200 hundred years later.

Whilst the warmth of dawn touched his eyelids, he roused from his slumber and glanced at his right side. There lay a sleeping, slender outline. Her subtle movements pulled his heartstrings before he went to kiss her cheek. As he watched her move to snuggle, he chuckled before getting off of his bed. 

"Where are you going?" 

A soft, melodious voice called out to him while he felt a gentle tug at his pinky finger. Turning his head, the woman was already wide awake and staring at him. Her curled lips pouted and for a second, he had the urge to reach out his hand to caress her face. 

"It's time," he replied, displaying his kindest smile before he flicked her forehead, "You go sleep some more. I have to organize the disciples."

"Mm…" Closing her eyes, she raised her chin and waited. As his smile became wider, he went to touch her lips with his, before parting ways and walking to the already half opened entrance. 

"Your excellency!"

Two guards stationed side by side stood straight before him. They greeted him with a fist on their chest while they bowed a little. Without even glancing in their direction, his steps went uninterrupted. The sight of numerous erected tents entered his view, filling the entire open field with bustling activities and people as they were equipped either with swords, spears, or bows. As his location was on higher ground, he had to walk to the downward slope that would lead him to a path in the middle of those tents.

All of them, including him, wear a specific colored dress that acts as a uniform. The only difference he had with the rest of them was the golden badge pinned on his left chest. It glinted under the sunlight and caught anyone's attention the second they lay their gazes on him. 

"How was your sleep?" 

His eyebrow twitched as he heard the familiar, impolite tone. An inaudible sigh escaped his lips before he turned to face the caller. When the man's smug smile came to his vision, he had the urge to pull out his Western Resurgence and brandish it outright. 

"Good morning, Elder Lu Hen." 

As his arms put on his back and chest puffed with pride, a man with hairs and eyes redder than blood itself nodded his head when his name was uttered. The moment he arrived at his counterpart's side, both had the same height, making them stare at each other gazes as the surrounding became silent out of nowhere. 

The others who looked at the both of them held their breath without daring to blink their eyes. Still, even all the attention showered to them was as natural as their breath. Without minding those in the background, Lu Hen replied, "Morning to you too, Elder Yun Zheng. What a good day to start a war, right?"

"War isn't something that should be celebrated about," retorted Yunzheng, while a smile slithered on his face. Still, his eyes were everything but laughing, "But of course, since they forced us into this stage, there's nothing we could do." 

Responding with a fake giggle, Lu Hen said, "That's what a hypocrite would say, Elder Yun. Considering your circumstances, you shouldn't be a hypocrite, right?"

"If you are talking about my unique cultivation method, then I'm far from happy with this war. Getting stronger the wrong way is nothing more than a road to destruction, Elder Lu."

"My, my, you sound like those narcissistic Daoists. I wonder why you are in this kind of sect if you hold such grand faiths."

"There are many kinds of evil sects in this Jianghu, elder Lu. Although our path is paved with blood and iron, we do not condone it."

"Then… About the matter of Shinan Village…" 

"...My heart bleeds for the villagers, but it's a necessary sacrifice. However, if we could have other, better ways, then we will definitely take that path."

Their bickering was the only echoing voices as others traded glances. Even though it was faint, they felt the surrounding air twist with every syllable spoken by these two figures. Before long, their conversation resumed and the choking atmosphere became more strained, until at last, a figure of equal standings appeared and called out loud. 

"Snap it out, you two!"

A muscular stature coming out from the crowd while holding a long crescent blade. His shoulder pads were forged in the shape of tigers as his belt's buckle was carved in the image of a famous demon's face. His hair and eyes were brown, and he looked much older than both of them. Combined with his beard covering his chin completely, he gave out a battle hardened aura to anyone who lay their eyes on him. 

Before long, the crowd parted and a figure followed behind the muscular man. The figure's appearance was a contrast to the one beside him, his arms were thin and he has short stature. His long hair was tied into a ponytail and his dress had long sleeves. No golden badge could be spotted on his clothes, but everyone present knew his identity the second they saw him. 

""Greetings, patriarch!!""

Suddenly, all of them kneeled, including the muscular man who escorted the figure himself. 

"Raise." 

Although his voice was soft and subtle, chills crawled into everyone's heart as they stood straight. A faint smile hung at the man's gentle face. Gazing upon the rows and rows of combatants before him, both weak and strong, outer and inner disciples alike, he continued his speech, laced with energy in every single syllable. Making them echo throughout the entire encampment. 

"This is the day. For us to settle the debt that they owe, to regain our rightful place." 

Nobody moved in the slightest as they directed their stare upon the patriarch. At the same time, they felt their blood boiling as an indescribable sense of rage, excitement, and expectations bubbled within. 

"Tonight, we will reap their lives! Plunder their wealth! And take their women as ours!" 

Raising his fist high in the air, his smile widened while most of the warriors' eyes turned bloodshots in no time. Noticing the change, Yunzheng held his breath as he fought off the faint energy creeping its way into his ears. 

'Such a wide scale....' 

"Are you all with me? To raise your blades against the heaven itself and carve our name in the annals of history!"

""Ooohh!!""

The earth shaking roar ensued whilst all of the warriors slammed the butt of their spears to the ground and others raised their respective weapons as high as they could. 

""Long live the God's Slaying sect!! Long live the patriarch!!""

Looking at their spirits and war cries, the patriarch nodded his head before he glanced at Yunzheng. The two pairs of eyes met each other and in that second, Yunzheng gulped his saliva as realization flashed in his head. 

Soon, the cries of the warriors ended and the patriarch and the muscular man parted ways without even bothering to speak a word to them. Lu Hen snorted before he walked to the outside direction, going back to where he came from. Meanwhile, Yunzheng gazed upon the direction of the patriarch's fading back and leaped into the sky with a light jump. 

Winds brushed through his figure as he made a walking motion. His single step covered hundreds of meters in the blink of an eye as the transparent barrier covered his entire being, dispelling the wind resistance and incessant noises coming from it. 

A hill right outside of the encampment caught his attention, prompting him to fly there when he saw the outline of the patriarch from afar. When he landed ten meters away from the latter, he gazed around and found no trace of the muscular man even though they were together not even five minutes ago. 

"I ordered Bai Hu to attend with our allies. Despite his appearance, Bai Hu always has a keen brain for negotiations."

The familiar voice sounded out again and this time, there was no energy that could be felt. Nodding his head in response, Yunzheng walked to the patriarch's side and made a greeting gesture. 

"Spare the formalities, Yun Zheng. Since it's both of us here, there's no need to act so reserved," Waving his hand in the air, the man smiled, "Aren't you already my brother in law? We are family now."

Relaxing his posture, Yunzheng replied, "Yes, patriarch."

"I said to drop off the formalities, didn't I?" ordered the man as he scowled without turning his head.

Halting his steps, Yunzheng hesitated for a heartbeat before he nodded and repeated, "...Yes, Zhou Ye."

Now that they were standing side by side, overlooking the encampment and the gathering warriors, Zhou Ye uttered. He frowned as he clenched his fists, squinting his eyes as the aura around him became sharper. 

"There's news from the Black Daggers. Apparently, our plans has already been leaked out while some of our high ranking disciples in the middle of their missions were brutally murdered as they were on their way to this place."

Except for the sound of passing wind, the atmosphere in the surrounding became quieter right after. The noisy sounds of cicadas amidst the summer from before, along with the chirping of birds had disappeared in an instant. Replaced by multiple soft thuds that were so subtle anyone wouldn't notice it. 

Yet, Yunzheng noticed it. Without turning his head, he could guess he would see scattered bodies of those birds, all fainted completely. Glancing at the source of those birds' misfortune, which was Zhou Ye's mouth, Yunzheng moved his gaze elsewhere and commented, 

"Does that mean there's a traitor among us? Since only those with sufficient rank knew about the whereabouts of our wandering high rank disciples. Not to mention, they should be using the secret passage to get to our place."

"That's right. We have a sneaky rat that has already crawled its way into one of my Elder's seats."

Turning his head to gaze at Yunzheng, the latter felt chills sprouting within. In that very moment, the latter saw the image of bloodbath and vast massacre contained inside of Zhou Ye's golden eyes. Unbeknownst to him, his body reacted before he could think and a second later, he found himself kneeling on the ground, right before the man who was only as tall as his chin. 

Before Yunzheng spoke a word, a pair of hands already grabbed his shoulders and prompted him to raise. The previous killing intent already dissipated while the man smiled and said, "Forgive me, Yun Zheng. Though that was what I've said, I have no doubt that the traitor won't be you."

"...." 

He stood straight and stared at the eyes of the patriarch which returned to their calm state. Patting Yunzheng's back, the man continued, "I suspect Lu Hen the most with how he was an outsider who only held the position of guest elder because of our alliance with the sect he belongs to. However, others couldn't escape the suspicions as well.”

"Still…" Turning his face back to look at the encampment, he uttered in a genuine voice, "Among anyone in this sect, you are the only one I've trusted the most, Yun Zheng."

"Zhou Ye…" 

A certain thought emerged in his head as he watched the man's unguarded posture. Guiding his energy, he mused, 

'Then, have you never, ever thought of it, Zhou Ye…' 

Suddenly, scarlet light flashed on his hand before it whistled. The glinting spark tore apart the invisible barrier around the patriarch in ease, looping off the head from its neck as the blade bathed in blood. Looking at the widened, unbelieving stares that twisted in the air, Yunzheng completed what he thought by speaking it out loud. 

"....That I am that traitor."