Tian Long Imperial Court, Tian Yin Mountains

    The Tianyin Mountains, located on the border of the Tianlong Dynasty, stretch for thousands of miles, forming a natural barrier that separates the forbidden zone from the Tianlong Dynasty.

    Although the mountains are high, the strange beasts are not ordinary. Even the stronger ones can cross the mountains to invade the border. If one crosses the Tianyin Mountains and moves inward, there is a plain where one can cross without a barrier, and directly attack the Yellow Dragon. At that time, the people living near the border will be affected.

    Upon learning of the news that strange beasts were attacking the border of the Tianlong Dynasty, Empress Long Fei Wu immediately led an army, spearheaded by the twin heroes of the empire, to rush to the border.

    A horde of strange beasts surged over the Tianyin Mountains, routing the border army and almost causing it to fall. Just as the situation was desperate, the army led by Long Fei Wu arrived.

    Fei Jiangnan and Tian Ji, known together as the twin heroes of the empire, had previously defended the border forbidden zone. They fought fiercely, pushing back the border line and driving strange beasts into retreat for miles. There was none who dared to approach within a hundred li.

    Now, with the two of them gone, these brutes have again launched their attack, and they have even killed many border guards. Angered by this, the two men brandished their swords and fiercely attacked, heading south to restore the glory of that day.

    However, as they led their army south, they suddenly encountered a master among the strange beasts, who blocked their path and prevented them from entering the forbidden zone.

    Very strong, so strong that they dare not take it lightly.

    "It's up to me, you all just fight."

    In the void, a cold and resolute female voice echoed. As seen, the empress Long Fei Wu, holding the imperial sword, appeared in a white robe, embodying a majestic presence.

    Knowing that this trip was to face the person who killed Chen Mo three hundred years ago, Empress Long Fei Wu had thoroughly prepared for this time, bringing out the imperial sword that had not been seen in a thousand years. However, she had not yet encountered that person when she found herself using the sword against an odd beast.

    The Imperial Sword was the sword worn by the great ancestor of the Tianlong Dynasty, crafted by the first-class weaponsmith of that time. Not only was its material superior, but also its craftsmanship was top-notch, ranking among the top ten in the nine regions' famous sword list.

    Had it not been for the Imperial Sword recognizing the Dragon bloodline, there would have already been many powerful beings from across the nine regions vying for it.

    Facing the surging beast tide, Empress Long Fei Wu raised the Imperial Sword, and a cold light flashed in her eyes. With a single stroke, she pushed back the high-level odd beast that was blocking the way for the twin heroes of the empire. Then, with three strokes, she decapitated it on the spot.

    The morale of the Imperial Army soared, and they cheered for the Emperor's Longevity.

    The original morale collapse was entirely dispelled, replaced by an indomitable and high-spirited determination.

    However, at this moment, Empress Long Fei Wu saw a figure materialize into a streak of light, passing through the Imperial Army and heading straight towards the Tianyin Mountains, towards the direction of Tiansang Mountain.

    "No good"

    Empress Long Fei Wu realized the situation was not good and called out a warning to Fei Jiangnan and the other, murmuring, "That must be to support Xiao Tianyi. Chen Mo, I'm truly sorry to you, as I've overlooked one more person."

    After saying that, Empress Long Fei Wu turned into a streak of light, pursuing the figure.

    "What? How can this be……?"

    In the Tiansang Mountains, Xiao Tianyi, who was about to deliver the decisive blow to Chen Mo, with the sword held horizontally, suddenly stopped. His right leg gave out, and he dropped to one knee.

    He lowered his head suddenly and saw a deep wound on his right thigh, with blood oozing out continuously.

    Before he could make sense of it, another identical wound appeared on his other leg.

    It was as if he had been pierced by an invisible blade.

    "You, are you?"

    Xiao Tianyi raised his head, with his right hand holding the sword, reversed and planted into the ground to support his body, while his left hand lifted a finger and pointed at Chen Mo in front of him in disbelief, questioning.

    Chen Mo's abdominal wound had stopped bleeding, and he smiled faintly at the corner of his mouth, "Guess."

    At the same time, in the lush forests.

    Li Wang and the elders of the Shanzong sect were all puzzled by what they were seeing in front of them.

    It was seen that Miao Feiyu was stepping on a patch of bloodstained soil with strange patterns on it, and he held a bloodstained dagger in his hand, kneeling on the ground with two bloodstains on each thigh, one on each side.

    However, the two blood holes at this moment had already started to bleed.

    "Sect Master, what is he doing? Why is he harming himself?"

    Elder Hua An raised an eyebrow, his expression puzzled.

    Li Wang shook his head, "It might be some kind of sorcery. Look, the two wounds he inflicted on his own thigh just now have healed. Perhaps it's a sorcery directed at a specific person."

    "Who could it be?"

    "I think it should be the owner of the blood..."

    "It's terrifying that such witchcraft can be used to harm people through blood."

    "Otherwise, why would the Miao State become a place on the nine-state continent that everyone curses and fears? Such eerie witchcraft is terrifying even to me. If he were to take a bit of my blood, my life might be in his hands."

    ...

    The murmur of the crowd came to his ears, and Miao Feiyu glanced indifferently at the people around him before returning his gaze to the dagger he held tightly in both hands.

    His spell, indeed, appeared terrifying to others, capable of killing a person with just a drop of blood.

    But, only Miao Feiyu himself knew that he was currently a fourth-level cultivator. Although his spell was strong, it came with a certain cost.

    He could use the curse to harm himself and cause pain to his opponent, but at the same time, he would bear the pain of self-harm, though not physically injured, the agony was genuine and could be felt by himself.

    The hands gripping the dagger trembled slightly, and the intense pain in his legs caused him a trace of fear. At this moment, his mind suddenly recalled the experience of Su Qin that day...

    "Tian Pai single-handedly created the tragedy between you and Su Qin. They pretended to be good Samaritans and saved you, nurtured you, but on the other hand, they dug up Su Qin, who they thought was dead, from the grave."

    "Su Qin was the last card to hold you back. Although they have saved your life, they believe that if this incident were to be exposed, you would surely betray them. Therefore, they decided to use Su Qin..."

    "Su Qin, though severely injured after being dug up from the grave, had one heart desire - to find you and reunite with you. Yet, she was stopped again and again..."

    "To dispel Su Qin's desire to find you, each time she tried to sneak out to look for you, she would be punished severely - even broken legs, as then she would be unable to leave that dark dungeon."

    "I think you should be more aware of Su Qin's temperament than anyone else. She defied her father to be with you no matter what, so naturally, she won't be defeated by these difficulties... Therefore, every time her leg injuries healed somewhat, she would try to escape"

    "No matter how dark the place she was in, Su Qin never lost hope, because you were the last ray of light in her world..."

    "Also, because of this, Tian Pai felt that a clear-minded Su Qin was too difficult to control, and for them, she wasn't a good tool. Therefore, they created a Su Qin who was crazy."

    "In the dark and sunless dungeon, they tortured Su Qin day after day, employing all means possible, even to take away her last hope... Every member of Tian Pai defiled her..."

    Miao Feiyu's trembling hand suddenly stopped, and the eyes in his chest were extremely determined. Without hesitation, he plunged a dagger into his chest.

    The physical pain spread to every nerve in his body, but compared to this, the mental agony caused him to lose his sanity and go mad.

    Blood oozed from the wound in his chest, and the pain caused his hands to tremble uncontrollably.

    "The founder of Tian Pai is now Xiao Tianyi, and all the actions of Tian Pai are under his command, including your affairs and those of Su Qin..."

    Miao Feiyu abruptly withdrew the dagger from his chest, emitting a howl of anguish, not whether it was the physical pain or the mental agony.

    The hands gripping the dagger trembled again, fear, pain, and the body's instinct all resisting his action. Miao Feiyu's reddened eyes gleamed with tears, and without warning, images of Su Qin's desperate gaze during her torture appeared in his mind.

    In the next moment, Miao Feiyu tremblingly seized the dagger and, without hesitation, slashed his throat...