Blackwater City was a fortress built on a lake of poisonous water. It was the gateway to the Eternal Night Sect's territory.
The Righteous Alliance Army arrived at dawn. Twenty thousand cultivators, flying on swords, beasts, and ships, darkened the sky.
At the front stood Jian Wushuang.
"Surrender!" Jian Wushuang's voice boomed, amplified by his Nascent Soul cultivation. "Open the gates, and we will spare the mortals!"
The city walls were silent. The gates stood wide open.
There were no guards. No banners. Just an eerie silence.
"It's a trap," an Elder warned.
"Of course it's a trap," Jian Wushuang scoffed. "But traps are useless against absolute power. First Battalion! Enter and secure the perimeter!"
Five thousand disciples—mostly from the minor sects—charged into the city.
They found the streets empty. The houses were abandoned.
"It's a ghost town," a disciple said, kicking open a door.
They reached the central plaza. There was a well in the center.
"Water! I'm thirsty," a disciple ran to the well.
"Wait!" The captain shouted.
Too late. The disciple lowered the bucket.
CLICK.
A tripwire.
Under the city, the Spirit Granaries—which Mo Tian had packed with unstable Fire Crystals and Poison Talismans—ignited.
RUMBLE.
The ground beneath the city liquefied.
"RETREAT!"
BOOM!
A mushroom cloud of green fire and poison gas erupted from the center of Blackwater City. The explosion engulfed the First Battalion. Three thousand cultivators were vaporized instantly. The survivors were coated in a sticky, corrosive slime that ate through their spiritual shields.
"My eyes! My eyes!" "Help me!"
Outside the city, the Alliance watched in horror.
"Vile!" Jian Wushuang roared. "He sacrificed an entire city just to wound us?"
"He didn't sacrifice it," a cold voice whispered from the wind. "He spent it."
On the city walls, a hologram appeared. It was Mo Tian, sitting on his throne, drinking wine.
"Welcome to the Eternal Night," the giant projection of Mo Tian smiled. "Did you like the fireworks? I call that one 'The Welcome Mat'."
"Mo Tian!" Jian Wushuang drew his sword. "Heaven-Splitter!"
He slashed. A massive beam of sword light cut through the hologram and the city wall, obliterating the projection.
But Mo Tian's laughter echoed in the ruins.
"Come closer, heroes. The deeper you go, the darker it gets."
Strategic Map
In the Shadow Court, Mo Tian moved a piece on the board.
"They took the bait," Mo Tian said. "They are angry now. Angry armies make mistakes."
"Casualty report?" he asked Ghost One.
"The Righteous Alliance lost 3,000 men. We lost... zero. Because the city was empty."
"Good. Now, initiate Phase Two: The Swamp of Despair."
Mo Tian looked at the map. Between Blackwater City and the Sect was a vast swamp.
"Xue Yao," Mo Tian commanded via transmission talisman. "Release the Venom Basilisks we bred. And tell the snipers to aim for the healers."
"With pleasure, Master," Xue Yao's voice crackled back.
Mo Tian sat back.
"War is not about who hits harder," Mo Tian mused. "It's about who runs out of money—or morale—first."
[System Notification] [War Merit Gained: 10,000] [Fear Level of Enemy: Rising]
"Keep them scared," Mo Tian closed his eyes. "I have a core to stabilize."
He was close. Stage 9 Golden Core was within reach. And once he hit the peak... he would need a Nascent Soul to break through.
He looked at the image of Jian Wushuang on the screen.
"Soon," Mo Tian whispered. "Soon, I will eat you too."