The Heavens: Man Covers the Heavens, Refines Treasures to Become an Emperor

"I am Colonel Song Ling of the Black Wind Army."

The officer's voice was cold and hard.

"From now on, you are under my jurisdiction. Remember three things."

Obey orders, abide by military regulations, and complete the mission.

His sharp gaze swept over every young face.

"Those who violate this rule will be dealt with according to military law."

The trainees were led into a huge tent.

Song Ling stood on the high platform, with a detailed map of Demon Cloud Ridge hanging on the curtain behind him.

"Your task is simple."

The map points to the Song Dynasty imperial tombs.

"Enter Demon Cloud Ridge, kill any powerful barbarian warriors you encounter, and obtain their totem barbarian markings as proof of military merit. Time limit: three months."

A murmur of discussion arose inside the tent. Song Ling slammed his hand on the table, abruptly silencing the murmur.

"There are only a few rules, listen carefully."

Song Ling raised one finger.

"First, escape is strictly prohibited."

The second finger is raised.

"Strictly prohibit any collusion with the enemy."

The third finger.

"Killing one's comrades is strictly prohibited."

His voice grew colder and colder.

"Those who disobey will have their entire family, including nine generations, exterminated."

The temperature inside the tent seemed to drop suddenly.

Jiang Xuan noticed that when Song Ling said "extermination of nine generations," the look in his eyes was definitely not an empty promise.

"After receiving their equipment, each person will choose their own route into Demon Cloud Ridge."

Song Ling pointed to the tent exit.

"Dismissed."

The trainees lined up to receive their equipment.

Jiang Xuan received a set of iron scale armor, a battle sword called "Po Jun", and a metal whistle.

"What's this?"

Jiang Xuan weighed the small whistle in his hand.

The soldiers distributing the equipment didn't even look up.

"Sound the distress call. Sound it, and the nearby Black Wind Army will come to your aid."

"Of course, using it means you're obsolete."

Jiang Xuan hung the whistle around his neck and walked out of the tent with the other students. It was already dark outside, and the direction of Demon Cloud Ridge was shrouded in an eerie gray fog, with lightning faintly visible streaking through the clouds.

"Let's act together?"

Shi Yu leaned over and made a suggestion.

"So we can look out for each other."

Ning Meng also nodded in agreement, which was rare for him.

Jiang Xuan shook his head.

"I'm used to acting alone."

He did not explain his reasons, but the two seemed to understand his choice and did not insist.

That night, Jiang Xuan entered the territory of Demon Cloud Ridge alone. Thick fog immediately enveloped him, reducing visibility to less than ten steps.

The air was thick with the smell of decay and sulfur, and the ground beneath our feet was soft and damp, creaking unsettlingly with every step.

"Three months"

Jiang Xuan muttered to himself, his voice almost swallowed by the thick fog.

He had to survive in this death zone for three months to complete his military mission. The ground beneath his feet creaked uncomfortably, each step feeling like treading on the rotting flesh of some creature.

A faint rustling sound came from the left.

Jiang Xuan froze instantly, his muscles tensed, and his soul perception spread out like ripples on water.

Ten steps away, a pair of bright green eyes could be seen faintly in the mist.

"Black Spirit Panther."

Jiang Xuan understood that although this kind of monster was fast and had sharp claws and teeth, it did not pose a threat to him, who had experienced the bloody battles on the border.

Just as he was about to make his move, his soul perception detected an even more dangerous presence. Behind the Black Spirit Panther, a figure that was almost blending into the night was lurking.

"As expected, there was an ambush."

Jiang Xuan's lips curled slightly, his eyes filled with coldness.

He deliberately revealed a weakness, letting the Black Leopard discover his location.

"roar."

The black leopard let out a low growl and pounced.

Jiang Xuan flashed, his Breaking Army Blade drawing a perfect arc.

"Uh-huh!"

With a flash of light, the Black Leopard's body was split in two in mid-air, spraying blood everywhere.

Almost at the same instant, Jiang Xuan felt a chill run down his spine.

"coming!"

His body twisted incredibly in mid-air, and the Po Jun Battle Blade parried precisely.

"Qiang!"

The clanging of metal was particularly jarring on the silent ridge.

A black beam of light was deflected and disappeared into the thick fog.

Jiang Xuan landed steadily, his gaze fixed ahead.

A lean, black-clad youth emerged from the mist, wielding a black iron rod.

"The Water Barbarian lineage?"

Jiang Xuan sneered.

"Are the barbarian tribes sending children to their deaths now?"

The boy in black remained silent, but the blue light in his eyes intensified.

With a swift movement, he created three afterimages that attacked Jiang Xuan from different angles.

“A trifle!”

Jiang Xuan swept his sword horizontally, the sword energy like a rainbow, instantly shattering the two afterimages.

The real attack came from above, the iron rod crashing down with a whistling sound.

Jiang Xuan neither dodged nor evaded, but instead made a fist with his left hand and struck upwards suddenly.

"boom!"

Fists and sticks collided, and the shockwaves rippled through the surrounding mist.

The boy in black clearly hadn't expected Jiang Xuan to be so strong, and his body was sent flying backward by the shock.

"Want to leave?"

Jiang Xuan followed closely, his battle blade aimed straight for the opponent's throat.

The boy in black hastily parried, sparks flying as the iron rod clashed with the sword.

The two engaged in fierce close combat in a confined space, their moves so fast they were almost invisible to the naked eye.

"Where's your Water Release technique? Why aren't you using it?"

Jiang Xuan attacked and taunted at the same time, his battle blade falling like a storm.

Cold sweat beaded on the black-clad youth's forehead. He was indeed skilled in water-based concealment, but the person in front of him gave him no chance to use it.

Every time he tried to distance himself, Jiang Xuan would cling to him like a persistent leech.

"it's over."

Jiang Xuan suddenly changed his move, feinting with his sword before whipping out his right leg like a whip.

"Crack!"

The sound of the black-clad boy's ribs breaking was clearly audible.

He spat out a mouthful of blood, and his body flew out like a kite with a broken string.

Jiang Xuan gave him no chance to catch his breath, instantly catching up and delivering three consecutive punches to his throat.

"puff!"

The dark blue light emanating from the black-clad youth gradually dimmed, and he eventually collapsed to the ground, unable to rise again.

Jiang Xuan let out a long sigh of relief, squatted down, and began to loot the spoils of war.

He noticed a blue totem-like pattern on the boy's wrist; the pattern was intricate, with a faint sense of flowing water. "Indeed, he belongs to the Water Barbarian lineage."

Jiang Xuan skillfully used his knife to cut off the barbarian markings along with the skin and put them into his storage ring.

This will be an important certificate of military merit.

In addition, he found a short, jet-black thorn that was icy cold to the touch, clearly not an ordinary item.

Several medicinal herbs for healing and some wild fruits were also taken away.

Just as Jiang Xuan was about to leave, a slight tremor suddenly came from the ground.

He took a few steps back warily, and the soil around the bodies of the black leopard and the boy in black began to loosen.

"what?"

Jiang Xuan seemed to be deep in thought.

The next second, countless tiny black insects surged from the ground, covering the two corpses. A chilling chewing sound rang out, and in just a few breaths, the corpses, along with their bones, vanished without a trace.

Jiang Xuan felt a chill rise from the soles of his feet.

These insects showed no interest in living things and quickly burrowed back into the ground after completing their task, as if they had never been there.

"Demon Cloud Ridge truly lives up to its reputation."

Jiang Xuan gripped his battle sword tightly, his vigilance growing even stronger.

If this bizarre creature were to attack a living person, even he would likely find it difficult to escape unscathed.

He dared not linger and quickly left the area.

Seven days later, deep within Demon Cloud Ridge.

Jiang Xuan's figure moved through the dense forest, his clothes were already tattered, but they could not hide the sharp, knife-like light in his eyes.

In those seven days, he crossed three treacherous peaks, traversed two swamps, and fought against no fewer than ten waves of enemies.

Each time, he achieved victory through his exceptional skills and calm judgment.

"call."

Jiang Xuan leaned against an ancient tree to catch his breath, then took out a shriveled mountain fruit from his pocket and put it in his mouth.

The fruit pulp had long since lost its moisture, making it bitter and difficult to swallow, but he still chewed it carefully, not wasting a single bit of energy.

Supplying materials became the biggest problem.

In the Blood Slaughter Camp, elixirs and spiritual herbs were readily available, but in the Demon Cloud Ridge, every resource must be exchanged for one's life.

Although they obtained some supplies from the slain barbarian warriors, it was far from enough.

"If this continues, our spiritual energy will be exhausted sooner or later."

Jiang Xuan touched the deflated medicine pouch at his waist.

Without sufficient spiritual energy replenishment, his combat power will plummet, which would be tantamount to suicide in the perilous Demon Cloud Ridge.

Suddenly, his nose twitched as he detected a peculiar scent. Following the scent, he found several small, grayish-green grasses growing in a crevice in the rocks.

"Houttuynia cordata?"

Jiang Xuan carefully picked it and rubbed it into ash in his palm.

Although this herb cannot replenish spiritual power, it can mask human aura and is remarkably effective in warding off ferocious beasts and insects.

He smeared the grass ash on his bare skin; the pungent smell made him frown, but safety was more important.

After doing all this, he sat down cross-legged and began to calculate the military merits he had gained in the past few days.

"One black leopard, three witch scouts, plus that poison-wielding boy."

Jiang Xuan was silently calculating in his mind when suddenly his ears twitched, and he heard the sound of a dry branch breaking in the distance.

He tensed instantly, stealthily moving behind a clump of bushes like a cheetah, holding his breath.

The footsteps grew closer, accompanied by the clanging of metal and heavy breathing.

Jiang Xuan peered through the gaps in the branches and leaves and saw a group of powerful witch warriors escorting more than a dozen imperial soldiers bound in chains as they walked along the forest path.

The soldiers, dressed in rags and covered in blood, were being roughly driven forward like livestock awaiting slaughter.

A young soldier stumbled and fell, and was immediately whipped.

"Get out of here! You useless piece of trash!"

The burly man raised his thorny vine whip and lashed it hard across the soldier's back, tearing his skin and flesh.

A cold glint flashed in Jiang Xuan's eyes, and his grip on the knife tightened, but reason prevented him from acting rashly. There were eight of them, all elites; a hasty attack would not only fail to save them but would also put him in danger.

“Follow them.”

He secretly decided to follow the group silently.

The shaman's party led the captives through the dense forest to a secluded canyon. Two guards stood watch at the canyon entrance, and upon seeing the party return, they immediately opened the thorny fence.

Jiang Xuan circled around to the side of the canyon, climbed up a steep rock face, and observed the layout of the camp from above.

Inside the valley, there were more than a dozen animal-hide tents, and in the central open space, there was a huge stone table where three barbarian men, whose auras were clearly stronger than the others, were talking.

On the other side of the camp, seven or eight wooden cages held even more Imperial soldiers, roughly estimated to be no less than thirty.

The most striking feature was the high platform in front of the cage, resembling a gallows, with a bonfire burning on it and a large iron pot, about half a person's height, resting on it. Flames roared beneath the pot, and the water inside was boiling, steam billowing out.

“What do they want to do?”

An ominous premonition rose in Jiang Xuan's heart.

At this moment, two burly barbarian men dragged an imperial youth onto the high platform.

The boy was only sixteen or seventeen years old, his face covered in blood, and his left leg seemed to be broken, dragging helplessly on the ground.

He was roughly tied to a wooden stake, his mouth stuffed with animal hide, and could only utter muffled moans.

A shaman-like man standing beside the stone table stood up and slowly walked towards the high platform.

His face was painted with strange greasepaint, and he wore a bone necklace around his neck; he was clearly the leader of the group.

"Today, we enjoy fresh lamb."

The leader grinned maliciously and drew a curved sword. In the boy's terrified gaze, the blade flashed...
"puff!"

An arm snapped off, blood gushing out. The leader casually tossed the severed arm into the boiling iron pot, instantly turning the water a dark red.

"ah,!"

Even with his mouth gagged, the boy still let out heart-wrenching screams.

Jiang Xuan's blood froze instantly, and his stomach churned.

These barbarians are actually eating people!
He stared intently at the high platform, watching the barbarian chieftain cut off a second piece of flesh and throw it into the pot. The boy had already fainted from the pain, but the torment was not over yet.

"brute!"

Jiang Xuan gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with a murderous intent that was almost tangible.

The spiritual energy within his body surged uncontrollably, rampaging through his meridians.

Around the camp, more than a dozen iron cages held even more imperial soldiers.

They were dressed in rags, and many of them had horrific wounds on their bodies.

At this moment, everyone stared intently at the high platform, their eyes burning with fury.

"Look, little lambs of the empire!"

The barbarian chieftain held up a bloody chunk of flesh and shouted in broken Imperial language.

"This is what happens when you resist!"

Four or five barbarian warriors surrounded the platform, laughing and joking. Some even reached into the pot, pulled out half-cooked severed arms, and began to tear them apart in front of the prisoners.

Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth onto his animal hide armor.

Jiang Xuan forced himself to calm down.

He noticed several burly figures looming in the shadows at the edge of the camp.

That was the aura of a level nine barbarian slave; there were at least three hiding in the shadows.

"trap."

Jiang Xuan suppressed the surging spiritual power within his body.

The Wuman tribe deliberately set up an execution ground in an open area, using the most cruel methods to provoke the imperial soldiers, in order to lure out any cultivators who might be lurking nearby.

A larger bonfire was lit in the center of the camp, and the barbarian warriors danced around it, occasionally dragging a prisoner out of an iron cage and dismembering him amidst screams.

Jiang Xuan lay motionless, like a lifeless stone. The night wind, carrying the stench of blood, swept across the mountaintop, ruffling a few stray strands of black hair on his forehead.

His eyes gleamed coldly in the darkness, like a lurking wolf.

"Wait a little longer"

He reminded himself of this.

"It's not the right time yet."

The revelry at the camp reached its climax when the moon was high in the sky.

A particularly tall and imposing witch warrior dragged out a young female soldier and roughly tore open her clothes.

The female soldier struggled desperately, but was slapped so hard that her mouth and nose bled.

"stop!"

Inside the iron cage, a middle-aged officer roared and rammed into the bars, only to be immediately impaled on the shoulder by a barbarian warrior standing nearby, pinning him to the cage wall.

Jiang Xuan's fingers unconsciously rubbed the Broken Army Battle Blade at his waist. The scabbard was cold, and the touch calmed him slightly. (End of Chapter)