Wang Lichen's eyes gleamed with a cold, calculated satisfaction as he watched the golden blade of the 'Noble Knight' pierce the chest of Zhao Haoreng's commander.
The man's body convulsed around the weapon, a macabre dance of death.
The once-mighty Master Luo Yongkang stared up at the golden visor of his executioner, his breaths coming in ragged gasps.
The golden-armored knight who had bested him yanked his halberd free with a wet, sucking sound, leaving the commander to collapse to the ground, lifeless.
"Kill them all," Lichen ordered, his voice as cold as the steel that had claimed Luo's life.
The crimson and black knights surged forward, their blades slicing through the panicked soldiers with a grim efficiency that was almost mechanical. The air grew thick with the scent of iron and fear, the cries of the dying a cacophony that seemed to fuel the knights' frenzy.
Wang Lichen watched the carnage unfold, his eyes gleaming with a cold, calculated indifference. He knew the importance of striking fear into the hearts of their enemies, and leaving survivors to spread the tale of their might would only bolster their legend.
"Leave ten of them alive," Lichen called out, his voice cutting through the cacophony of battle like a knife through silk.
The crimson and black knights paused for a moment, their eyes flicking towards their leader before they set upon the task of selecting the survivors. The chosen ones were dragged out of the fray, their wails of terror muffled by the relentless clang of steel on steel.
Wang Lichen's gaze swept over the battlefield, his crimson eyes cold and unfeeling. He had seen this dance of death before, countless times, but the thrill of victory never grew old.
He knew that the survivors would carry the tale of this day back to Zhao Haoreng, and he wanted the message to be clear: the Blood Wolf Knights owns this land.
He nodded to his men, and they moved with the efficiency of a well-oiled machine.
The ten survivors were forced to their knees, their hands bound behind their backs.
The knights then proceeded to lash them to makeshift stretchers, the poles digging into their bruised and bleeding bodies.
"Take them back to Zhao Haoreng," Lichen ordered, his voice cold and commanding.
The knights moved swiftly, hoisting the bodies of the two core-level martial artists onto their shoulders. The survivors were forced to pick up the lifeless form of Luo Yongkang, his headless corpse a gruesome testament to their failure.
They staggered under the weight of their grim cargo, their eyes downcast as the crimson and black-clad knights formed a grim procession around them. Each step was a reminder of their impending fate, the cold metal of their bonds biting into their wrists with every movement.
The head of Luo Yongkang, once a symbol of power and authority, now rolled in the dust at the knights' feet, his lifeless eyes staring skyward. His headless body was draped over the shoulders of two of his men, a macabre trophy of the knights' dominance.
After watching them leave with the bodies, Lichen turned to face his knights, his expression grim. The battle was over, but their mission was far from complete.
"We march to Sunset Breeze Pass City," he ordered, his voice carrying the weight of his newfound authority. "We will deliver the body of Luo Yongkang to Zhao Haoreng as a message of our power and intent."
The knights, their crimson eyes gleaming with excitement and grim determination, fell into formation around their leader. The clatter of their armor and the thunderous beat of their metal boots echoed through the mountain pass as they moved with the precision of a single, unstoppable force.
The banners of the Blood Wolf Knights fluttered in the morning breeze, the grisly trophies of their victory displayed proudly for all to see. The head of Luo Yongkang bobbed on the end of a pike, a gruesome reminder of the price of defying their will.
As the knights marched in unison, the cobblestone streets of Sunset Breeze Pass City grew closer.
The citizens, having heard the distant echoes of battle, had gathered at the city gates, their eyes wide with a mix of fear and awe.
Weng Kai, the head of the Weng clan, stood atop the city's highest rampart, his gaze fixed on the approaching army.
His heart pounded with a mix of anger and pride as he surveyed the troops he had amassed—3,000 strong, a force of low-level martial artists and clan members who had sworn to protect their home from the encroaching shadow of Zhao Haoreng's tyranny.
It had been two years since the Weng Clan had claimed sole dominion over Sunset Breeze Pass City, ending the bloody rule of the Li clan and the second prince's illegitimate reign. The city had flourished under their protection, and now they were about to face their greatest test yet.
Weng Kai's voice boomed across the ramparts, his words a rallying cry that resonated through the hearts of the Weng Clan and the citizens below.
Stolen story; please report.
"Brothers and sisters, we stand today to defend our home! For two years, we have known peace under the protection of the Weng Clan, and now, the greedy hand of Zhao Haoreng reaches out to claim what is ours!"
Weng Kai's powerful voice reverberated through the city walls, his words striking a chord of defiance within the hearts of his people.
The citizens of Sunset Breeze Pass had suffered long under the tyranny of the Li Clan and the second prince's illegitimate rule. Now, they were faced with a new threat, one that threatened to undo all that they had built.
"We shall not let them take what we have fought so hard to claim!" Weng Kai continued, his eyes ablaze with the fiery spirit of the phoenix, the emblem of his clan.
"We are the guardians of this land, and we will stand firm against the tyranny of Zhao Haoreng!"
Weng Kai spotted people in crimson and black armor approaching the city gates, and his heart sank. He had not seen such an organized and fearsome force since the days of the Li Clan.
Unbeknownst to him, these knights were not from Zhao Haoreng's army; they were the legendary Blood Wolf Knights, sent by the mysterious Lord Joshua to enforce a new order.
"Look upon them," Weng Kai bellowed, pointing towards the crimson and black-clad knights, his voice carrying over the tense crowd that had gathered at the city gates.
"These are the soldiers of the so-called Zhao Haoreng? Only three hundred and twenty of them?" His sneer grew into a malicious grin as he surveyed the knights, their numbers pitifully small compared to the sea of men and women before him.
The crimson and black knights did indeed look like they had seen battle, their armor marred and stained with the evidence of their brutal efficiency. Yet Weng Kai was not fooled by their weary demeanor; he knew that fatigue could breed carelessness, and he would use that to his advantage.
"Master Weng, we must be cautious," one of his advisors whispered into his ear, his eyes nervously darting towards the approaching knights.
But Weng Kai's pride was unshakable. He knew that his city had the strength to resist any invaders.
One of the 'Blood Knights', his energy pulsing with the aftermath of battle, strode towards the closed gates of Sunset Breeze Pass City. He held in his hand the grisly trophy of their victory: the severed head of Master Luo Yongkang.
"Your enemy is defeated," the knight announced, his voice echoing off the ancient stone.
"We have slain the forces sent by Zhao Haoreng. We come in peace to offer our protection."
Weng Kai was shocked by the sight before him.
The knight just beyond the crimson and black tide of his comrades took a deliberate step forward, the head of the once-mighty Master Luo Yongkang held aloft like a gruesome banner of victory.
His armor was spattered with the crimson of enemy blood, but his stance remained unwavering, a testament to the discipline and strength of the Blood Wolf Knights.
"The Zhao Haoreng sent 1500 Innate Qi soldiers and Luo Yongkang, along with two other core-level martial artists, as their vanguard," Weng Kai's advisor spoke urgently into his ear, his eyes never leaving the black-armored knight.
Weng Kai felt his heart drop to his stomach as he took in the severed head of the man who had been sent to kill him.
"The Zhao Haoreng dared to send 1500 Innate Qi soldiers and Luo Yongkang as their commander?"
Weng Kai's voice was tight with disbelief, his eyes fixed on the grisly head held by the black-armored knight.
"And you've defeated them all?"
Weng Kai's voice was barely a whisper, his shock palpable as he stared at the knight before him.
"We are thankful for your aid," Weng Kai managed to croak out, his voice thick with a mix of shock and relief.
He cautiously eyed the black-armored knight, who had yet to move from his spot, the halberd still embedded in the ground.
"Can I ask which force are you from and what purpose brings you to our lands?"
Weng Kai's voice was steady, though his thoughts were racing.
The black-armored knight's reply was swift and clear.
"We serve Lord Joshua, the true sovereign of these lands."
Weng Kai's eyes narrowed at the mention of the unfamiliar name. He had never heard of such a lord, and the audacity of the knight's claim sent a surge of anger coursing through his veins.
"You dare to claim our land as your lord's?" he spat out, his voice laced with venom.
The black-armored knight's eyes remained unflinching, his gaze as unyielding as the steel of his armor.
"We do not wish for conflict, Weng Kai. We come to restore order and bring peace to these lands torn apart by greed and corruption."
Weng Kai's grip on his sword tightened, his knuckles white with the effort to hold back his anger.
"You speak of peace, yet you bring war to our doorstep. We have known peace since the fall of the Li Clan. This is our land, and we will not surrender it without a fight."
The black-armored knight's expression remained unchanged.
"We do not wish to claim your city by force, Weng Kai. We are here to offer protection from those who would seek to take it from you. The Zhao Haoreng's army is but one of the many threats that plague these lands."
The knight slowly said the following words.
"Who did you think have dealt with the Li clan and the second prince's forces before?"
Weng Kai's mind raced with the knight's words. His city, his people, had enjoyed peace for the last two years, and the mention of the Li Clan and the second prince sent a shiver down his spine. If these knights had truly defeated those forces, could they be trustworthy allies?
"You say you serve Lord Joshua and that you've dealt with the Li Clan and the second prince's forces," Weng Kai said, his voice steady despite the turmoil within.
"But Sunset Breeze Pass City is Weng Clan territory," he continued, his eyes never leaving the black-armored knight.
"And we have no intention of serving any lord, not even one as powerful as your Lord Joshua."
Weng Kai's voice was firm, echoing the pride of his clan's independence.
"The Sunset Breeze Pass City belongs to the Weng Clan," he stated, his hand tightening on the railing of the city's walls.
Weng Kai's thoughts raced as he watched the black-armored knight, the gravity of the situation weighing heavily on his shoulders.
He had gathered a formidable force of three thousand men to defend his city, and the arrival of the unknown forces, though they claimed to offer protection but in truth it was subjugation, was an unsettling surprise.
A plan began to form in his mind—perhaps they had brought only 320 soldiers after the fight with Zhao Haoreng's army, and with his own forces, he could suppress and eliminate them. It would be a bold move, but if there are more they would be making enemy of this unknown force.
Weng Kai's thoughts were interrupted by the black-armored knight, his words cutting through the air like a cold wind.
"Your refusal of Lord Joshua's protection is seen as an act of defiance," the knight said, his voice as unyielding as steel.
Weng Kai felt a flicker of anger in his chest, but he kept his face impassive.
"Defiance?" he repeated, his voice calm but firm.
"We are not your vassals to accept or refuse protection from a lord we do not know."
Weng Kai's voice was as sharp as the blade he held at his side.
"Then we could only fight," the knight said, his crimson eyes never leaving Weng Kai's.
