On the Eastern Boarder of the Immortal empire, Vultures and Crows were feasting on the corpse of fallen soldiers who had fallen on the battlefield.
There were thousands and thousands of dead bodies and horses along with scattered limbs and intestines, the ground was dyed red as blood freely flowed on the ground like streams of spring water.
Horses trampled on the corpses of the fallen soldiers as the riders on the horses pierced the struggling soldiers who were still alive and injured with their spears, until the last soldier took his last breath.
The soldiers on the horses donned purple armour. on their shoulder plates were two golden heads of a roaring qilin on each side of their shoulders along with a long purple cape.
Their faces were covered with golden masks that looked as eerie as if it had come from the depth of hell along with black helmet.
On their waist strap were golden belts with long swords attached to it, every soldier was equipped with this long sword and a tall sharp spear.
Every soldier was seated on a blood qilin horse, and on the edge of each spear hung a purple flag that swayed in the wind proudly.
On the purple flag was the insignia of a true blood purple qilin stretching it's claws towards the sky proudly.
At this point, most of the flags were covered in blood, but that didn't stop it from looking majestic.
The Group of soldiers had terrifying aura surrounding them, that would send a chill down the spine of anyone that laid eyes on them, the blood lust that leaked from them was even more terrifying than that of beasts.
At the forefront of the victorious army sat a man on a rank three demonic blood qilin horse, unlike the rest of the troops, he wore pure white neat robes and gave the air of a scholarly young man who would dain to hold a sword.
This man was young, extremely young and had long silver hair that fell behind his back.
This young man was elegant and handsome as if he had been ripped straight out of a painting.
His appearance on the battlefield stuck out like a sore thumb because the elegance he exuded was in contrast with the blood shed and deathly aura around the battlefield.
One of the soldiers rode his qilin horse towards the man and clasped his hand towards the handsome man in white robes.
Your grace! All the enemy troops have been wiped out, awaiting your orders!
"Hmmm!" The man in robes gently hummed and nodded his head.
Well done first emissary, from here head towards the capital with the troops, I'll be waiting for you there"
The one addressed as first emissary was surprised to hear this, " Your grace won't you be leaving with us?'' he asked.
"No I'll be heading there first, it's been seven long years and I miss my mother and my wife. I can't wait any longer" The man in white robes gently said with a sigh, before gently ruffling the head of the demonic qilin horse, "Be a good boy and don't cause any trouble!" He gently said as he got down from the mount.
Also send a message to the emperor of the Everlasting empire, Let him know that this is his last warning! If there's a next time, the Scarlett Dragon Vanguard will have to make a trip there!'' He informed the first emissary before disappearing like the wind!
"We send the general off!" All the hundred thousand troops clasped their hand and sent him off, their roar echoed between the heavens and earth.
Outside the walls of the Imperial capital, a man in white robes suddenly and quietly appeared a long distance far away from the walls and any prying eyes.
The man in white robes looked at the distant towering long wall with undescribable emotions in his eyes.
This was where he had called home for 13 years before being sent to die on the battlefield. Thinking about the memories of the past years, tears could not help but well up in his eyes as he silently shed them.
Thinking about the past, he couldn't help but clench his hands as he remembered the vow he made the day he left the capital in chains on a cage wagon.
"I promise that I'll survive and clear my name! I promise to take vegence for any grievances I have suffered! I promise to make all those who look down on me, look up to me when I return! I won't return until I can fulfill this vow, he swore to the heavens!
Looking back at it, who would have thought that it will take him only seven years to return.
He begun to walk towards the city, the closer he got the more apparent and grand the large and towering walls of the capital became.
After sometime had past, he was finally standing in front of the large brown gates of the Imperial capital, there was a large que ahead of him.
Guards in armour stood guard as officials collected tolls from those entering.
The fee to enter was one silver coin per each person. The man in white robes joined the que and paid the toll before entering the city.
As he entered he couldn't help but sigh upon seeing the familiar tall building, streets and bustly crowd.
You could hear the shouts of street vendors as they advertised their products loudly, while shoving it in the face of soon to be buyers.
Or the stream of people who entered the various opened shops.
He silently walked through the crowd as he observed and took in everything around him.
He silently went to a local tavern he used to work at as a kid, and found himself an empty seat, before ordering braised chicken and a jar of wine.
He looked around and couldn't help but smile everything was exactly how he remembered it.
The usual boisterous sound of laughter erupting from groups as they shared drinks stories and gossips.
The aroma of wine and food mixed with the sweats from the customers and the loud chatter around the place.
Everything was just as Gu Shang the white robbed man remembered.
While he silently waited for his food he couldn't help but listen to the chatter going on from the table behind him.
Two middle aged men were seated on the table discussing about the current event going on in the empire, and they seemed well informed too.
"Have you heard that the Grand General and his troops will be arriving in the capital in three days time?" One of the middle aged man in yellow robes asked.
The other man in a brown robe took a large chug of wine before replying, " Who in the imperial capital doesn't know that the Grand General is returning in three days?.
It's been six years since he was appointed by the previous emperor, and his ensured peace in our empire for six years.
The man in yellow robes nodded, '' Indeed before that our boarders were plagued by invaders from the neighboring empire who almost swallowed us whole.
But luckily for us, the Grand General rose up in time to save us.
It's almost unbelievable to think that six years ago, our empire was on the verge of extinction! The yellow robbed man sighed with emotion.
The eastern continent has always been a land of war and chaos. It was a place where if you were not strong enough you'll be swallowed by other powerful forces.
The wars were never ending and almost everyday new empires rose and old ones fell, the Immortal empire was no different and had been engaged in wars for hundreds of years, but over the last decade their power had significantly fallen down a lot and they were on the brinks of ruins.
They should have perished a long time ago, but six years ago the previous emperor suddenly chose to appoint a Grand General to stabilize the empire's situation despite opposition from all sides.
There was a lot of discontent within the imperial court since such an appointment had nearly caused the fall of the empire a few centuries ago.
The Grand General title was a very powerful position that even the emperor or imperial court had no control over.
The Grand General held all the military power of the empire in his hand making him more powerful than the emperor himself.
His rank was nine places above a first rank official and one rank below the emperor.
They also held the power to punish all powers within the empire, if the right person was not chosen for the position then it will spell total disaster for the empire.
Six year ago the emperor appointed an unknown low level general to take the title of Grand General, though there were several opposition from the court the emperor still pushed ahead with his decision before his demise.
To the surprise of everyone, the decision paid off because the newly appointed grandbgeneral was able to solve the impending doom of the empire.
After that no enemy was able to cross the boarder of the immortal empire, ushering them to a time of peace they had not experienced since the last five hundred years.
"The Grand General is making a mistake, he should not have returned!' The man in brown robes said as he took a chug of wine!
Epilogue;
Nine Years ago, at the front of a tavern in the Imperial capital.
A young skinny boy with silver hair and torn robes stood in front of the owner of a tavern, "boss Yan give me any job to do, it can be cleaning or serving food I don't mind any job at all as long as you pay me three silver coins a days" The boys said in a nervous and shaky voice as he held three fingers up.
Boss Yan who was about to chase these begger away paused briefly and looked at bright eyes of the young kid, how could he afford to chase him away.
Boss Yan stretched five finger," Do a perfect job and I'll pay you five" he said with a grin.
The little boy's eyes could not help but brighten up after hearing that.
He quickly bowed his head, 'I promise to try my best!'.