The wind tore through the jagged cliffs of the Crimson Wilds, carrying with it dust, heat, and the whispers of ancient battles long buried beneath blood and rock. Jin Zhen stood atop the tallest ridge, his black-and-crimson robes flapping behind him like the wings of a reaper. Below, the valley stretched for miles—wilderness claimed by no sect for centuries, its danger matched only by the treasures it concealed.
"Soon," he whispered, eyes gleaming with ambition. "This land will kneel too."
Yue Wen approached from behind, holding a scroll. "The scouts returned. No signs of the Golden Cloud Sect. The western perimeter is secure."
Jin Zhen nodded. "And the eastern edge?"
"Marked by beast activity. Something's stirring near the Ruined Lotus Basin."
He smirked. "Then we'll stir it harder."
Behind him, the elite squad of Crimson Lotus Sect stood ready. Over two hundred disciples had followed him into the wilds. At their head, the Core Disciples: Fang Mei, cold and sharp as a dagger's edge; Wu Shan, the juggernaut with fists of stone; and Lan Su, the fox whisperer whose presence unsettled even their allies.
This wasn't just an expedition—it was conquest.
Jin Zhen raised a hand. "Today, we claim the basin. Leave nothing unclaimed."
The roar of two hundred disciples echoed across the land like thunder.
As they descended, the landscape grew more treacherous. Twisted trees formed unnatural shapes, and vines seemed to move of their own accord. The Ruined Lotus Basin was a marshland drowned in fog, home to beasts mutated by spiritual residue.
Suddenly, a hissing screech shattered the air.
From the fog slithered a Shadowscale Serpent, its obsidian body pulsing with noxious light. Three times the size of a warhorse, its eyes burned red with hatred.
A Rank Four beast.
The disciples readied their weapons, some trembling. This was not something they could handle alone.
"Fang Mei!" Jin Zhen's voice rang clear. "The eyes. Blind it."
She leapt into action, twin blades dancing through the fog like lightning. The serpent struck, but she twisted mid-air, her sabers finding their mark. Black blood sprayed as the beast screeched in pain.
"Wu Shan—jaw!"
He roared and charged. Spiritual energy surged around his fists. With one blow, he shattered the lower jaw of the beast, sending it flailing.
"Lan Su!"
She crouched, her Bloodfire Fox materializing beside her. Together, they launched a barrage of fire bolts at the serpent, igniting the venomous mist in a controlled blaze.
Then, silence.
The beast hissed in defiance, trying to retreat into the marsh.
But Jin Zhen had already moved.
He appeared atop the serpent's head in a blur, one hand glowing with dense crimson qi.
"Submit."
His palm descended.
A blast of red energy cracked the skull of the serpent. Its body spasmed, then went limp.
Cheers erupted from the disciples, but Jin Zhen didn't bask in their awe. Instead, he turned to Yue Wen.
"Harvest everything. I want its core, its venom sac, its scales. Prepare it for transport."
"Already done," she replied with a bow.
By nightfall, the Crimson Lotus Sect had set up camp beside the beast's corpse. Fires glowed in the fog, and disciples celebrated their victory with roasted meat and wine. But Jin Zhen sat alone, staring at a flickering system window.
[Status Update]
Name: Jin Zhen
Title: Crimson Overlord
Realm: Golden Root (Late)
SP: 9,880
Wealth: 17,300 Spirit Stones
Special Physique: Crimson Flame Veins
Notoriety: Moderate
Followers: 243 Active Disciples
Controlled Territory: 5 Sectors (3 Rural, 1 Urban, 1 Beast-Domain)
Wealth Sources: Trade Routes (Primary), Beast Subjugation (New), Spirit Herb Cultivation
[SP Action Unlocked]
Crimson Wilds Outpost (Tier I)
Cost: 3,500 SP
Effect: Instantly constructs a fortified outpost in hostile terrain. Includes cultivation chamber, healing spring, and early warning formation.
Jin Zhen tapped the [Confirm] option.
Moments later, the ground trembled.
Red light burst from the center of the marsh. Stone pillars rose from the earth, forming towers and watchposts. Crimson banners unfurled into the air, each bearing the symbol of the Crimson Lotus—a blooming lotus ringed in fire.
Gasps rippled through the disciples.
"In one night…" someone whispered. "He's built a fortress."
"It's the system!" another muttered. "The Sect Master is blessed by the heavens!"
Jin Zhen stood at the highest tower's edge, arms crossed.
"This is only the beginning," he said, voice low.
But someone else heard.
Far beneath the basin, something ancient stirred—a pulse of spiritual pressure awakened. A sealed tomb, forgotten by even the oldest sects, began to crack. And from within, a cold laugh echoed.
The Crimson Overlord had made his mark.
Now, the world would answer.