The Great Qian Dynasty, with its vast territories spanning billions of miles.

In the northern lands, at Heitan Mountain, on the 9th of July.

One of the ten major tribes ruling the surrounding hundred ridges for a thousand years, the Jiang Tribe, now faces a life-or-death moment. On the training grounds of their tribal earthen city, Jiang Xuan, aged 15, stands with his younger sister, Jiang Yao, 14, amidst the crowd, watching the battle on the arena.

"Does the Jiang tribe still have any men left, who dare to fight to the death with me?"

"Today will be the day your Jiang tribe is annihilated! Hahaha!"

On the arena, Shentu Yong, a congenital warrior from the Shentu tribe, shakes off the blood from his blade, grinning as he mocks the Jiang tribe. At his feet lies another dead body, that of a Jiang congenital warrior. According to the law of the Great Qian Dynasty, tribal conflicts can never escalate to the extinction of a tribe, and a contract must be established. The death battle must be fought on the arena under the supervision of the imperial city's inspector.

Only adult men from the tribe are allowed to fight.

"The second elder is dead."

"It’s been three years, and even the second elder has fallen."

The women in the crowd around the training grounds cry out in sorrow.

The tribal death battle is the ultimate war that decides the fate of a tribe. The loser loses everything—their property becomes the victor's, children are forced to adopt the victor's tribe's surname, and all women are consigned to the "lowest ranks," becoming slaves and toys, to be bought, sold, and abused at will.

"Brother, look, Sister Qinghong has a knife. What is she planning to do?"
Jiang Yao, hiding behind Jiang Xuan, peeks out nervously and whispers.

In the crowd to the left, a tall, stunningly beautiful girl dressed in red, with snow-white skin, holds a dagger behind her back in her right hand, gazing coldly at the arena.

Jiang Qinghong is four years older than Jiang Xuan.

She is Jiang Xuan's secret crush for many years.

"She's planning to kill herself."
Jiang Xuan’s eyelid twitches, and he responds in a low voice, subconsciously clenching his fist.

It’s not just Jiang Qinghong planning to take her own life.

Among the hundreds of women present, many have already prepared to die.

The more beautiful they are, the more determined they are.

Because they know they will lose!

The Jiang and Shentu tribes have been locked in this "tribal death battle" for three years. According to the rules, the battle can only be fought for three days each month—from the 7th to the 9th. On these days, the imperial city's inspector oversees the battle.

After three years, the Jiang tribe has lost hundreds of its elite warriors.

Now, the Jiang tribe's elite men are nearly extinct.

Today, there are nearly 700 members of the Jiang tribe gathered at the training grounds, of which more than 600 are women, ranging from elderly grandmothers to young girls, with many beautiful women in their twenties and thirties. There are a few men, but they are mostly children or teenagers.

"Does your Jiang tribe really have no men left?"

"Hahaha! Your Jiang tribe is so weak! I’ve heard that many of your men fled in these past years, too scared to fight us Shentu tribe!"

"I’ll ask again! In the final battle today, who dares to fight?"

Shentu Yong steps on the second elder's corpse, grinning maliciously.

Some of the girls are frightened by Shentu Yong's brutal stance, crying silently with their hands over their mouths.

Once a tribe loses the death battle, their fate is miserable.

Especially for the women.

Once the death battle is decided, the victorious tribe will celebrate with a "three-day frenzy." During this time, all women from the losing tribe will be humiliated, and most of the surviving women will become the tribe's prostitutes. Only a few "lucky" ones may be taken as concubines by powerful men of the victorious tribe or sold to the patriarchs of Feixue City.

"You must be Jiang Qinghong?"

Shentu Yong looks around the arena and suddenly fixates on Jiang Qinghong's face. He licks his lips and says, "As expected, the most beautiful woman of the Jiang tribe, I recognized you at first glance. I’ve heard the young master of the Huyan family was willing to offer five mountain peaks and five tribes as a dowry to marry you, but you refused, saying you would die with the Jiang tribe."

"A beauty like you, how tragic it would be for you to die. Later, I’ll make sure to treat you well, ha ha ha ha!"

Shentu Yong laughs mockingly.

"Hahaha!"

"Yes, let’s treat her well together!"

A dozen warriors from the Shentu tribe join in the laughter from the south side of the arena.

"You’ll never get away with it!" Jiang Qinghong’s eyes widen, her voice filled with cold resolve. Her hand clenches tightly on the knife behind her back, shaking uncontrollably.

"Brother, don't you like Sister Qinghong?" Jiang Yao, whispering behind Jiang Xuan, says, "Please ask Mother if we can take Sister Qinghong with us."

The Jiang tribe is known for producing handsome men and beautiful women, and Jiang Qinghong is the most beautiful among them. Her reputation is widespread. Jiang Xuan is just one of the many young men secretly in love with her. He knows that "Sister Qinghong" has watched him grow up and always saw him as a younger brother. In her eyes, he is just a little boy.

"Mother won’t agree." Jiang Xuan whispers.

"But..." Jiang Yao’s eyes redden.

"Father’s gone." Jiang Xuan continues in a low voice, "Mother will do anything to protect us, she won’t complicate things."

Jiang Xuan’s father, Jiang Hanfeng, was the strongest warrior of the Jiang tribe and the only one to have mastered the "Heavenly Force" technique.

Over three years ago, Jiang Hanfeng went missing in the depths of Heitan Mountain’s Ten Directions Abyss.

Three months after Jiang Hanfeng's disappearance, the Shentu tribe declared him dead and began provoking conflicts, starting the tribal death battle. The Shentu tribe was much stronger than the Jiang tribe, and everyone knew the Jiang tribe would lose. Over the past three years, many people had fled, but only those with real ability managed to escape. The outer world is filled with dangerous beasts, and without enough power, escaping means certain death.

Jiang Xuan’s mother, Wei Baiyun, has been waiting for her husband’s return.

She has now decided to escape with her children.

Although it would violate the contract of the death battle and lead to a wanted notice from the empire, it’s better than having the entire family turned into slaves.

"Where's the Fifth Elder? Where is he?"

"The Fifth Elder made a breakthrough half a month ago. Shentu Yong just fought nine rounds today, and although he won, it was a pyrrhic victory. He was already coughing up blood during the battle with the Second Elder, and now he’s pretending nothing’s wrong, but he's severely injured. He’s definitely no match for the Fifth Elder. If the Fifth Elder steps in, we can last through the death battle this month, and maybe next month, Uncle Hanfeng will return—if he’s still alive..."

"The Fifth Elder will definitely win!"

Under the hopeful eyes of the Jiang tribe women, Jiang Jingsheng, the robust, middle-aged Fifth Elder, walks in late, his jet-black hair shining.

At the same time, a mysterious figure in a long robe and hood pushes through the crowd, walking up to Jiang Xuan and Jiang Yao.

"Mother." Both Jiang Xuan and Jiang Yao speak at once.

Wei Baiyun removes her hood, revealing her graceful and beautiful face. She has a noble air that clearly distinguishes her from the tribe women. Her skin is as delicate as a young girl’s, despite being nearly forty years old. Time has not left a mark on her face, and she still looks as young as a woman in her twenties.

The Wei family is one of the four major families in Feixue City.

Wei Baiyun was once a noblewoman of the Wei family. When she married Jiang Hanfeng, it was a sensational event. As a result, the Wei family disowned her.

"Mother, can we take Sister Qinghong with us?" Jiang Yao tugs at her mother’s sleeve.

Wei Baiyun looks at her daughter and pats her head without speaking.

"Mother, you’re a congenital warrior, really, isn’t there any way?" Jiang Yao sees her mother's attitude and tears up.

"Mother can take Qinghong with us, but should I also bring your Aunt Weiwei?" Wei Baiyun says, her gaze sweeping over the crowd, "What about your sisters, Fenglan, Panxue, Qianhe, Qiaolian... all of them, Ruxiang, Zhiyun, Nianqing, Yinglian... so many people, who should I leave behind and who should I take?"

She looks at the beautiful faces in the crowd, her heart pained.

These beautiful girls of the tribe, whom she raised, were little when she married into the tribe. Now they’ve all grown into young women. Wei Baiyun knows their fate will be cruel.

But for her, her children are the most important.

Even though she is a congenital warrior, taking only her son and daughter to escape the Shentu tribe's blockade is already a limit; it is impossible to take anyone else.

Jiang Xuan scans the crowd with his mother. He feels something stirring within him.

These older sisters, they’ve always treated him well.

Sister Panxue’s steamed buns are incredibly delicious. Sister Qianhe is bold and loves making jokes with innuendos. Sisters Ruxiang, Zhiyun are skilled with their hands; Mother is from a noble family and has incredible talent, but doesn't know needlework. The clothes he and Jiang Yao wear were all made by them.

Sister Yinglian manages the tribe’s medicinal garden, and whenever he got injured while training, he’d go to Yinglian to get medicine. She always helped him secretly, not telling Mother.

Jiang Xuan gazes at each one.

These sisters, nieces, and aunts of the tribe.

Each one evokes a memory.

When it comes to escaping, Jiang Xuan has his own thoughts.

He doesn't want to hide his strength anymore.

Even if it means breaking his promise with the Senior of the Ancient Stone.

"Mother." Jiang Xuan suddenly speaks, "Do you think, if Father were here, he would want me to run away like a coward, or stand like a man..."

"You’re not a coward!" Wei Baiyun suddenly turns around, interrupting her son, "You’re still a child! This is not your responsibility!"

She doesn’t want her son to be impulsive and die. Jiang Xuan’s talent is mediocre, and he’s only at the "Meridian Opening" stage. Any congenital warrior can easily kill him.

Meanwhile...

On the arena, Jiang Jingsheng has removed the ancient black jade ring from the Second Elder’s right hand. This ring has been passed down through the Jiang tribe for a thousand years and symbolizes the chief’s status. After the old chief died two years ago, the Second Elder took over the position. Now, the ring must be passed to the last man of the Jiang tribe, Jiang Jingsheng.

Jiang Jingsheng solemnly puts the ring on and looks coldly at Shentu Yong.

"Fifth Elder, kill him!"

"Fifth Elder! Avenge the Second Elder!"

The women shout for the Fifth Elder, filled with fighting spirit. Many of them were warriors themselves, but due to the laws of the Great Qian Dynasty, they couldn’t participate in the death battle.

The rules of the tribal death battle were set by the "Qian Emperor" himself, and have been passed down for thousands of years. As one of the oldest beings in the vast land of billions of miles, the Qian Emperor is beyond gods and demons. No one can change his rules.

"Jiang Jingsheng, and you still consider yourself a man?" Shentu Yong sneers at Jiang Jingsheng, his gaze full of disdain, even though he knows he is weaker than Jiang Jingsheng.

"Yes, yes, yes, I’m not a man."

What happens next shocks everyone: Jiang Jingsheng’s cold demeanor disappears, replaced by a fawning smile. "Lord Yong is right! I, Jiang Jingsheng, am not a man compared to you. I now represent the entire Jiang tribe to surrender to the Shentu tribe!"

He turns to face the observation platform to the north.

The observation platform is exquisitely built, with only one chair. An armored general, around forty years old, sits there, gazing indifferently at the battle on the arena.

"Lord Inspector, I surrender in today’s tenth death battle. I admit defeat!" Jiang Jingsheng bows respectfully.

The Inspector, Lei Hong, is a terrifying figure beyond the congenital realm. With his strength, he could annihilate an entire tribe on a whim.

"Hmm." Lei Hong responds with an indifferent grunt. As an inspector who has overseen countless death battles, he isn’t surprised by this betrayal.

In an instant, the training grounds fall silent, and all the Jiang tribe members look at Jiang Jingsheng in disbelief.

He’s surrendered!

He—has been bought off!

"Hahahahaha, I told you! The Jiang tribe has no guts!"

Shentu Yong laughs uncontrollably, now completely at ease, as Jiang Jingsheng has given in according to their agreement.

"Not good!"

In the crowd, Wei Baiyun's face turns pale.

Jiang Jingsheng’s betrayal and surrender in the tenth death battle means that the Jiang tribe will automatically lose today. The Shentu tribe will annex them, and the entire tribe will be enslaved!

This ruins Wei Baiyun’s plan to escape with her children.

It was supposed to be delayed by a month.

Wei Baiyun originally planned to wait another half-month before finding an opportunity to escape with her children.

Now, there is no opportunity left.

"Go, we leave now! Quickly!" Wei Baiyun urgently whispers to her children.

"Wei Baiyun! Do you think you can leave?"

Jiang Jingsheng suddenly turns around, locking eyes with Wei Baiyun in the crowd. "I’ve been watching you!" His betrayal is complete. He turns to Shentu Yong with a fawning smile. "Lord Yong! This woman is Jiang Hanfeng’s wife, from the great Wei family in the city, though she’s been disowned by them. You can enjoy her as you wish!"

"A noblewoman from the city?"

Shentu Yong looks at Wei Baiyun with a lustful gaze. "I’ve heard you’re also a congenital warrior, and I’ve never tasted a city noblewoman before, especially a rare congenital female cultivator like you! Hahahahaha!"

Wei Baiyun grits her teeth, her face pale with anger.

"Eh? That’s your son and daughter next to you? They really do look like you." Shentu Yong’s eyes gleam brighter. "Especially your daughter, she’s a beauty like you, just look at her, she’s destined to be a beauty. Tsk tsk tsk, I haven’t had a taste of one like you for so long..."

"Damn you!"

A furious shout interrupts Shentu Yong’s vile words.

A figure bursts from the crowd, leaping several yards onto the arena with shocking speed and aggression, startling both Shentu Yong and Jiang Jingsheng, who instinctively step back. But when they see the figure, they both smile.

It’s just a half-grown child, furious at his mother and sister being insulted, but completely powerless in his rage.