Immortal Ice Empress: Path to Vengeance

Cyrus looked back at his empty Sect, tumultuous waves rolling through his heart. The Sect didn't just appear empty on the outside, but inside as well. It wasn't just the main Sect, either. All Branch Sects were just as barren.

He had asked all the disciples and Elders to take everything of value with them in case Aelina decided to swoop by and loot them while they were away.

It wouldn't be wrong to say that his Sects were now abandoned wastelands with hardly a Spirit Stone to their name.

Most of the essential items were stored in his Storage, while everything else was with his Elders and Disciples. They also killed all the slaves they kept, not wanting to leave anything behind.

This was a very risky play, but he knew he didn't stand a chance if he didn't put everything on the line to win.

'What's done is done.' Cyrus thought, his gaze hardening, 'As long as we win, nothing else matters.'

***

"AHHHH!"

"RUN!!"

"What is the Crimson Slayer Sect doing here?! I thought they were at war with the Battle Maiden Sect!!"

Shrieks of horror echoed throughout Goldenleaf City as the Crimson Slayer Sect's innumerable disciples descended upon the unsuspecting populace, unleashing devastation in their wake.

Pandemonium gripped the city as terrified residents scrambled to evade the merciless assault, inadvertently trampling one another in their frantic efforts to flee. Amidst the chaos, buildings crumbled to dust, and families were wrenched apart, as relentless eruptions of destruction continued unabated.

As the relentless assault continued, the once-thriving metropolis of Goldenleaf City was gradually reduced to a desolate wasteland. The vibrant streets, filled with laughter and life mere hours before, now lay in ruins, ravaged by the Crimson Slayer Sect's ruthless advance.

Despairing cries merged with the cacophony of collapsing structures, painting a horrifying picture of a city on the brink of annihilation. Through the smoke and dust, parents searched frantically for their children while others huddled together, praying for someone to rescue them from the hellish nightmare that had befallen them.

With the Crimson Slayer Sect's disciples showing no signs of relenting, the city's defenses crumbled one by one, unable to stem the tide of destruction. Soldiers and guards fought valiantly to protect the citizens, but they were vastly outnumbered and outmatched by the invaders' sheer power.

It only took mere minutes for a thriving city full of life to be reduced to nothing under the Crimson Slayer Sect's assault.

In the distance, the Sect's disciples regrouped, their faces painted with bloodlust and satisfaction. They reveled in the carnage they had unleashed upon the city, their fervor for battle stoked by the devastation they had wrought.

However, this was just the prelude, a mere warm-up to what they had planned later.

"Loot what you can and leave whatever's useless! We resume our march in five minutes! Remember, these worms are just the beginning! Do not get complacent!" The Elder's voices echoed through the battlefield, if it could even be called that.

"Yes, sir!"

The disciples scrambled about, looting everything they could, using the blood of their enemies to bolster their cultivation and restore any lost Qi.

Five minutes later, just like the Elders ordered, the army resumed their march, heading toward their destination, Silvermoon Peak, a mountain on which one of the Battle Maiden's branch sects resides.

***

The vast army surged forward, relentlessly advancing toward the outskirts of the Ancient Beast Mountain Range. Along their path, they encountered numerous smaller cities nestled within the mountains. Each city was obliterated within minutes, leaving only death and destruction behind.

It seemed as if the Crimson Slayer Sect was determined to leave an indelible mark on the world before ultimately succumbing to obscurity.

After a day's march, the army reached Silvermoon Peak.

As they approached Silvermoon Peak, the Crimson Slayer Sect's disciples' killing intent surged. This location was to be their first victory, the initial foothold in their war campaign!

Cyrus extended his Divine Sense to cover the entire mountain, his brow furrowing in response. He sensed the Battle Maiden Sect disciples scurrying about, preparing to confront the approaching army. Additionally, there were around a dozen Stage 1-3 Mortal Shedding Realm Elders present.

Yet, that was all.

'Why hasn't Aelina made a move yet? She should know exactly where we're going. It's not like we tried to conceal our movements.' Doubt began to infiltrate Cyrus's mind as he struggled to understand her intentions.

'Did she abandon this branch Sect?' He pondered but promptly dismissed the idea. 'No, she wouldn't do that. This may not be her strongest branch Sect, but it's far from weak. There's no reason for her to abandon them.'

Despite his efforts to uncover any hidden threats, Cyrus couldn't find anything amiss.

It appeared as though Aelina had indeed left them to their fate!

Now that he had arrived, Cyrus hesitated. Too many variables and unknowns remained, making it difficult to proceed with certainty.

'I know I said I was going to go all out, but Aelina isn't following the script at all! At least send some reinforcements!' Cyrus grumbled in frustration, but he couldn't stop now. His army had already surrounded the mountain, eagerly awaiting his command to launch a full-scale assault!

'To hell with it!' He exclaimed, his eyes ablaze with determination, 'So what if I don't know what she's planning? I just need to annihilate whatever stands in my path!'

"All disciples! ATTACK! Leave not a single one of them alive!" Cyrus raised his fist and bellowed.

"OOOOHHHHH!"

The disciples roared in response, swarming up the mountain like a ravenous pack of wolves!

While they raced to the summit, Cyrus lowered his hand and aimed it at the strongest woman atop Silvermoon Peak. Concentrating Qi at the tip of his finger, he prepared to eradicate her from existence.

However, just as he began to gather Qi, he sensed an overwhelming sense of danger from his side!

Cyrus hastily covered himself in Qi to block the incoming attack, but that was all he managed before a beam of light struck him. The force sent him hurtling several thousand kilometers through the sky like a comet. The battlefield seemed to pause for a moment as it almost looked like Cyrus was reduced to nothing in a single strike.

His body passed through several mountain peaks, reducing them to dust before he eventually crashed into the ground, creating a massive crater! It wasn't until they heard his voice echoing through the mountains did the Crimson Slayer Sect disciples relax and continued their climb.

"DAMMIT!" Cyrus shot up from the ground and yelled. "Who is it?! Who dared to ambush me?! Show yourself right now!"

"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. Little Cyrus, don't you know it's common courtesy for the Divine Sea Realm masters to enter the battle last?" An all-to-familiar voice filled with ridicule and disdain entered his mind, causing his expression to morph. "Just sit back and watch the show like the rest of us. I'd hate to have to end this little play early because somebody didn't follow the rules."

"Aelina…" Cyrus said through gritted teeth, hatred spewing out of his eyes.

Cyrus clenched his fists, seething with rage as Aelina's voice replayed in his mind.

"You... you've been hiding in the shadows this whole time, haven't you?" Cyrus spat, his voice shaking with barely contained fury. "What are you up to, Aelina? Are you really willing to sacrifice your own Sect for no reason?"

Aelina's ethereal laughter rang through his mind. "Oh my~? Are you concerned about me and my Sect? How kind of you, Cyrus! However, I feel like you should really worry about yourself first."

Cyrus shook with rage upon hearing Aelina's words, and he wanted nothing more than to charge at her this second. However, he still had no idea where she was. All he knew was her general direction, but the distance was unknown. Not to mention, the chances of her still being there were slim.

"Fine," He grumbled, standing up to dust himself off before returning to the battlefield. "The outcome won't change whether I participate in this war or not."

Aelina chuckled again, leaving a few more words behind before she fell silent, "Well, at least you're not wrong about that."

While they were chatting, the Crimson Slayer Sect disciples had already reached the summit of the mountain and were about to begin their onslaught.

However, before they could attack, a large-scale formation suddenly activated, drawing massive amounts of Qi from the surroundings.

"What?!"

Cyrus' expression changed, and he was about to use his Qi to stop the disaster that was about to come, but a sudden pressure locked onto him, forcing him to stop.

'Damn you, Aelina!'

*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!*

A colossal explosion engulfed nearly the entire mountain, tearing out massive sections of earth and hurling them at the opposing army like a meteor shower. The explosion caught them all unprepared, causing chaos among the Crimson Slayer Sect disciples. A giant plume of dust obscured any outside view, preventing spectators from discerning the extent of the damage inflicted.