"What are we doing here?"the shorter man of the two asked ,his curious eyes scanning the surroundings.
"Didn't you say you wanted to visit the Splendid Capital? Now that my venerable self has brought you here yet you're complaining?"the taller man teased him smirking cockily.
"This is the legendary Splendid Capital?"the shorter man exclaimed with excitement.
"Of course,"the taller man confirmed.
"It is indeed beautiful as depicted in stories,"the shorter man said nodding in approval,his eyes still wide in surprise.
The taller man ,Ruan Junzhe had been touring around the world with his personal servant Mu Zixin. Mu Zixin was from the countryside and had never left the confines of his small hometown, but a lucky encounter with Ruan Junzhe got him a promise of a country wide tour. They had started their little adventure a month ago ,going to places they've never been to before. As they traipsed around the place,they couldn't help but notice the few glances that were cast their way; not the judgmental ones but suggestive glances from young ladies gawking at the finest gentleman on earth- Ruan Junzhe. The man's beauty seemed unreal- his tall ,lean figure, sharp and well defined facial features,black silk hair,an alluring masculine scent radiating off him as he passed by,his opulent robes and the fact that he looked rich. He was the kind of man that would give women sleepless nights.
"Young Master after we're done with the Splendid Capital,where will we be going next?"Mu Zixin asked me curiously.
"I haven't decided yet. I have a lot of things to do here so we might stay here for a while.The Valor Peak eldest disciple wants to meet me here,"Ruan Junzhe informed.
"What does he want?" Mu Zixin sassed.
"Well,he is kind of my friend. We met two years ago when I went to steal a cultivation manual from his sect,"Ruan Junzhe said smugly as if it was something to be proud of.
"How did you become friends when you went to steal from his sect?" Mu Zixin asked becoming curious.
Ruan Junzhe chuckled remembering the first encounter with the eldest disciple of the Valor Peak. He went to steal a cultivation manual and decided to have more fun. He presented himself in front of the eldest disciple and claimed to have stolen it and challenged the disciple to chase after him if he wanted it back. The disciple,loving the challenge followed him and they fought overnight, leaping on roofs, clashing swords and unexpectedly shared a drink after the fight and became friends since then. He used the manual and returned it later as per the disciple's request.
"When is he coming?"Mu Zixin asked again.
"I'm not sure but he said he's planning to visit the city in a few days."
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For the past one month,Ao Yan played the good disciple, sticking to his master's rules ,he picked up his sword skills pretty well and his master was pleased with him. At first when someone asked the cause of his drastic change in attitude he simply claimed he wanted to be praised by his master but there was a little atom of truth in that. He craved a little of his master's attention and now he was happily receiving it. But underneath his sweet smile,there were sinister thoughts brewing in his mind.Thoughts evoked by the resentment he harboured for his master. He and his other sect brothers had undergone intense torture under their so called master in the name of training and ridiculously painful punishment whenever mistakes were made. Ao Yan had been trapped for long like a caged bird and was in urgent need of freedom.
ONE MONTH LATER.
On a bright morning at the Imperial Palace,the Emperor sat on his throne seat as he led the meeting with the ministers in the courtroom. Suddenly a man dressed in a black hoodied cloak walked inside freaking out everyone. At the doorstep,two dead guards lay on the ground as a result of trying to stop the man's advancements into the courtroom. The emperor panicked,as well as the ministers. This man who was able to penetrate into the highly guarded palace must have been very powerful. His shadow like aura made them bow down in fear.
The man walked confidently and stopped a few meters away from the emperor. He took out a letter and stretched out his hand for the emperor to take it. The Eunuch, fearful as everyone else,had no choice but to walk towards the man , taking cautious steps till he caught a grasp of the letter. Without hesitation,he undressed the letter from its envelope and read it silently at first- his breath hitched,his throat became dry ,beads of sweating making their way to his forehead.
The curious emperor and the ministers confused by the eunuch's expression, ordered him to read it out aloud. The content of the letter was a threat to the Emperor to step down from the throne and disappear from the Splendid Capital. The real sender himself had claimed the throne , giving the Emperor a maximum of three days to make his decision.
"Leader said he was kind enough to let you decide this the easy way otherwise if you don't comply with his wishes he won't spare you,"the man in a cloak spoke in a low dangerous voice.
"May…I …ask who your master is?" The emperor stuttered for the first time in his life.
"Hei Yue,"the man said and walked out leaving a bunch of panicked men.
"Hei Yue the sorcerer?"
"He's the leader of the Dark Cultivators' Guild." An overlap of the ministers' panicked voices filled the courtroom.