Minahiru

In the ruthless world of Jianghu, where power is measured by the strength of one’s blade, Ye Xian—a master of poisons and a top assassin for the Hidden Order—receives her latest mission: eliminate Shen Liwei, the righteous yet formidable leader of the Azure Wind Sect.

Her plan is flawless. Her poison is undetectable. Her strike is lethal.

Yet, when the toxin fails to take effect, Ye Xian is forced to confront a chilling truth—Shen Liwei is immune to all poisons but one: the very first poison she ever created.

To finish her mission, she must infiltrate his sect, uncover his secret, and strike when he least expects it. But as she gets closer, she discovers that Shen Liwei is not just a target—he is a man entangled in the same deadly web as she is. Behind his righteous reputation lie imperial experiments, hidden betrayals, and a conspiracy that reaches far beyond any one sect.

As assassins close in, enemies shift, and the line between hunter and hunted begins to blur, Ye Xian faces the one truth she cannot poison her way out of—the mission was never as simple as killing Shen Liwei.

 A calculated assassin vs. an unbreakable warrior—a deadly game of deception and skill.
 Martial duels, hidden blades, and power struggles—where alliances are as fragile as life itself.
 A world ruled by strength, ambition, and shadows—where survival is the only law.

In Jianghu, trust is a weakness, love is a liability, and the only certainty is that someone must die.

Oath and Blood

Chapter 28: A Shadow Without a Name

Ye Xian watched Master Ren disappear down the corridor.

Because now—she knew something was wrong.

Something deeper than her mission.

Something that went beyond the Shadow Empress, beyond Han Yue, beyond everything she had been preparing for.

The Hidden Order was not in full control.

And that meant—she had been following orders from a ghost.

She left the eastern wing, her steps careful but unhurried.

But before she could—she felt it.

A quiet force lingering at the edges of the garden, watching her movements.

She turned slightly, her fingers brushing the needles in her sleeve.

She found him leaning against a stone lantern, his arms crossed loosely. His smirk was in place, but his eyes—they were too sharp.

Zhao Fengyun tilted his head slightly. "That depends."

Then—he pushed off the lantern and stepped closer.

Ye Xian didn't answer immediately.

She could lie. She was good at it.

"You already know," she murmured. "So why ask?"

Zhao Fengyun chuckled. "Because I want to hear you say it."

Then—she gave him part of the truth.

"The Shadow Empress isn't our only enemy."

Zhao Fengyun's smirk didn't falter, but his fingers tapped lightly against his sleeve. A tell.

"So you've figured that much out."

Then—his gaze darkened slightly.

"Now the real question, Ye Xian," he murmured.

"Will you keep playing this game?"

Or—will you finally admit that the board was set before you ever stepped on it?

The Name That Should Not Be Spoken

"Ah, see? That's where we differ. I don't think."

Zhao Fengyun's voice lowered, his words slow, deliberate.

"Lan Huai's murderer," he murmured. "The one pulling the strings from the beginning."

The story was that Lan Huai was killed by an unknown assassin.

Shen Liwei had spent years trying to uncover the truth.

Han Yue had just brought up her name again, searching for answers.

And now—Zhao Fengyun was saying the true killer was still alive?

Zhao Fengyun tilted his head. "Because I've been hunting them for years."

"And now… I think they've started hunting me."

Because this was no longer a mission.

Zhao Fengyun's gaze flickered. "I have my suspicions."

"But I will tell you one thing, Ye Xian."

Zhao Fengyun's voice was quiet. Too quiet.

"If we find them… you won't be able to walk away."

Ye Xian tilted her head slightly. "I don't walk away from unfinished things."

Zhao Fengyun's lips curled faintly.

Then—he disappeared into the night.

And Ye Xian stood there, the cold air pressing against her.

She knew that this was just the beginning.

The real enemy had finally started to move.