The mountains surrounding the Nine Flames Heavenly Clan trembled as banners of multiple sects flapped violently in the wind. Word of Feng Xuanlong's rise had reached the ears of mid-tier sects, minor clans, and distant prodigies. United by fear and ambition, they marched not as individuals, but as a coalition to test the so-called Heaven-Devouring Villain.
Xuanlong stood atop the tallest tower, black flames coiling along his robes, crimson eyes scanning the approaching armies. His five disciples—Yan Ruyan, Meiyu, Qiao Ling, Meilin, and the final disciple—stood at his sides, radiating loyalty and power.
The Villain System chimed:
[New Quest: Large-scale sect war detected. Recommended: Deploy inner circle strategically, utilize Shadowed Dominion and Fate-Eater's Wrath. Reward: Massive VP, Fate Fragments, and cultivation surge.]
Let the world come, Xuanlong thought. Every sect, every prodigy, every thread of fate is a feast for the devouring fire.
The coalition's first strike came from the east and north, banners of the Crimson Lotus, Azure Wind, and three allied minor sects waving aggressively. Elemental storms, spirit manipulations, and sharp Dao auras tore through the air, aiming to crush the Nine Flames outer defenses immediately.
Xuanlong extended a hand. Black flames erupted from the tower, coiling outward like living serpents. Dao-Plundering Chains shot across the battlefield, lashing and devouring incoming attacks.
[Shadowed Dominion activated: weaken and control minor elite disciples on battlefield.]
Several enemy elites staggered, their Dao threads partially siphoned and twisted under Xuanlong's control, turning them into unwilling extensions of his inner circle. The coalition faltered immediately, unable to comprehend the sudden reversal.
Yan Ruyan and Meiyu moved like shadows through the battlefield, intercepting elite units, severing communication, and manipulating enemy formations. Qiao Ling's elemental mastery created storms of fire and ice, cutting through ranks, while Meilin predicted and countered enemy maneuvers in real time. The final disciple executed precise flanking maneuvers, taking down key targets without alerting the masses to the master's presence.
Xuanlong's crimson eyes swept across the battlefield, analyzing every thread of fate, every Dao fluctuation. He moved almost imperceptibly, black flames flickering, chains writhing, every gesture bending the war to his will.
[VP gained: 2,000. Fate Fragments acquired: 5. Strategic Manipulation mastery increased.]
The coalition's leaders realized the sudden turn and attempted direct confrontation. Elder Shen, Lotus Elder Qian, and other mid-tier elites advanced simultaneously, elemental and spirit techniques colliding with Xuanlong's Devouring Chains.
"You dare control our disciples?!" Lotus Elder Qian roared. "This is heresy!"
Xuanlong's crimson eyes gleamed coldly. "Heresy is merely perspective. I bend fate. You resist at your own peril."
He activated Fate-Eater's Wrath, targeting multiple elite leaders at once. Black flames engulfed the area, Dao threads snapping as cultivation was siphoned. The battlefield shook violently, sending enemy disciples sprawling.
Ye Tianxing, observing from afar through threads of fate, could barely believe what he saw. Golden aura flared, but his movements were cautious. "The villain grows beyond reckoning… if I strike directly, the losses will be massive."
Xuanlong's lips curved faintly. Let him watch. The stronger they are, the more power I gain.
With a subtle motion, black flames and chains converged on Elder Shen and Lotus Elder Qian. Their Dao threads flickered violently, cultivation siphoned, and their control over the battlefield collapsed. Minor sects' disciples panicked, many fleeing under psychological and Dao pressure.
[VP gained: 2,500. Fate Fragments acquired: 6. Inner circle coordination mastery maximized.]
Despite the overwhelming pressure, some elite disciples resisted Xuanlong's Shadowed Dominion. He smirked faintly. Perfect. Resistance strengthens both control and insight. He allowed them to fight briefly, learning their techniques, Dao structure, and cultivation tendencies.
Every clash, every feint, every siphoned Dao fragment fed into the Villain System, accelerating his cultivation. Xuanlong felt the power surge within, a faint tremor of semi-deity level potential brushing against his awareness.
Hours passed, and the battlefield was a storm of black flames, twisted Dao threads, and controlled enemies. Finally, the coalition's will broke. Elders were drained, mid-tier disciples incapacitated, and minor sects' morale shattered. Retreat became inevitable.
Xuanlong's inner circle regrouped, five disciples at his sides, perfectly synchronized. Black flames flickered around him as he surveyed the ruined battlefield.
[Quest Complete: Large-scale sect war won. VP gained: 6,000. Fate Fragments acquired: 8. Cultivation surge: Heaven-Devouring Tribulation strengthened.]
That night, atop the Nine Flames Heavenly Clan's tallest tower, Xuanlong observed the horizon. Golden threads of fate shimmered faintly in the distance, recoiling at the expanding shadow of his influence.
"The world is beginning to bend," he murmured. "Let Heaven, let Chosen, let mortals alike see the shadow of the villain who devours fate. Every sect we touch, every disciple we bend… brings us closer to the Shadowed Heavens."
Yan Ruyan, standing silently, bowed slightly. "Senior Brother… your power… the world will fear it."
"Good," Xuanlong replied, crimson eyes blazing. "Fear is respect, respect is loyalty, and loyalty is power. Every strike, every thread of fate, every soul we touch… is another step toward the dominion I deserve."
Above, threads of destiny trembled, bending subtly toward him. Feng Xuanlong, the Heaven-Devouring Villain, had not only survived the first large-scale war but emerged stronger, more cunning, and untouchable in shadow and strategy.
The Shadowed Heavens arc had officially begun, and the storm of world-level conflict was only just rising.