Chapter 12 – The Blood Shadow's First Throne
The road led Xu Lian through forests drenched in morning mist, past villages too afraid to even raise their heads as he passed. He could feel it in the air—the rumors of Ironfang had already reached them. His name traveled faster than his footsteps.
By the third day, he arrived at Blackstone City, a stronghold controlled by the Venom Fang Hall—the same sect whose disciples he had slaughtered. The city gates bore their serpent sigil, its carved fangs glaring down at all who entered.
Xu Lian did not bother to hide his face.
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Inside the city walls, the markets hummed with life, but every eye that landed on him widened in terror. Merchants lowered their voices. Mothers dragged children inside. Even guards at the gates of the inner sect hall swallowed hard, recognizing the crimson glow in his eyes.
"It's him…" one whispered. "The Blood Shadow."
Word raced through the sect like wildfire until finally, the city's ruler, Sect Master Huo Ren, emerged. He was a towering man clad in black armor, his aura heavy with the power of a late-stage Earth Core cultivator. His voice boomed across the courtyard.
"Xu Lian! You dare walk into my hall after killing my disciples?"
Xu Lian's blade remained sheathed at his side. His voice was calm, almost indifferent.
"Your dogs barked at me first. I cut their throats. Now I've come to tell you this: Blackstone City belongs to me."
The entire courtyard erupted in outrage. Disciples shouted, guards drew weapons. Huo Ren laughed, his voice like rolling thunder.
"A child dares claim my throne? I will peel the flesh from your bones and hang your corpse on the gates as a warning!"
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The duel lasted less than ten breaths.
Huo Ren's halberd swung down, splitting the air with killing intent. Xu Lian stepped forward once—just once—and the earth cracked beneath him. His blade flashed like lightning.
Shhhk!
When the sect master's body hit the ground, his head rolled three steps away, eyes still wide in disbelief.
The courtyard fell into silence. The disciples who had roared moments earlier now stared as though Death itself had descended.
Xu Lian's gaze swept over them, cold and merciless. "You have two choices: kneel and serve, or die where you stand."
One by one, knees hit the ground. The sound of submission echoed louder than any battle cry.
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By nightfall, Blackstone City belonged to him.
Xu Lian sat on the sect master's throne, its black stone cold beneath him. He looked down at the trembling elders and disciples kneeling before him.
"In the past, you served weakness. Now, you will serve strength. From this day forward, Blackstone is mine. And this is only the beginning."
His words carried not just to the hall, but across the city, carried by terrified whispers:
"The Blood Shadow has taken the city."
"Venom Fang Hall is no more—its master is dead."
"He's not just a fugitive anymore. He's building a kingdom."
---
Far beyond the Earth Realm, in the Spirit Realm, a shadowed figure opened his eyes as a messenger bowed before him.
"My lord, news has reached us. The boy has slain a sect master and claimed Blackstone City as his own."
The figure's lips curved into a cold smile. "So the little dragon grows teeth. Let him. The higher he climbs, the heavier the fall will be when I crush him."
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Back in Blackstone, Xu Lian rose from the throne, his crimson gaze burning with resolve.
"This Earth Realm rejected me. Now I will make it mine. When I ascend, I will not be a wandering cultivator—I will be an overlord."
The Golden Heavenly Dragon within him roared, its sound shaking even the heavens.
The first throne had been claimed.
And the path of conquest had only just begun.