Liam''s Perspective


    The train to Unchon rattled along the tracks, its steady rhythm almost lulling me to sleep. Almost. Sleep hadn''te easily since Isabelle''s abduction. Each night brought the same nightmare - her screams echoing as they dragged her away.


    I stared out the window, watching thendscape transform from Veridia City''s gleaming towers to the rolling hills surrounding Unchon. The city was known for three things: ancient martial arts traditions, powerful families, and harboring secrets.


    I was here for all three.


    My phone buzzed with a text from Mariana: "Be careful in Unchon. The Knightwoods have deep roots there."


    I typed back: "I''m not hiding anymore."


    Her response came quickly: "That''s what worries me."


    I slipped the phone back into my pocket and closed my eyes, focusing on my meridians. The Heavenly Devouring Skill hummed beneath my skin, ready to be unleashed. I''d need every ounce of that power soon enough.


    For Caspian. For Isabelle. For myself.


    ---


    Colt Knightwood swirled amber liquid in his crystal ss, savoring the burn as he drank. His study, lined with ancient martial arts scrolls and family trophies, reflected generations of power.


    "Father, have you seen this?" Armand burst into the room, waving his tablet frantically.


    Colt scowled at the interruption. "What now?"


    "Liam Knight boarded a train to Unchon this morning." Armand thrust the tablet forward, showing security camera footage. "He''sing here."


    "Let hime," Colt said dismissively. "One upstart from Havenwood doesn''t concern me."


    "But father, they say he—"


    "They say many things," Colt cut him off. "Most of it nonsense. Do you think I built this family''s power by fearing every challenger whoes along?"


    Armand hesitated. "The reports from Veridia City im he defeated three Grandmasters simultaneously. Without breaking a sweat."


    Colt''s expression darkened momentarily before heughed. "Exaggerations to sell those trashy martial scrolls."


    "What if they''re not?" Armand persisted. "What if he''sing for us? For what happened to Caspian Kane?"


    Colt mmed his ss down. "Then he''ll learn what happens to fools who challenge the Knightwood family in our own territory."


    A soft chuckle from the doorway froze both men.


    "Such confidence," came a silky voice. "How... misced."


    A tall figure stepped from the shadows – a man with silver-streaked ck hair and eyes like Arctic ice. He wore no visible weapons, yet danger radiated from him like heat from me.


    Colt shot to his feet. "Who the hell are you? How did you get past my security?"


    "Your security?" The stranger smirked. "I walked through them like morning mist."


    Armand lunged for the rm button. The stranger didn''t seem to move, yet suddenly stood between Armand and the wall, his finger pressed against Armand''s forehead.


    "So hasty," he murmured. Armand copsed like a puppet with cut strings.


    "My son!" Colt roared, dropping into a fighting stance. <i ss="story-note-vis">This соpy соmеs frоm соntеnt оn М|V|L0ЕМРYR.</i>


    "Rx. He''s merely unconscious." The man gestured casually. "I could have killed everyone in thispound without breaking stride. Remember that."


    Colt''s face flushed with rage and fear. "What do you want?"


    "To talk. About Liam Knight." The stranger settled into Colt''s chair, uninvited. "And about our mutual interests."


    "I don''t even know who you are," Colt growled.


    "Zion Monroe." The name hung in the air like a death sentence. "Elder of the Umbral Covenant."


    Colt''s blood ran cold. The Umbral Covenant – a secretive organization rumored to practice forbidden cultivation techniques. Most considered them a myth.


    "I see my reputation precedes me," Zion smiled, showing too many teeth. "Good. That saves time."


    "What do you want with Liam Knight?" Colt asked, trying to keep his voice steady.


    "The same thing you do. His death." Zion examined his nails casually. "Though for different reasons."


    "And those reasons are?"


    "He possesses something I want. A rare physical constitution called the ''chaotic body.'' Quite valuable." Zion''s eyes gleamed with hunger. "And a cultivation technique I''ve sought for decades."


    Colt scoffed, regaining some confidence. "One man cannot be worth all this drama."


    Zion moved faster than Colt''s eyes could follow. Suddenly, he stood directly before Colt, his hand around Colt''s throat.


    "Let me demonstrate why you should fear Liam Knight," Zion whispered.


    Pressure exploded around Colt''s body. His knees buckled as an invisible force crushed him downward. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he fought to remain standing.


    "This," Zion said conversationally, "is approximately half the power Liam Knight could bring to bear against you. And his potential far exceeds even this."


    He released Colt, who copsed gasping to the floor.


    "Impossible," Colt wheezed. "No one could—"


    "He''s the son of someone powerful." Zion stepped back. "Someone even I would hesitate to cross, were they still alive."


    Colt struggled to his feet, his pride warring with his self-preservation. "Whye to me?"


    "Because he''sing for you anyway." Zion smiled coldly. "You ordered the death of his friend, Caspian Kane. Did you think that would go unanswered?"


    Fear flickered across Colt''s face. "What do you propose?"


    "An alliance. I help you eliminate Liam Knight. You help me retrieve what I want from his corpse."


    "And what do I need to do?" Colt asked.


    "Set the trap." Zion walked to the window, looking out over Unchon. "Make hime to you, where I''ll be waiting."


    Colt nodded slowly. "When is he arriving?"


    "He''s already here." Zion turned, his eyes glinting. "The game begins now."


    ---


    I checked into a modest hotel in downtown Unchon, nothing shy that would draw attention. Not yet, anyway.


    The city bustled with afternoon activity – merchants hawking wares, martial artists practicing in public squares, tourists snapping photos of ancient temples. Nobody paid attention to another traveler with a duffel bag.


    I spread a map across the bed, circling the Knightwoodpound on the outskirts of town. ording to my sources, Colt Knightwood rarely left his fortress. I''d have to go to him.


    My phone buzzed with a message from an unknown number.


    "Knight. Heard you''re in town. Drinks at The Golden Dragon, 8 PM. Information about what you seek. -M"


    I frowned. The message could be a trap. But "M" might be Mustache Man – he had contacts everywhere and always seemed to know where I was going before I did.


    Either way, I needed information. The Golden Dragon it was.


    The bar was exactly what I expected – dark wood,nterns casting amber light, the smell of incense mixing with expensive liquor. I chose a corner table with my back to the wall and ordered a scotch I had no intention of drinking.


    "Liam Knight," came a gruff voice. "Bold of you toe to Knightwood territory."


    I looked up to see a weathered man in a martial artist''s robes. Not Mustache Man.


    "You''re not M," I said tly.


    "No." He sat uninvited. "But I know why you''re here."


    "Enlighten me."


    "Vengeance for Caspian Kane." He leaned forward. "I was his first teacher. Before the ckthornes got their ws into him."


    I studied the man carefully. His energy signature felt genuine – strong but not threatening.


    "Master Teng," I realized. "He mentioned you."


    The old master nodded, eyes bright with unshed tears. "Caspian was like a son to me. What the Knightwoods did..."


    "Tell me everything," I said quietly.


    For the next hour, Master Teng filled in the gaps in my knowledge. How Caspian had discovered corruption in the Knightwood family''s dealings. How he''d gathered evidence against them. How Colt had ordered his execution when bribes and threats failed.


    "He was a good man," Teng concluded. "Too good for this world."


    "And Colt Knightwood?" I asked. "Tell me about him."


    "Ruthless. Paranoid. Always surrounded by guards." Teng drained his cup. "But tomorrow night, he''ll be vulnerable."


    "Why''s that?"


    "Annual family ceremony at their ancestral temple. Tradition dictates minimal security inside the sacred space." Teng''s eyes met mine. "It''s your best chance."


    I nodded slowly. "Thank you for this information."


    "Don''t thank me," Teng said grimly. "Just make it right."


    After he left, I remained, contemting my next move. The temple would be defensible but not imprable. With the element of surprise—


    "nning an assassination, Mr. Knight?"


    I tensed at the silky voice. A woman slid into the seat across from me, elegant in a simple ck dress. Her eyes held ancient knowledge at odds with her youthful appearance.


    "Who''s asking?" I kept my tone neutral while assessing her. Strong cultivation, expertly concealed.


    "Someone who knows a trap when she sees one." She smiled thinly. "Master Teng hasn''t taught in twenty years. And he certainly wasn''t Caspian Kane''s teacher."


    Ice formed in my stomach. "The man who just left..."


    "An actor. Quite convincing, wasn''t he?" She leaned forward. "The Knightwoods know you''reing, Mr. Knight. They''ve prepared a wee."


    "Why tell me this?" I asked cautiously.


    She slid a folded paper across the table. "Because some of us remember what the Shadow King stood for."


    My breath caught. "You knew my father?"


    "I knew of him." She stood gracefully. "That paper contains the true location of tomorrow''s ceremony. And a warning – you''re not the only powerful yer in Unchon right now."


    Before I could question her further, she was gone, leaving only the lingering scent of jasmine.


    I unfolded the paper. Inside was a different address and a single line: "Beware the man with ice in his veins."


    Imitted the information to memory, then burned the paper with a small pulse of qi. Tomorrow night, the Knightwoods would pay their debt in blood.


    ---


    Dawn broke over Unchon as Ipleted my morning cultivation. The Heavenly Devouring Skill coursed through my meridians, stronger than ever. I''d need every advantage against Colt Knightwood.


    I spent the day gathering supplies and reconnoitering the new location – a small temple nestled against the mountains, isted and difficult to approach unseen. But not impossible.


    As dusk fell, I prepared myself for battle. Not just physically, but mentally. This wasn''t just vengeance – it was justice. For Caspian, who''d shown me kindness when few others had. For the countless others the Knightwoods had crushed beneath their boots.


    My phone buzzed with a message from Mariana: "Disturbing reports from Unchon. Be vignt."


    Toote for warnings now. I turned off the phone and slipped it into my bag.


    The night air carried the scent of pine and incense as I approached the temple. Lanterns illuminated the path, casting long shadows across ancient stones. Two guards stood at attention by the entrance, alert but not rmed.


    I circled around, finding a side entrance with minimal security. With a focused burst of qi, I leapt silently onto the roof, then dropped into an interior courtyard.


    Voices echoed from the main hall – chanting, ceremonial and rhythmic. I moved like a shadow through empty corridors, following the sound.


    Through a crack in the ornate wooden doors, I saw them. The Knightwood family arranged in hierarchical formation. Elders seated closest to the altar, younger members behind. And there, presiding over all, stood Colt Knightwood.


    The man who''d ordered Caspian''s death. The man who''d sent assassins after me in Veridia City. The man who would pay tonight.


    I waited for the ceremony to reach its climax, when all attention would be focused on the ritual. Then, gathering my qi, I prepared to strike.


    The doors exploded inward.


    Not from my attack – from someone else''s.


    "Colt Knightwood!" I called out, stepping through the splintered doorway. "Your debtse due tonight!"


    Faces turned toward me in shock and outrage. Guards reached for weapons. Colt himself remained eerily calm.


    "Liam Knight," he said, his voice carrying across the hall. "I''ve been expecting you."


    "Then you know why I''m here." I moved forward, channeling qi into my palms.


    "For vengeance, yes." Colt smiled coldly. "How predictable."


    Around the hall, family members shifted nervously. Some of the younger ones looked genuinely frightened. Others reached for concealed weapons.


    "Order your people to stand down," I said. "This is between us."


    "Is it?" Colt raised an eyebrow. "You''ve be quite the celebrity, Liam Knight. The famous alchemist who defied the ckthornes. The mysterious warrior with the golden light. The son of the Shadow King."


    I froze. "How do you know that title?"


    Colt''s smile widened. "I know many things. Including that you''re about to die."


    A flicker of movement behind me was my only warning. I twisted, barely avoiding a strike that would have severed my spine. My attacker moved with inhuman speed, his presence cold as winter.


    Zion Monroe. His name came to me unbidden, though we''d never met.


    "The mighty Liam Knight," he said, voice soft as falling snow. "Not so impressive up close."


    I gathered my qi, preparing to unleash the Heavenly Devouring Skill. "Who are you?"


    "Your end," he replied simply.


    He moved again, faster than anyone I''d ever faced. His palm strike caught me squarely in the chest, sending me crashing through a support column. Pain exploded through my body as I struggled to my feet.


    "I expected more," Zion said, disappointment evident. "How will I harvest your chaotic body if you die so easily?"


    "Harvest?" I spat blood. "What the hell are you talking about?"


    Colt Knightwoodughed from his position by the altar. "You''ve walked into our trap, Knight. Zion here is very interested in your unique constitution. And I''m very interested in your head on a spike."


    I understood now. The mysterious woman at the bar hadn''t saved me – she''d delivered me directly into their hands.


    No matter. I hadn''te this far to fail now.


    I called upon the full power of the Heavenly Devouring Skill. Golden light erupted from my body, filling the temple with radiance. Zion''s eyes widened fractionally – the first sign of surprise from him.


    "Interesting," he murmured. "Very interesting indeed."


    We shed in the center of the hall. His technique was ancient and forbidden – I could feel my life force draining where his attacks connected. But my skill was powerful too, absorbing energy from the very air.


    The temple shook with our battle. Knightwood family members fled screaming as pirs cracked and statues crumbled. Only Colt remained, watching with calcting eyes.


    Zion''s palm connected with my chest again, sending dark energy coursing through my meridians. I countered by grabbing his arm, channeling the Heavenly Devouring Skill to absorb his attack and turn it back on him.


    He hissed in pain and leapt back. "Impressive adaptation. The rumors don''t do you justice."


    "What do you want from me?" I demanded, circling cautiously.


    "Your body. Your skills. Everything that makes you unique." His cold eyes assessed me like a butcher selecting cuts. "The Umbral Covenant has waited decades for someone like you."


    "You''ll be waiting decades more," I growled,unching another attack.


    This time I managed tond a solid blow, sending him crashing into the altar. Colt Knightwood scrambled away as ancient ceremonial items ttered to the floor.


    Zion rose slowly, dusting himself off. For the first time, a genuine smile crossed his face.


    "Perfect," he whispered. "You''re everything I hoped for."


    Before I could respond, pain exploded in my back. I turned to see Colt holding a ceremonial dagger, its de dripping with my blood.


    "Coward," I spat.


    "Pragmatist," he corrected. "Poison from the western mountains. Even your miraculous body can''t neutralize it