In a vast wasteland not far from the capital of the Jia Ma Empire, a massive army of hundreds of thousands marched slowly across the horizon.
Today marked a rare day of triumph for the Jia Ma Empire in its long-standing war against the Chu Yun Empire.
Roughly six months ago, the Chu Yun Empire had used the pretext of an attacked merchant caravan to brazenly launch an invasion. Facing such arrogance, the Jia Ma Empire had no choice but to strike back in a desperate defense. No one expected that a war predicted to be a crushing defeat for Jia Ma would end in their total victory.
Negotiations had concluded just days ago. Now, this grand army was making its formal, triumphant return.
Across the plains, banners blotted out the sun and rolling clouds of dust rose into the sky. Leading the vanguard was the Great Marshal of the Empire—Intel Moyai.
Unlike the Jia Ma Empire of later generations—where the Imperial family shared power with the Primer, Nalan, and Mu clans—the current landscape was different. Excluding the Yun Lan Sect, the Imperial family stood at the top, supported by two titan clans: the Primer Clan, who dominated commerce, and the Intel Clan, who controlled politics and the military.
Other clans existed, of course, but only the Primer and Intel families possessed Dou Wang (Dou King)-level experts. Other rising powers, like the Nalan Clan, the Mu Clan, and the Xiao Clan, currently only possessed Dou Ling (Dou Spirit) practitioners.
Unlike the later Xiao Clan—where a lone Da Dou Shi like Xiao Zhan struggled to keep a foothold in the capital—the current Xiao Clan was flourishing. They had several Dou Lings, including the Clan Head, Xiao Dongcheng, a six-star Dou Ling.
And then there was Xiao Lin.
In his twenty years old, Xiao Lin was already a Dou Ling and had been designated as the next successor to the clan. At this moment, he wasn't at home; he was riding near the front of the returning army, his handsome face was clouded with an anxiety he couldn't hide.
Xiao Lin had joined the military the moment he broke through to the Da Dou Shi realm. Over five years, he rose from a common soldier to a general commanding 30,000 men. But ever since the war with Chu Yun broke out six months ago, a knot of unease had been tightening in his chest.
Before he left, his wife, Xiao Wu, was three months pregnant.
Lingyun had always been of frail health. With the chaos of war, there was no guarantee of when he would return, and the thought of her facing childbirth alone haunted him.
"How much longer until we reach the capital? This is agonizing!" Xiao Lin muttered, his impatience clear to everyone around him.
But this was a victory march. The Jia Ma Empire, which usually lost eight out of every ten encounters with Chu Yun, wanted to milk this rare win for all its worth. The pace was intentionally, maddeningly slow for the sake of propaganda.
He understood the politics, but his heart was already miles ahead. Half a year had passed; the wife he left three months pregnant could be going into labor at any moment. He wanted—he needed—to be by her side.
"Hey, Xiao Lin. Looking at that face of yours, I take it you're missing your sister-in-law?"
A brisk, familiar voice drifted from his side. Xiao Lin didn't need to look to know it was his best friend, Nalan Jie. The two had grown up together, practically sharing the same pair of pants. Both their families were currently of similar strength, and having served in the trenches together, their bond was closer than blood brothers.
Xiao Lin rolled his eyes at the teasing. "Your wife gave birth before we even deployed, so of course you aren't worried. Xiao Wu is different!"
Nalan Jie chuckled, an impish grin spreading across his face. "Heh, Xiao Lin, remember our deal? If we both have sons, they'll be sworn brothers. If we both have daughters, they'll be sisters. But if it's a boy and a girl... we're becoming in-laws!"
Nalan Jie's son, Nalan Su, was already born.
"I'm really hoping the sister-in-law gives you a daughter," Nalan Jie added with a mischievous wink.
In Xiao Lin's eyes, that smile was pure villainy. He wanted to punch that smug face, but he held back, silently praying to the heavens that he wouldn't have a daughter—not because he didn't want one but purely to spite Nalan Jie's "conspiracy." They had made that pact while drunk, both hoping to "steal" the other's future daughter for their own family.
Xiao Lin let out a long, heavy sigh. "What's the point of talking? I haven't even seen her yet."
As the silhouette of the Jia Ma capital finally appeared on the horizon under the setting sun, the sense of dread in Xiao Lin's gut intensified.
When the army finally entered the gates, Xiao Lin didn't even stop for the Imperial victory banquet. He broke off immediately, racing toward the Xiao estate.
But the moment he reached the gates, his heart skipped a beat.
The entire Xiao manor was draped in white silk banners—the color of mourning.
A cold numbness surged through him. As he ran past his clansmen, he saw them turn away, their faces filled with hesitation and pity. His mind began to hum with a deafening white noise.
He didn't stop. He sprinted toward his private courtyard, shouting her name.
"Wu ! Wu, I'm home!"
He burst into the courtyard, but the words died in his throat. In the center of the yard sat a cold, black coffin.
The sight hit him like a physical blow to the skull. The world spun, his vision darkened, and Xiao Lin collapsed into unconsciousness before he could even let out a cry.