LIGHT NOVEL Chapter 11: The First Challenge
Chapter 10: The First Challenge
The Abyssal Dominion, though reborn under Zhao Rui's iron rule, remained fragile. Its ranks were still filled with the fractured remnants of the Crimson Shadow Sect, bound by fear more than loyalty. Zhao Rui knew this was not enough. Fear was an excellent tool, but strength and allegiance would ensure his survival in a cultivation world teeming with rivals.
Zhao Rui stood atop the throne hall's remains, overseeing the efforts of his followers to rebuild the sect grounds. Crimson banners bearing the sigil of the Abyssal Dominion fluttered in the cold wind, their color a warning to all who might dare challenge him. Zhang Lei stood at his side, his armor bloodied from days spent hunting deserters and quashing rebellion.
"Master," Zhang Lei said, bowing, "the survivors are falling in line. The strongest among them have pledged loyalty, but… there are rumors."
Zhao Rui's crimson eyes narrowed. "What kind of rumors?"
Zhang Lei hesitated. "Some whisper that sects from the surrounding regions are gathering information about the Dominion. They sense weakness in our numbers and may see us as an easy target."
Zhao Rui's expression darkened. His aura flared briefly, the oppressive energy sending a shiver down Zhang Lei's spine. "Let them think we are weak. Their arrogance will be their undoing."
A Sudden Arrival
As if on cue, the sound of distant horns echoed through the mountains. A scout burst into the hall, his robes torn and his face pale with fear. "Master Zhao Rui! The Iron Wolf Sect has arrived! Their forces march toward our gates!"
The Iron Wolf Sect was a neighboring faction, known for its brutal tactics and battle-hardened disciples. While not a major power in the region, their numbers and military discipline made them a formidable foe.
Zhang Lei clenched his fists. "Those dogs must think we've fallen too far to retaliate."
Zhao Rui remained calm, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "Perfect. Let them come. A demonstration of power is exactly what we need."
He turned to Zhang Lei. "Gather the most capable disciples. I want no cowards among them. We will meet these wolves ourselves."
The Battle at the Gates
The Iron Wolf Sect's forces gathered outside the Dominion's gates, their leader, Sect Master Bai Jian, standing at the forefront. Clad in iron-plated armor, he exuded an air of confidence, his voice booming across the battlefield.
"Crimson Shadow Sect!" Bai Jian called, his tone mocking. "Or should I say… what's left of it? Surrender now, and I may spare some of your lives. Resist, and I will grind your pitiful remains into dust."
The disciples standing behind Zhao Rui bristled with anger, but Zhao Rui himself remained unperturbed. He strode forward, his crimson robes billowing as if alive. His aura spilled out like a tidal wave, silencing the jeers of the Iron Wolf Sect's disciples.
"You bark loudly for someone standing on the edge of a grave," Zhao Rui said, his voice carrying effortlessly over the crowd. "I will give you one chance. Kneel and pledge allegiance to me, or face the consequences."
Bai Jian laughed, his voice harsh and grating. "You, a fledgling who can barely hold what's left of his crumbling sect, dare to threaten me? I'll rip that tongue from your mouth."
Zhao Rui's smirk widened. "Then come. Let me show you what happens to wolves who bare their fangs at the Abyss."
Unleashing the Abyss
The Iron Wolf Sect charged, their disciples advancing in tight, disciplined formations. Their spiritual energy flared, weapons drawn as they closed the gap.
Zhao Rui raised his hand, and the air around him darkened. The fragments of the Heart embedded in his throne pulsed in response, their energy flowing into him. Shadows writhed at his feet, coalescing into a massive wave of crimson-black energy that surged forward like a living beast.
The first wave of Iron Wolf disciples didn't even have time to scream. The energy consumed them, their bodies dissolving into dust as the wave tore through their ranks. Panic rippled through the remaining forces as they saw their comrades annihilated without mercy.
Bai Jian's eyes widened in disbelief. "What is this power…?"
Before he could recover, Zhao Rui was upon him. Moving faster than the eye could follow, Zhao Rui closed the distance, appearing directly in front of the Iron Wolf Sect Master. Bai Jian swung his massive halberd, its blade glowing with spiritual energy, but Zhao Rui caught it effortlessly with one hand. The blade's glow dimmed as Zhao Rui's aura devoured it, draining the spiritual energy like water into a bottomless well.
"You're nothing but a dog barking at shadows," Zhao Rui said coldly. With a flick of his wrist, he shattered the halberd, sending fragments flying. Bai Jian staggered back, but Zhao Rui didn't give him the chance to retreat. His hand plunged into Bai Jian's chest, not physically, but spiritually. The Abyss reached into the core of Bai Jian's being, snuffing out his cultivation like a candle in the wind.
Bai Jian fell to his knees, his once-mighty presence reduced to nothing. Zhao Rui looked down at him with disdain. "Your life belongs to me now."
He gestured, and Bai Jian's body dissolved into shadows, his essence absorbed by the Abyssal Seed within Zhao Rui. The Iron Wolf Sect's remaining disciples dropped their weapons, falling to their knees in surrender.
Consolidating Power
The battle ended as swiftly as it had begun. The surviving members of the Iron Wolf Sect were either executed or sworn into the Abyssal Dominion. Those who joined were branded with a mark of shadow, binding their loyalty to Zhao Rui. Fear and awe had solidified his rule further; no one in the region could deny his overwhelming strength.
Zhang Lei approached Zhao Rui as the battlefield was cleared. "Master, the Iron Wolf Sect is no more. Their territory and resources are now ours."
Zhao Rui nodded, his gaze fixed on the horizon. "Good. But this is only the beginning. There are countless sects and clans in this world, each one clinging to their own power. They will all kneel or be destroyed."
He turned to Zhang Lei, his crimson eyes glowing with ambition. "Send word to the neighboring regions. Let them know that the Abyssal Dominion has risen. The era of shadows begins now."
As the blood-red moon hung low in the sky, Zhao Rui stood at the forefront of his reborn sect, his dark power radiating like a beacon of dread. The cultivation world would soon know his name, and none would dare to challenge the Sovereign of the Abyss.
The conquest had begun.