A storm was brewing over the Eastern Continent.
Murong Chen stood at the summit of Patriarch's Peak, his gaze sweeping across the vast stronghold of the Abyssal Sect. The once-hidden sanctuary of outcasts had transformed into a formidable empire, its banners stretching across the land, marked by the sigil of the Abyss—a black phoenix wreathed in crimson flame.
Below him, thousands of disciples trained with unwavering discipline. Blade formations clashed. Cultivators honed their Qi. Alchemists refined elixirs that could turn the tide of battle. The mountain fortress pulsed with power, no longer just a refuge for the forsaken, but the foundation of a new order.
The Abyssal Sect had risen.
But the world would not sit idle.
Lin Yue approached, her violet robes flowing like shadows in the cold mountain wind. She carried a sealed jade scroll, its imperial insignia broken.
"Sect Master, the latest intelligence has arrived." Her voice was unreadable, but Murong Chen already knew.
"The Qilin Sect and Verdant Cloud Pavilion have sworn fealty to the imperial decree."
Murong Chen took the scroll, glancing at the bold strokes of calligraphy. Zhao Ren had moved.
"Expected," he said, rolling the parchment shut. His eyes gleamed with dark amusement.
Bai Qingshan, standing at the side, stroked his beard. "A coalition this early means they see us as a true threat."
Lu Fan smirked, his battle-hardened features filled with anticipation. "They fear us."
"And fear," Murong Chen said calmly, "is the first step to submission."
A silence fell over the war council. The Abyssal Sect had defied the heavens, but now the heavens sought to crush them.
Murong Chen turned, his voice carrying across the hall.
"We march before they can unite."
The decision was made.
This was no longer survival. This was conquest.
Sect System Update: Warpath Directive Unlocked
Mission Type: Faction Warfare
Objective: Launch a preemptive strike on Qilin Sect before the imperial coalition solidifies.
Success Reward: +15% Sect Influence, Territory Expansion Option Unlocked.
Failure Penalty: Enemy Reinforcements Accelerated, Abyssal Sect Weakened.
Additional Conditions: Hidden Mission Possible (Uncover Imperial Spy).
The Abyss Moves
That night, under the cover of darkness, black-cloaked messengers rode through the valleys, carrying a single message:
"Kneel, or be consumed by the Abyss."
The world would soon answer.
Inside the fortress, preparations began. Iron-forged weapons were distributed. Battle formations were drilled. New recruits, drawn by whispers of the Abyssal Sect's rise, stood shoulder to shoulder with veterans.
The Abyss was not just a sect now. It was an army.
Murong Chen moved through the training grounds, his steps unhurried, his presence an invisible force pressing upon all who stood before him.
Sparks flew as weapons clashed. Cultivators released torrents of Qi, their techniques polished through hardship. The Abyssal Sect had no room for weakness.
A young disciple, barely at the Core Formation Realm, collapsed in exhaustion, panting heavily. The sparring master moved to drag him away, but Murong Chen raised a hand.
The boy, realizing the presence before him, forced himself to kneel, trembling, yet refusing to submit to weakness.
Murong Chen nodded. "What is the creed of the Abyss?"
The disciple's voice shook, but he did not falter.
"We do not wait for fate. We carve our own."
A slow smile spread across Murong Chen's lips. Good.
Power was not given. It was taken.
He flicked his sleeve, and a faint black mist surrounded the disciple.
Sect System Notification: Discovered Potential Combat Prodigy
New Mission: "Forge a Blade from Ruin" (Optional)
Objective: Train disciple Wei Fang through life-and-death combat trials.
Reward: Elite Shadow Guard Initiate, Increased Sect Morale.
Murong Chen closed the notification with a thought. The system was right. This boy had potential.
But there was no time for small matters now. War awaited.
The First Enemy Move
Five days later, scouts returned in the dead of night.
Lin Yue's expression was grim as she unfurled the latest war reports. "The Qilin Sect has moved faster than anticipated."
She tapped the map unfurled across the war table.
"They've assembled seven hundred cultivators and fortified the Spirit Jade Pass. Their reinforcements from Verdant Cloud Pavilion will arrive within two weeks."
Bai Qingshan frowned. "They plan to stall us. If we waste time, the empire will send more troops."
Lu Fan's fist clenched. "Then we break their defenses before reinforcements arrive."
Murong Chen's fingers tapped against the war table, eyes glinting. "No. We force them into a trap."
Silence. Then Lin Yue's lips curled into a rare smirk. "A feint?"
"A slaughter," Murong Chen corrected.
Sect System Update: Abyssal Deception Strategy Engaged
New Sub-Mission: Lure Qilin Sect Forces into a False Victory
Objective: Stage a retreat, leading the enemy into a kill zone at Mistshadow Gorge.
Bonus Reward: Abyssal Sect Reputation Boost (+10%), Sect-wide Formation Technique Upgrade.
Failure Penalty: Increased Sect Attrition, Loss of Strategic Positioning.
A Battle Under Moonlight
Two nights later, the Abyssal Sect's vanguard made its move.
Under the cover of darkness, Murong Chen led three hundred elite warriors to Spirit Jade Pass. Their orders were clear—engage, feign weakness, and lure the enemy out.
At dawn, the Qilin Sect took the bait.
Their commander, Elder Zhou, sneered as he saw Murong Chen's forces "retreating" toward Mistshadow Gorge.
"Fool," Zhou spat. "He's nothing without his fortress!"
He ordered his troops to pursue, certain of victory.
But as they entered the gorge, black mist rose from the cliffs.
Murong Chen stood at the far end, the Ashen Blade in his grasp, pulsing with dark energy.
"You thought I was fleeing?" His voice was cold, amused.
Zhou's blood ran cold.
Abyssal Formations activated. The gorge erupted with Qi, sealing the exits.
Murong Chen's forces turned—no longer retreating, but advancing.
The trap had been sprung.
Screams filled the valley as the Qilin Sect's warriors fell into chaos.
Murong Chen moved like a phantom through the battlefield, cutting down enemies with ruthless efficiency. The Abyss did not forgive. It only consumed.
By the time the sun rose, Spirit Jade Pass belonged to the Abyssal Sect.
And Murong Chen? He stood atop the battlefield, the enemy commander's severed head at his feet.
Sect System Update: Mission Completed
Victory: Spirit Jade Pass Secured
Rewards: +15% Influence, Formation Upgrade Acquired, Sect Treasury Increased
Bonus: Hidden Mission Triggered – "The Emperor's Wrath" (Details Unknown)
The war had begun.
And the world would soon learn what it meant to defy the Abyss.