Inside a makeshift tent, Ming, Gluttony, and Pride sat around a simple wooden table.
Ming leaned back lazily, his expression calm.
"Are you not going to explain," he said lightly, "how your army became rebels?"
Gluttony lowered his head.
For a moment, he said nothing.
Then he began.
"It started… after I failed to capture you, my Lord."
"I was demoted. From General… to platoon commander."
His voice was steady — but heavy.
"In my place, the Emperor appointed a new general."
"A useless man."
"He only received that position because his father was a high court official."
Pride's eyes narrowed slightly but remained silent.
"My subordinates were loyal to me," Gluttony continued. "And he knew that."
"But before he could deal with me…"
Gluttony's fists tightened.
"I heard that my brother was to be executed."
Ming's gaze sharpened slightly.
"I rushed to the Alliance… but I was too late."
His voice trembled.
"They had already executed him."
His hands began to shake.
"There was no trial. No justice."
"I tried to kill everyone there."
"But the Alliance Leader was present."
"He stopped me."
"And crippled me."
The tent fell silent.
After a moment, Gluttony forced himself to continue.
"They sent me and Hao… Greed… to the Red Line."
"That is where we met you."
"And gained a new life."
He inhaled slowly.
"But my subordinates were not so fortunate."
"The new general received orders to patrol the border."
"He did."
"But along the way… he saw a village girl he liked."
Pride's expression darkened.
"He ordered my subordinates to burn the village and bring the girl to him."
"They refused."
"So he tried to commit the crime himself."
Gluttony's jaw tightened.
"My subordinate had no choice."
"He killed him."
Silence.
"And that… is how they became rebels."
"The court official — the general's father — learned the truth."
"And to erase it…"
"He ordered the entire village to be slaughtered."
"That is why the villagers are hiding with us."
For a long moment, no one spoke.
Then Pride said coldly,
"Like father, like son."
Ming looked at Gluttony calmly.
"It is not the time yet," he said.
"But one day…"
"We will burn the Empire."
"And when it burns—"
"The Alliance will burn with it."
Silence.
Gluttony and Pride's eyes widened.
Pride felt a chill.
If anyone else had said those words, he would have called them insane.
A madman.
A lunatic.
The Empire and the Alliance were the two greatest powers under heaven.
Hundreds of thousands of soldiers.
And at their peak—
The Emperor.
The Alliance Leader.
Both Transcendent Realm martial artists.
Monsters.
Even standing before them was a privilege few could claim.
The only force capable of standing against them was the Blood Cult.
Whose leader was rumored to also be a Transcendent powerhouse.
Three pillars holding the world.
And yet—
Pride looked at Ming.
He was only in the Martial Body Realm.
But somehow…
Pride believed him.
The thought of Ming one day killing the Emperor and the Alliance Leader sent a thrill through his veins.
A terrifying smile slowly appeared on his face.
Gluttony felt the same.
But he steadied himself.
"My Lord," Gluttony said, "I believe you can do it. But now is not the time."
"The Black Serpent Sect is approaching."
"In my estimation, they will reach us in one day."
Ming nodded.
"How many soldiers do we have?"
"About one thousand," Gluttony replied. "Some of them can now use Death Qi."
He lowered his head slightly.
"Those who were crippled in past battles… thanks to your merciless technique, I was able to restore them."
Ming's eyes narrowed slightly.
He had assumed he was the only one capable of imbuing Death Qi into others.
"Is there anyone," Ming asked carefully, "who can use both Death Qi and Vitality Qi?"
Gluttony stiffened.
"How… did you know, my Lord?"
"I was experimenting. I wondered if someone could possess both."
"But… they all died."
Ming's heart stirred.
As expected…
I am the only one.
After all—
He carried his master's blood.
Pride spoke calmly.
"There is no one in this world who can use both forces simultaneously."
Gluttony nodded in agreement.
But Ming remained silent.
That…
Was his trump card.
And some secrets were not meant to be shared.
Gluttony spoke first.
"Their forces number around two thousand."
"They have ten elders in the Martial Peak Realm."
"And their Sect Leader… is rumored to be in the Martial Earth Realm."
Pride nodded slowly.
"That explains it."
"We only need to worry about the Sect Leader."
"The rest are not a real threat."
Ming remained silent, calculating.
All five of his subordinates were in the Martial Body Realm.
One full realm above Martial Peak.
And in Murim—
One realm difference was the difference between heaven and earth.
Each of them could handle two elders at once without difficulty.
That removed the ten elders from the equation.
Which left—
The Sect Leader.
One realm above Ming.
Martial Earth Realm.
And…
They had double the number of soldiers.
Ming tapped his finger lightly on the table.
Numbers.
Realm gaps.
Terrain.
Morale.
He began weaving possibilities in his mind.
Then Pride spoke.
"I have a plan."
Ming looked at him.
"Let's hear it."
Pride stepped forward and explained calmly, piece by piece.
Use the mountain terrain.
Force the enemy to split their formation.
Create narrow choke points.
Ambush their rear with Death Qi users.
Make them believe they are winning—
Then collapse their center.
By the time Pride finished, Gluttony's eyes were shining.
Ming nodded once.
"That will work."
"Begin preparations."
The tent erupted into motion.
Orders were sent.
Soldiers moved into position.
Death Qi users spread into hidden locations.
Archers climbed elevated rock formations.
Traps were laid between narrow passes.
Meanwhile—
At the foot of the mountain.
The Black Serpent Sect army arrived.
Two thousand disciples stood in tight formation.
Above them, banners fluttered in the wind.
Mo Xuan stepped forward, looking up at the mountain.
"So… they chose high ground."
His eyes narrowed.
"Fools."
Behind him, the ten elders stood like silent blades.
The war was no longer approaching.
It was here.