A guard, unable to contain himself, stepped forward and barked
"You dare address His Majesty by name!? Such disrespect cannot be tolerated!"
Murmurs of agreement rippled through the hall, the weight of Daokan's audacity sinking in. Even those who had already been frightened found themselves disturbed by his casual defiance.
But Daokan merely exhaled, his Qi surging violently. The very air trembled, and in the next breath, the court collapsed to their knees, forced down by the sheer force of his presence. Every official, every guard, every soul in the room bent beneath his will—except Jinhai.
The emperor of Jin remained standing, unmoving.
A silent declaration that, no matter how strong Daokan was, he was not so easily broken.
Jinhai finally spoke, his voice calm yet firm. "I did no such thing to them. I merely wanted to meet Meilin and Atlas to negotiate. Ryl Trading has become a problem to the economy, and I sought a resolution."
Daokan let out a sharp, derisive laugh. "Negotiate? You call an ambush negotiation!? If that was your version of diplomacy, then your empire is far more desperate than I thought."
Jinhai's expression did not waver. "An ambush? What happened to them was an unfortunate accident. I assure you, Master Daokan, I did no such thing. My only intention was to meet with them, to have a civil discussion. Ryl Trading has become a problem to the economy, and I merely sought to address the matter in person. Perhaps over a peaceful dinner."
Then, without warning, his own Qi surged outward.
The weight of it was suffocating, pressing down upon the already kneeling officials. The murmurs turned to gasps, some clawing at their throats as the sheer force of his presence sent icy fear into their bones. They dared not move, lest they be crushed beneath it. He would not strike them down, no—so long as they pleased him.
Daokan, however, did not flinch. Instead, he gave a slow, mocking smirk.
"Peaceful dinner? You certainly have an interesting way of sending invitations, Jinhai."
Just like that, Master Daokan vanished. The immense pressure dissipated instantly, and the court officials gasped, inhaling deeply as if surfacing from drowning. Relief flooded the room, but the tension remained thick.
Jinhai, however, did not share their relief. His jaw clenched, his fingers tightening around the armrest of his throne.
Plan E had failed. My carefully laid trap had been shattered, and now, instead of eliminating two growing threats, I have to deal with Daokan now.
His crimson eyes flickered to Wei Xian, his most trusted informant. "Investigate what happened."
Wei Xian, standing in the shadows, did not move. Instead, he lowered his head slightly.
"There is no need, Your Majesty. I saw it all. Atlas and Meilin fought back long enough. Even when Meilin fell, Atlas kept fighting until Yan Shuren arrived to save them."
Jinhai's lips pressed into a thin line. His fingers drummed against the throne, frustration evident despite his composed facade.
This was not how it was supposed to unfold.
Morning arrived with the first rays of sunlight filtering through the thin paper windows. Layla stirred, her body wrapped in minor bandages around her shoulder and leg. For a moment, confusion clouded her thoughts—was I dead? The last thing I remembered was collapsing.
Her breath hitched as she turned her head, only to find Atlas lying beside her, his entire torso comically wrapped from chest to stomach in thick layers of bandages. The sight alone was enough to make her blink in disbelief.
We survived? Atlas must have saved me...
Before she could process further, the door slid open. Yan Shuren entered, holding Lianhua's small hand in his own. The little girl clutched a teddy bear, a clear gift from Ren.
"Atlas didn't save you" Yan remarked casually.
"I did. But that stubborn fool refused to fall. He kept using his redirection, pushing his body past its limits, nearly destroying himself in the process. Physician Ming and Xian Yue worked all night patching him up."
Layla's gaze softened as she looked back at Atlas, his face calm despite the bruises and exhaustion. A mix of emotions welled up within her—relief, gratitude, and an undeniable sense of debt.
Thank you, Atlas.
She sighed, closing her eyes for a moment. "Stubborn idiot."
Behind Yan, Physician Ming, Xian Yue, and a few of the palace servants nodded in exasperation.
"Idiot doesn't even begin to cover it" Ming muttered.
"Do you have any idea how much work he made us go through?"
Xian Yue sighed, arms crossed. "We had to patch up internal tears, realign his pathways, and practically stitch him back together after he kept pushing himself. He wouldn't stop, even when his own body was breaking apart."
Yan gave a knowing glance to Layla. "He fought like a madman, Meilin. You may have fallen, but he refused to let go—even when his own body begged him to. We worked all night to keep him from collapsing for good."
Layla swallowed, her gaze shifting back to Atlas. A knot of emotion tightened in her chest.
Stubborn idiot indeed.
Soft footsteps echoed in the hallway. The door slid open again, revealing Elena. Her eyes, though still lifeless, carried a quiet calm. She looked well cared for, her once fragile frame now draped in clean, elegant robes. Without a word, she approached Lianhua, placing a gentle hand on the girl's head.
"Come," Elena said softly. "it's time for a bath."
Lianhua hesitated, glancing back at Atlas before gripping her teddy bear and nodding. She followed Elena out, her small footsteps fading into the distance.
A new presence filled the room. Master Daokan entered, his gaze steady as he took in the sight before him. Shen Xue followed at his side, silent and observant.
"How do you feel?" Daokan asked, his tone even but firm.
Layla shifted slightly, testing the soreness in her limbs.
"Like I got trampled by a mountain" she muttered.
Daokan gave a knowing smirk. "Understandable. And don't worry about Atlas—he's not in a coma. He just needs rest. He'll wake up when his body decides it's time."
Layla exhaled, relief evident in her expression. "I'll wait for that idiot to wake up."
As if on cue, a hoarse voice cut through the room. "I'm not an idiot, you know."
Every head snapped toward Atlas, their expressions ranging from shock to mild horror. Even Daokan, usually unshakable, looked momentarily taken aback. Layla let out a startled yelp, clutching her chest as if she'd just suffered a heart attack.
"By the heavens, Atlas!" Xian Yue hissed. "You nearly scared us all to death!"
Atlas groaned, shifting slightly. "Pretty sure I'm the one half-dead here..."