The scent of blood mixed with sweat and dust hung thick in the air. The battlefield stretched endlessly under the shadowy sky, where combat auras flickered like dying stars. Roars of cultivators and the clashing of spiritual weapons created a rhythm of chaos. Even the clouds above seemed to churn in turmoil, reflecting the war-torn lands below.
At the heart of this storm stood Jun Mo Xie, unmoving.
He wore a tattered black cloak that billowed like raven wings in the wind. His glowing eyes emitted a silent fury, and every step he took left an echo of spiritual pressure. His presence was like gravity itself—impossible to ignore. Unlike commanders who hid behind their troops, Jun Mo Xie was at the front lines, his sword gleaming with cold, spectral light.
"That's him... Jun Mo Xie!"
A warrior from the Yi Family's army screamed, panic breaking through his voice. The enemy had not expected him to be here—leading, fighting, executing.
Before another word could follow, Jun moved.
He dashed forward like a phantom, every motion fluid yet lethal. His sword pierced the throat of one enemy, arced into a second, and with a sweep of his leg, the third was airborne before his chest caved under a palm strike. He didn't just fight—he dismantled, he obliterated.
Jun combined the silent death techniques of his previous world with the spiritual cultivation of this one. He was a phantom assassin gifted with martial wisdom beyond his years. The result was terrifying—unpredictable, seamless, and fatal. Each step he took was calculated. Each breath a rhythm with the battlefield.
"He's not human... He's the Black Phantom!"
Meanwhile, a rumble of coordinated footsteps approached from the western ridge. One hundred elite soldiers—Jun's hand-picked and personally trained—charged forward. Their spiritual energy was palpable, their eyes ablaze with resolve. Despite modest armor, their power rivaled mid-tier cultivators. They were the result of months of preparation.
They bore a small black insignia over their hearts—Jun's personal mark. Their formation was tight. Their discipline, unbreakable.
"Engage the southern flank!" one captain ordered.
They unleashed a triple-layered formation Jun had invented, combining brute strength with a temporary spiritual energy burst. When they struck the enemy's line, it shattered like glass. Screams echoed as enemy lines collapsed under a precision assault.
Jun had drilled them relentlessly. While others trained sword arts or spiritual breathing, Jun forced them to learn tactical positioning, silent movement, and team synchronization. He reshaped them into a weapon—a living, breathing sword.
Suddenly, a violet light shimmered in the sky.
It descended slowly, gracefully, like a butterfly carried by the wind. When it landed near Jun, the battlefield paused.
It was her—the fourth heroine.
She was ethereal, with silver hair cascading down her back and emerald eyes glowing with intelligence. Her spiritual aura was neither fully human nor beast. She was a spirit beast in human form, older and stronger than any Jun had faced.
"You saved me... again," she said softly.
Jun, blade still lowered but not sheathed, replied, "I knew your story wasn't over when I saw you in that cave."
Before she could respond, a tier-seven enemy charged from the side.
But she was faster.
Her aura flared, claws extending from her fingertips. In a blink, she tore through the attacker, leaving nothing but silence behind. She moved with primal grace, her body a seamless blend of elegance and destruction.
The soldiers stared in awe.
She stepped beside Jun and said, "Call me Lilin. From today, I am your shadow blade."
With Lilin's arrival, Jun's army transformed into an unstoppable force. One thousand trained warriors, an elite spirit beast, and the cunning mind of their leader—it was more than a match for the Yi Family.
From a distant ridge, a Yi strategist watched in horror. He observed the flow of battle as formations failed and morale collapsed.
"This... this isn't a battle. It's a calculated purge."
He turned to flee—but a shadow approached him.
A dagger flashed. Silence followed.
By sunset, the battlefield was quiet. The wind carried the scent of burnt steel and scorched earth. Only Jun and his soldiers remained standing. Bodies littered the field, and the once vibrant banners of the Yi Family lay trampled.
Jun didn't allow celebration. He inspected the wounded personally, applying healing pills to those who had pushed themselves beyond their limits. His presence reassured the soldiers—they weren't just pawns; they were the core of a rising force.
Nearby, the three heroines joined him, pride and jealousy battling in their expressions.
"You could've left me a few opponents," the princess teased, brushing strands of blood-smeared hair from her face.
"If you could keep up," Lilin smirked.
Li Lin, the quiet guard, simply stood by his side, her silence louder than words. Her blade was still dripping with enemy blood, but her focus never wavered from Jun.
Jun handed each of them a specially refined pill—his own creation. "You fought well," he said. "You deserve this."
Even the hardened soldiers whispered in amazement. These pills were rare, able to increase one's inner energy by years in a matter of hours. Jun had sacrificed rare herbs and his own energy to create them.
Lilin studied the pill before accepting it. "I see now. You're more than a warrior... you're a strategist, an alchemist, and a leader."
That night, as the wounded rested and scouts reported full victory, Jun stood beneath the moon, writing into a small leather-bound journal.
He drew new diagrams, tactics, and formations—refinements born from the battle. Lilin watched from afar, curious but respectful.
"Do you ever sleep?" she asked.
Jun smirked. "Sleep is for men who have the luxury of time. I'm building an empire."
She chuckled and walked away, her long silver hair catching the moonlight.
In his tent, Jun met with his key officers. A large map of the kingdom was spread before them.
"We'll fortify the eastern border," Jun said, pointing to a mountain pass. "Send five hundred to patrol here. We can't risk ambushes now that the Yi Family is fractured."
"Yes, sir!" they echoed.
Jun turned to a scout. "Status of our supply line?"
"We've intercepted two enemy caravans today. Reinforcements may be delayed. They're weakened."
"Good. We apply pressure tomorrow."
Later, Lilin approached quietly.
"You planned all this, didn't you?" she asked.
Jun nodded. "Every move. Every loss I could afford. Every enemy weakness exploited."
She paused, then whispered, "And what about me? Did you plan for me too?"
He met her gaze, steady. "No. You were... unexpected."
A rare smile curved her lips.
And so the night passed, not wi
th revelry, but with resolve.
He was no longer just a shadow.
He was the storm.
---
End of Chapter Seventeen