The freezing northern night air seeped through the ventilation slits of the Border Hall, yet the tension inside the granite room was far more chilling. Beneath the glow of a dozen swaying oil lanterns, the long mahogany table at the center of the hall became the stage for the deadliest gathering in the entire northern region. At the head of the table, Lin Tian stood straight. The eleven-year-old boy wore a black robe embroidered with silver thread. His youthful face was hardened, concealing the tremor behind his eyes. To his left sat Lady Lin Xuanyin with graceful composure, while the Five Guard Captains, Tie Han, Wei Shan, Gao Ying, Zhao Feng, and Mo Jian, stood fully alert at strategic corners, guarding the perimeter like iron statues. Around the table sat the monstrous elders of the Lin Family faction, all watching their young Patriarch. Lei Jingtian rested his Mountain Cleaving Blade beside his chair. The giant's ski

The word "Master" slipping from Lin Tian's lips hung in the air of the Border Hall like a death knell.A suffocating silence instantly descended upon the room. Nay Lin, whose hands still carried wisps of frost, Zhang An, whose fists still radiated magma heat, Lei Jingtian, the Poison King, and the Four Lamenting Demons, every monster in the room held their breath at once. The killing intent that had nearly torn the hall in two seconds earlier vanished completely.Every pair of eyes slowly turned toward a single point in the darkest corner of the room.There, leaning against the cold granite pillar, Xiao Chen stood motionless. The ceramic cup in his right hand suddenly creaked, fine cracks spreading across its surface as his fingers involuntarily tightened."Master...?"That single word struck Xiao Chen's consciousness not as a mark of respect, but as a rusted warhammer shattering the walls of his past memories.A moment of silence passed. Then..."Heh... hehehe..."A low, raspy chuckl

Lei Jingtian’s massive frame shot down from the fortress wall like a black meteor. The Mountain Cleaving Blade in his right hand let out a sharp hiss, tearing through the freezing night wind. Below, Vanguard Commander Ma Biao snorted harshly. He did not even bother pulling his horse's reins back. His wild eyes stared at the descending figure with utter disdain. "Foolish giant! Do you think this is a duel between unorthodox and orthodox sect martial artists?!" Ma Biao mocked, his voice booming with Grade 2 Sky Realm Qi. Without wasting time, Ma Biao raised his broadaxe and signaled the charge. "Vanguard, advance! Trample this little noble!" Upon receiving the command, the thousand heavy cavalry moved as one. The thundering hooves of the thick-muscled warhorses created a localized earthquake. The light iron armor on the steeds and the full plate mail worn by the riders ground together, producing

Morning sunlight pierced the thick smoke rising from the border battlefield. The shockwaves from Lei Jingtian's destructive clashes on the western flank still vibrated through the air, but on the eastern flank, an equally brutal dance was unfolding. Vanguard Commander Ma Biao hovered in the air. A dense brown earth-element aura wrapped around his massive frame, forming a thick protective barrier of Qi. Yet around him, four figures in tattered black robes moved like streaks of shadow, circling their prey. The Four Demons of Calamity Array was locked tight. "Mortal insect! Why is your armor so damn thick?!" Wrath Demon yelled from above. SLASH! The Black Dragon Sword, a Sky-Grade relic in Wrath Demon's hand, cleaved straight down. Ma Biao raised his giant broadaxe horizontally to block. CLANG! Sparks showered through the air. The heavy impa

Night settled quietly over the Northern Border, blanketing the gorge that now reeked of scorched earth and stale blood. In the Gu Empire's military camp, thousands of dim torches pierced the fog, illuminating tents filled with the muffled groans of wounded cavalrymen. At the center of the camp stood a heavily guarded, massive command tent. There were no groans coming from inside. There was only a suffocating silence and an incredibly dense gravitational pressure that caused the ground around it to sink several inches. Supreme Commander Tuoba Li sat on a main chair crafted from the skulls of snow bears. The middle-aged man wore no armor. He wore only a coarse cloth robe that exposed muscular arms covered in lethal scars. His ice-cold eyes swept the room, stripping away the remaining pride of the three commanders kneeling before him. To Tuoba Li's right, Right General Shen Gong stood stiff as a stone statue. Murderous aura