Starting as the heir of a marquis's mansion, I gained access to a summoning system.

Winter comes earlier in the North than anywhere else.

The cold wind of October swept across the wasteland like a knife, stirring up clouds of yellow sand. The walls of the Weeping Blood Military Town stood tall, and the banners on the walls fluttered in the wind, each banner embroidered with a blood-red character for "weeping".

Weeping Blood Marquis Dongfang Wudi stood atop the city wall, clad in black armor with a long sword at his waist, his gaze calmly fixed on the north.

Thirty miles to the north lies the barbarian camp.

The tents stretched for dozens of miles like mushrooms on the grassland, densely packed and seemingly endless. The barbarian tribes had marched south with an army of 500,000, personally led by their king, Yelü Xiong, who commanded eight Vajra Warriors and sixteen princes, each with cultivation levels of at least Grandmaster.

"My lord." Vice General Han Ping strode over from below the city wall, knelt on one knee, and said, "Marquis Zhenbei Wu Lie has led 50,000 iron cavalry to Yanmen Pass and is ready to provide support at any time."

Dongfang Wudi nodded slightly.

His face was resolute, with a scholarly air about him, but his eyes were as unfathomable as an abyss. With his cultivation at the peak of the ninth level of the Grandmaster realm, there were very few in the entire Eastern Continent who could stand a chance against him.

"What has the barbarian tribe been up to these past few days?" he asked.

Han Ping said, "Yelü Xiong sent small groups of troops to probe three times, but we drove them back each time. However, their main force has not moved, as if they are waiting for something."

What are you waiting for?

Dongfang Wudi gazed northwards, his eyes deep and unfathomable.

The barbarians chose a very opportune time to invade the south—the Azure Dragon Society was rising in the west, diverting the dynasty's attention, making it an opportune moment to strike. But Yelü Xiong was no fool; he knew the Xuan Tian Dynasty's strength and wouldn't easily commit its entire army.

"Pass down the order: the entire army is on high alert," said Dongfang Wudi. "Yelü Xiong is waiting for reinforcements; we cannot wait."

"Yes."

Just as Han Ping was about to leave, Dongfang Wudi suddenly raised his hand: "Wait."

His gaze was fixed on the northern horizon, where a black dot appeared and quickly magnified.

It was a flag, embroidered with a golden gray wolf.

"The Barbarian Wolf King," Dongfang Wudi said calmly.

Yelü Cang, the Wolf King, is the younger brother of Yelü Xiong, the Barbarian King. He is a Grandmaster of the Ninth Heaven and the number one warrior of the Barbarian tribe. He possesses superhuman strength and domineering swordsmanship. Ten years ago, he fought against Dongfang Wudi, and the two remained evenly matched for over a hundred moves.

This time, he came with ill intentions.

On the city wall, bugles sounded. The soldiers of the Bloodstained Army quickly took their battle positions, nocked their bows and crossbows, and drew their swords and spears.

The golden wolf banner drew ever closer, stopping three miles from the city wall. Beneath it stood a man nine feet tall, broad-shouldered and burly, with long, greyish-white hair flowing over his shoulders. He wielded a twelve-foot-long sword, its blade as black as ink, with a faint glint of blood flowing within it.

"Invincible in the East!" Yelü Cang's voice rolled across the wasteland like muffled thunder. "Ten years have passed. Do you dare to leave the city and fight?"

On the city wall, Dongfang Wudi's lips curled up slightly.

He turned and walked down the city wall, saying to Han Ping, "Open the city gate."

"My lord!" Han Ping exclaimed in alarm, "What if the barbarians take advantage of the situation..."

"He won't," Dongfang Wudi said calmly. "Yelü Cang is a man of principle; if he says he'll fight one-on-one, he means it. Besides..."

He paused, a cold glint flashing in his eyes: "Ten years have passed. It's time to let him know what the difference is."

The city gate slowly opened.

Dongfang Wudi, alone on horseback, slowly left the city.

His mount was a black dragon-scale horse, its body covered in fine black scales, its hooves like iron, exuding an extraordinary aura. This was a rare breed kept by the Marquis of Weeping Blood's mansion, capable of traveling three thousand miles a day, and its combat power was no less than that of a martial artist at the Innate Realm.

Tens of thousands of eyes watched this scene unfold on the battlefield.

Dongfang Wudi reined in his horse a hundred paces away from Yelü Cang, dismounted, and stood with his hands behind his back.

"Yelü Cang, it's been ten years. Has your injury healed?"

Yelü Cang's face darkened. Ten years ago, although he and Dongfang Wudi fought to a draw, he discovered upon returning that a hidden force had been implanted within his body, which took him three whole years to resolve. This was the greatest humiliation of his life.

"Enough with the nonsense!" Yelü Cang charged forward on his horse, his long sword dragging on the ground, carving a deep trench. "Today, I will take your life!"

"drive!"

With the neighing of warhorses, Yelü Cang charged forward like a black lightning bolt, his long sword slashing upwards, tearing through the air with a piercing shriek!

This strike contained all the power of a Grandmaster at the ninth level. Before the strike even arrived, the blade's energy had already plowed deep trenches into the ground within a radius of a hundred feet!

Dongfang Wudi did not move.

Only when the longsword was only three zhang away from him did he raise his right hand, put his index and middle fingers together, and flick it lightly.

"bite--"

A gust of wind struck the blade, producing a metallic clang. Yelü Cang felt an overwhelming force surge from the blade, his hand nearly tearing open and the longsword almost slipping from his grasp!

His expression changed drastically.

Ten years ago, Dongfang Wudi wasn't this strong!

"impossible!"

Yelü Cang roared, his inner energy surging wildly. He forcefully stabilized his longsword, changing his slash into a sweeping motion, and cleaved Dongfang Wudi in half!

With a light tap of his foot, Dongfang Wudi floated up like a falling leaf, narrowly avoiding the blade. At the same time, he reached out with his right hand, his five fingers like claws, gripping the back of Yelü Cang's blade.

"Let go."

Two words, a simple and understated description.

But Yelü Cang felt an irresistible force coming from the blade, and his entire right arm bones made a creaking sound, as if they were about to be crushed!

He gritted his teeth and punched Dongfang Wudi in the chest with his left fist!

Dongfang Wudi neither dodged nor avoided the punch, letting it land on him.

"boom--"

After the muffled thud, Dongfang Wudi remained motionless, but Yelü Cang felt as if his fist had struck an iron mountain, his finger bones shattered, and blood flowed freely!

"How is this possible..." Yelü Cang's eyes were filled with disbelief.

How could the difference between the nine levels of Grandmaster be so great?

Dongfang Wudi looked at him calmly: "Ten years have passed, and you are still at the Ninth Heaven. As for me, I am already at the peak of the Ninth Heaven."

He struck out with his palm.

This palm strike was devoid of any physical force, not even a sound of wind. Yet, Yelü Cang felt as if the entire world was collapsing beneath it, leaving him nowhere to hide, nowhere to escape!

"No--"

Yelü Cang raised his sword to block, and with a "crack," the long sword that had been with him for thirty years shattered into pieces! The force of the palm strike was still strong, and it landed solidly on his chest!

"puff--"

Yelü Cang spat out blood and flew backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily a hundred feet away and creating a deep crater!

The barbarian camp was completely silent.

Hundreds of thousands of barbarian soldiers watched helplessly as their number one warrior was sent flying by Dongfang Wudi's palm strike, his fate unknown.

Dongfang Wudi withdrew his hand and stood with his hands behind his back.

"Who else?"

His voice wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly.

No one in the barbarian camp dared to answer.

Moments later, the barbarian army began to retreat. The Wolf King's banner fell, and he was carried back to his camp in a panic by a group of personal guards.

On the city wall, the soldiers of the Bloodstained Army erupted in a deafening cheer.

"Lord Marquis, you are mighty!"

"Weeping Blood Marquis! Weeping Blood Marquis!"

Dongfang Wudi mounted his horse and slowly rode back into the city.

Han Ping stepped forward, his face beaming with excitement: "My lord, is the Wolf King dead?"

"No," Dongfang Wudi said calmly, "but with your dantian destroyed, you can forget about ever fighting again in this lifetime."

Han Ping gasped.

What does it mean to cripple a Grandmaster at the ninth level of the Heavenly Realm with a single palm strike?

"Send the order to Marquis Zhenbei," Dongfang Wudi said. "The barbarians will not attack for the time being, but tell them not to let their guard down. Yelü Xiong will not give up easily."

"Yes."

Dongfang Wudi entered the command tent, removed his armor, and sat down.

Outside the tent, the cheers continued.

But there was no smile on his face.

He knew that the barbarians wouldn't give up their southward advance just because one of their Wolf Kings had died. On the contrary, they would become even more frenzied.