At the Bình Chánh stronghold, nestled in the outskirts and concealed by a vast illusionary barrier, stood a magnificent mega-mansion—its architecture a mysterious fusion of Western gothic grandeur and Eastern imperial elegance. The place looked like a palace suspended between dimensions.

  In a private chamber—specially designed for the warrior princess—the dominant hues were obsidian black, ruby red, silver sheen, and twilight purple. The furniture blended ancient Vietnamese craftsmanship with European royal aesthetics: carved red limwood inlaid with mother-of-pearl, dim amber oil lamps casting faint shadows along polished surfaces.

  Trang lay in slumber. Her expression was calm, but her forehead glistened with sweat. It was far from a peaceful sleep.

  In her mind, a presence stirred—an invisible entity approaching. Its energy pattern, density, and resonance were identical to hers. The familiarity was unnerving... bone-deep.

  She jolted awake, her blood-red eyes flaring in the darkness.

  – “It’s him... Erion…” she muttered, voice sharp and cold as tempered steel.

  Rising from bed, she crossed to the Gothic arched window and unlatched the heavy bolt. The window flung open as morning wind and sunlight swept through, catching her long, straight black hair and sending it flowing behind her like a silk banner.

  She lifted her chin, her eyes piercing the clouded skies.

  – “Come, then... Let me see what you are. The title 'Black Diamond of Dominion' cannot belong to two.”

  A gentle knock echoed from the door.

  Trang turned and opened it.

  Standing outside was Satan—not in his usual flame-black armor but in a deep violet velvet cloak. His hair, ash-white like the cinders of hell, flowed freely. His expression was composed, but his eyes shimmered with cold killing intent.

  He smiled softly.

  – “My daughter, did you sleep well?”

  – “I did... until he appeared in my dreams.”

  Trang answered. Her voice remained steady, though her eyes stayed alert.

  – “That was Erion, wasn’t it? He’s close.”

  Satan nodded.

  – “Yes. He’s en route. I will personally prepare for his arrival.”

  He stepped inside, taking in the dark, regal ambiance of her quarters. Turning to face her again, his voice took a more measured tone.

  – “And what about My—the bride-to-be of Tu?n? The one who pulled your hair and mocked you during their wedding. How would you like to handle her?”

  Trang was silent for a moment. Her crimson eyes flashed coldly as vivid memories returned: My’s sneering lips, the painful yank of hair, the spiteful jabs—all from a time when Trang had still been an untamed tomboy, unaware of her true nature.

  But then, her gaze lowered. She answered softly:

  – “Let her be… for now. I want to focus on D?ng’s family first.”

  Satan’s smile deepened—equal parts approval and menace. He placed a firm hand on her shoulder.

  – “Good. Step by step. Once your power is fully awakened, this entire world will kneel.”

  Inside the Bình Chánh stronghold, a faint violet light filtered through heavy velvet drapes. Within the vast strategic chamber, Demon King Satan stood beside a monolithic obsidian table etched with ancient sigils.

  Slowly, he raised a hand toward the void. From his fingertip, a stream of black smoke—glossy like shattered glass—unfurled. The air began to contract, trembling like ripples on a wind-swept lake.

  Zzzt... A pulse of dark purple light burst out.

  The Velkhanis Mirror emerged in mid-air—an ancient soul-bound relic once used to link dimensions between worlds.

  Its surface flickered wildly, as though issuing a warning.

  Satan’s brow furrowed. He reached out, a single finger touching the mirror.

  At once, the scene of the District 2 mansion came into focus: a frozen realm resembling Nordic winter. Layers of crystalline snow coated bonsai trees, and the koi pond lay frozen solid—its fish still faintly gliding beneath the ice.

  In the mirror, sunlight had begun to thaw the frost, droplets trailing down mossy red tiles. But before it could fully recede...

  Figures came into clear view:

  – Master V?nh in his ceremonial robes, a brass bagua mirror in hand.

  – Trúc Di?n, poised and resolute, green eyes glowing with reptilian pupils.

  – And Mr. ??c and Mrs. Tam, their faces solemn and grim.

  Trang stepped up beside Satan, her blood-red eyes gleaming with a razor’s edge.

  She fixed her gaze on the young man in traditional garb.

  – “That one... he’s a white serpent. A thousand-year-old divine beast. He’s awakened—he’s entered the Realm of Spiritual Consciousness.”

  Then her eyes shifted to the couple beside him.

  – “And the in-laws of D?ng’s family... they’re fae, but of the righteous path. Not enemies. I’ll overlook them.”

  She paused for a second. Her gaze turned merciless.

  – “But D?ng’s family... they won’t be spared. His wife and their three daughters—I will not forgive.”

  Suddenly, her hand dissolved—its physical structure replaced by a blazing flame of black, purple, blood-red, and silver.

  She gently brushed her fingers across the mirror’s surface.

  – “A dreamy winter wonderland like this... it’s too beautiful to vanish so quickly. Let’s allow it to linger just a little longer.”

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  ---

  Meanwhile, back at the District 2 mansion—

  The ice had begun to melt. Droplets slid down moss-covered tiles. Trees stirred again, and the morning sun thinned the mist.

  But then—

  Crack!

  A sharp sound split the air. The temperature plummeted in an instant.

  New ice formed visibly, spreading across the courtyard in real time. Thick bands of frost spiraled through the grounds. The cold grew so intense that the glass panes of the windows instantly frosted over like slabs of ground crystal.

  Everyone felt a chill slash through their bones.

  Master V?nh turned, tension etched across his face:

  – “Someone’s intervening again!”

  Trúc Di?n narrowed his eyes, pressing his palm to the ground:

  – “I can’t trace the energy’s source. It’s completely invisible…”

  V?nh stepped back, suspicion in his eyes.

  – “It’s not Satan. This type of freezing... it’s not his magic.”

  Trúc Di?n spoke softly, his breath curling into mist:

  – “Then who is it? Who’s behind all this?”

  At the forest edge of ?à L?t, morning mist still drifted lazily through the cool air.

  Two sleek black Bentley Bentaygas glided silently along the forest path, reflecting soft sunlight through thick pine canopies. They moved like phantoms across glass.

  Inside the lead vehicle, Erion sat comfortably in the back seat, arms folded. His once ruby-red eyes had now settled into a calm amber hue. With a subtle swirl of his index finger in the air, he spoke:

  – “Let’s take a shortcut. I’ve never liked moving through the world in such... physical ways.”

  At that moment, a circular spatial gate bloomed open in midair. Its edges shimmered in threads of violet and silver light. From afar, it looked like a quivering mirror, rippling under immense gravitational pull.

  In a blink, both Bentleys vanished into the gate, swallowed whole by the liquid light—gone from the pine forest as if they’d never existed.

  ---

  At the same time, behind the sprawling mansion in District 2, a sudden gust erupted from thin air.

  The dimensional gate burst open without warning. Wind shrieked violently, tearing through the quiet morning like it was ripping the sky apart.

  Whoosh—

  The two Bentleys shot out of the portal and landed gracefully on the paved path leading into the residential zone. The gate immediately collapsed into shards of mirror-light before vanishing completely under the golden Sài Gòn sunlight.

  From the driver’s seat of the front car, Din poked his head out and smirked:

  – “At this rate, airlines and bus companies might want to shut down early…”

  A lesser demon riding in the other vehicle giggled, her voice crisp:

  – “Even Lord Satan’s crew barely tolerates physical transport. We’re just catching up.”

  Erion didn’t so much as flinch. His voice, low and sharp, rumbled in his chest:

  – “Where to now?”

  Din turned around slightly, a gleam in his eye:

  – “One of my subordinates owns a villa here. It's directly across from the target mansion—third house to the left. He’s an old-school Asian vampire, been embedded here for over twenty years.”

  Erion gave a slight nod. No words were needed.

  ---

  Upon arrival, what lay before them shattered all expectations.

  D?ng’s mansion—the target property—sat frozen in time.

  Its tiled roof, stone walls, and lush courtyard were encased in crystal-clear ice, thick as northern glaciers. Morning sunlight fractured across the icy layers, casting shimmering white ribbons like diamond threads. The bonsai trees had become perfect crystal sculptures. Even the koi pond was sealed in ice, though the fish still moved slowly beneath it—like a scene from a frozen fairytale.

  The silence was terrifying. The cold crept into the skin like invisible needles. It felt as though even time had been sealed shut.

  Erion, Din, and the demons behind them froze in unison—eyes wide.

  – “What the hell is this…” Din muttered, stepping out of the car.

  Erion stared at the frozen mansion, his amber eyes flickering subtly.

  A voice whispered directly into his mind—silent, private, undeniable:

  – “She’s already gone this far? Now this… this is getting interesting.”

  The iron gate of a villa across the street—three houses to the left of the frozen mansion—creaked open, its metallic groan echoing eerily in the frigid air radiating from D?ng’s property.

  A dignified Asian man stepped out.

  His thick salt-and-pepper hair was slicked back, revealing a high, intelligent forehead. He wore a perfectly tailored black European-cut suit that hugged his lean yet powerful frame. On his wrist hung an antique T? Nham jade bead bracelet, its smoky gray-green hue whispering of ancient power. His thumb bore a Hoà ?i?n white jade ring, carved with a sunken dragon motif—subtle wealth, elegant restraint.

  His face was calm, composed. His eyes, deep and still, hinted at decades of witnessing the rise and fall of empires. There was no aura of malice around him, yet he exuded a quiet dominance—the kind earned from hiding among humankind for over twenty years, studying every limit and flaw.

  He gave a slight bow.

  – “Greetings, Count Din. I’ve been expecting you. And this... gentleman is?”

  Din smiled and stepped aside, giving space to the man behind him.

  – “Allow me to introduce—General Erion. The Black Diamond of Lord-class.”

  Mr. Yin froze for a split second. His body instinctively took two steps back before he bowed deeply, voice solemn:

  – “I’ve heard tales of the General for many years. It is a rare honor to meet you in person.”

  From behind, a red-haired lesser demon whispered, barely holding back laughter:

  – “General’s disguise is just too handsome... that’s why no one recognizes him.”

  Another demon nudged her with a smirk:

  – “He’s always been handsome. The ‘disguise’ just changed the tone a bit. I’m more curious how that girl will react when she sees him…”

  Erion cleared his throat—three short, cold coughs. His amber gaze swept over the two demons like blades. Instantly, they stood bolt upright in silence, like statues.

  He stepped forward.

  His sharp eyes locked onto the mansion encased in glacial ice—the morning sunlight reflecting off its surface made it appear like a crystalline fortress from another realm.

  – “What exactly are we looking at?” His voice was flat, emotionless.

  Mr. Yin approached the edge of the icy property, hands clasped behind his back, gaze solemn:

  – “To be honest, I don’t know. But this is no ordinary cryo-manipulation. It’s as if the laws of physics no longer apply in there. The air, gravity, even the energy currents—everything feels… suppressed.”

  Erion didn’t blink.

  His eyes, once warm amber, now shimmered with a quiet red—deep, dark, bottomless.

  – “Of course it’s not normal. In this vast universe, only two entities can wield such power.”

  – “One is me. The other… I came here to confirm.”

  Inside the frozen mansion in District 2, the atmosphere remained bitterly cold.

  Suddenly, Master V?nh, Trúc Di?n, and Mr. ??c and Mrs. Tam all opened their eyes wide—each of them sensing the exact same thing at once: a wave of energy so intense, it rattled the soul.

  Trúc Di?n growled:

  – “Someone just entered this zone... a Lord-tier being.”

  The group rushed out onto the balcony. From the second floor, they peered past the frozen perimeter fence, toward the opposite row of villas—three houses to the left.

  And there they saw it.

  A group of figures stood outside a Gothic-style villa. At the center was a tall, pale-skinned man with the aura of a British noble. His ash-brown hair was slicked back, catching the early light, and he wore a sharp three-layer black suit that seemed tailored for royalty.

  Beside him stood an imposing Asian man, stoic and straight-backed, and another with fair skin and calm amber eyes—his presence sharp and still, like a sheathed blade.

  Surrounding them were elite-looking security agents—except they weren’t human. These were trained lesser demons, cloaked in human form, standing silent and rigid, exuding a quiet menace that turned the air electric.

  Mr. ??c froze in place, his face going pale:

  – “The two men in suits... they’re high-ranking vampires. But that other man—the pale one with amber eyes... who is he?”

  Trúc Di?n narrowed his emerald, serpent-like pupils. He stepped back slightly, then leaned closer and whispered:

  – “There’s no mistaking it... that man is a Lord-tier entity. His energy core resonates with the exact frequency we’ve detected before... He’s the counterpart to Satan.”

  Mrs. Tam whispered, her voice trembling—more from fear than cold:

  – “Then that man... the one with the amber eyes... he’s the Black Diamond Lord? If he’s here, we’re in serious danger!!”

  Master V?nh’s gaze never left the group across the way:

  – “They wouldn’t come here unless something urgent was at stake. Whatever it is—they’ve brought the storm with them. We must stay sharp.”

  Across the street, Erion finally locked eyes with the group on the balcony. In a heartbeat, his calm amber irises flared a deep ruby red—like cursed fire igniting in the frost.

  A red-haired demon with curly locks leaned close and whispered, amused:

  – “Feels like X-Men: The Last Stand… demonic energy clashing with divine forces. So hauntingly beautiful it’s scary.”

  Another demon nodded eagerly, eyes sparkling:

  – “All we need now is Satan’s faction to show up and we’ve got ourselves a full Marvel lineup.”

  Din, standing in the center, chuckled coldly:

  – “If blood’s going to spill today, I at least want it to be worth the price.”

  Mr. Yin’s eyes narrowed, voice like a bullet’s trajectory:

  – “A neutral sorcerer, a thousand-year white serpent, and a family of righteous yokai. Not bad. We should go greet the new neighbors properly.”

  Erion said nothing. He simply stared at Trúc Di?n, his gaze cutting through layers of sky as if space itself was paper-thin.

  Beneath them, the frost began to crackle, the snowy silence breaking like thin glass.

  The sky remained clear—but the world was growing colder in a way no one could have foreseen.