A stunned silence fell over the garden. The sheer force and brutality the masked man had shown left everyone speechless.
Blood from the burly man's violent end spread across the field but stopped before reaching the main seats. A faint energy barrier shimmered there, protecting the honored guests.
The barriers, created by the Duke's ascendants, made the masked man's actions unnecessary. Yet, he had chosen to act, sending a clear message about the consequences of threatening Princess Ling.
With calm, steady steps, the masked man returned to his place beside the Princess. His expression didn't change, a blank mask of duty and focus.
To him, the execution was just another task, done with the same detachment as if he were simply handling a minor errand.
The guests, who had been looking forward to an evening of entertainment, were now faced with the harsh reality of power. The festive mood faded, replaced by tension and the metallic scent of fresh blood hanging in the air.
Princess Ling, covering her nose against the smell, broke the silence.
"Excuse his rudeness, Duke," she said, her tone calm yet apologetic. "When it comes to my safety, he tends to get overly aggressive."
Duke Red, still composed, responded with a reassuring smile. "No, it was a fitting response. How could I be upset? I should be the one apologizing for exposing the Princess to such an unpleasant scene."
She nodded slightly, accepting his words.
"Then we shall rest for today, Duke," she said, standing gracefully from her seat. Despite the dramatic events, she remained composed and dignified.
As she began to leave, her eyes caught Zhao Shi, who had returned to his place beside Spark. Something about him grabbed her attention.
"Have we met before?" she asked, narrowing her gaze at Zhao Shi. "You don't seem like a local."
Zhao Shi bowed respectfully. "Perhaps, Princess. It may be because we share the same homeland."
Princess Ling's curiosity grew. "Are you from Yan?"
"Yes, Princess," Zhao Shi confirmed with another respectful nod.
"What brings someone from Yan here?" she asked, clearly intrigued.
The thought of their fate being in one man's hands sent a shiver through her.
"Does Princess believe the rumors?" he asked, curious.
"If not for what my father told me, I wouldn't believe them at all," she admitted. Her father's words held weight, and she recalled the chilling story he shared.
During a fierce war between the Jul Empire and a coalition of five empires, the battle had reached a breaking point. The coalition had breached the final defenses, and the Jul Empire's fall seemed certain.
Amidst the chaos, a single figure appeared in the sky, watching over the battlefield.
At first, few noticed him, but soon, his presence became impossible to ignore. With a casual motion, he raised his hand, and the sky seemed to tear open.
To everyone's shock, an entire planet appeared above them, descending as if to crush the world.
Panic took over the soldiers. Weapons clattered as they fell to their knees, paralyzed by the sight. Even the powerful ascendants, experienced warriors, stood frozen in terror, unable to grasp the power before them.
The heat from the descending planet grew unbearable, promising destruction. Cries of despair filled the air as soldiers knelt, accepting their fate.
Yet, in the blink of an eye, the planet vanished as if it had never been.
Relief washed over the soldiers, but fear still gripped them. The man hovered above, his power undeniable.
No one dared to move forward.
The coalition forces, unable to understand what they had seen, retreated in full. That day remained in their memories as a reminder of power beyond reason.
"I still don't fully believe it," she added, lost in thought. "It could have been an illusion."
She knew high-level arcane ascendants could create massive illusions, and this seemed the most likely explanation to her.
If such an event had truly happened, people across the empire would have seen it. But only those on the front lines had witnessed the falling planet.
This oddness led her to believe it was probably a grand illusion, a display of arcane mastery rather than reality.