If I, a death row inmate, am not to become a demon, am I to become a member of the Imperial Guard?

Night fell at the mouth of the valley, and a cold wind whipped up withered leaves.

The afterglow of the Blood Dragon Sword flickered on the rock face like shattered lamplight.

Zhou Yang clenched his fists, his knuckles turning slightly white.

Qin Shuang stood beside him, her brows furrowed.

-

The sound of drums, deep and rhythmic, came from the camp of the Northern Wilderness Iron Cavalry.

The sound of drums broke the silence, echoing through the valley walls.

Tuoba Tao rode ahead, his horse's hooves kicking up heavy dust.

His eyes burned with the light of a wild wolf as he stared toward the mountain pass.

"The aura of the dragon's spine is here," Tuoba Tao said in a low voice.

"It is said that whoever carries the key to the imperial tomb can open the sky burial tomb."

He left no room for argument when he explained, his voice sharp as a knife.

The cavalrymen's armor clashed, producing a metallic clang.

The banners of the cavalry fluttered in the wind, their color a dark red.

Their formation was V-shaped, advancing into the valley.

Each time a horse's hoof landed, it kicked up a cloud of dust.

The dust and mist were mixed with the fishy smell of horse sweat.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the valley, the remaining disciples of the Heavenly Principle Sect quietly appeared.

Leading the group was Yun Zhonghe, a disciple of the Right Envoy.

He wore a gray robe, the hem of which swayed in the wind.

A cold glint flashed in his eyes, as if he were assessing the current situation.

Yun Zhonghe raised the star-patterned token in his hand, the token's patterns glowing faintly in the night light.

"The son of the Blood Dragon has been tainted by the poison of my sect," he murmured.

As the crest of the talisman shone, several dark red flying needles popped out from the cuff.

The flying needle sliced ​​through the air, aiming straight for Zhou Yang's chest.

Zhou Yang, with his sharp eyes, slightly turned his body and dodged the first needle.

The residual heat of the Blood Dragon Sword lingered on my back.

He secretly calculated that he only had one year left to live, and how long could his exhausted power last?

Qin Shuang stood on the left side of the mountain wall, observing the movements of the three parties.

Her eyes flickered in the alternating firelight and moonlight.

She whispered to Zhou Yang, "There is a valley to the southeast with rocky walls, which is a good place to hide."

The voice was not loud, but it was firm and resounding.

Her fingers lightly touched the stone slab on her chest, which emitted a pale blue coolness.

The patterns on the stone slab trembled slightly, as if responding to her thoughts.

Qin Shuang raised an eyebrow, a calculating glint in her eyes.

She continued in a whisper, "If we fight head-on, we're doomed."

Zhou Yang nodded, the Blood Dragon Sword on his back trembling slightly.

He looked up at the Northern Wilderness cavalry and saw Tuoba Tao's banner approaching.

He looked at Yun Zhonghe and saw that the other party's flying needle had stopped in mid-air.

He realized that he could only deliver one fatal blow.

On the blade of the Blood Dragon Sword, the remaining dragon breath rolled like a thin stream.

It needs a lifetime of combustion as fuel to unleash its full power.

Zhou Yang placed his hand on the sword hilt, feeling the pulsating heat and cold.

He silently vowed to himself: This time, it has to be done.

Suddenly, a wolf howl echoed through the valley, its sound tearing through the night sky.

That was the whistle of the Northern Wilderness Iron Cavalry, alerting the cavalry to potential ambushes.

Tuoba Tao raised his hand, signaling the cavalry to form three ranks.

The cavalrymen's armor gleamed coldly in the moonlight.

Yun Zhonghe stood at the other end of the valley, the pebbles beneath his feet being kicked up by him.

He gave a low shout, ordering his disciples to rush towards the vanguard.

The needle flew out again, piercing straight into the crevice in the rock behind the mountain wall.

A soft, clattering sound came from the crevice in the rock.

Qin Shuang dodged a flying needle by sidestepping and lightly stepped on the rock wall.

She lightly touched the stone with her toes, and the stone emitted a soft light.

The light spread across her palm, like a thin shield.

She looked up at Zhou Yang, her eyes filled with trust.

Zhou Yang took a deep breath, and the blood dragon aura in his chest surged.

He decided to first distract the Northern Wilderness Iron Cavalry before launching a counterattack against the Heavenly Principle Sect's flying needles.

He raised the Blood Dragon Sword, its tip pointing at the cavalry to the north.

The dragon scale patterns that appeared on the sword seemed to writhe like living blood.

"Come on!" he growled, his voice echoing through the valley.

Tuoba Tao frowned slightly, but did not back down.

He shouted and waved his hand, directing the cavalry to charge forward.

The cavalry's hooves thundered as they charged toward the Blood Dragon Sword.

Dust swirled up, obscuring the view.

In the brief chaos, Zhou Yang suddenly swung his sword, and dragon breath erupted instantly.

The dragon's breath shot into the sky like flames, instantly piercing the night.

The firelight illuminated every corner of the valley.

The cavalrymen retreated in panic, the light of the Blood Dragon Sword making them seem like ants.

At this moment, Yun Zhonghe launched another attack with his flying needles.

He raised an eyebrow, as if calculating the trajectory of the sword light.

The flying needle drew a silvery arc in the light.

Zhou Yang was startled, realizing that he had to go all out this time.

He gripped the sword hilt and ignited the rest of his life force.

The blade was writhing with the aura of a blood dragon, like a raging beast.

The sword energy surged like a torrent, cleaving towards the front of the Northern Wilderness cavalry.

The sword energy sliced ​​through several cavalrymen, their blood splattering onto the rock face.

Then, the sword energy turned towards Yun Zhonghe and rushed straight towards the flying needle.

The impact of the dragon's breath blasted the flying needles into fragments, which then flew through the air.

Yun Zhonghe stepped back in surprise, his face pale.

He raised his hand and shouted, summoning a dark mist.

Dark fog spread instantly, enveloping the entire valley.

A low, muffled chanting sound could be faintly heard from within the fog, like an ancient incantation.

Qin Shuang's shield swayed slightly in the mist, but it was not swallowed up.

In the mist, a dark force pressed down on Zhou Yang, who was holding a sword, like a tidal wave.

He felt the Blood Dragon Sword in his chest being suppressed by immense pressure.

But he remained standing, his eyes sharp as knives, staring at the enemy in the fog.

The cavalry of the Northern Wilderness lost their way in the fog and fell into chaos.

Anger flashed in Tuoba Tao's eyes, but he did not retreat.

He shouted loudly, ordering his cavalry to charge through the fog.

The advancing cavalry were swallowed by the dark fog, with only the occasional sound of hooves breaking the silence.

Qin Shuang moved quickly behind the rock wall, searching for the best cover.

She gently tapped the stone slab, and its light shone even brighter in the dark mist.

The light, like a lighthouse, guided her direction.

She positioned herself behind a protruding rock, drew her sword, and prepared to strike at any moment.

Zhou Yang's Blood Dragon Sword trembled amidst the interplay of light and darkness.

He felt his lifespan rapidly slipping away, his blood churning like boiling water.

But he disregarded everything and decided to give it his all at this moment.

He focused his mind, pressing the sharp edge of the Blood Dragon Sword towards the core of the mist.

A blazing beam of light shot out, piercing straight into the deepest part of the fog.

The beam of light pierced the darkness, leaving a dazzling crack.

From the crack, the mist scattered as if it had been cleaved by a knife.

The dark power instantly lost its support and began to retreat.

Fear flashed in Yun Zhonghe's eyes, and the remaining dark patterns on his hand quickly extinguished.

The cavalrymen of the Northern Wilderness Iron Cavalry fell to the ground one after another under the impact of the beam of light.

Tuoba Tao's face was ashen. His horse was forced back by the beam of light and fell in front of the rock wall.

He roared and drew his steel knife from his waist, attempting to get close.

However, the residual heat of the Blood Dragon Sword was still burning, forming a ring of fiery red.

The temperature in the area is high enough to scorch the metal.

Tuoba Tao's blade emitted a piercing cracking sound the moment it made contact.

The blade shattered, and the steel knife fell onto the rocks.

Tuoba Tao stood beside the broken sword, his back silhouetted red by the blood.

His breathing was heavy, and his eyes held both hatred and helplessness.

Seeing that the situation had stabilized somewhat, Qin Shuang quickly walked towards Zhou Yang.

She placed her hands on his shoulders and whispered, "We can only go through the southeast valley."

Zhou Yang nodded. The Blood Dragon Sword's light was dim, yet it remained intensely hot.

He turned and looked towards the southeast of the valley.

The distant valley was illuminated by the moonlight, and the rock walls were covered with thorns.

He secretly calculated: How many more battles can his remaining lifespan sustain him?

He knew in his heart that every move he made at this moment was burning out his remaining light.

The forces of the three sides dispersed in the valley, and the situation was temporarily deadlocked.

The remaining cavalry of the Northern Wilderness Iron Cavalry retreated in the twilight.

Under Yun Zhonghe's command, the disciples of the Heavenly Principle Sect regrouped.

The wind echoed through the valley, carrying away the lingering flames of the Blood Dragon Sword.

Zhou Yang sheathed his sword, and the stone shard on his back emitted a faint blue light.

He took a deep breath, the pain in his chest reminding him of the cost of his life.

Qin Shuang looked at him, raising an eyebrow slightly: "This time, don't burn yourself out completely."

Zhou Yang gave a wry smile, revealing his bloodshot gums: "The price for paying extra is this high."

The two looked at each other and smiled, their smiles concealing helplessness and a decision.

Night continued to fall, and the wind in the valley dispersed the lingering smell of blood.

They turned and stepped onto the stone path leading to the southeast valley.

Each step echoed heavily, like a declaration to the future.

Deep in the valley ahead, unknown undercurrents still lurk.

But at this moment, surviving is the greatest victory.