In the Holyflower Region of the Middle Continent, there was a remarkable nation known as the Abyssal Dragon Empire.

It was one of the most renowned and influential powers in the entire Holyflower Region.

The empire itself didn’t have an especially legendary founding story. But its predecessor, the Abyssal Dragon Clan, was once a tribe that ruled the Primordial Heartlands for an exceptionally long time.

This clan produced three Grand Emperors in succession, with each generation inheriting the mantle of Heaven’s Will.

Beginning with the founding Abyssal Dragon Emperor, the clan’s glory spanned three eras, each leader carrying the divine fate.

At the time, their power was unmatched. No one could rival them.

They revered Dragon Gods, even adopting dragons as their totem. Their very surname was "Long", meaning "dragon."

Eventually, the Abyssal Dragon Clan founded a nation by performing a heavenly ritual on their ancestral lands and named it the Abyssal Dragon Empire.

That’s how the empire got its name and origin.

With the legacy of three Grand Emperors, they quickly became the strongest nation in the Holyflower Region.

Many sects in the surrounding area pledged themselves as vassals, seeking protection.

…

As Xu Zimo listened to the chatter around him, he realized that everyone present was simply here to watch the spectacle.

Curious, he walked over and asked someone what was going on.

It turned out that Azure Mountain had an inner disciple named Xiao Teng.

During a training mission, Xiao Teng had unintentionally saved a young woman. The two later traveled together, and through various shared experiences, fell in love.

But the woman’s true identity was astonishing, she was the Saintess of High Heaven Cloud Palace, an Imperial Lineage.

What’s more, she was already engaged.

Her fiancé? None other than Long Yang, Crown Prince of the Abyssal Dragon Empire.

The Saintess had no affection for Long Yang and eloped with Xiao Teng.

This not only enraged High Heaven Cloud Palace but also greatly humiliated the Abyssal Dragon Empire.

In response, Long Yang vowed to annihilate the entire Azure Mountain.

Today was the day of reckoning, and people from all walks of life had come to spectate.

…

Xu Zimo wasn’t one to enjoy drama and was about to leave when a sudden dragon’s roar echoed in the distance.

“He’s here!” someone in the crowd shouted.

Everyone turned their gaze to the northern sky.

In the distance, a majestic dragon horse pulled a luxurious carriage through the air.

The dragon horse was snow-white, with a single horn on its forehead, an exceptionally rare breed.

As it galloped across the sky, it left behind a trail of rainbow light.

Roars echoed endlessly across the heavens.

Meanwhile, a group of people emerged from the otherwise empty Azure Mountain entrance.

They stood in solemn formation, all dressed in green robes, with long blue swords hanging at their waists.

…

The dragon horse stopped at the gate of Azure Mountain. Its snow-white hooves cracked the earth with deep fissures.

The curtain of the carriage was drawn aside, and out stepped a young man in a golden robe.

He climbed down, gently stroked the dragon horse’s head.

The dragon horse neighed once more and then took to the sky, galloping off into the distance.

The young man stood tall, his golden robe embroidered with coiling flood dragons, their fierce claws seemingly ready to leap from the fabric.

He had a firm face, thick eyebrows, and a curved blade strapped to his back.

…

“Abyssal Dragon Prince, this matter has nothing to do with our Azure Mountain,” said Sect Master He Huazhang calmly. “Why drag innocents into your personal feud?”

“Hand over Xiao Teng, and I’ll spare your sect,” Long Yang said coldly, his black eyes filled with battle intent.

“We don’t know where he is,” He Huazhang replied quickly. “He hasn’t returned in a long time, and we’ve lost all contact.”

“Someone has to pay the price,” Long Yang said flatly. “Destroying Azure Mountain is only the first step. I’ll make him suffer slowly, until he feels complete despair.”

“You go too far?!” He Huazhang narrowed his eyes. “The world praises your talent, but to me, you’re just a spoiled second-generation elite riding on your family’s coattails.”

“Relying on my family?” Long Yang chuckled. “You really think too highly of yourselves. I alone am enough to wipe out your entire Azure Mountain.”

“How arrogant!”

“Outrageous!”

“This guy’s too full of himself!”

The Azure Mountain elders couldn't hold back anymore. Though not a top-tier sect, Azure Mountain was their home, a place they poured their life’s work into. Hearing it dismissed as worthless infuriated them.

…

“It seems you still haven’t realized your place,” Long Yang said coldly. “The weak should act like the weak: either crawl and survive or die quietly.”

He slowly unsheathed the curved blade from his back.

In that instant, blade aura surged across the sky.

A sea of blades spread behind him like a purgatory of killing intent. The aura of a peak Paragon Meridian Realm expert rippled through the air.

Staring down the blade’s edge, Long Yang let loose a burst of blade energy.

Powerful blade intent roared through the atmosphere.

“My blade exists to cut down all who stand in my path to becoming Grand Emperor. For you ants to die beneath it, it’s an insult to the blade.”

With a shout, Long Yang’s body surged with killing intent, and he charged straight into Azure Mountain.

…

“I turned my back and walked away, picking up three bone blades. From then on, the world was split in two beneath my feet.”

This was a famous quote from Grand Emperor San Dao.

At this moment, slaughter erupted within Azure Mountain.

Although Long Yang was only at the peak of the Paragon Meridian realm, Azure Mountain’s strongest was at best the same level.

They had anticipated this day.

They had traps, multiple Paragon Meridian experts, and hundreds of disciples. Even with sheer numbers, they could drown an expert.

But they had forgotten: this world has monsters called geniuses. Or worse, monsters called prodigies.

…

“Azure Mountain is doomed,” a bystander sighed.

“The Prince of Abyssal Dragon Empire ranks eighth on the Holyflower Tyrant Ranking, and his power is already this overwhelming… What about those ranked even higher?”

“We’re old. It’s a young man’s world now.”

Xu Zimo ignored the muttering spectators. He simply watched the slaughter indifferently.

The sun was high in the sky, no clouds, no rain, yet within Azure Mountain, a storm of blood raged.

Corpses piled like mountains, and once the sect’s leadership was wiped out, the remaining disciples were like headless ants, left to be slaughtered.

Eventually, the cries for mercy and screams of pain faded into silence.

Everyone watched in horror as the Abyssal Dragon Prince, drenched in blood, walked slowly out of the Azure Mountain’s gates.