Jiang Li stood before Purple Gold Palace, eyeing drifting snow—lost, dazed.

  Henceforth, no Great Zhou.

  He hated once—not jail, but old soldiers beheaded opening gates for him—hate born.

  Now settled—no joy, weary, heart-tired.

  Zhou's fall inevitable; without cultivation storm, long gone in momentum.

  Perhaps Yuwen Xiu couldn't withstand Zhao Kuo rebellion.

  War impacted Jiang Li hugely—cultivators overturned war understanding, Soldier School ideals.

  Eyed cold desolate snow.

  Post-war, perhaps retire armor fields.

  ...

  Yuwen Xiu sank pool.

  Garden silent.

  Tantai Xuan eyed blood-rolling pool—no joy.

  Dynasty topple sorrowful.

  Eyed blade-horse kneeling snow old eunuch—Yuwen Xiu final moment accompanied; luck.

  Yuwen Xiu eyes only dragon—Master left, Jiang Li, ministers hearts astray; even Thirteen sought dragon gains.

  Yet someone remembered.

  "Take eunuch—thick burial."

  "Also, fish Zhou emperor corpse—entomb Zhou mausoleum."

  Tantai Xuan to soldiers.

  Afar.

  Overlord Qianqi back—battle ended; no need linger; his matters.

  Tantai Xuan eyed departing back—grave.

  Zhou fallen—next Daxuan vs Xiliang.

  Nation-founding war crueler than anti-Zhou.

  Xuanwu guarded Tantai Xuan.

  Feared Overlord thunder strike kill.

  Now best time.

  Overlord too strong—vs dragon seen.

  Even Thirteen slaughtered solo.

  Dare not underestimate.

  Tantai Xuan calm—waved no tension.

  Overlord garden exit—snow bluestone steps, paused, twisted to Tantai Xuan.

  Faint glance.

  Tantai Xuan calm met.

  Two new kings.

  Moment quiet gaze.

  ...

  Steed galloped—Mo Ju from capital to North County, nonstop day night.

  Predicted Zhou short—fall.

  Then Daxuan Xiliang clash—equally brutal.

  Daxuan seemed strong—Xuanwu, god Jiang Li, Mo Beike...

  But strictly, Xiliang stronger.

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  Because...

  Xiliang had Overlord.

  Body Storage Overlord.

  Mo Ju needed invite counter—aid Daxuan.

  Else no chance founding war.

  Though Tang Xiansheng sought Tantai Xuan—Mo predicted favor but no South County card vs Xiliang.

  Daxuan self-rely.

  Snow wind—Mo Ju dizzy.

  Day night trek—exhausted, hungry cold.

  Finally destination.

  Buzhou base.

  Heavy snow layers.

  Mo Ju dismounted—crane cloak, body chilled; cultivator but not fervent—realm no resist cold hunger.

  World Overlord peers few.

  Besides enigmatic Baiyujing—jianghu few.

  South Tang Yimo one.

  Late Master one.

  Plus... former Dao Sect first, Li Sansi.

  Mo Ju saw Tianhan Pass.

  Li late annoyed—one wood sword chased Xirong army.

  No doubt strength.

  Buzhou—Li not Body Storage in, out yes.

  Thus Buzhou find.

  Melody悠悠 snow—desolate.

  Mo Ju lips twitched—found.

  Flute lover, ear-grating—only Li Sansi.

  Mo Ju snow waded.

  Base.

  Green ox coiled bluestone—green Daoist ox back, engrossed flute.

  Like gut-wrenching, no confidant ends.

  Mo Ju shook cap snow, tidied robes—to Li.

  Soon front.

  Li sensed—no stop.

  Mo Ju no interrupt—waited long, trembling snow.

  Long after.

  Li ceased—eyes open, half-smile Mo Ju.

  "Daxuan strategist Mo Ju."

  Li said.

  Mo Ju cupped hands—breath hot, bowed.

  "Ju greets Daoist Li."

  Li eyed trembling yet suave—smiled, tossed wineskin.

  "Drink warm."

  Mo Ju caught—sip, eyes bright: "Tianhan North Bamboo bamboo leaf green?"

  Unexpected recognition.

  Sip belly—like furnace—comfort.

  "How find me?"

  "Matter?"

  Li gripped snow wood sword—knocked off.

  Mo Ju solemn—eyed Buzhou, pointed.

  "Buzhou Li Sansi—deeds famous."

  "Daoist fury red face beauty—slew North 30k; Ju absent but heard."

  "Thus Buzhou sure find."

  Returned skin.

  Li stunned—shook head: "No fury beauty—one-sided."

  "But purpose guess—Zhou fall, Daxuan Xiliang; no Body Storage... need me vs Overlord?"

  Li said.

  Mo Ju nodded—solemn.

  Step back—hands front, grave bow.

  "Aid Daxuan possible—I may not win Overlord, but block no issue."

  Li said.

  No resist—if Daxuan fall, Buzhou domain Overlord; temper—army assault peak challenge Zhulong.

  Reason aid.

  Eyes turned Mo Ju.

  "But need favor."

  Mo Ju unexpected easy agree.

  "Daoist speak." Serious.

  Li flute gripped—eyed cloud-piercing endless Buzhou.

  Smiled.

  "Help send thing up peak."

  Mo Ju prepared bleed.

  Unexpected simple.

  "Why not self?"

  Mo Ju puzzled.

  Li side ox—glanced, face twitched.

  "Poor Dao... fears beaten death."

  ...

  Beiluo city.

  Lu Changkong hall sat—below Luo Yue, many generals.

  Eyed lead clouds—snow cold.

  "Ended."

  General sighed.

  Lu Changkong rose—scholar robes to door, eyed snow.

  Scout whipped from outskirts—city to mansion.

  Dismounted—rushed hall.

  Letter to Lu Changkong.

  Hall Luo etc stood—eyed letter.

  Lu shook snow—unfolded, slow scan.

  "Great Zhou... fallen."

  Folded—complex sigh.

  Master died Dongyang—predicted.

  Kong Xiu pillar—lost, tottering tower; wind topple.

  Daxuan Xiliang wind.

  Letter to generals.

  Lu listless.

  Hands back—snow court, vanished.

  "Great Zhou... defeated."

  "Expected—dynasty gone; we... pained."

  "Momentum irreversible—like tiger; unless Young Master transcendent... dynasty no block."

  Hall generals sighed.

  Letter detailed fall.

  Capital street—Overlord slaughtered Thirteen.

  Old eunuch died before emperor.

  Yuwen Xiu suicide black dragon pool—sank bottom; dynasty decline end.

  Brief—yet vivid bloody storm, desperate suicide scene.

  Not just Beiluo.

  Capital spies—soon spread.

  World shock Zhou fall.

  ...

  Beiluo lake.

  Misty qi veiled.

  Lu wheelchair sat—faint eyed hovering lake motionless black dragon.

  Little Yinglong shoulder squat—wings clamped, stared dragon.

  Leaned chair—slender fingers tapped red phoenix guard.

  Tap—dragon heart thump.

  "Devoured 437 cultivators, 895 commons."

  Lu eyed dragon—spoke.

  "Big appetite."

  Dragon eyes fear.

  "Fished lake—fated hook; many fish, you emerged, bit straight hook—broad path; yet narrowed."

  Lu faint—voice lake.

  Qi swirled huge vortex.

  "Power births good evil, evil things—I foresaw."

  "But you first evil."

  "Said wrong path—reforge... now changed."

  "Great Zhou existed you, fallen you... bore dynasty fate; thus become dynasty dragon qi, cycle rise fall."

  Lu said.

  Words fell.

  Lake dragon unwilling eyes.

  Fake pill—intelligence born; no speech.

  Wisdom human no less.

  Meaning clear?

  Dynasty dragon qi... path severed; ethereal fate exist—resource for world conquest.

  He devoured world—world his resource; now he resource for conquest...

  Unwilling?

  Of course.

  Ambition—from myriad fish emerged; leap gate, dragon above!

  Roar!

  Neck gills opened—shook.

  Eyes unwilling.

  Bang!

  Claw slapped lake—crater.

  Scales black qi rolled.

  Mouth—hot black flame sprayed.

  Target Lu.

  Shoulder Yinglong wings opened—water surged spit.

  Lu stopped.

  Dragon defied judgment.

  Rebel fate.

  Hot breath—lake steam thick.

  But...

  Dragon pupils shrank.

  Because...

  White-robed Lu slow rose wheelchair.

  Instant—white to black.

  Sit immortal, stand demon.

  "Dare fierce me?" Black Lu faint.

  Terrifying oppressive—dragon rigid.

  Breath neared Lu—dissipated air.

  Lu hair wild—lake steps to dragon front.

  Eyed.

  Slow lifted hand—finger forehead.

  Boom!

  Countless black lights swept—body streamed.

  Huge compressed... compressed...

  Finally black carp.

  Dragon to carp—instant.

  Body carp—but dragon soul floated, black dragon pill Golden Core.

  Flick.

  Carp fell lake—splash.

  Tail flick—free vast Beiluo swim.

  Carp to dragon, back carp—like Nanke dream.

  Dragon reforged.

  Left dragon soul, black dragon pill Golden Core.