Chapter Thirty-Seven: Beheaded

“The Underworld Emperor... how could he appear in the Immortal Cloud Domain...”

As the city lord, Li Tiansheng, stammered out his words in terror, the stunning woman at the forefront slowly raised her right hand and placed a ferocious mask upon her face. At the same moment, thousands of blood-garbed figures lifted their hands as well, each conjuring a fearsome white mask streaked with scarlet, fastening them onto their faces.

“By the Emperor’s decree: exterminate every lord of the thirteen thousand seven hundred cities of the Immortal Cloud Realm!”

A long spear materialized in her hand. As her cold voice echoed, her other hand formed a rapid incantation, and she pointed toward the city ahead.

A sound reminiscent of the world’s beginning, flowing toward the end of all things, resounded as Heaven’s End City suddenly shuddered. Within a radius of tens of thousands of miles, a fleeting, illusory river appeared. Cracks began to spread visibly across the city walls.

“Kill!”

The soldiers within the city were struck with horror, their hearts trembling, when the woman outside suddenly raised her spear and pointed it at them. Her voice was icy, like the chill of midwinter.

“Kill!”

A thunderous, earth-shaking roar erupted. The thousands of blood-masked figures swept forward like phantoms, closing in an instant.

Battle erupted.

In a heartbeat, the sounds of slaughter, flesh tearing, and shrieks of agony filled the air. As the city’s defenders fell one after another, Li Tiansheng, clad in his scholar’s robe, found himself utterly bereft of any will to resist.

“Stop! Stop! We surrender! We surrender to the Underworld Emperor!”

Supported by two armored guards, Li Tiansheng screamed hoarsely at the leading woman, his body trembling, his eyes brimming with desperate pleading.

“Please... please stop... We surrender...”

Yet no one answered, no matter how long he cried.

Not until every soldier in Heaven’s End City lay dead, blood flooding the streets, was Li Tiansheng seized like a dog and thrown at the feet of the woman commanding the army.

“Why... why?!”

Staring up at the woman, whose aura was as deep as an abyss, feeling the cold emanating from her armor, Li Tiansheng’s eyes blazed with hatred as he roared his grief.

“They had wives and children! They had families too! We already surrendered! Why must you slaughter them all?! Why?!”

Li Tiansheng’s voice broke with hatred.

The woman slowly removed the blood-marked mask from her face, revealing features of breathtaking beauty. She shot him a cold glance.

“Execute him.”

She gave the order with calm indifference, then turned away, ascending toward the city’s high dais.

A wet, tearing sound rang out almost before her words had faded. Li Tiansheng, consumed by hatred, died, his breath gone.

Immediately, thousands of Asuras fell into step behind the woman, following her as stars encircle the moon.

Before long, she leaped gracefully to the top of the high platform, casting her gaze over the empty streets below. Her voice was serene as she spoke:

“Centuries ago, the master of the Immortal Cloud Realm colluded with the Divine Court, wantonly draining this land’s spiritual essence. As a result, the realm’s energy became polluted, and all living things struggled to cultivate.”

“Now, the Emperor descends, wielding his decree: pacify the Immortal Cloud, destroy all who aided its corruption.”

“This matter is for your ears alone. Should any defy, you and your entire clan will share their fate.”

Her voice, infused with spiritual power, carried through every corner of the city.

Having spoken, she wasted no time. With a leap, she descended and led the Asuras away.

It was a long while before the doors and shutters of the city’s streets began to open. People crept out, glancing anxiously in all directions. Many broke into anguished wails and rushed toward the city gate.

Their loved ones were there.

But upon arriving, they found only familiar figures cloaked in a faint blue light, their forms insubstantial, and all fell to their knees, bowing deeply in the direction the Asuras had departed, their heads touching the ground again and again.

Yet, no matter how hard they searched, the city lord’s soul could not be found.

Meanwhile, in a distant mountain forest far from Heaven’s End City, thousands knelt in reverence before a woman.

She was none other than Qing Li, the one who had just led the slaughter of the city’s defenders.

“This pace is too slow. Split up and operate independently,” she said, her eyes deep and unreadable as she surveyed the blood-clad figures.

“Princess, but... except for you, our cultivation is no higher than the Saint Realm...”

A young man, just past twenty, bowed and hesitated. “It’s not that we fear death, but with my Divine Bridge cultivation, I doubt I could take a city alone as you do, Princess...”

He lowered his head, not daring to meet her gaze. For a soldier, to admit defeat was a deep shame.

Qing Li shook her head, giving him a calm look.

“The Emperor’s masks allow you to draw upon the power of the Underworld for a short time,” she said quietly.

“Scatter, and go about your tasks. There is more than one way to conquer a city besides direct assault.”

“Yes!”

Without further delay, the group clasped their hands in salute and dispersed, some heading out alone, others in small groups, flying toward various cities.

“What the lord desires is an invincible army... But an invincibility won by borrowed strength—of what worth is that?”

Watching them depart, Qing Li shook her head and sighed softly, her eyes contemplative, a trace of regret in her heart.

First they relied on formations, now on the Asura masks... If this continues, how can they ever become the Asuras who strike terror into the myriad races of the world?

“Well said. That is exactly what I was thinking.”

At that moment, space behind her rippled, and a handsome figure in a black-and-gold embroidered robe stepped forward.

It was the Underworld Emperor himself.

“Qing Li greets my lord!”

Seeing him, a flash of joy crossed Qing Li’s eyes. She dropped to one knee, right hand to her chest, bowing with utmost respect.

“Now that you hold the title of Asura, so many formalities are unnecessary,” the Underworld Emperor said with a gentle laugh, helping her up.

“How do you think this matter should be handled?” he asked after a brief pause, his gaze thoughtful.

“My lord...” Qing Li’s heart raced at his question, her breath quickening slightly. She fell silent, considering his words deeply. Only after a long moment did she speak:

“I believe that training soldiers must be held to standards beyond what ordinary people can bear. Asura cultivation, especially, should follow the way of ultimate slaughter—only then can true warriors be forged.”

She fell silent then, standing at his side and awaiting his response.

“In that case…”

The Underworld Emperor nodded approvingly at her words, his voice low as he continued, “Here I have the life imprint of an Immortal King. Do you dare accept it?”