Chapter 1: Prologue: Ai Ze

A young mother and her child sat fast asleep in a horse-drawn carriage. The night was silent, and the soft footsteps of guards accompanied the carriage, unaware of the figures within the shadows that peek through the occasional openings of their heavy curtains.

    Awoken by a flash of light, the horses neigh in surprise and their ride comes to a sudden halt.

    "Sir! Why did you stop the carriage?!" 

    "Sorry Mistress! There's, uh, someone lying on the road."

    "What? Isn't it almost 12? Who would be out on the road at this time?"

    "Perhaps it's a beggar or a drunkard. Either way, I'll ask one of the guards to wake him up. Don't fret Mistress." 

    "Beggars out here at this time? That's almost unheard of. Oh well. Put the man aside the road, then we can move on."

    "Yes, Mistress."

    Two guards cautiously walked over to the unconscious man. They hurriedly covered their noses in preparation for the heavy scent of alcohol, but the man emits no odor at all. He didn't look like a beggar either. Although his clothes were dirty from laying on the ground, his attire was nonetheless formidable and he looked like an honest scholar. The two guards looked curiously at each other. What exactly was this man doing out here?

    The man began to stir awake. He talked groggily and unclearly, and the guards were even more confused. 

    "Young Master? Do you know where you are?"

    "Ahhhhh? Who- who are you? What are you doing?" The man's hair was disheveled and his eyes were unclear. He waved his hands around in the dark, trying to find the voices speaking to him. 

    "Young Master, we are nothing but guards following a carriage. If you have nothing you need, please straighten yourself up, you are blocking the road." 

    The man looked around in the dark. He blinked, trying to get accustomed to the blackness around him. After some time, he finally stumbled up and clumsily tried to brush the dirt off his attire. With thanks and a polite bow, he moved away from the road to let the carriage pass on. 

    The man suddenly yells toward the carriage. "Slow down! Slow down please!" 

    In the distance, another carriage notices the disturbance and slows down. 

    "Boss, boss! They stopped suddenly. I don't know what's going on. But it seems like we can't follow this plan anymore. Should we go on to the second plan?"

    "Did you send someone to check what happened?"

    "Yes sir. An unknown man who seemed of high status was lying in the middle of the road, and now they've stopped. 

    A sigh comes out of the leader. "Alright, we've got no choice. Move on to the second plan. Everyone outside the carriage. Don't let them hear or see you! We must kill that woman in the carriage tonight." 

    The assassins nodded, then flew into the forest.

    "Slow down! Slow down please!" The young man looks sheepishly at the carriage driver.

    The driver stops the carriage, looking rather annoyed. "Is there anything else the Young Master wants?"

    "Sorry, but could you tell me where I am? I seem to be lost..."

    The carriage driver sighs tiredly. How could this young man be this muddled? "You are in the land of the greatest sect, MieXian Ding. We are heading over to the main estate right now. If you have no other troubles, good night Young Master!"

"Good night to you too, sir."

    MieXian Ding, huh? Seems like it was already the top sect before I even came back. But why would she send me here? Is there something here I need to-

    The man's eyes scan the deep forest trees. Something seemed to be moving in there. Very quietly, yet too stealthy to be a wild animal. His eyes averted to another area. The sound of padded shoes was definitely there, although very very quiet. Could it be? Assassins?

    The young master's heart panicked for a second. How could they find him this fast? He had just landed here and no one has seen him for hours now. How could the hunters have been so fast? Unless the woman was tricking him? Was this another trick? Another trap he had fallen into-no, that can't be it. 

    If they wanted to kill him, they would've had plenty of time beforehand. So that meant, the people in the woods weren't out for him. Then who were they out for? The people in the carriage? 

    Just as this thought passed over his mind, the faraway sounds of the crying horse and yells of the guards alerted him

    "All guards on alert! An arrow just shot out of the forest! One man is down! Be prepared for battle!"

    The carriage driver screamed in terror and quickly ran off into the woods fast as ever. But he did not escape. Just mere seconds later, his body hit the ground with an arrow piercing his chest. 

    "Damn! These guys are really out for blood! Be on guard! Protect the mistress and the child!"

    Oh? The young master thought. His predictions came true. They were here for the people on the carriage. It really did seem to be an assassination. He sighed and rubbed his temple. Just as soon as he came here, trouble finds him. Wherever he goes, it seems he can't escape the fate of assassinations, even if they weren't meant for him. 

    Should he save the passengers? Or move on? Either way, the assassins would probably kill him as well for being a witness...so saving it is. 

    Even though the carriage wasn't far off in the distance, the assassins had already killed many guards. Muttering small apologies, he picked up a sword of a fallen guard and took a battle stance. 

    He smiles slightly. How long ago was it, when he held a sword? A nostalgic feeling forms in his heart. The familiar grip of the sword, the light of paper lanterns reflecting off the metal. But this is no time to reminisce about the past. He had people to protect. 

    He studies the area. The arrows seemed to come from primarily four places. One from behind, from the front, and on each side. He grits his teeth. With every side surrounded, it was going to be hard to get out of this one. 

    What made it even harder was how his thoughts kept being interrupted by the excruciating cries of the horse. 

    "Shhh! You big old thing! Can't you see I'm focusing right now?! Be quiet you old donkey!"

    The horse gives him an insulting look. It huffs and finally stops screaming.

    A voice comes out of the woods. 

    "Boss! All the guards are dead! There's only the unknown man left, along with the targets. 

    "Good. Finish him off."

    An arrow flies out. He cuts it clean in half. He quietly praises the sharpness of the sword, then immediately cuts another arrow.

    "Boss, he seems to be stronger than the weak guards. Should we kill him close up?"

    "Whatever it takes."

    Two assassins jumped out of the woods, from the left and right. The man hurriedly blocked both attacks, skillfully parrying the lightning-quick swords. 

    "You guys have great skills! Which sect do you come from?" 

    "None of your business. Die!"

    Finally, he managed to land a deadly hit on one of the assassins. With a flourish of his blade and he stabbed one assassin clean in the chest, right through the heart. "Sorry, but still a little too slow. It would've been nice if you answered my question though."

    Before the other assassin could blink, the young man had his sword against his throat and sliced cleanly. Both assassins fell to the ground, never uttering a sound again. 

    "Boss! Boss! Bad news- he got both of the-"

    A yelp and a flash of light. The sound of a body hitting the ground. Dark red blood started to flow out from the trees, and a figure follows. 

    "If you don't want to die, come out right now," He spoke loudly into the forest.

    The leader of the assassins froze. Could he really believe this guy? A dangerous man for sure, and on top of that, he didn't look fazed at all! Who was this man?!

    The assassin hurriedly took out a suicide pill and shoved it into his mouth. If he was going to die, he would never say a word. 

    As soon as the pill entered his mouth, it exited just as quickly. A violent force of air pushed him from the back, making him lose all balance and fall over. A sickening crack and a painful scream signaled that he must have broken something. Even better. 

        "So. Tell me. What exactly are you here for?"

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    "I'll never tell you-"

    The assassin's face goes numb, and he feels blood spurt out of his lips and nose. A foot is pressed on his arm, and a spiritual talisman staked him to the ground. Where did he get the talisman? Did he steal it from his clothes? The assassin's eyes widened even more. This man was unlike any he had ever seen. 

    "Tell me. Or I'll skin you. Right here and now. But if you tell me what your plan was- I'll let you live."

    The assassin gulps. Over the years, he had never been placed in such a position as this one. Even his pill was knocked out of his mouth. The young master's eyes showed no signs of humor or kindness. He might actually skin him if he didn't speak. 

    He shakily opens his mouth and says, "W-we were ordered to k-kill the lady and the ch-child. That's all I know. I'm not sure who asked us to, but we simply f-follow orders. It's everything I can tell you. I promise!" 

    The young man stares into the eyes of the terrified assassin. Well, it didn't really matter what his motive was anyway unless he was in it.

    "And I had nothing to do with the original plan, correct?

    "Y-yes?"

    "Do you know who I am by looking at me?"

    "...No? Are you-"

    The assassin's eyes narrow.

    "No matter. I keep my word. You may leave. Don't touch the woman and child. Or I won't let you off that easily-"

    "I've seen your sword work before...why is it so familiar..."

    The young master's eyes flash dangerously. 

    "What?"

    He knew he should stop talking, but his curiosity got the better of him...

    "Night Washed in Crim-" 

    His eyes suddenly darken,

    "Hm. You've said enough."

    Metal sinks into flesh. The sound of skin ripping open. The last thing the assassin ever saw was the ruthless blade of a murderous man. 

    The young master finally heads back to the carriage. He lifts up the window curtains, revealing a pair of mother and daughter, hugging tight against each other, eyes closed. The little girl's face was streaming with tears, shaking madly. 

    The mother notices the young man first. Her eyes were filled with tears. 

    "Please-please...I beg you...Don't...I can die...please don't take her!"

    The young master's stare turned warm and soft. "Ah, don't worry anymore. I'm not here to kill you, don't worry. In fact, the assassins are dead now. But so is everyone else...I'm sorry, but it seems like you won't reach your destination today."

    The mother still looks cautious. She held her daughter even tighter. 

    "Who-who are you! What do you really want?!"

    "I'm telling you with all sincerity, I'm not here to kill you. In fact, I was just the beggar on the road. I really won't kill you. I promise."

    At last, the mother seemed to relax a little more. Her voice still trembled, but she finally stopped shaking. 

    "A...assassins? Out to kill me?" The young man nodded. 

    "It seems like someone wants you dead, and has been planning for a long time. It couldn't be a coincidence they just happened to chance upon this road and find you. This isn't even the main road into MieXian city, it's to the main estate. Ma'am, could there be anyone who would want you dead?"

    The woman's eyes widened in realization. "No...It can't be...The only ones who knew I would be coming were my parents..."

    The young master paused as well. He gripped the curtain windows a little tighter. 

    "The people you least expect to hurt you give you the most painful stab in the back. Don't trust anything your family says to you from this day on."

    The woman gives a sad smile to the man. "I...saw this coming. I was hoping, hoping they wouldn't but-" A sigh came out. "In the end, I was a fool. I really hoped I could see them one more time. Thank you for your help today. May I ask for your name?"

    The young man blinked in surprise. He didn't know what to tell her. Perhaps a fake name will do. On the top of his head, he found a name from a long-ago past. "Ai Ze. Ai, Ze. That's my name." 

    The woman smiles warmly. "What a wonderful name, suitable for you."

    The young master chuckles. "If that's what the Mistress thinks, then so be it. Of course, I'll escort you to the city. I can't leave both of you here alone."

    "Please, you really don't have to."

    "No, I insist. It must've been a hard journey, and now you've almost been killed. I'll see to it that you'll arrive in MieXian City safely, I swear on my life." 

    "We won't ever forget the things you've done for us! Thank you!" A small high voice exclaims. The little girl now had stopped crying. Instead, a smile dawned on her face and she looked happily at the young master, knowing she was safe now. 

    The young master now had to deal with the horse. After calling it a donkey, it didn't seem to respond to anything he said. He gave a defeated sigh, then patted its back gently. He softly murmured apologies into its ear, and it finally seemed to be less angry. 

    With a triumphant grin, he jumps onto the driver's seat and starts leading the carriage into the city. They chatted casually for the rest of the ride.

In about 2 hours' worth of time, they finally reach the gates of MieXian City. Both girls step off the carriage and give a gracious bow to the young master. 

"Thank you, thank you so much! We won't ever forget you or your kindness!"

    The young master waved them off, growing embarrassed. 

    "Alright alright, that's enough. You all must be tired. Go and find an inn nearby and rest. This is where we part ways. May we meet again one day."

    "May we meet again? Safe travels wherever you go, Ai Ze."

    After watching the two walk into the city, he finally turns away. 

    "Ai Ze...I haven't gone by that name for so long. How did I remember so clearly?" 

    His mind wanders back. A small wooden playhouse in the courtyard forms in his mind, and just as quickly goes away. This wasn't the time for bittersweet memories. He had a mission to complete. 

    After such a long night, he almost forgot the important items hidden in his clothes. He felt around for a little bit, hoping desperately that both items were still on him. A wave of relief washed over him as he touched both important items. 

    First was a strangely shaped ball. It looked like a metal ball of rings melted together. This was the gift from the mysterious woman. There wasn't much use for it now, as he had already reached his destination. He hides it deeper than before, making sure that no one would be able to find it. 

    The second item was a small, rough wooden badge. After all these years of roaming the earth and hiding from his captors, he would never forget his identity. 

    His fingers brush over the familiar patterns of his name. Did his father truly feel nothing after...

    He already knew the answer in his heart, yet he was hesitant to face the truth. He tucks the badge away in his outer layers. There wasn't much it was going to do anyway. How could you be a person that wasn't even born yet at this time? 

    He carries on walking. The badge bounced slightly with each step of his, carved with the words, Xu Canzhi.

T/N:

Ai Ze- 蔼泽

Xu Canzhi-许灿志

Mie Xian Sect/City-灭仙顶/灭仙城

More notes when later chapters come out

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