In these thirty years, Wu Tao and Xu Xiaomei depended on each other, one person and one beast forming a deep bond.
Xu Xiaomei, with Wu Tao, a Crimson Blood Giant Dragon not yet an adult, had ascended to the position of Imperial Grand General, wielding immense power and commanding a hundred thousand troops.
...
Three years later, on a brutal battlefield.
RUMBLE!!
BANG!!
A deafening roar.
A colossal force capable of shattering mountains erupted at the spot, forcibly denting the ground for a mile around by over three feet.
A crimson claw slammed down, like crushing a few flies, killing several gigantic beasts over thirty feet tall.
By now, Wu Tao's appearance had changed significantly from thirty years prior.
His original body, over ten feet tall, had expanded again, directly reaching close to one hundred and sixty feet, and the scales all over his body had become even harder, even more crimson.
He emerged from the center of a battlefield of corpses and blood, having slain countless enemies who stood in his path.
A heavenly path leading directly to the enemy's main camp had been forcefully cleared by him, the Crimson Blood Giant Dragon, through his own might.
This provided strong assurance for the blood-clad soldiers below the city walls to continuously and safely charge towards the enemy's central command camp.
"Charge! Charge! Hurry and charge!"
"Shields! Bring shields, don't let those barbarian bastards block us again!"
"Hurry up in front!"
"..."
Xu Xiaomei shouted loudly. Relying on the pure internal energy cultivated within her, she amplified her qi, her voice thundering to overcome the earth-shattering roars of battle and the thunderous drumming, carrying far and wide.
Tens of thousands of soldiers under her command heard her clearly.
...
Over the years, Wu Tao had paved a road for Xu Xiaomei, a road stained with blood, yet incredibly smooth and safe.
Now forty-eight years old, the formidable reputation of the Blood-Clad Army struck fear into surrounding nations. The Emperor, delighted, bestowed upon her the title of War Goddess, the foremost extraordinary woman in the world.
Yet, no one could have imagined that this foremost extraordinary woman, and the premier army under her command, would ultimately become the sword that buried the empire.
At seventy, Xu Xiaomei commanded three hundred thousand troops, guarding the northern border for twenty-two years, becoming the true monarch of the northern frontier!
At this point, the Emperor wished to reclaim her military authority, only to find it futile.
Xu Xiaomei furiously slew the imperial envoy sent to take over her command, formally launching her rebellion!
A million imperial troops, led by the renowned general Sun Yangfan, attacked the northern border, intending to kill Xu Xiaomei.
This battle, in everyone's eyes, was a foregone conclusion with no suspense.
But who could have imagined that this lack of suspense would lead to such an outcome?
With the ever-increasing might of the Crimson Blood Giant Dragon, the Blood-Clad Army was unstoppable, invincible, and triumphant in every conquest.
The battle on the Yellow Earth Plains, where dusk was stained crimson and the earth soaked in blood, saw a million imperial troops perish, forging the peerless reputation of the Blood-Clad Army and laying the groundwork for Xu Xiaomei's rise to dominion and emperorship.
Crossing the Yellow Earth Plains, Xu Xiaomei led three hundred thousand Blood-Clad soldiers towards the imperial capital.
In the process, she conquered dozens of cities, and after more than a year, finally reached the imperial capital.
After a three-month siege, the imperial capital finally fell. Xu Xiaomei deposed the current emperor and, for the sake of stability, enthroned a child from the current royal family as a puppet emperor.
From then on, Xu Xiaomei became the de facto ruler.
...
Ten years later, Xu Xiaomei deposed the puppet emperor and, with light steps, ascended the Altar of Heaven. As a woman, she was crowned Empress, ruling the world, astounding all, becoming the foremost empress in history.
...
In the following decades, Xu Xiaomei, with the Blood-Clad Army, swept from west to east, south to north, their banners unfurled, their might engulfing the land. Numerous kingdoms joined forces but could not resist, and were one by one annihilated.
Among the most arduous battles was the confrontation in the southwest against the lord of the half-beast barbarians and his contracted beast, the Heavenly Centipede Emperor.
It was a climactic duel, both human and beast alike.
...
The thousand-foot-tall Heavenly Centipede Emperor, emerging from the barbarian half-beast army, unleashed its might, lifting the barbarian lord, Hubike.
Below, the barbarians gazed fervently at their lord, their expressions filled with reverence. He was their supreme master, their strongest reliance. As long as their lord did not fall, their divine race would be invincible.
(Note: "Divine Race" was their own appellation.)
Within the massive human legion, the atmosphere was equally tense.
As if sensing it, a Crimson Blood Giant Dragon, nearly three hundred feet in size, carrying Xu Xiaomei in armor, flew from the legion into the sky.
...
The myriad tentacles of the Heavenly Centipede Emperor writhed rapidly, emitting waves of black energy, appearing like demons from the nine netherworlds.
Each wisp of black energy possessed the power to annihilate all things. Its shadow-like form flickered continuously.
On the other side.
Wu Tao, transformed into the Crimson Blood Giant Dragon, soared into the heavens, his aura seemingly capable of piercing the firmament.
He let out a colossal roar, silencing the battlefield. His voice resonated through the heavens, the draconic pressure instantly spreading across the entire battlefield.
...
Hubike, the lord of the barbarians, possessed a robust and powerful physique.
His muscles were well-defined, his body full of vitality and strength, poised for action, exuding an ineffable aesthetic of power.
He then let out a furious roar, his hair disheveled, wielding the Barbarian God Sky-Splitting Spear, unleashing a continuous stream of spear shadows towards Xu Xiaomei.
On the other side.
Xu Xiaomei, exuding heroic spirit, her eyes devoid of fear, was worthy of her title as an Empress.
Drawing the Phoenix Blood Sword from her waist, she raised her blade without hesitation, charging directly at Hubike.
After hundreds of exchanges, the two were still locked in a fierce struggle, neither gaining an advantage.
...
"BANG!" "BANG!" "BANG!"
The Phoenix Blood Sword and the Barbarian God Sky-Splitting Spear collided incessantly, erupting in dazzling sparks in mid-air.
When the sword and spear met, even space could not withstand the force, shattering like a mirror, with clear white cracks spreading all around.
The battlefield beneath the sky was equally brutal. Tattered human and barbarian banners fluttered in the wind.
Besides the damage inflicted by war and arrows, there was the stark crimson blood of the fallen...
A human general lay dead beneath a banner, his body still standing. In his final moments, his hands still clutched the banner symbolizing his legion.
Around his corpse lay thousands of half-beast barbarian bodies and hundreds of the remains of his human comrades.
The banner fluttered in the wind, planted atop a mountain of corpses, stained red with blood. This was but an insignificant spot on the battlefield.
In more places, on the earth, human armies and barbarian half-beast hordes were engaged in a continuous, bloody slaughter.
Wu Tao, in his Crimson Blood Giant Dragon form, was covered in blood, his dragon blood sprinkling the sky.
His draconic eyes gradually narrowed. Like a wounded tiger, though repeatedly struck by the Heavenly Centipede Emperor, he remained fearless and pressed forward.
...
"Human Empress, surrender to our divine race and become our slaves! This is your honor!"
A sinister smile suddenly appeared on Hubike's face. He gazed at the Crimson Blood Giant Dragon descending below and spoke thus.
Xu Xiaomei's exquisite face was somewhat haggard. She looked towards the battle of the two beasts below, a hint of worry in her beautiful eyes.
There was no right or wrong in racial conflict, only strength and weakness.
The strong dominated, the weak served. She could not lose this battle.
"Little Dragon, you absolutely cannot lose!"
At this moment, she prayed silently in her heart.
On the other side!
Wu Tao, in his Crimson Blood Giant Dragon form, his crimson eyes bloodshot and furious, faced the colossal, thousand-foot-long, magnificent beast before him.
He understood that he had to give his all at this moment.
"ROAR!!!"
Roaring, the Crimson Blood Giant Dragon's body suddenly moved, drawing a dazzling red arc through the air.
"BOOM!!!"
In an instant, the Crimson Blood Giant Dragon collided with the Heavenly Centipede Emperor. Amidst the earth-shattering impact, the mountains shook and the sky trembled.
The clouds in the sky were scattered and shattered by this collision.
Countless drops of blood rained down onto the ground.
Relying on its agility, the Crimson Blood Giant Dragon bit off the head of the Heavenly Centipede Emperor at the last moment.
However, the Heavenly Centipede Emperor's final strike had also heavily wounded Wu Tao, leaving the Crimson Blood Giant Dragon covered in blood and in a sorry state.
Amidst the wreckage of the Heavenly Centipede Emperor, within the dirt and rolling stones, Hubike, the barbarian lord, lay covered in blood, his condition appearing extremely grave.
"Cough... cough..."
He coughed violently, a large amount of bright red blood spewing from his mouth.
But in the next moment, he casually wiped the blood from his lips, propped himself up with his hands, and shakily stood up.
The intense pain in his body and the corpse of the Heavenly Centipede Emperor beneath his feet warned him of the dire situation.
Yet, he paid it no mind, his eyes filled with a burning desire for battle.
"Exhilarating... truly exhilarating!"
Breathing heavily for a moment, he looked up at the colossal dragon, a wave of unprecedented fighting spirit engulfing him.
He laughed heartily, his face contorted in a grimace. He pointed the Barbarian God Sky-Splitting Spear in his hand at Xu Xiaomei, her long hair flying, her aura magnificent, on the Crimson Blood Giant Dragon.
Refusing the assistance of Wu Tao in his dragon form, Xu Xiaomei leaped off the dragon and continued with Hubike, the barbarian lord, the unfinished battle of kings.
A gentle breeze blew as Empress Xu Xiaomei and Hubike, the barbarian lord, faced each other.
Their gazes collided like lightning.
The next second, Hubike let out a skyward roar, like a tiger unleashed from its cage. His huge eyes widened, his feet dug into the earth, and wielding the Barbarian God Sky-Splitting Spear, he charged ferociously towards Xu Xiaomei.
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