Xu Mountain Sect, Midnight
Zhang Yixuan twisted and turned on the thin bamboo bed in the guest quarters of the Xu Mountain Sect. Beads of sweat gathered across his forehead and brows, his breathing ragged. Memories from his past life,long buried and forgotten, clawed their way to the surface, clear and unrelenting.
The grand hall reeked and exuded the smell of incense and palpable tension. Courtiers murmured amongst themselves as Noble Consort Ling knelt before the emperor. Her composure was admirable, though her trembling hands betrayed her fear.
"Your Majesty," she began, her voice steady but soft, "I would never harm you. Please, believe me."
"Silence!" The Empress's sharp voice cut through the room. Her cold eyes glinted with satisfaction. "Your Majesty, the evidence is undeniable. The poison was found in her chambers!"
Zhang Yixuan, just a boy of ten, clung tightly to his mother's sleeve. "Father, please! My mother is innocent!"
The emperor sat frozen on his throne, torn between the love he bore Noble Consort Ling and the crushing weight of the accusations.
"She plotted to kill you, Your Majesty," one of Zhang Yixuan's half-brothers declared, his tone laced with venom. "And her illegitimate son… seeks to claim the throne for himself!"
Noble Consort Ling knelt lower, her voice breaking. "I have served you faithfully, my lord. My only crime is loving you too much."
The emperor's expression hardened. "Ling'er…" His voice trembled, but the authority behind it was absolute. "I cannot ignore this. The evidence is clear."
"No!" Yixuan cried, but strong hands pulled him back.
The punishment was swift. Noble Consort Ling was dragged away, her cries filling the grand hall. Zhang Yixuan fought desperately to reach her, but the guards held him firm.
"Mother!" he screamed, tears streaming down his face.
Through the noise, her final words cut through like a blade: "Yixuan, live… and remember."
The scene shifted. Zhang Yixuan was older now, standing on a desolate mountain. His half-brothers surrounded him, their faces twisted with contempt.
"You don't deserve Father's favor," his eldest brother spat. "You're nothing but a bastard."
"You were always his favorite," another sneered. "But that ends here."
Zhang Yixuan fought back, his small fists swinging furiously. "Cowards! You disgrace the imperial family!"
Their laughter was cold and cruel. They struck him down, fists and kicks raining until he could no longer move. Bloodied and gasping, he barely registered the golden jar they carried.
"This is your fate," one of them said, his voice dripping with malice.
He was shoved into the jar, the ancient seals trapping his soul in darkness.
"Rot here for eternity," the eldest hissed before sealing the jar shut.
Xu Mountain Sect, Present Day
"Mother!" Zhang Yixuan bolted upright, his breath coming in gasps. Sweat soaked his robes, and his chest heaved as he stared into the dark room.
Footsteps echoed in the hallway. Moments later, the door slid open, and Xu Ran and Xu Mei Ling rushed in, swords drawn.
"Zhang Yixuan!!" Xu Ran scanned the room, his grip tight on the hilt of his blade. "What happened?"
"Brother, look!" Mei Ling gasped, lowering her weapon as she rushed to Yixuan's side. "He's drenched in sweat!"
Zhang Yixuan rubbed his face with trembling hands. "It was… a dream."
"It didn't sound like just a dream," Xu Ran said, lowering his blade but keeping his tone sharp.
Mei Ling placed a hand on his arm, her voice soft. "You were shouting about your mother."
"It wasn't a dream." His voice cracked with the weight of his words. "It was a memory."
The siblings exchanged a glance. Mei Ling's brow furrowed. "A memory?"
Zhang Yixuan nodded, his fists clenched tightly. "The last moments I had with my mother… before they killed her."
"Who killed her?" Xu Ran asked cautiously.
"My brothers and their mother the empress," Zhang Yixuan spat, his eyes dark with fury. "And their vile mother, the Empress. She framed my mother for poisoning my father. They tortured her. Humiliated her. Executed her in front of me."
Mei Ling's hands flew to her mouth. "That's horrible."
"They didn't stop there," Zhang Yixuan continued, his voice growing colder. "They took me to the mountains and sealed me in that cursed jar. All because the emperor loved my mother more than their wretched mother. All because I was better than them."
Xu Ran folded his arms. "Better how?"
Zhang Yixuan's lips twisted into a bitter smile. "My talents surpassed theirs. In strategy. In martial arts. The emperor favoured me more and their jealousy consumed them."
Mei Ling's eyes glistened with unshed tears. "No one should endure such cruelty."
Zhang Yixuan sighed, his anger giving way to exhaustion. "I've endured decades of darkness. Now that I'm free, I'll make them pay."
Xu Ran stepped forward, his expression stern. "Revenge might bring satisfaction, but it'll only lead to more bloodshed. Is that the path you truly want?"
Zhang Yixuan's gaze burned. "It's the only path I have left."
Mei Ling touched his arm gently. "You don't have to walk it alone. Master Jian Wu can guide you."
Zhang Yixuan chuckled bitterly. "Your master cannot change what's already been done."
"No," Xu Ran agreed. "But he can help you find peace."
Zhang Yixuan looked away. "Peace is a luxury I cannot afford."
Silence settled over the room. Finally, Mei Ling broke it. "Try to rest. We'll stay if you need us."
"I've had enough rest for a lifetime," Zhang Yixuan said, rising to his feet. "The nightmares won't let me sleep."
Xu Ran nodded. "Then let's train. Better to exhaust your body than fight your thoughts."
"Now?" Mei Ling blinked in surprise.
Xu Ran shrugged. "Why not?"
Zhang Yixuan's lips curled into a faint smirk. "I welcome the challenge."
Under the pale light of the moon, the trio faced each other in the courtyard. Xu Ran tossed Zhang Yixuan a sword, its blade gleaming.
"Show me your skills," Xu Ran said, assuming his stance.
Zhang Yixuan's eyes narrowed. "Don't hold back."
Their blades clashed, the metallic ring echoing in the cool night air. Xu Ran's strikes were powerful, precise. Zhang Yixuan, however, met them with graceful parries, his movements fluid and practiced.
"Impressive," Xu Ran admitted, breathing heavily.
"You've underestimated me," Zhang Yixuan replied, pressing forward with a sharp counterattack.
Mei Ling watched from the sidelines, her initial worry giving way to admiration.
The duel intensified, sparks flying as their swords collided. Xu Ran's technique was disciplined, but Zhang Yixuan's finesse and speed left little room for error.
"You fight like a noble warrior," Xu Ran said, stepping back to catch his breath.
Zhang Yixuan's face grew somber. "Because I was one… once."
Xu Ran lowered his blade. "Let this place be your sanctuary for now. You don't have to face your demons alone."
For the first time, Zhang Yixuan paused. The sincerity in their eyes unsettled him.
"Thank you," he said quietly.
Mei Ling beamed. "You're part of the Xu Mountain Sect now. That makes you family."
Zhang Yixuan looked away, a flicker of something unfamiliar warming his chest. Perhaps, after all these years, there was a sliver of hope left in the darkness.