Chapter 3: The Peerless Prince (3)

He was dragged into the torture chamber, and although he had long grown accustomed to enduring various instruments of punishment, this time the torment was more brutal than ever. By the time evening of the following day rolled around, the torture still hadn't ended.

Steward Xue was infamous for his cruelty, relishing in the suffering of others. He often used his authority for personal enjoyment, and only the Shadow Guards who had committed severe transgressions would receive his particular brand of torture—the salt torture. This punishment involved cutting dozens of gashes into the victim's back and then filling the wounds with salt mixed with poison. The victim would be left to suffer for three days, and only if they survived would they receive medical attention.

For many years, several Shadow Guards had been subjected to salt torture, but none had ever survived the three-day ordeal. Their corpses would rot on the torture racks, their bodies oozing yellow pus from the poison.

Wen Ji endured the agony in a delirious haze, his body drenched in cold sweat and foul blood. His mind became muddled as the poison and pain gnawed at his flesh and bones. Time dragged on in the torture chamber, each moment stretching out painfully. He had vomited several times, and his consciousness was slipping away, his vision blurring into darkness.

In a fleeting moment of lucidity, his cracked, trembling lips whispered faintly:

"Your Highness…"

He desperately wanted to reach for the Heavenly Fragrant Peony brand on his right shoulder blade, but his hands were bound tightly to the torture rack. He struggled for a long time, but it was in vain.

That brand was the private mark of Li Yuan. It was this mark that had given him the strength to survive the brutal torment of the Shadow Palace and endure three years of unrelenting hell. But now, he was at his limit—he couldn't hold on any longer.

Just as he was about to succumb to the pain, fate intervened. That night, two Ghost Guards from the Qi King's Manor arrived. The Ghost Guards were of far higher status than the Shadow Guards.

Ghost Guard Four, holding a registry, spoke in a businesslike, emotionless tone as he handed it to Steward Xue: "The prison opens this year. I'm here to take our men."

Steward Xue casually gestured to five men standing rigidly behind him, each of them appearing like demons freshly risen from the abyss.

"These are the ones chosen by the Palace Master," he said.

The five men stood in a neat line, their upper bodies exposed, revealing lean, taut muscles. Their eyes were dark and unfathomable, exuding a palpable aura of bloodlust. Even from a distance, one could feel the killing intent radiating from them. Each man bore a brand of the word "影" (Shadow) on his right shoulder blade, but the fierce beast pattern within each "影" character was distinct.

Ghost Guard Four glanced at the lineup, frowning slightly. "Only five this year?"

"Hmph, do you think Shadow Guards are that easy to cultivate?" Steward Xue tossed the registry to Ghost Guard Four. "There were six, but one is still in the torture chamber. Probably won't survive. You can take these five."

"What?" Ghost Guard Five, not pleased, began to shout. "What do you mean he won't survive? The manor is already short of men, are you doing this on purpose? Who is it?"

The Shadow Palace was vast, and Ghost Guard Five's voice echoed through the space. He was loud, and when he caught onto something, he was like an incessant fly, buzzing around without end.

Ghost Guard Five was also from the Shadow Palace and had suffered a lot under Steward Xue. Now, as an important figure in the Qi King's Manor, he relished the opportunity to give the old man a hard time, eager to flaunt his new authority. After all, he had earned his status, and while he couldn't challenge the Palace Master, bullying a mere steward was well within his power.

Ghost Guard Five pressed the issue, poking at the registry in Ghost Guard Four's hands. "What exactly did he do?"

Steward Xue looked at the two troublesome Ghost Guards and sighed internally. Helpless, he explained, "He ran off on his own, breaking the rules. He refuses to confess, directly challenging the authority of both me and the Shadow Palace."

"Ran off on his own?" Now, that was serious.

Ghost Guard Five shot a glance at Ghost Guard Four and whispered with a grin, "Brother, could be a future Ghost Guard. That's rare."

Hearing this, Ghost Guard Four's expression grew colder. He tapped the registry and said, "I want to see him."

The two brothers, Shadow Four and Shadow Five, had suffered greatly under Steward Xue's torment during their time in the Shadow Palace, barely surviving his ruthless punishments. No one would have expected that after leaving the Shadow Palace and entering Prince Qi's household, they would earn his favor and rise to such power, now outranking even Steward Xue himself.

"He's in the punishment room," Steward Xue grunted, waving them off before storming away. He could no longer deal with these two high-ranking men.

The attendants around Steward Xue, quick to read the room, eagerly led Shadow Four and Shadow Five into the punishment room. Inside, they found a young man bound to a rack, his clothes torn, his body covered in fresh and old wounds, soaked in blood. His face bore streaks of dried blood, and though he was still breathing faintly, it was clear that he was on the verge of collapse, barely able to remain standing due to the chains holding him up.

"Ah, it's him! Poor kid…" Shadow Five hurried over, checking the young man's pulse. Finding it still faintly beating, he immediately started undoing the chains.

Shadow Four, who had seen the familiar face, showed no surprise. He had expected this. This young man, Wen Ji, had an exceptional track record in the Shadow Palace, excelling in every test. Those who knew about the Shadow Palace were well aware of his reputation.

Shadow Five wore a pair of crimson hooks carved with maple leaves on his fingers, the hooks sharp enough to slice through iron. With a swift motion, he broke the chains. The metal clattered to the floor as the boy collapsed. Shadow Five caught him without hesitation and knelt to carry him, unbothered by the grime and blood on his body.

Wen Ji, exhausted and in pain, half-opened his eyes, confused and disoriented as he stared at Shadow Five.

Shadow Five grinned back at him, saying, "Kid, you're lucky. Once we get you out, you'll be living like a king."

"Take him out," ordered Shadow Four. "I'll collect the other five."

"Got it," Shadow Five replied.

As they left the Shadow Palace, Shadow Five carried the bloodied and unrecognizable youth on his back, preparing to receive the branding that would officially mark him as a Shadow Guard. Though unconscious, Wen Ji stirred weakly, his body shifting as he mumbled, "Don't brand it there…"

Shadow Five, mistaking his struggle for pain, held him down gently. "It's okay, brother. It's just a mark. Once it's done, I'll take you out, and we'll live the good life."

Wen Ji's back was covered in wounds and blood from the cruel torture, and no one noticed the faded Tianxiang Peony brand on his right shoulder blade. The branding officer didn't notice either, pressing the new "Shadow" mark directly over the flower that had been Wen Ji's strength through years of suffering. By then, Wen Ji had passed out from exhaustion, limp on Shadow Five's back.

The branding that identified him as part of the Feilian group had intricate details, with the "Shadow" character carved into his flesh, incorporating the design of a bird-headed, deer-bodied creature, representing the wind deity Feilian.

Both Shadow Four and Shadow Five wore grim expressions.

Shadow Four's face turned dark as he grabbed the branding officer's wrist, his voice cold and accusing: "Are you sure there's no mistake in the branding?"

Chief Li, the branding officer, sneered, "I've been in charge of branding for decades, and I've never made a mistake. This boy is from Feilian group, and yet he's supposed to be a Ghost Guard. I'm as surprised as you."

"A Ghost Guard after all this time…" Shadow Five muttered in disappointment, shaking his head. "But a Ghost Guard from Feilian… That's almost useless."

The Shadow Palace divided its guards into four groups based on their combat specialties:

The Taotie group handled direct frontal assaults, named after the Taotie beast, known for its ferocity and insatiable hunger.

The Jiuying group specialized in battlefield control and strategic oversight, inspired by the nine-headed serpent, which could see in all directions and control any situation.

The Baize group provided support through medicine, poison, or other specialized skills, named after the Baize, a divine beast knowledgeable in all things and capable of warding off evil.

Finally, the Feilian group, Wen Ji's group, was focused on light-footed agility and communication, drawing from the mythical Feilian, a creature that could ride the wind.

Though reconnaissance and message delivery were essential tasks, they could easily be handled by regular Shadow Guards. For someone as rare and powerful as a Ghost Guard, excelling only in such skills felt like a disappointment. A missed potential.

"Enough." Shadow Four's expression softened, returning to his usual cold demeanor. "Take him. After all, he is a Ghost Guard."

"Right."

After several days' delay, they found strong medicine to treat his injuries and cleaned him up before bringing him back. His body had only just begun to recover, allowing him to walk with great difficulty. His injuries were so severe that even the process of healing exhausted everyone involved.

Shadow Five sat by his bedside, holding Wen Ji's arms down to prevent him from moving and tearing his wounds open. His mouth was gagged with cloth to stop him from biting his tongue. Shadow Four, positioned behind him, used a small blade to meticulously pick out the salt grains embedded in Wen Ji's back, cutting away the rotting flesh. Though Shadow Four worked quickly, the pain was unbearable for Wen Ji. His entire body tensed, muscles taut and flushed, veins bulging across his arms and forehead, and from his throat came the low, ragged growls of a wounded wolf.

"Brother, are you done yet? This guy's too strong! I can barely hold him down!" Shadow Five was drenched in sweat, urging Shadow Four. "That old bastard Xue really is sick, treating people like playthings…"

"Stop complaining, I'm almost done." Shadow Four, covered in blood, continued to dig the salt from the wounds, sweat dripping down his brow.

"With injuries this bad, he's probably crippled for life. It's a miracle if he can even stand again, let alone work as a Shadow Guard…" Shadow Five gritted his teeth, struggling to keep Wen Ji still, afraid the pain would cause him to lash out and kick him across the room.

In his dazed state, Wen Ji whimpered and mumbled a few words. Shadow Five leaned closer to hear him clearly.

"I… can still be a Shadow Guard…"

"Alright, alright, you can. Just stop moving," Shadow Five said anxiously.

As Shadow Four made another incision to remove more salt, he told him coldly, "Shadow Guards aren't that weak. Endure it."

Wen Ji's condition was so serious that there was no time to get him to the royal infirmary. Since every Shadow Guard bore identifying marks on their bodies, regular doctors were forbidden from examining them. The two had no choice but to tend to his wounds themselves. After two exhausting hours of hard work, they managed to save his life.

They rested for a few days before bringing him back to the palace. Though the royal house provided active Shadow Guards with monthly medicinal supplements, Wen Ji had not officially joined yet. Shadow Four used his own share to cover for him without saying anything.

The palace of Prince Qi in Yuezhou was a grand place, with carved beams and painted rafters. Not far away in Xunzhou stood the Shadow Palace. After opening its gates, the Shadow Palace routinely sent a few carefully selected Shadow Guards to serve the royal household.

Inside the grand hall of Prince Qi's manor, Li Yuan sat at the head, leaning back in his chair with his chin slightly raised. His gaze swept over the six masked men in black kneeling before him. Each one radiated a killing aura, cold and merciless.

Shadow Four, a highly capable guard by Li Yuan's side and the leader of the palace's Shadow Guards, stood coldly beside him, speaking in a low voice, "Your Highness, these are all elite death warriors handpicked by the Shadow Palace Master. The prince has ordered that you may choose a few to your liking."

The old Prince Qi had heard that his only son was nearly assassinated while traveling. Already suffering from chronic illness, the news only worsened his condition. He couldn't rest easy without adding more guards to protect his heir.

Li Yuan smiled warmly, the corners of his mouth lifting. "You're already enough for me."

Shadow Four, standing with a cold and stoic demeanor, was unmoved by the prince's teasing.

Wen Ji was among the six kneeling, bowing his head and awaiting orders. Upon hearing that familiar, yet distant, gentle voice, his heart pounded wildly. He fought the overwhelming urge to lift his head and take a look at the prince.

Author has something to say:

He's here.

Finally… I've finally seen him again.