Chương 77: Challenge

Above a patch of unremarkable ocean, in a nameless corner of the Thousand Shattered Islands, the air suddenly cracked open. A golden light flared and coiled upon itself until it formed a stable portal. The instant the gateway held, a fork of blue lightning streaked out, devouring leagues of sky in mere minutes. It surged past the horizon, only grounding itself once the portal behind it had begun to fade. The lightning resolved into two figures, still wreathed in a halo of fading blue power.

Bai Ning looked down at the map of the Netherworld Domain in her hands, watching with quiet dismay as it began to smolder. In the span of a breath, it crumbled into brittle black flakes, dissolving into the salt air before she could react. Beside her, Mo Jian kept his head on a swivel, the Heaven Enshrouding Ding floating at his side as he swept the empty sky for many li. Only when he was certain they were alone did he finally relax. They were back.

"What a pity," Bai Ning said, shaking soot from her fingers.

"If only we could have used the map again. We would have had an entire domain to ourselves." Mo Jian, already weaving a layered formation into the air, nodded absently.

"There is no such thing as a perfect victory. We gained what we needed from there, more than we expected, honestly, and that is enough. Now, it is finally time to put it to use." Bai Ning's attention sharpened. Mere days ago, they had fled into the Netherworld Domain as a desperate last resort, hunted by a power they could not resist. Now they had returned, carrying both a means to victory and the cold resolve to achieve it. Still, a shadow of worry gnawed at her.

Old Devil Fu was not the type to abandon a trail, as far as she could tell. There was a very real chance that those close to them had already been taken hostage, or worse, unless they had somehow managed to flee his grasp. Master Mo Jian was right. Forget the map; they had far more pressing concerns.

"Where to?" Bai Ning asked. Mo Jian had given her the bare bones of the plan, and she was fully committed. As he had said, they were done fleeing. From now on, it would be the others who would have to run from them. The first step lay at either Azure Wall City or Blackrock Island. Both were viable, each with its own advantages and dangers. She secretly favored Azure Wall City, though in truth it made little difference. Contrary to her expectations, however, master Mo Jian did not reply immediately.

He finished layering another formation; five flags vanishing into the air around them as a spherical barrier of qi shimmered into place, and then frowned.

"Give me a day," he said at last.

"I need to examine the changes to the Ding and ensure my preparations are complete. And," he added, catching the worry in her eyes, "it will give our allies time to respond to the messages we send. I won't delay those. I'll send them out immediately." Bai Ning nodded, a flicker of reassurance warming her chest. This was the part of the plan that troubled her most. Even with everything master Mo Jian had told her – especially the power of the Netherworld Scorpion – fear for her parents lingered.

The messages were only a beginning, but at least they were something. So she waited. Patience was all she could offer until Old Devil Fu was dealt with. And after that… perhaps- The memory of Song Shaoyue surfaced, the woman taking such clear delight in her misery. Then Ancestor Qing, who had simply stood by to the side while the disaster unfolded. Bai Ning was not a bloodthirsty person by nature, but she was no saint, either. If the opportunity for revenge presented itself, she would take it.

She exhaled slowly and turned her gaze back to the empty sky. Below, the ocean lay calm to the point of mockery, its surface reflecting distant clouds as though nothing in the world had changed. The stillness clashed painfully with the storm she knew was about to sweep across the Thousand Shattered Islands. Mo Jian did not waste time. With a flick of his wrist, the Heaven Enshrouding Ding drifted forward, its blue-black surface gleaming.

A duplicate peeled away from its rotund body, reshaping into a platform beneath their feet as the last threads of qi holding them aloft dispersed. They touched down lightly, and Mo Jian immediately settled into a lotus position, the Ding hovering before him. Bai Ning moved to the opposite end of the platform, giving her teacher the space he needed. While he attended to the Ding, she turned her thoughts to the messages they would send. These would not be secret, so there was no need for subtlety.

With Mo Jian occupied, she would prepare everything so they could be dispatched the moment he finished. Within minutes, silence reclaimed the space. Only a single platform remained, two figures seated upon it, hovering soundlessly in the sky. From the outside, there was nothing to see, except another patch of empty air. The formation concealed them as completely as it protected them. One more day, and they would set out to change everything. ………………………………………………….. Mo Jian examined the Heaven Enshrouding Ding.

The blue-black cauldron, fashioned from a lustrous dark metal that caught the light with a faint cerulean sheen, had changed. In many respects, it remained the same as before: a round body that flared at the base and tapered slightly toward the top, three stubby legs, two outward-curving handles, and a sloped lid crowned with a single grip. Once, before it had become his natal artifact, it had been nothing more than a high-quality alchemical cauldron.

Now, however, the difference was unmistakable, even though he remained in the same realm of cultivation: the final stage of Core Formation. The scorpion had brought him back to life at his peak. And, after refining the ghostly Netherworld Scorpion as its artifact spirit, the ding had transformed in response. The handle atop the lid had morphed completely. Where once there had been a simple piece of Bin Steel, there was now a perfect metallic replica of the scorpion itself.

Its body matched the cauldron's blue-black hue, while its curved tail arched forward, nearly touching its own head to form a closed loop: the new handle. In every other respect, it was as though the living creature had been cast in metal and affixed to the lid of the Heaven Enshrouding Ding. In a way, it looked grander than before. With a casual gesture, Mo Jian summoned the artifact spirit.

The ghostly scorpion slid free from its metallic shell, emerging unchanged; pearlescent white, faintly translucent, its form shimmering like moonlight through mist. It skittered to the rim of the Ding, paused for the briefest instant, and then crossed the empty space toward Mo Jian, scuttling through the air as though it were solid ground. It reached him in seconds, racing up his arm to perch on his shoulder. Mo Jian looked at it for a moment. Then he looked away and got back to work.

Unlike before, he now held complete authority over the creature. He could command its movements, restrain its impulses, and bend its power to his will. And yet, a glimmer of its original nature remained. Its fondness for high vantage points, especially shoulders, seemed etched into its very essence. That, it appeared, was something refinement could not erase. Not that he minded. At least it could not talk. That alone was a blessing in disguise.

Besides, given the power this little scorpion now wielded, Mo Jian would have accepted a thousand such inconveniences without complaint. A minor quirk in his natal artifact was hardly worth remarking upon. And there were other changes as well. The Heaven Enshrouding Ding itself had grown stronger; tougher, more responsive, and more complete. Having been refined within nascent flames – or close enough to them to matter, at any rate – its capabilities had risen proportionally.

It could change size with far greater ease, reach more extreme limits, and shapeshift or duplicate itself while consuming far less qi than before. With a thought, Mo Jian could shrink it to smaller than a grain of dust, or expand it until it dwarfed an island. It was not yet on the level of a true Nascent Soul cultivator's natal artifact, but it stood close to that threshold. Of course, given the amount of qi he possessed, matching such a cultivator head-on was still out of the question. Still.

The changes did not end there. His command over flame qi and lightning qi, or more precisely, the techniques that relied upon those attributes, had leapt forward by entire realms. The Divine Water Lightning Technique, once something he could only wield at a rudimentary level, now came as naturally as breathing. With a single thought, Mo Jian could dissolve into lightning and streak through the skies at speeds even Old Devil Fu would struggle to follow. The same held true for his flames.

The blue fire birthed by the Ding burned hotter than ever before, its refining power sharpened to a terrifying degree. If that Gu he had battled within the cosmic bubble were to face him now, Mo Jian was certain of the outcome. He would slaughter it alone- -and emerge without so much as a scratch. Mo Jian let that certainty settle into his bones, careful that it did not harden into arrogance. Confidence was useful; complacency was lethal.

Power gained too quickly had a way of blinding cultivators, convincing them the world had suddenly shrunk to match their newfound strength. It hadn't. He needed to remember that. He reached up and tapped the ghostly scorpion with one finger. This time, his touch did not pass through it. He could feel it, like a creature formed of cold mist and whispered secrets. The scorpion clicked softly, its tail twitching once before it stilled again, perfectly content.

"Don't get ideas," Mo Jian murmured, half to himself and half to the scorpion. The scorpion ignored him. His attention returned to the Ding. With a thought, it folded inward, shrinking until it hovered above his palm, no larger than a grain of rice. Another impulse, and it expanded again, filling the air before him, towering taller than he was. Satisfied, Mo Jian exhaled slowly and drew the Heaven Enshrouding Ding back into his dantian, where it settled into quiet repose. That done, he stood and stretched.

Time to send those messages. He could deal with the actual testing later. When Mo Jian had first devised this plan to deal with all the threats pressing in on him and Bai Ning, his primary concern had been achieving victory without unnecessary sacrifice. And by victory, he meant freedom: no one pursuing them, no dangers lingering, no one daring to challenge them. To achieve that, he had decided that a display of strength was essential. And to achieve that… he would need to send a signal.

He turned to Bai Ning, who sat surrounded by a cloud of red lights, methodically creating one voice-transmission talisman after another. None of the messages were personalized; every talisman carried the same content. They would be sent to everyone they knew together; every ally, every acquaintance who might view them favorably, regardless of rank or status. They needed to spread information and create an audience. The reality was that only a fraction of the messages would elicit a response. And that was fine.

At this moment, Mo Jian and Bai Ning were the targets of a Nascent Soul cultivator. Only true friends would stand by them. The wider broadcast ensured that even those who had only a passing connection would be prepared for what was to come. Bai Ning glanced up as he approached, still busy adding to the orbiting cloud of talismans.

"I'm almost done, Master," she said.

"Two hundred messages, right?" Mo Jian nodded and plucked one talisman from the air, examining it with his spiritual sense. The contents were simple, precisely what they had agreed on: a declaration that Mo Jian and Bai Ning were safe, instructions for their "friends" to remain vigilant, and, most importantly, a note to expect another message soon with further details. The intent was twofold. First, any hostages, if they existed, would be kept alive longer, since the captors had received a signal from their side.

Second, the message primed as many people as possible for the second, more important transmission. That was all the first batch needed to accomplish. In truth, two hundred messages was probably overkill. Mo Jian doubted even half would be necessary. But the purpose was breadth: the wider the initial broadcast, the better. The more, the merrier, as it were. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

Minutes later, they watched as a flurry of red streaks shot outward, scattering across the Thousand Shattered Islands. Whatever anonymity they had left was now fully stripped away. Mo Jian caught the thought and examined it for a moment. Good riddance. What use was anonymity when trouble came? Strength was the true virtue in this dog-eat-dog world. That, and a measure of decency. Bai Ning brushed her hair back, eyes following the fading lights like twinkling stars. There was no turning back now.

Mo Jian, standing beside her, suddenly coughed.

"I've decided," he said.

"We'll head to Azure Wall City." Bai Ning tilted her head thoughtfully. She didn't mind the choice, but what was his reasoning? He seemed to read her mind and explained before she could ask.

"There are a few reasons. First, although Jin Rong would welcome us at Blackrock Island, it would be as fleeing friends. He would hide us, shelter us, but also limit our freedom. And while I believe I could convince him of the merit of my plan over time, he might still hesitate, simply because of the risk to his city.

"By contrast, at Azure Wall City, we are owed a favor. Lady Yun made it clear she feels indebted to me. This allows us to collect." Bai Ning's brows furrowed.

"When did you communicate with the island master of Azure Wall City, Master? I don't recall." Mo Jian waved her concern aside.

"During the tournament. Don't worry. More importantly, both she and Shi Dei are also in a precarious situation. It's not as dire as ours," he added with a wry grin, "but theirs is hardly enviable either. Song Shaoyue looms over their island, and Ancestor Qing has shown no willingness to support them. No matter the risk, they will be tempted by my proposition." He paused, voice lowering slightly.

"And finally, a practical consideration. Azure Wall City is far closer. We can reach it in an hour or two. Blackrock Island would take over a day of travel." His expression grew serious, almost solemn.

"I do not wish to waste time unnecessarily. Azure Wall City is the suitable choice. What do you think?" Bai Ning considered his words, then turned to him with a razor-sharp smile.

"I think there's no point in waiting, Master. Let's go." Mo Jian nodded. His qi spread outward, wrapping around them like a blue shroud. The platform beneath their feet vanished, and, in a whirl of motion, scores of formation flags appeared out of thin air, dissolving into his body. For a heartbeat, the blue light flickered, and then erupted into a bolt of living lightning, tearing across the sky toward Azure Wall City. ……………………………………………………………..

The sun still hung high when Azure Wall Island came into view, though its light had begun to dull. Dark clouds gathered overhead, their edges flashing with occasional lightning that vanished moments later in low, rolling thunder. It was weather poised on a knife's edge; threatening rain, promising a storm, yet holding back just long enough to unsettle rather than drench. For all its ill temper, the sky only made Azure Wall City shine more brightly.

Perched along the rugged coast, its immense walls shimmered with a soft inner glow. The city climbed skyward in sweeping tiers, each level narrower than the last, spiraling upward like a celestial pagoda carved directly from the island. Within those tiers, palaces gleamed, cultivation halls thrummed with latent power, sacred gardens flourished, and bustling markets wove life into every corner.

Wisps of incense curled from rooftop altars, talismans danced in the wind, and the distant chime of golden bells drifted through the streets. At a glance, one might have believed that nothing had changed since Mo Jian's last visit. He knew better. The drifting mansions of mist and starlight, the vast bridges of jade and gold, the markets boasting goods from every corner of the world; these were a carefully maintained façade, meant to draw the eye away from the city's failing core. Azure Wall City was sick.

It had been for some time, and without intervention, it would remain so. He was wagering everything on becoming that intervention. His voice transmission talisman shot forward, cutting through the storm-laden sky toward the hovering mountain crowning the city's peak. Known as the Hanging Stone Garden, it served as the residence of the Island Masters of Azure Wall Island. At his side, Bai Ning watched with frightening intensity as the talisman vanished behind the luminous formations enclosing the garden.

Mo Jian felt a flicker of unease himself. No matter how convinced he was that Lady Yun and Shi Dei would not turn him away, certainty was not a luxury he possessed in his circumstances. While they waited, he extended his spiritual sense into the city below. He dared to do so because he strongly suspected there were no other Core Formation cultivators present beyond himself and the island's masters. If Azure Wall City could still attract peers of that level, it would not be struggling so visibly.

His invisible perception swept across the cardinal gates yawning open to land, sea, and sky. It passed over every stone, every roof, every bridge, tracing cultivators streaking through the air on flying swords, cloud beasts, and silver-flame cranes. Ahead of them, the air rippled. A jade talisman shot forth from the modest residence within the Hanging Stone Garden, arriving in a flash of light. Mo Jian caught it without hesitation, immediately recognizing the invitation for what it was.

So, they were being allowed in. He could not deny the flicker of relief that followed. For all his confidence, remnants of uncertainty still clung to this venture. Enveloping both himself and Bai Ning in a layer of cobalt qi, Mo Jian surged forward. The surrounding restrictions parted smoothly as the jade talisman was scanned, and in the span of a heartbeat they arrived within the stone garden surrounding the shared residence of Shi Dei and Lady Yun. It appeared untouched since their last visit.

They did not linger. Mo Jian led the way up the narrow steps and into the wooden house. Curtains of fuguangjin silk fluttered as the rising wind heralded the coming storm. As before, the interior was modestly furnished, and a waiting spiritual sense gently guided them deeper inside. Bai Ning hesitated only a fraction of a second. Seeing Mo Jian continue without pause, she hurried after him. They crossed a short hall, rapped lightly on a door, and entered.

The room beyond was spacious and nearly bare, dominated by tall windows that gazed out over the city, the ocean, and the storm-darkened sky beyond. A faint floral fragrance lingered in the air, rising from a tea set arranged neatly on the lone table. Four seats had been prepared, two on either side, positioned beside the window, though only one was currently occupied. Lady Yun sat there, in the midst of pouring tea into a shallow cup. She looked up and offered them a faint smile.

Little about her had changed since their last meeting: silvery hair, sharp fox-like eyes, an air of quiet authority. If anything, she seemed more at ease and less rigid; like someone allowing herself a momentary reprieve. Shi Dei, by contrast, paced the room like a caged tiger, coiled fury barely contained, a thunderstorm given human form. The instant Mo Jian and Bai Ning entered, he scowled, glaring at them as if he might drive them out by sheer force.

Bai Ning met his gaze without flinching, defiant even in the presence of a Core Formation senior. Mo Jian, however, ignored him entirely. He stepped forward and offered Lady Yun a shallow salute. She returned it with a deeper, heartfelt one.

"Brother Mo, I am glad to see you well. We all feared the worst when the rumors reached us…" Mo Jian sank into one of the seats opposite her, sitting gracelessly. Bai Ning slipped into her own seat like a shadow, silent and fluid. Shi Dei remained near the door, still scowling at the entire scene.

"I haven't heard any rumors," Mo Jian said, refusing the tea cup she slid forward with one hand.

"Too busy running," he added dryly. Lady Yun nodded, unbothered, and set a cup of spirit wine in front of Bai Ning. It, too, went untouched.

"Then let me tell you: the Thousand Shattered Islands are in turmoil. Fu Zhan vanished after the tournament, and then the Old Devil fought someone in a clash we could sense even from here. Soon after that, the news came: Fu Zhan dead, and the Old Devil on a rampage, destroying anything remotely connected to you. Had Ancestor Qing not intervened, he might have leveled every island you've ever set foot on. Even now, should a hint of your presence reach him, he will likely tear across half the world to find you."

Mo Jian nodded, unconcerned, though he did pause at the mention of anything associated with him. That, at least, confirmed his worries. But first-"And even knowing all that, you still let me in," he said.

"Is this a trap, or a genuine offer of help?" A flash of lightning split the sky, casting the table into stark shadow for a heartbeat. Yan Hanyue leaned back in her seat, her smile gone as she regarded him with absolute seriousness.

"No matter what impression you have of me, I am sincere. You saved my life at Daisai Island. If not for you, Fu Zhan would have…" She trailed off, but Shi Dei's low growl finished the thought for her. She shook it off.

"That is why I am willing to offer you shelter, Brother Mo, both to you and your disciple. Besides, anyone capable of reading between the lines knows you are not at fault. It was clearly a ploy, and Ancestor Qing only yielded because that wretched Song Shaoyue chose to back the Old Devil." Mo Jian said nothing for a long while. Finally, he opened his mouth.

"Qing," he said, very deliberately omitting the honorific.

"And Song Shaoyue can be dealt with later. The matter at hand is the Old Devil. And I did not come to you to hide." He lifted his gaze to hers, eyes steady.

"I have a plan to win. And for that, I want your help." That was too much for Shi Dei. He exploded at once, anger evident in every movement.

"See," he barked, taking long, heavy strides until he was nearly in Mo Jian's face. A finger, quivering with fury, jabbed toward him.

"I told you. This was a mistake. We should have burned that damned message. That would have been payment enough. Now, after ruining his own life, he wants to drag us down with him." Bai Ning, pale-faced but ready to fight, nearly rose from her seat, but Mo Jian caught her by the shoulder before she could stand. Without sparing Shi Dei a glance, he turned back to Lady Yun.

"I've already shared some of the details with you. What say you?" A delayed peal of thunder chose that moment to crash overhead, its roar punctuating his words with ringing finality. Lady Yun sighed and rubbed her forehead delicately.

"I was hoping that was a jest, or perhaps words spoken in anger, soon to be taken back. Your plan, as you call it, is nothing short of suicide." She glanced at Shi Dei.

"And my fellow Island Master is not wrong. You have shared neither your reasoning nor the source of your confidence with us. As it stands, if we proceed with what you propose, Azure Wall City will cease to exist within a week." Shi Dei, still glowering, nodded in grim agreement and finally crossed the room to drop heavily into his seat. His expression was thunderous, heavy and foreboding, completely at odds with his refined appearance. Mo Jian nodded. All fair points.

He just had no intention of addressing them directly. Instead, he took another path.

"And how much longer is Azure Wall City going to stand, even without me?" he asked calmly.

"A few weeks? A few months? Certainly not longer than that. Either you flee into the night with nothing but what you can carry in your storage pouches, or you stay and die when Song Shaoyue finally makes her move."

"Qing," he continued, once again deliberately omitting the honorific, "has refused to help. And without him, you have no means to oppose her." He let his gaze sweep over each face in the room.

"And if you truly intended to flee without a fight, you would have done so already. My plan is risky, but I would not be here if I were not confident in its chances. So no, I will not explain why I believe it will work. I am only giving you a choice. You once told me I was measured, prudent, and intelligent; that I possessed both strength and subtlety. I don't know how much of that was empty flattery, but you still chose me for the auction.

If any of that regard remains, then you should understand: I would not have come unless I was ready." Another flash of lightning split the sky, briefly illuminating the room and casting their long shadows across the table. The untouched cups of tea and wine steamed faintly, the warmth lingering in the storm-laden air. Shi Dei's jaw tightened. He leaned back slightly, the motion slow and deliberate, as if trying to contain a growing storm within him.

"You speak as if you've already won," he said, voice low, rumbling like distant thunder.

"But all I see is unchecked arrogance. If we follow you, what awaits us is certain death. Our way, even in defeat, still leaves us an escape. We can flee." Bai Ning's eyes flicked toward him, but she remained silent. In this conversation, there was no room for her to intervene. Lady Yun, however, was not so unmoved. Her gaze lingered on Mo Jian, inscrutable, weighing each word. At last, she sighed.

"My regard for you is higher than ever, Brother Mo," she said, ignoring how Shi Dei's scowl deepened at the admission, "but what you ask-" She hesitated, then pressed on.

"-it feels like a last stand. Help me understand. You issue the challenge… and then what?" Those words clearly did not sit well with Shi Dei. He turned an almost incredulous look toward his fellow Island Master, his anger making him resemble a boiling kettle, despite the fact that he was no longer steering this exchange. Mo Jian, by contrast, relaxed infinitesimally. He had his foot in the door. Now he only needed to force it open.

"It's not a last stand," he said, choosing his words with care.

"It's a show of strength." Another clap of thunder, louder and fiercer, rent the sky. Mo Jian briefly wondered whether he had acquired an uncanny sense for timing, or whether Heaven itself was lending him a hand. Each roar had arrived like deliberate punctuation. He continued.

"After the challenge, we'll have a week. You know the Old Devil as well as I do; how he thinks, how he must think once the challenge is issued. He will stake everything on the final day, even knowing it may be a trap. His pride will demand nothing less. So will the judgment of the world."

"And as for the outcome-" He paused, waiting for another thunderclap. None came. He continued anyway.

"-I am confident I will win. If nothing else, take that as my certainty. Because if you refuse me now, I will proceed with the same plan elsewhere, on another island." His gaze sharpened.

"So, ask yourselves this: if I am right, what do you lose by turning me away? And what do you stand to gain by coming aboard?" A long silence followed, heavier and more uncertain than any before. Mo Jian saw it before a word was spoken, the resignation, the quiet acceptance in Yun Hanyue's eyes. Shi Dei saw it too, no matter how tightly he clenched his jaw or ground his teeth.

Lady Yun sett down her tea cup and said nothing for a long moment, before: "Tell me the rest of the plan" Bai Ning, beside him, curled her fingers into a fist, sensing the slowly spreading air of victory. Mo Jian allowed himself none of the relief that tempted him. No sigh, not a smile, no leaning back in comfort. The wind was turning his way, but much remained to discuss, to reassure, and to prepare. However, the door was now open and the end was in sight. ………………………………………………………………….

That night, when the moon stood at its zenith and the clouds scudded past, their edges limned in silver and reflected in the tranquil darkness of the sea below, an announcement rang out from Azure Wall City. It was not merely loud. It was vast. The sound reverberated for miles upon miles, spreading outward like a ripple across still water, only it did not fade. Instead, it swelled, surging higher and higher until it became a cresting wave, threatening to drown every other sound beneath Heaven.

The seas trembled, rising in spirals of white-capped fury. The air itself shuddered, rippling as though struck by an invisible hand. And above it all, the moon watched, serenely cold and eternal, as the announcement – no, the challenge – raced across every corner of the Thousand Shattered Islands.

"Fu," the voice thundered, carrying unmistakable intent, "you old devil, hear me now."

"I am Mo Jian, Master of Cloud Veil Ridge. I have tangled with dragons and slain a Gu. I have walked the hidden edges of this world and set foot upon the threshold of Heaven itself."

"And I name you for what you are: a coward, a liar, and a pretender."

"The hatred between us can no longer be resolved by words. Only your death will satisfy it now. So hear me true: under the watchful eyes of Heaven itself, I challenge you to a duel to the death." The seas roared in answer. The winds howled.

"I will await you with your grandson's head in one hand, and the gui of the South-Pointing Chariot in the other. One week from this night, I will meet you in the skies above Azure Wall City."

"Let none interfere. Let none stand in our way. Any who do will be judged and shamed by Heaven."

"Come alone, as I will. The victor will take everything. The defeated will bear all."

"And to those who would call me friend," the voice continued, gentler now, "I invite you to bear witness. Azure Wall City will open its gates to all who wish to stand with me. Stand tall, and watch as I dig a grave for a demon." A pause followed. Long enough to suspect that it was over, for the world itself to stop holding its breath.

"Come," Mo Jian said softly, dangerously.

"Come and fight me, if you are not a coward."

"I alone will take the stage."

"Come."