The moon hung low and blood-red in the night sky. Beneath its sickly light, the village burned. Thatched roofs collapsed in showers of sparks as flames licked the blackened air. Screams echoed between the houses, cutting off in wet, choking sounds.
A pack of demons moved through the narrow dirt streets like wolves among sheep. They tore into fleeing men, dragged women by their hair, and snapped children's necks before tossing the small bodies aside like trash. Blood soaked the ground, mixing with mud in a crimson slurry.
A boy barely ten years old tried to crawl away, his legs broken. A horned demon stepped on his back with a crunch and twisted, grinning as the child's cries died into silence.
A mile away, a group of seven *Sky Sword Sect* disciples were traveling the forest path when the smell of smoke and blood reached them.
"Something's wrong," said their senior brother, a man with a blade strapped to his back. "Follow me."
They arrived to see the village in chaos. The youngest disciple gagged at the sight of a woman's severed hand lying in the mud.
"Demon beasts," the senior spat, drawing his sword. "We move!"
They charged in, cutting down two lesser demons in a flurry of steel and sword-light. The remaining villagers — barely a handful — huddled behind overturned carts and broken walls.
Just as they began to push the demons back, two shadows dropped from the rooftops — tall figures in black armor, their eyes burning with crimson light.
"Lowly humans…" one of them growled, his voice like grinding stone. "You dare interrupt our hunt?"
The Sky Sword Sect disciples tightened their formation, the air around them heavy with killing intent. Steel met claw, and the village square became a battlefield once more.
Righteous Alliance Hall — Next Morning
The great hall of the Righteous Alliance bustled with sect leaders and envoys. The air was thick with tension and the scent of burning incense.
At the head of the hall, on a carved jade chair set upon a dais, *Li Wei* lounged with one leg crossed over the other, his chin resting lightly on his hand. His pristine white robes gleamed, every fold perfect.
Below him, the head of the Sky Sword Sect bowed deeply before speaking.
"Leader Li, last night, our disciples encountered demons raiding a human village. The slaughter was… indescribable. Two powerful demon commanders fought our people. This is not an isolated case — demon activity is growing bolder by the month."
A murmur rippled through the hall. Another sect leader stood.
"If we do not stop them now, they will one day destroy all three human realms. Already villages fall every week."
Li Wei's eyes drifted toward the open courtyard beyond the hall. A sparrow landed on a branch, chirping softly. He seemed far more interested in the bird than the report.
The Sky Sword Sect leader's voice rose, desperate. "Leader Li! If we delay, the demons may seize control of the realms themselves."
The word control reached his ears like a spark in dry grass. Li Wei's gaze snapped back to the speaker, his expression cooling into something sharp and dangerous.
Rule over the realms? The thought twisted in his mind like a blade. I am the ruler here. Every sect bows to me. I decide who prospers and who perishes. And now these beasts think they can take my throne?
The room quieted under the sudden weight of his stare. Slowly, he straightened, his voice smooth yet edged with steel.
"You say they wish to rule over the three realms?"
"Yes," the man replied. "If we do nothing—"
Li Wei cut him off, his voice rising, no longer lazy but full of cold authority.
"Then they will not live to see the day. I will personally send them to hell."
Gasps and murmurs spread through the hall.
He let the words hang in the air for a heartbeat before leaning back again, the faint smile of a righteous protector curling on his lips. Inside, it was not justice that burned in his chest, but the fury of a king whose crown was being challenged.
No one takes what is mine.