Jin Ge stood at the edge of a cliff. Before him lay a vast chasm where he once plunged himself in search of death. He could still feel the pain and the disappointment it had brought him that day. It took him a lot of guts to crash his body, only for it to repair itself after a tormenting suffering.

He lowered his eyes and stared at his feet. He only needed to take one step to fall into the pit below. But there was no point trying it again if the outcome would just be the same. Besides, there was something he needed to do—something he needed to confirm.

Light footsteps padded on the ground behind him, and then a black wolf twice bigger than average was soon standing on the cliff edge a few feet away from where Jin Ge stood.

"Would you kindly do me a favor and take a few steps back?" Taijin said after a long silence, now in his human form, his wolfish eyes flashing a warning.

Jin Ge didn't bother to respond or even look at him. He didn't even move an inch. The mountain breeze ruffled their hair and robes, and the leaves of the trees danced to the rhythm.

Several meters behind them stood the headquarters of the Crimson Claws, built atop the highest peak of Ancient Horn Mountain, a vast mountain range a thousand miles from the capital city of the Kingdom of Yu. It was named after a fallen god, a dragon of first rank who sinned, lost a horn, and perished on this very mountain two thousand years ago.

After the defeat of the Phoenixes against the Celestial Dragon, most of the rukki settled on Duhai Mountain. Because of that it was regarded as the most dangerous place, and no hunters dared to venture there for over a century. Not even the bravest warrior dared to cross the borders of the mountains.

However, humans seemed to have grown bolder recently. There were reports that some warriors had entered the mountain. Although none traveled deeper. If they were warriors of the Kingdom of Yu, Jin Ge had no idea. Because Jin Ge was no more than a guest of Crimson Claws, information was not something he could easily obtain. It was natural that they could not trust him with information. After all, he was the Crown Prince, someone of the opposing side.

But Jin Ge hated it. He didn't like being kept in the dark, especially when his situation required him to gather as much information as possible in order to determine which action to take next. There had to be something he could do to gain the Marshal's trust enough to get involved in their military affairs.

He glanced at Taijin. As much as he despised the wolf, he was nonetheless useful to have around. He knew that the rukki was instructed to keep an eye on him, but his fate was also determined by Jin Ge's action, which somehow gave Jin Ge an advantage.

"Did you get what I asked you?" Jin Ge said.

Taijin gave him an absurd look. "There's no way you'll actually go there. You should know that the place will be heavily guarded. And don't even think about doing anything against the Acting Emperor. You cannot lay a hand on him, even with my help."

Jin Ge heard that the Acting Emperor was always surrounded by skilled warriors of the Black Tortoise Bureau, the same people who were after him. Nonetheless, nothing could stop him from going. The Warrior Hunt would begin in a week on the same day and place as it had always been held—the same day and place his father and mother and two brothers died.

He had to be there no matter what. Furthermore, he wanted to see for himself the man who was gradually gaining control of his empire, the one who could be the mastermind behind the attack that altered the fate of the kingdom—and his own.

"There are only two places I would go," Jin Ge said, a subtle threat in his voice. "You can either follow me to Ya'an Mountain or to the prison."

"Damn you," Taijin growled in frustration.

"Don't worry, I am not as stupid as you expected me to be," Jin Ge said bitterly. "I won't be so reckless as to jump right into their waiting arms." He lowered his voice as if speaking to himself. "I just want to see something for myself."

Taijin scoffed. "If you're hoping to see your woman, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. There's no way that woman will be there."

Taijin was the one who told him that Xiuying was still alive, but the wolf claimed to know nothing further, including her whereabouts, which frustrated Jin Ge. But he was certain that the wolf knew something. Since no one was willing to tell him where she was, he would just let Xiuying find him. He knew she would.

"So, where is it?" Jin Ge asked Taijin, ignoring every word he said about Xiuying.

"I already asked a servant to bring it to your courtyard," Taijin said, then a mocking grin spread across his features. "Be grateful that we obtained Marshal Shuren's permission to give you one. She didn't even need to think twice about it."

If Shuren didn't so much as hesitate to let Jin Ge carry a weapon, it just meant he wasn't considered to be a threat. He didn't need to ponder why. He was not as skilled and capable as Ruwen and Xiuying when it came to combat. Not to mention that Shuren had four powerful generals with her. Taijin alone was too much for Jin Ge to handle. He also had nowhere else to go. Jin Ge was nothing but a harmless kitten amid the den of ferocious beasts.

As if that bothered him at all. Let them underestimate him. Let them think he was nothing but a lonely, harmless prince with no one else to turn to. For now, he'd play their game.

When they returned to the headquarters of the Crimson Claws, they found Mei Lien waiting at the Frost Courtyard. Unlike the first time Jin Ge saw her, Mei Lien was in her human form this time. Regardless, the woman was a fox through and through.

A foxy smile spread across Mei Lien's face as her eyes settled on Jin Ge. "Where have you two been?"

Jin Ge frowned. "What are you doing here?"

Mei Lien pursed her lips, as if disappointed. "Don't be mean. I'm here to help you with your disguises." The rukki servant in the courtyard handed her a plain silver mask. With the playful smile back on her face, she started toward Jin Ge. Before he realized it, she was already putting the mask on him.

"I only see your eyes, yet you still look handsome," Mei Lien said as she traced his sharp jawline with her fingers.

Annoyance flickered over Jin Ge's eyebrows. Mei Lien hopped back with a giggle before Jin Ge could push her away.

"Try not to get caught," Mei Lien said in that teasing voice of hers. "I haven't played with you yet." With that, she turned and walked out of the Frost Courtyard. The rukki servant followed after her.

Jin Ge took off the mask and started toward his room. He could hear Taijin's footsteps as he followed behind him. As soon as he entered, he saw it. Leaning against the wall next to his bed was a sword.

He had no intention of provoking a fight with anyone on Ya'an Mountain, even if he wanted to. Even so, he was not stupid enough to go there without something to defend himself. He was aware how risky it was, but nothing could persuade him otherwise.

"There goes your request, Your Highness," Taijin said mockingly, and he chuckled at his own humor.

Jin Ge ignored him as usual. He sat on the bed and grabbed the sword, drawing it from its sheath. It was a longsword, exactly what he had asked for. Just like Ruwen, Jin Ge was trained with various weapons, but the longsword was the one he was most comfortable with.

He ran his eyes over the long blade, studying it, then weighted it in his hand before positioning it against his left wrist.

"What are you doing?" Taijin asked, warning in his voice.

As a response, Jin Ge sliced his wrist, wincing as he did so. The blade cut too deeply, and warm blood began to flow out from the parted flesh.

Taijin snatched the sword from him, his face flushed in anger and panic. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"

Jin Ge acted as if nothing happened. He examined the wound as it began to heal on its own. The blade was sharp, and he could tell from a glance that it was forged with the care and attention of a master craftsman, but it was too light for his liking. It was a shame he didn't have his sword with him. All high ranking military officers and generals of the Moon Knights wielded exceptional swords forged by the best craftsman in the empire. His sword was among the craftsman's masterpieces.

"Not as impressive as mine, but that will do," Jin Ge said as he watched blood run down from the blade of the sword.

"Fuck you, Jin Ge," Taijin growled as he gripped the hilt of the sword, all humor gone from his features. "One day I will fucking kill you myself."

The two glared at each other. Just then, a knock sounded at the door. Taijin gave Jin Ge one last dirty look before putting the sword on the table and answering the door. It was a servant.

"Greetings, my lord," the servant said. "Lord Taijin and the guest's presence are requested by Lord Wuji."

***

Jin Ge had changed to a clean robe. When they arrived at Wuji's courtyard, he and Delun were playing a game of Go. Wuji soon ended the game and asked Delun to play outside. Jin Ge and Taijin took the empty seats as Wuji took the board game off the table and replaced it with tea. This time, Jin Ge took a sip from the cup of tea Wuji offered him.

"How are you faring?" Wuji asked with a kind smile.

"He's doing fine," Taijin answered on his behalf. He gave Jin Ge a quick, tight smile. "He hasn't done anything stupid for the past month."

"I heard you're going to Ya'an Mountain," Wuji said.

"I am," Jin Ge responded. "I'm surprised no one is stopping me."

"You're no longer a prisoner, Jin Ge," Wuji said. "And Taijin will be with you, so we don't have much to worry about. Besides, I know you're smart enough not to do something reckless." He took a sip on his tea.

Jin Ge narrowed his eyes. "So, what did you call me here for?"

"You are a cherished guest of Crimson Claws, so believe it or not, I am thinking about your safety. Going to Ya'an Mountain during a big event will not be an easy feat. The place will be heavily guarded and array tactics will be set up around the mountain. If you're not careful, you'll fall into a trap." Wuji reached into his sleeves and then placed something on the table next to Jin Ge's cup. It was a leaf.

A puzzled look came across Jin Ge's face.

"Use that in case you encounter some trouble," Wuji said. "I know it looked nothing special, but that is no ordinary leaf. Make a noise using that, and immediate reinforcements will come to your aid."

"I don't need such a thing," Jin Ge objected. "I won't bring myself into a situation that will require me to use that."

Wuji gave him what Jin Ge could have sworn was a warning look. "Always expect the worst, Jin Ge."

Jin Ge was back in his courtyard. He was staring at the leaf Wuji gave him as he sat on his bed. No matter how much he looked at it, the leaf remained ordinary. But Wuji insisted that he bring it with him. It was also the first time he saw the man make such a serious expression. He had no choice but to obey the ancient phoenix. As much as he hated to admit it, Wuji was right. It was best to expect the worst. Besides, he was intrigued to see what such a simple leaf could do.

With one last look, he slid the leaf inside his sleeve and stood. He grabbed the sword from the table and strapped it to his waist. There was no blood on the sword compared to how he had left it just an hour before. Taijin must have asked a servant to clean the room.

There were seven days left before the Warrior Hunt began. Ya'an Mountain was a hundred miles away, so there was no time to waste. They had to travel to the mountain as soon as possible, and if they were lucky, they would arrive before everyone else.

Jin Ge picked up the silver mask from the bed, the one the annoying fox gave him, and looked at himself in the mirror before walking out of the room.