Chapter Forty-Five: The War Begins

Xiangxi. An old scavenger stood amid a vast ruin, a mongrel dog panting at his side, both of them appearing so small beneath the endless sky.

The old man narrowed his eyes as he gazed ahead. Slowly, he extended a hand, then suddenly clenched his fist and struck forward with all his might. A thunderous boom erupted as the earth trembled violently. The ground before him fractured and crumbled, as if ten thousand mountains were about to burst forth from the depths. Giant fissures snaked outwards like wandering pythons—a terrifying sight.

From the depths of one of these fissures, a streak of blood-red light shot skyward, stirring the winds and thunder. The crimson light then plummeted to the ground, revealing the figure of Luo Longyu.

Luo Longyu stared at the fissure from which he had just emerged, murmuring to himself, “I finally broke free. I must inform the Xuan Yi Pavilion—there’s no time to waste.” But as soon as he finished speaking, he realized that Kong Yuxuan and the others had long since vanished. Only the old man and his dog remained, watching him.

Something was off, but Luo Longyu couldn’t quite pinpoint what it was. He studied the old man more closely and suddenly remembered—they had met before, he and Mu Yimian, when they walked out of the Primeval Secret Realm. Back then, the scavenger had seemed unremarkable, but now there was an overwhelming aura about him, one that made Luo Longyu feel as though he faced an unfathomable abyss.

“Elder, you…” Luo Longyu faltered, unsure what to say.

The old man quickly returned to his previous disheveled state, regarding Luo Longyu with a sluggish gaze. “Looking for someone?”

“Uh…” Luo Longyu glanced around, then nodded. Yes, he was indeed searching for Kong Yuxuan and the others.

The old man took out his pipe and sat down on a heap of rubble. “Don’t bother. It’s been days—they’ve already left.”

“What?” Luo Longyu was bewildered. “What do you mean? From the time I broke through until now, it hasn’t even been two hours.”

The old man cast him a sidelong glance. “Fool. You were trapped in a prison of time and didn’t even realize it. Your Corpse Wheel is nothing but an ornament now.”

A chill seized Luo Longyu’s heart. He no longer cared about the old man’s true identity. The Corpse Wheel manifested behind him, ready to rise into the air, but with just a single glance from the old man, the Wheel was forcibly suppressed, instantly rendered useless.

“Who are you? I have urgent business!” Realizing the old man was the source of his troubles, Luo Longyu’s patience snapped.

Still calm, the old man took a leisurely drag on his pipe. Smoke drifted as he spoke, “Why rush to the Xuan Yi Pavilion? Are you courting death? You’ve been trapped for days—someone else, wearing your face, has already gone there to wreak havoc. Now… cough, cough… it’s likely too late for you. If you go, there’ll be nothing but a brutal fight, and you’ll be the one to suffer. Rather than waste time, you’d be better off improving yourself. It’s a shame you inherited the Corpse Path—what a waste.”

Luo Longyu glanced at the old man but said nothing more. He strode past, a swirling vortex appearing behind him as he prepared to summon the Corpse Wheel and fly to the heart of Xuan Yi.

But just then, the old man rose and gently tapped Luo Longyu’s shoulder. Instantly, Luo Longyu’s body froze—his power ceased to flow, his limbs and voice utterly paralyzed.

Immediately, the silicon-based genes within him began to seethe, as if some force was violently provoking them. Crimson crystals rapidly emerged from his skin, swiftly growing until they enveloped him entirely.

The old man, unhurried, stepped before the now crystal-encased Luo Longyu and spoke with heavy meaning, “Child, some things cannot be rushed. Right now, you lack any true purpose, letting the Void Spirits lead you around by the nose. If you continue like this, you’ll achieve nothing. Do what you must. You may be young, but your burdens are weighty. Petty vendettas mean nothing. Go below and reflect.”

With that, the old man gave Luo Longyu a gentle push, and Luo Longyu fell stiffly into the deep fissure behind him. At its lowest depths, molten lava surged, and from the fiery currents a stone coffin burst forth. Through the crimson crystals, Luo Longyu saw the coffin was carved with ancient beasts—some auspicious, some fierce, each lifelike and vivid.

The heavy lid swung open on its own; Luo Longyu crashed inside, the lid closed once more, and the coffin sank into the churning lava. No matter how loudly Luo Longyu screamed in his mind, reality left him powerless.

Watching the coffin submerge, the old man clasped his hands behind his back and murmured, “Time passes, seas change and mulberry fields turn to dust. The bloodline of Xuanyuan has long since faded. Only by harnessing the power of the earth, the ancient forcefields, can I awaken the blood of Xuanyuan within you once more, so you may reclaim the Corpse Path.” With these words, he sat back on a chunk of concrete, puffing on his pipe and patting the dog beside him. “Old friend, it’s your turn to lend a hand.”

“Woof!” The yellow mutt seemed to sense his meaning, barking at the old man.

As for Luo Longyu, he plummeted into darkness, sweltering heat pressing in on all sides. Amid the blackness, faint gleams appeared. Shadows moved within the dim light—figures flickering, cycling from ancient to modern, birth to destruction, endless reincarnation. They seemed like gods and demons of old.

He couldn’t tell if the stone coffin continued to sink. The heat only grew more oppressive. Within, his silicon-based genes awakened completely—hard crimson crystals ravaged his body, tearing through every meridian and limb, bursting from his eyes, nostrils, and mouth until he was no longer even remotely human.

The blood-red crystals seemed to possess a life of their own, devouring all energy around them and transforming it. Luo Longyu became little more than a vessel, feeling wave after wave of new power flood in, over and over refining and perfecting his genetic code.

His body appeared to become entirely crystalline, glowing with a fierce scarlet radiance. Deep within that scarlet glow, a glimmer of five-colored light was brewing, threatening at any moment to burst forth…

In the heart of Xuan Yi, Long Shaoxian stared at the savage Luo Longyu before her, murderous intent flashing in her beautiful eyes. Beside her, the Crown Prince frowned in contemplation.

After a brief silence, the Crown Prince leaned close and whispered into Kong Yuxuan’s ear. Kong Yuxuan’s expression shifted; he turned, meeting the Prince’s gaze, who nodded imperceptibly, confirming his suspicions.

Kong Yuxuan looked to Tong Wusha, signaling him to observe closely. Tong Wusha understood at once. He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, his left eye was pure white, his right pitch black—his pupils like yin and yang, swirling in a Tai Chi pattern.

“The battle at Xiangxi—I’ll destroy you all,” Luo Longyu declared suddenly, then vanished, leaving behind only his taunting words.

“Spatial transfer?” Seeing Luo Longyu about to escape, Kong Yuxuan, Zhan Wushuang, and Long Shaoxian acted almost simultaneously. Long Shaoxian followed Luo Longyu’s disappearing trace and vanished as well, while Kong Yuxuan and Zhan Wushuang both missed their mark.

“What’s going on?” Zhan Wushuang growled, frowning.

Tong Wusha withdrew his power. “Sister Long entered the transfer channel—her whereabouts are unknown.”

Kong Yuxuan turned to Tong Wusha. “Was that really Luo Longyu?”

Tong Wusha shook his head, his gaze sharp as a blade. “I couldn’t see. He sensed my probing and escaped the moment I opened my power.”

News of the attack on the Xuan Yi Center reached the Central Committee directly through the central team. According to their report, the assailant was identified as Luo Longyu, a development that left Wu Yifeng and Elder Xuan frantic.

Facing a summons from the Central Committee, Wu Yifeng himself, as leader of the Xuan Yi team, set out for Zhongnanhai to explain the incident. Before his departure, Elder Xuan and Wu Yifeng spoke at length through the night, for Luo Longyu’s true identity remained in doubt. Yet the central team insisted on Luo Longyu’s guilt, raising suspicions in the highest circles. Three urgent orders were issued, summoning Wu Yifeng to the capital for questioning.

But the next day brought even worse news to the Xuan Yi Center: Wu Yifeng’s military transport vanished mysteriously after leaving Shaanxi airspace.

The two escorting J-11 fighters were shot down and their pilots killed.

Wu Yifeng’s disappearance was a grave blow, both for the central government and the Xuan Yi Center—after all, Wu Yifeng alone knew the Pavilion’s every secret.

“Alive, we must see the man; dead, we must see the corpse.” Such was the order from the Central Committee. All war zones and the Xuan Yi Center were to spare no effort in searching for Wu Yifeng.

Long Shaoxian’s whereabouts were unknown. Luo Longyu’s identity was uncertain. The Third Squad had lost all combat strength. Now Wu Yifeng had vanished as well. This string of disasters left the Xuan Yi Pavilion crippled. Worse yet, China had not a single piece of core intelligence on their enemy, the Void Spirits—they were passive at every turn.

To get to the bottom of it all, Elder Xuan took charge, gathering every member of the Pavilion.

At the meeting, it was Zhan Wushuang—usually a man of few words—who spoke first. Facing the hundreds assembled, he cut straight to the point, “Comrades—if I may call you that. The reason I say this is because I do not know whether any among us have been infiltrated by Void Spirits.”

Predictably, his words sent a ripple of unease through the crowd. Faces changed, and men and women who had fought side by side instinctively eyed each other with suspicion.

“Wushuang…” Kong Yuxuan hurriedly tugged Zhan Wushuang’s sleeve, anxious. As team captain, he knew well what such words could provoke. The Pavilion was already on edge; now suspicion would splinter it further, destroying any lingering trust between comrades.

Elder Xuan’s gaze shifted as well, but it soon returned to calm. Old Ge, long isolated for review, was also present, his hair streaked with gray as he sat silent and head bowed.

“Continue,” Elder Xuan said, sipping his tea.

With permission, Zhan Wushuang pressed on. “You all know—we’ve faced an unprecedented blow, a humiliation. Not only was our base attacked, but even our commander has vanished, his fate unknown. If none of us are compromised, then the problem lies with outsiders. Therefore, I propose that, to ensure the safety of future operations, all personnel undergo a thorough inspection. This inspection should cover parasitism, mind control, and possession. Once cleared, everyone will monitor each other, reporting any anomalies immediately.”

“I agree,” Old Ge said, raising his hand. He turned to Tong Wusha. “Fifth, what do you see?”

Tong Wusha hesitated. “I can detect possession, control, and shapeshifting, but not parasitism—my eyes only sense changes in aura and spirit; parasites do not alter the host’s aura. As for possession and control, I have detected nothing.”

Old Ge nodded and looked to Elder Xuan.

Elder Xuan set down his cup and addressed them all, “Our struggle with the Void Spirits is clear to everyone—we are at a double disadvantage, technologically and tactically. There is no doubt our enemy is stronger than any before. Our commander is missing, our four squads have suffered grievous losses. Yet I do not wish to see our resolve broken. The Chinese nation has never been defeated. Yes, we have known defeat, humiliation, even near extinction. But we never gave up the fight. Since the founding of New China, the threats have never ceased—one ends, another rises. It matters not; the faces of our enemies change, but we do not. I believe we will not perish. As long as we do not compromise, no one—no force—can destroy us.”

“Before, we struggled against men. Now, we struggle against heaven itself! We declare war upon the stars. The Void Spirits come from deep space—so back to deep space we will drive them. Xing Tianyao!”

“Here!” A young major in uniform stood to attention.

Elder Xuan’s gaze was sharp as a blade. “Lead your special forces and coordinate with the war zone troops. Exhaust every means to find any clue. I’ll assign Team Four to support you.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Kong Yuxuan.”

“Present!”

“Contact the great demon clans. Tell them—war has begun in earnest. Demand their full support. Tell them, if China falls, so does the world; and if the world falls, none will escape. I don’t need them to fight the Void Spirits—I want them to strike the foreign races beyond our borders. If necessary, annihilate them!”

Kong Yuxuan was taken aback, and so were many others. But soon their eyes shone with excitement. Never before had Elder Xuan spoken so strongly. In the past, alliances with the demon clans always felt like a wary truce. In fighting the Void Spirits, the Pavilion had sought to preserve its strength. But now, everything seemed to have changed.

“Yes, sir!” Kong Yuxuan responded, voice ringing.

“Ge Wangshan!”

“Here!”

“Take your people and find Long Shaoxian and Luo Longyu—bring them back.”

“Yes, sir!”

Having issued his commands, Elder Xuan slowly rose, straightened his back, and declared in a deep voice, “If others do not offend me, I do not offend them. But if others offend me, I will strike back! The enemy has come upon us with overwhelming force. Then we have no choice but to fight. Whether they are foreign races or Void Spirits from the stars, whoever dares invade—kill them! I’ve received orders from the Central Committee: war is upon us. All war zones are preparing for battle. The lands we have lost, we shall reclaim. Those who invade—be they alien or spirit—let them know, even if we die, we will not yield! Today, I tell you all: the war has only just begun.”

(The first great climax is about to arrive. The earlier chapters may not have been perfect, but from this chapter on, the true journey of hot-blooded passion begins! Thank you for reading, and I welcome all new friends—please leave your comments and suggestions!)