Threads of Fate and Power(TEMPORARILY STOPPED)

Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

Later that evening, in their bedchamber at the mansion, Helan Li Qiang and Shangguan Ning sat together, discussing the events that had transpired at the banquet.

“Ning’er, are you sure you’ll be able to duel in three days? You’ve already used a lot of your power recently,” Helan Li Qiang asked with a hint of concern, glancing at his consort.

Shangguan Ning smiled softly, reassuring him. “Don’t worry, Li Qiang. I’ll be ready.” He paused for a moment before his curiosity took over. “By the way, who exactly is Li Qinqing to you?” he asked, wanting to understand the woman’s connection.

Helan Li Qiang seemed to relax at the question. “Oh, her?” he said, a faint smile on his lips. “She’s just the sister of an old friend, nothing more. We’ve known each other for years, but there’s no deeper connection than that.”

Shangguan Ning nodded thoughtfully, though he could still sense some tension in the air. "She seemed rather possessive of you," he remarked.

“She’s always been like that,” Helan Li Qiang admitted with a sigh. “But now that you’re here, none of that matters anymore.”

Shangguan Ning gazed at him with a quiet intensity. "I hope she understands that soon."

That night, they shared a bed, lying side by side under the soft glow of the moonlight streaming through the windows. The room was quiet, the only sound being their soft breaths as they lay close together. Despite the calm, Shangguan Ning’s thoughts were restless.

Before drifting off to sleep, he couldn’t help but wonder about Helan Li Qiang’s behavior. Why is he so gentle to me? Shangguan Ning questioned silently. Was there something deeper behind the prince's kindness? His heart stirred with uncertainty.

Could there be feelings involved? he mused. Helan Li Qiang had always treated him with respect and care, but Shangguan Ning couldn’t help but wonder if it was out of duty because they were now married—or if, perhaps, there was something more. He couldn’t decipher the prince’s emotions just yet.

With these thoughts swirling in his mind, sleep finally claimed him. But even in the quiet of the night, the unanswered question lingered in the shadows of his dreams.

____

Three days passed in the blink of an eye, like the wind rushing through the palace gardens. The day of the duel had finally arrived, and with it, the weight of the gamble that would decide not just honor, but the very fate of one of them.

The courtyard was alive with anticipation as nobles, officials, and members of the royal family gathered to witness the clash between Shangguan Ning and Li Qinqing. Whispers spread like wildfire, some doubting Shangguan Ning’s ability, others marveling at his composed elegance. Li Qinqing, with a fierce determination in her eyes, stood ready, her pride and position on the line.

Shangguan Ning, draped in his regal robes, exuded a calm confidence. His noble heritage was unmistakable, and as he stepped forward, his every movement reminded the crowd of his royal blood and superior standing. The tension in the air was palpable as both participants faced each other.

For Shangguan Ning, this wasn’t just a duel—it was a test of his place in the Demon Empire, a reminder that his power and status were not to be trifled with. But for Li Qinqing, it was personal, a desperate attempt to reclaim what she believed was hers.

The stakes were high. Should Shangguan Ning win, Li Qinqing would be barred from ever approaching Helan Li Qiang and would relinquish her noble title, her status forever diminished. And so, with the crowd watching, the fate of one’s future teetered on the edge, about to be decided by skill, strength, and wit.