Dawn broke over the northern border in a wash of pale gold and ash.
The river behind us still carried the warmth of last night's flames, but the battlefield had gone cold. Smoke rose in thin black lines from the ruined road, twisting into the morning sky like funeral incense.
I stood on the ridge above the valley, looking down at the northern border outpost.
It was smaller than the imperial forts in the capital, but still heavily defended.
Stone walls.
Two watchtowers.
A steel gate reinforced with beast bones.
Around a hundred soldiers moved within the walls, and from this distance, I could already feel several cultivation auras.
Not weak.
Most were in the Body Tempering Realm, with a few stronger ones in the Qi Gathering Realm.
Commander Yue Lian stepped beside me.
"The scouts Lin Xue detected last night have already returned to the outpost," she said calmly. "They know we are here."
Good.
Fear was more useful than surprise.
Behind us, my army stood in formation.
Fifty Phoenix Flame Guards, their crimson armour glowing in the morning light.
Lin Xue stood to my right, her silver hair moving with the wind, cold blue eyes fixed on the enemy walls.
Hu Mei stood to my left, lazily playing with a strand of violet hair, though the smile on her lips suggested she was already thinking of ways to make this battle entertaining.
And behind all of them—
Feng Yuehuang.
She stood with her arms folded, golden eyes calm and proud.
Her presence alone made the surrounding spiritual qi tremble.
I took a slow breath.
Yesterday, I was a prisoner in chains.
Today, I was leading an army.
This world moved fast.
Or maybe it was simply because I refused to crawl.
I opened the system panel.
Army Status
Commander: Yue LianRealm: Qi Gathering 5Loyalty: 60
Elite Summons:Feng Yuehuang – Divine MonarchLin Xue – Spirit Core 3Hu Mei – Spirit Core 2
Units:Phoenix Flame Guards × 50
Host Realm:Body Tempering 8
I smiled.
Still weak compared to my summons.
But not for long.
Yue Lian pointed toward the gate.
"The outpost commander is inside."
The Fifth Prince's memories stirred.
General Han Luo.
Another dog of the Third Prince.
Cruel.
Greedy.
Known for selling border villagers into forced labour.
Good.
That meant no one here deserved mercy.
I turned to Yue Lian.
"Take twenty guards and secure the eastern wall."
She bowed.
"Yes, Your Highness."
I turned to Lin Xue.
"Freeze the western tower."
Her blue eyes narrowed slightly.
Then she nodded.
"As you command."
Hu Mei smiled.
"And what does Master want from me?"
I looked at the gate.
"Cause chaos."
Her smile widened.
"My favourite order."
Then I looked at Feng Yuehuang.
For a moment, the world seemed quieter.
She raised one elegant brow.
"Well?"
I smiled.
"Try not to burn the entire outpost."
For the first time, a faint smile touched her lips.
"No promises."
The battle began.
Yue Lian moved first.
Her spear cut through the morning mist like a streak of crimson lightning.
Behind her, twenty Phoenix Guards charged.
Their synchronised steps shook the earth.
On the western side, Lin Xue lifted two fingers.
Cold qi gathered instantly.
The air temperature dropped so sharply that frost spread across the ground.
Then—
The entire watchtower froze.
Soldiers on top screamed as ice climbed over stone and steel.
Hu Mei vanished in a swirl of violet mist.
A moment later, chaos erupted inside the walls.
Shouts.
Confusion.
Men turning on one another.
Her illusory arts had already begun.
I looked at Feng Yuehuang.
She looked back.
Then the Phoenix Goddess spread her wings.
Golden flames burst outward.
The sky above the outpost turned red.
The soldiers on the walls froze in terror.
Some dropped their weapons.
Some pointed upward with trembling fingers.
"A divine beast…"
"No… a goddess…"
I stepped forward.
"Open the gate."
Feng Yuehuang extended one hand.
A single flame appeared on her fingertip.
Tiny.
Beautiful.
Terrifying.
Then she flicked it.
BOOM.
The steel gate exploded.
Wood, iron, and stone blasted inward.
The shockwave threw dozens of soldiers off their feet.
Smoke and dust filled the air.
I drew Zhao Ming's sword.
"Advance."
The Phoenix Guards moved like a crimson tide.
Screams filled the outpost.
The soldiers tried to resist, but morale had already shattered.
Some fled.
Some surrendered.
Some rushed at me.
Perfect.
The first soldier came with a spear.
I stepped aside and slashed across his chest.
Blood sprayed.
The system rang immediately.
[Host kill successful]
EXP +120
Another soldier charged.
Then another.
I moved faster than before.
Body Tempering Level 8 was far beyond the strength this body had once possessed.
Steel clashed.
Blood stained the stone courtyard.
Each kill sent warmth through my meridians.
Then—
A pressure wave burst from inside me.
BOOM.
Nearby soldiers staggered.
Even Yue Lian glanced in my direction.
"You broke through again…"
The system flashed.
[Body Tempering 8 → Body Tempering 9]
I exhaled slowly.
The air around me rippled with spiritual pressure.
The enemy soldiers' faces changed instantly.
"He broke through in battle?"
"Monster…"
Good.
Let them fear me.
A furious roar shook the courtyard.
A large man in dark armour stepped out from the central barracks.
His aura was far stronger than the others.
Qi Gathering Level 3.
General Han Luo.
His eyes swept over the burning outpost.
The frozen tower.
His dead soldiers.
Then finally landed on me.
His face twisted.
"You!"
His killing intent surged.
"So the Fifth Prince still dares to live!"
I smiled coldly.
"Disappointed?"
He drew a massive halberd.
"I'll send you back to hell myself."
He charged.
The ground cracked beneath his steps.
Fast.
Much faster than Zhao Ming.
But before he reached me—
Feng Yuehuang moved.
She appeared between us like a flash of gold.
One hand caught the halberd.
The metal began melting instantly.
Han Luo's face turned white.
Impossible.
A Qi Gathering commander's full-force strike had been stopped with one hand.
Feng Yuehuang looked at him with utter indifference.
"Master."
She did not look back.
"Would you like the final blow?"
I smiled.
"Yes."
Han Luo tried to retreat.
Too late.
I stepped forward.
The sword flashed.
His head fell.
The courtyard went silent.
The system exploded with notifications.
[Elite enemy slain]
EXP +900
Reward: 1 Divine Summon Card
Reward: 1 Army Recruitment Token
Reward: Beast Taming Manual
Breakthrough achieved]
Spiritual qi rushed into me from every direction.
The entire courtyard trembled.
BOOM.
[Qi Gathering Realm achieved]
The pressure wave spread across the outpost.
Every soldier still alive dropped to their knees.
My summons turned toward me.
For the first time, I could truly feel the next realm.
Real qi flowed through my meridians.
I looked around at the fallen outpost.
The gate is broken.
The towers are frozen.
The enemy commander is dead.
The Northern Border Outpost had fallen.
I raised my sword toward the northern sky.
"From this day onward…"
My voice echoed across the stone walls.
"This outpost belongs to me."