The Martial Alliance’s Zhangsha Branch.

Zhuge Jin was in the military division of the branch, receiving real-time updates from the front lines.

“It’s confirmed that the forces at Zhuzhou have retreated with far fewer casualties than expected. The Plum Blossom Swordmaster played a significant role.”

“Yiling has suffered considerable damage. However, it seems the Arang Sword has taken down the Black Night Palace’s Left Guardian.”

Zhuzhou and Yiling were key battlefronts located south of Zhangsha. Hearing good news from these critical fronts, Zhuge Jin let out a sigh of relief.

“Is there still no updated information from Jiangxi?”

“No, sir. The last we heard was that the Black Night Palace’s assault was so fierce that the Master decided to stay behind.”

“Hmm. I’m sure the Master will handle it well.”

Zhuge Jin tapped his fingers on the desk, lost in thought, before standing up.

“After four sleepless nights, my mind isn’t working properly. I think I’ll take a walk.”

The scholars around him looked concerned and suggested, “Sir, perhaps you should rest a bit.”

“I’m fine. In my younger days, I could go even longer without sleep and still be fine.”

Waving off their concerns, Zhuge Jin left the pavilion and strolled through the branch’s grounds, looking up at the sky. The crescent moon cast a gentle light through the clouds, but as he watched, the clouds gradually obscured it.

“Hmm. It gets dark quickly when the moon disappears.”

Even the faint moonlight had been significant, as he realized when the surroundings turned pitch black.

Clang!

Suddenly, a metallic sound rang out right in front of Zhuge Jin. He had instinctively drawn a steel fan from his robe, deflecting a hidden weapon aimed at his forehead.

With the sharp clang, the surrounding darkness seemed to writhe and surge toward him.

Swish!

The steel fan unfurled, creating a powerful gust. A massive whirlwind, infused with his inner energy, swept away the encroaching darkness.

Whoosh!

Hidden weapons and sword auras emerging from the shadows were swallowed by the wind Zhuge Jin had conjured, disappearing without a trace. Amidst the fierce wind, the occasional sound of something tearing or bursting could be heard.

Hearing these sounds, Zhuge Jin’s eyes turned cold.

“Quite a few rats have snuck in.”

Simultaneously, five long spikes shot up from the ground. Zhuge Jin folded his fan and struck them all at once.

The Sleeping Dragon Fan Technique.

Zhuge Jin wielded the fan like a sword or blade when folded, and like a shield or disc when open.

Swish!

With each flick of the fan, another assassin’s head fell. As ten or so assassins met their end, one managed to sneak into Zhuge Jin’s blind spot.

‘This one’s the real deal.’

Zhuge Jin realized too late and turned quickly, but the assassin’s sword was already aimed at his neck.

Slash!

Instead of Zhuge Jin’s neck, it was the assassin’s head that fell, severed by a twin-bladed figure emerging from behind.

“Apologies, sir. These ones were quite skilled. I was delayed dealing with those at the rear.”

Jin Young, who had been guarding Zhuge Jin, had dealt with the remaining assassins in their own manner and now revealed himself.

“No need to apologize. They weren’t ordinary foes, as I discovered firsthand. It seems they are…”

“Yes, they appear to be demons from the Infiltration Night Division. There might be similar attacks elsewhere.”

Zhuge Jin nodded. Fortunately, the Heavenly Assassins of the Thousand Kill Sect were stationed throughout the Zhangsha branch.

“Let’s report to the Alliance Leader.”

“Indeed.”

Jin Young vanished back into the shadows, and Zhuge Jin made his way to where the Alliance Leader was.

Upon reaching the pavilion where the Alliance Leader resided, Zhuge Jin and Jin Young were met with a grim sight.

“Strategist, Master, you’ve arrived?”

The Alliance Leader stood outside, surrounded by a sea of bodies. A rough count suggested there were over fifty.

While other alliance members were clearing the corpses, the Alliance Leader was reading a letter.

“My apologies. Despite the reduced forces, allowing this many demons to infiltrate is inexcusable.”

The martial artists left in the Zhangsha branch were minimal. Even the elite guards of the Alliance Leader had been dispatched to the front lines.

Zhuge Jin had set up formations throughout the branch, but it seemed they weren’t enough.

“Never mind that, Strategist. Read this letter. It’s a direct message to the Alliance Leader.”

With a wave of his hand, the Alliance Leader sent the letter fluttering into Zhuge Jin’s grasp. As he read it, his eyes narrowed.

“The Overlord Fortress… and the Overlord himself is on the move.”

The letter was from Sichuan, stating that the gates of the Overlord Fortress had reopened, and the Overlord, along with his forces, was heading east.

Though it said east, it was clear they were heading towards Hunan.

“According to the plan you devised, Strategist, four forces will converge around Zhangsha.”

“I agree.”

The Alliance Leader looked up at the crescent moon, now shining again after being obscured by clouds, and spoke.

“Do you think the Overlord Fortress has allied with the Black Night Palace?”

“The current forces of the Overlord Fortress are the weakest. They’ve lost many elites, including the Five Armies, in Sichuan. In such a situation, I doubt they’d ally with the Black Night Palace.”

Among the four forces, the Black Night Palace was the strongest. If the Martial Alliance fell, the balance of the martial world would collapse, which would be detrimental even to the Overlord Fortress.

The Alliance Leader, familiar with the Overlord, nodded.

“Indeed. He’s a man who understands the dynamics of the martial world… but it’s best not to be too optimistic.”

“Agreed.”

Suddenly, the Alliance Leader chuckled.

“How did it come to this, with four great forces gathering in one place? Not just their martial artists, but even the top masters of the martial world.”

Though the Alliance Leader laughed, Zhuge Jin’s expression was complicated. The Black Night Palace was the clear enemy, but it was uncertain which side the Overlord Fortress and the Heavenly Sword Sect would choose. Even if they chose a side, there was no guarantee they wouldn’t switch allegiances.

It was chaos.

In such a situation, Zhuge Jin, who had to prepare for every possible scenario, felt a headache coming on.

‘It’s dangerous to assume the Overlord and the Heavenly Sword Sect Master will simply join forces with the Martial Alliance to stop the Black Night Palace. I need a plan…’

Seeing Zhuge Jin press his temples, the Alliance Leader spoke.

“Strategist, don’t overthink it. After all, this is the martial world. No matter what strategies we prepare, it might all come down to martial strength in the end.”

Zhuge Jin gave a wry smile and nodded.

“You’re right.”

“I’ll be entering seclusion for a while. I need to fully integrate this new insight. It seems the time will come when I must fulfill my role as the Alliance Leader.”

“Yes, Alliance Leader.”

* * *

Boom!

A red lightning bolt struck, shaking the entire cliff. Despite enduring the thunderstorm conjured by the Master, only one demon remained standing.

“Even in old age, you live up to your reputation. To sweep away over two hundred demons and still be full of vigor.”

The Demon of the Mountain laughed, looking at his missing left arm.

“You’re insane. How can you laugh with your arm gone?”

“How could I not? The thought of defeating the Master with my own hands excites me.”

The Demon of the Mountain spoke, eyeing the Master’s right chest, which bore the imprint of a palm.

In response, red lightning began to swirl around the Master’s entire body. The Thunderous Divine Art was being pushed to its limits.

“Do you think such an injury will bring me down? I am the Thunderous Master.”

Red lightning crackled, and the Master’s white hair stood on end. The Demon of the Mountain’s laughter deepened at the sight of the formidable aura.

“Heh heh. We’ve already exchanged three hundred blows. Let’s finish this.”

As the Demon of the Mountain lowered his stance and clenched his right fist, darkness surged from behind. Sensing it, he turned around.

“The Palace Lord?”

“You haven’t dealt with the Master yet.”

The Black Night Palace Lord emerged from the shadows, glancing between the Demon of the Mountain and the Master with a sly smile.

“Just watch from there. I’ll finish him off soon.”

“No, now is perfect.”

At the Palace Lord’s words, the Demon of the Mountain slowly turned his head back to the Master. The Palace Lord’s dark palm rapidly grew larger in his vision.

Boom!

He barely managed to throw a punch to deflect the attack, but the Palace Lord’s assault didn’t stop.

“Palace Lord! Is this how you want to play it?”

Despite the ambush, the Demon of the Mountain didn’t find it strange, accepting it as inevitable.

He retaliated with lethal force against the Palace Lord.

Crash!

The full-force punches were swallowed by the darkness emanating from the Palace Lord’s grasp.

Even at full strength, he couldn’t defeat this opponent. Having lost an arm and exhausted from fighting the Master, the Demon of the Mountain had no way to survive.

“Is there a problem with me taking you for the sake of the demonic world?”

The Palace Lord’s lips stretched into a grin. The Demon of the Mountain’s remaining fist lashed out, but the Black Night Palace Lord’s body was enveloped in thick darkness.

Boom!

Watching the Demon of the Mountain being consumed by the darkness, the Master shook his head.

“You lot, the demonic arts truly are the work of devils. Do you even devour your own followers?”

“Wrong, disciple. I only devour those who aren’t mine. The old ones of the Black Night Palace are all dogs of the Black Heaven.”

The disciple narrowed his eyes at the words of the Black Night Palace Lord, then suddenly burst into laughter as if realizing something.

“What a mess you demonic arts practitioners are.”

“Now it’s your turn, disciple.”

“Was it you who unleashed the Absorption Demon Art on the elders of the Blue Ice Sound King and the Sacred Path, as well as the leaders and masters of the Martial Alliance?”

“It’s called the Midnight Demon Art. I’m curious what would happen if I devoured someone like you, who has mastered such divine skills.”

Boom!

As the disciple took a step forward, the shoulders of the Black Night Palace Lord twitched. The pressure of the Mountain King’s Dominance began to weigh down on the palace lord. Yet, the lord stepped forward as if unfazed.

Crash!

The disciple unleashed the Thunderous Lightning Blade, scattering red lightning in all directions, but it was swallowed by the darkness the palace lord had cast. The lord filled the void with a surge of dark energy.

Thud!

After exchanging over twenty blows, the lord’s energy struck the disciple’s chest.

“Gah!”

The disciple staggered back, momentarily lost in thought, then took a deep breath.

Crackle!

With each breath, the disciple’s lightning aura rapidly expanded.

The red lightning imbued in his blade grew larger, illuminating the canyon shrouded in darkness.

Even as blood spilled from his mouth, the disciple channeled even more powerful lightning through his body, becoming almost invisible beneath the electric storm.

Drawing upon every ounce of his Thunderous Lightning Divine Art, the disciple appeared as if the Thunder God himself had descended.

“Good. Very good. It’s the end, so let’s go out with a bang.”

The palace lord watched the disciple’s final struggle with a leisurely gait.

The disciple’s blade moved, and the lord prepared for the disciple’s last desperate strike. The disciple’s lightning was anything but ordinary.

As darkness swirled around the Black Night Palace Lord’s hands, the disciple’s blade veered in an unexpected direction.

“Disciple!”

The palace lord shouted, lunging forward, but the blade had already pierced the disciple’s own energy center.

“Heh. You think you can devour me? Feast all you want.”

The lightning imbued in the blade shattered the energy center, scattering the remaining lightning.

‘Senior, junior. This is the best I can do.’

The disciple thought of the Sword Saint and the Sword Master.

Leaving the final act to those two seemed right.

‘Still, it’s good to die swinging my blade to the end.’

He had risen with a worn-out blade, defeated all others, and established his own path. There were no regrets.

Though the unfinished martial art left at the Five Tiger Cave of the Hebei Peng family weighed on his mind, he had no doubt future generations would complete it.

“It was a life as brilliant as lightning.”

As his energy center shattered and his inner power dissipated, the disciple lowered his head, maintaining his stance.

When the disciple’s heartbeat ceased, the palace lord tilted his head.

“A brilliant life, you say?”

The palace lord stared at the fallen disciple, then burst into mad laughter.

“What kind of life have I led, I wonder? What kind of life have I lived, Master!”

The lord’s cry echoed through the canyon, but no answer came. The laughter stopped abruptly, and the lord slowly vanished into the darkness.

The time to seek that answer would come soon enough.

* * *

Mount Eorok.

Mount Eorok lay just west of Changsha.

With its towering cliffs and scenic foothills, it was a mountain of considerable beauty.

At the highest peak of Mount Eorok, Black Heaven stood alone, hands clasped behind his back.

From this vantage point, enhanced by the perception of a supreme master, Black Heaven surveyed the world below.

“Finally, the stage is set.”

Black Heaven’s eyes clearly saw four banners.

The banner of the Martial Alliance, positioned on the Eorok Plains right next to Mount Eorok.

The banner of the Sacred Path, advancing from the east.

The banner of the Black Night Palace, advancing from the south.

The banner of the Tyrant Fortress, advancing from the west.

The great powers of the martial world were converging on the Eorok Plains.

The gathering of such immense forces meant that the greatest masters of the martial world were assembling.

“It has been a long time coming. I wonder how it will unfold…”

Muttering to himself, Black Heaven watched as the four banners drew closer together. His gaze fixed on the fluttering banner of the Martial Alliance.

As Black Heaven observed the Martial Alliance’s camp, Mu Hui took in the distant silhouette of Mount Eorok.

“What’s on your mind?” the Sword Saint asked.

“Nothing,” Mu Hui replied, shaking his head.

Having joined the Martial Alliance camp, Mu Hui recalled the situation as explained by the strategist and sighed.

Four great powers converging on the Eorok Plains.

Even as vast as the plains were, they felt cramped with such forces gathered. It was as if the martial world’s strength was being concentrated in one place.

‘Is this the stage you spoke of, Black Heaven?’

Recalling Black Heaven, Mu Hui gritted his teeth.

The grand scheme unfolding before Mu Hui made the Bloodshed of Shaanxi seem like child’s play.