Scheme

The cold current flowing south from the Northern Border had formed dark clouds stretching for thousands of miles, shrouding the entire capital region. Yet now, a tiny fissure had been torn open midway through those clouds.

As the view drew closer, brilliant light poured down like a waterfall. The rain had only just ceased, and the earth remained muddy. A brand-new trench stretching over a dozen miles cut across the mountains and forest like a scar upon the land.

And the origin of it all was merely a massive blunt-edged sword over a zhang long.

The terrain had been reshaped. Gashes had appeared in the rolling mountains, while the dense forest looked as though it had been plowed through by a mad bull. The vast woodland lay scattered in disarray, and broken giant trees creaked as they littered the ground.

The zhang-long heavy sword lay at the bottom of an enormous crater, its surface black as ink, devouring the light around it. The dawn rising in the east cast its shadow long.

But at this moment, a black boot patterned with golden designs stood atop that divine heavy sword, pinning its front half deep into the earth.

The battle had ended too quickly—so quickly that no one had had time to react. The whole world seemed to have fallen into some strange stillness at dawn.

The sickly old man floating in midair.

The white-haired middle-aged man standing atop the heavy sword.

And, on the distant horizon, the terrifying military formation that had risen belatedly.

Li Yaoxuan looked down at the enormous crater and the trench connected to it, contemplation in his clouded eyes.

After a long while, he casually ordered the restless military formation on the horizon, "Don't move," before slowly descending.

His gaze paused for an instant on the