The Cloud Above the Clouds

"For the past thousand years, the immortal sects have lorded it over us, gnawing at our bones and sucking our marrow like vermin generation after generation. They have allowed natural disasters and human calamities, demon upheavals and bandit scourges to ravage the people of our Great Yan Dynasty.

"For this day, too many of our comrades have fallen along the road behind us. Now, the rebels have written their blasphemous proclamation beneath our feet and presumptuously drawn open the curtain on the Great Yan Dynasty's civil war."

"Many of our brothers-in-arms will have their time frozen here today. But the young master and the Chancellor have already paved the road to victory for us with their blood in the Heaven Origin Mountain Range."

"We are the Black Scale Heavy Army—the Chancellor's blade."

"After today, let the immortal sects feel the terror our forefathers knew."

"After today, the immortal sects will no longer stand high above, towering amid the clouds."

"After today, the immortal sects will be cast into history by our own hands."

"Today, let us dye our sword souls with the blood of rebels!"

"."

"."

"."

Fragmented voices rang beside his ears. Zhou Ping jolted awake from his nightmare and instinctively tightened his grip on the Spirit Blade in his arms, vigilantly scanning his surroundings.

This was a room resembling a sealed chamber.

Cast from metal, it was permeated by the shriek of raging high-altitude winds, like the wails of malicious ghosts. Dense formation patterns had been engraved upon its inner walls, their glowing lines allowing one to barely make out the interior.

Shadowy figures made the vast space seem cramped, while the faint light of the formation patterns reflected a deep, chilling gleam from their armor and weapons. Only that calm voice echoed through the corridor within