The Invincible Young Master

The barriers, created by the Duke's ascendants, made the masked man's actions unnecessary. Yet, he had chosen to act, sending a clear message about the consequences of threatening Princess Ling.

With calm, steady steps, the masked man returned to his place beside the Princess. His expression didn't change, a blank mask of duty and focus.

To him, the execution was just another task, done with the same detachment as if he were simply handling a minor errand.

The guests, who had been looking forward to an evening of entertainment, were now faced with the harsh reality of power. The festive mood faded, replaced by tension and the metallic scent of fresh blood hanging in the air.

Princess Ling, covering her nose against the smell, broke the silence.

"Excuse his rudeness, Duke," she said, her tone calm yet apologetic. "When it comes to my safety, he tends to get overly aggressive."

Duke Red, still composed, responded with a reassuring smile. "No, it was a fitting response. How could I be upset? I should be the one apologizing for exposing the Princess to such an unpleasant scene."

She nodded slightly, accepting his words.

"Then we shall rest for today, Duke," she said, standing gracefully from her seat. Despite the dramatic events, she remained composed and dignified.

As she began to leave, her eyes caught Zhao Shi, who had returned to his place beside Spark. Something about him grabbed her attention.

"Have we met before?" she asked, narrowing her gaze at Zhao Shi. "You don't seem like a local."

Zhao Shi bowed respectfully. "Perhaps, Princess. It may be because we share the same homeland."

Princess Ling's curiosity grew. "Are you from Yan?"

"Yes, Princess," Zhao Shi confirmed with another respectful nod.

"What brings someone from Yan here?" she asked, clearly intrigued.

"I now serve the Young Master," Zhao Shi replied, gesturing slightly toward Spark.

"I see," Princess Ling murmured, her gaze lingering on him for a moment longer. There was a thoughtful look in her eyes, as if she was piecing something together.

With that, she turned and left the garden, her masked guard following closely behind. The guests, still processing what they had witnessed, watched her leave in respectful silence.

Later, she sat on her lavish bed, lost in thought. The luxury of the Duke's mansion was unmatched, but her mind was elsewhere.

Breaking the quiet, she asked, "Did anyone stand out to you?"

Her masked guard, ever alert, replied calmly, "The two beside the Holy Scion. Other than them, no one was interesting."

She chuckled softly, amused by his bluntness. "Oh? Are they strong?"

"Not really, but their aura was unusual."

"Could you defeat them?" she teased.

"They are weak ascendants. I'm confident I could beat them easily," he said without hesitation.

"And what about the Holy Scion?" she asked, her curiosity deepening.

"He… seems ordinary," the masked man said after thinking for a moment.

"Ordinary? What do you mean by that?" she asked, frowning in confusion.

"I can't sense any aura from him," he explained. "Either he's far above my level, or he's hiding his strength completely."

Princess Ling thought about this for a moment.

"Is he truly the strongest man, as the rumors say?" she wondered aloud.

"Does Princess want me to test him?" the masked man asked, his voice steady and without doubt.

"No, that would be reckless," she said quickly, shaking her head. "If the rumors are true, and you offend him, he could come after us, and no one could stop him."

The thought of their fate being in one man's hands sent a shiver through her.

"Does Princess believe the rumors?" he asked, curious.

"If not for what my father told me, I wouldn't believe them at all," she admitted. Her father's words held weight, and she recalled the chilling story he shared.

During a fierce war between the Jul Empire and a coalition of five empires, the battle had reached a breaking point. The coalition had breached the final defenses, and the Jul Empire's fall seemed certain.

Amidst the chaos, a single figure appeared in the sky, watching over the battlefield.

At first, few noticed him, but soon, his presence became impossible to ignore. With a casual motion, he raised his hand, and the sky seemed to tear open.

To everyone's shock, an entire planet appeared above them, descending as if to crush the world.

Panic took over the soldiers. Weapons clattered as they fell to their knees, paralyzed by the sight. Even the powerful ascendants, experienced warriors, stood frozen in terror, unable to grasp the power before them.

The heat from the descending planet grew unbearable, promising destruction. Cries of despair filled the air as soldiers knelt, accepting their fate.

Yet, in the blink of an eye, the planet vanished as if it had never been.

Relief washed over the soldiers, but fear still gripped them. The man hovered above, his power undeniable.

No one dared to move forward.

The coalition forces, unable to understand what they had seen, retreated in full. That day remained in their memories as a reminder of power beyond reason.

"I still don't fully believe it," she added, lost in thought. "It could have been an illusion."

She knew high-level arcane ascendants could create massive illusions, and this seemed the most likely explanation to her.

If such an event had truly happened, people across the empire would have seen it. But only those on the front lines had witnessed the falling planet.

This oddness led her to believe it was probably a grand illusion, a display of arcane mastery rather than reality.