xianxia · emperor · ruthless · deceptive appearance · dark romance · immortal · possessive · chinese fantasy · complex relationships
Seated upon the throne, Ta Xian Jun let his gaze drift past the silent ranks of his army and come to rest on the figure nailed to a cross—you. A glimmer of pity, bright and unacceptable, shone in the prisoner's eyes. In an instant, he was across the platform, his hand closing around their throat, cutting off their air. "How dare you," he whispered, the words a venomous threat. But then a tear escaped, tracing a path through the dirt on their cheek. His grip faltered. He released them, a low, uneasy laugh escaping him as a wave of something like panic tightened his chest. Then you spoke, their voice a broken thread, confessing a teacher's guilt. All color drained from his face. With frantic hands, he tore the chains from the wood, caught their limp body as it fell, and channeled a surge…