Chapter Zero: Mowing the Grass
The biting cold wind howled past his ears.
The young man on the city wall raised his hand and tightened the collar of his broad coat.
Stray arrows and fiery stones streaked across the blue sky, reflected in his eyes without leaving a trace.
Nearby,
broken bodies lay scattered, crimson blood gushing like fountains, staining the white snow on the ground.
In the distance,
rows of black-armored soldiers stretched to the horizon, continuously surging forward, turning the silver-clad land into a heavy black.
Watching the scenes outside the city,
the young man's thoughts drifted far away, back to that day many years ago when the city fell and its people perished.
Since then, he had lived a life of exile, fleeing for his life.
But now, things were different. He was no longer the weakling he once was.
Thinking of this, Li Ao clenched his fists, and the source energy within his source mansion began to surge.
Accompanied by the roaring thunder and the rumbling tides, his momentum began to climb.
Soon, Li Ao heard a sound like shattering glass, pleasant to his ears.
He had finally crossed the threshold between gold and platinum, joining the ranks of the elite warriors of this world.
But it was not enough.
Li Ao looked at the brutal battlefield; platinum was not sufficient to turn the tide of this war.
This time, Li Ao swore he would not let the tragedy repeat, nor would he watch his family and friends fall under the holy church's slaughter again.
"Mo Shang."
Li Ao silently called out his partner's name.
"Hmm? What is it?"
An ethereal, melodious voice echoed in Li Ao's mind.
Hearing that beautiful voice, a reassuring smile appeared on Li Ao's face.
"Does the previous agreement still count?"
"What agreement?"
The ethereal voice asked in confusion.
"I'll give you a quarter of my soul, and you help me advance by one rank."
Li Ao spoke of the agreement he had once refused.
He had been too weak then; even advancing one rank would have been futile.
But now it was different. If he could advance to Star Diamond, he would have a sixty to seventy percent chance of turning the tide of this battle.
Hearing Li Ao's words, Mo Shang laughed, a laugh filled with joy and happiness.
As the laughter rang out, a pitch-black tide surged upwards, engulfing Li Ao's entire source mansion.
The platinum rank insignia suspended in the air of the source mansion was covered with cracks under the assault of the black tide.
The cracks widened, and dazzling light shone from within, like a phoenix about to break free from its shell.
Having just stabilized at the platinum rank, his energy surged again, climbing upwards at an indescribable speed.
Li Ao's face flushed red as he felt the violent energy threatening to burst from his source mansion, his heart pounding fiercely.
Thump! Thump!
His chest seemed to be holding in a breath that he couldn't exhale.
Using his right hand to prop himself up with his sword, he clutched his chest with his left hand, enduring wave after wave of soul-rending pain.
Fortunately, it came quickly and left just as fast.
Just as Li Ao thought he couldn't take it any longer, his source mansion returned to calm, the pain fading away, replaced by a feeling of ease and comfort.
The ethereal, melodious voice echoed in his mind once more:
"One hour limit. Is that enough?"
Li Ao raised his hand, feeling the wondrous power of the Star Diamond rank, his eyes filled with joy.
"More than enough."
At this moment, he felt as if he had become one with the world, everything around him seamlessly merging with his being, moving without any hindrance.
Looking back at the frightened people within the city, Li Ao gazed up at the sky, raising his Mo Mei sword high. The blade shimmered with brilliant light.
Pure white snowflakes and dark plum blossoms emerged from the sword, forming a black and white torrent that swirled around Li Ao.
The once clear sky was quickly covered by dark clouds.
Thunder, terrifying and soul-stirring, exploded in the sky. Along with the thunder came the sound of rushing dark tides, a sound that filled those who heard it with unease.
Sensing the change in the environment, the battlefield fell silent for a moment.
People looked at the darkening sky, their expressions filled with uncertainty and fear, not understanding what was happening.
As the thunder and the sound of tides grew louder, Li Ao straightened up on the city wall.
Holding his peerless divine weapon, he stepped into the void, rising straight into the thunder-filled clouds.
One of his eyes glowed with blazing white lightning, while the other was covered with an eerie crimson.
The mix of violent and sinister auras made Li Ao, suspended in mid-air, appear both godlike and demonic, drawing everyone's attention on the battlefield.
Looking down at the vast army of the church's Inquisition, a rebellious and wicked smile curled Li Ao's lips as he swung his long sword with fierce determination.
In an instant, dazzling lightning tore through the thick clouds, a massive bolt of electricity cutting through the sky, striking where his sword pointed.
Where the lightning passed, a swath of black-armored soldiers was reduced to charred remains, smoke rising, and the smell of roasted flesh permeating the air.
As the lightning roared, dark rain began to pour from the heavy clouds, a torrential downpour.
The living beings on the ground, like candles flickering in the wind and rain, were swallowed and extinguished.
Lives reduced to mere grass!