The Scarlet Fist and the Imperial Shadow.

Six months had passed.

In the Feng Clan's training grounds, two young men knelt on the cold stone floor, their breathing even, their bodies hardened by the merciless rigor of practice.

The biting wind carried with it the dust and metallic smell of dried blood—silent marks of the brutality of their previous training.

Grand Elder Feng Ruang stood before them, unmoving, his presence imposing like a mountain shrouded in mist. His eyes were deep, unfathomable, as if they could pierce through flesh and gaze straight into Bai Zhen and Feng Hao's souls.

"You two."

His voice was deep, filled with an authority that brooked no dispute.

"The Clan is not just a bloodline. It is a living entity, greater than any of us. The Patriarch acts as the leader of our clan to represent us in the imperial court, and acts as the head of our clan internally. His role is to lead, but his authority is not absolute."

Feng Ruang walked slowly around the two young men, his hands clasped behind his back. The pale light of the evening cast his long shadow across the cracked ground.

"I am the Supreme Elder of the Law Enforcement Hall," the great elder continued. "My duty is to supervise all members, including the Patriarch. I ensure that the rules are not broken. That order is maintained. That the will of the clan never bends."

His eyes, filled with an icy glow, paused briefly on Bai Zhen before turning to the darkening horizon.

"The Deliberative Council, comprised of the clan's Great Martial Saints, forms the Iron Rules that govern our clan. Lord Bai Yu acts as the head of this council."

Bai Zhen's eyes narrowed at the mention of the name.

"The Clan is an eternal cycle," Grand Elder Feng Ruang continued, his voice taking on an almost religious tone. "You were born for it. You will grow for it. And if you are worthy, you will die for its glory."

His tone remained firm, but when he spoke of glory, his voice took on a subtle fervor, a hint of almost fanatical devotion.

"Political strength places us above the other clans, but martial power is what gives us a voice within the empire. No words can replace the blade. There is no negotiation without the shadow of a sword."

Feng Ruang turned abruptly, ending the abstract lecture. His eyes, now sharp as blades, fell upon the two kneeling youths.

"Now, let's move on to the real thing."

The air around him seemed to grow heavier. Bai Zhen felt a strange chill creep up his spine.

"Both of you have already reached the Martial Master stage. You are now qualified to learn the Feng Clan's most important fist technique."

The Grand Elder paused and looked deeply at the two young men.

"The Scarlet Fist."

The words fell upon the courtyard like an unassailable decree.

"The technique is an inheritance from the ancient Martial Emperors of the Feng Clan," Feng Ruang murmured, his eyes piercing.

"In its true form, it can turn rivers into vapor, sweep away armies, devastate entire cities. But for you…"

He raised a fist, his fingers stiff as claws.

Then, he struck the air.

The impact was deafening.

The pressure of the blow shook the surroundings, causing cracks to snake through the stone beneath his feet.

Space seemed to tremble as martial energy erupted from his fist, materializing into scarlet flames that spread violently.

The flames danced in the air, taking on distorted, hungry shapes, like beasts wanting to devour the world.

Bai Zhen and Feng Hao felt the heat brush against their skin, the fiery energy resonating through their bodies like restrained thunder.

"This is an execution suited to the level of a Martial Master,"

Feng Ruang muttered, his tone filled with sharp disdain.

"The true Scarlet Fist would burn to ashes before they knew their own death."

Silence filled the courtyard.

Bai Zhen clenched his fists, feeling his breathing heavy. In his mind, images of the battle that had taken his elder brother's life flashed like lightning.

Feng Hao maintained his rigid posture, his eyes narrowing in concentration. But Bai Zhen noticed. The other youth was also panting. He was also intimidated.

The Grand Elder simply watched, emotionless, like a sculptor waiting to carve his pieces.

Feng Ruang continued, his voice lower, drawling like a predator whispering in the ear of its prey.

"Now, pay attention. The technique requires absolute control over—"

Suddenly, a shout echoed through the air, cutting through the Grand Elder's words like a sharp blade.

"Feng Clan! Welcome His Majesty, the Third Imperial Prince Long Wei!"

The messenger's voice rang out with a ceremonious tone, announcing the arrival of someone of great importance.

Instantly, Grand Elder Feng Ruang moved. The speed with which he left the training courtyard was like a flash, his body disappearing into thin air before the two youths could even react.

"Stay here."

Only his voice rang out in the air, sounding like an unmistakable command.

Feng Hao and Bai Zhen stood there, not fully understanding what had just happened. However, they both remained silent, feeling the weight of the moment without being able to comprehend its entirety.

Meanwhile, Feng Ruang, with lightning speed, was already in the main courtyard. His figure appeared before the entrance door in the blink of an eye.

The murmurs of the Feng clan members rang out incessantly.

"Silence."

His deep voice caused even the youngest disciples of the Feng clan to have the presence of mind to immediately bow down.

Feng Ruang's imposing and silent figure was completely in tune with the surroundings.

The main door opened, and Long Wei walked in.

He was wrapped in a golden robe embroidered with dragons, his posture suggesting unbreakable strength.

His eyes, sharp as blades, scanned the area with the precision of a predator hunting its prey.

He stopped in the center of the courtyard and looked directly at Great Elder Feng Ruang, the two of them sizing each other up like two lions from different realms.

"Great Elder, it's been a while… you still have that 'wise old man' look on your face."

Long Wei said, his tone of voice a mix of disdain and subtle provocation.

Feng Ruang kept his gaze impassive. He knew that any hasty response could be interpreted as weakness.

"Prince Wei, your sharp tongue is still as acidic as ever. I feel that the imperial clan has not taught you the manners of a prince."

His response was calm, but his gaze betrayed a sharp criticism. He was measuring each word, as he always did when faced with a veiled threat.

The prince smiled wryly, his eyes sparkling with an icy glow.

"Ah, Elder Feng... Respect is something that is earned, not imposed like a title. If I were to count the years, I remember that you were already 'old' when I was born."

Long Wei paused, his sharp gaze remaining fixed on the Great Elder.

"By the way, you should be aware that mortality comes to everyone, even a Martial Emperor will eventually perish."

Feng Ruang remained unmoved, but a faint smile appeared on her lips.

"Ah, yes. Time... It passes for everyone, even for golden-skinned immortals like those of the imperial clan, everyone will eventually die, and provoking enemies that they cannot defeat is not a wise way to stay alive."

Feng Ruang then looked Long Wei straight in the eye.

"This year, I will be 311 years old. I am already nearing the end of my life, young prince. I don't think I care that much about the consequences of a thoughtless act."

In an instant, the pressure in the air changed. Feng Ruang released a colossal burst of force, and the ground beneath his feet cracked like shattered glass, scattering fragments in all directions. The air around him felt dense.

Long Wei did not move a single muscle. His eyes flashed, but his posture remained impassive, as if he were a stone, immune to the wind that surrounded him.

"Hmm. Time spares no one."

Long Wei said, his tone now more serious, as if he recognized the subtle threat the Great Elder posed.

Suddenly, a voice boomed, as unquestionable as thunder, breaking the impasse between the two.

"Enough."

The authority of the voice was indisputable.

"The Feng Clan is not a fighting arena."

The figure who spoke slowly appeared, like a shadow emerging from beyond. Feng Tian Yuan, the leader of the Feng Clan, materialized amidst the silence.

His robes were like a reflection of the clan's antiquity, a noble countenance that exuded the sobriety of a fallen emperor yet still in control of his domain.

Beside him, the strongest of the Feng Clan, Feng Tian Bai Yu, walked with an imposing posture.

Bai Yu was not the leader, but his strength was the pillar that supported the clan's security. The relationship between him and Tian Yuan was one of balance: one ruled with wisdom, the other with an iron fist.

Traditionally, the most prominent and strongest member of the Feng Clan did not become the clan leader, as he was supposed to focus on his practice to keep the clan strong and powerful.

However, the clan leader could not be a weak figure, so it was common for the second strongest in the clan to become the patriarch.

Bai Yu then said, "Prince Long Tianyu, I believe you didn't come here just to provoke Grand Elder Feng Ruang, did you?"

His voice was calm, but it carried a subtle threat that everyone in the camp could sense.

Long Wei laughed softly, but without a trace of humor.

"Hahaha… Indeed, Lord Bai Yu. I didn't come here to waste time. My interest lies in some legal matters. I heard that the Feng Clan is holding a citizen of the empire in their custody… illegally."

His voice now had a sharp edge, like a blade drawn from the darkness.

Feng Tian Yuan didn't move, but his expression darkened slightly.

"Your Majesty, you must be joking. The 'citizen of the empire' you mentioned… murdered a promising young man from our clan. I have no doubt that you have already been informed of Bai Xu's death."

His tone was heavy, as if he were reciting a verdict, with no room for debate.

"Patriarch Tian Yuan, even the most vicious of murderers deserves to be treated fairly, don't you think? Isn't that what the major clans want after the treaty limiting imperial powers? I'm just complying with your wishes."

The coldness in Long Tianyu's eyes didn't waver. He replied with an icy calm, but it was filled with an invisible pressure. His words were like poison, spreading a suffocating tension, as if a noose was slowly being tightened around the Feng clan's neck.

"If you'll allow me, Prince, please follow me. This matter must not be discussed in public."

Tian Yuan gave Prince Wei a slight nod, his hand reaching out as a silent order for the prince to follow him to a more private location.

"Of course, Patriarch, I didn't plan on discussing this in public. Otherwise, I would have brought an imperial decree to read here."

The softness in Prince Wei's voice did not hide the implicit threat.

"Come, Grand Elder. You are a great sage of the Feng clan. Your opinion on this matter is undoubtedly of great value."

Bai Yu, Bai Zhen's father, said as he watched two young men approaching from a distance.

Then two young men arrived breathlessly, watching the outcome of the situation from afar.