She wasn't thinking, her fighter's instincts kicking into overdrive. Her body itched upward, arms extended to form a protective shield around the emperor.
A graceful, masculine figure flew through the hall of Tianxia's imperial palace and landed beneath the throne, his feet touching the ground with an almost otherworldly elegance. Luqi recognised this divination.
Such movements and exude of QiLin could only belong to another empire's royal.
The line of knights rushed forward and surrounded him, their spears aiming at his neck.
"My my, the princess of Qi Tian surely did not disappoint~" His fan outspread, covering half of his face as he spoke.
Silence emerged. Everyone was on high alert.
"This is unexpected," Li Wan broke the eerie atmosphere. "Is this how you greet family, brother?"
Luqi had guessed that much. She looked at the speaking emperor, then again at the intruder, slowly dropping her guarded arms.
"Ah, you don't seem too happy to see your beloved brother?" the man responded playfully. "Come give me a hug, Li Wan" He opened his arms with a silly grin.
Li Wan let out a sigh before gesturing for the knights to lower their weapons and return to their positions."What do you want, Li Chen?"
----------
Li Chen.
The elder brother of the emperor.
The unofficial prince of Tianxia.
Li Wan was only the emperor because Li Chen refused to fulfil his duties and ran away. This was known throughout the nation, but to every citizen, it was an amazing occurrence. Li Chen was not befitting the role of a supreme emperor.
----------
"How can you be so cold?" Li Chen laughed. "It has been years, and that's how you talk to me?"
"I could charge you with attempted murder for that," Li Wan said, not in high spirits.
"Oh, you could try~"
"Prince Li Chen, are you here to challenge the throne?" Luqi's eyes narrowed.
"Nothing like that, hahaha. I do not want anywhere near that throne, even if my brother dies. I'm here for his new toy, you see." His expression was sheathed in mischief as he gaped at her. "You knew that blade was for you, didn't you, Princess Yin?"
"I don't remember knowing you."
"Oh, you didn't, but now you do. Princess, I am here to experience your beautiful Lin firsthand~"Pure QiLin began to radiate from his body. It was a signal that he was going to attack.
"Don't even—" the emperor could not finish his sentence.
"Sorry, little one, your brother needs this!" His hand skillfully swung the bladed fan toward Luqi.
Li Wan sprang up with the imperial sword behind him. In a swift movement, he recoiled the fan with the scabbard, his blade now unsheathed.
As the two royal figures soared through the air, their QiLin clashed. For a moment, Luqi and the line of knights were completely immersed in the otherworldly display of pure divination.
The battle raged on. Li Chen's voice echoed, his barbed comment directed at Luqi."Are you just going to sit there? It doesn't seem very befitting for the all-mighty princess of Qi Tian to hide like this."
"That was four years ago. You should update your radar, Prince Li." She calmly muttered.
"Keep your eyes on me." The emperor lunged forward, the imperial sword glinting in the sunlight.
Li Chen met him with equal agility, the fan a blur as he redirected the blow. They clashed again and again, each move a dance of steel and silk. The sound of clanging echoed through the halls as the brothers engaged in their deadly battle.
BOOM!Li Chen hauled the battle with a blow of high-class pure QiLin. A massive force blasted through the hall. The two men gracefully recoiled backward into their stances.
His intention was exactly this:
Luqi flew up, her body spinning beautifully as she was forced to draw a shield around the guards. If normal people who weren't trained were exposed to this much pure Lin, their bodies would deteriorate.
"Ah! So you can do it after all!" Li Chen excitedly chattered. "I've always wanted to see it, the Lin of Tianxia's number one elementalist~"
"Please stop talking." She retracted her divination. "I am no longer anything like that, and neither am I interested in the martial world."
"Why? Because you don't want to use divination anymore after you've lost that meaningless battle? Come on, Princess, don't let such a feat cloud your vision. Your Lin is special, and I would be delighted to witness such a glow again~"
"It's basic elemental Lin, Prince Li, and everything is in the past now. I am not interested. Please leave."
"Oh, stop lying to yourself, Princess. There is so much you don't know." Li Chen took a few steps toward her. "Would you like me to enlighten you? What are you missing? Why can't you draw QiLin from any other source? Doesn't that intrigue you, Princess?"He reached out, holding her delicate hand.
"Stop it."Li Wan grabbed Luqi's wrist and yanked her back. He pointed the sword at his brother.
"Oh my, don't be such a downer. I need her, you see." He laughed and glared back at the lady. "Aren't you interested, Princess Yin? Follow me and I will—"
A protective border was cast around all the guards.The tip of Li Wan's grand blade glowed, summoning a ginormous cast of Lin that quickly folded into thousands of blades, glaring brightly across the hall.
His eyes narrowed sharply, fixed on Li Chen with serious intent."I said, stop it."
"Ugh, you don't know fun, Li Wan."
Just then, a group of high-class royal knights rushed into the imperial hall."Your Majesty!" they called out, soaring into formation and surrounding the prince.
One particular figure in white flipped through the air with distinct, fluid movement, two thin blades in hand. With elegance and speed, he aimed them directly at Li Chen.
"Ling Zhu," the emperor said, recognizing the familiar form.
"Your Majesty, I sensed a disturbance of QiLin at the imperial hall, so I came to investigate."Ling Zhu's voice was calm and youthful, his demeanor bathed in elegance. "I apologize for my tardiness, Your Highness."
Li Wan released his divination technique. "It's fine."
"As romantic as always, aren't you?" Li Chen smirked, twirling his fan with playful ease.
"Prince Li, this is a crime. I hope you're prepared to face the consequences."
"Oh, that again. I mean, say that when you can catch me," he snickered, then leapt upward.
The guards followed, a flurry of movement filling the sky.
His motions were effortless, almost fluid, catching the knights off guard while barely lifting a finger. The infamous Li Chen - his divination techniques were unlike any other, crafted entirely by his own hand.
With just a few delicate swings, he escaped the royal formation. His eyes darted back toward Luqi with a wink.
"I'll see you again, Princess. Do consider my offer~"And with that, he vanished into the distance.
Ling Zhu was ready to pursue, but a firm grip held him back."Don't." Li Wan ordered.
"It has been a long time since he last visited," the emperor muttered, letting out a long sigh. "That man truly hasn't changed."
"Your Majesty!" Zhou Lin entered the now-tarnished hall. "This mess must be Prince Li's doing..."
"It was," Ling Zhu confirmed with a respectful bow at the appearance of the emperor's most trusted attendant.