The eastern port of the Thang Long Imperial Capital was submerged in a deathly silence. Thousands of soldiers of the Imperial Guard, the most elite warriors of the royal court, stood as still as stone statues, but their pride and killing intent had been completely extinguished. They could only stare in stunned horror at the silhouette of the youth standing alone with a single saber before them.
"Summoning Tran Kien, alone, to enter the palace for an audience."
The voice of the golden-armored general, though striving to maintain its majesty, could not conceal a sliver of tremor. He was facing an existence capable of single-handedly obliterating an entire fleet.
Tran Kien showed no surprise at this imperial edict. He knew this was a probing move, a test from the unfathomable Emperor. If he refused, he would be charged with defying a royal decree. If he went, he would be riding a lone horse into the most perilous tiger's den.
He did not look at the general. His gaze pierced through the thousands of soldiers, looking toward the moss-covered, ancient walls of Thang Long, and then up at the black banner bearing the character "TRAN" fluttering upon his flagship.
After a long while, he smiled faintly.
"Very well," he replied, his voice placid yet echoing across the port. "Since His Majesty has such an elegant interest, how could this humble one not give him face."
He turned around, issuing a command to Barbarian Bull. "The entire fleet is to drop anchor here. Without my command, no one is permitted to step half a pace off their ship. Anyone who dares to cause trouble, kill without mercy!"
"Understood, Exalted Lord!"
Having spoken, Tran Kien brought no one with him. He didn't even bring the Lac Hong Saber. He merely clasped his hands behind his back, clad in simple attire, and alone, leisurely walked toward the Imperial Guard.
Faced with that solitary figure, the thousands of soldiers unconsciously took a step back, automatically parting to form a path.
Witnessing this scene, the golden-armored general felt a wave of horror surge in his heart. This was not the coercive pressure of cultivation. This was the momentum of a true sovereign—a momentum tempered from life-and-death chess games and the grand legacy of an entire nation.
And so, Tran Kien, alone, walked through the forest of blades and swords, stepping through the wide-open gates of Thang Long. To him, these gates were not a welcome. They resembled the gaping maw of a colossal beast, waiting to swallow him whole.
News of Tran Kien entering the palace alone for an audience rapidly spread through all the estates and manors.
At Duke Dinh Quoc's Estate, the atmosphere was incredibly tense.
"Father! How could you let Tran Kien enter there alone?" Ly Tin paced back and forth anxiously. "The imperial palace right now is a chaotic mix of dragons and snakes; the Marquis of Vinh An has eyes and ears everywhere. This is clearly a trap!"
Duke Dinh Quoc, the veteran general, merely sat there, silently wiping his precious sword. "Do you think that, with that brat's intellect, he wouldn't see that this is a trap?"
"Then why..."
"Because he has no other choice," Uncle Sword, seated nearby, spoke up. "This is a chessboard laid out by the Emperor. Tran Kien had no choice but to go. However," he smiled faintly, "that tiger will never be the prey. He entered to see if this cage is truly sturdy enough to hold him."
At the Marquis of Vinh An's Estate.
"An opportunity! This is a heaven-sent opportunity!" a strategist exclaimed, his face full of excitement. "Marquis, as long as he enters the imperial palace, that is our territory! We only need to make a few arrangements, frame him for an assassination attempt..."
"Fool!" the Marquis of Vinh An roared, cutting off the strategist. "Do you think the imperial palace is a marketplace? Do you think Grand Master Phap Chan is blind?"
He showed no signs of joy. On the contrary, an indescribable sense of unease swelled within his heart. He knew that someone like Tran Kien would never do something without calculation. To dare enter the palace alone proved he had his own trump card.
"Pass down my command," he said, his voice gloomy. "Everyone is to remain absolutely still. I want to see exactly what kind of play this brat and that old fox on the throne intend to put on."
Within the Can Thanh Palace, the most majestic hall for holding court.
Today, there were no civil or military officials. There was only a king, seated upon the Nine-Dragon Throne. And a subject, standing below.
Tran Kien stood there. He did not kneel, nor did he bow his head. He merely looked silently at the Emperor of Dai Viet. The man did not look majestic. He was gaunt, wearing a worn dragon robe, his eyes somewhat weary. But Tran Kien could sense that beneath that exterior lay a mind as deep as the ocean, and a cultivation base that could not be seen through.
"You are Tran Kien?" the Emperor spoke, his voice devoid of any emotion.
"This commoner is Tran Kien," Tran Kien replied, concealing nothing.
"Tran Kien, or the New King of Flood Dragon Island—it is merely a name," the Emperor smiled faintly. "We do not care who you are. We only wish to know: why have you returned here?"
"Reporting to Your Majesty," Tran Kien spoke, his voice resounding. "This commoner has returned for only one purpose: to eradicate the traitors of the state."
"Traitors?"
"Indeed. The Marquis of Vinh An colludes with the demonic path, manipulates the imperial court, and plots rebellion. His crimes reach the heavens. This commoner is willing to offer the entire force of Flood Dragon Island, and begs Your Majesty's permission to act as a vanguard army to raze the Marquis's Estate and restore purity to the imperial court!"
A statement that shook the heavens and moved the earth!
He did not beg for an official title; he did not demand a reward. He directly asked to be a "knife" for the Emperor. A masterful chess move, kicking the entire dilemma back to the person sitting on the throne.
The Emperor was stunned. He stared intently at Tran Kien. For the first time, a bizarre light flashed within his weary eyes. He had sat upon this throne for decades; he had seen countless sycophants and treacherous villains. But a youth possessing such mettle and strategy, daring to wager his very life on a chessboard like this—he had never seen before.
After a long while, he threw his head back and burst into hearty laughter.
"Excellent! What an excellent 'eradicate the traitors of the state'! Very well! We shall give you an opportunity."
He did not say how he would deal with the Marquis of Vinh An. He only said: "Recently, the rebel forces at the northern border have begun to run rampant again. We are lacking a capable general. You—do you dare take a trip there for Us?"
This was a test, and also a banishment. He wanted to transfer Tran Kien away from the capital, far from the political vortex, while borrowing the hands of the enemy to test his true strength.
But Tran Kien merely smiled faintly.
"To eradicate traitors and defend the borders is the responsibility of every citizen of Dai Viet," he bowed his head. "This commoner... accepts the decree."