Chapter 2: Blood and Shadow
The hall of the Fen Clan estate glowed with lantern light and music—a banquet of jade and silk, laughter echoing beneath the high vaulted ceilings.
Yet in the corner, where shadows gathered, Fen Hao stood alone.
A Banquet of Scorn
The Immortal nobles filled the hall like jeweled statues—every smile a blade, every word a whisper of power. Fen Hao felt the weight of their eyes—sharp and cold, a thousand judgments in every glance.
A young noble leaned closer to his friend, a smile playing at the corner of his lips.
> "The outcast stands there, pretending to be one of us."
Another laughed softly behind a silk fan.
> "A child with no Qi—what can he offer but empty dreams?"
Each barb felt like ice against Fen Hao's skin. He clenched his fists at his sides, jaw tight, forcing himself not to flinch.
> They don't know. They can't see what's buried in my blood.
He drew a slow breath, steadying the ache in his chest.
A First Glance
Then—she entered.
Chu Lanyue, in white robes that shimmered like moonlight, her dark hair flowing like silk down her back.
She moved with quiet grace, steps as light as falling snow. When their eyes met, Fen Hao felt the world tilt beneath his feet.
> This isn't just anyone…
A memory he couldn't place—soft, sorrowful—stirred in his mind.
A voice, cold and distant, whispered in his thoughts:
> "Save her at all cost this time."
His breath caught, heart pounding. Tears welled in his eyes, unbidden and hot—yet he did not understand why.
Lanyue, across the hall, glanced his way—curiosity flickering in her gaze before she turned away.
> She sensed something, Fen Hao realized. Just as I sense… something about her.
The Laughter of Nobles
Whispers rose around him—a ripple of laughter that cut deeper than any blade.
A cultivator in golden robes raised an eyebrow, voice mocking.
> "The outcast weeps—has the wine already broken his mind?"
Another noble smirked behind a fan.
> "A disgrace to the immortal bloodline, crying for a girl who will never see him."
Their laughter rolled through the hall like thunder across a frozen sea. Yet Fen Hao's resolve did not waver.
> If I can't protect her here, then I'll protect her anywhere.
The echo of that unseen voice burned behind his eyes.
A Trap in the Garden
As the banquet reached its height, Chu Lanyue slipped away—the weight of a thousand stares too heavy, the laughter too sharp.
She moved through the moonlit gardens, arms wrapped in her robes. The cold night air was a fragile comfort.
> I just need a moment of peace…
She did not see the faint shimmer in the air—a blood-drawing barrier, delicate as spider silk and as lethal as a serpent's fang.
The instant she stepped through, pain flared bright and cold, coiling around her wrists like living threads, drawing warmth and strength with merciless precision.
She gasped, her breath caught—panic flared behind her calm facade.
The Shadows of the Black Society
Hidden beyond the moonlit pines, the Black Society leader watched, eyes glittering with amusement.
> "A toy for tonight," he murmured.
> "Let us see if his promise is as hollow as their faith."
He leaned back into the darkness, cloaked in shadow. A subtle insignia—a coiled serpent devouring its tail—was stitched into his robe.
> The prophecy draws near, he thought, lips curling in a predatory smile.
A Desperate Rescue
Within the hall, Fen Hao felt it—an agony that cleaved through his ribs.
> Not again.
A memory of failure—of a life he did not live—rushed through him, igniting raw desperation.
He pushed past nobles and overturned tables, out into the cold night.
Snow stung his cheeks, breath ripping at his lungs. He ran—only one thought:
> Save her.
He found her beneath the ancient pines, pale and trembling, crimson threads glinting like spiderwebs around her wrists.
> "Lanyue!" he cried, voice ragged.
> "Hold on—I'm coming!"
She turned, eyes wide with shock and fear.
> "Fen Hao—no! It's too dangerous—leave me!"
Her words were edged with panic, but Fen Hao shook his head.
> Never. Not this time.
Pain lanced through his arms as he reached for her.
The Fight
He slammed his fists against the barrier—each blow a thunderclap, each breath a prayer.
Blood welled from his knuckles, but he did not relent. Threads of crimson coiled tighter, trying to drag him back.
Yet with every crack of bone against barrier, he felt a promise solidify in his heart.
> "I don't care if the whole world stands against me," he gasped, voice raw.
> "I will not let you go!"
Pain flared—bright, white-hot—but Fen Hao's resolve burned hotter.
Every strike was a vow:
> "If I fail here, then I lose everything—everything!"
The Barrier Shatters
With a final, desperate roar, he struck.
The barrier shattered—light fractured like glass, threads of blood-drawing magic dissolving into the night.
She stumbled forward, her body folding into his arms as the last of the barrier's glow faded.
For a breath, he simply held her—his arms trembling, her warm breath against his throat.
Moonlight washed over them, snow drifting silently.
In that hush, the world felt still.
A Bond Forged in Desperation
She was real and alive—the beat of her heart against his.
He pressed his forehead to hers, voice trembling.
> "I will never let you go."
She closed her eyes, a faint tear glinting on her cheek—an echo of relief and something deeper.
> He means it.
In her chest, a promise took root.
A Smile in the Shadows
Beyond the garden's edge, the Black Society leader watched, a twisted smile curving his lips.
> "So you're not as worthless as they believe," he whispered, voice soft and dangerous.
> "We will meet again, little devil."
The echo of his words carried on the wind.
The Return—Mockery in the Hall
They returned to the hall, snow clinging to their shoulders.
His hand brushed hers, a spark that neither dared to speak.
Music had stopped. Noble eyes turned—lips curled like knives.
A young cultivator's voice rang, dripping with scorn.
> "So the outcast can bleed for a girl… how touching."
Another sneered, serpent-quiet.
> "What a fool—risking everything for a single girl's life."
Laughter rippled through the hall—soft, cutting, a thousand tiny wounds.
Yet Chu Lanyue stood a fraction closer to him, her gaze unwavering.
> I see you, her eyes seemed to say.
And though the world around them laughed, neither looked away.
End of Chapter 2