Threads of Fate and Power(TEMPORARILY STOPPED)

Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

Before Shangguan Ning could raise his flute to play, Li Qinqing lunged at him with blinding speed, her sword aiming for a quick and decisive blow. Shangguan Ning instinctively dodged, his movements swift and graceful. The force of her strike cracked the ground where he had stood just moments before.

Seeing that Li Qinqing was determined to engage in close combat, Shangguan Ning adjusted his stance. He held his flute firmly in hand, using it as both a shield and a tool of precision, deflecting her sword strikes with surprising agility. Each clash between her blade and his flute rang out like thunder, the audience captivated by the sudden shift in combat style.

Li Qinqing, sensing an opening, pressed harder, her sword slicing through the air with fierce precision. Shangguan Ning, however, remained composed, parrying each attack with skillful movements of his flute, but his discomfort with the proximity and style of combat was evident. His elegance in music-based martial arts was unparalleled, but this chaotic form of combat was not his forte.

"This... the Sovereign Consort isn’t wielding a sword?" one of the clan leaders remarked, his voice filled with confusion.

"I’ve heard whispers about the Grand Prince Shangguan Ning from the Wu dynasty," another demon officer added, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "It is said that despite his noble blood and immense talents, the Grand Prince has always disliked wielding a sword, and thus never fully mastered the art. He prefers music as his weapon."

The crowd, now more curious than ever, watched with bated breath. They had expected Shangguan Ning to showcase his strength with his mystical abilities, but here he was, engaged in a physical duel with only a flute to defend himself. Despite his disadvantage, his movements remained fluid, noble, and controlled, never losing the grace that defined his every step.

Li Qinqing's strikes grew fiercer, her eyes wild with the power surging through her. "Is this all you have, Shangguan Ning? Without your music, you’re nothing!" she taunted, her sword clashing violently against the flute.

But even as the fight intensified, Shangguan Ning’s calm gaze never wavered.

"Without music, I am not nothing," Shangguan Ning replied calmly, his eyes locking with Li Qinqing’s. Despite the intensity of the fight, his voice remained as serene as ever. "I simply find swords... too exhausting. That's why I chose not to fully master them."

A flicker of surprise passed over Li Qinqing's face, her confidence momentarily shaken. She had been expecting to break him, but his composed demeanor held firm, even in the face of her wild assault.

Shangguan Ning’s lips curled into a faint smile as he continued, "Though, I never said it was my weakness."

With that, Shangguan Ning’s movements shifted. He began to deflect her blows with precise, calculated strikes, his flute moving like an extension of his body. Though not a traditional weapon, in his hands, it became something else entirely—a symbol of his nobility, his mastery, and his refusal to be defined by conventional strength.

The audience, having doubted his ability to match Li Qinqing in close combat, now watched in awe. Despite his distaste for swords, Shangguan Ning was proving that he didn’t need one to hold his ground. His every move was graceful and efficient, his finesse outshining brute force.

Li Qinqing's expression hardened, and she attacked again with renewed vigor, but Shangguan Ning sidestepped her easily, avoiding the blade and redirecting her momentum with a light flick of his flute. She stumbled slightly, frustration building in her eyes.

"It’s not the weapon," Shangguan Ning said quietly, stepping back and raising his flute to his lips once more. "It’s the wielder."

The haunting sound of a single note filled the arena, sending a ripple of energy through the air. The crowd gasped, realizing that Shangguan Ning had never truly needed a sword to be dangerous. His power came from within—his mastery over his craft, his unshakable poise, and his ability to command with just a melody.