Chapter 20: Blood and Iron

The moon was a crimson specter in

the night sky, casting its baleful gaze

over the battlefield. The screams of

the dying echoed through the air, a

symphony of carnage that set Zhen

Yang's blood alight.

He stood at the edge of the chaos,

his crimson robes flowing like liquid

fire, an eerie calm radiating from him

as if the carnage was nothing more

than an annoyance. Before him, the

forces of the Baijin Sect clashed with

a desperate coalition of smaller

clans, their blades flashing in futile

defiance."Kill them all," Zhen Yang

commanded, his voice cold,

resonating with abyssal authority.

Behind him, a contingent of warriors

loyal to him surged forward, their

eyes glazed with fanatic devotion

These weren't ordinary men; they

were marked by the abyss, their

strength amplified but their sanity

eroded. They tore into the enemy

lines with unrelenting brutality, their

weapons carving through flesh and

bone.

Zhen Yang strode forward, his

crimson energy flaring around him in

a deadly aura. A lone warrior charged

at him, desper etched into his

features"Demon!" the man screamed,

swinging his sword with all his

might.

Zhen Yang didn't even flinch. With a

flick of his wrist, a crimson tendril

erupted from the ground, piercing the

man's chest. The light in his eyes

faded as his body crumpled to the

ground, lifelessMore warriors came, their fear overridden by the hope of striking

him down. They failed. Each one fell

under his relentless onslaught. One

by one, their bodies piled at his feet

forming a grotesque monument to

his power.

At the heart of the battlefield, Zhen

Yang faced the Baijin Sect's leader, a

grizzled man named Elder Wei. His

silver hair was matted with blood, his

once-pristine robes torn and stained"So, you're the monster everyone

speaks of," Elder Wei growled, his

blade shimmering with blue flames.

"I'll put an end to you, for the sake of

the heavens."

Zhen Yang tilted his head, a faint

smirk tugging at his lips. "You speak

of heaven as if it cares for you, old

man. But let me show you who truly

holds dominion here.

Elder Wei lunged, his blade a blur as

it sliced through the air. But Zhen

Yang moved like a shadow, his every

step precise, his movements elegant

yet deadlyThe two clashed, their powers

shaking the earth. Elder Wei's flames

burned bright, but Zhen Yang's

abyssal energy was an all-consuming

void. With every exchange, the old

man weakened, his strikes slower,

his breathing labored.

"This is the power of the abyss,'

Zhen Yang said, his voice dripping

with mockery. "It doesn't just

consume-it evolves.

In a final, devastating blow, Zhen

Yang unleashed a wave of

wave of crimson

energy that obliterated Elder Wei's

defenses. The old man fell to his

knees, his sword clattering to the

ground."You... are no man," Elder Wei

whispered, blood trickling from his

lips. "You're a calamity..

Zhen Yang leaned closer, his crimson

eyes glowing with malice. "Then let

the calamity begin."

With a flick of his fingers, he ended

Elder Wei's life, the man's body

disintegrating into ash.As the battlefield fell silent, Zhen

Yang stood amidst the sea of

corpses. The Baijin Sect was no

more, their resistance crushed. His

followers gathered around him, their

faces a mixture of awe and terror.

"Remember this day,' Zhen Yang

said, his voice carrying over the

silence. "This is the fate of those

who oppose the Abyssal Sovereign

Spread the word--this world is mine

to claim."The crimson moon seemed to shine brighter, its light reflecting off the

blood-soaked ground. Zhen Yang

turned, his gaze fixed on the distant

horizon. His path to dominion was

paved with blood and iron, and

nothing would stand in his way.