The moon was still high above, its cold light cascading over the stone paths of the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect. Silence reigned, broken only by the steady footsteps of five figures weaving through the inner courtyards. At the front strode the Left Wing Demon, his crimson hair trailing behind him like a banner of blood, his skeletal mask unmoving.
Behind him followed the four heirs—Xian Lianhua, Xian Zhenyu, Xian Jianyu, and Xian Ryu. They moved through the Sect's sacred grounds with solemn purpose, passing through forgotten training grounds, abandoned living quarters, and arenas now quiet as graves. Servant halls stood empty, their lanterns extinguished. The once-thriving sect was now a haunted temple of past glory.
One courtyard to another courtyard. They walked for half an hour, winding their way toward the mountains that loomed beyond the sect's outer walls.
Eventually, they reached the outer courtyards at the base of the surrounding mountains. Before them loomed a craggy slope lined with overgrowth and jagged stone. At first glance, it appeared to be just another part of the terrain.
The Left Wing Demon stepped forward, raising one hand and pressing his palm to an unremarkable stone surface. With a shimmer of red mana, the rock groaned and split open, revealing a hidden entrance.
Inside, a tunnel stretched forward, swathed in shadow.
As they entered, mana lanterns along the walls flickered to life in sequence, casting a blood-red glow across their faces. The further they walked, the more the air thickened—not just with mana, but with something older. The weight of secrecy.
After some time, the narrow tunnel opened into a vast subterranean compound carved into the heart of the mountain.
It was vast.
A waterfall thundered down the far side of the cavern, feeding into a river that cut through the center. On side was Chambers filled with emergency food supplys, weapons and resources. Lanterns lined the stone walkways, and across the compound stood thousands of figures arranged in formation—troops of the Heavenly Demon Sect.
Each group bore a distinct emblem on their uniforms:
Blood Troops: Clad in crimson martial robes, the insignia of a sword within a lotus burned on their backs.
Ghost Troops: Dressed in black-red attire, the red lotus marked over their hearts, their eyes burning with militant zeal.
Death Troops:Shrouded in black, hooded, and faceless, they stood in absolute silence, their uniforms without adornment but their presence chilling.
Four thousand warriors, all remnants of a once-mighty sect.
As the heirs stepped into the open, the gathered troops turned. All eyes locked on the new generation.
The Left Wing Demon walked to the center, waterfall roaring behind him, hands clasped behind his back. His voice, though calm, cut through the noise of falling water like a blade.
"These are the chosen heirs of the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect," he announced. "Survivors of the Blood Demon Cave. Children of the Heavenly Demon himself. You will follow their command."
There was no hesitation.
Thousands dropped to one knee, their fists pounding their chests.
"LONG LIVE THE HEAVENLY DEMON DIVINE SECT!"
"LONG LIVE THE HEAVENLY DEMON HEIRS!"
The Left Wing Demon turned, nodding. "Show them your legacy."
Xian Lianhua stepped forward first. From her sleeve, she produced the black silk scroll, holding it high.
"Lord heavenly demon have granted me the knowledge of all our martial arts." She looked at troops in front of her "I will make sure our legecy is nor forgotten or destroyed. From now on Ghost Troops—you are mine."
A ripple moved through the Ghost Troops, but they remained silent, standing straighter.
Next was Xian Zhenyu. He lifted the glowing token above his head.
"Lord heavenly demon have granted me with authority over our branches scattered beyond these lands. Death Troops, ready yourselves. I will awaken every sleeper cell and rebuild our network. Revival of sect is inevitable"
The Death Troops roared in unison.
Then came Xian Jianyu. He raised the purple-diamond ring, his voice calm but resolute.
"With this, I was granted command of Blood Troops. I will make sure all threats to revival of sect is dealt with before it could become a threat.
A cheer erupted from the Blood Troops.
Finally, Ryu stepped forward. He did not raise a scroll or token.
He unsheathed his katana.
Bloodmoon.
The blade pulsed red in the moonlight, almost alive. He held it before him like a declaration of war.
His voice, though cold, echoed through the cavern.
"Warriors of Heavenly demon sect"
"The Heavenly Demon Divine Sect once possessed a force of four hundred thousand. Now, we stand here with what remains. Today Lord heavenly demon granted four of us the authority over what remains of sect, he desires from us to preserve the lagecy of sect, rebuild from ashes. But understand this—"
He turned to the troops, eyes glowing faintly.
"—The authority we four possess now is equal to what the elders once held. Reason of our current situation. That division was our downfall. Power divided is power weakened."
He took a slow step forward.
"There is no need for multiple heirs. One is enough."
Before anyone could react, he vanished.
A blur of red light.
Appearing before Xian Jianyu, brown haired sibling. Who stood closet to him. Catching him off guard.
Ghost Fang—his assassination technique.
A flash of steel.
Xian Jianyu didn't even scream. One moment he stood beside Ryu, the next, his head was severed cleanly from his body.
The Blood Troops howled in rage. In an instant before Xian Jianyu head could fall, a dozen assassins reached Ryu, their daggers inches away for his neck.
But they never made contact.
An invisible force slammed into the closet to ryu, sending their bodies crashing into the rock walls like ragdolls. Bones cracked. Blood sprayed.
The Left Wing Demon had not moved. His hands still behind his back.
Ryu stood unfazed, eyes already turning toward Xian Lianhua. Launching towards her in burst of speed.
But she was ready. Her sword clashed against Bloodmoon in a flurry of sparks. Red mana flared from both weapons.
"So that's how You want to play, little brother," she said, her voice cold.
Ryu grinned—a twisted, euphoric smile.
A sonic boom cracked through the cavern as Xian Zhenyu appeared on side of ryu, a blur of motion. His crimson hair whipped behind him as he struck Ryu's side with a mana-infused fist, sending him crashing back.
"I actually like that idea, Ryu," Zhenyu said. "Only one heir. So let's see who it is."
Mana flooded the cave as the three remaining siblings battled with everything they had. Shockwaves ripped through stone. The river churned as red energy tore through the air.
The troops were in chaos. Ghosts began to shift. Blood Troops raised weapons. Death Troops prepared to join the fray.
Then, a single step forward.
The Left Wing Demon moved in front of the armies, still calm, still unmoved.
Three figures stepped out—commanders of the Ghost, Blood, and Death Troops.
"What is the meaning of this, Lord Left Wing Demon?" asked the Blood Commander.
"This is between heirs, let them settle between themselves" left wing demon replied.
Blood troops leader stepped forward "Are we to watch the heirs slaughter one another?"
The Left Wing Demon's reply was simple.
"Yes."
They stared at him in disbelief.
"That is the will of the Heavenly Demon himself. The boy is correct. Divided power will only bring ruin again. Only one must lead the sect"
The Ghost Troop leader growled. "And if we refuse to stand by?"
The Left Wing Demon turned his head slightly.
"Then you go through me."
Silence.
No one moved.
The heirs stood in a loose triangle—Ryu with blood on his blade, Zhenyu with mana burning on his fists, and Lianhua with her twin sabers drawn. Jianyu's headless corpse lay between them.
The ground was soaked in blood. The future of the sect stood on a knife's edge.
The moon, high above the mountain, continued to shine.
To be continued...