War Against the Dead  

BOOOOOOOM!

Jiang Chen, Bai Muchen, and Xiao Dong burst into motion as the spectral warriors lunged at them with ghostly weapons pulsing with ancient, forgotten power.

The dead had risen.

Their hollow eyes burned with eerie blue-white flames, and their bodies flickered in and out of existence, like echoes of a past battlefield reliving their final moments.

"Intruders..."

"Your strength shall be tested..."

"Survive… or become one of us."

The battlefield shook with ethereal energy as the undead warlords charged.

SCHWOOOOOM!

Jiang Chen barely had time to react before a phantom warrior materialized before him—its blade of light slicing through space itself.

His Starshadow Body activated instinctively. His form flickered.

SLASH!

The air split where he had just stood, leaving a razor-thin distortion in space.

His golden-amber eyes flashed. These aren't just mindless ghosts…

This warrior had once comprehended the Dao of Space!

"You tread upon our battlefield, yet you do not carry our legacy…"

"Let us see if you are worthy of standing among us."

Jiang Chen's grip on his spear tightened.

The Phantom Blade General's sword hummed as it moved faster than thought—a blur of slashes that seemed to bend reality itself.

But Jiang Chen wasn't just fast.

He was a monster.

His Chaos Qi surged, fusing with his Heaven Sundering Palm.

"Let's see if the dead can handle destruction itself!"

BOOOOOM!

His palm met the Phantom Blade General's sword head-on.

The impact shattered the ground beneath them, sending a massive shockwave rippling outward.

Jiang Chen twisted mid-air, appearing behind the general with his Starshadow Burst, space distorting around his body.

"Starshadow Burst!"

BANG!

A strike of pure destruction slammed into the spectral warrior's chest, its ethereal form flickering violently.

But it did not vanish.

"Impressive…"

"But strength alone is not enough to defy the past!"

The Phantom Blade General roared and vanished, appearing above Jiang Chen with his blade raised high.

"Phantom Blade – Severing Horizon!"

The sky split apart, a crescent of pure energy descending upon Jiang Chen like divine judgment.

Jiang Chen's eyes widened. Shit!

He barely had time to react before the world erupted into blinding light.

-

Xiao Dong dodged left, rolling across the ruined battlefield as a spectral giant's fist the size of a boulder slammed into the ground where he had just stood.

BOOOOOM!

The entire floor quaked.

Xiao Dong leaped up, his Madstorm Qi surging like a storm around his body.

"Big guy, you hit hard!"

"BUT SO DO I!"

CRACK!

Xiao Dong's fist collided with the giant ghost's jaw, sending the massive warrior stumbling backward.

The undead titan snarled, its body flickering between reality and illusion as it regained its stance.

Xiao Dong's grin widened.

"Looks like I've found a good punching bag!"

With a battle cry, he launched forward—the sound of flesh meeting phantom steel shaking the entire battlefield.

-

Bai Muchen stood firm, his body radiating golden battle Qi, as a colossal spectral figure loomed over him.

"You… are one of us…"

The voice of the Warlord rumbled through the air, filled with both recognition and challenge.

"But will you rise? Or will you fall like the rest?"

Bai Muchen grinned, his fists glowing with raw strength.

"There's only one way to find out!"

He charged.

A battle between Titanblood Physique and Warlord of the Past erupted, shaking the battlefield like a war between gods.

BOOOOOOOOM!

-

Jiang Chen barely evaded the crescent slash, his Starshadow Body flickering as he reappeared further away.

"This thing's strong…"

His fingers curled into a fist.

But he was stronger.

Jiang Chen's Chaos Qi surged, fusing with his Heaven Sundering Palm, but this time—he added something new.

His Starshadow Body's second innate ability.

"Void Step!"

The air around Jiang Chen collapsed.

In an instant, he ceased to exist.

The Phantom Blade General's hollow eyes widened.

"What—?"

Before it could react—

Jiang Chen reappeared behind it.

A storm of darkness and space energy coiled around his palm.

"Die."

BOOOOOOOM!

The Phantom Blade General erupted into fragments, its sword shattering into nothingness.

The battlefield shook violently, and a deep voice echoed through the ruins.

"You… have surpassed us…"

"Move forward… to the next trial."

The remaining spectral warriors faltered.

Then—one by one, they vanished.

The First Floor had been conquered.

Jiang Chen exhaled, his body trembling slightly from exertion.

Bai Muchen and Xiao Dong walked toward him, equally worn but victorious.

Xiao Dong wiped blood from his lip, grinning. "Fuck yeah! First floor, done!"

Bai Muchen cracked his knuckles. "That was harder than I expected."

Jiang Chen smirked. "Then we're in for one hell of a ride."

Then—

At the very center of the battlefield, a portal of light appeared.

"Step forward."

"Ascend to the Second Floor."

The three of them glanced at each other.

Then, without hesitation—

They stepped through.

Their battle had only just begun.

The moment Jiang Chen, Bai Muchen, and Xiao Dong stepped through the golden gateway, the battlefield around them vanished into an abyss of swirling energy. Their bodies felt weightless, the sensation of falling stretching for what seemed like an eternity.

Then—BOOOOM!

They crashed onto solid ground.

Jiang Chen's feet dug into the earth as dust and debris billowed around him. He coughed, waving his hand to clear the air. As the dust settled, his golden-amber eyes narrowed.

They were no longer in the war-torn ruins of the First Floor.

The Second Floor was something else entirely.

The sky above was blood-red, cracked like shattered glass. The land stretched endlessly, a desolate wasteland of jagged obsidian cliffs and broken, floating islands. Rivers of molten rock coursed through the valleys, and towering, skeletal remains of ancient warriors jutted from the earth like unburied corpses.

The battlefield reeked of old blood, death, and something else—hatred.

Jiang Chen exhaled. "This place feels… angry."

Bai Muchen cracked his neck. "This ain't just any battlefield. It's a damn grave of vengeance."

Xiao Dong grinned, his fists tightening. "Good. Then let's give them something new to be angry about."

Suddenly—BOOM!

A shockwave ripped through the wasteland as a figure erupted from the ground.

A monstrous warrior stood before them, twice the height of an average man, clad in tattered, spiked armor stained with dried blood. His face was hidden beneath a cracked battle helm, glowing crimson eyes burning beneath its shadow. A massive, rusted axe was embedded in his chest, yet he still moved—still fought.

A deep, guttural voice resonated through the air.

"The living have no place in the realm of the fallen."

Bai Muchen spat on the ground. "And yet, here we are."

The warrior let out a deafening roar—

BOOOOOOM!

Then, dozens more began rising from the earth.

Warriors of the damned. 

Once, they had been conquerors, rulers of an ancient battlefield. Now, they were cursed spirits, forced to battle for eternity. Their twisted souls craved vengeance against the living.

The Second Floor had begun.

Jiang Chen's grip on his spear tightened. These weren't like the spectral warriors from before. They were stronger. More tangible. More real.

BOOM!

The first warlord lunged, swinging a rusted greatsword that screamed through the air.

Jiang Chen twisted his body, barely avoiding the blade as it carved through the ground like butter. A second warlord was already upon him, its jagged spear thrusting forward.

Jiang Chen planted his foot, his Chaos Qi surging.

"Starshadow Burst!"

WHOOSH!

He vanished, reappearing behind the warlord, his spear stabbing forward like a viper.

CLANG!

The spear struck—but the warlord didn't fall. Instead, it laughed, grabbing the spear's shaft with its bare hand. Its flesh burned from the Chaos Qi, but it didn't let go.

Jiang Chen's eyes flickered. They weren't just strong. They felt no pain.

The warlord pulled him forward—

BOOM!

A massive fist crashed into Jiang Chen's ribs, sending him flying through the air.

Meanwhile, Bai Muchen was fighting like a god of war. His fists blurred, every strike sending warlords crashing into the ground.

One of them swung a massive halberd toward his head.

Bai Muchen grinned.

"Titanbone Smash!"

CRACK!

He caught the halberd with his bare hands, shattering it into dust. Then, he lifted the warlord by the throat and slammed him into the ground so hard the earth split.

Xiao Dong, on the other hand, was a storm of destruction.

He weaved through the battlefield, his fists exploding like cannon fire.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Every punch sent shockwaves through the air, his Madstorm Qi roaring like a hurricane. He fought like a maniac, dodging, countering, and attacking in a wild, unpredictable rhythm.

Jiang Chen wiped blood from his lips, rising to his feet. His eyes gleamed with battle hunger.

"They don't feel pain? Then I'll just have to hit harder."

The battle raged for hours.

For every warlord they struck down, another rose from the ashes. The air was thick with killing intent, the stench of blood clinging to their skin.

Jiang Chen's muscles burned, his Qi draining faster than expected. This was different from the First Floor.

The Temple wasn't just testing their strength.

It was testing their endurance.

Xiao Dong panted, his fists still clenched. "These bastards just don't stop…"

Bai Muchen rolled his shoulders. "Then we don't stop either."

Jiang Chen's eyes burned. "We push forward."

Together, they charged.

Spear met steel. Fists met bone. The warlords howled in rage, but the three warriors roared louder.

BOOM!

With one final push, the last of the warlords crumbled to dust.

Silence.

Then—

A deep voice rumbled through the battlefield.

"You have proven your right to stand among the fallen."

A massive gate appeared at the edge of the wasteland, glowing with golden light.

The exit.

Bai Muchen exhaled. "Finally."

Xiao Dong grinned. "Onto the next."

Jiang Chen smirked. "Let's go."

They stepped through the gate—

And the Third Floor awaited them.

The Third Floor was an icebound tundra, where frozen specters and chilling winds threatened to drain their very life force. They were forced to keep their bodies burning with Qi at all times, lest they be consumed by the frost.

The Fourth Floor was an endless maze, shifting with every step. Shadow beasts lurked in the corridors, preying on fear and hesitation. The only way forward was through sheer instinct and courage.

The Fifth Floor was a land of thunder and lightning, where the sky itself became their enemy. Every movement drew the wrath of the storm, forcing them to battle while enduring constant heavenly tribulation.

Each floor had pushed them further.

By the time they reached the Sixth Floor, their bodies were bruised, their Qi depleted.

And then—

A shadow loomed over them.

A towering figure sat upon a throne of skulls.

His body was wrapped in ancient, cracked armor. His presence alone crushed the air.

The first true enemy had arrived.

The Fallen Wargod.

His hollow eyes glowed with malice.

"You have come far," he rumbled. "Now let me see if you are worthy to go further."

Jiang Chen's blood burned.

Bai Muchen's fists clenched.

Xiao Dong grinned.

The battle had just begun.