The earth trembled beneath the thunder of countless hooves. Spears glinted like forests of cold stars, and banners snapped in the bloody wind. The battlefield stretched endlessly, filled with smoke, dust, and the screams of men who lived and died within breaths.
"Tortoise Squad, retreat to the left! Heaven-Battling Wind Cavalry, cover the right flank! Heaven's Eye, fall back to the rear! Heaven-Battling Elephant Infantry, advance fifteen steps and strike the center! Eastern Cavalry, swing wide and attack the left flank!"
The orders fell like war drums. Generals repeated them, runners shouted them, and the armies moved in seamless precision.
The ground shook as the Heaven-Battling Elephant Infantry surged forward, massive war elephants draped in armor, tusks tipped with blades. Their advance crushed soldiers and mounts alike. To the right, the Wind Cavalry darted like arrows, lances glittering in the dim sunlight.
"Northern Wind Cavalry! Four steps right, rush forward ten meters, perform a single loop—horse, rider, spear as one! Southern Wind Infantry, fall back two meters, adjust your aim—strike the horses' legs! Eastern Wind Cavalry, V-formation, pierce through their line! Eagles, retreat to the middle! Xuanwu Army, raise the barriers—cover the Eagles' retreat!"
The battlefield moved as though it were a giant beast commanded by a single mind. War cries split the heavens. Blades tore through flesh. The scent of iron thickened in the air.
Hours passed, and corpses carpeted the earth. Yet both armies fought with their second-tier troops—neither Tie Hongchen nor Tai Jian had committed their elites.
Tie Hongchen stood at the front of her command tent, her robes billowing with each gust of blood-stained wind. Her eyes, cold yet shimmering with hidden fire, swept the battlefield.
"Eastern Cavalry! Arrow formation! Wind Cavalry, retreat three steps, charge forward, double loop—halt! Spears, adjust aim, cripple their horses! Infantry, prepare to finish the fallen! Unit Thirteen, prepare for deployment—arrow formation!"
Her tone was serene, almost leisurely, yet within her voice lingered a strange excitement. This was where she belonged—in the heart of war, commanding the lives of thousands.
Across the battlefield, Tai Jian's camp stood like an immovable mountain. He sat upon a raised dais, hands resting lightly upon his knees, eyes calm and unreadable. His generals knelt, waiting for his word.
"Unit Five, prepare. Northern Wind Cavalry, cutting formation, attack the center. Unit Five, charge and cover the right flank. Eastern Wind Cavalry, hold formation—advance steadily. Southern Infantry, fall back. Xuanwu Army, Eagles—you will cover the retreat."
His voice carried no fire, no visible passion. Yet his calmness was infectious—like the silence before a storm, it steadied every soldier's heart.
The clash raged until the sun had arced across the sky and dipped toward the horizon. The battlefield was a scar upon the earth, red with rivers of blood. Dismembered bodies of men and beasts lay tangled with broken spears and shattered banners. The cries of the dying echoed long after the horns of retreat sounded.
The soldiers dragged their weary bodies back to camp, their armor bent, their swords chipped, their hearts heavy. Neither side claimed victory, yet both sides felt the sting of grievous loss.
Tai Jian stood at the edge of his camp, his cloak whipping in the evening wind.
"Count the dead and the wounded. Report to me immediately. Feed the soldiers, tend to the horses. Tell them to stay vigilant. Tomorrow…" His eyes narrowed upon the enemy banners fluttering faintly in the distance. "Tomorrow, we fight the final battle."
On the opposite side, Tie Hongchen gave nearly the same orders, her gaze locked upon his camp. Though enemies, they mirrored each other in composure, their wills unbending.
The storm had not yet arrived, but the sky already felt heavy with thunder.
---
In the Heavenly Realm, days in the mortal world were but fleeting hours, yet even in those hours, the heavens had changed beyond recognition.
The gilded throne of the Heavenly King stood empty. The once-mighty Crown Prince had been slain in shadow. And upon the throne now sat the Third Prince—newly crowned Heavenly Emperor—his presence sharp as lightning, his authority undisputed.
But his coronation was greeted not with celebration, but with war. The Demon Clan, long dominant in the shadows, raised its banners once more, declaring battle against the heavens.
The Celestial Court quaked with fear. Ministers knelt in rows, their voices trembling.
"The Six Realms, the Three Seas, the Eight Deserts—have grown complacent. Our soldiers feast, they do not fight. They train, but their spirit is dull! His Majesty Taiyi lingers in the mortal realm… is this not a sign that the heavens themselves have turned their backs on us?"
Another slammed his jade tablet to the floor. "Silence! Do you think the Heavenly Realm so weak? We still have His Highness—the new God of War! Even if the former War God no longer walks among us, the blood of heaven's protectors is not yet cold. We will not bow before demons!"
Yet whispers spread like cracks through glass. Old loyalties, ancient rivalries, and fresh ambitions stirred beneath the surface. The heavens were no longer steady—the storm above was no less dangerous than the one brewing below.
---
Far away, in the Fire Realm, silence reigned within the Phoenix Queen's palace.
Feng Jiu sat upon the golden throne, her posture regal though her skin remained pale. Scrolls and reports lay scattered before her. Her aura burned faintly, no longer chaotic—her cultivation had grown sharper, more refined, as though polished by fire itself.
The woman in black robes stepped forward, kneeling low.
"Your Majesty, troubling news. The First Princess has disappeared. Her trail leads… to the Demon Realm."
The silence in the palace deepened. The woman bowed even lower before whispering, "Spies confirm… she has submitted to the Demon King. They plan a marriage alliance."
The parchment in Feng Jiu's hands shook. For a heartbeat, her eyes softened—grief flickering like a dying flame. Then, as swiftly as it came, it was extinguished.
"…So, that is her choice."
Her lips curved into a bitter smile. She raised her head, her gaze piercing the scarlet sky above.
"Accompany me… to the Demon Realm."
The woman in black gasped. "Your Majesty! That is far too—"
But when her eyes met Feng Jiu's cold gaze, her words died.
"My mother once begged me to spare them… for her sake. But she cannot see reason. If my sister chooses betrayal, then I will send her to the grave with my own hands."
She raised her hand. The palace vanished.
---
When their feet touched ground again, they stood in the heart of the Demon Realm.
Jagged towers of obsidian loomed against a sky stained crimson. The air was thick with malice, heavy with demonic qi. In the distance, black banners fluttered like wings of carrion birds.
"Instant long-distance teleportation…" the woman in black whispered in awe, trembling.
Shouts erupted. Demon guards poured forth, weapons gleaming. Commanders barked orders, summoning rank upon rank of soldiers until the great gates themselves trembled. At last, the Demon Kings themselves descended, cloaked in power and arrogance.
"Phoenix Queen. To what do we owe such a… pleasant surprise?" one of them sneered.
Feng Jiu did not so much as glance at him. Her voice rang like tempered steel.
"Feng Xin—show yourself."
The faces of the Demon Kings darkened, their pride ignited by her disdain.
"This is the Demon Realm, not your Fire Realm!" a pale, skeletal-looking king spat. "How dare you demand our queen without offering respect?"
"I care nothing for your war with the heavens," Feng Jiu replied coldly. "This is a personal matter of the Fire Realm. Hand her over, and I will leave. Refuse, and I will tear this palace apart."
The woman in black tugged at her sleeve desperately. "Your Majesty, please—"
But Feng Jiu's gaze did not waver.
The Demon Kings laughed, their voices echoing like thunder.
"Phoenix Queen, do you think we are so easily bullied?" their leader snarled.
Feng Jiu's hand lifted. A sword blazed into existence, its flames lighting the night sky.
The Demon Kings froze. Their laughter died in their throats.
"The Flaming Sword… Taiyi gave you that blade!"
Fear cracked their masks of arrogance.
Feng Jiu's voice thundered across the palace.
"Feng Qian! If you do not appear, I will rip this realm stone by stone until it collapses!"
The ground trembled beneath her killing intent.
At last, a lilting voice floated through the shadows.
"Sister… must you cause such chaos?"
From the palace hall stepped a woman dressed in black robes, her beauty breathtaking, her smile like poisoned honey.
Feng Qian.
Feng Jiu leveled her sword, flames dancing at its edge.
"You are coming back with me."
The Demon Palace fell silent. Even the wind dared not move. The storm had arrived.