The sky over the Special Realm had turned blood-red.
It was the final stretch. Three days remained before the dimensional battlefield closed—and in that time, the realm had descended into utter carnage.
Outer disciples, inner disciples, and demon path cultivators clashed in wave after wave of brutal, unrelenting slaughter.
At the forefront of it all stood Li Xuan.
He was no longer a lone blade in the shadows.
Now, he was the banner bearer of war.
His legion had grown. Once discarded outer circle trash, they now moved like a tide of steel and fury—tempered in blood, hardened by countless battles, and molded by his unyielding will.
System Notification (Long Chen's voice):
"Welcome to the final three days. I call this segment: 'Refine or Die.' No retreats. No excuses. Survive—and become something worthy. Die—and at least make it a good show."
Day One – Blood Baptism
They were ambushed.
Thirty demon path disciples with concealment talismans descended on them from the cliffs.
Li Xuan didn't flinch. "Formation Four. Cripple their center."
His voice was calm, but what followed was anything but.
His saber flashed through the mist—one stroke, one kill.
Legion members followed suit, moving in coordinated chaos. Screams echoed, talismans flared, and blood sprayed over stone and soil.
Not a single man from his side ran. Not a single order was questioned.
By sunset, the cliffs were painted crimson.
Fear was not erased—it was obliterated.
Day Two – War Without Honor
The demon path retaliated.
Poison arrays. Slave puppets. Exploding spirit beasts. They brought every dirty tactic known to their path.
Even inner disciples were falling.
But Li Xuan adapted.
He studied formations mid-battle. Countered poison with medicinal plants drawn from his growing spiritual knowledge. He let the simulation room train his troops overnight while they rested, accelerating their battle instincts under the system's control.
System:
—Simulation Completed: 8 Legion Members Improved—
—Tactical Instinct (Team-Based) Skill Now Available in Shop (150 LCP)—
He bought it without hesitation.
By nightfall, his group operated like a war unit. No longer a rabble of hopefuls—they were a war-born legion.
Even the inner disciples, who once looked down on him, began to observe him from the shadows… with respect, and fear.
Day Three – Kill the Fear
On the final day, the demon path gathered their elites.
Dozens of core-level geniuses.
Soul-devouring arts. Blood curses. Nightmarish beasts.
Li Xuan met them head-on.
He didn't scream. He didn't roar. He simply raised his saber.
"We end it today."
They charged.
And hell opened.
Flesh was torn. Bones shattered. Qi flared into hurricanes.
Li Xuan's saber was a storm unto itself. He used Phantom Step to dance through death, Reactive Saber Flow to dismantle enemy formations, and Predator's Pressure to unsettle foes before they even struck.
His legion fought like war machines—every movement drilled by pain and purpose.
Three of them died.
But thirty-seven enemies fell for every one.
And when the final demon path disciple was crushed under Li Xuan's blade, silence returned to the realm.
Not the silence of peace. The silence of submission.
Return to the Sect
As the dimensional realm collapsed, and golden light drew them back to the academy gates, every disciple—inner, outer, and elite—turned toward Li Xuan and his legion.
None spoke.
But all felt it.
They didn't just return.
They descended—a legion reeking of killing intent, eyes like wolves, hearts like stone.
Even the elders watching from above narrowed their eyes.
"What… did he forge in that battlefield?" one murmured.
Another elder whispered, "Not a team. A sword."
System (Long Chen's voice):
"Not bad. You turned maggots into monsters. Still… I'd say we're just getting started."
System Status
• Cultivation: Late Qi Condensation (580/600 EXP)
• Long Chen Points: 217
• New Trait: Legion Bond (Passive) – Boosts morale and coordination for allies in battle.
• Skills Used: Phantom Step, Reactive Saber Flow, Predator's Pressure
• New Shop Unlocks: Tactical Instinct (Team-Based), Iron Will Surge (Advanced Passive)
• Simulation Room Usage: 83% Efficiency
• Mission Status: Completed (Final Phase of Special Realm)
• Consequences Avoided: Yes
• Legion Members: 11 (3 casualties)
• Reputation: Demon of the Outer Circle, Legion Commander, War-Touched