The night air was heavy with the scent of blood and ash. Shao Xian stood amidst the ruins of the hidden courtyard, his golden eyes reflecting the eerie glow of the sigil still faintly pulsing on the ground. The creature had been nothing more than dust in his presence, yet the implications of its summoning were vast.
He turned his gaze upon Luo Ming, who knelt trembling, his forehead pressed against the cold stone floor. The man's robes were soaked with sweat, and his hands trembled violently as he struggled to form words.
"M-my Lord… I—"
"Silence."
Shao Xian's voice was calm, yet it carried the weight of a decree that could not be defied. Luo Ming flinched, his breath catching in his throat.
Zhou Fan appeared at the entrance of the courtyard, his expression unreadable as he took in the scene. He had seen his master's power countless times, yet each display of it reminded him why defying Shao Xian was nothing short of suicide.
"My Lord," Zhou Fan said, bowing his head, "we have captured three more spies attempting to flee Blackstone Keep. They were carrying encoded messages meant for the Jade Celestial Pavilion."
Shao Xian did not turn. "Execute them. Slowly."
Zhou Fan nodded. He had expected no less. "And this one?" He gestured toward Luo Ming.
Shao Xian finally looked down at the kneeling official.
"Tell me everything," he ordered.
Luo Ming's breathing was ragged. He had no illusions—there was no pleading for mercy. His only hope was to offer something valuable enough to delay his inevitable fate.
"T-the Jade Celestial Pavilion… they are no longer acting from the shadows. This was only a test. They plan to move against you openly, my Lord."
Shao Xian raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"
Luo Ming nodded frantically. "Yes! The Pavilion has gathered forces—hidden sects, rogue cultivators, and even fallen clans seeking revenge against you. They believe that if they strike together, they can overwhelm Blackstone Keep before you have a chance to retaliate."
Zhou Fan scoffed. "Fools."
Shao Xian, however, remained silent for a moment. His gaze drifted back to the sigil on the ground, then to the remnants of the creature that had been summoned. The Pavilion was growing desperate. And desperate enemies were often the most dangerous.
He extended a single finger, and a thin line of golden energy shot from his fingertip, piercing through Luo Ming's forehead. The man gasped as an unbearable heat flooded his body.
"Ahhh—!"
He writhed, but could not move. His limbs were locked in place by an invisible force.
"You were given a position of trust," Shao Xian said evenly. "And yet you betrayed me. For that, you will die."
Luo Ming sobbed. "P-please… I have told you everything! Spare m—"
The golden energy flared, and Luo Ming's body crumbled into nothingness, his existence erased as if he had never been.
Zhou Fan bowed. "What are your orders, my Lord?"
Shao Xian turned away from the ashes. "Send word to our forces. The Jade Celestial Pavilion wishes for war. We shall grant their desire."
Within the heart of the Jade Celestial Pavilion, deep within the mist-covered mountains, an urgent meeting was underway.
A dozen elders sat within the grand hall, their expressions grim. At the head of the table sat the Pavilion Master, an enigmatic figure clad in flowing emerald robes, his face partially obscured by an intricate jade mask. His presence alone commanded silence.
A woman knelt before him, her silver mask removed, revealing a beautiful yet pale face. Her lips were bloodless, her eyes dark with exhaustion. She was one of the Pavilion's most trusted agents, yet tonight she knelt in disgrace.
"The ritual failed," she whispered.
The Pavilion Master's voice was emotionless. "And the creature?"
"Destroyed."
A heavy silence settled over the hall. Some elders shifted uncomfortably, while others narrowed their eyes.
"It was foolish to attempt such an act against him," one elder said. "We are speaking of Shao Xian—the man who shattered the Northern Warlords in a single night. The one who defied the Immortal Suppression Order and lived. Did you truly believe some half-formed abomination would be enough to threaten him?"
The kneeling woman clenched her fists. "It was a test. We needed to know the limits of his power."
"And what have you learned?" the Pavilion Master asked.
She hesitated. Then, in a voice barely above a whisper, she answered.
"There are none."
The Pavilion Master was silent for a long moment. Then, he rose from his seat. The elders immediately followed, their postures stiff with anticipation.
"Prepare our forces," he said. "The Pavilion has stood in the shadows for too long. It is time we remind the world of our strength."
"But, Pavilion Master," another elder interjected, "if we move against him, we must be certain of victory. Otherwise—"
"There will be no otherwise," the Pavilion Master interrupted, his voice cutting through the chamber like a blade. "Shao Xian is not invincible. He is a force of destruction, yes, but even the mightiest storms can be guided. We will not face him in direct battle."
One of the elders frowned. "Then how do we—"
"We make him bleed from within," the Pavilion Master said. "His power is unmatched, but he is still one man. No matter how strong he is, he cannot be everywhere at once."
A cruel smile spread across his lips beneath the jade mask.
"Burn his cities. Slaughter his allies. Make the people turn against him. And when he is alone…" His voice dropped into a whisper.
"…we strike."
Shao Xian stood atop the tallest tower of Blackstone Keep, the wind rustling his dark robes. Below him, the city was alive with movement—soldiers sharpening their weapons, messengers carrying urgent orders, war machines being prepared.
Zhou Fan arrived at his side. "The armies are ready, my Lord."
Shao Xian gazed at the horizon. He could feel the shifts in fate, the tremors of impending war. The Jade Celestial Pavilion thought they could wound him by attacking the people under his rule.
A foolish mistake.
Let them burn cities. Let them slaughter innocents. It would only solidify his claim as the supreme ruler of this world.
He turned to Zhou Fan. "The Pavilion seeks to make me bleed. Instead, I shall drown them in their own blood."
Zhou Fan smirked. "A fitting response."
Shao Xian stepped forward, his golden eyes burning with a light that could not be extinguished.
"Summon the Black Sun Legion," he commanded. "We march at dawn."