Dark clouds roil above the Chenyu Valley, and thunder rumbles like the low growl of a great beast, heralding a baptism of blood and fire.
The banners of the Sumeru Army, the Fontaine Army, and Yelan's Uprising Army flutter fiercely in the wind. Three surging tides converge into an ocean of steel, rolling upward from the foot of the mountains.
Xuanlian Mountain, Yuan Shao's final stronghold, crouches like a fierce tiger, glaring down at the invading foes below.
At the mountain peak, Yuan Shang dons black armor, his gaze sharp as an eagle as he coldly surveys the battlefield. Beside him, Xu You, Shen Pei, Yuan Mai and the other advisors wear grave expressions, yet cling stubbornly to their last shred of arrogance.
"My Lord, the enemy's forces are overwhelming. We should hold our ground and wait for a shift in the tides," Shen Pei murmurs in a low voice.
"Hold our ground?" Xu You sneers. "There are no reinforcements from outside, no provisions within. In the end, we are merely cornered beasts fighting a futile battle."
Yuan Shang raises a hand to silence their bickering, his voice steady and resolute: "Today's battle leaves no room for retreat—only victory or death. Follow me into battle, all of you!"
War drums thunder, shaking heaven and earth.
The spear formations of the Fontaine Army advance like an impenetrable wall of iron, braving rolling boulders and falling timber to carve a bloody path up the mountain roads. Archers of the Sumeru Army unleash a storm of arrows from the rear, pinning down the Yuan defenders on the heights. Yelan's Uprising Army, sharp as daggers, creeps silently up the sheer cliff faces under the cover of night, striking straight for the enemy's rear flank.
Mountain winds howl, mingling with the clatter of clashing blades and the battle cries of soldiers.
The Death of Xu You
Xu You stands on a high platform halfway up the mountain, waving a command flag as he tries to rally the crossbowmen to counterattack.
"Loose the arrows! Fire at once!" he shouts hoarsely.
Suddenly, a shadow drifts out from the darkness behind him like a ghost.
"Master Xu, do your arrows fly far enough?" Yelan's voice is cold, laced with mockery.
Terrified, Xu You tries to turn—only for a short dagger to pierce his throat like a venomous snake. Blood gushes forth as he stares wide-eyed in disbelief, collapsing onto the cold stone ground.
Yelan wipes the blood from her blade gently, her eyes fixed on the mountain peak. "Yuan Shang, your end has come."
The Death of Shen Pei
On another mountain path, brutal combat rages between the Fontaine and Yuan armies.
Shen Pei leads the defense personally, wielding a great broadsword and slaying countless Fontaine soldiers.
"All who stand in my way die!" he roars, struggling to shore up the crumbling defenses.
"Charge!" A mighty battle cry echoes forth. Ahman, a valiant general of the Sumeru Army, charges into the fray with a unit of heavy infantry.
Possessing godlike strength, Ahman swings his colossal axe in whirling arcs, felling every Yuan soldier in his path. He clashes head-on with Shen Pei; sparks fly as axe meets sword.
"Shen Pei, your loyalty has been wasted on a fool!" Ahman bellows, surging with power to knock the broadsword from Shen Pei's grasp. A single downward swing of his axe splits Shen Pei's body in two.
The Death of Yuan Mai
Young and impetuous, Yuan Mai leads a troop of elite cavalry to charge the Fontaine formations from the side.
Yet he underestimates the Fontaine Army's impenetrable defenses. A forest of spears impales his riders, tossing men and horses aside.
Yuan Mai himself is run through by a spear. He falls from his steed, his eyes filled with bitter regret and despair in his final moments.
The Humiliation of Chen Lin & Hu Tao's Wrath
As the battle reaches its fiercest peak, Chen Lin—advisor to Yuan Shang—is captured by soldiers of Yelan's Uprising Army.
He is dragged before Hu Tao.
Hu Tao, a special advisor to the Sumeru Army, bears a sweet youthful appearance yet is infamous for her unique funeral affairs.
Seeing only a harmless-looking girl, Chen Lin sneers and spews vile insults: "So you're the little coffin seller? Did you kill your own father and grandfather too? What an ill-omened wretch you are!"
Hu Tao's smile fades instantly. Her father and grandfather are the two people she reveres most in all the world.
"Chen Lin," her voice drops, cold and dangerous, "You may insult me, but to defile my family is the gravest mistake you will ever make."
She steps forward personally, snatches a shovel from a soldier's hands, and digs a pit in the earth.
"W-what are you doing?" Chen Lin staggers back in terror.
"Sending you to the afterlife," Hu Tao says without a flicker of emotion. "Not with a proper funeral—but a live burial."
Amid Chen Lin's terrified screams, Hu Tao and her soldiers shove him into the pit, shoveling soil over him inch by inch.
"You'll rot in hell!" Chen Lin's cries grow muffled beneath the dirt, until silence swallows them whole.
Hu Tao brushes the soil from her hands, as if she has done nothing more trivial than a chore, then turns to rejoin the battle.
The Death of Yuan Shang
Having lost all their top generals in quick succession, the defenses of Xuanlian Mountain finally crumble.
Trapped in a three-sided encirclement, Yuan Shang is surrounded by enemies.
"My Lord, flee at once!" his loyal guards shout desperately.
"Flee?" Yuan Shang lets out a bitter laugh. "There is no corner of this world left for me to hide."
He glances around at his few remaining followers. He knows his reign is over.
"Come then!" Yuan Shang raises his spear and lets out one final battle cry, charging headlong into the enemy ranks.
In the end, he is pierced by a hail of spears, falling lifeless into a pool of blood.
Epilogue: Chenyu Valley Reclaimed
When Yuan Shang's severed head is held high for all to see, the fighting on Xuanlian Mountain comes to an end at last.
The Yuan banners fall. The flags of Sumeru, Fontaine, and Yelan flutter triumphantly atop the peak.
Chenyu Valley, long occupied by the Yuan forces, is finally returned to its people.
Sunlight filters through the clouds, gilding the scarred land with a faint golden glow to mark this bitter victory.
Standing on the mountaintop, Hu Tao gazes down at Chenyu Valley and sighs softly.
"Father, Grandfather—I have avenged you."
Yelan walks to her side and pats her shoulder. "Come. We still have much work ahead of us."
They walk down the mountain side by side, their shadows stretching long and thin in the sunset glow.