Chapter 14

Here's the next chapter in the story.

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Chapter 14: Blood Ties in the Wind

Xiao Lian's grip tightened on the Windblade. His heart pounded, his mind racing to make sense of what he was seeing.

His sister, Xiao Yan, stood before him—alive.

"Impossible," he whispered.

She gave a small, humorless laugh. "You always were slow to accept the truth."

Xiao Lian felt a storm of emotions rise within him. He had mourned her for years, convinced she had perished along with their family in the siege of Yunhe City. And yet, here she was, standing in the moonlight with a dagger in her hand and the unmistakable air of a trained assassin.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded.

Xiao Yan twirled the dagger between her fingers. "Would you believe me if I said I was just passing through?"

"Don't play games with me, Yan."

Her smirk faded slightly, and for a moment, something unreadable flickered across her face. "I had to see you."

Xiao Lian studied her. "You tried to kill me."

"I had to be sure it was really you," she said, sheathing her dagger. "And I had to know… if you were still weak."

His eyes narrowed. "What?"

She took a step closer. "You've always clung to the past, Lian. To honor, to righteousness. But the world isn't as kind as you want it to be. If you're not willing to make hard choices, you'll die."

"Is that what you've become?" His voice was quiet now. "A killer without honor?"

She met his gaze without flinching. "I became what I had to be to survive."

Xiao Lian felt something break inside him. This was not the sister he had known—the one who had once laughed with him as they ran through the fields of Yunhe, the one who had promised they would always protect each other.

"…Who are you working for?" he asked.

"The Hidden Fang," she answered without hesitation. "But they do not own me."

Xiao Lian exhaled sharply. The Hidden Fang was a faction of spies and assassins, feared for their ability to manipulate the tides of war from the shadows. If Xiao Yan was with them, then her presence here was no coincidence.

"Did they send you to kill me?"

Xiao Yan's lips curled into a faint smile. "Not yet."

The Blade's Choice

A silence stretched between them. Then, Xiao Yan's expression hardened.

"You're in danger, Lian," she said. "More than you know."

Xiao Lian frowned. "Wu Jian?"

She shook her head. "He's just the beginning. There are forces at play that you don't understand. The Hidden Fang… they have their own plans for this war. And they believe you are either an asset or a threat."

Xiao Lian clenched his jaw. "And which one am I to you?"

For the first time, she hesitated. "I don't know yet."

The words cut deeper than a blade.

But before Xiao Lian could respond, a sharp gust of wind tore through the courtyard, and with it came a warning—a presence approaching.

Xiao Yan's eyes flashed. "We're out of time."

She stepped back into the shadows, her voice barely above a whisper. "Stay alive, brother. For now."

Then, like a phantom, she was gone.

The Council's Verdict

By dawn, the council was in uproar.

"The Hidden Fang cannot be trusted," Master Zhao growled, slamming a fist on the table. "If they are moving, we must prepare for war."

Lady Shen's voice was calm but edged with warning. "The Hidden Fang never act without purpose. If they are watching Xiao Lian, it means they believe he has a role to play."

Tian Shu turned to Xiao Lian. "Do you trust her?"

Xiao Lian hesitated, then shook his head. "I don't know who she is anymore."

Ren Bai crossed his arms. "Then we prepare for the worst."

Tian Shu sighed, then turned to the gathered warriors. "We must act carefully. The wind has shifted, and I fear we are being pushed toward a storm none of us yet understand."

He looked at Xiao Lian. "You must be ready."

Xiao Lian clenched his fists. His sister's words haunted him.

"Stay alive, brother. For now."