A Blade

The waterside pavilion stood in utter silence. Just as Xu Yuan reached out to help the man up, he suddenly noticed the body of this "scholar" trembling with faint, almost imperceptible tremors. After a moment of silence, Xu Yuan narrowed his eyes. Looking down at Yuan Hao, who was still bent low in a deep bow, he abandoned the thought of helping him to his feet. He was probably laughing. He was struggling desperately to manage his expression, keeping his twisted nature from frightening Xu Yuan. As expected, a lunatic was always a lunatic. No matter how gentle and refined he appeared on the surface, he could never entirely hide it when something struck his excitement. Xu Yuan turned aside, looking toward the koi swimming aimlessly in the pool, and remarked offhandedly, "Don't celebrate too early. When a blade is held to their throats, very few people still choose to fight to the bitter end." "Yuan naturally understands that." Yuan Hao finally brought his expression under control and straightened up, his gaze fixing on Xu Yuan's back. "Still, there is always something to look forward to." Xu Yuan cast a sideways glance at him, an odd look in his eyes. "Does killing people really make you that excited?" Yuan Hao lowered his eyelids slightly, a clear, gentle smile resting on his handsome face. "Does the Third Young Master not think there is beauty in the sight of flesh and blood flying through the air? Those warm splashes of blood, those looks of despair... Third Young Master, imagine that wonderful sensation. Isn't excitement only..." "Stop." Xu Yuan cut Yuan Hao off and pulled his gaze back. He understood now. There was no deeper reason; this Yuan Hao was simply a lunatic through and through. He was exactly as he had been in *Cangyuan*, except that in *Cangyuan* he had merely been a two-and-a-half-dimensional pixel figure, whereas now he had become a flesh-and-blood madman. His obsession with killing was no different from an artist's infatuation with music or painting. Xu Yuan had no interest in sharing notes on that sort of passion. Hearing the command, Yuan Hao shut his mouth at once, though a faint loneliness flickered in his eyes. Xu Yuan turned around, meeting his gaze, and enunciated each word: "Do not pull any petty tricks for the sake of your personal tastes." Yuan Hao masked the gleam in his eyes and spread his hands. "The Third Young Master may rest assured." Xu Yuan raised an eyebrow. "Speaking of which, you follow my father because he can give you what you want?" "..." At those words, Yuan Hao looked up, that familiar figure surfacing unbidden in his mind. A damp, gloomy dungeon. A calm, commanding gaze looking down from above. A fine blade tossed down before him. And that single line: *"Become my blade, and I will give you what you want."* "..." After a fleeting daze, Yuan Hao smiled, his answer intentionally vague: "Back then, executing those captives jeopardized the overall suppression of the rebellion. By law, I should have been beheaded, but the Chancellor saved me." "Oh? Is that so..." Xu Yuan murmured softly, though a barely noticeable trace of pity crept into the look he gave Yuan Hao. Achieving military distinction on the battlefield at sixteen or seventeen, his future should have been set for nobility and high office. Yet now, no matter how great his future merits might be, Xu Yinhe would never allow him to live to the day when rewards were handed out. Even if everything went smoothly, Yuan Hao would die on the very eve of victory. The hand that struck him down might belong to an enemy, or it might belong to his own side. The moment he caught Xu Yuan's expression, Yuan Hao grinned broadly. "Third Young Master, there is no need to look at me like that. Those who live by the sword will inevitably die by it. How could someone like me ever come to a peaceful end?" "..." Xu Yuan fell quiet for a brief moment, his gaze turning serious. "You see things clearly enough." "It is simply my nature," Yuan Hao said. Xu Yuan let out a soft laugh. "Very well. If possible, provide me with a detailed intelligence report on the Wanxiang Sect." With that, he turned and walked straight out of the pavilion. "Naturally." Yuan Hao agreed without hesitation. After a pause, he called out after Xu Yuan, "Third Young Master, please wait a moment." Xu Yuan halted his steps and looked back over his shoulder. Yuan Hao took a box out from the Sumeru ring used for military supplies and tossed it over. Xu Yuan caught it with one hand. It was half a foot long, with a metallic texture, and looked to be of premium quality. He asked softly, "What is this?" Yuan Hao shrugged. "The Black Scale Guards asked me to pass it to you. It seems to be a newly crafted human-skin mask from the Gewu Academy, meant for you and the Fourth Miss to wear during negotiations." "..." Xu Yuan fell silent for a breath. "Wear this? Is that my father's intention?" Yuan Hao gave it some thought, then nodded. "Most likely. After all, the Black Scale Guards have no authority to make decisions on such matters." Standing in place, Xu Yuan pondered for a long while before giving a faint nod. "Understood." From a distance, Yuan Hao clasped his hands in salute. "Third Young Master, take care. I will not see you out." Xu Yuan waved his hand, stored the box into his Sumeru ring, and walked out of the courtyard without looking back. "..." Watching the courtyard gate swing shut, Yuan Hao stared darkly in that direction for several breaths. He returned to his seat in silence and picked up the wine flagon to pour another cup, only to find it already empty. He chuckled, then glanced in the direction of the Imperial Capital. Torches had flickered, and the underground prison had been dark and still. *"Give me what I want?"* With iron shackles piercing his clavicles and binding his cultivation, Yuan Hao had slumped on the stone floor, looking up at the middle-aged man whose face was veiled in shadow. He had let out a low, raspy laugh. *"My Lord Prime Minister, do you know what it is I want?"* *"Killing. Mass slaughter."* The voice answering him had been deep and devoid of ripples. Yuan Hao had stared into that impassive gaze. *"Since you know, you still dare to use a lunatic like me?"* *"You have never killed civilians,"* Xu Yinhe had said. *"Haha..."* Yuan Hao had chuckled twice, his laughter dripping with mockery. *"Xu Yinhe, I didn't slaughter civilians because without backing from above, a mass massacre of commoners could never be covered up—not out of any pity."* *"I know."* Xu Yinhe had paid no mind to his mockery. *"At least you know fear."* Yuan Hao's eyes had hardened, his fists clenching slightly. *"Fear? You think someone like me fears death? My Lord Prime Minister, I only feared that I wouldn't be able to kill more people later on."* *"It is the same thing."* *"..."* Silence had fallen. Yuan Hao had taken a deep breath and asked, *"Then why should I trust you?"* Xu Yinhe's gaze had remained calm and unruffled as an ancient well. *"A blade naturally exists to kill."* *"Kill whom?"* Yuan Hao's voice had grown hoarse. *"Killing just one or two isn't interesting."* Xu Yinhe had looked at him quietly before uttering two words: *"The sects."* *"What?"* Yuan Hao had frozen, an involuntary look of shock appearing in his eyes. Xu Yinhe had not repeated himself, merely watching him in silence with those deep, unfathomable eyes. For a time, the gloomy dungeon held only the flicker of torchlight. After locking eyes for a long while, Yuan Hao's heart had begun to beat faster and faster. Looking at the man before him, he had finally cracked a wide grin. *"Xu Yinhe, you're a lunatic. A lunatic even crazier than I am! The most that ever died by my hand was barely over ten thousand, but you—you want to slaughter tens of millions!"* Xu Yinhe had ignored his outburst. He had simply looked at the young face before him and asked, *"So, what is your answer?"* *"..."* *"..."* Reining in his thoughts, Yuan Hao pulled his gaze back from the direction of the Imperial Capital. He drew a long saber from his Sumeru ring and gently stroked the blade, whispering softly to himself, "I only hope this blade lasts a bit longer, and doesn't snap too early..."