*Wolong Ridge – Unremarkable Peak*

  Lv Mu tapped his cane like a metronome counting heartbeats.

  Behind him, Luo Mingyue’s veil fluttered.

  “Sister… is she safe?”

  Lv Mu’s gums flashed. “Safe.

  But the Overlord just stepped on a landmine.”

  He flicked a blood-inked scroll into a pigeon’s leg.

  White streak—sky—gone.

  …

  *Great Xuan – Ask-Heaven Peak*

  Tan Taixuan poured tea with imperial calm.

  Xue Tao knelt, paper trembling in gauntlets.

  “Black Dragon Cult + Tianyuan rank-10.”

  Tan Taixuan’s eyes turned to blades.

  Mo Beike stroked his beard. “Behind Liu Yuanhao: every family that once kissed Zhou’s boots.

  Still not enough to bite Overlord—unless the outsider bites first.”

  Tan Taixuan crushed the cup.

  “Xue Tao—three hundred Black Tortoise elites.

  Dragon Gate. Now.”

  Xue Tao blinked. “Sire… that’s Xiliang’s capital.”

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  “Today it is.

  Tomorrow it could be ours.

  Same blood, different banners.

  Foreign blades don’t care.”

  Xue Tao’s roar echoed down the peak.

  Mo Beike smiled into his tea. “Your Majesty grows fangs.”

  Tan Taixuan spat porcelain shards. “Fangs, wings, whatever.

  Also—tell Old Jiang his chicken-soup vacation is cancelled.”

  …

  *Southern Prefecture – Rocking Chair*

  Tang Xiansheng read the scroll, rocked once.

  “Send fifty Southern Troops.

  Let Tan Taixuan save face without stealing the spotlight.”

  Tang Guo dipped her brush, ink blooming into tiny black dragons.

  …

  *Imperial Capital – Ten-Li Avenue*

  Overlord walked.

  Each step—ten thousand boots shuffled back.

  “Move or die.”

  They chose move.

  He chose sprint.

  Bodies flew like broken kites.

  Palace rooftops—golden tiles cracking under his grief.

  …

  *Imperial Garden – Moonlight Butchery*

  Xu Chu coughed blood, laughed through broken teeth.

  “King’s here, you pretty corpse!”

  Zhou Liu’s golden core blazed, seventh sun at midnight.

  Overlord landed between them—magus qi swallowing starlight.

  One glance at the frozen captain, heart pierced.

  One glance at Xu Chu’s cracked ribs.

  One glance at the gate his men died to hold.

  His axe grew from smoke—ten zhang of black iron.

  Zhou Liu cupped fists, polite as a funeral.

  “Tianyuan, Zhou Liu, rank ten—”

  Overlord answered with footsteps.

  Roof collapsed.

  Tiles became shrapnel.

  Axe rose.

  The night held its breath.

  Clock Nan, Xiao Yue’er, Feng Yilou perched on distant eaves—popcorn forgotten.

  Zhou Liu’s golden core spun, seven rings of sword light.

  Overlord’s axe fell.

  No technique.

  No mercy.

  Just grief made steel.

  CLANG!

  Sword light shattered like glass.

  Golden core dimmed.

  Zhou Liu’s polite smile split—along with his torso.

  Axe kept going.

  Roof.

  Wall.

  Ground.

  One clean line from sky to hell.

  Zhou Liu’s two halves slid apart, golden core rolling into a puddle of royal blood.

  Silence.

  Then Xu Chu’s broken laughter.

  “King… one swing… ha… ha…”

  Overlord’s voice was winter.

  “Next.”

  Liu Yuanhao’s frost-flame armor flickered—candle in hurricane.

  Black Dragon troops pissed themselves.

  From the Dragon Gate: three hundred silver tortoises poured out, spears gleaming.

  Xue Tao planted his flag.

  “Great Xuan aids Xiliang.

  Foreign dogs—choose a grave.”

  Liu Yuanhao’s knuckles cracked.

  Overlord lifted the axe, blood dripping like rain.

  “Gate’s mine.

  City’s mine.

  Your head—mine.”

  He stepped over Zhou Liu’s corpse.

  Every black robe took one step back.

  Ten-Li Avenue trembled.

  The age of legends was dead.

  The age of Overlord had a body count.