Inside the Temple of the Ice White Tiger Elemental, Trung Hau had caused a massive stir. For an entire day, the disturbances coming from within drew a large crowd of onlookers. When the temple doors finally creaked open, a violent surge of pressure erupted alongside a thick, chilling killing intent. The burst was so powerful that it knocked unconscious anyone at the Qi Condensation stage or below. Those at the Foundation Establishment stage managed to stay upright, though they were left dizzy and disoriented. By the time they regained their senses, the temple was empty; Trung Hau was gone.

  Trung Hau moved like the wind, flickering through the landscape while conversing with his System. "Have you found the information yet?"

  [Not yet,] the System replied. [The data is far too fragmented. However, I have left a small command trace back there. If there are others like us, they will detect it.]

  "Others like us?" Trung Hau frowned. "Are there other 'Heavenly Solitary Stars'?"

  [Precisely. But when I say 'us,' I am referring to the Starseeds. We were all sent ahead with a single mission: to prepare for the arrival of the Emperor Star.]

  "Tell me more about this Emperor Star," Trung Hau pressed. "Who is he? What is he like?"

  [That, I do not know. The Emperor Star is different in every era. Their personalities vary; there is no fixed standard. Furthermore, there is more than one 'King Star.' There are many secondary Emperor Stars, but only one true Emperor exists in an age—the King of Kings, the Human Emperor. It is possible he hasn't even been born yet.]

  Trung Hau sighed. "Be more specific. How can I follow or be loyal to someone I don't know? If he turns out to be a bloodthirsty tyrant or an ultimate villain, I’m out."

  [This world is not as simple as you think. It is not stagnant. Every 500 years, there is a shift. Every 1,000 years, a Great Change occurs, known as the Heavenly Tribulation—the Millennial Cataclysm. It is a world purification, an apocalypse, and a transformation. After the storm comes a Golden Age of prosperity, and then the cycle repeats.]

  "So, the 500-year mark is upon us?"

  [Correct, though the timing isn't exact. It could be 600 years or 200 years; 500 is merely the statistical average. The omen of a new era is the emergence of tens of thousands of Starseeds—individuals of peerless talent who stand far above the common masses.]

  "You mean people like me?"

  [Not just you. This era will birth countless powerhouses. Some are born to be your allies; others, your sworn enemies. The final survivor will follow the Human Emperor to conquer the world.]

  "Interesting," Trung Hau mused. "But why is it only you talking about this? What about the other Systems? Noe has one too, but his System just nags him to collect Merit Points. It never mentioned a Human Emperor."

  [As I said, we were sent to prepare the world for the King—like heralds announcing the arrival of a sovereign. Noe's responsibility is to warn of the Apocalypse so humanity can prepare their spirits. We aren't that important in the grand scheme. Noe carries a massive 'Merit Debt.' He must spend his entire life accumulating merit, losing it, and gaining it back to repay his karmic debts.]

  [You are different. In your past lives, you owed nothing to anyone. In this life, you are free from complex karmic ties, owing only your affection to a few, like Noe and Han Thuong.]

  Trung Hau nodded. "Can I stay here for a while, then?"

  [Yes. War is coming to this region, which means an abundance of killing intent. I have taught you the 'Lord of Slaughter' path, which uses killing intent for cultivation. While your 'Heavenly Solitary' nature allows you to generate your own, it is slow. Absorbing the slaughter from a battlefield would be far more efficient. Just remember the taboo: limit your social interactions. That is enough.]

  Trung Hau smirked. "I understand."

  Shortly after, Trung Hau met with Han Thuong and requested to join his ranks as a soldier. Han Thuong, delighted, agreed immediately. Unlike other commanders, Han Thuong didn't focus on drilling massive battalions; he excelled in small-unit skirmishes. He led a team of no more than twenty elite armored cavalry, the three "Long-Armed Brothers" (A-Nhat, A-Nhi, and A-Tam), and Trung Hau. Interestingly, the latter four could run faster than the horses.

  Han Thuong’s group was frequently hired by locals to hunt monsters—mostly spirit beasts that had turned feral and begun preying on humans. The three brothers (Qi Condensation - Rank C) proved to be genius hunters. Wielding heavy iron bows, they could strike from over 500 meters away, kiting enemies while their teammates drew aggro. Trung Hau enjoyed these hunts, leisurely absorbing the killing intent from both sides and only drawing his blade when absolutely necessary.

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  Han Thuong (Foundation Establishment - Rank B) rode atop his Nine-Eared Hound (Foundation Establishment), acting as the eyes and ears of the team. The hound possessed incredible hearing; its ears were a biological radar. If one to three ears twitched, it was a common beast. Three to six ears meant a Spirit Beast (Foundation Establishment). Six or more ears signaled a Great Spirit Beast (Core Formation - Rank A). The hound could also manipulate its size, ranging from a small puppy to the size of a two-story house, and could spit lightning bolts—the natural bane of demons. Thanks to this creature, the group escaped certain death many times by retreating before a Great Spirit Beast could arrive.

  During one such hunt, Trung Hau suddenly vanished. Worried, Han Thuong halted the mission to search for him. Guided by the Nine-Eared Hound’s nose and ears, they discovered a small hidden tunnel. The deeper they went, the wider the space became, eventually opening into a massive underground complex filled with traps and mechanical guardians. Humanoid and animalistic robots attacked them relentlessly.

  They fought their way through until they found Trung Hau standing at the edge of a pitch-black abyss.

  "What are you doing?" Han Thuong barked, out of breath. "Why did you run off alone? Where’s your sense of teamwork?"

  Trung Hau looked back, surprised. "How did you find me?"

  Han Thuong, fuming, gave Trung Hau a sharp knock on the head. "You are my responsibility! How could I just let you go missing? Now tell me—what are you doing here?"

  Trung Hau glanced at a System notification floating in his vision:

  [Ancient Ruins Detected: A city named after a previous Human Emperor. The abyss ahead was once a river surrounding the city, now dried up. An ancient creature sleeps below: The Iron-Armored Flood Dragon (Core Formation or higher). High Attack and Defense, Low Speed. Suggestion: Do not wake it.]

  "Sorry," Trung Hau lied smoothly. "I just thought this place looked interesting and got curious. I didn't realize how far down I'd gone."

  "In the past, you were alone, so you did as you pleased," Han Thuong lectured. "But now you are part of a team. If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together. Do you understand? Now let’s get back to the surface. It’s not safe."

  "Wait, Brother," Trung Hau countered. "We've already come this far. It would be a waste to turn back now. Let's explore just a little. Didn't you say we go further together?"

  Trapped by his own logic, Han Thuong sighed and turned to the others. "Fine. Does everyone want to continue?"

  The team agreed eagerly, fascinated by the strange ruins. They crossed a colossal bridge under the dim light of their torches, and a massive city emerged from the gloom. The houses were gargantuan, with doors towering seven to eight meters high—this was a city built for giants. The group moved in silence, terrified of making a sound.

  At the city center stood three hundred-meter-tall statues representing the Forest Gods: the White Deer Demon King in the center, the White Wolf Demon King on the left, and the White Lion Demon King on the right. Surrounding them were ancient trees that had long since petrified into stone.

  [This is a Druid City,] the System explained. [Most residents were Druids or Rangers. The previous Human Emperor was a Druid. These three Demon Kings were raised by him. I wonder if they still live...]

  "Does the System have any info on the previous Emperor that could help find the current one?" Trung Hau asked mentally.

  [Nothing yet. Try touching the statues.]

  Trung Hau obeyed. When he touched the statue of the White Wolf, a projection flickered to life above the three gods. It showed a horrific civil war—Druids and Rangers slaughtering one another. The group watched in stunned silence until the image faded, leaving them in darkness once more.

  Before they could process what they saw, the Nine-Eared Hound let out nine sharp barks, all its ears trembling violently.

  [The Iron-Armored Flood Dragon has awakened,] the System warned. [Run now. It is slow on land and weakened by centuries of hunger, but that hunger will make it frenzied.]

  Without a word, the group bolted deeper into the forgotten city. The commotion roused more than just the dragon; the restless spirits of the dead began to stir. Giant skeletons, over five meters tall, crawled out of the dark houses toward the noise.

  Trapped between the dragon and the skeletons, Han Thuong summoned ice soldiers to block the path and led the charge, shattering skeleton heads as they ran. Trung Hau, drawing on his past knowledge of necromancy, cast a command spell to turn the giant skeletons against the approaching Flood Dragon.

  They scrambled onto the roof of a tall building and destroyed the staircase behind them. As the team caught their breath, Han Thuong tried to calm the panicked soldiers.

  "Our biggest threat isn't the skeletons," Trung Hau said. "It's that Iron-Armored Flood Dragon."

  A-Nhat, the most talkative of the brothers, stammered, "B-but... the skeletons... they're immortal! They just get back up!"

  "They aren't alive," Trung Hau explained. "They are driven by souls. To stop them, you need Fire, Lightning, or Holy attacks to damage the spirit itself."

  "And the dragon?" Han Thuong asked. "I've used all my spells, and nothing sticks."

  "I have the Cursed Eye," Trung Hau revealed. "I can turn an opponent to stone if they look directly at me. But I need a massive amount of killing intent to activate it. If you guys can distract it and keep it occupied, I can finish it."

  "That’s risky. It's too strong to get close to," Han Thuong muttered.

  "Don't worry. It's starving and acting on instinct. It has no refined skills, just raw physical power. Plus, its eyes have lived in darkness for centuries. A sudden flash of light will daze it."

  Han Thuong nodded, his resolve hardening. "Fine. Tomorrow, we move. Nine-Eared Hound, you blast its eyes with lightning. A-Nhat, A-Nhi, A-Tam, use oil-soaked arrows to set its face on fire. The rest of you, guard our rear against the skeletons. No one dies. Even if someone falls, we bring the body back—we aren't feeding that thing."

  After several days of grueling attempts and tactical rehearsals, they finally succeeded in petrifying the Flood Dragon. They quickly escaped the tunnel and returned to the surface, bringing back a haul of treasures to Lord Doanh Thuong Quan.

  Not long after, a formal expedition was launched, involving elite troops and two Great Generals. The wealth recovered from the Druid City provided enough funding to fully equip their army, significantly accelerating their preparations. The war between the Small Yellow Kingdom and the Western Wolf Kingdom was now inevitable—and it was coming sooner than anyone expected.