The distant thunder of clashing steel echoed faintly through the forested ridge as Liang Shen advanced through the shadows, two elite units tailing him with unwavering precision. Even in the pale, dissolving glow of dawn, their silhouettes were like ink streaks gliding across rock and earth—quiet, lethal, disciplined.
The plan had been simple on paper, but the weight of its execution pressed on every step they took.
"Destroy the armoury. Cripple their core. Strike from within as the main force storms the front gate."
Liang Shen repeated these words in his mind as he moved. Every breath, every step, every shifting leaf mattered.
Behind him, the elite units ran with barely a whisper. Their armor had been wrapped with cloth to prevent metallic noise; exposed blades were coated with dark resin to avoid glinting. Poison-coated needles, curved daggers, and short-range talismans hung ready in their belts.
The deeper they moved into enemy territory, the louder the sounds from the front gate became—clashing steel, distant cries, the muffled thunder of cultivators releasing techniques.
The frontline had erupted.
Liang Shen exhaled slowly.
"Everything depends on us now."
Their path wound between narrow rock outcrops and clusters of old pine trees, the faint morning mist shrouding their silhouettes. Flowing Cloud Sect was built on a sloped mountain face; the rear cliff was steep but riddled with old passageways and hidden platforms. The elite units navigated the terrain like seasoned ghosts.
Whenever they encountered a patrolling disciple, there was no hesitation.
A soft hiss.
A flicker of cold light.
A strangled gasp swallowed before it could escape.
Bodies fell like silent shadows collapsing to the ground.
The armoury of Flowing Cloud Sect was positioned at a reinforced stone pavilion surrounded by two layers of walls. The elites stopped behind dense shrubs overlooking the final slope.
Liang Shen narrowed his eyes.
"…That's unexpected."
Instead of a handful of guards, an elder stood at the entrance—a wiry man with sharp cheekbones and a focused gaze—together with four Qi Gathering cultivators and thirty normal guards.
The elder wore a dark cyan robe embroidered with cloud patterns, his hands clasped behind his back as if already aware something was wrong.
The number of defenders, the elder's presence, the formation of guards—none of this matched their Plan.
Liang Shen's jaw tightened.
Someone raised the alarm early… or Flowing Cloud Sect suspected infiltration even before the bell rang.
But now wasn't the time to retreat or doubt.
The armoury was the backbone of the enemy's military strength. If they failed, the main force led by Sect Leader Jian Wuhen would be drowned under a sea of reinforcements.
Liang Shen's heartbeat steadied.
He lifted two fingers.
A signal.
The elite captains immediately understood. Their eyes sharpened—not the eyes of men expecting to survive, but the eyes of those ready to sacrifice everything.
They drew out the hollow cylindrical rods from their storage rings—silent dart launchers crafted for assassination.
Liang Shen whispered low enough for only those nearest to hear:
"If we fall, the front gate collapses. Move."
The cylinders aligned.
Internal energy surged.
Dozens of poison-laced steel darts shot out simultaneously—sharp whispers slicing through the dawn air.
The guards barely had enough time for their eyes to widen before collapse took them.
The elder reacted with a roar, releasing a burst of spiritual pressure that deflected several darts—but not all. Two darts grazed his shoulder and thigh, darkening the fabric instantly.
He staggered, poison invading his blood.
Liang Shen surged forward.
The battle for the armoury began.
—
At the Flowing Cloud Sect's front gate, chaos had become a living thing.
Azure Heaven Sect's army charged forward like a tidal wave, clashing with defenders in a frenzy of blades, shouts, and splintering wood.
Arrows carved through the air.
Cultivators unleashed streaks of condensed energy.
The ground was already soaked in crimson.
Jian Wuhen, at the forefront, cut down opponents like cutting grain. His Azure Sword glowed faintly as he raised it, internal energy swirling into a brilliant arc.
Star Luminous Swordsmanship — First Form: Curvature.
The crescent-shaped blast of sword energy roared outward, its radiant edge slicing through multiple guards and even a mid-stage Qi Gathering cultivator. Their bodies were cleaved cleanly as they collapsed.
A moment of stunned silence swept both sides.
Then Azure Heaven's morale soared.
"SECT LEADER!"
"LONG LIVE SECT LEADER JIAN WUHEN!"
"KILL THEM! KILL THEM ALL!"
Flowing Cloud Sect's outer guards felt their hearts crack. Some faltered, others stepped back.
Then—
"REINFORCEMENTS!!! INNER SECT REINFORCEMENTS HAVE ARRIVED!!!"
Heads snapped toward the stone steps leading deeper inside the sect.
Two elders strode out with fierce expressions, leading groups of guards and cultivators. At their center walked a tall young man clad in embroidered cyan armor—sharp jaw, fierce eyes, long hair tied back with silver cord.
Li Shenhai.
The first young master.
Flowing Cloud Sect's front line erupted in renewed confidence.
"Hah! Azure Heaven dogs, your end has come!"
"You dared trespass our sect—see how Young Master Li Shenhai slaughters you like pigs!"
"Hahaha!"
Their laughter was cut short when an Elder of Azure Heaven Sect lunged forward, slicing one of the mockers across the throat.
"Let's see who slaughters whom, you bastards!"
With both sides rallying, the battle intensified.
The air trembled with killing intent.
Blades crashed.
Bodies fell.
The front gate burned with frenzy.
—
At the same time, within the Inner Sect
While battles raged on both sides, Aelric walked the inner sect paths in complete calm.
He didn't bother suppressing his footsteps anymore.
There simply wasn't a need.
The inner sect was nearly deserted—most fighters had rushed to support the front gate. A few guards remained, running around in panic, confused by the bell and distant fighting.
One guard spotted him and inhaled sharply—
"Who—!"
Aelric's eyes met his.
The man froze mid-breath, body turning rigid like a wooden puppet. His limbs trembled as paralysis overtook him.
Aelric flicked his palm.
A blade of blood coiled out smoothly, slicing the guard's neck like cutting soft fruit.
Aelric stepped past without slowing.
One kill.
Two.
Five.
Ten.
Wherever Aelric walked, corpses lay scattered behind him, blood pooling silently in the stone paths. The black robe he wore seemed to drink in the crimson color.
The sect hall loomed ahead—an enormous pavilion with layered roofs and towering pillars carved with cloud patterns.
Aelric's steps remained steady.
Until—
A sharp voice cut across the path.
"Who are you?!"
An old elder of Flowing Cloud Sect had rushed toward the hall, only to skid to a stop when he saw the blood-covered figure blocking the path.
His eyes widened.
His killing intent exploded.
Aelric looked at him.
Expressionless.
"Who are you and how did you come here?"
The elder's voice trembled with anger.
Aelric tilted his head slightly.
A faint curl tugged at the corner of his lips.
Cold. Detached.
"Who knows."
The elder gritted his teeth.
Energy surged around him.
And so began the next clash.