Wei Ji's eyes narrowed. His fingers curled into a strange hand seal, and the vines beneath his feet trembled like snakes eager to strike.
"I said, step aside, Zhanjian," he said, his tone calm but heavy with command.
Han Zhanjian clenched his sword and didn't move. His gaze flickered between his brother and the wounded girl behind him. The air around them was thick with tension, heavy enough to make even the trees seem afraid to rustle.
The vines burst from the soil, glowing faintly green as they shot toward the crippled assassin. The girl gasped, trying to crawl back.
"Eldest Brother, stop!" Zhanjian shouted, raising his sword. "You'll kill her!"
Wei Ji's face was cold. "That's the point."
The vine and blade met. Clang! Sparks flew, the shockwave kicking up dust and debris. Zhanjian was pushed back several steps, his boots grinding the soil, but he held his ground.
From the side, Attendant Zuge shouted, "Young Master Han Ji! Please! If you attack them, it will start a full-scale war between the Shen Flame Kingdom and the Forest Dragon Kingdom!"
Wei Ji tilted his head slightly, his tone almost mocking. "A war? If I kill my wife, maybe that will happen. But if I kill her soldiers?" His eyes glinted darkly. "It won't."
Zhanjian's voice rose, trembling with anger. "Eldest Brother, that's not right! They are people of the Shen Flame Kingdom. You can't—"
Wei Ji cut him off with a sharp laugh. "Can't? You talk like you know what right means, little brother."
Zhanjian gritted his teeth. "Then forgive me, Elder Brother… but I must do this!"
Attendant Zuge stepped back. He'd seen this before—whenever his young master decided to fight, it ended quickly. "It will be over in one move," he muttered to himself, confident. "Young Master can predict any attack. No one ever lasts against him."
Zhanjian charged forward, his sword glowing faintly with blue light. His eyes shone strangely, focusing on Wei Ji's every motion. "Elder Brother, you should take a nap first!"
He thrust.
Wei Ji smiled.
Then—BOOM!
Han Zhanjian was sent flying backward, crashing through two trees before hitting the ground hard. He coughed blood, his sword slipping from his hand.
"What…?" Zuge blinked, stunned. "Impossible!"
Wei Ji stood where he was, one hand behind his back, his body steady though his shoulder moved slightly from the force. He looked down at his younger brother and smirked.
"I know what you got," he said calmly. "You can see the movements of your enemies. You can predict them before they make them. Those eyes of yours let you see the flow of the world before it happens. Am I right?"
Zhanjian's eyes widened in shock.
Wei Ji continued, voice quiet but clear. "You think that makes you untouchable. But there are techniques—many of them—that don't follow predictable movement. Some arts move without a trace. This one…" He stepped forward, the ground cracking beneath his feet. "Formless Dragon Step. No rhythm, no pattern. Not even your special eyes can follow that."
Then he looked up, his expression darkening. "Now, you better step aside and let me take their heads," he must be fast. He's just lying. That was just a surprise he did to shock his brother, Wei Ji knew his next attacks could be defended. But he wouldn't tell his brother.
He turned toward the five assassins in black.
Han Zhanjian pushed himself up, wiping the blood from his mouth. "Brother, you're going too far! Why are you so set on killing them?"
Wei Ji's eyes flashed with fury. "Too far?" He laughed bitterly. "Ask them why I want to kill her."
The five assassins froze.
"What does he mean?" whispered one of the men, his voice shaking.
Wei Ji's hand trembled slightly as he reached into his chest pocket. "A few days ago, I was poisoned," he said slowly. "Barely survived it." His voice grew colder with each word. "And the one who did it… was standing among you."
Zhanjian's expression hardened. "What? Poisoned?"
Attendant Zuge gasped. "That means—if someone harmed you—it's the same as declaring war!"
The assassins' faces turned pale.
One of the women spoke, "You have no proof."
Wei Ji smiled darkly and pulled out a small jade vial, tossing it toward them. It rolled across the dirt, stopping near Zhanjian's boots. "Verify it with your spiritual Qi," Wei Ji said.
Zhanjian hesitated. Then he took a deep breath and poured his spiritual energy into the vial. The jade glowed faintly red. His eyes widened. "This… this signature… it matches the Shen Flame Kingdom's toxin! How—how could this be?"
Wei Ji took a step closer, his eyes burning with quiet rage. "So. Are you going to deny it now?"
The five assassins said nothing. Their silence was enough.
Then, the woman with the missing leg lowered her head. "I'll take the punishment," she said softly. "It was my fault. I acted without the princess's order."
The air went still. The other assassins turned pale, realizing what that meant.
Zhanjian clenched his fists. "Lanlan… you—"
She continued, voice shaking. "I thought… he was weak. A useless husband to our princess. I wanted to act before he brought shame upon her." She smiled bitterly. "I was wrong. So very wrong."
Wei Ji's expression didn't change. He looked at her, eyes like frozen steel.
The others began whispering among themselves.
"If the eldest young master dies, war will start…"
"But he's not weak. He's a monster in disguise!"
"Mai Lanlan disobeyed orders… the princess told us not to touch him!"
Panic spread among them. One mistake. One fatal mistake that could destroy their entire kingdom.
Zhanjian stepped back, torn between loyalty and blood. Zuge glanced at him, worried, but said nothing.
Finally, Zhanjian sighed. "Eldest Brother…" His voice was low, heavy. "I understand now. Do what you must."
He and Zuge stepped aside.
Wei Ji's lips curled into a thin smile. "Good."
He formed another hand sign, his spiritual energy surging. The earth cracked open as a giant flower emerged from the soil, its petals glowing faintly with crimson light. The flower opened slowly, revealing rows of sharp, vine-like teeth that dripped with green sap.
The girl on the ground trembled, her body weak and pale. "So this… is how I die," she whispered.
Wei Ji's eyes glowed faintly. "You should have thought of that before you tried to kill me."
The flower lunged forward, its petals spreading wide as it prepared to devour her.
Then—
"Wait!"
The voice cut through the forest like a bell. Everyone froze.
Wei Ji's hand stopped mid-seal. The vines halted, hanging in the air like frozen whips.
All heads turned toward the sound.
Through the trees, a woman appeared, her long crimson robes fluttering softly in the wind. Her beauty was ethereal, her presence commanding.
Wei Ji's gaze hardened instantly.
"Lu Shaohua…" he murmured.
The Princess of Shen Flame Kingdom. His wife.
Everyone bowed instinctively, their hearts pounding.
The assassins looked terrified, Zhanjian's eyes widened, and even Attendant Zuge froze in disbelief.
Lu Shaohua's gaze went straight to the flower monster, then to Wei Ji. Her eyes carried sorrow and steel.
"Han Ji," she said softly, her voice trembling yet strong. "Stop this."
The air turned still again, heavier than before.
Wei Ji didn't answer. He only stared at her, the green glow of his vines reflecting in his cold eyes.
The vines rustled faintly, waiting for his command.
The whole forest seemed to hold its breath.