A thousand li of ice.
Ten thousand li of snow.
Across the vast white wilderness, silver serpents danced wildly, stirring up a storm of whirling frost that devoured heaven and earth.
In that blizzard, a white figure stood alone—his robe fluttering in the wind as he wielded his spear.
At his center, within a radius of dozens of zhang, a colossal white cyclone formed, spinning with crushing force.
Inside the cyclone, dragons roared, tigers howled, vermilion birds soared, and black tortoises stamped the earth.
The four divine beasts, born of pure gang qi, encircled Chen Sanshi, roaring and leaping, their forms half-real, half-illusory.
What is a Martial Saint?
A saint among mortals—the pinnacle of the martial path!
The reason a Martial Saint could go no further wasn't because their strength was lacking, but because this world itself imposed the limit.
This world—Eastern Divine Continent—was one where the laws restrained the mystical. Only those who walked the path of martial cultivation could defy the heavens, pushing the body to its extreme, until the martial body rivaled the immortals themselves!
Every Martial Saint, no matter how weak, possessed an understanding unique to their own path.
Chen Sanshi had already cultivated here for ten days and ten nights.
He sustained himself with Fasting Pills, never stopping to rest.
Even Qianxun had tried to stop him several times, but Chen Sanshi ignored her, focusing completely on the Liquan Spear. The True Martial Pill within him continued to unleash its power, transforming the chaotic energy he absorbed into purer and purer gang qi.
After countless cycles, the qi within his Eight Extraordinary Meridians grew so condensed that it could advance no further—reaching the very limits of refinement.
Ten days and nights of relentless martial training.
Even a body of iron would have long since collapsed. Even with Fasting Pills, the reserves should've run dry.
His body had reached its limit.
The blizzard's cyclone began to weaken.
The forms of the four divine beasts flickered, fading as if about to shatter into mist.
Chen Sanshi understood that if he stopped now, the gang qi he had refined to perfection would regress instantly. To return to this state again would take endless effort and time.
Martial cultivation was like rowing against the current—retreat meant death.
There was no turning back on the martial path. Only by moving forward could one reach the summit.
Amid the howling storm, a roar burst forth.
From within the white robes, a sudden surge of power erupted.
His gang qi poured out like a torrent, shaking the very sky. The Liquan Spear trembled, resonating with an endless hum as frost turned to light along its shaft.
The cyclone raged again.
The Azure Dragon grew fiercer.
The White Tiger became more savage.
The Vermilion Bird spread its wings in flame.
The Black Tortoise pressed against the heavens.
The stones around him shattered one by one. Pebbles and shards of ice swirled together in the storm. A snow fox passing nearby was crushed into pulp in an instant. The world around him warped, becoming an isolated realm of destruction and rebirth.
"Chirp!"
A clear phoenix cry pierced the heavens.
The Vermilion Bird spread its wings wide, then dove toward Chen Sanshi, merging into his body in a burst of red light.
Next came the White Tiger, roaring as it clashed with the spear, as though both battling and dancing, until resonance was achieved. Then it dissolved into dark qi and flowed into him.
The Black Tortoise descended from the heavens, fusing into his form.
Finally, the Azure Dragon coiled through the air, circling around the white-robed figure. Its flight path aligned with the spear, until dragon and weapon became one—Liquan Spear was the dragon, and the dragon was the spear.
When spear and dragon united, man and spear became one.
At that instant, Chen Sanshi's Eight Extraordinary Meridians underwent a transformation.
He drew in a deep breath. The chaotic qi of heaven and earth swirled toward him like a tidal wave, entering his body, circulating through his meridians.
Then—
A true dragon burst forth from his body, roaring to the sky.
The mountains quaked. The glaciers split apart. The heavens trembled.
True Qi!
The fusion of worldly qi and innate qi—refined into pure True Qi!
Breakthrough—Martial Saint!
[Technique: Dragon Spear of Nation-Suppression · Martial Saint — Progress: 0]
[Effect: Unmatched — Grows stronger the longer the battle lasts. Fighting spirit multiplies endlessly.]
Unmatched. The longer the battle, the stronger the will.
This was the insight born from Chen Sanshi's breakthrough to the Martial Saint Realm.
Before this, exhaustion was his limit.
But now, he would never tire. Instead, his strength would rise endlessly with each strike—his will burning brighter the longer he fought—until either he fell or every enemy lay dead.
He had finally—
Broken through to Martial Saint!
Chen Sanshi exhaled slowly, planted the Liquan Spear into the ground, and stood still.
The storm dispersed.
Shattered rocks fell to the snow.
The wind softened, and the snowflakes that drifted down once again became soft and feathery, settling quietly onto his black hair.
Martial Saint.
Even though his master had not yet explained it, Chen Sanshi already knew—beyond Martial Saint was the realm of True Force, where energy and heaven's essence fused completely.
To step beyond would require the right technique and the aura of heaven and earth—things absent in this barren land.
But that was for later.
For now, his goal was clear—to destroy the main formation core beneath the Yin Mountain Range.
Even among Martial Saints, there were vast differences in strength.
And now that he had broken through—so what if the four clans' Martial Saints gathered in the barbarian capital?
He would still crush them.
"Qianxun!"
The White Swan horse neighed sharply and galloped over.
Chen Sanshi leapt onto its back and turned northward, riding swiftly through the blizzard.
Within his robes, the Mystic Pearl pulsed again, overflowing with deep, swirling qi.
Liangzhou.
A thunderous rumble echoed across the heavens.
The sky collapsed once more.
The curtain of blood mist was now less than ten zhang from the ground.
Looking up, people felt as though they could touch it with their hands.
Flocks of birds fled from treetops, crowding onto rooftops and eaves. Their countless eyes reflected scarlet light, painting the human world into a scene of hellish purgatory.
"How's the situation in Youzhou?!"
Sixth Prince Cao Huan hadn't slept for days. His eyes were bloodshot, his hair disheveled, and his robe untidy.
"Good news! Good news!"
A subordinate rushed in, holding an arrow carrying a message. "General Lü Ji has already reached the front line at Zhu Tuo Pass!"
"Will he make it in time?"
Cao Huan turned toward several gathered generals.
General Zhao Wuji and the others were silent.
"At least some should be able to retreat."
Cheng Wei finally spoke. "If the Gate of Life opens, it will be on the eastern side of the Luotian Mountains."
"Then prepare ahead of time."
Cao Huan gave a firm order. "Tell all garrisoned soldiers in the city to assemble outside the Luotian Mountains. Once the Gate of Life opens, they are to retreat immediately. As for the civilians, they'll follow behind once the soldiers have withdrawn."
"Yes, Your Highness! I'll see to it at once!"
Zhao Wuji took the order and left in haste.
Before long, the Liangzhou Army and local garrison soldiers trapped within Liangzhou began forming orderly lines, moving steadily toward the Luotian Mountains.
At the end of the column followed crowds of common folk, huddled together against the cold.
Zhao Qiao, who had long retired to oversee logistics and granaries due to his age, watched from afar. The scene looked eerily familiar—just like the time years ago when they fled from Poyang.
Barbarian Capital.
Led by Ninth Prince Yu Wen Xin, the Hongze Battalion advanced unimpeded, reaching the Yin Mountain Range at full speed.
After over two months of continuous blizzards and deadly cold, the entire desert had turned into a vast expanse of glacial plains. Endless mountain ridges now stood cloaked in snow—rolling silver serpents and frozen ivory beasts stretching to the horizon.
Amid this boundless whiteness, a pitch-black fortress loomed—a city like a slumbering titan.
This was the Barbarian Capital—Heavenly Capital City!
In the Great Desert, buildings were rare. Most were small defensive arrays like Windfrost City, but Heavenly Capital City was the barbarians' only true fortress.
Its walls were no less formidable than any imperial capital in the Central Plains.
Once, it had been the seat of the powerful Tuoba Tribe—the mightiest of the barbarian clans.
But the Hongze Battalion's goal was not Heavenly Capital City.
Their destination lay a hundred li beyond it—Wolf Juxu Mountain!
That place was the barbarians' Ziwei Mountain, their sacred altar, and the main core of the Blood Sacrifice Formation.
Atop the mountain now stood the four Great Khans of the barbarian clans: the Yu Wen, Tuoba, Murong, and Duan tribes—all gathered together.
This battle would mark the final war in a hundred years between the Central Plains and the barbarians.
Fifty li from Wolf Juxu Mountain, the Hongze Battalion halted temporarily.
"Lord!"
Zhao Kang returned, dismounting to report. "Twenty li ahead lies an army of 100,000 barbarians. They've been waiting there for some time, already arranged in formation. By our scouts' estimation, there are at least five Martial Saints among them. Other than the troops stationed in Youzhou, this is the entirety of the barbarians' strength. Also, there's only one road leading up the mountain."
"If there's only one road…"
Chen Sanshi paused, his gaze firm. "Then we'll charge straight through! Pass down my command—Hongze Battalion, form up on the spot and prepare to charge!"
"Yes, sir!"
Chu Shixiong accepted the order.
The command was passed down rank by rank.
In the icy wilderness, the Hongze Battalion began their final preparations.
"Yu Wen Xin."
Chen Sanshi turned his head. "You can go."
"Truly?"
After months of anxiety, Yu Wen Xin was overjoyed. But after a few steps, he turned, looking toward the distant, shadowed barbarian formations. His tone grew scornful.
"Chen Sanshi, before you lies an army of 100,000, backed by the Martial Saints of every clan and even the High Priest of the Witch God Sect. You're nothing but ants before them. I advise you to flee. If you hide somewhere remote, perhaps you might live a few more years."
Chen Sanshi sat tall in his saddle, expression calm. "Before night falls, we'll meet again."
"What did you just say?"
Yu Wen Xin froze, and realization dawned a heartbeat later.
He was being released—but Chen Sanshi had just said they'd meet again before nightfall.
Did that mean this madman intended to fight through 100,000 troops and reach the mountain peak by sundown?!
"Arrogant fool! But…"
Yu Wen Xin sneered. "I won't need to wait until night to see your corpse—two hours will be enough!"
He spat his last insult and whipped his reins, galloping away in haste.
At the mountaintop, within the altar, the High Priest of the Witch God Sect sat cross-legged. His hands formed seals over a circle of evil stones, maintaining the Blood Sacrifice Formation.
Two months of ritual had turned his entire body to frost; ice covered him completely like a sculpture of death.
"Just a few more days…"
His hoarse voice echoed from within the ice. "And the Blood Sacrifice Formation will be complete."
"High Priest, is that true?!"
The gathered Great Khans exchanged looks, their excitement barely contained.
It meant that once they endured the final few days, the Eastern Divine Continent would belong entirely to their Heavenly Race.
Their eyes burned with fanatic expectation as they waited atop the snowy peak.
Days later, a soldier came running.
"Chen Sanshi has arrived!"
"The man in white and the Hongze Battalion have formed ranks at the mountain base!"
"So soon?"
Yu Wen Jingtian let out a cold snort. "He really dares to come!"
"Great Khan, the Ninth Prince has returned!"
"Father! Father!"
The Ninth Prince, Yu Wen Xin, burst into the tent, covered in frost and dust, before falling to his knees.
"Xin'er, you… why have you returned?"
Yu Wen Jingtian rose in disbelief. "That Chen fellow… he just let you go?!"
"Father, that man is insufferably arrogant!"
"He said he'd take Father's head—and my uncles'—before nightfall!"
Yu Wen Xin's voice was sharp with fury.
"Seeking death!"
At that, Tuoba Hongxin slammed a hand on the armrest, rising in rage. "A mere twelve or thirteen thousand men trying to climb this mountain? Ridiculous! Warriors of the Heavenly Race—where are you?!"
"We're here!"
Five Martial Saints stepped forward at once.
They were, aside from those stationed in Youzhou, the most powerful force the barbarians possessed.
Among them, the Tuoba tribe had two; the other three clans—Yu Wen, Murong, and Duan—each had one.
"Listen carefully!"
Tuoba Hongxin's voice was thunderous. "Whichever of you brings me Chen Sanshi's head—once the Blood Sacrifice Formation is complete—you'll be made king! Any soldier who so much as draws his blood shall be granted the title of earl! Whoever severs a limb, even a single finger, shall be granted the title of marquis!"
Such lavish rewards—
Even the five Martial Saints could not hide the glint of greed and excitement in their eyes.
"What are you standing around for?"
"Hurry down the mountain! Don't fall for that brat's schemes!"
Down below, in the blizzard at the foot of the mountain, the soldiers of the Hongze Battalion ate their last bits of dried meat and hard rations, forcing them down for strength.
Chen Sanshi pulled a Tiger-Headed Golden Spear from his storage bag. Piece by piece, he assembled it by hand—a spare weapon. Just as he turned to return to the front lines, a cold voice, like drifting snow, echoed in his mind.
"Come with me."
Shen Guiyi?
Chen Sanshi immediately recognized the voice—it was his sister-in-law, the Empress of the Great Qing Dynasty.
He looked up.
A figure in black-gold robes descended slowly on a flying sword, her presence regal and cold.
"Well, if it isn't my dear sister-in-law," Chen Sanshi said with a grin, carrying two spears in hand. "What brings you here? Since you've come, why not stay and lend a hand? With your help, our odds of victory would rise another twenty percent."
The Empress of Great Qing showed no emotion. Her snow-pale face was serene, her voice flat and calm. "Come with me."
"No help? Fine then. You can leave."
Chen Sanshi had expected as much. "If I die here, please look after Lan jie'er and Du He for me. I owe them that much."
"If you know you owe them," the Empress replied coldly, "then why not come with me?"
Chen Sanshi didn't answer. He turned to leave.
But the Empress raised her sleeve, blocking his path. Her tone brooked no refusal. "I'll say this only once more—come with me."
"Are you insane?" Chen Sanshi stared at her, baffled. "If you won't help, fine—but don't waste time. Move aside."
"If I don't?"
In her palm, a sword of pure light appeared, its edge humming with deadly intent.
"Then I'll have no choice but to cross blades with my dear sister-in-law."
Chen Sanshi's tone was firm as he spun both spears in his hands, waves of True Qi rippling outward.
Seeing his determination, the Empress of Great Qing finally lowered her sword. "Is it worth it?" she asked quietly. "The people in Liangzhou City are nothing to you. Why risk your life for them? Come with me. You have a spiritual root. For my sister's sake, even if your talent is poor, I could still send you to a great sect as an outer disciple. You'd live a life of luxury."
"My master is in the city," Chen Sanshi said simply. "How can you say they're nothing to me?"
"He's already a dying man."
"My senior sister…"
"What? You expect me to save your concubine too? And your daughter? She's not my sister's child—not even your own flesh and blood."
"What about the people?"
"The people?"
At that word, the Empress's expression finally wavered. Her eyes, cold as winter lakes, showed a flicker of confusion.
"The people shouldn't matter to you," she said softly. "Why should they?"
Chen Sanshi didn't answer right away.
Instead, he reached into his robe, pulled out a stack of silver notes, and pressed them into her hand—followed by several silver ingots.
"Wait."
He rummaged again, this time producing a handful of bronze coins. Before he could hand them over, the Empress recoiled with disgust, letting the coins fall to the snow.
"Keep your mortal silver," she said coldly. "I won't let my sister want for food or clothing."
"I know," Chen Sanshi said quietly. "You're the Empress. Who could be richer than you? But that's not the point. I'm answering your question. You asked what the people have to do with me."
He bent down, carefully picking up the silver notes and coins she had scattered. Then, holding them up, he spoke calmly.
"I started as a hunter.
"I lived by my bow, my hands, and my skill.
"Back then, apart from my family, the 'people' meant nothing to me. I was one of them—just another man trying to survive.
"But later… I became an officer.
"Do you see these silver notes? Each one is worth thousands of taels—wealth most people will never earn in a lifetime. With them, I bought fine food, fine clothes, a grand house. I lived well—with your sister."
He paused, his voice steady but cold. "So tell me—where did that silver come from?"
"Obviously," the Empress replied impatiently, "from your salary."
"No. You're wrong."
He drew a handful of spiritual grain from his storage bag. The golden kernels shimmered faintly. "This—this is where it comes from. From the people.
"The people pay their taxes, their grain, their labor—to feed the Liangzhou Army. Why?
"So that when the barbarians breach the Great Wall and slaughter villages, someone stands in their way.
"When you take their silver, their food, their faith—you owe them.
"The martial world has a saying: 'When the guard falls, the escort dies with it.'
"If even the escort masters of the jianghu understand that… then tell me, Sister-in-law—no, Your Majesty of Great Qing—how can you not?"
The Empress was silent for a long moment. Then, in a softer voice, she said, "An interesting way to put it. But in the end, you're still determined to stay?"
Chen Sanshi nodded once.
"Then so be it," she said. "I came, as my sister asked. I've done my part. If you insist on dying, I won't stop you."
With that, she turned and rose into the air, vanishing into the snow.
"She really left, huh?"
Chen Sanshi let out a small sigh and shook his head.
He had hoped to persuade his sister-in-law to fight by his side.
So be it.
If death awaited, he would meet it standing.
Half an hour later—
Before the Hongze Battalion could even move, the 100,000-strong barbarian army had already begun their assault.
At the very front stood their vanguard—ten thousand Iron Treading Towers, the elite heavy cavalry formed from the combined might of all four barbarian tribes.
These ten thousand armored warriors waited patiently for the kill, their entire bodies encased in thick black steel. Only their eyes were visible. Even the warhorses beneath them were clad in heavy iron barding, their hooves crushing the frozen ground. From afar, they looked like a mountain of moving iron, rolling toward destruction.
In comparison, the Hongze Battalion was worn thin.
They had marched for ten thousand li, braved the bitter cold for months, and now stood with only their iron will holding them upright. They had no siege tools, no special weapons—nothing designed to counter these iron-armored monsters.
Which meant the battle ahead would be decided by light cavalry charging against heavy cavalry.
Anyone who understood warfare knew how such a fight ended.
And yet, not a single face among the Hongze Battalion showed fear.
Their gazes were calm, resolute, filled only with the blazing will to fight and the certainty of victory.
At the front of the formation, Chen Sanshi reined in his horse, his white robe snapping in the wind. He turned his head and shouted, "Brothers—do you fear death?!"
"What's there to fear?!"
The thirteen thousand soldiers roared back in unison, their voices shaking the frozen earth.
"Good!"
Chen Sanshi's voice rumbled like thunder. "Back in Lingzhou, the three thousand Black-Armored Cavalry—do you still remember the three bolts of lightning at Silver Pine Cliff? And the thick fog beyond Hulao Pass?"
The ranks stirred.
The story of the three thousand Black-Armored men had been told many times, though most soldiers only half-believed it.
After all, what kind of army had thunder on its side?
And "heavenly soldiers descending to battle"? That sounded like a tavern tale.
Yet the General was mentioning it again—right before the fight. Could it be…?
"My lord!" Xia Cong shouted, his eyes lighting up with both excitement and disbelief. "You mean…?"
"Exactly."
Chen Sanshi nodded, his tone solemn yet filled with heat. "We fight for righteousness. Heaven itself aids us. Those barbarian devils only rely on the heretics from the Witch God Sect—they will meet divine retribution!"
Xiao Zheng frowned. "But, my lord, there's no thunder today. No fog either."
"There's a saying," Chen Sanshi replied. "When fortune turns, heaven and earth move as one. When fate fades, even heroes are helpless.
"The barbarians are cruel. They slaughter the innocent and defy the will of heaven.
"So heaven and earth themselves will side with us—the Hongze Battalion!"
He raised his spear high, his voice cutting through the howling wind.
"Hongze Battalion! Form up!"
At that instant, the snowstorm seemed to fall silent.
The man in white lifted his Liquan Spear, its tip gleaming under the dim sky. His words roared across the battlefield, striking like war drums into every heart—friend and foe alike.
"Great Snow Dragon Cavalry—Heaven's Gate Formation!"
Youzhou.
The terrain around Zhu Tuo Pass was treacherous—sheer cliffs and narrow valleys—but the fortress itself was small, unable to hold a massive army. Thus, the 100,000 barbarian soldiers had spread their camps across the surrounding ridges, fortifying all approaches.
Under Xu Wencai's command, the Liangzhou Army had advanced steadily these past days, pressing deep into Yellow Maple Valley.
Beyond that valley lay Zhu Tuo Pass itself.
Once they entered, there would be no retreat—only death or victory.
"Brothers, with me!"
Fan Hailing roared, brandishing his Mo Blade as he charged under cover of night straight into the barbarian camp.
The barbarian lines erupted in chaos.
From the center of the enemy ranks, a shadow rose into the air—a cultivator of the Ancient Demon Clan.
"So, you've come to die after all?"
He sneered, raising one hand. A crimson flying sword shot forth.
"Bang!"
Fan Hailing poured every ounce of his qi into his strike. The Mo Blade howled like a lion—but the flying sword tore through it in an instant.
He was flung back, his body crashing into the earth like a falling boulder.
"I'll handle him!"
Pei Tiannan appeared behind the black-robed cultivator in a blur, his broad saber bursting with true qi like a tidal wave. He brought it down toward the man's neck.
But before the blade could strike, a red shield flared across the demon cultivator's body. The saber bit into it but went no further, wedged tight as if trapped in iron.
The black-robed cultivator's face twisted hideously. His skeletal fingers flashed through a seal, a dark fog of poison rising from his palm as he struck.
The blow shattered Pei Tiannan's protective qi instantly.
He was hurled dozens of zhang through the air, slamming into the frozen ground with a thunderous crash.
He hadn't even caught his breath when the demon descended upon him, his blood-colored sword pressing to within half an inch of Pei Tiannan's throat.
Death was certain—
Until a deafening clang split the night.
"Clang—!"
A Fangtian Halberd smashed down between them, locking blades with the flying sword.
"You?!"
The demon cultivator snarled as he was forced back a step. One hand gripped his sword, the other traced a sigil. The blood sword flared, pressing forward again—and began to overpower the halberd.
Then, purple light rippled across the weapon.
Layer upon layer of glowing sigils awakened, and with them surged divine power—pure incense force, holy and searing.
The halberd exploded with light, blasting the flying sword and its wielder backward through the air.
"You…?!"
The demon steadied himself midair, black wings unfurling behind him. His expression twisted in shock. "You broke through this quickly?!"
The giant standing beneath the moon was Lü Ji.
He rose slowly, his massive form like a mountain of steel. Purple qi coiled around him, his armor glimmering with divine light. His pupils burned with sacred flame—half man, half god.
"Evil god's path?"
The demon sneered, realization dawning. "So that's it. You couldn't defeat me before, so you turned to the way of the evil gods? How fitting! I suppose the captives from that fortress became your sacrifices, didn't they? Hah—ten thousand souls isn't a small price. You'd fit right in with us."
"Demon!"
Nie Yuan, standing nearby, shouted back. "Those barbarians deserved death! General Lü is merely borrowing the Evil God's strength temporarily. After this battle, he will return to the True God's path!"
The demon laughed darkly. "What nonsense! No one who walks the path of the evil gods ever comes back.
"Lü Ji, was it? I admire your ruthlessness. Why not join the Ancient Demon Clan?"
"Silence, fiend!"
Lü Ji's voice boomed like thunder. "I am Marquis of Martial Valor of the Great Sheng Dynasty, disciple of Sun Xiangzong, Grand Commander of the Left Army! You think I'd defile myself by consorting with you monsters? Enough talk—die!"
Before the demon could answer, the halberd came crashing down again, its swing shaking the heavens.
The demon conjured sword seals with one hand to parry, while the other traced runes across the ground.
From the earth burst countless crimson thorned vines, twisting and writhing like serpents, sweeping toward Lü Ji from all directions.
Lü Ji ignored everything else. The only thing in his eyes was his enemy.
His Fangtian Halberd, carrying the might of dragons and elephants, crashed down again and again with unstoppable force.
He had no defense, only attack—each strike more ferocious than the last.
Behind him, sheets of dark iron shards rose into the air one after another. They shimmered faintly with divine incense power, like a flock of ravens circling the sky, diving wherever the halberd struck to kill.
"Incense artifacts?!" the demon cultivator gasped. "In this mortal land, such relics still exist?"
Already struggling after Lü Ji's power surged through the Evil God Path, the ancient demon cultivator could no longer hold his ground. He spat a mouthful of black poison mist and tried to soar skyward to escape.
But the instant he lifted off, a massive purple claw burst from the black fog above and slammed down on his shoulder. No matter how he struggled, he couldn't break free.
He turned back—and saw a monstrous face twisted by divine and demonic power.
"Trying to run now?"
Lü Ji's voice came out hoarse, layered with a deeper, inhuman tone. "Too late."
The next moment, he yanked the demon from the air and smashed him into the ground.
A thunderous crack split the battlefield as the Fangtian Halberd followed, raining down blow after blow.
The shards of the incense artifact joined the assault, pelting down like a storm.
Only after more than a dozen breaths did he finally stop.
When the dust cleared, a crater over ten zhang deep gaped before him.
At its bottom, nothing remained but pulp and blood.
"Demon—nothing more than that."
Lü Ji slowly pulled his halberd from the pit.
The blade was still caked with thick clots of flesh and blood, dripping onto the frozen ground with heavy splats.
"General Lü!"
"Mighty!"
"The General is mighty!"
Cheers erupted across the Liangzhou lines.
Morale surged like wildfire.
"With me—kill!"
"Kill!"
The seventy thousand Liangzhou soldiers fought like men possessed.
Their numbers were not far behind the hundred thousand barbarians of Zhu Tuo Pass.
In just a few hours, they drove the front line forward again and again.
By midnight, with flames lighting the battlefield, they were cutting their way straight toward Zhu Tuo Pass itself.
Behind the fortress, deep in the mountains and forests, five demon cultivators sat cross-legged in a circle.
At their center lay the auxiliary array eye, controlling the flow of the Gate of Life.
"Bad news, Immortal Master!"
A Murong Clan general stumbled into the clearing, breath ragged. "The front lines can't hold!"
"What?"
Wen Ji, one of the demon elders, snarled. "You Heavenly Race fools are useless! They have three mid-stage Transcendent warriors, you have four—and more troops! And still you can't stop them?"
"It's not that, Immortal Master!"
The general shook his head in panic. "It's Lü Ji! That Liangzhou general—he's practicing the Evil God Path! Not long ago, he sacrificed ten thousand of our tribesmen in blood offering. His cultivation surged—ordinary Martial Saints can't match him!"
"The Evil God Path… so that's it."
Wen Ji's expression darkened. "In that case, it makes sense."
He turned toward three of the others. "You three—go. Kill him. No mistakes."
"Yes, Senior Brother!"
The three demon cultivators bowed and vanished into the night.
Wen Ji then looked at the last one still seated. "If I'm not mistaken," he said slowly, "Sun Xiangzong's last disciple should be headed for Wolf Juxu Mountain, isn't he?"
"No problem," said Wanyan Lie calmly. "That one only commands ten thousand soldiers. He's mid-stage Transcendent at best—even if he breaks through to late stage, that's only equal to our Qi Refinement mid stage.
"Besides, those mortal khans have four Martial Saints of their own, same realm as him. Add the Great Priest of the Witch God Sect, who was taken as our sect's disciple years ago and now stands at late-stage Qi Refinement—surely they can handle one mortal."
"Even so," Wen Ji said gravely, "this battle decides everything. We can't afford carelessness. You'll return to Wolf Juxu Mountain and help the Great Priest guard the main array. I'll handle things here."
"…Fine."
Though reluctant, Wanyan Lie nodded. He activated several acceleration talismans and shot into the sky, vanishing in moments.
After several brutal engagements outside Zhu Tuo Pass, Lü Ji led the charge once again.
He stormed through the enemy ranks like an unstoppable storm, cutting a path around the fortress toward the auxiliary array's location.
Those who dared block his way were slain before he even raised his weapon—shredded by the swarming incense fragments trailing behind him.
"Barbarian!"
"Die!"
"Boom—!"
Suddenly, three divine artifacts came crashing down from above—a flying sword, a chain of iron links, and a golden vajra pestle.
Lü Ji didn't dodge.
His entire body flared with purple qi as he swung the halberd in a sweeping arc, deflecting two of the artifacts. The vajra fell soon after, struck down by the raining incense shards.
Then he counterattacked.
Stepping on the floating incense shards, Lü Ji soared upward and in an instant closed in on one demon cultivator whose artifact had been knocked away.
"Crash—!"
The demon wielding the iron chain artifact reacted quickly, wrapping the halberd in chains while another launched his flying sword from the flank.
The third formed seals, casting a spell from the front—three-pronged attack, no escape.
But Lü Ji only grinned, his eyes glowing like purple fire.
"Demons—nothing more than that."
He roared, pulling violently. The halberd tore the chains apart, flinging the wielder through the air.
The incense shards surged toward the sword cultivator, forcing him to recall his weapon to defend himself.
At the same time, Lü Ji's left fist ignited with both true qi and divine incense power, merging into a roaring dragon-elephant phantom.
Before the last demon could finish his hand seals, Lü Ji's fist came down like a hammer.
The demon hit the ground like a meteor, carving a crater into the earth.
Lü Ji wasted no time.
He fought all three at once, and still held his ground—his strength terrifying, his speed unmatched.
But he didn't linger. Every chance he got, he pushed toward the array eye.
Twenty li.
Ten li.
Five li.
The array's heart was almost within reach—
When suddenly, a beam of blood-red light descended from the sky.
Its killing aura was far stronger than any of the three before.
Lü Ji roared and met it head-on.
The explosion rocked the valley.
When the dust settled, Lü Ji lay on the ground, body broken, his incense fragments dark and lifeless around him.
"Hmm… so that's how it is."
Floating above the battlefield, Wen Ji looked down at the mortal general. "You used the Evil God Path to reach mid-stage Spirit Communion, then fed on the slaughter of ten thousand men to fuel your strength.
"Heh… truly foolish."
"Given your natural talent, if you had begun cultivating the Evil God Path earlier and sacrificed enough insects in offering, you could've reached late Spirit Communion by now—maybe even broken through to the second realm. But starting now? You're far too late."
"Cough… cough…"
Lü Ji dropped to one knee, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth.
"Senior Brother!"
Nie Yuan and the remnants of the three thousand Vanguard Soldiers finally broke through to him—but only two hundred survived, even with two Martial Saints protecting them.
"Don't worry about me. I'm fine."
Lü Ji planted his Fangtian Halberd into the ground and forced himself upright. "Just keep charging. No matter the cost—destroy the array eye!"
"Pathetic mortals."
Wen Ji sneered coldly as the battered soldiers rushed toward him. "You call yourselves descendants of the Heavenly Race—the heirs of my Ancient Demon Clan in Dongsheng Shenzhou? Hah! You can't even hold a line. You're all better off as materials for my alchemy."
"Immortal Master, forgive us!"
A barbarian general's voice cracked with terror as he ordered, "Brothers! Kill these Sheng bastards with me!"
But even as he shouted, fear clouded his face. The two barbarian Martial Saints who followed him charged forward in desperation, unwilling but forced to fight.
Nie Yuan and his men had barely managed to break through. With Lü Ji stopped in his tracks, they couldn't advance any farther. In moments, they were surrounded.
Three Ancient Demon cultivators and the two barbarian Martial Saints closed in.
Pei Tiannan and Fan Hailing were the first to fall, both grievously wounded within minutes.
Even Lü Ji was no match for Wen Ji. After a few deadly exchanges of spells and blows, his crimson iron armor hung in tatters, split by demonic power.
At that moment, the Liangzhou Army was completely cornered.
They were so close—barely a few li from the altar. They could even see its blood-red glow.
But the last stretch of ground felt like a chasm between heaven and earth, impossible to cross.
"Boom—!"
The auxiliary array eye erupted in red light. Blood mist surged skyward like a volcano.
Inside the grand formation, the mist dropped again.
Only two zhang left!
A mere two zhang separated it from the ground.
In Liangzhou City, buildings three stories high were already buried in the thick, seething blood fog.
Columns of troops retreated toward the Luotian Mountains, followed by endless streams of refugees. Even the wild beasts of the deep mountains had vanished, sensing the oncoming catastrophe.
Those who had fled early—barely a tenth of Liangzhou's people—were already deep in the mountain valleys. The rest had only just been warned, scrambling frantically for the gates.
But the Gate of Life did not open.
At the brink of annihilation, when all hope should have appeared—it didn't.
The blood sacrifice formation's catalysis accelerated. The mist fell again.
Only one zhang now separated it from the ground—low enough to reach by jumping.
Twelve-Layer Mountain.
Inside the imperial command tent, the air was thick and cold.
"Where is Lü Ji? Still no word?"
Emperor Longqing's tone was tight.
"Your Majesty," stammered Eunuch Hou, his face pale, "the fog has swallowed the sky. Our messengers can't get through. There's been no word from General Lü or his forces…"
"I see."
The Emperor rose slowly, gripping the Longyuan Sword, its blade trembling and singing softly in his hand. He stepped out of the tent and approached Grand Marshal Sun Xiangzong.
"It seems," the Emperor said quietly, "that the people of Liangzhou must endure this calamity. It's fate. None of us can stop it."
Sun Xiangzong said nothing. His expression was unreadable, his gaze locked on the crimson clouds above.
"I'll ask you this," the Emperor said after a long pause. His eyes narrowed. "If I had a way to send you out—could you still seal the demonic veins?"
"What did you say?"
For the first time since the blood sacrifice began, Sun Xiangzong's composure cracked. Rage and disbelief flashed in his eyes. "You—you've had a way to leave this place all along?!"
Emperor Longqing did not deny it.
"Cao Kai!"
Sun Xiangzong stood up, his frail body trembling with fury. "Why didn't you say so sooner?! You let my two disciples lead countless soldiers into near-certain death—while you kept a way to escape hidden?!"
"I had no choice!"
The Emperor raised the Longyuan Sword, its glow pulsing with a low hum. "My ancestor left a mark upon this blade. If used, it might counter the blood formation's demonic source and protect one person long enough to escape. But only once—after that, the sword's power will vanish. Should I not weigh that choice carefully?"
"So that's it."
Sun Xiangzong's voice trembled with fury. "You gambled with tens of thousands of soldiers and millions of civilians—just because you didn't trust me with your sword! You wanted to keep your trump card for yourself.
"Cao Kai, you selfish bastard!
"Your son is in Liangzhou too!
"Tell me—does nothing matter to you but your own life?!"
Emperor Longqing did not flinch beneath the accusation.
"I'll ask again," he said steadily. "If I lend you this sword, can you still stop it? The grand array isn't complete yet. The people aren't all dead. There's still time."
"Time?" Sun Xiangzong let out a harsh, broken laugh that turned into coughing. "No… there's no time left. Cough… cough…
"I've been holding on with a dying body. Every breath weaker than the last. I have only enough life left to trigger the Extermination Array once—and once I do, I'll be finished.
"If you had spoken just ten days earlier—ten days!—I might have tried.
"But now…"
He doubled over, coughing violently. "Now… you can wait for death.
"The Blood Sacrifice Formation will complete before dawn.
"Even if you escape, you won't make it to Wolf Juxu Mountain in time to destroy the main array eye.
"Once the demonic veins awaken, the Ancient Demon Clan will pour into this world! Tell me, how long do you think the Cao Dynasty can survive then?!"
"If it truly comes to that," Emperor Longqing said through clenched teeth, "I'll summon the immortal masters of the cultivation world myself to aid us!"
He extended a hand. "Give me the Extermination Array—and anything else you have. I swear, once I'm free, I'll find a way to seal the demonic veins again."