"Tai Jian, I have heard that your arrogance knows no bounds. Having witnessed it for myself, I must say I have underestimated you."
The voice belonged to a burly man with arms like coiled steel, his shoulders broad as a mountain. In his hands rested a massive black axe etched with runes that shimmered faintly with killing intent. His eyes were cold, his aura pressing like the weight of a collapsing mountain.
"Even our master must treat us with respect," the man continued, his voice booming like thunder. "Yet you, a mere prince of a crumbling mortal state, think you can fight us? Wishful thinking."
Tai Jian tilted his head slightly, a faint smile tugging at his lips. His eyes, however, were calm and razor sharp.
"Oh? Then has your master not told you? Stepping onto this field means you will never return. If he sent you only to delay me, then he has already thrown you away. Tell me—do you truly believe you can escape me alive?"
The burly man's expression twisted in anger, but before he could retort, Tai Jian's qi surged, shaking the air. His aura was vast, domineering, like a warlord striding across battlefields drenched in blood.
Arrogant, the duo thought in unison. Yet as Tai Jian's presence pressed against them, they understood: his arrogance was not baseless. It was the pride of one who had crossed mountains of corpses and rivers of blood.
The second of the duo, a lean man with sharp eyes like a venomous hawk, stepped forward. He wielded a pair of curved sabers that gleamed with a sinister red light. "Brother Tie is right. You are too arrogant. Allow me to sever your pride and your life together!"
"Then come."
Tai Jian's voice was calm, almost bored, but the instant the last syllable left his lips, he struck.
His sword flashed, a streak of lightning splitting the sky. The air exploded under the pressure of his strike.
The axe wielder roared, muscles bulging as he swung his weapon down. "Mountain-Crushing Strike!"
The two forces collided. The earth beneath them split apart, sending cracks racing for miles. A shockwave rippled outward, toppling trees and throwing soldiers—friend and foe alike—off their feet.
The saber-wielder darted in like a phantom, his blades weaving a web of crimson light. "Blood Fang Net!"
Tai Jian twisted, his sword dancing in a defensive arc. Sparks erupted as saber met steel. The blades cut shallow marks across his armor, but his eyes remained steady. He retaliated with a kick that forced the man back several steps.
The burly man came again, axe cleaving down with enough force to shake the heavens. Tai Jian met him head-on, his sword howling with energy. For a brief moment, man and mountain seemed evenly matched.
But Tai Jian's breath remained calm. His eyes shone with disdain.
"So this is the strength of Di Yi's elites? Pathetic."
The axe wielder bellowed in rage. "Don't underestimate me, boy!" His qi surged, and the runes on his axe lit up, multiplying its weight a hundredfold. The ground caved beneath his feet as he brought it down in a devastating arc.
Tai Jian's sword quivered, cracks appearing along its blade from the impact. Blood trickled down his arm.
The saber-wielder seized the opening, slashing across Tai Jian's back. Sparks flew as Tai Jian twisted, barely avoiding a fatal wound. The scent of blood filled the air.
For the first time, Tai Jian's expression shifted slightly. His lips curved—not into fear, but into a cold smile.
"Not bad," he admitted. "You've earned the right to see one of my true strikes."
He exhaled. His qi roared, surging like a tidal wave. His body glowed faintly with golden light, as if countless phantom soldiers marched behind him.
"War God's Domain."
A terrifying aura burst forth. The battlefield itself seemed to kneel. The axe wielder staggered, sweat dripping down his brow. The saber-wielder froze, his arms trembling as his blades shook violently in his grip.
Tai Jian's sword descended—not fast, but inevitable, like the decree of heaven. The axe wielder roared and raised his weapon, but the pressure shattered his guard. His axe cracked, then splintered into fragments. The force of the strike hurled him back, bones snapping as blood sprayed from his mouth.
The saber-wielder tried to retreat, but Tai Jian's second strike followed like a shadow. The crimson sabers shattered under the golden glow, and the man's chest was carved open, his scream lost in the roar of battle.
When the dust settled, Tai Jian stood alone, his sword humming softly. His armor was bloodied, his breath heavy, but his eyes remained sharp.
"Respect is earned," he said coldly to the fallen elites. "And you… were never worthy."
He turned, scanning the battlefield. He knew this was but the beginning. Di Yi's scheme was open, cruel, and inescapable. Others would come. And Tai Jian would cut them down one by one.
---
Meanwhile, in the Heavenly Realm, bells rang across the divine palaces. The Heavenly King's decree had spread: the Goddess of Fate would wed the God of Love.
Though the announcement brought cheers, envy, and concealed disdain, none dared to openly question it. Marriage was seen by many as a burden, yet when commanded by the Heavenly King, even the proudest immortals bowed.
But in the hidden corners of the court, whispers spread like wildfire. Why fate and love together? What deeper plan hides beneath the Heavenly King's smile?
---
In the Fire Realm, the Phoenix Queen Feng Jiu stood upon her balcony, gazing at her vast citadel. The capital burned brightly below, eternal flames warding against any invader. Yet her heart was far away.
"Lan'er," she asked softly, "when will he return?"
The maid bowed low. "Your Majesty, the Book of Fate shows your end draws near. As for him—his fate has vanished. None can trace it."
Feng Jiu's eyes darkened, though her voice remained calm. "I see. Leave me."
The maid obeyed.
Moments later, a ripple split the air, and another Feng Jiu appeared beside her—identical save for the blazing flame mark on her forehead.
Her smile was cruel. "Do not deceive yourself. Your sister's recovery means nothing. Her talent is mediocre. But congratulations—you've earned yourself another month. After that, we must merge. If you resist… I will devour you."
Feng Jiu's lips tightened, fury flickering in her gaze. "I hate being threatened."
The flame-marked shadow chuckled. "And I hate being patient." With that, she dissolved into sparks of fire, leaving only silence and the queen's cold resolve.
---
Three realms. Three storms.
Tai Jian cutting through Di Yi's schemes with blood and blade.
The Heavenly King weaving fate and love into a union none dared question.
The Phoenix Queen locked in a battle with her own shadow, time slipping through her fingers.
And above them all, unseen, greater powers watched and waited—smiling as pieces moved across the board.
---