Sky Ice Empire – The Sacred Judgment Arena
The arena, carved into a frozen mountain peak, had once seen the rise and fall of emperors. Crystalline structures spiraled skyward like blades piercing the heavens, catching moonlight and scattering it in a kaleidoscope of silver and blue.
Tonight, the Sword Saint Council had gathered under ancient decree: to pass judgment on Xue Lian, the Empress-in-waiting, and the outsider who dared stand at her side.
They called him a usurper. A corrupter of bloodlines. A blight that needed to be excised.
Ren stood at the center of the arena with his hands casually at his sides, a half-smile tugging at the corner of his lips. Around him, ten of the strongest cultivators in the northern skies formed a loose circle. Their auras pulsed like storms waiting to be unleashed.
And above them, in the royal stands—Xue Lian stood in silence, clad in robes of white and frost-forged silver. Her eyes betrayed nothing.
But her presence? Unmistakable.
"Ren of the Shadows," intoned the High Saint, drawing his blade and pointing it forward, "you are charged with defiling the sacred bloodline, corrupting our princess, and threatening the stability of the Northern Realms. How do you plead?"
Ren tilted his head, his voice smooth and unbothered.
"I plead guilty… to standing by a woman stronger than all of you combined."
Gasps echoed. Some gritted their teeth. One Sword Saint surged forward.
"You dare mock this court—"
Before he could finish, a wave of shadow flame surged outward from Ren's feet. The charging saint froze mid-step—eyes wide—as his sword shattered in his hands. The darkness licked at his boots, harmless… but a warning.
"I don't mock courts," Ren said, voice now colder. "I bury them."
Xue Lian – Watching from the Stands
Her hands tightened around the frosted railing. She had told him they would not stop until blood had been spilled. He hadn't hesitated. Not even now.
But what startled her more wasn't his power—it was the control. The Ren before her wasn't reckless.
He was resolute.
He stood not just with confidence—but with conviction.
The Battle Begins
The Sword Saints attacked in unison—an onslaught of techniques that shook the air itself. Swords of wind, frost, light, and even spatial edges tore through the sky toward Ren.
And yet, the shadow beneath him twisted.
From it rose the first of his generals—a hulking figure of pure darkness, clad in ancient Uchiha armor with glowing purple eyes. A being born from countless battles inside the Pocket Hunting Dimension.
"Strike," Ren commanded. "Leave them standing… only if they kneel."
The clash echoed across the mountain.
Shadow collided with steel. Frost clashed with flame. The saints, once hailed as gods among mortals, found themselves fighting a force that never tired, never wavered.
And at the center of it all—Ren moved like a ghost.
He parried a saint's blade with one hand while driving shadow thorns into the other's blind spot. Another tried to trap him in a spatial fold—only to realize his own shadow had turned against him.
Xue Lian's Choice
As the chaos unfolded, Xue Lian turned away from the battle.
She descended from her place, stepping down toward the arena.
Guards tried to stop her—she brushed them aside without words.
As the last of the saints fell to one knee, breathing heavily, Ren stood tall, shadows gently retreating into the ground.
The moonlight returned to the arena.
Xue Lian reached him, eyes steady.
"You could have killed them all."
He looked at her, calm. "But you wouldn't have wanted that."
A long silence passed.
Then, she turned to the Sword Saints.
"I stand with him. And I will lead those who follow me into a new age. One not ruled by frost and fear, but power… and freedom."
The saints, broken and humbled, said nothing.
Because they knew.
The age of the Sky Empire was over.
The age of shadows had begun.