Volume One: The Hidden Dragon in the Abyss Chapter 42: Supreme Sovereignty

The years passed in tranquil peace.

Spring sunlight urged the willows to green, warm rays dispelled the river mist. Sitting quietly in the courtyard, savoring a cup of fine tea, one watched the clouds drift and curl above.

Yet Wang Chuan seemed already to glimpse the chaos that would descend in days to come. The calm had lingered so long it was oppressive in its silence, unsettling in its depths. The day when that storied estate would reemerge drew ever nearer; many waited in quiet anticipation.

He lowered his gaze to refill his teacup, and when he looked up, he saw a young maiden approaching him.

“Wang Chuan…”

He was taken aback for a moment, then smiled. “What are you doing here?”

Xu Wei was already standing before him, graceful and poised. Her clear eyes looked boldly yet shyly at his face, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. “I came to find you. Do you not like seeing me?”

“Of course I do!” Wang Chuan glanced at the sweet, lovely girl before him, his mood brightening.

“Really?” Though Xu Wei was candid and daring, her rosy cheeks were now deeply flushed, her shyness unmistakable.

She recalled how, after that day, her mother had come to speak with her.

“Wei’er, do you like Wang Chuan?” At the time, Xu Wei hadn’t known what to say, nervously twisting her sleeve.

“Silly child. My Wei’er has grown up so beautiful. Let Mother make the decision for you…” The Queen stroked her hair gently.

…

“Wang Chuan, why do you always stay at home instead of going out to have fun?” Xu Wei asked.

“Some people are restless by nature, others prefer quiet.” He chuckled. “And there are those like your father, busy from dawn till dusk—going out is a rare occasion, and only for official duty.”

“But you’re not busy, so why not go out and enjoy yourself?” she pressed.

Had this palace-born girl never met someone so content to stay home? Wang Chuan thought for a moment, then relented, “Alright, if you like, I’ll accompany you.”

“Wait, just a moment.” Xu Wei only wanted to linger with him a little longer. She called for a chair and sat down beside him.

“So, Wang Chuan,” she asked again, “what does it feel like to like someone?”

He replied without hesitation, “It means being happy for her, and feeling her pain as your own.”

He seemed not to notice how the girl beside him was now utterly red-faced, radiant as the morning glow.

Xu Wei murmured an assent.

Wang Chuan continued, “When you like someone, you want to grow old with her. When you’re lonely, she’s the first person you think of. You want to share both your joy and sorrow with her. Sometimes you wonder if she’s thinking of you at that very moment.”

Her heart brimmed with sweetness. Still so young, she hadn’t realized that this was what love tasted like—the greatest happiness from a single sentence.

“Brother Wang Chuan, Mother said there’s a secret about me that you know, but I don’t. What is it?” she asked.

At her words, Wang Chuan turned to look at her as she stuck out her delicate little tongue. His heart skipped a beat, a fleeting desire passing through him.

His gaze drifted from her face downward—her petite chest, slender waist, fair skin. The faint fragrance she wore made his eyes flash with heat.

That secret…

“I’ll tell you when the time comes. It’s not yet time,” Wang Chuan said solemnly. “But remember, Wei’er, you have your parents, and you have me. No matter what happens, we’ll protect you. Don’t overthink things. Your happiness brings us peace.”

“Oh.” Xu Wei nodded, half-understanding. “Brother Wang Chuan, will you teach me martial arts?”

“Me?” Wang Chuan was surprised, a little shy even.

“Yes,” Xu Wei nodded. “You’re the best. Everyone says you’re strong.”

He grew even more embarrassed, rubbing his forehead. “So, what do you want to learn?”

Zheng—

Xu Wei fetched her treasured sword, unsheathing it so that cold light danced along the blade, shimmering in the sunlight.

“See? If I master great martial arts, I can protect Father and Mother too,” she declared solemnly.

Wang Chuan nodded in agreement. “Alright. But this sword’s edge is too sharp—you needn’t always carry it.”

With that, he reached out, and the sword flew from her jade hand, soared through the air, and sliced through a distant tree in a flash. With another motion, the sword returned instantly to its scabbard.

Xu Wei stared in awe, her eyes shining at his display.

Two branches fell from the distant tree, which Wang Chuan retrieved with a flick of his wrist.

“What is it?” he asked, seeing her dazed expression.

“Nothing, that move was incredible,” Xu Wei said admiringly. “Can you teach me?”

Wang Chuan was about to hand her a branch when he paused. “Dragon-Grabbing Claw isn’t easy to learn. I can teach you, but if it’s too hard, you can give up.”

Alas…

In martial arts, the greatest taboo is impatience. One must be steady, able to endure loneliness and solitude.

“Brother Wang Chuan, Mother doesn’t usually let me go out to play, but she agreed if I went with you. I know they worry about me,” Xu Wei said seriously. “How good do I have to be before I can travel the world on my own?”

“You want to roam the world?” Wang Chuan was dumbfounded.

Behave yourself.

“Mhm.” The girl nodded seriously.

“Well, if you ever get that chance, observe, reflect, and act when you must—don’t hesitate. Not every matter of right and wrong is so murky.” Wang Chuan patted her head. “You have a keen mind; you’re a clever child. Keep your eyes and mind open and you’ll see what truly matters.”

“Brother Wang Chuan, will you buy me a fine horse one day?” she asked.

Wang Chuan blinked, then suddenly asked, “How far do you plan to go?”

Xu Wei tensed up, as if facing a great foe. Her eyes darted about, but she couldn’t think of a clever answer and didn’t want to lie to him. “I’ve never even left Fu City…”

Wang Chuan shook his head. “Why not let me go with you, wherever you want?”

“But if you’re there, I’ll never get a chance to act,” Xu Wei said, wrinkling her nose in mock annoyance.

“I can let you go first. If you can’t handle it, just hide behind me,” he replied.

“Alright, alright…” Xu Wei was already excited at the thought. “Then hurry and teach me swordplay.”

“Swordplay, is it?” Wang Chuan handed her a branch.

He himself was versed in many superior sword arts, the forms coming to him as naturally as breathing. But teaching a beginner left him momentarily at a loss.

His mind raced.

He tested the branch, thrusting it forward. A fierce gust followed, his arm motionless while his robe fluttered in the wind. In the distance, the tree rustled, green leaves cascading to the ground…

Under the girl’s admiring gaze, Wang Chuan continued to ponder. “Let me think a bit more.”

“Mmhm,” Xu Wei nodded, then circled behind him. “You sit still.”

“What are you up to now?”

He was startled as her delicate hands landed on his shoulders, gently kneading—massaging him.

He laughed. “How did you learn this?”

“Hehe, I used to massage Father and Mother all the time. They always praised me,” she answered with a smile.

“Should I praise you too?” Wang Chuan mused. “How about massaging me for a lifetime?”

“A lifetime?” Xu Wei echoed, puzzled.

“Yes, but you’d have to marry me first, so we could spend our lives together,” he said.

Xu Wei blushed deeply, her hands freezing in place.

Wang Chuan caught her small hands, pulling her into his embrace. “If you’re tired, rest awhile.”

“I’m not tired,” she shook her head.

Her fair, slender hands twisted together, her gentle face radiant. Her clear, intelligent eyes were now filled with shyness, and she dared not meet his gaze. Soon, she lowered her head, her delicate cheeks flushed as though she were a peach blossom blooming in the morning sun—tender and lovely.

Wang Chuan reached out, gently lifting her chin, raising her bashful face. Her cheeks were crimson, her eyes tightly closed, long lashes trembling, her breath slightly uneven, as if her heart itself was in turmoil.

Looking at her rosy lips, he couldn’t help but cup her doll-like face in his hands.

“Mm…”

Xu Wei trembled, stunned as her shyly shut eyes flew open.

Wang Chuan held her close, intoxicated by her youthful fragrance.

“When all this is over, I’ll ask His Majesty for your hand,” he said earnestly, gently stroking her hair.

“Mm…” Xu Wei nodded instinctively.

After lingering a while longer, and bidding farewell to Uncle Zhong and Yang Hao, she prepared to leave.

Wang Chuan insisted on accompanying her to the palace gates.

Xu Wei darted inside and, turning, saw him still standing there. She waved vigorously, and only after he nodded did she strut into the palace, her figure slowly disappearing from sight.

She headed to the Queen’s quarters, proudly waving the branch in her hand. “Mother, look!”

The Queen, seeing her daughter’s spirited demeanor, knew she’d just come from Wang Chuan and couldn’t help but laugh. “I can’t tell what’s special about it.”

“Well, let me show you—it’s amazing.”

Xu Wei recalled the sword technique Wang Chuan had taught her, channeled her inner energy, and thrust the branch forward.

Crack—

A distant vase on a shelf suddenly shattered.

Xu Wei stuck out her tongue and smiled sheepishly.

Perhaps she’d missed her mark…

At the end of the street, after Xu Wei’s figure vanished, Wang Chuan continued on, but suddenly looked back.

That figure walking alongside had already entered within.

“It’s easier to be a villain, with fewer burdens to bear.”

“A pure heart isn’t just naiveté—it’s holding on to simplicity in a complicated world. After experiencing so much of life, its etiquette and rules, to persist in goodness, to stay true to your heart, even after realizing that good people may not always be rewarded—if you still choose to bear the cost, then even if villains seem to prosper, they remain wrong at heart.”

“With my martial path, even I cannot always act as I wish!”

Wang Chuan closed his eyes and reached out to the heavens.

Throughout Fu City, temples, monasteries, and dojos—all the stone statues began to tremble, shaking violently. Worshippers fled in terror.

From between heaven and earth, a torrent of fortune as dense as water poured down like a waterfall, mist surging everywhere, then soared skyward, merging with his being.

“To contest with heaven, to contest with earth, let my martial path reign supreme!”