Imperial Capital.
Even the falling snow seemed laden with crushing pressure.
Zijin Palace.
Yuwen Xiu stood in golden armor, war attire gleaming.
At his waist, the Emperor’s Sword—forged as if from pure gold.
Below the hall.
The Black Dragon Thirteen stood in formation—thirteen strong. Though one had fallen in Beiluo, another Black Dragon Guard immediately filled the vacancy.
The Thirteen were always thirteen; Black Dragon Guards coveted the position ceaselessly.
Yuwen Xiu had instituted internal competition within the Thirteen. The strongest gained not just wealth and status, but personal guidance from the Black Dragon itself.
Thus, every member cultivated and competed relentlessly.
Only strength brought more wealth and power.
The distant clamor of siege and slaughter reached the palace.
Yuwen Xiu’s expression remained unchanged.
The old eunuch kept his head bowed, face complex. The moment had come—Great Zhou’s life or death.
The Thirteen below looked grave.
They watched Yuwen Xiu atop the throne, wondering what cards he held.
Under normal circumstances, they couldn’t hold...
Against Daxuan alone, they might fight. But with Xiliang and Overlord—they had little confidence.
“Your Majesty…”
Liu Hao, leader of the Thirteen—half-step into Body Storage—looked up, worried.
“Come with me.”
After long silence, Yuwen Xiu rose, walking toward the Imperial Garden.
The Thirteen exchanged stunned glances.
The garden? Now?
Shouldn’t they be sent to the front?
But none spoke.
They followed.
Imperial Garden.
Cold as ever, thick with snow.
Yuwen Xiu’s armored steps crunched.
The Thirteen trailed.
The jade-green pool rippled, blood-scent lingering in the air. Yuwen Xiu was calm—long accustomed.
The water boiled like scalding heat.
A massive vortex formed; the Black Dragon surged forth—cold black armor gleaming with icy brilliance.
Its sharp eyes seemed almost capable of speech.
Yuwen Xiu’s gaze softened upon it.
Behind, the Thirteen bowed in awe, frozen by the dragon’s oppressive aura.
Sharp claws gripped stone; the dragon hauled itself out.
Four claws now beneath its belly; scales denser. Wounds from Little Phoenix One’s feathers—healed completely.
The dragon nuzzled Yuwen Xiu, massive head lowering to touch his.
Kindred spirits.
“My Great Zhou faces annihilation… You are all I have left.”
Yuwen Xiu murmured, cradling the dragon’s head.
Intelligence flickered in its eyes.
It turned to the Thirteen, mouth opening—a black, round pearl slowly floated out.
The dragon shuddered.
Thirteen black scales shed.
They hovered before it; the black dragon pearl spun, viscous fluid dripping onto each scale.
“Black Dragon Saliva.”
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
Yuwen Xiu’s eyes lit.
He beckoned the Thirteen.
Liu Hao stepped first; a scale flew to his brow, slamming in—
Agonizing pain, as if embedding in flesh and bone.
His eyes bloodshot, crimson.
But exhilaration—
Breakthrough!
From Qi Core peak to Body Storage!
Yuwen Xiu clenched fists, thrilled.
The dragon had grown, transformed… From devouring commoners (limited gains) to cultivators—evil surged, power soared!
The dragon opened wide; phantom souls flickered in the pearl, then swallowed.
It dove back into the pool.
Yuwen Xiu faced the sweat-drenched, transformed Thirteen.
“Great Zhou’s survival rests with you.”
He approached Liu Hao, slipping two letters into his hand.
“Use when necessary. I trust you’ll handle well.”
Yuwen Xiu said.
Eyes sharp.
Had the Master lived, these letters would bind strongly.
But the Master dead, restraint gone—Yuwen Xiu couldn’t rely solely on them.
Yet as morale breakers—perfect.
“Go.”
“I await victory.”
Including Liu Hao, the Thirteen’s eyes blazed. They bowed, exited the garden, raced outside the capital.
Thirteen Body Storage…
Cheated, yes—but enough to overturn the battle!
...
Beiluo, lake-heart isle.
Baiyujing pavilion.
The instant the dragon spat its pearl, Lu frowned.
“Such dense malice…”
Lu murmured.
The dragon strengthened—not slightly. Devouring cultivators amplified evil and power daily.
Condensed an evil dragon pearl; horns nearly sprouting.
Once horns grew—third transformation, rivaling Golden Core.
Evil cultivation—fastest path, but most heaven-defying.
Lu tapped wheelchair.
He craved Golden Core to elevate Five Phoenix Continent from low to mid-martial.
But not the dragon.
“Now… Old Nie might not beat it.”
“Yet if he clears fifth floor—perhaps.”
Lu pondered.
Leaned back, watched on.
And faintly… Emperor Yuwen Xiu plotted something.
...
Outside the capital.
Overlord’s domineering opener launched Xiliang’s assault.
Roars thundered; black masses charged the plains, storming the walls.
Mohist siege engines from the mechanism city shone.
Capital gates far heavier than defenses.
Overlord chose no brute force.
Xiliang raised ladders, sprinting from afar, planting at walls—soldiers climbed madly.
Daxuan idle no more.
Tantai Xuan raised blade high, pointing capital.
Daxuan charged.
Two elite forces hammered the ancient city.
Breaching capital far harder than defenses.
Once fallen, Great Zhou neared doom.
On walls, Black Dragon Guards raced, rousing Zhou elites.
Fight or die.
Battle turned brutal.
Xiliang climbers faced dozens of Zhou soldiers, Black Dragons mixed in—hacked to death swiftly.
Siege—a tug-of-war of endurance. Deaths mounted; a breach would tear wide.
Unlike Xiliang scaling walls.
Daxuan targeted gates.
Hundreds hugged massive rams, slamming ancient doors.
Boom!
Boom boom!
Corpses rained—Zhou elites, Xiliang warriors.
Stalemate dragged.
Finally, Xu Chu swung iron balls, ascended walls—one smash toppled foes.
Breach.
Xiliang flooded up.
Below.
Daxuan ram shattered soldier-braced gates.
Defenders flew.
Jiang Li led charge through ancient doors.
Silver armor blood-soaked in blinks.
Eyes flashed escape from capital; two old soldiers’ heads soaring.
War intent surged.
True carnage erupted.
Battle silent; snow turned crimson.
Capital streets—dense Zhou elites, conscripted militia wielded weapons, joined fray.
Speak not of enfeoffment; one general’s success—ten thousand bones wither.
White snow dyed red.
Tantai Xuan on steed, no rear hiding—wielded weapon frontline.
Eyes red—one general’s success indeed atop countless corpses.
In capital.
Iron cavalry thundered—near three hundred, oppressive dread.
“Xuanwu Guards—form!”
Jiang Li bellowed.
Pressure trembled his face.
Black clouds rolled; blood qi, wails of wronged souls…
Unease; Jiang Li grave.
“Leading—Black Dragon Thirteen… why different?”
Jiang Li inhaled.
Thirteen he’d faced—transformed, more evil.
Hooves exploded.
Masked, black-armored Thirteen led three hundred Black Dragon Guards.
Capital’s strongest defense!
And final card!
“War!”
“Crush rebels—enfeoffment, prime ministership!”
Liu Hao raised black spear, hoarse roar.
Thirteen and Guards charged fanatically.
Zhou elites parted.
Before walls.
Jiang Li arrayed Xuanwu Guards.
Cultivator formations—stronger, momentum linked.
“War!”
Xuanwu roared.
Black Dragons charged like black spear, piercing Xuanwu shield!
“My King—retreat!”
Jiang Li spear in hand, horse before blood-soaked Tantai Xuan, urging back.
Cultivator battles—no place for him.
Tantai Xuan self-aware. Once he’d boast, I can fight!
But beaten by cultivation society—he knew he couldn’t.
Retreated wisely.
On walls, Xiang family army descended—soon cultivator war.
Xu Chu swung balls, joined Xuanwu vs Black Dragons.
“Kill!”
Liu Hao muffled.
Thirteen drew back black spears—“Dragon Spines.”
Boom!
Boom boom!
Auras erupted.
One after another…
Thirteen simultaneous Body Storage waves swept streets!
Walls.
Overlord descending step-by-step squinted.
Sudden thirteen Body Storage—how not startling?
Glanced far—saw distant Thirteen.
Under Body Storage leaders.
Xiang and Xuanwu lines shattered instantly.
Xu Chu roared; ball pierced by Liu Hao’s spine—shoulder exploded, crashed.
Body Storage…
When did Great Zhou gain so many?
Overlord puzzled, but pressed—wielded Qianqi, strode.
Jiang Li stunned.
All Thirteen Body Storage?
Beyond expectation.
Cultivation era, yet Body Storage still mighty.
Thirteen Black Dragon Guards?
“The dragon?”
Jiang Li realized, grave inhale.
Boom!
Under Thirteen.
Black Dragons ferocious, suppressed Xuanwu and Xiang.
Thirteen held—no rush; sensed killing intent locking them.
Liu Hao gripped Dragon Spine, turned—distant, step-by-step, burly figure from snowstorm: Overlord.
Xiliang hegemon.
Xiang Shaoyun!
Liu Hao’s eyes warlit.
Gripped status-symbol weapon.
Cautious—sent one armor-bearer.
Brow scale flared, charged Overlord!
“Body Storage?”
Overlord gripped axe, accelerated.
Demonic aura coiled; axe wrapped, swung—axe wave cleaved ground.
Saw brow scale—knew power source.
“False Body Storage—not your own—empty!”
Overlord roared.
Armor-bearer clashed.
Overlord veins bulged, body taller.
Axe met Dragon Spine.
Sparks!
Snow shattered.
Axe force horrified bearer.
True Body Storage far stronger than dragon-borrowed!
Bearer roared; black scales densely armored him.
“Black Dragon Scales?”
Overlord hair wild. Body Storage cost him blood and beatings—these cheats suppress him?
“What are you?!”
Overlord scorned.
Axe demonic surge.
Slashed—
Bearer in scales—still bisected, hot blood splashed snow.
Tantai Xuan afar sighed; Jiang Li dazed—true powerhouse.
Overlord’s valor—unmatched!
Horses’ neighs ceased.
Liu Hao’s eyes contracted.
Palace depths.
Pool dragon roared; water exploded, green splashes.
Claws slammed edge—stone crumbled like tofu, thick black qi spread, withered garden flora…
Capital streets.
Overlord’s black axe dripped blood.
Sensed—looked palace depths.
Faintly saw black dragon roaring at him.
