The battlefield's wind howled like a chorus of ghosts.
Li Xuan stood atop a blackened ridge within the Cursed Dimension, soaked in the blood of beasts and men. The skies were cracked with crimson lightning, a storm of spiritual energy raging above—a reminder of how alive and deadly this war realm truly was.
Around him were the remains of an elite hunter squad from the Heaven Sword Pavilion. A fatal ambush meant for him. One he barely survived.
But his hands still gripped Heaven-Shearing Executioner.
His eyes, sharp as blades, stared toward the dark horizon where more danger brewed.
His EXP bar blinked.
[EXP: 741 / 1000]
System Points: 921
Realm: Early Foundation Establishment (40%)
Active Skills:
— Phantom Step
— Qi Compression
— Kill Instinct (Passive)
— Saber Echo (Tier 2 – Rare)
Body Stats:
— Physique: Reinforced (Tier 1: 71%)
— Soul Will: Stable
— Perception: Evolving
— System Shop: Unlocked [Warlord Memory – NEW]
He had reached his limit in this fight. Nearly gutted by a venomous beast that moved like a blur. No more relying on the system blindly.
Back at camp, he sat cross-legged on jagged rocks, letting the blood dry on his robes. Pain throbbed through his body, but he welcomed it.
That close brush with death etched something deeper into him.
"I can't keep depending on this system. What if one day… it disappears?"
That thought had haunted him since the last ambush. He didn't say it aloud—but he had started training harder without activating any assistive system perks.
Sword drills. Reflex conditioning. Balance training. Flesh-tempering using mutated beast cores. Every scar was earned.
And now, as the storm passed, the system buzzed softly.
System Notification:
—New Memory Fragment Assimilated—
—Origin: Warlord Ba Tian – The Black Mountain Butcher—
—Fragment Converted into Shop-Eligible Combat Techniques—
Available Techniques:
Crimson Overdrive Slash (EPIC) – 800 SP
A vicious saber art that doubles attack power at the cost of self-damage.
Warlord's Roar (RARE) – 300 SP
A spiritual pressure technique that disrupts enemy rhythm and boosts allies' morale.
Ghost Break Pulse (RARE) – 500 SP
Disrupts illusions and soul-based attacks within a 30-meter radius.
Li Xuan's eyes narrowed.
"The Black Mountain Butcher? That madman who tore sects apart during the ancient civil wars?"
He hovered over the Crimson Overdrive Slash and clicked purchase.
SP Deducted: 800
New Skill Gained: Crimson Overdrive Slash
—
His hands trembled—not from pain, but anticipation. The knowledge of the technique poured into him like molten iron—raw, wild, and brutal. It made his saber burn in its sheath.
Suddenly—
The earth rumbled.
From the eastern ridgeline, war cries rose.
A beast tide. Again.
But this time… not random. It was being led.
From the swirling chaos, a towering humanoid stepped forward, shrouded in flame-like qi. He wore bone armor, each piece from slain Foundation Beasts.
A rival.
Name: Meng Qing of the Blazing Ape Sect
Realm: Mid Foundation Establishment
Reputation: Beast Combat Genius
Mission: Slay or survive. EXP: +400 (Kill), +100 (Survive 10 Minutes)
—
"So the academy finally sent one of their hidden monsters," Li Xuan muttered.
Meng Qing sneered. "You killed my cousin during the third trial. Now I'll show you what bloodline talent really means."
The battle started instantly.
Meng Qing's fist crashed down like a meteor. Li Xuan barely blocked it, even with the saber absorbing some of the force. His bones groaned. Each strike was heavy enough to crater the earth.
Li Xuan didn't retreat.
He engaged.
Blow for blow.
Phantom Step activated, blurring his form—but Meng Qing's beast sense followed him through it. This wasn't an opponent to trick. He had to outlast him.
Ten minutes.
That was all.
Steel clashed with bone gauntlets. Flames roared. At one point, Li Xuan had to dislocate his shoulder to escape a deadly grab—and pop it back into place mid-dodge. Blood painted the battlefield like a painting from hell.
Then—
"Crimson Overdrive Slash!"
The system roared as the technique activated.
His saber flared blood-red. One strike—one only.
It tore through Meng Qing's armor and sliced deep across his chest. The recoil sent Li Xuan flying back, ribs cracking.
But Meng Qing stumbled.
And didn't rise.
—
System: Opponent Severely Wounded. Victory Achieved.
EXP: +400
SP Gained: +135
EXP: 1141 / 1500 (Leveling Up…)
—
Li Xuan collapsed to one knee.
Breathing hard.
Smiling.
He didn't win because of the system this time.
He won because he fought like a real warrior.
—
That night, by the firelight of their temporary stronghold, several outer disciples—those once branded trash—looked at him in awe.
One stepped forward. His name was Jun Tian, a crippled cultivator with unstable qi flow.
"I want to join you," he said. "Even if I die trying to keep up."
Li Xuan looked at him. "You'll suffer."
"I already do," Jun Tian said.
"Good." Li Xuan stood. "Then rise, and I'll forge you into something that no one will laugh at again."
—
And so his legion began to take form.
From ash, from blood, and from hell itself.
Cultivation Status:
— Foundation Establishment (Early – 40%)
EXP: 1141 / 1500
System Points: 256 / 1000
Legion Members: 2 (Pending Trials)
Forbidden Skill: Crimson Overdrive Slash (EPIC) – Cooldown: 3 Days
Reputation: Rising Demon Commander
Next Mission Triggered: Spirit Furnace Ruins – Unknown Depths