Bloodstained Xianyang

Deep within the underground cave of the Shady Ravine of Mount Li, it pulsed like the heart of a giant beast. Upon the altar, the throbbing of that enormous Dark Gold egg grew ever stronger, like war drums being beaten. Every tremor sent the foul Dragon Vein Earth Energy churning like boiling water. The scale-like patterns upon the eggshell greedily sucked in the more primal, violent Calamity Qi dispersed by that slight loosening of the Heavenly Dao Shackles.

Lu Buwei stood below the altar, his luxurious prime minister's robes stained with mottled filth. His eyes were closed, his fingertips trembling slightly as he sensed the lingering aftereffects left upon the shackles of authority by that fleeting sensation of "loosening." After his shock and doubt came a nearly morbid fervor that seized him.

"Heavenly Dao... also has openings to exploit!" He abruptly opened his eyes, their pupils glinting with the cold light of venomous snakes beneath the ghostly green phosphorescence. "The Holy Lord's descent is a sign from heaven! Ying Zheng, you brat, Cheng Xi, you evil obstruction... your fortunes have run out!"

He whirled around and barked at the black-robed demonic person beside him, whose aura had grown increasingly sinister, "We cannot wait any longer! The Holy Lord is about to awaken, and the Calamity Qi has stirred! Activate the Blood God Incantation at once! Tonight, I want Xianyang... flowing with blood! Use the blood of Qin's people to dye the Holy Lord's path of birth red!"

"As Prime Minister Lu commands!" The ghostly green flames in the black-robed demonic person's eyes surged as his hoarse voice rang with bloodthirsty excitement. He suddenly bit through his tongue and spat out a mouthful of black blood, thick as ink and emitting a pungent, fetid stench! Rather than falling to the ground, the black blood twisted and writhed in midair before instantly turning into hundreds of tiny flying insects the size of fingernails, jet-black all over and armed with hideous mouthparts—Blood God Spawn!

The strange insects beat their wings without a sound, pierced through the thick mountain rock, and flew toward Xianyang City like shadows of death!

Xianyang, Zhangtai Palace.

The candles burned brightly, yet they could not dispel the oppressive gloom within the hall. Ying Zheng sat upon the throne, dressed in black as ink, his face dark and still. Below him, Meng Tian knelt on one knee in full armor, dust coating his mail. He had clearly ridden through the night, and his report came in rapid urgency.

"...By the Great King's secret command, this general kept the Shady Ravine of Mount Li under surveillance and discovered abnormalities! The earth energy was far more turbulent than usual, and sinister, filthy aura was leaking out! Several groups of cultivators of unknown identity were also discovered infiltrating the place, their movements suspicious! This general sent capable scouts close to investigate. Of ten sent... nine did not return! The sole survivor brought back this!"

Meng Tian raised both hands and presented a scrap of cloth soaked in filthy blood. Drawn crudely upon it in scorched-black charcoal was the outline of a hideous, twisted Dark Gold giant egg. Beside it were several shocking words: Breeding Demonic Creatures! Prime Minister Lu... mastermind!

Ying Zheng's gaze fell upon the scrap of cloth, and his deep-pool eyes instantly froze! An icy, bone-piercing Killing Intent swept through the entire Zhangtai Palace like an invisible storm! The candles within the hall flickered wildly, while every palace maid and eunuch standing nearby fell silent as cicadas in winter, trembling all over.

"Lu Buwei!" Ying Zheng's voice was like ice from the Nine Netherworlds, each word spoken with rage so vast even the Wei River could not wash it away. "I have not treated you poorly! Yet you dare... collude with demonic evils, covet the royal tombs, breed demonic creatures! You wish to overturn my realm?!"

"Great King!" Meng Tian raised his head, fury burning in his tiger eyes. "The demonic lair has become a grave threat! This general requests permission to lead the elite battalion and immediately level the Shady Ravine of Mount Li, slaughter the demonic evils, and capture the traitor!"

Ying Zheng abruptly rose, the hem of his black robes stirring without wind. Just as he was about to speak, a shrill, urgent alarm whistle sounded from outside the hall! It was followed by the sharp clash of weapons, the enraged roars of soldiers, and... the shrieks of something inhuman!

"Report—!!!" A palace gate commandant, drenched head to toe in blood and with his helmet hanging crookedly, tumbled and crawled into the hall. His voice broke from sheer terror. "Great King! There... there are monsters! Many among the Imperial Guard have suddenly gone mad! They bite anyone they see! They possess immense strength, and blades and spears cannot harm them! They can... they can even breathe poisonous fire! The palace gate... the palace gate cannot hold much longer!"

"What?!" Meng Tian's expression changed drastically as he looked sharply at Ying Zheng.

Cold light burst from Ying Zheng's eyes! Lu Buwei! He had actually extended the claws of demonic evil into Xianyang Palace! Into his Imperial Guard! So fast! So vicious!

"Meng Tian!" Ying Zheng's voice was like a sword leaving its sheath. "Take my Tiger Tally! Mobilize the Lantian Barracks outside the city! Seal Xianyang's nine gates! Execute without mercy anyone showing unusual movement!"

"Yes!" Meng Tian accepted the gleaming golden Tiger Tally and charged out of the hall like a tiger.

Ying Zheng stood atop the vermilion steps, looking down upon the chaos and flames erupting outside. Not a trace of panic showed on his cold face—only the fury of an emperor, like a storm about to break, ready to choose its prey and devour it. Slowly, he raised a hand and rested it upon the hilt of the Tai'a Sword at his waist. The blade hummed. Within its scabbard, a slumbering, majestic power carrying the killing aura of iron cavalry and battlefields slowly awakened.

The Ancestral Dragon... was about to awaken!

Huayang Palace.

Within Jiaolan Hall, incense curled through the air. The core figures of Empress Dowager Huayang's Chu Faction—Lord Changping Mi Chen, Lord Changwen Mi Liang, and several elderly men dressed in State of Chu attire with profound Auras—had gathered together. The atmosphere was grave.

"Empress Dowager," Mi Chen frowned deeply, "the sounds of battle outside the palace are deafening! The Imperial Guard has mutinied! It must be that treacherous Lu Buwei, driven to desperation! He has colluded with demonic evils to throw the palace into chaos. He means to murder the king and rebel!"

Empress Dowager Huayang sat at the seat of honor. Though advanced in years, her phoenix eyes remained sharp as blades. A string of warm jade beads rested in her hand, and her knuckles had turned faintly white from the force of her grip.

"Lu Buwei has gone mad! He actually dares employ demonic power in Xianyang Palace! He is courting death!" Lord Changwen Mi Liang snapped. "Empress Dowager, the elite Shadow Guard of our Chu Faction has already entered the city in secret! We should seize this opportunity to kill that traitor Lu and protect the king! We can also use this chance to suppress the Zhao Faction..."

"Foolish!" Empress Dowager Huayang sharply cut him off, slapping the jade beads against the table with a crisp sound. Her gaze swept over them, cold with worldly insight. "If Lu Buwei dares act now, he must have something to rely on! Whatever lies within that Mount Li Demonic Lair has likely reached maturity! If we rashly get involved now, not only will we gain nothing, we may become sacrifices for that traitor Lu and the demonic evils! We may even... take the blade for the Zhao Faction hiding behind the scenes!"

She drew a deep breath, her voice utterly resolute. "Issue the order! Seal Huayang Palace! All Shadow Guards are to hold fast within the palace grounds! Without my written command, no one may act without authorization! Let that traitor Lu, the demonic evils... and the people of that bitch Zhao Ji fight Ying Zheng's brat to the death!"

"The Empress Dowager is wise!" Mi Chen and the others instantly came to their senses, cold sweat streaming down their backs. The vortex of Xianyang was a hundred times more dangerous than they had imagined!

Ganquan Palace.

Unlike the grave vigilance of Huayang Palace, an eerie aura permeated Ganquan Palace. Zhao Ji wore a thin gauze robe and reclined sideways upon an embroidered couch. Her beauty remained alluring, but her eyes were hollow and unfocused, her cheeks flushed with an unnatural red. She toyed with a warm jade carving of secret erotic scenes and giggled softly.

Lao Ai wore only an inner robe as he knelt before the couch. His posture was humble, yet his eyes burned with mad ambition and lecherous light. With fingers stained crimson with nail dye, he gently and suggestively massaged Zhao Ji's ankle.

"Empress Dowager... listen to how lively it is outside..." Lao Ai's voice was bewitching. "Prime Minister Lu has made his move... the skies of Great Qin are about to change... Once Prime Minister Lu deals with Ying Zheng, that little evil obstruction... how could the title of Empress Dowager possibly match your dignity? You... ought to be Great Qin's Queen! And I... shall be your most loyal... King Consort..."

"Queen? King Consort?" Zhao Ji's eyes remained unfocused as she giggled, her body faintly twisting under Lao Ai's teasing touch. She seemed immersed in an absurd dream. "Good... good... as you wish... my... King Consort..."

Just then!

Hiss! Hiss! Hiss!

Several nearly imperceptible black shadows—the Blood God Spawn that had flown from Mount Li—slipped through the cracks of the doors and windows like phantoms and silently infiltrated the hall! After circling briefly in the air, they Pounced Towards the palace maids and eunuchs standing within, those trusted by Zhao Ji and Lao Ai, like leeches catching the scent of blood!

"Argh!"

"What is that?!"

The screams stopped abruptly!

The palace servants struck by the Blood God Spawn convulsed violently at once, their eyes rolling white as roving black qi bulged beneath their skin! In merely a few breaths, all life vanished from their eyes, leaving them hollow and vacant—only for a crazed, bloodthirsty ghostly green light to ignite there moments later! Their nails lengthened wildly, and their teeth sharpened! Beast-like rasping sounds issued from their throats!

"Blood... flesh..." The transformed monsters greedily sniffed the aura of living people in the air and slowly turned toward Zhao Ji and Lao Ai, who remained lost in their dream upon the embroidered couch!

"Protect the Empress Dowager! Protect the Empress Dowager!" Only then did Lao Ai startle awake. Terrified out of his wits, he scrambled behind Zhao Ji and screamed shrilly!

Zhao Ji was also stunned by the horrifying sight before her. At last, a trace of fear returned to her unfocused eyes.

The hall doors were smashed open! Several fiercely loyal Zhao Faction warriors rushed into the room. Seeing the scene inside, all of them turned pale with horror!

"Kill them! Kill these monsters!" the leader of the warriors shouted as he drew his blade and charged at the monster closest to Zhao Ji.

The blade flashed and struck the monster's shoulder, yet it produced only the clang of metal striking iron! Sparks flew everywhere! The monster seemed not to notice. With a backhanded claw, carrying a fetid gust of wind, it effortlessly ripped through the warrior's finely forged iron breastplate and pierced through his chest!

Blood spurted! Drawn by the scent of blood, more Blood God Spawn surged madly through the cracks in the doors and windows like a black tide!

Ganquan Palace, once a palace of extravagance and debauchery, instantly became a living hell! Screams, roars, the cracking of bones, the tearing of flesh... intertwined into a blood-soaked symphony of death!

Zhao Ji stared at the hellish scene before her. She watched her trusted attendants turn one after another into bloodthirsty monsters, watched Lao Ai's ugly state as terror made him lose control of his bowels, and for the first time, deep fear and boundless regret appeared in her hollow eyes. She finally realized what kind of uncontrollable demon she had summoned!

"No... don't come any closer!" she screamed, curling up in the corner of the embroidered couch. Her gorgeous gauze robe had been splattered with thick blood and filth.

A hand belonging to her former personal maid, covered in scraps of flesh and blood, reached slowly and steadily toward her snow-white, fragile neck on a powerful fetid wind...

East of Xianyang City, the Beacon Tower.

This ancient military installation had now become the center of a storm of chaos. The Beacon Tower, which should have been lit with warning smoke, now burned with thick black flames that gave off a vile stench! The flames twisted upward, vaguely forming the face of a grinning ghost!

Leading the elite soldiers of the battalion, Meng Tian was fighting desperately against a group of Imperial Guards who had undergone complete Demonic Transformation! These former comrades had become monsters with immense strength, sharp claws and fangs, and poisonous fire on their breath! They knew no pain and feared no death as they surged forward like a tide.

"Form ranks! Crossbowmen! Aim for their heads!" Meng Tian fought bathed in blood. Every swing of the Long Ge in his hand carried tremendous force, smashing the charging demonic Imperial Guards away! Yet there were too many monsters, and more Imperial Guards were constantly being transformed after being struck by Blood God Spawn drifting through the air!

The battalion's battle line retreated step by step, suffering grievous casualties.

Suddenly!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Three figures crashed down like meteors amid the monster horde before Meng Tian! The violent blast instantly shattered dozens of monsters into dust!

As the smoke and dust dispersed slightly, it revealed three huge men—tall and broad, with bronze skin and rock-like muscles knotted across their bodies! Bare-chested and clad only in crude animal hides below the waist, they radiated a primordial, heavy aura like the earth itself! In their hands, they held rough yet enormous stone axes and hammers!

The leader had a blade-carved face and eyes as steady as a deep abyss. He was Hou Ji, a warrior of the Wu Clan sent to infiltrate Xianyang and secretly protect Cheng Xi!

"Warriors of the Wu Clan! Houtu Tribe! By the decree of Empress Pingxin!" Hou Ji's voice was a Resounding Bell. His stone axe swept out, raising a storm of blood and fetid wind. "Aid the Qin people... slaughter the demons!"

With these three terrifyingly powerful Wu Clan warriors joining them, the pressure upon the elite battalion suddenly decreased, and their morale soared!

A flicker of astonishment crossed Meng Tian's eyes as he watched Hou Ji's inhuman strength, but it was swiftly replaced by resolve. "Good! Elite battalion! Follow the Wu Clan warriors! Kill—!"

The horn of counterattack sounded!

Yet Just as Meng Tian and Hou Ji joined forces and struggled to push the battle line back—

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Three black shadows as swift as phantoms shot soundlessly from the shadow of the Beacon Tower, where black flames burned! Like three bolts of black lightning tearing through space, they aimed straight for the vital points at the backs of Hou Ji and the two Wu Clan warriors beside him!

They were far faster than the Blood God Spawn from before, and their Killing Intent was far more concentrated! They were the Natal Blood God Thorns personally refined by the black-robed demonic person beside Lu Buwei!

Though Hou Ji sensed the danger, several powerful transformed officers had him entangled from the front. It was already too late to bring his stone axe back in defense!

"Watch out!" Meng Tian's eyes nearly split with rage!

Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!

Three soft sounds rang out!

Blood burst forth!