Legend of the Divine Archer

Yan Jin sat on the ground, coughing up blood, his body battered and broken. The last attack had dislocated his shoulder, leaving his arm twisted in an unnatural position. The corrupted energy and other organisms connected to the celestial vein had perished with the destruction of the core. The battle was finally over, but the price they had paid was steep.

As the dark clouds in the sky finally gave in, a downpour began, drenching the city in a relentless rain. It was as if the heavens themselves sought to cleanse Pine City of the darkness that had tainted it. The atmosphere was grim and depressing, with survivors searching through the debris for the bodies of the fallen.

The city was quiet yet noisy at the same time, the sounds of grief and despair mixing with the rain and the shifting rubble.

Wei Xi helped Yan Jin to his feet, the two of them leaning on each other for support when the city lord approached.

"The vein is gone," the city lord said, his voice heavy with the weight of their losses.

Yan Jin nodded, his expression solemn. "I had no choice," he replied, his voice strained. "We were going to lose any other way."

"With the protection gone, we're going to be invaded by beasts drawn to the carnage," the city lord continued, worry etched on his face.

"Not necessarily," Yan Jin replied, his tone calm despite his injuries. Reaching into his quiver, he pulled out a small, glowing pearl.

"The stem cell?" the group around him exclaimed, their eyes widening in shock. They couldn't believe the cunning and foresight of the young warrior before them. He had managed to secure the stem cell, the very heart of the celestial vein, even as the battle raged on.

Yan Jin smirked faintly, though the pain in his body made it difficult to maintain the expression. "With this, we can regenerate the vein and restore the city's protection. But it will take time and effort."

The city lord's laughter echoed through the rain, a harsh, almost manic sound that contrasted sharply with the somber atmosphere. "Ha Ha Ha! Nie Li, that traitor, must be fuming!" he exclaimed, his voice thick with both triumph and pain. "I did not play my cards wrong... remember the promise..." As the last word left his lips, the strength seemed to drain from his body.

He stumbled, his face paling as blood began to escape from every orifice, staining the ground beneath him.

Wei Xi's heart clenched in fear as he saw his grandfather's condition. The old man had held on for so long, driven by his love for Pine City and his grandson, but now the toll of the battle was evident. Wei Xi ran to him, panic rising in his chest as he took in the claw marks raking across his grandfather's abdomen, the blood seeping profusely from the deep wounds.

"What's going on? Are you alright?" Wei Xi's voice was filled with horror, his eyes wide with disbelief. He could barely process what was happening, the reality of his grandfather's condition too overwhelming to fully comprehend.

The city lord's eyes softened as he looked at Wei Xi, the pain in his body momentarily forgotten as he focused on his grandson. "Remember what I told you," he said, his voice weakening with each word. "When I'm not here... you have to be strong..."

Tears welled up in Wei Xi's eyes as he shook his head, refusing to accept what was happening. "No, don't say that! You're going to be fine! We'll get you help, just hold on!" His voice broke as he spoke, the fear of losing the only family he had left tearing at his heart.

The city lord managed a faint smile, his hand reaching up to cup Wei Xi's face. "I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "I couldn't see you grow up... but grandpa loves you the most... always remember that..."

With those final words, the city lord's hand fell limp, his eyes closing as his body went still. The rain continued to fall, washing away the blood that pooled around him, but it couldn't erase the grief that consumed Wei Xi as he realized his grandfather was gone.

Wei Xi's world shattered in that moment, the weight of his loss pressing down on him like a suffocating blanket. His heart ached with a pain he had never known, a pain that would stay with him for the rest of his life. The battle was over, but the cost had been far greater than he could have ever imagined.

The aftermath of the battle left Pine City in a fragile state, its leadership shattered and its future uncertain. Yan Jin, battered and drained, had no desire to take on the mantle of leadership. He knew that his path lay elsewhere, far from the responsibilities of ruling a city. Wei Xi, still reeling from the loss of his grandfather, was far too young and inexperienced to take over as well.

The Yan family, once a formidable force, had fled in the face of chaos, and the Fu family's allegiance had been tainted by their ties to the Bloodwitch. The only family left with the strength and presence to lead was the Meng family.

As Yan Jin stood in the rain, the lifeless form of Wei Xi's grandfather at his feet, he raised his head sensing Purple Spear Meng approaching. The warrior was bruised and bloodied from the battle, but his eyes held a sharpness that spoke of resolve. Yan Jin could see the weariness in his steps, but also the inevitability of what was to come.

"You've got what you wanted, Purple Spear Meng," Yan Jin said, his voice flat, devoid of emotion. "The city is yours to lead."

Meng paused, his gaze locking onto Yan Jin's. "How did you know?" he asked, his voice low, tinged with curiosity.

Yan Jin didn't flinch under the scrutiny. "Your brother, the tactician, has been conspicuously absent until now. I assume he's already organizing a new elder council to solidify the Meng family's control over the city."

Meng's expression remained impassive, but there was a flicker of acknowledgment in his eyes. He didn't need to confirm what Yan Jin already knew. The pieces had fallen into place, just as the Meng family had planned.

"I had no idea what your plan was," Yan Jin continued, his voice taking on a harder edge. "But the old man knew from the beginning what your family was aiming for. He didn't fight back, not for himself, but for the boy. Congratulations, you got the throne, but at what cost? You sacrificed your niece for it."

Meng's face remained stoic, but there was a brief flash of something—perhaps regret, perhaps acceptance—before it was buried beneath his warrior's demeanor. He had known the risks, the sacrifices that would be necessary to seize power in a city as volatile as Pine City.

But hearing the truth spoken aloud by someone who had no stake in the matter, someone who had fought alongside him and lost just as much, cut deeper than any blade.

Yan Jin turned away, dragging the lifeless Wei Xi with him. There was nothing more to say. The battle was over, the city's future was now in the hands of the Meng family, and Yan Jin's role in this story was done.

True to Yan Jin's words, it took less than an hour for the Meng family to assert their dominance over Pine City. With the support of the city's elites, who quickly fell in line with the new order, the Meng family took control of every outpost, established a tight security perimeter around the city, and began the process of rebuilding in their image.