The battlefield was a ruin of collapsed ruins and blood-soaked stone.
Li Xuan stood alone, surrounded by over a dozen corpses—disciples, mercenaries, and monsters alike. His robes were torn, soaked in both his blood and theirs. His saber, Executioner, steamed in the cold wind, red mist evaporating from its jagged edge.
Above him, the sky churned crimson.
Not natural. The system had warned him the moment he stepped into this part of the dimensional battlefield:
—Mission Zone Detected: Ancient Warfront (Fragmented Realm)—
—Warning: Sovereign Influence detected. Remain low-profile.
—Active Mission: Secure Warlord Memory Cluster (Stage II)—
—Objective: 4 of 6 Memory Beacons retrieved. Remaining: 2—
—Failure Consequences: System Penalty / Random Trait Lock—
"I don't have time for more distractions," he muttered.
But the world never listened.
A thunderous roar split the sky—and a new enemy descended.
A mutated rhino-beast, clad in chitin armor and burning with corrupted Qi, smashed through the northern ridge. On its back stood a youth clad in black with crimson tattoos crawling up his neck.
An Inner Sect genius. One of the Crimson Flame Hall.
"A rat from the outer circle? And you've survived this long?" the youth sneered. "Not bad. But this is where your luck ends."
Li Xuan didn't respond. He slowly lifted his saber and slid into stance.
System Update:
—Combat Initiated: Elite Encounter—
—Target: Zhao Wufei (Ranked #42 Crimson Flame Hall)—
—Beast Companion: Bloodhorn Juggernaut—
—Battle Estimation: 61% Survival Rate—
"I like those odds," Li Xuan whispered—and vanished with Phantom Step.
The battle exploded in an instant.
Saber against spear. Footwork against destruction. The rhino's roars made the very ground quake as it charged again and again, trying to crush Li Xuan like an insect.
But he was never where it expected.
One moment behind it—next above.
His perception sharpened. The Simulation Room's trial against speed-type monsters had paid off. He read its movement patterns. Adjusted to the rider's timing. Each block deflected rather than resisted, each step placed for prediction.
And when Zhao Wufei unleashed his Crimson Spear Art, its sweeping flame wave lighting up the field—
Li Xuan activated his newly purchased technique: Reactive Saber Flow.
Time seemed to slow.
He sidestepped into the blind arc of the spear and counter-slash struck from below—dislocating the youth's shoulder and splitting the spear in two.
Zhao's eyes went wide. "You—"
Li Xuan's fist met his jaw before he could finish.
[Face-Slapping Divine Art – "You Talk Too Much" Activated]
Zhao tumbled from the beast. Li Xuan leapt into the air.
And with a roaring battle cry, he brought Executioner down.
BOOM.
The beast collapsed. The Crimson Flame genius coughed blood as he crawled away—then stilled.
System Notification:
—+1 Elite Cultivator Kill: LCP +44—
—+1 Beast Kill: LCP +29—
—Total LCP: 301 / ???—
—Memory Beacon Secured: 5 of 6—
—Progress: 82%—
Li Xuan sheathed his saber. His chest heaved.
But then—
System Notification:
—Warlord Memory Cluster (Stage II) Completed—
—Reward: Legacy Fragment (Rank: Heaven)—
—Compressing into New Skills…—
A glowing orb descended into his palm and dissolved.
System Shop Update:
—New Skills Available—
• Warlord's Battlefield Awareness (Passive) – 240 LCP
• Soul Suppression Glare – 310 LCP
• Crimson Bone Refining Art – 400 LCP
And then, the system voice… changed again.
["Not bad, brat. You're learning to pick your fights. You might even start earning my respect."]
Long Chen's voice crackled like static laced with laughter.
Li Xuan exhaled. "Respect, huh?"
He turned away from the corpses, eyes cold.
"I'll earn that when I stop needing it."
He vanished into the haze of the battlefield.
—
System Overview:
Cultivation: Foundation Establishment – Early (232 / 800 EXP)
Long Chen Points: 301 LCP
Techniques: Phantom Step, Predator's Pressure, Reactive Saber Flow, Face-Slapping Divine Art
Weapon: Heaven-Shearing Executioner
System: Long Chen Controller | Shop / Simulation Realm / Mission Hub Unlocked
Traits: Unbending Will, Tactical Instinct (Unlocked via Simulation Training)
Active Mission: Final Beacon Retrieval
Consequences: Always active upon mission failure