. Mei Chen’s frost shield expanded, catching the projectiles with crystalline chimes. The ice grew thicker as more volleys peppered their position.
"Form up!" Wu Yan charged into view, her fire sword blazing with crimson energy. "Push them back!"
Liu Bao raised his sword. "For Blackmere!"
The mortal army inside the city walls surged forward. Hundreds of crossbow bolts filled the air and the city’s siege engines unleashed their fury. Stone and metal projectiles arced toward the gate.
Two enemy cultivators disappeared in explosions of gore and masonry and the gate collapsed as trebuchet shots demolished it’s support.
Lord Chao’s remaining forces responded with devastating spiritual attacks. Waves of elemental energy obliterated the mortal soldiers despite scattered defensive talismans flaring to life. Bodies flew apart as qi-enhanced explosions ripped through their formations.
Liu Bao vanished in a blast that painted the cobblestones red. Xiulan clenched her jaw until pain shot through her temples.
Enemy cultivators swarmed over the gate’s rubble like ants from a broken hill. Xiulan counted at least fifteen more emerging through the dust and debris.
She shifted Mei Chen’s weight against her shoulder. The frost shield flickered as Mei Chen strained to maintain protection while being carried.
Stand here. Fight. Die gloriously defending the city.
The thought tasted like ash in her mouth. All those lorebook stories from Phoenix Kingdom Chronicles flooded back—tales of heroic last stands, of noble sacrifices that saved kingdoms and earned eternal glory.
A bitter laugh escaped her throat. She’d charged into this defense thinking victory awaited, imagining accolades and revenge served cold to House Chao. Dreaming of everyone praising the brave defenders who’d held the line.
Had all of it had been to serve her stupid pride and arrogance?
Xiulan watched another wave of soldiers dissolve under a barrage of spiritual attacks. The screams of the dying echoed off blood-stained walls. The stench of burnt flesh and spilled viscera filled her nose.
This wasn’t about honor or heroism. She’d fought to protect what belonged to her—her family, her friend, her future. The fantasy of righteous victory crumbled like the city walls.
How disgustingly naive.
Xiulan stared at the carnage. The blood-soaked streets mocked her.
She’d pulled everyone into this nightmare and got them killed—Ming Lihua, Wei Kang, the loyal soldiers who still fought. Yang Mei lost her leg defending a position Xiulan had assigned. The bloody banquet where she had pushed forward a massacre in her rage—all dead by her own hands.
She could have fled. Avoided playing the court games. Ren Chun’s accusatory words rang in her head—her black karma demanded payment in spades.
The truth stabbed deeper than any blade. She had not wanted any of this. All she wanted was to save Mei Chen. To protect what remained of her family.
She should have grabbed Mother, Zhang Wei, and Mei Chen, then vanished to the kingdom’s furthest reaches where their enemies couldn’t follow before things had slid down a path she couldn’t break free from.
But no. Her arrogance whispered they could overcome anything. Now the consequences of that hubris lay scattered across Blackmere’s streets.
Zhang Huo’s fingers dug into her shoulder. He shook her roughly. "Miss Lin! Your orders?"
The Li brothers exchanged a critical glance with Zhang Huo. Their faces hardened as they watched her freeze beneath the weight of her failures.
"It looks like I showed up just in time."
Xiulan’s head snapped toward the familiar voice. A robed figure leapt from the rooftop, landing gracefully beside their group. Relief flooded through her chest at the sight of Feng Yu.
The black turquoise robe with gold trim—the same one they’d purchased from Ming—draped elegantly around her martial sister’s frame. Golden pins secured her sandy hair beneath an ornate headdress that caught the light of nearby fires. The red sash at her waist bore battle scars, yet silver threads wove through the singed fabric turning them into badges of honor. Her saber hung ready at her hip, and those striking amber eyes blazed with determination.
"Why such a devastated look?" Feng Yu stepped forward. "Feng Yu has joined the fray!"
Enemy projectiles pinged against Mei Chen’s frost shield in rapid succession. Screams and explosions continued to echo through the streets. But Xiulan barely registered the chaos. Her focus remained fixed on Feng Yu’s presence, drinking in the sight of her friend like a lifeline thrown into drowning waters.
She came back. She actually came back.
Zhang Huo stepped forward. "Who exactly are you?"
Feng Yu raised an elegant eyebrow. "Did I stutter? I’m Feng Yu!" She spread her arms wide, gold-trimmed sleeves catching the firelight. "Remember that name—I’m here to save my martial sister and this city!"
"How can one girl stop that—" Zhang Huo gestured toward the breach where enemy cultivators poured through.
"Did you bring reinforcements?" Xiulan cut him off. "House Min’s support?"
"Ah..." Feng Yu scratched her cheek. "Those nobles drowned everything in endless debates and politics. I grew tired of their glacial pace and ran ahead."
The spark of hope in Xiulan’s chest sputtered and died. Despite Feng Yu’s impressive cultivation, they faced an overwhelming force. "We’ve already lost. We need to—"
"Did you hit your head?" Feng Yu stepped closer, amber eyes blazing. "Mei Chen still breathes! Yes, the walls suffered damage, but this night isn’t lost!"
Xiulan’s shoulders slumped. "Ming Lihua died defending the gate. We’re outnumbered by at least twenty more cultivators, and we’ve lost four defenders already." She gripped Severing Light tighter. "Another dozen went after Ren Chun and the manor."
"That monkey?" Feng Yu snorted. "He’ll carve through them like paper. Your family remains safe." She patted Xiulan’s shoulder. "I’m sorry for Ming and the others, maybe they were just injured and we can rescue them later."
Feng Yu looked out at the forming enemy cultivators at the gate. "We must act now to save Blackmere."
A bitter laugh escaped Xiulan’s throat. "Ha! But how?"
Xiulan watched as Feng Yu reached into her robe pocket.
"Remember our adventure at the lake?" Feng Yu revealed a translucent white egg that pulsed with spiritual energy. "Since you helped me claim this treasure, you deserve to see what it truly is."
Xiulan’s breath caught. She had suspected something like this, when Master Yan had presented Feng Yu with a prismatic beast orb, but seeing it...
It was the ancient dawn serpent’s egg! It pulsed with intense spiritual energy.
Feng Yu produced the prismatic beast orb in her other hand. Crimson flames erupted from her palm, engulfing the orb in scarlet light. She pressed the flaming orb against the egg’s surface. The crystalline shell absorbed the sphere, transforming from white to a deep reddish gold. The egg trembled and rocked in her grip.
Golden light burst through spreading cracks. Shell fragments scattered as a miniature serpentine form emerged—a replica of the ancient dawn serpent they’d faced, but small enough to coil around Feng Yu’s arm.
The ancient serpent hadn’t unleashed its full power to destroy them because it recognized its own offspring was in Feng Yu’s possession.
The baby fire serpent drifted upward into the air, trailing wisps of golden flame. Feng Yu reached out and cradled it close to her face. Their eyes locked. She opened her mouth, releasing a stream of spiritual energy that the serpent eagerly absorbed.
Feng Yu lifted the creature skyward. It shot into rapid circles, filling the air with excited hisses and sparks.
"I name you Liuhuo!" Feng Yu’s declaration rang with pride. "Flowing Fire!"
The crystalline barrier around them flickered as Mei Chen sagged against Xiulan’s shoulder. Sweat beaded on her pale forehead from maintaining the protective shield. The qi flow from their connection was still normal, but maintaining the defensive technique was mentally draining and... spirits had mental drain, too?
"We don’t have time for this!" Xiulan adjusted her grip on Severing Light while supporting Mei Chen’s weight.
Zhang Huo lowered his bow and pointed at the tiny serpent. "How will that save us? It’s barely bigger than a garden snake!"
"Have some respect!" Feng Yu planted her hands on her hips. "This is the offspring of an ancient beast. Its cultivation already surpasses all of ours combined!"
A squeak of pain erupted from Feng Yu as Liuhuo’s tiny fangs sank into her finger. She shook her hand frantically.
"I know you just woke up!" Feng Yu glared at the serpentine creature. "But can’t you stop the enemy and save the city? I need to impress my martial sister and be a hero!"
A bone-rattling hiss shook the city. Xiulan stumbled as the ground trembled beneath her feet. Above, Liuhuo’s massive golden form wrapped around the spiritual tiger. His fangs clamped onto the beast’s ethereal throat. The serpent’s coils constricted, crushing the tiger’s form as they plummeted toward the earth.
The impact demolished half the city wall. Stone and mortar exploded outward in a devastating wave. Dust clouds billowed skyward against the lightening sky while the two massive creatures rolled through the rubble in their death struggle.
Movement caught Xiulan’s eye—Mei Chen plummeted from above. Xiulan lunged forward and caught her friend before she hit the ground. The impact drove her to one knee.
"Mei Chen!"
Blue light pulsed from the previous wound in Mei Chen’s chest. Cracks spread across her torso like spiderwebs in glass. Each labored breath caused the fractures to spread further.
Tears streamed down Mei Chen’s face. "It hurts."
Xiulan pulled out the object repair talisman Ming had given her. The paper crinkled between her fingers as she remembered Ming’s warning—the talisman wouldn’t work while Mei Chen remained bound to her physical form. She stared at the useless slip of paper while Mei Chen’s breathing grew more ragged.
"Come back out!" Xiulan brushed Mei Chen’s cold cheek.
"Yes, Miss." Mei Chen’s eyes dulled. Her jaw slackened and a luminous blue orb drifted from her parted lips. The spirit darted upward and settled onto Xiulan’s forehead with a cool tingle.
Xiulan pulled out the repair talisman and pressed it against Mei Chen’s fractured chest. The paper crumbled to ash as spiritual energy knitted the cracks together—though jagged seams remained visible beneath the torn robes.
Through the settling dust, two soldiers stumbled past, their faces blackened with soot. Xiulan gestured toward them. "You two! Come here!"
They snapped to attention and hustled over, boots crunching on scattered debris.
"I have a critical mission. Take this body to the Treasure Pavilion and ensure it remains undamaged. This is absolutely vital."
The soldiers exchanged uncertain glances but lifted Mei Chen’s limp form between them. Their footsteps faded as they carried her toward safety.
I can apologize to Master Qingfeng later.
Mei Chen swirled around Xiulan’s head with urgent intensity. We are falling behind!
Xiulan adjusted her grip on Severing Light and sprinted after her allies.
Ahead, Feng Yu’s form blazed with amber qi as she slammed through the array’s barrier. The impact sent ripples of golden light cascading across the dome’s surface.
At the same time, the massive ethereal tiger dissolved into motes of light as the twelve-point formation broke apart. Cultivators spread out in a deadly pattern, their weapons gleaming in the morning sun.
A swordsman darted forward, blade whistling through the air at Feng Yu. She pivoted smoothly, her saber meeting his sword in a shower of sparks. The clash of steel rang out as they exchanged lightning-fast strikes.
The Li brothers moved in perfect sync, intercepting two spearmen who charged toward Feng Yu’s flanks. Steel clashed against steel as they locked weapons.
"Rain of Fire!" Zhang Huo’s voice boomed across the battlefield. A dozen arrows erupted from his bow, each trailing streams of crimson qi. The remaining nine cultivators scattered, their half-formed techniques disrupted as they dodged the burning projectiles.
The protective dome above shattered with a thunderous crack. Crystalline shards rained down as they dissolved. Xiulan channeled qi into her legs and leaped. The wind whipped past as she arced through the air, Severing Light extended. Her feet touched down on the broken gate’s highest point, giving her a perfect view of the unfolding battle below.
The ground bucked beneath Xiulan’s feet. She shifted her stance wider, redistributing her weight as Liuhuo rose up with another thunderous hiss. The massive serpent’s golden scales caught the morning light as he launched skyward, his sinuous form casting a shadow over the enemy camp.
Panicked shouts erupted. Soldiers abandoned their posts, dropping weapons and shields as they fled. Siege engines stood forgotten, their wooden frames creaking in the morning breeze. The orderly military camp dissolved into chaos.
Two cultivators abandoned the enemy formation and darted away from the city walls—they apparently decided their contract wasn’t worth it any longer. Their qi signatures faded into the distance.
Xiulan drew a steadying breath. "We need to join the fight too, Mei Chen."
Yes, Miss! Mei Chen’s eager thought resonated through their connection. Cool energy flowed down Xiulan’s head and arm as Mei Chen’s essence merged with Severing Light. The weapon’s surface frosted over with delicate patterns.
Xiulan retrieved her final six iron darts, purchased what felt like ages ago at the Treasure Pavilion. She channeled yang qi into the metal, heating them until they glowed. The opposing energies created perfect balance—yin flooding Severing Light thanks to Mei Chen while yang suffused the darts.
Below, the enemy cultivators’ star formation began to break apart. Xiulan bent her knees and launched herself into the air.
She landed in a three-point stance at the formation’s heart. Seven cultivators pivoted toward her, their weapons gleaming with deadly intent. The morning sun cast shadows across their faces as they registered her presence.
She exploded into motion, sprinting left toward a burly cultivator. A yang-infused dart blazed golden as it left her fingers. The cultivator twisted aside, but Xiulan brought Severing Light down in an overhead strike. The weapon’s tip pierced the earth. Lightning erupted in a devastating circle, the discharge catching her target square in the chest. He flew backward, robes smoking.
All the elements flared behind her—earth, fire, water, metal, and wood energies converged in an uncoordinated barrage. Xiulan spun, sweeping Severing Light in a wide arc. Mei Chen’s essence flowed through the weapon, manifesting as a wall of crystalline fog. The freezing yin energy collided with the incoming techniques, negating them in a spectacular clash that exploded upward.
Xiulan maintained her momentum, pivoting into another swing that forced her opponents to guard themselves with qi barriers or special techniques. Her remaining yang darts sailed through the air in rapid succession, their golden light cutting through the mist. The cultivators raised their hands in unison, combining their qi to blast Mei Chen’s ice fog skyward.
The battlefield cleared for a perfect moment. Xiulan swung Severing Light in an overhead strike, slamming the blade into the ground again. Lightning arced horizontally from the impact point, splitting into a dozen deadly branches. The electricity found six targets, their bodies convulsing as the power surged through them. Only two remained standing.
The survivors charged forward—one wielding a curved sword that hummed with metal qi, the other gripping a steel-tipped spear wreathed in earth. Both had managed a defense against the electricity.
Amber light flashed as Feng Yu appeared beside Xiulan, her saber already swinging toward the spearman. The spearman shifted his stance to meet her charge.
While they squared off, the swordsman lunged at Xiulan. His curved blade wove intricate patterns through the air and each strike flowed seamlessly into the next. It forced her to backpedal. His technique far surpassed her own, but Severing Light’s reach kept him at bay.
But it wasn’t the type of fight she was good at. Playing his game was a losing tactic.
Steel rang against steel as Feng Yu hammered the spearman with brutal overhead strikes. Her saber blazed downward with crushing force, driving him to one knee. The impact shattered his weapon and sent him sprawling backward.
The swordsman paused as he gauged his companion’s impending death. Feng Yu’s saber flashed once, cleanly removing the spearman’s head from his shoulders. The distraction was what Xiulan wanted.
She raised Severing Light high, channeling qi into a devastating slash. Crystalline shards extended from the blade as Mei Chen’s essence amplified the strike’s reach. The swordsman dove aside, rolling to his feet. Metal shards erupted from his sleeve toward Xiulan.
The projectiles met a wall of ice needles mid-flight. Both shattered on impact, the fragments tinkling against stone. Ice grew from the dust and traveled across the ground, snaring the swordsman’s boot. He stumbled, losing his perfect stance.
Xiulan darted forward, driving Severing Light straight for his torso. His sword swept up to block, but frost spread instantly across the steel as the weapon’s collided. The ice crawled down his arm as he tried to wrench free. Within seconds, a crystalline coffin encased him completely.
The ice exploded inward, razor-sharp spikes piercing through flesh and bone. Blood misted the air before freezing solid.
Cool energy flowed up Severing Light as Mei Chen’s essence retreated, settling against Xiulan’s shoulder with a familiar tingle.
Moans echoed across the battlefield from the electrified cultivators. The acrid scent of ozone mixed with scorched cloth and flesh. Xiulan scanned the area. More than just two enemy cultivators had fled during the chaos, but ten of the thirteen that had formed the array were dead.
In the distance, Liuhuo’s massive form rolled through the enemy formations. Golden fire bombs rained from his body, exploding against siege equipment and scattering soldiers. Each detonation sent another wave of troops fleeing in terror. There was hardly anything left other than destroyed terrain.
Blackmere soldiers poured over the broken walls, boots crunching on debris as they searched for the dead. The Li brothers dragged stunned cultivators to a central point, binding them with thick vines. Zhang Huo followed behind, reinforcing the restraints with shimmering golden qi restraints.
Xiulan blinked at the scene. Had they actually—
We did it! We won! Mei Chen’s excited thoughts bubbled through their connection.
"We really did it!" Feng Yu slapped Xiulan’s shoulder with a bright laugh.
Yes! Mei Chen’s spiritual essence pulsed with joy.
Feng Yu leaned closer to the glowing blue orb hovering near Xiulan’s shoulder. "Mei... Chen?"
The spirit darted forward, landing on Feng Yu’s forehead. Yes! Hello Miss Feng!
Feng Yu’s eyes crossed as she tried to focus on the luminous sphere. "Is this... normal?"
Mei Chen swirled playfully through Feng Yu’s sandy brown hair before bouncing back to settle against Xiulan’s neck with the familiar cool tingle.
"Mei Chen’s body sustained damage." Xiulan brushed frost from her sleeve and then reached up and took Mei Chen into her palm. "You can maintain this spirit form temporarily, but you need to return and anchor yourself soon or risk weakening."
Yes, Miss. I understand. The blue orb pulsed softly.
"Honestly, I’ve never seen anything quite like—" Feng Yu stopped mid-sentence as a deep grinding sound rumbled through the rubble beneath their feet. Broken stones shifted and clattered. Xiulan stepped to maintain her balance, boots crunching on pulverized stone.
"Lord Chao escaped." Xiulan squinted at the distant tree line where qi signatures flickered and faded.
"Ha!" Feng Yu twirled her saber. "Let him run. We can hunt him down now!"
The ground trembled again. Liuhuo’s massive golden form slithered toward them. The serpent halted outside the destroyed gate and lowered his head. His massive jaws parted, releasing an avalanche of broken bodies and crushed horses that crashed to the ground in a grotesque heap.
Xiulan’s breath caught. Atop the mangled pile, a black-robed figure—the Whispering Shadows assassin—thrashed weakly. Beside him, Lord Chao struggled to free himself, his once-pristine robes now stained with dirt and blood as he fought to extract his legs from the gruesome tangle of bodies.
"Well!" Feng Yu grinned. "Looks like it will be easy!"