Chapter 4: The Vow of Ghost Flowers and the Ninth Prince

Lian rushed blindly into the heart of the burning village, her mind completely shattered by panic. She broke through the suffocating walls of black smoke and finally reached her familiar home, but she froze in absolute, paralyzing horror. The ruthless imperial soldiers had not just taken Aunt Mei's life. They had butchered her body without an ounce of mercy, cutting off her arms and legs, leaving her severed parts scattered across the blood-soaked mud of the yard.

Meanwhile, young Xiao had refused to flee into the safety of the mountains. Driven by a desperate need to protect his sister, he had turned back toward the village. But his path crashed straight into the retreating vanguard of the tax soldiers. They captured the boy instantly, striking him with the hilts of their weapons and demanding to know where the masked demon was hidden. Xiao bit his lip until it bled, refusing to utter a single word even as they drew a cold steel sword to slit his throat.

"Wait," one commander shouted, staying the blade. "Do not kill the brat yet. Lock him in the iron carriage. His masked sister will inevitably come to save him before we even clear the regional borders!"

As they roughly dragged him away, the tiny green snake slithered silently out from Xiao’s torn robes and dropped unnoticed into the dirt.

In a sudden flash of blinding emerald light, the peaceful dirt road tore apart. The tiny creature expanded rapidly, its body stretching into a colossal, sky-tearing Spiritual Flying Dragon. Its massive wings created a freezing gale that uprooted nearby trees, and its massive tail crashed into the guards, breaking their armor and bones instantly. The terrified soldiers raised their crossbows, but the dragon opened its massive jaws and blew a crushing wall of green fire, burning them alive in their tracks.

The giant beast prepared to breathe another wave of death upon the survivors, but it suddenly froze. The remaining soldiers had placed a razor-sharp sword directly against Xiao's neck, utilizing the bleeding boy as a human shield. If the dragon unleashed its fire, Xiao would perish too.

The dragon let out a frustrated, earth-shaking roar. Instead of using its flames, it slammed its giant tail against the earth, creating a shockwave that threw the remaining guards high into the air. It leaped into the stormy clouds above, circling the perimeter with a loud, mourning cry.

Far away in the burning ruins of the village, Lian looked up at the sky. She spotted her giant dragon circling in the distance and realized the terrible truth: they had taken Xiao.

The profound heartbreak and horror took over her mind once again. Lian collapsed heavily into the dirt next to the scattered pieces of Aunt Mei’s body. She did not weep anymore; her tears had dried up, turning into a cold, violent, and absolute rage.

"You will pay for this seven times over," she whispered into the dark mask.

She carefully gathered the severed parts of her aunt's body, piecing them back together with shaking but determined hands. She carried the corpse deep into the quiet, isolated bamboo forest and buried her beneath the dark earth. As Lian stood up from the fresh grave, a single, heavy tear escaped her eye, dropping onto the turned soil. The moment the tear hit the dirt, beautiful, glowing white spiritual flowers suddenly sprouted from the earth, blooming instantly in the dark.

Lian looked at the grave one last time, her eyes turning into cold stone as she made a binding spiritual vow. "Every single person who had a hand in your death will bleed. If they survive my wrath, their children will pay a thousand times over. I will destroy their entire bloodline until their names are erased. If I do not achieve this bloody revenge, I am no longer your daughter."

She waved her hand toward the sky. The giant dragon descended from the storm clouds, shrinking back down until it became a tiny green snake once more. Lian placed the silent creature safely inside her sleeve and started walking into the vast wilderness.

Soon, a heavy, freezing rain started to pour down from the pitch-black sky. Lian walked through the thick mud, completely soaked, her physical energy depleted and her mind numb from shock. She did not even seem to feel the biting cold of the storm.

Suddenly, the pelting rain stopped hitting her face. She looked up and noticed a wide paper umbrella resting above her head. Standing directly beside her was a tall, incredibly handsome young man dressed in elegant, royal blue silk robes that didn't have a single spot of mud.

They locked eyes in the freezing rain, and for a split second, Lian felt her heavy heart skip a beat.

"Why are you standing out here in the middle of such a terrible storm, miss?" the young man asked. His voice was remarkably soft and gentle. "You will catch a deadly chill."

Before she could offer a response, he gently took her by the arm and led her inside the warmth of a busy tavern situated near the crossroads.

The moment they stepped through the doors, the female workers inside the tavern rushed forward, giggling and surrounding the handsome stranger, completely drawn in by his striking, noble features. Lian walked away from the crowd quietly, sitting in a dark corner table, her face still hidden behind her thick black mask.

Suddenly, the ancient crimson bracelet on her wrist started pulsing violently, turning a hot, burning red against her skin.

‘My mother told me that when I meet the one chosen by fate, my core energy will know,’ Lian thought to herself, her mind racing as she stared at the artifact. ‘Is this man my destiny? Is this my royal duty?’

The blue-robed young man broke away from the crowd, walked over to her table, and poured a small clay cup of warm rice wine, sliding it gently toward her. But Lian was so lost in her dark thoughts that she did not even notice the cup.

Suddenly, a loud, ancient voice echoed directly inside her mind. It was the tiny green snake communicating through their sacred soul bond.

Master, the dragon whispered inside her head. Do you not perceive the royal destiny standing right before your eyes? This man is in grave danger. The imperial palace is hunting him to cut his throat. He is the Ninth Prince—the grandson whom the old Emperor loved the most. The current King hates him because the old Emperor ordered that the throne belongs to this boy. They are sending an elite army of shadow assassins to kill him before he can take his rightful crown!

Lian touched her chest, feeling the tiny snake resting directly over her heart. ‘If we help him survive and claim his throne,’ Lian whispered back into her mind, ‘can his military strength help us achieve our revenge?’

Yes, the dragon replied secretly. His royal armies can burn your enemies to absolute ash.

Lian slowly lifted the warm cup of wine, taking a small sip as she looked directly at the handsome prince through her mask.

"My name is Lian," she said. Her voice sounded cold and hollow through the cloth. "I live in this remote valley, but I have never seen your face here before. Are you merely traveling through these woods, Your Highness... or are you running for your life because your own family wants to cut your throat?"

The Ninth Prince gasped, freezing in total shock as his hand began to shake over his wine cup. He quickly glanced toward the dark windows of the tavern, his eyes narrowing in deep suspicion as he wondered how this mysterious, masked village girl had just uncovered the deadliest secret in the entire empire.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***