Huang Jing stared at him in astonishment, wanting to ask something but daring not to voice it. After witnessing the gruesome fate of her Fourth Uncle and those around him, she felt utterly shattered.

That devil had explicitly threatened to wipe out their entire family, and since she bore the Huang surname and was a direct member of the clan, there was no escaping it.

Even the usually strong-willed her couldn't bear up against such a terrifying demon when facing imminent death.

“If you don't want your blood drained and your heart ripped out, prepare what he needs. I’ll come find you then. Remember, this is your only chance. Chu Yuntian is a Demonic Path expert at the Mid-Fourth Layer. If he decides to move against you, running to the ends of the earth will be useless!”

Zhang Yang stood at the doorway, not turning back.

Suddenly, his voice echoed sharply in Huang Jing’s mind. After saying those words, Zhang Yang had already left the room.

Zhuifeng and the others were still at home. Zhang Yang had intended to be outside for how long?

Furthermore, now that Chu Yuntian had appeared and he had news of him, it was time for him to make his final preparations for the coming battle.

Huang Jing remained standing there foolishly. What had she just heard?

Every word Zhang Yang spoke made her heart tremble, especially the latter part where he stated Chu Yuntian was a Demonic Path expert at the Mid-Fourth Layer. “Mid-Fourth Layer,” “Demonic Path Expert”—these two phrases pierced her heart like twin blades.

Mid-Fourth Layer—what did that concept even mean? No expert of that caliber had ever appeared in the Huang family history. Such a master could eradicate the Huang family with effortless ease.

She fully believed Zhang Yang; if Chu Yuntian truly wished them dead, fleeing to the horizon would indeed be pointless.

In that moment, only a chilling coldness permeated her being—a bone-deep chill of absolute despair. She was usually strong, but not strong enough to embrace death fearlessly; she, too, feared dying.

The thought of suffering that same tragic demise made her shudder violently.

After a long time, she slowly regained her composure. She meticulously reviewed every word Zhang Yang had spoken.

Suddenly, she froze completely.

“Sound Transmission into Seclusion! This was Sound Transmission into Seclusion!”

A while later, she finally shrieked this realization to herself, though Zhang Yang had already been gone for over half an hour.

The despair slowly faded from Huang Jing’s face, gradually replaced by a flicker of excitement.

The Huang family members currently lacked internal energy cultivation, but they were quite familiar with the basic concepts surrounding it. What the Huang family most longed for was the reappearance of internal energy cultivators—this was essential knowledge drilled into almost everyone from childhood.

Even girls were encouraged to attempt cultivation; the Huang family no longer cared about gender as long as an internal energy cultivator could emerge again.

A trace of excitement crossed Huang Jing’s face. Sound Transmission into Seclusion—that was an ability only achievable by experts of the Fourth Layer.

She had never imagined that this young man, the very first internal energy cultivator she had ever met, was actually an expert of the Fourth Layer.

The concept of a Fourth Layer expert—the Huang family knew this all too well.

There was hope. She had hope; the Huang family had hope.

At this juncture, Huang Jing possessed only one thought: she no longer cared how Zhang Yang had managed to reach the Fourth Layer at such a young age. The fact that Zhang Yang was a Fourth Layer expert was sufficient.

Initially, she had been so genuinely stunned by his words that she hadn't reacted for so long.

Chu Yuntian was an expert at the Mid-Fourth Layer; she had nearly fainted upon hearing it just now. Against such a powerhouse, even during the Huang family's zenith, they would have possessed no resistance whatsoever.

At that time, her mind held only one conclusion: the Huang family was utterly finished.

Now, Zhang Yang, possessing equal Fourth Layer strength, offered a new beacon of hope.

Huang Jing harbored absolutely no doubt regarding Zhang Yang’s power. Fourth Layer, definitely Fourth Layer; only someone at the Fourth Layer could utilize the legendary Sound Transmission into Seclusion.

Sound Transmission into Seclusion meant transmitting sound directly into the recipient’s mind without uttering an audible word.

Furthermore, only a Fourth Layer expert would dare to issue a challenge while fully aware of the opponent's power level. She understood Zhang Yang’s intention clearly: this was her sole opportunity.

Just as Zhang Yang had stated, if they failed to seize this chance, the Huang family would genuinely be destroyed forever.

“Dad, Dad, I have something to tell you. It’s extremely important, yes, critically important…”

Huang Jing frantically pulled out her phone, her hands trembling as she dialed a number. The news that Zhang Yang was a Fourth Layer expert was monumental; she reported everything, including Chu Yuntian’s cultivation level, to her father.

If Zhang Yang was a Fourth Layer expert, then they had hope—only a Fourth Layer expert could contend with a demon like Chu Yuntian.

Her father received Huang Jing’s news with mixed feelings of joy and sorrow.

The worrying part was that Chu Yuntian’s power was shockingly strong. He had been contemplating risking annexation to solicit aid from some existing internal energy families with whom they maintained past connections.

These internal energy families were not overwhelmingly powerful, but each possessed a Third Layer master. If they could secure such an expert, they might stand a chance.

Previously, they had all assumed the devil was merely a Third Layer master; the Fourth Layer was something they hadn't dared to consider.

Now that they knew the opponent’s true strength, that hope was utterly extinguished. Since the enemy was Mid-Fourth Layer, calling upon more people would be useless; they would only be leading them to death and disaster, so it was better not to ask at all.

Their initial hope was shattered, but unexpectedly, new hope had emerged.

Zhang Yang, the man with whom they had previously tried to trade, turned out to be a Fourth Layer expert himself. Huang Jing was staking her life on the guarantee that Zhang Yang was indeed a Fourth Layer expert capable of using Sound Transmission into Seclusion.

He trusted his daughter deeply.

This development meant they had new hope—their only hope.

At this point, they could only pin all their aspirations on Zhang Yang. They had no other recourse. Zhang Yang claimed Chu Yuntian was a Demonic Path expert, and he harbored no doubt; only followers of the Demonic Path could commit such atrocities.

Considering all this, he couldn't help but sigh deeply.

If only they hadn't been so greedy in the first place; if they had simply conducted the transaction honestly, even if they couldn't cultivate internal energy practitioners, they could have secured two Youth-Preserving Pills, which were highly valuable treasures.

It was sheer avarice that drove his family to make the wrong decision, inviting this monumental disaster.

After the death of his Fourth Brother, he no longer dared to think about making any further trades with Zhang Yang. If they could simply survive this ordeal safely, that would be his greatest aspiration.

Shortly after Huang Jing ended the call, he sent out his orders.

Immediately provide Zhang Yang with whatever he needs. Absolutely nothing he requests must be refused; everything must be agreed upon. In short, whatever Zhang Yang says now must be done, even if it means handing over their family assets.

Assets can be earned back, but once life is lost, nothing remains.

Recommend a book: Nine Days Ago, the Sun did not Rise Again After Setting. On the Tenth Day, Su Jing became renowned in all directions. The trouble caused by the Bean has a new book, "Sheng Xie," Book Number 257273.

For more novels, visit storyread.net.