The imperial capital was nothing like Kael had imagined.
Towering spires crowned with golden halos pierced the skies, glistening under the glow of twin suns. Bridges of jade arched over rivers of spiritual light, and flying beasts soared between palatial towers inscribed with floating runes. The streets teemed with cultivators from countless sects, their robes marked with sigils—phoenixes, dragons, nine-petaled lotuses, and flaming swords. The air itself buzzed with spiritual density; even an untrained mortal would find their soul stirred merely by breathing.
Kael stood at the city gates, wrapped in a plain traveler's cloak. Despite his simple appearance, no one dared block his path. The bird of black flame had guided him directly to the entrance, and the gatekeepers had stepped aside in silence. This wasn't respect—it was fear. Only those summoned by the Crimson Throne entered unchallenged.
He entered the capital under a false name.
Not Kael.
Today, he was Luo Shen, an orphan scholar invited by imperial decree.
And he would not play by their rules.
The Imperial Hall was nestled in the heart of the capital, surrounded by ancient statues—each of them once a ruler, their bones sealed in stone, their weapons entombed in elemental prisons. The current sovereign was said to have been born of divine heritage, chosen by the Heavens through the flames of the Celestial Trial. Very few had ever seen him.
And today, Kael would.
He passed through seven inner sanctums.
Each was guarded by a different order—Heavenly Blades, Oracle Maidens, Flamebound Knights, Silent Wardens, Shadow Priests, Spiritbinders, and finally, the Throne Sentinels. Each order represented one of the Seven Great Doctrines that held the empire together.
And each one let him through.
In the final hall, Kael was brought before a crimson staircase flanked by twin dragons—one golden, one black. At the top sat the Sovereign.
He looked... young.
No older than thirty, with flowing white robes and eyes like burning coals. But Kael knew instantly—this man was ancient. His aura was coiled, restrained, yet devastatingly heavy. He had walked through storms of blood and never flinched.
The Sovereign studied him.
"You're not what I expected," he said calmly.
Kael bowed.
"Neither was your invitation."
The Sovereign chuckled softly. "Honest. I like that."
He waved a hand, and the chamber emptied. All guards, advisors, and priests vanished like mist, leaving only the two of them.
"I'll be blunt," the Sovereign said. "My seers felt a tremor in the void. A spark that awakened something forbidden—something long lost."
Kael said nothing.
The Sovereign narrowed his eyes. "You were in Ashen Hollow."
Kael remained still.
The Sovereign stood and descended the steps slowly. "Many fear the Black Lotus. But I don't. I fear ignorance. I fear potential that festers in silence. That's why I brought you here."
He stepped close, mere feet from Kael.
"I want to offer you a place—not as a prisoner, not as a threat. But as a Shadow Envoy of the Empire. A secret blade. A watcher between realms. I want you... to work for me."
Kael looked up, eyes calm. "And if I refuse?"
The Sovereign smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Then I'll have no choice but to declare you a walking calamity."
Silence.
Kael turned his gaze toward the golden dragon statue. "I have my own path. One that doesn't kneel."
The air grew heavy. The Sovereign's spiritual pressure surged, pressing like a mountain on Kael's shoulders.
But Kael stood straight.
Unmoved.
A flicker of black qi rose behind his eyes—subtle, deadly.
The Sovereign's gaze shifted slightly.
Then he laughed.
"Very well. I admire your spine. I won't break it… yet." He stepped back and motioned with two fingers. A scroll floated toward Kael, marked with a blood-red seal.
"Inside is the identity of a traitor hidden among your sect. Someone who knows about your true power. They've already reported to the Celestial Accord."
Kael caught the scroll but didn't open it.
The Sovereign turned, ascending back to his throne.
"You're free to go. But know this, Kael of Shadow… the moment you lose control, the Empire will no longer tolerate your existence."
Kael turned to leave.
But the Sovereign added one last thing.
"Oh, and Kael… Your fiancée. Lin. She's being watched too."
Kael paused mid-step.
The Sovereign smiled again.
"We don't want her harmed. But she carries a fate line intertwined with yours. You'd do well to protect her… or sever it."
Kael said nothing.
But deep within, something stirred.
Cold. Dangerous.
He vanished into the shadows.
That night, in a quiet inn on the outskirts of the capital, Kael broke the seal on the scroll.
Inside was a name.
A face.
A record.
His eyes narrowed.
It wasn't just a traitor.
It was someone close.
Very close.
And worse… someone he had saved.