The cold steel of Seo Kang-Hyun’s blade pressed into the hollow of my throat. It was a familiar sensation—the bite of a well-maintained edge, the smell of whetstone and oil, and the absolute weight of a man’s killing intent."Speak," Kang-Hyun commanded. His voice was a flat, icy monotone. "Before I decide your life isn't worth the breath you're using to maintain that filthy technique."My chest rattled. Every heartbeat felt like a hammer striking the golden wall of Qi protecting my heart. The nightshade was still there, a thick, black sludge pulsing against the barrier, desperate to flood my vitals. I couldn't lower my guard. To stop the Shadow Hall’s breathing technique now meant instant death from the poison. To continue it meant death by the Mount Hua genius standing over me."I am... exactly what you think I am," I rasped. The words were heavy, tasting of the iron from the blood pooling in my mouth. Kang-Hyun’s eyes narrowed. His grip on the hilt didn't waver a fraction of a mil

My head hung low over an armored shoulder, the rhythmic thud of Hwa Ryeon’s boots against rooftops vibrating through my shattered ribs. Every jolt sent a spike of agony through the nightshade-darkened veins in my neck. Below us, the Merchant District was a sea of flickering torches and frantic shouts. The Orthodox Alliance was waking up to a hole in their high-security dungeon, and the "Crimson Princess" was the one who had torn it open. I tried to draw a breath, but my lungs felt like they were filled with wet sand. The golden wall of Qi I had built around my heart was thinning. I could feel the poison licking at the edges, a cold, oily sensation that promised an eternal sleep. A translucent blue window flickered in the corner of my blurring vision. It wasn't the usual calm blue; it was a frantic, pulsing violet. [Warning! Destiny Path Altered: Abduction by Demonic Cult.][The Heave