C277 Commander

The parched earth was dotted with scarlet flowers and grasses, sprouting from the fissures like sharp swords.

Bloodblooms thrived in this harsh environment.

Thirty Blackfang Beasts roared, scattered across the desolate terrain.

Beside each beast stood a member of the Blackfang Legion, clad in black armor.

At the center, an exceptionally majestic Blackfang Beast towered over the others, its hooves thick and its headgear bristling with sharp spikes.

Astride this beast was a general, his presence commanding, enveloped in heavy armor.

Suddenly, a disturbance rippled from the distant extraterrestrial realm.

The central general's deep brown eyes gleamed with an otherworldly light.

In an instant, he shot into the sky, a straight plume of smoke against the dark night.

The sky, devoid of stars and moon, was shrouded in dense clouds.

Amidst these brooding clouds, the general in heavy armor stood as imposing as a mountain.

Shortly after, a figure in white gracefully appeared.

"Long time no see."

The state preceptor of the Crimson Sun Empire, having journeyed far with the Lunar Spirit, had hurried here from the Keep of Asvetaesi, his face beaming with a radiant smile. "What's the matter? That emperor of the Sunblessed Empire, whom you helped ascend to the throne, now that he's gained strength, dares to turn against you?"

Zhou Cangmin was well-versed in the dynamics and turmoil of the neighboring nations, privy to many of the world's clandestine affairs.

"I have no desire to be the empress of the Sunblessed Empire."

A hoarse, yet magnetic female voice emerged from beneath the menacing mask, weary with fatigue, "Neither of us belongs to Aetherius. You will eventually return to the Land of Quiescence, while my path leads me to Euwrea, to the Forgeroses."

Zhou Cangmin let out a soft sigh. "When I return to the Ruby Hand, it will be with honor, and the sect will welcome me with open arms. But you, having been cast out by the Forgeroses, face a much more challenging journey home."

"When I am strong enough, the Forgeroses will have no choice but to accept me," the woman declared with conviction.

Zhou Cangmin nodded and said, "Wei Feng is still alive, but she's been temporarily imprisoned by a young man named Yu Yuan in Asvetaesi."

"Asvetaesi? Yu Yuan?" the woman murmured to herself.

"Wei Feng will be fine for the time being," Zhou Cangmin deflected, pointing in a direction. "A seventh-level Silverfrost Dragon and several Dragon Attendants are heading your way."

"His Majesty is a man of great vision. Even before he took the throne, he had won the friendship of Dragon Lake," she said with a detached tone. "Besides Dragon Lake, Winter's Bite and Thunder Sect have sent several parties to find me. And the so-called powerhouses from the major families within the empire chase me relentlessly like rabid dogs."

Zhou Cangmin feigned surprise, "Is it because you rejected his advances and refused to be the empress of the Sunblessed Empire? Has he lost his mind to pressure you so?"

The commander of the Blackfang Legion, clad in heavy armor that concealed even her feminine features, remained silent.

Zhou Cangmin suddenly laughed and, with a slight bow, offered politely, "I'm seventy percent sure I can become the next Sect Master of the Ruby Hand. Wouldn't being the Sect Master's wife command more respect than being the Empress of the Sunblessed Empire? Surely, that wouldn't be beneath you?"

"Scram," she replied icily.

The renowned state preceptor of the Crimson Sun Empire and Silvermoon Empire touched his nose and smiled nonchalantly, not at all offended. "It was just a joke. You're as unamused as ever."

"There's a Bloodbloom over there," the woman shifted the subject. "It's been deliberately cultivated."

The state preceptor paused, "That's somewhat odd."

"The Silverfrost Dragon and the Dragon Attendants from Dragon Lake are not a concern," the woman gazed into the distance. "I can manage them."

Zhou Cangmin nodded. "My real body is miles away, making it inconvenient for me to be here in person. As just a Lunar Spirit, my combat abilities are limited, so there's not much help I can offer."

"Your willingness to help is appreciated," the woman responded.

"Considering Wei Feng is with Yu Yuan in Asvetaesi, she might even be safer than if she were with you," Zhou Cangmin remarked. "So, there's no need for you to worry."

"Do you really hold a junior from Asvetaesi in such high regard?"

"Let's not forget, when we first met, our own cultivation levels were quite modest. Yet, didn't we manage to outwit cultivators far stronger than ourselves while wandering the Godsblight Marsh and Moonfall Sanctuary?"

"Is that young upstart comparable to you back in those days?"

"I believe he is."

"Well, in that case, I'll rest easy knowing Wei Feng is with him."

With those words, the commander of the Blackfang Legion, clad in heavy armor, transformed into a dazzling arc light and sped directly toward the seventh-level Silverfrost Dragon.

A hundred miles away.

The Silverfrost Dragon soaring high above, along with the Dragon Attendants, watched in astonishment.

From their perspective, a sinuous arc light in the far-off extraterrestrial seemed to cleave through the dark clouds overhead, rending the space so fragile it appeared on the verge of shattering.

The previously tranquil night sky was abruptly deluged by a torrential downpour.

A suffocating, terrifying vitality surged like countless giant beasts breaking free from their cages, converging into a violent tidal wave.

An earth-shattering dragon's roar erupted from the Silverfrost Dragon, prompting the Dragon Attendants seated atop to draw their swords, forming ranks in solemn preparation.

Elsewhere, in the marshlands.

Lei Xiao of the Thunder Sect and Liu Wei of Winter's Bite, both battered and bruised, each carrying a youth on their backs, suddenly sensed the shift in the aura and looked up in alarm.

A brilliant arc light streaked overhead.

The dense, gloomy clouds were cleaved in two, splitting further apart.

The night sky, once obscured by cloud cover, was now revealing twinkling stars and the curve of a crescent moon.

Liu Wei, with his hair in disarray, gazed at the increasingly luminous night sky and sighed, "After all these years, this outcast from the Forgeroses has grown stronger than any of the sect's hand-chosen disciples of her generation. Her master, having failed to secure the sect leadership, fled to the extraterrestrial and is rumored to have been vanquished by the Sky Fiend, but she..."

"If she survives, she may well surpass her master," Lei Xiao intoned gravely.

"I wonder if the current Sect Master of the Forgeroses can accommodate her," Liu Wei mused, his eyes narrowed. "As long as the Sect Master remains silent, we'll proceed with our plans. Her potential is boundless; we must do everything we can to ensure she stays in Aetherius and doesn't return to Euwrea to stir up trouble."

"I hope the dragon in Dragon Lake can deal her a severe blow," added Lei Xiao.

After their brief exchange and the distant roars of the Blackfang Beast, they shared a wry smile and resumed their flight.

...

Deep within the forest, Yu Yuan sensed the tumultuous spiritual energy in the distant sky, his heart pounding with surprise. He had no time to engage in further conversation with Wei Feng and instead settled into a meditative state on the spot.

Mouth closed, breath steady, his focus turned inward, he entered a deep meditation in an instant.

Without using his eyes, he extended his heaven soul to perceive the movements of the aura above.

He attempted to reach out to Yu Zhu, urging her to remain hidden.

To Yu Yuan, both the seventh-level Silverfrost Dragon and the powerful individual about to confront it posed potential threats to Yu Zhu.

Yu Zhu had shown considerable improvement in this world. If she stayed out of sight and kept a low profile, she should be safe.

His concern was that Yu Zhu might act impulsively.

Recently, Yu Zhu had demonstrated increased cunning, exploiting the animosity between the Blackfang Legion and both the Thunder Sect and Winter's Bite to her advantage. Her bold and reckless actions had paid off, much to his dismay.

Yu Yuan feared that her growing confidence might lead her to confront the Silverfrost Dragon and that mysterious challenger directly.

When his heaven soul finally connected with Yu Zhu's remnant soul, he was alarmed to discover that she was indeed brazenly approaching the battlefield where the Silverfrost Dragon and the unknown combatant were set to clash.

"Don't go there!"

Yu Yuan focused his consciousness, trying to transmit his plea to Yu Zhu, but he was suddenly interrupted by another voice echoing in his mind.

"..."