"Checkmate"

Liu Wei blinked several times, he was so focused on the story that he had lost concentration on the game.

"Murong li..."

"No need to apologize....because if you were to apologize then i should apologize too"

Liu Wei was confused, what was the prince talking about?

"I don't understand..."

Murong li smiled at him.

"You see while you all moved on and lived happy lives I was left behind to rebuild the reputation you all ruined and since then i vowed revenge"

"Then you did curse my soldiers?"

"No, that one wasn't me....however what I am doing to you now is just a taste"

Liu Wei frowned.

"What? What did you do to me" he asked in panic, Murong li almost laughed at him.

"Tell me Liu Wei, when Jingnan is under attack without the king there to help, what will your disciples do?"

"They usually send a soldier to look for me, or use-"

His sword suddenly started to rattle in it's sheath, it was a sign that it's home was in danger, Liu Wei gasped.

"Murong li!" He unsheathed his sword and pointed it at Murong li.

Murong li stood up, he twisted his flute and the bottom fell revealing a shining blade in the Prince's hand. Liu Wei gasped.

"Your flute is a-"

"Sword? Yes, my father made it for me once your father took mine" he said, Liu Wei dropped his sword.

"Why are you doing this? Because of the way we bullied you?"

"You still don't get it do you? I want Yaoguang to lead the ranks, your foolishness cost us our already deflated reputation"

"This is not how you settle it though! You are about to ruin innocent lives"

"That's the cost of it all isn't it? I will not rest until we are at the top again"

"Murong li please don't do this"

"All i wanted was to train to be the king of my sect, what did i ever do to you?"

"I....no words are enough to soothe your aching heart but please....don't do this"

"It's too late....the order i passed, it was a secret message to attack Jingnan"

Liu Wei froze, he quickly made his way out of the throne room and went to Jingnan.

Murong li smirked and put his sword back into it's sheath.

"Yaoguang will rise again, just watch"

─── ❖ ── ✦ ── ❖ ───

General Qing and his soldiers were at the Jingnan borders, his army of 100 000 men ready for battle, their swords shining in the sunlight.

"Attack!"

Zhao Zhing was in the palace reading a book when he heard a loud noise outside, he stood up from his stool and went to see, he froze when he saw the swarm of men butchering the palace gaurds.

"Ring the bell!"

─── ❖ ── ✦ ── ❖ ───

Liu Wei had mounted his sword, the blade cutting through the wind like lighting, he could hear the bell and his heart raced.

The sound of explosions and swords colliding with one another getting more loud. He raised his hand and many talisman papers emerged on his palm, he threw them in the sky and the sect symbol emerged, hail stones started to pour down on the Yaoguang soldiers' head.

Zhao Zhing smiled seeing the king coming towards the palace.

"The king is here, we are saved!"

General Qing looked up to the sky and saw Liu Wei.

"Take him out!"

Something flew into the air and a bright pink cloud exploded in Liu Wei's face, he landed with a hard thud on the ground.

Liu Wei  could not see clearly but he was sure he saw someone coming towards him slowly, the sword in the person's hand making his heart race. So this was it?

General Qing swung his sword aiming for the king's head,something round rolled to his feet, it was Zhao Zhing's head...

Liu Wei looked at Zhao Zhing's decapitated body in horror.

"Zhao Zhing!"

─── ❖ ── ✦ ── ❖ ───

Murong li walked outside the palace, he had changed his robe again into a dark red robe, he looked towards the direction of Jingnan and could see dust and smirked.

He pulled out his flute and started to play tranquility.

Back at Jingnan, General Qing could hear the flute from a distance, he looked around and saw his men still fighting.

"Retreat!"

Liu Wei was still in shock and didn't notice the retreating soldiers, his prime minister was dead because he had sacrificed himself for him.

"Zhao Zhing....you died a hero for protecting a coward like me"

─── ❖ ── ✦ ── ❖ ───

Zhi Ming paced back and forth in his room, why hasn't Murong li replied his letter yet? Maybe the bird was lost.

"I will send another one" he said and sat down and wrote a second letter. He smiled as he wrote it.

Wang Yong chuckled looking at his son, the boy was attached.

A gaurd came in running.

"Forgive my intrusion but i come bearing news"

Zhi Ming sighed.

"What is it?"

"Yaoguang has gone to war with Jingnan"

─── ❖ ── ✦ ── ❖ ───

Wei young was in the gardens taking an afternoon stroll, Zhang Jing came running to her.

"Wei young you will not believe what i just heard"

"Well, tell me"

"Yaoguang went to war with Jingnan....and they won"

─── ❖ ── ✦ ── ❖ ───

General Qing made his way to the throne room, he saw Murong li stacking some books on a shelf.

"My prince...why did you call us back?"

Murong li chuckled.

"You forgot the intial plan of this general, i do not wish to go to war with Jingnan but rather create fear from other kingdoms"

"Why? I thought you wanted to revenge"

"Oh i still do, however that i will do it myself...were there any casualties?" He asked.

"Yes, Liu Wei's prime minister sacrificed himself for the king"

"Really? How noble....it's a shame Liu Wei will now vow war against us, i want you to be alert, send someone to the market and spread a rumor about Yaoguang defeating Jingnan, I'm sure by tomorrow morning all kingdoms will know about this"

"Murong li....this is a clever way to build up a reputation" the general said, the prince had proved him wrong, Murong li was not just a beautiful face, he had a calculating mind as well.

"Indeed, you did well general i shall reward you with a house"

General Qing bowed.

"Thank you my prince"

─── ❖ ── ✦ ── ❖ ───

"What do you mean Yaoguang is in war with Jingnan?" Zhi Ming asked in shock, is this why Murong li never replied to his letter?

"I saw the whole thing myself, Jingnan was peaceful as usual and then suddenly the soldiers of Yaoguang came and started to fight everyone"

So Yaoguang was the aggressor? But why? Unless Liu Wei did something to make Murong li to retaliate like that.

"What was the cause of this war?"

"This morning king Liu Wei went to Yaoguang and by afternoon Yaoguang was attacking his sect, no one knows what happened during that meeting"

Zhi Ming frowned, what if Liu Wei did something to Murong li and the prince was forced to use war to solve the issue.

"I will be back" he said and grabbed his sword, Wang Yong stopped him.

"Be safe, the road might be filled with spies"

"I will be fine, i promise"

He bid his father goodbye and left.

─── ❖ ── ✦ ── ❖ ───

Wei young was shocked, Yaoguang in a war with Jingnan and Yaoguang won?

"How? Jingnan sect masters in cultivation, are you telling me Liu Wei couldn't handle a few swordsmen?"

"Wei young...they were not few, Murong li sent his whole army, 100 000 men"

Wei young gasped, it seemed like Murong li wanted to wipe out the Jingnan sect and he would have but Jingnan still stands so something might have happened.

"Go to the markets and listen to what the people are saying, i have a feeling that this is just the calm before the storm"