Flames of war.

Qing clan, main residence.

Two guards were yawning, and playfully chatting. The morning had yet to arrive, and their shift had yet to finish. The tiresome duty that they undertook really left them bored, so they would gossip about every little thing they could.

The feverish dreams of commanding armies, and slaying the ten thousand demons that disturbed the peace had long been faded into mediocrity, yet is was a comfortable and stable mediocrity no one could shame.

With food in their bellies, with money for some wine and women, and good brothers at their side, rather than rotting in some as some pariah in the battlefield they were much more content.

One of the guards was Qing Ma, he was a descendant of the Qing clan, the dukedom of the Huang Empire, he was from a branch family who didn't have enough talent. He was practically a waste, but yet he was content. He had more happiness in the barracks than in his large villa with his family, their disappointment, disdain, it was cancerous. It made him despondent and sick, he pondered on suicide many times. Eventually due to his fear of death, he decided to at least try to be better. He began to work as a guard, and although it had barely any luxuries, he was happier. He was confident, and comfortable, and didn't even think of dying any time soon.

While the other guard was named Gu Zeng, he was a former soldier who got disabled in a skirmish between the southern barbarians, at the borders. His allies had neglected his back, and allowed a heavy brute to heavily injure him. He was disabled with his hands and feet being less effective, and thus useless in the high speed, unnerving peninsula of battle. Without even a couple years into his service, he had nothing to lie back on, furthermore his disabilities from the Empire were a few copper taels that could barely feed a child.

He happened to wander into the Qing clan and became a guard. He was most reassured, with the status of the clan it was secure, and the money he got from his guard duty was enough for a life worth living.

He had even gotten himself a little wife, and had two children.

Qing Ma looked at the distance and leaned back, "Old Gu, tell me about that battle you had with the Spirit warriors of the south."

Gu Zeng said, "Well as you know those southern barbarians have their strange magics, and this group was especially like the tales told by travelling bards. Their skin was covered in blindingly white tattoos, and their eyes were completely black. Veins rose along their necks, making it look like roots of a plant had wrapped across them. Their strength was like a giants, with each step the ground cracked and the wind howled. Luckily we were in a party with the commander who was a Martial Emperor. Out of the twenty men who followed in the group, only me and my good friend Lu Ze, alongside the commander survived. Their bodies began to turn into smoke, and rose towards the East. It was strange and weird, I pray never to encounter those abnormal things again."

Before he could continue, suddenly as low as the sun had broken forth, riding the shadows of daylight, a group of three were riding horses towards them.

A slow trot that echoed in the silence, and with only a gentle breeze carried forth.

As they neared, Qing Ma looked forth and said, "Old Gu, I think that's the young master!"

Gu Zeng frowned and moved forward, he nodded.

"Hm, but where are those bodyguards of his, and who are those fellows with him."

Eventually the group of three, including Ye Zheng and Tang Yuchen arrived with Qing Zhan.

Qing Zhan said, "Open the gates."

Gu Zeng bowed, "As you wish young master."

He rushed to open the gates, meanwhile Qing Ma looked at Qing Zhan, "Lord cousin, may I ask why your bodyguards are not present?"

Qing Zhan's face turned black before saying, "They died protecting me for some assassins."

Qing Ma frowned.

He then looked at Ye Zheng, and Tang Yuchen, and asked, "May I know the identity of these two."

Qing Zhan knew the clan laws, and didn't make things difficult for the guards.

"These are my good brothers, Ye Zheng and Tang Yuchen. They are the ones who helped me live, and killed the assassins. Brother Ye is a Martial King, and Bro Tang is a martial expert."

Qing Ma looked stunned for a moment before frowning.

As their duty, regardless of who it was unless it was the main clan descendants all guests had to be taken into custody, until a background check can be done. Yet he was currently facing not only the young master of the clans friend, who he seemingly had a great deal of respect for, but also a Martial King. A farcry from his own status.

Qing Ma's face distorted, but then a hand rested on his shoulder.

He looked back and saw the steady, and dutiful eyes of Gu Zeng, he could easily read his meaning. He would taken the burden, the danger.

Seeing this Qing Ma, tightly clenched his fist.

'No compared to Bro Gu who has a life, a family, what am I? A former waste, who didn't even have the will to live, who depended on others to raise my head up. I was given this life, I am fine with giving it back.'

The danger ahead of them was harsh, but so was the danger or renegading on the clan laws. He would be tortured and killed, nothing could excuse this.

Qing Ma moved forward.

Qing Zhan frowned, he himself new the clan laws, and the impatience of his good brother.

He wished he could do something, but he felt weak.

Qing Ma approached Ye Zheng and said, "Sir, by order of Qing Law, you are to be taken in for twenty four hours, so that an identity check can be implemented and the safety of the clan can be ensured. Failure to accord by these demands will enact banishment from the Qing Province, and a kill order issued."

He reached into his waist, where a thick titanium bracelet came into the gleam of the sun.

Tang Yuchen frowned, "This fellow, didn't you hear your master? We're his savior's, and his friends. What are you trying to do? Are you purposely making things difficult to fill your lame ego?"

Ye Zheng looked behind at Tang Yuchen, his eyebrow rising.

Qing Ma frowned, he said coldly, "Sir, please don't slander my name. I may not be much, but certainly not a fool or a hungry pig. I know the height of Heaven."

Gu Zeng added quickly, "Sir this is common law that even the Patriarch's guests must follow. An ancestral law that has existed for a number of years."

Ye Zheng turned to Qing Zhan, who nodded.

He softly said, "Very well. Tang Yuchen cooperate, there's no need to be rude."

He got of his horse, and said, "Though I will not be chained. I will freely follow you."

Qing Ma looked at Qing Zhan.

"That should be fine. Brother Ye is a good person, these affairs of the past are meant for those with bad intentions."

Qing Ma nodded.

He then politely led the way.

Qing Zhan retreated into the depths of the Clans residence hoping to expedite the process of Ye Zheng's temporary holding.

...

Inside a jail cell, Tang Yuchen looked at Ye Zheng and said, "Bro Ye, doesn't this seem a tad bit suspicious?"

Ye Zheng looked back, his face showing confusion.

"Hm?"

Tang Yuchen said, "This law seems so unconventional, have you ever heard of such a thing? I'm sure they don't make the Emperor sit here in this lonely prison cell, they don't make any high ranking clans do the same. That would be too shameful for those old fellows. So then why have we been put here. It just seems unnerving if you ask me."

Ye Zheng shook his head, "The Qing clan is a strong clan, it can be afforded some consideration. Furthermore those people all have status backing their identity, we are just strangers."

Tang Yuchen was silent for a while before saying, "Bro Ye, it couldn't be that the Qing clan has locked us here and gone to inform Wu Long..."

Ye Zheng looked behind, his face darkening as killing intent burst in waves out.

"Explain!"

"Well Bro Ye you should know better than me, but isn't the Qing clan a subordinate clan of the Huang clan. Wu Long is from the Powerful Huang clan and Wu clan, they might have seen the bounty issued on your head. Even though it was removed later, still the fact should be that these fellows could be thinking of using your head to get some benefits. Either the Wu clan or Huang clan can easily arrange some benefits."

Ye Zheng dove into contemplation, his mind thinking back and forth.

He looked behind, and said, "We must see their attitude. Depending on it we shall slaughter these Qing bastards."

Tang Yuchen nodded, his bones clicking as he wound them.

Ye Zheng stood up and reached the gate, he loudly called, "Guards! Come here!"

His voice echoing with a deep intent.

Soon Qing Ma appeared in front of the two.

"Yes sirs?"

Ye Zheng was silent for a moment, and then said, "How long do we have to stay?"

Qing Ma said, "Until we can get a safe assumption of your intent and identity."

Ye Zheng nodded, and then asked, "What if I wish to leave now."

Qing Ma frowned before saying, "Then you would incur the ire of the clan, and you will he caught and punished depending on the level of crime."

Ye Zheng's face contorted.

"Do you know of the Wu clan?"

Qing Ma looked stunned, before nodding, "Hm. The Wu clan have come here many times in the past. Furthermore the daughter of the patriarch seems to be close to the young master of the Wu clan."

Ye Zheng's face turned ugly, before resuming a coldness. He pulled back, circling dancing in his thoughts.

Before then looking at the gate, he kicked out and the gate shot from it's hinges slamming into Qing Ma, pinning him into the wall. His flesh had bent as the steel bars sunk in him.

Blood drained from his mouth falling, yet at least Qing Ma had instantly died, not having to experience this inhumane pain and devastation to his body.

His eyes turned pale, and his hand slowly dropped down as the final threads of flesh peeled apart.

His guts and blood squeezed forth from his sunken in abdomen.

His face dissected into several cruel parts.

And following this was silence...

***

"Father you must understand Brother Ye Zheng's situation."

A masculine voice echoed.

"Understand? What kind of fool, no what kind of villain is so irresponsible with life?! That wasn't some beggar on the street who we can close our eyes and ignore! He was a guard of the family, and a branch member of the clan! His parent's are now scooping his body with their fingers, crying and moaning in regret and pain! Alright, forget the moral obligations we share, this is sure to cause an internal conflict! Father you must kill that person, or at the very least exile him from the province!"

A female voice retorted.

An old man with a bald head, and a thick mustache, with liver spots dotted across his body. He was currently rubbing his temple, as a wave of exhaustion washed over him . He was the current patriarch of the Qing clan, Qing Zhang. Currently he was dealing with the problem of the guests his son, Qing Zhan, brought back. While at the back of his mind the life of some guard didn't matter to him, his daughter was right, this was exactly the thing his brothers needed to remove him from his seat. At best he'd lose his seat as head, and we put into forced seclusion, at worst those Jackals from the Huang clan would take the anarchy within the clan, to take a greater piece of it under their control. Hadn't it happened to the Wang clan?!

Yet-

"Father Ye Zheng is not only my friend, he is an ally we desperately need."

Qing Zhang looked at Qing Zhan waiting for him to continue, suddenly his heart began to stir.

"Haha! Is that so? So that little nephew was actually a high level servant of the Wu clan, and has a lot of inside information for the Huang clan! Forget the guard, if this kid speaks so good things, I wouldn't mind if he killed a few more! Bring him here, let's see what he has to say. We could be getting a big ally today!"

"Father!"

Qing Zhang looked at his daughter Qing Lan, and said, "I'll compensate that fellows family well. I'm sure those fellows want some good treasure's compared to a waste of a son."