Heavenly Flame Dynasty

Not long after Hei Long and the Black Dragon Cavalry entered the battlefield, the spirit beasts that had been attacking the city were continuously slain, leaving only a few struggling to survive. Bai Xue stood on the city walls, observing the battle in amazement. She sighed softly before murmuring to herself, "Nirvana level... all of them?"

A young woman standing beside her spoke, her voice laced with unease, "How did His Majesty hide them so well? And with this, who in the Heavenly Flame Dynasty could even think of opposing him?"

Bai Xue nodded lightly and responded with a determined tone, "I doubt they'd even get the chance to consider it, don't you think?"

At that moment, she suddenly bowed deeply toward the shadow of the wall. The woman beside Bai Xue looked confused for a moment, then saw a man dressed in black quietly emerge from the shadow of the wall. The Dark Shadow operative stepped forward from the darkness, and Bai Xue immediately knelt in respect, offering the seal used to control the entire Northern Army without hesitation. The woman beside her also knelt down, panicking, and showed her respect.

The Dark Shadow operative took the Flame Seal, the symbol of authority over the entire Northern Army, and spoke in a cold, icy voice, "If you want the army's seal back, prove your worth. In ten days, Emperor Li Huang will be restructuring the entire system. The Emperor has high expectations of you, young lady."

With those words, the Dark Shadow operative vanished into the darkness.

Bai Xue smiled faintly. "I will not disappoint you, Your Majesty," she said as she stood up. Without hesitation, she leaped off the city wall and into the battlefield, her sword slicing through the remaining spirit beasts without mercy.

"General! Wait for me!" the woman beside her called out, hurrying after Bai Xue, leaving only a silent battlefield where the sounds of fighting had once echoed.

Soon after, the battle between the spirit beasts and the Northern Army of the Heavenly Flame Dynasty came to an end. The citizens cheered joyfully, and most of the surviving soldiers quickly returned to the city to tend to their wounds. The people were relieved to see their protectors return safely.

The Northern Region was unlike the other regions. It didn't have many corrupt officials because it was a dangerous land, constantly besieged by spirit beast attacks. No one wanted to govern or settle here. Most of the people in this region were either highly skilled or had exceptional cultivation talents but were driven out of the other regions to meet their deaths here in the North.

Meanwhile, the Dark Shadow Secret Unit had entered the cities and taken control. The city lords welcomed them warmly, and the Dark Shadow Secret Unit announced a one-year tax exemption and distributed food to the people, just as they had done in the other cities conquered by Emperor Li Huang's forces.

Bai Xue, now standing once again on the wall, watched Hei Long and the Black Dragon Cavalry still stationed outside. She felt a bit confused but didn't dare to ask. She simply watched from afar. Suddenly, a Dark Shadow operative stepped out from the shade of a nearby tree and reported quietly, "Within the Spirit Forest, there are hundreds of spirit beasts stronger than Nirvana-level, as well as many other beings whose power levels cannot be determined."

Hei Long listened silently to the report before nodding and issuing his orders. "The Black Dragon Cavalry may return to the city."

In the Sword Dynasty, a woman knelt, sobbing and begging before an elderly man with tears streaming down her face. "Father, I beg of you, avenge my husband and son. They didn't deserve to die like this!"

The old man looked down at his daughter, his face stern, before sighing lightly and speaking in a firm voice, "Do not act this way, my child. I will avenge them. I will kill that dog Emperor and bring his head to you. But I need time. Right now, the Sword Dynasty is in chaos, with the princes fighting each other for the throne. No one is paying attention to anything else. I just need to wait for the situation to calm down, and then my White Jade Army will march to annihilate the Heavenly Flame Dynasty. I promise you."

The kneeling woman nodded slightly, her tears still flowing. Though she said nothing, her heart was filled with rage. "As my husband and son died, so must you," she thought silently, rising gracefully before leaving.

Meanwhile, in the capital of the Heavenly Flame Dynasty, Li Huang sat in the imperial council room, surrounded by piles of documents. Amidst the silence, he looked up from his paperwork and spoke in a voice filled with cunning.

"It's been a long time, hasn't it, Tenth Brother?"

The young man standing before Li Huang smiled slightly, his eyes cold. Behind him stood several ancestors of the Heavenly Flame Dynasty. He was the tenth prince, Li Chen.

"I never thought I'd see you again, Brother. I thought you'd be dead by now," Li Chen said coldly.

The atmosphere in the room grew tense, but Li Huang remained seated calmly, his eyes filled with arrogance.

"When you meet the Emperor, why do you not kneel?"

The tenth prince met Li Huang's gaze and replied firmly, "It's you who should kneel when facing the Emperor of the Heavenly Flame Dynasty!"

Li Huang smiled, his bright red eyes fixed on Li Chen. Then, he spoke.

"I'm in need of a few test subjects. It seems you've volunteered to help clean my hands."