Within moments, the remnants of the Chen Clan left behind by Chen Rong were utterly annihilated, not a single soul spared.

After so many years, Ouyang Luoshuang had endured trials and tribulations that forged her heart into ice; she showed no mercy when taking lives. Her decisive, practiced movements suggested this was far from the first time she had acted with such finality.

The Chen Clan members were of relatively low cultivation levels. The energy released upon their deaths was minuscule, collectively amounting to less than that of a single Origin God.

Shi Yan disdained such meager power and simply cast forth the Blood Shield.

The Blood Shield morphed, evolving into a giant crimson maw that suddenly bore down, absorbing all the residual energy. Immediately, the mysterious crimson patterns etched upon the shield became significantly clearer.

Once refined, the Blood Shield was intrinsically linked to his bloodline; with a mere thought, it could instantly transform into armor and merge with his body.

This shield possessed potential for further growth. The more power it absorbed, the stronger its defensive capabilities as armor would become. The energy released by the demise of the Chen family members only served to solidify the Blood Shield by a fraction.

Ouyang Luoshuang gazed at the Blood Shield with cool eyes, her expression momentarily frozen in surprise.

The imprint of the blood-colored cloud cluster on the shield was exceptionally distinct. As the power of the Chen family seeped in, those blood clouds began to spin like stars, emitting a faint, hazy crimson light.

Staring deeply into the glow for a while, a sudden agitation seized her. Her main soul felt submerged in a maelstrom of gore and slaughter, ignited by an insatiable, overwhelming desire for brutal carnage.

This desire intensified, and her clear, pristine eyes abruptly shifted to a deep, bloody red, chillingly sinister.

"Stop!"

Suddenly, a thunderous, explosive roar echoed through her Sea of Consciousness, like a divine shout that shattered her confused and turbulent spirit.

She snapped instantly back to sobriety.

Consequently, she dared not look at the Blood Shield any longer. Shaken, she swiftly activated the altar, using icy power to cleanse her spirit, stabilize her main soul, and smooth out the chaotic fluctuations of her divine energy.

At that very moment, the Blood Shield dissolved into a streak of bloody light and vanished deep within Shi Yan's brow.

Shi Yan hovered near the massive skull of the Primordial Thunder Dragon, his expression grave, his eyes sharp with electric light as he secretly observed.

Beneath him, the three thousand meters of the Primordial Thunder Dragon's skeleton were devoid of flesh, hair, or scale—only interconnected bones remained. The bone structure was silvery-white, emitting a faint luminescence. The vast skeletal remains, thirty thousand meters long, were comparable to an extra-terrestrial meteor, yet the electrical fluctuations surging within were terrifyingly potent.

Upon closer inspection, he noticed dozens of fracture marks across the bones. Many bones appeared cleaved by sharp implements, bearing deeply etched score marks.

Shi Yan was certain: this Primordial Thunder Dragon must have endured a catastrophic, brutal battle in its prime!

That battle had grievously wounded its demonic body, caused its soul to splinter into countless fragments that became the clustered, strange lights of lightning along the barrier of the Leixiao Star Field, and separated its physical form from its spirit, preventing reunion and resurrection for ages.

A wisp of divine thought stretched out through the void, condensing into a crystalline, rainbow-like giant hand that suddenly pressed down upon the dragon skull.

Instantly, celestial thunder struck like hammers, and lightning lashed like blades. Following the path of the divine power condensed into the hand, they violently shot toward Shi Yan's soul.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

A deafening, explosive sound of thunder rocked Shi Yan's mind. His divine body felt as though it had been struck by a colossal hammer, vibrating hundreds of times.

Then, a thin trickle of blood appeared at the corner of his mouth. He casually wiped it away, his expression unchanging, while secretly urging his demonic blood to mend the injuries.

Squinting and assessing for several seconds, his expression shifted. He was now certain this Primordial Thunder Dragon must have attained Immortality in life!

Otherwise, the residual power from its remnants alone could not have severely wounded him, whose physical form was incredibly resilient!

Only an entity that had reached the Immortal realm could possess such terrifying lingering power—so formidable even after death and the scattering of its soul! Only an Immortal being could achieve this level!

"An Immortal-level existence. One of the ancestors of the Celestial Demon Race. Truly, this is my fortune..."

Instead of alarm, joy swelled within him. He grinned darkly, a low chuckle escaping, his expression excited.

As the fusion catalyst of the Divine Grace Continent, the Celestial Demon Race traced its ancestry back to that very continent. Put another way, they were his subjects. Even beings of the level of the Azure Dragon Saint Beast could only yield and act according to his will under such unique circumstances.

If this Primordial Thunder Dragon were truly resurrected, would it not also have to stand alongside him?

Becoming a sharp spear in his hand?

Understanding this, his excitement mounted. He laughed, circulating his profound mysteries, using layers of spatial barriers as a cage to bind the mountain-like skeleton of the Primordial Thunder Dragon. He then roared toward the heavens, activating the divine power surrounding him. Star light, like a violent, overflowing ocean, erupted centered on him, instantly generating an unparalleled, mighty divine force.

The thirty-thousand-meter-long Thunder Dragon skeleton suddenly emitted a creaking sound as its bones shifted. Then, like a colossal warship, it slowly began to move toward the crystalline wall of the star field.

Shi Yan sat perched atop the Primordial Thunder Dragon's skull, squinting with a sinister smile.

Ouyang Luoshuang hesitated slightly, then transformed into a pure, bright lunar radiance, unhurriedly trailing behind the Thunder Dragon, drawing close to the thick, monstrous tailbone.

In the distance, Chen Lei and the surviving members of the Chen Clan watched with expressions of sorrow and grief, sighing mournfully.

Chen Rong and his faction had always been at odds with them, which was why they hadn't lived on the Chen Clan’s main planet, choosing instead to reside on that mining asteroid.

However, regardless of their disagreements, they were still of the same lineage. Learning that Chen Rong and his group had all been executed still left them deeply despondent.

Especially Chen Lei!

She was Chen Rong's biological sister. She knew Chen Rong could be despicable and shameless in certain respects, but for her, he held genuine affection.

She touched the scar on her face, her eyes dim, sighing internally, "I don't blame you for marking my face. I have long since come to terms with it over the years, and I know that because of these scars, I have been able to live to this day. But you shouldn't have been so rash and greedy. I... I fear it will be difficult for me to avenge you..."

The guards beside her, those Chen Clan members, shared intricate bonds of kinship with those who had just died. Many among them did not share Chen Lei's perspective...

Some still harbored thoughts of revenge, though they forcibly suppressed them, daring not to voice them immediately.

"Lei... Lady Lei! What... what is that?!"

Suddenly, a gaunt, skeletal youth trembled, pointing ahead, stuttering and shouting while shivering uncontrollably.

The youth kept retreating, his face pale, the tattered edges of his clothing fluttering, mirroring the deep unease in his heart.

The others followed his gaze.

Immediately, they all turned ashen-faced, their eyes reflecting deep despair and terror. A chill seeped through their spines and into their souls.

A gigantic, silver dragon skeleton, far grander and more magnificent than a warship, crackled with thunder and lightning, slowly advancing through the dense fog and dark clouds. An ancient, commanding majesty, vast and primal, enveloped the eight directions, saturating every inch of the sea of stars!

It struck awe into every living being!

Atop the dragon's head, that stern figure stood as imposing as a mountain, possessing the inherent aura of a Star Sea overlord, compelling a natural urge to submit, leaving no thought of resistance.

Gazing at the silhouette seated atop the skull, Chen Lei and the remaining Chen Clan members felt a wave of bitterness wash over them, their expressions etched with helpless despair.

They suddenly understood that for their entire lives, they would be powerless to seek retribution against this man.

As they sighed mournfully, the massive skeletal dragon halted. Shi Yan's gaze, sharp as a shooting star, fell upon Chen Lei, and he spoke indifferently, "Those who harbored greed toward this Venerable One have already gone ahead. However, this matter is not your fault. My promise to you still stands."

He paused, then frowned and inquired, "Will you leave this place, or rebuild the Chen Clan? Have you decided on your choice?"

Chen Lei looked up in surprise. She pursed her lips, contemplating heavily for a long moment, then whispered softly, "I choose to stay and rebuild the Chen Clan. I do not wish to leave my homeland, nor start anew in a star field that does not belong to us."

Shi Yan looked at her deeply and nodded. "I greatly appreciate your decision."

With that, a massive palm, tempered by the stars, suddenly plunged into a swirling vortex, wrestling and twisting something within. Before long, the giant, starry palm forcefully grasped numerous glittering, dazzling objects from the vortex. It then suddenly spread its hand over the area where Chen Lei and the others stood.

Immediately, precious crystals, exquisite armor, vials of intoxicatingly fragrant elixirs, and gleaming, sharp weapons cascaded from the palm of the star-hand.

The grade of these cultivation materials, armor, elixirs, and weaponry—many reached the High-Tier Divine level—leaving Chen Lei and the assembled Chen Clan members petrified.

"These items came from the Leixiao Celestial Pool. After I killed Leiteka, they became ownerless. You cooperated with me throughout this ordeal, so I bestow them upon you to strengthen the Chen Clan."

Shi Yan looked at her, pondered for a moment, and then stated earnestly, "You are more suited to be the head of the Chen Clan than your brother, Chen Rong. With his temperament and vision, even obtaining these things would not grant the Chen Clan a future. But you can. Do not disappoint my expectations. I hope that the next time we meet, your Chen Clan will already be the foremost major power in the Leixiao Star Field."

As these words fell, the Primordial Thunder Dragon began to move again, rolling through the dense clouds and smoke, heading toward the boundary of the star field, toward the magnificent future of Shi Yan.

"Divine Grade Five Soul Restoration Pill! Divine Grade Six Spirit Communication Jade! Heavens, he actually gave these to us!"

"Killed Leiteka! Killed Leiteka! Leiteka was actually killed by him! Gods above, Chen Rong and Chen Hong were insane to dare plot against him!"

"They deserved to die. Their judgment was abysmal. Who shouldn't they provoke? They went after this God of Slaughter!"

"Leiteka collected treasures from the entire star field; all of them priceless. Now, more than half have fallen into our Chen Clan's hands. Our prosperity is finally within reach!"

"Wait, this... this is 'Myriad Flower Source Condensing Dew.' This can erase all scars!"

A Chen Clan guard carefully held a jade vial, offering it to Chen Lei with excitement. "Lady Lei, this Myriad Flower Source Condensing Dew can restore your former beauty. Previously, Lady Lei was the most beautiful woman in the Chen Clan. With this, Lady Lei will never again be saddened by her appearance."

However, Chen Lei remained oblivious. Her eyes were fixed only on the direction where the Primordial Thunder Dragon disappeared, silent for a long time.

"Lady Lei! Lady Lei!" the man called out again.

After a long silence, Chen Lei finally took a deep breath, murmured a few words to herself, and then declared, "From this day forward, I am the Head of the Chen Clan. I will give you, the Chen Clan, and myself a brand-new future! The Chen Clan will certainly become one of the most dazzling powers in the Leixiao Star Field!"

... ps: It has been too quiet for too long. Early November. I request at least one guaranteed monthly vote. Brothers, please give me some face~~ (To be continued.

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