The Legend of the Jade Sword

ZI YIN DISMISSED Fu Tai for the evening and meditated on his bed for while, he circulated his qi to replenish his muscles and mend some of his broken bones, but his ribcage still ached fiercely and he knew it would take at least a week to heal. Zi Yin sighed through his nose as he thought about all the trouble he caused today, all he wanted to do was help, but he realized he should have just listened to Fu Tai instead of going off on his own. Now they were both in trouble.

Zi Yin was about to prepare for bed when he overheard the hushed voices of the servants through the door.

"...I heard that Shifu is preparing for the wedding. I wonder if Gong Feiyan will try to harm Gong Yijun."

Harm Gong Yijun? It was no secrete concubine Gong Feiyan hated Gong Yijun to the bone, mostly because he was the Emperors favorite, and the last surviving prince of the late empress, she feared her son Gong Xiaolong wouldn't sit on the throne. Gong Yijun and Zi Yin had been working on his stutter for years now, Gong Yijun was almost a proficient speaker, and his eloquence was outstanding, shocking all the scholars in the Sun Ocean Palace sect.

"Shh! Do not speak of such things. We do not want to be caught spreading rumors."

Zi Yin's curiosity was piqued so he got out of bed, threw open the doors and approached the group of servants, and spoke up. "What rumors are you spreading? About whom?"

The servants looked up, startled to see Zi Yin. "My lord, we were just discussing the upcoming wedding between Shifu's daughter and Gong Yijun. There are concerns that Gong Feiyan, his stepmother, may try to harm him."

Zi Yin's heart sank. He had heard rumors about Gong Feiyan's cruel nature, but he never thought she would stoop so low as to harm her own stepson. "Thank you for informing me. I must speak to Gong Yijun immediately."

Zi Yin had one the eunuch sent Gong Yijun a message and waited patiently for the reply to see if the prince was available to have an audience with him. The eunuch came back quickly and advised that the prince wasn't busy and that he could visit with him in his chambers. He rushed off to Gong Yijun's chambers, his mind racing with worry. When he arrived, he found Gong Yijun at a table with a bunch of scrolls in front of him. Gong Yijun's lips pulled into a dashing smile, even sitting down he was a tall and regal-looking young man with sharp features and an elegant posture, befitting of his status as an imperial prince. His chiseled jawline and piercing eyes add to his commanding presence, making it clear that he was a force to be reckoned with.

"What's wrong, Yin'er?" Gong Yijun asked, noticing the worry etched on his friend's face.

"I overheard some servants talking about Gong Feiyan potentially harming you," Zi Yin said, his voice laced with concern.

Gong Yijun's expressionremained flat. "Oh. Is that all? What happened to your face?"

"Aren't you concerned about this?" Zi Yin asked and sat gingerly in the seat beside him.

"No. She's always hated me," Gong Yijun shrugged. "I don't care. Father has been sick lately and t-t-they say we might go to war soon."

"War?" Zi Yin's brow knitted he hasn't heard anything about that.

Gong Yijun leaned in close. "They say there's a devil in one of the sects."

"A devil?" Zi Yin gasped, but he had heard the rumors before and thought they were all ridiculous. "What devil? In the Burning Fire sect?"

Gong Yijun shrugged. "Something like that…" He sighed through his nose. "With my father ill and concubine Gong Feiyan still waiting for him to name a successor… I feel that things might turn for the worst."

Zi Yin nodded as if there was a devil in the Burning Fire sect that needed to be taken seriously. Devil had been banished to their realm for terrorizing the mortal realm, which had an area sealed off specifically for devils to make sure that once they entered the devil realm they could not leave.

"It's best to follow up on the rumors and see if they're some t-t-t-truth to them," Gong Yijun said. "But until then don't associate with anyone from the Burning Fire sect."

Not that he really did anyway. "Okay."

"So…" Gong Yijun stared at him, his brows knitted. "What happened to your face?"

Zi Yin's face heated and rubbed the back of his neck. "Well… you see…it's a funny story…"

●

ZI YIN WALKED THROUGH the imperial gardens, taking in the beauty of the blooming flowers and the tranquility of the surrounding nature. As he strolled along, he heard the soft, melodic sound of a pipa being played. The music drew him closer to its source, where he found Zi Ling sitting under a cherry blossom tree, strumming the strings of the instrument with a serene expression on her face.

Zi Ling had grown into a stunning beta, her alluring scent was what Zi Yin found he liked most about being around her. Zi Ling sat gracefully with her pipa, her delicate fingers plucking the strings with precision. Her beauty was like a painting, framed by the soft purple of her robes, her long black hair cascading down her back like a waterfall. Zi Yin gazed at his Shigu, completely mesmerized.

Zi Yin approached her and sat down beside her. "That's a beautiful melody," he said, admiring her skillful playing.

Zi Ling smiled at him. "Thank you. Do you want to learn?"

Zi Yin hesitated, unsure if he had musical talent. "I'm not sure if I'm skilled enough for that."

"It's not about being skilled," Zi Ling replied. "It's about expressing yourself through music. Here, let me show you a few chords."

Zi Yin took the pipa from her, feeling the weight of the instrument in his hands. She showed him how to position his fingers on the strings, and together they played a simple melody. Zi Yin was surprised at how quickly he caught on to the basic chords and found himself enjoying the music.

As they continued to play, Zi Ling began to speak about their Shifu's plans for her future. "My father is preparing for my marriage to Gong Yijun," she said with a hint of sadness in her voice.

Zi Yin was taken aback. "Marriage? But you've always talked about wanting to cultivate."

"I know," Zi Ling sighed. "But it's what my father wants for me. And since your sister, Zi Hua, is not of age yet, it falls to me to fulfill this obligation."

Zi Hua would be fifteen this year, and a bit too young for marriage, while Zi Ling was eighteen and in her prime. If Zi Ling became one of Gong Yijun's concubines it would form an unbreakable alliance between the Heavenly Orchard sect and the Sun Ocean Palace sect.

Zi Yin could see the conflict in her eyes. "But…?"

"I don't want to be married," Zi Ling said firmly. "I want to cultivate. Marriage would only hinder my progress."

Zi Yin nodded in understanding. "I can see that. But have you spoken to your father about this?"

Zi Ling shook her head. "It wouldn't do any good. He has already made up his mind."

And he knew just how stubborn their Shifu could be. Zi Yin chewed on his bottom lip, almost relieved that he didn't have to go through the same fate. Since his father never had any sons, Zi Yin would be the last surviving general of the Zi clan, therefore his ascend to becoming the emperor's general was paramount. There could be no mistakes. Zi Wang make sure that Zi Yin knew the gravity of the situation, and he wasn't allowed to be near any alphas unless it was Fu Tai or family members. Zi Yin's childhood had been strict, as an omega he was limited to where he could go, for fear he'd go into heat somewhere and be taken away by another alpha.

Zi Yin placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Zi Ling sighed. "I guess I can give up my dream of becoming the next Jia Zedong…"

Since they were young, they all had dreams of becoming immortal heroes. Jia Zedong from the Snake Poison sect has always been Zi Ling's favorite. She was at the Immortal Ascension stage and ranked one of the highest in their generations. "Not necessarily…"

"What do you mean?"

"Well… you could still place in the competition," Zi Yin said. "Maybe you can put your wedding off until you've reached a higher level. I don't think Shifu would disagree with that. A concubine in the imperial court that can fight will always be an asset."

Zi Ling's entire face lit up. "Yin-er you're a genius!" she squealed hugging him. "I can still cultivate! Your friends with Gong Yijun, oh please put in a good word for me! Pretty please!"

Zi Yin laughed. "Alright, alright I'll ask him. I'm sure he's not in a rush to get married either."

Zi Ling pulled him into a crushing hug. "Thank you! Thank you! Ahh, your friendship means the world to me."

"Yeah sure," Zi Yin chuckled. "Now, why don't you show me a few more chords?"

Zi Ling beamed and together they got lost in the beauty of the moment and the tranquility of the imperial gardens. Despite the uncertainties of the future, they found comfort in the present, in each other's company, and in the music they created.