# The recognition

The generals stared at one another.

"What?"

"His Majesty's... master?"

"The Demon King has a master?"

The words spread through the Crimson Hall in stunned whispers.

Even the generals who had faced countless battlefields couldn't hide their disbelief.

Nobody had ever heard Xie Chengxi speak of a master.

Nobody had ever imagined that the Demon King himself had once belonged to someone.

Luo Yan's expression was equally stunned.

For perhaps the first time since she had become one of Chengxi's generals—

she didn't know what to say.

Chengxi slowly looked around the hall.

His expression became colder.

The whispers immediately died.

But the shock remained.

"He is my master."

His voice was quiet.

Yet every word carried absolute authority.

"He is not a weapon."

"He is not bait."

"He is not a bargaining chip."

His eyes settled on Luo Yan.

"And you will never speak of torturing him again."

Luo Yan immediately bowed.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The pressure in the hall slowly eased.

But nobody dared raise their head.

Chengxi turned away.

His expression remained cold.

Yet inside, something had shifted.

He had said it.

After thirteen years—

he had openly called Shen Qing his master.

He should have felt embarrassed.

Instead, there was a strange warmth in his chest.

A part of him was relieved.

As though saying those words aloud had proven that thirteen years had not completely erased the person he used to be.

But then shame followed.

Because what would Shen Qing think if he saw him now?

The Demon King.

The person who ruled through fear.

The person who had become everything his master had once warned him not to become.

Chengxi lowered his eyes.

He remembered Shen Qing's hand resting on his head.

That gentle voice.

Those eyes that had once looked at him without fear.

Would they still look at him that way?

Or would he see disappointment?

Chengxi couldn't answer.

He turned toward the throne.

"Where is he?"

Luo Yan looked up.

"Your Majesty?"

"The man who returned."

Chengxi's voice was quieter now.

"Where is he?"

Luo Yan hesitated.

"He was taken away according to your order."

Chengxi frowned.

"Taken where?"

"The prison beneath the palace."

Silence.

Complete silence.

For one heartbeat—

Chengxi didn't move.

Then—

BOOM!

A terrifying killing intent exploded from his body.

The dark-red flames violently shook.

The air itself seemed to freeze.

Several generals staggered backward.

Others immediately dropped to their knees.

Chengxi's eyes turned crimson.

His voice was dangerously quiet.

"The prison?"

Luo Yan's face went pale.

Chengxi slowly stood.

"Who gave the order?"

Nobody answered.

His killing intent became heavier.

"I asked..."

His voice echoed through the hall.

"Who gave the order to put him in the prison?"

The generals lowered themselves further.

"Your Majesty—"

"Who?"

One word.

The entire hall went silent.

Even Luo Yan's expression changed.

She immediately bowed until her forehead nearly touched the floor.

"Your Majesty, please calm down."

"Calm down?"

Chengxi's aura erupted again.

"You put my master in a prison."

His eyes were terrifying.

"Who gave you the right?"

Nobody dared answer.

Chengxi stepped down from the throne.

Every step carried overwhelming pressure.

"Did I order you to imprison him?"

"No!"

The generals answered immediately.

Luo Yan quickly raised her head.

"Your Majesty, we misunderstood your command."

Chengxi's gaze snapped toward her.

"Explain."

Luo Yan swallowed.

"When you ordered us to take him away from the battlefield..."

Her voice trembled.

"We assumed you meant that he should be secured somewhere no one could approach him."

"So we sent him to the underground prison."

Silence.

Chengxi stared at her.

His killing intent remained.

But now beneath the anger was something else.

Horror.

His master had been placed in a prison.

Because of him.

Because of a misunderstanding of his order.

For thirteen years, Chengxi had dreamed of finding Shen Qing again.

And now that Shen Qing had returned—

he had allowed him to be locked away in a cold underground prison.

His hand clenched.

"Get him out."

Luo Yan immediately stood.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Now."

"Yes!"

The generals hurried to obey.

to be continued....

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