Only one day had passed since the Dark Shadow Secret Unit, disguised as members of the Yin-Yang Demon Sect, attacked the capital of the Heavenly Flame Dynasty. News of this spread swiftly, shocking the surrounding cities and everyone within the dynasty who heard about the event.
The name "Li Huang," once ridiculed and scorned by the people, had now become a subject of great interest. Rumors swirled that not only had Li Huang defended the capital from the attack of the Yin-Yang Demon Sect, but he also commanded a mysterious and unknown army. Most notably, it was said that Li Huang possessed cultivation powers at the 9th stage of the Foundation level. This revelation sent shockwaves through several powerful factions.
Other rumors circulated, claiming that Li Huang had been oppressed by nobles and officials for years, unable to properly govern due to their defiance. Additionally, it was said that the empress had been a spy planted within the dynasty for many years. Despite being humiliated and looked down upon by the nobles, officials, generals, the public, and even his own royal siblings, Li Huang endured, waiting for the day when he would be strong enough to turn the tides of the Heavenly Flame Dynasty.
When most of the citizens learned about the hardships Li Huang had borne throughout his reign, many wept with guilt, realizing the weight of the burden he had carried all along.
...
In the northern region of the Heavenly Flame Dynasty, on a vast snow-covered plain, a young woman with white hair stood on a hill. Her gaze was fixed on a herd of powerful beasts moving before her, many of which were at least at the Golden Core cultivation level or higher.
She held her sword with a calm demeanor as a female soldier's voice called out from behind her, "General, do you believe the rumors about Emperor Li Huang?"
The white-haired woman glanced at the soldier briefly before turning back to the beasts ahead. Her eyes were cold and emotionless. "I don't care..." she replied sharply.
Suddenly, she slashed her sword. Her strike was so fast and fierce that it was almost impossible to see. In one swift attack, the herd of Golden Core-level beasts was cut into pieces. Their blood splattered across the snowy plain.
"Whether the rumors are true or not, the only thing I care about is who can lead the Heavenly Flame Dynasty forward," she said firmly, sheathing her sword and walking away.
...
In a forest, home to the Yin-Yang Demon Sect, the second most powerful faction within the Heavenly Flame Dynasty, a loud voice echoed throughout the grand hall. A man stood at the center of the sect's hall, his face flushed with anger. "That worthless emperor! How dare he kill my daughter!" This man was the sect master of the Yin-Yang Demon Sect, the father of Jing Yi, who had been brutally killed by the Dark Shadow Secret Unit.
The sect master of the Yin-Yang Demon Sect shouted furiously, "Gather all our forces now! We will go kill that dog emperor!"
Several elders standing beside him immediately moved to follow his orders. They showed no fear of going to war with the Heavenly Flame Dynasty, as it had greatly weakened. With support from the White Feather Dynasty, their longstanding enemy, they felt emboldened to rise up openly against the dynasty.
The White Feather Dynasty had promised to provide military and resource support to the Yin-Yang Demon Sect, and the sect's ancestors were already in the White Feather Dynasty receiving treatment for their injuries from past battles. The sect master was confident that they could destroy Emperor Li Huang and soon take over the Heavenly Flame Dynasty.
However, as the sect master prepared, he struck the shadow of a pillar in the grand hall with such force that the entire structure trembled and collapsed. Dust and smoke filled the area, covering the surroundings.
Within the shrouding mist, the sect master of the Yin-Yang Demon Sect suddenly felt a sharp pain as two swords pierced through his feet. He screamed in agony, his fists slamming toward the ground in an attempt to escape the attack. But before his punch could land, more swords swiftly stabbed into his body. Each blade precisely severed vital points and tendons in his joints, rendering him unable to move. His agonized screams echoed throughout the sect.
Pain coursed through the sect master's body, leaving him on the verge of despair. He struggled to regain his composure, but when the dust finally cleared, what he saw drained the last of his hope. Before him was a sea of blood. The bodies of all his disciples and elders lay strewn across the hall, their corpses shattered, and blood still oozing from some of the wounds.
The sect master stared at the gruesome scene in a daze, filled with confusion and hopelessness. Suddenly, he felt something press down on his head. It was the hand of someone gripping his skull tightly. The next moment, he screamed in unbearable pain, his voice reverberating through the entire sect.
"Aaaahhhhhhhhhh!!!"