Published at 15th of December 2025 8:27 am

Chapter 1341: Journey to the West

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The Kurogane Pass was a narrow, winding corridor carved between two ridges of the Black Iron Mountains.

The pass had existed since the age of the olden clans and sects, and had long served as the only winter-safe passage between the western provinces and the central plains.

Legends say that beneath the cliffs lie veins of black iron, a rare metal used to forge weapons that could seamlessly channel mana. Because of this, the surrounding region had been fought over by various factions for centuries.

In the most recent past, however, the Kurogane Pass was jointly held by the Magi of the Tiesha Tang and the Qinglin Zhai.

But since the advent of the Heavenly Demon, a great change had swept across the realm.

For one, the Heavenly Demon had now pulled his troops back from the Kurogane Pass and focused his entire military might against the Arakuro Clan.

As a result, the Kurogane Pass was currently only being manned by the Magi of the Tiesha Tang.

That was why Dokuto Tsuitsui had made his move to conquer this strategic point. An opportunity had presented itself, and he had capitalized on it.

The importance of Kurogane Pass could not be emphasized enough. Without it, armies had to travel through treacherous forests or snowbound ridges.

Any force holding this pass effectively choked the enemy’s mobility, forcing them into predictable, vulnerable routes. In wartime, it became the lifeline for reinforcements, food, and medicine.

The cliffs on both sides rose almost vertically, making large-scale assaults impossible. Theoretically, a defending force of mere fifty soldiers could hold off hundreds.

Moreover, runic formations etched into the fortified checkpoint built across the pass turned the pass into a killing zone.

The Kurogane Pass was a symbol of strength and economic dominance. Whichever faction controlled this location controlled taxation and trade flow. It was a source of immense wealth. Cutting the pass off threatened the collapse of entire regional economies.

At dawn, the residents of Yongdu crowded the streets, watching as a grand procession assembled beneath the pale morning light. Led by the mighty Venom Dragon, the vanguard marched in disciplined ranks, their armor glinting like ripples of steel.

Mothers clasped their children gently with emotional eyes, the elderly bowed in silent prayers, and shopkeepers closed their shutters to pay respect.

Nearly twenty-five hundred Magi were mobilizing, setting out to seize the vital Kurogane Pass. The ground trembled beneath the synchronized steps of the three battalions. The banners fluttered proudly, and the air was heavy with the weight of war.

As the long column advanced towards the city gates, a mixture of awe and dread settled over Yongdu’s people. For many of them, this was the largest military expedition they had witnessed in the recent past.

Riding a majestic black horse at the front of the vanguard, Goro had an excited look on his face as he munched on a large piece of meat. His brothers, following behind him, had grim looks on their faces. This was going to be a very difficult conquest, after all.

But seeing their eldest brother act so confidently gave them strength. As long as Goro led them from the front, they would follow him even to the end of the world.

As for Adam... he had chosen to conceal himself somewhere in the middle of the procession, not wanting to garner any unwanted attention.

This was a moment for the children of the Tsuitsui, after all. And he... he was just an outsider.

Dressed in tight-fitted black robes and a gray cape, he rode in silence. A black scarf concealed the upper half of his face.

The Laughing God whispered.

And he listened.

He always listened.

Suddenly, he sensed someone’s gaze fixed upon him. He turned his head and sensed Reika and a few other women standing on the balcony of a nearby building. She was looking at him with slight concern in her eyes.

When Reika noticed Adam looking toward her, she faintly smiled and waved at him.

Adam smiled back.

But inside, he thought to himself:

I’m sorry, Reika.

This is the last time you’ll see me.

I will not be returning from this war...

Without hesitation, Adam turned back around and blended in with the soldiers.

In the months he had spent in Yongdu, he had grown close to Goro’s siblings. Reika, especially.

He was not oblivious.

He knew she harbored feelings for him, knew it from the way her gaze lingered, from the softness in her voice when she spoke to him.

But he could not return those feelings.

Not because she was unworthy. No, far from it.

It was because Adam’s path no longer allowed room for affection. His priorities were carved in blood. He had to grow stronger. He had to avenge the wrongs done to him.

And above all else...

He had to ensure this world wasn’t sacrificed to the devils of the Nine Hells.

Love was a luxury he could not afford. Not when the stakes were so high.

So although he cared for her in his own quiet way, Adam kept his heart sealed, walking a road where tenderness could only serve as a weakness... a fatal one.

As the tail end of the procession reached the city gates, war drums thundered across Yongdu. The beats echoed off the stone walls like the heartbeat of the clan itself. The sound rolled through the streets, stirring even the faint-hearted to raise their voices.

Cheers erupted from the gathered crowd, shouts of hope, courage, and faith, as banners snapped in the morning wind. Children waved, elders bowed, and the people of the city poured every last ounce of their spirit into their cries.

And beneath the crashing chorus of drums and voices, the Tsuitsui army marched out of the gates and into the uncertain dawn.

Adam no longer looked back.

Though his mind was ravaged by the crazed ravings of an ancient God, his heart remained steadfast.

He would not falter. He would not break.

His journey to the west had begun.

And somewhere beyond those distant mountains, in a valley shrouded by perpetual darkness, something was waiting for him.

Something dark, sinister, and otherworldly.

The Beyond was calling to him.

But so was destiny...

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