[Location: The forbidden area of the Imperial Palace, behind the office of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs.
The night was as dark as ink, shrouding the palace in a chilling silence.
The Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs' duty room was located deep within the inner palace and was heavily guarded. However, to the elite of the Black-Clad Guards, its defences were practically nonexistent. Tonight's mission was being carried out by the 'Dragon-Binding' team, a special unit within the Black-Clad Guards responsible for capture and interrogation. The team consisted of three people. Dressed in tight-fitting night clothes, they were equipped with specially made soft ropes, sleeping pills and 'pulse-severing nails' to lock their internal energy.
Their target was Xiao Wuchen, who had recently been appointed as a scribe.
Xiao Wuchen did not linger in the duty room, returning to his quiet residence as usual. He knew that this was the most dangerous moment. He forced himself to read memorials as usual, but in reality, his entire mind was immersed in comprehending the "Flying Swallow Through Willows" movement technique.
'Silent and still, like a swallow darting through the wind, leaving no trace...'
He repeatedly recited the incantation for the movement technique, mentally simulating hundreds of evasion and counterattack paths.
With a whoosh!
A barely audible sound of wind breaking reached his ears. Not from the doors or windows, but from the roof!
Xiao Wuchen abruptly slammed the scroll shut, his body tilting instinctively to the side.
Just as he moved, a dark figure burst in through the skylight — it was the vanguard of the Black-Clad Guards! The man landed silently, a black, flexible rope lashing out straight for Xiao Wuchen's neck! Woven from specially made cow tendon and metal wire, the rope was both supple and strong; once entangled, escape would be difficult.
Xiao Wuchen dodged the rope, which grazed his shoulder as it wound down. He surged with internal energy, attempting to break the rope with his qi.
But the rope remained unmoved and, with a powerful pull, locked his right arm.
'Strong internal energy, truly living up to its reputation!'
A second Black-Clad Guard burst in through the side window even faster than the first, wielding a short crossbow that gleamed with a ghostly light. Rather than aiming for a vital spot, he targeted several of Xiao Wuchen's acupoints.
Xiao Wuchen staggered, using his left leg to pull himself backwards forcefully and avoid the three tiny, needle-like, meridian-severing nails fired from the crossbow.
'Mind-Controlling Nails?!' Xiao Wuchen's heart sank.
If this type of hidden weapon hit, it could temporarily seal a martial artist's acupoints, preventing the flow of their internal energy and leaving them completely vulnerable. This proved that the opponent's goal was to capture him alive.
With his right arm immobilised and his left side under threat from the meridian-severing nail, the cramped room had become a deadly trap.
In this critical moment, Xiao Wuchen did not choose to fight head-on. A flash of understanding crossed his eyes and he instantly grasped the "Flying Swallow Through Willows" mantra!
'The wind has no fixed form; I am the wind!'
He abruptly abandoned his resistance to the pull on his right arm and used this force to propel his body like a willow leaf caught in the wind. He moved at high speed along a tiny arc, close to the walls and the ground.
His figure seemed to blur for a moment, leaving only a fleeting afterimage in the eyes of the two black-clad guards.
Extreme Speed: His speed was unbelievable, breaking all the limitations of the human body in a confined space.
Silent Change of Direction: His footsteps were as light as a woven tapestry, landing softly without making a sound and achieving true 'tracelessness'.
Like willow catkins weaving through the air: He slipped past the second guard through the narrow gap in the rope, narrowly missing it, as if threading a needle.
System Notification: The 'Flying Swallow Through the Willow' movement technique has been upgraded. Traceless!'
The two black-clad guards only saw a blur before their eyes; the soft ropes that had been binding their target had disappeared without a trace! Terrified, they realised they had encountered a true master.
"Scatter! Use the net!'
But their orders came too late.
Xiao Wuchen had already circled behind the third guard, who had charged in, while perfecting his breakthrough movement technique. This third guard was holding a 'Heavenly Silkworm Net', the ultimate weapon for binding and restraining.
Xiao Wuchen no longer held back. He thrust out a palm strike, relying purely on internal force to generate a palm wind, without using any fancy techniques.
The Mysterious Ice Scripture—"Cold Qi Locks the Meridians!"
A powerful, chilling internal force struck the back of the third Black-Clad Guard, like a tangible icy current. He only managed to groan quietly before his entire body froze, leaving him standing motionless like an ice sculpture while his net fell to the ground.
The other two reacted and were about to attack.
Xiao Wuchen once again used the 'Traceless' movement technique. Instead of fleeing, he moved like a ghost around the room. Then, he swiftly cleaved open a roof tile with a palm strike and leapt out.
He didn't escape far, but stood on top of the roof ridge. The moonlight cast a long, cold shadow of him. Looking down, he spoke with internal force, his voice clearly penetrating the room.
'The Left Commander's Black-Clad Guards, your methods are indeed skilful. Tonight, if I wanted to kill you all, it would be as easy as turning my hand."
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a chilling, domineering aura. "I know you are merely following orders. Go back and tell the Left Commander that Xiao Wuchen, the scribe of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs, has only His Majesty and the affairs of the court at heart. Unless forced, he will never be an enemy of the Black-Clad Guards."
He tossed aside the soft rope that had been tightly bound to his right arm — a deliberate deterrent that he had left behind.
'But if anyone insists on testing my martial arts skills or uses "subjugation" as an excuse to commit violence...' Xiao Wuchen paused, gathering his inner strength at his fingertips, and pointed sharply at a huge rock beneath the roof ridge.
The rock instantly shattered into countless fragments, scattering frost across the ground.
"I will show no mercy!"
With that, Xiao Wuchen vanished completely into the night.
The two Black-Clad Guards inside the room stared in shock and fear at the shattered boulders on the ground and their frozen comrade.
Their martial arts prowess was extraordinary; even though they were bound by soft ropes and threatened by meridian-severing nails, they were able to break free instantly and unleash terrifying internal energy.
The objective was clear: the opponent had chosen intimidation over killing. This was more chilling than killing them outright, as it demonstrated absolute control and confidence.
'Report back to the Commander,' one of the guards said hoarsely. 'The target's martial arts are unfathomable and his movement techniques are extremely unpredictable. He has reached the realm of tracelessness. We simply cannot get close.'
The Black-Clad Guards' high-level assassination attempt ended in utter failure. They failed to uncover Xiao Wuchen's true strength and allowed him to display overwhelming power, casting a huge, unpredictable shadow over the Left Commander's Mansion.