The sky was heavy, the clouds pressing down as if a violent storm was imminent, suffocating the atmosphere.
Swarms of Azure Blood Demon Bats, flying in precise formation, streaked through the clouds, gradually appearing over Skyfall City.
Ten minutes later, these Azure Blood Demon Bats reached the Shi Family grounds, slowing their descent above their ancestral home.
The Shi Family compound was draped everywhere with white cloth strips, overshadowed by a gloom of deep sorrow.
Every member of the Shi clan was enveloped in immense grief; from many rooms, howling cries of lament could still be heard.
On the Azure Blood Demon Bats, Shi Yan’s expression shifted abruptly, his features turning instantly grim.
With just one downward glance, he realized the Shi Family was observing a funeral rite, and judging by the scale, a figure of great importance within the clan must have perished.
Inside the Shi Family’s expansive main assembly hall, everyone present was clad in white robes. These clan members were steeped in sorrow; the descendants of Shi Tie clearly bore tear tracks on their faces, having surely wept profusely.
The Azure Blood Demon Bats landed in the Shi Family courtyard, startling the grief-stricken residents, who poured out from the assembly hall to look up.
Shi Yan and Xiao Hanyi walked straight to Shi Jian’s side, demanding, “Grandfather, what has happened?”
“Young Master Yan, Second Master is dead, and your father has been gravely wounded; he is still unconscious,” Han Zhong said, his face dark, grinding his teeth, “The Ling and Mo Families did this.”
“What?” Shi Yan’s features twisted savagely. Taking a deep breath, he turned to Shi Jian, “Grandfather, tell me exactly what happened?”
Shi Jian’s eyes were bloodshot. He glanced quickly at Xiao Hanyi, then rapidly recounted the events.
“Ling Family, Mo Family…” Shi Yan roared low, “A blood debt must be paid in blood!”
Zuo Xu stood nearby, regarding Xiao Hanyi with a hint of awe, and softly inquired, “Young Shi, who is this?”
“Patriarch! Patriarch!”
Just then, shouts erupted from outside. Soon after, a Shi Family martial artist rushed forward, blazing with furious indignation, “The Ling and Mo Families have sent messengers delivering invitations—announcing that Young Master Ling Shaofeng and Mo Yanyu are marrying tonight, inviting… inviting the Patriarch to attend as a guest.”
“Invitations?” Shi Jian was so enraged he nearly spat blood, bellowing, “I’ll fight them to the death!”
“Uncle Xiao, I will make those two families run rivers of blood; I will turn their joyous occasion into a funeral!” Shi Yan turned back, his expression menacing, licking his lips with chilling cruelty.
“A small matter,” Xiao Hanyi smiled faintly. “Tonight, let Skyfall City become an Asura slaughterhouse. We’ll eradicate the Ling and Mo Families first, then deal with the Northern Nether Family—settle everything in one go, saving future trouble.”
Zuo Xu stared at Xiao Hanyi, utterly stunned.
“Grandfather, let’s take the Azure Blood Demon Bats; we ride to the Ling Family immediately. Tonight, all the masters of the Ling and Mo Families should be gathered at the Ling Estate—a perfect opportunity to net them all!” Shi Yan stated coldly.
“Them?” Shi Jian looked blankly at Xiao Hanyi, unsure of what to say for a moment.
“Our allies,” Shi Yan explained casually, taking the lead and boarding the sixth-tier Azure Blood Demon Bat carrying Xiao Hanyi, urging, “All Shi Family members at the Human Rank realm or above, find your own Demon Bats and mount up. Tonight, we bathe the three great families in blood!”
The Shi contingent first reacted with shock, then a surge of righteous fury, and began moving toward the Azure Blood Demon Bats.
“Asura Blood Guards, control your Demon Bats; keep them disciplined,” Xiao Hanyi commanded softly. He smiled toward the bewildered Shi Jian, “Patriarch Shi, Young Master Hai must have told you about my background. Since you raised Young Master Hai and adopted him as your sworn son, he is one of the Yang Family, and we will support you fully in this matter.”
Shi Jian trembled, then shouted, “My gratitude!”
“Mount the spirit beasts and ride toward the Ling Family!” Shi Yan roared, “Blood for blood! Tonight, we send everyone from those three houses to accompany Second Grandfather to the grave!”
One by one, the Shi Family experts mounted their spirit beasts under Shi Jian’s nod of assent.
Zuo Xu hesitated for a moment, then led the Zuo Family experts onto the broad back of an Azure Blood Demon Bat.
“Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—”
The Azure Blood Demon Bats soared into the sky, a group bristling with killing intent, heading directly for the Ling Family.
…
The Ling Residence.
Ling Jue’s face was graced with a warm smile as he engaged in pleasant conversation with Mo Tuo and Bu Bo in the vast living room, clearly in high spirits.
Below, Ling Shaofeng was smugly satisfied, continually toasting the Mo Family members, punctuated by loud, hearty laughter.
Tonight was his great wedding day. He had coveted Mo Yanyu’s beauty for years and was finally achieving his desire, so he was naturally exhilarated and couldn't help drinking a few extra cups.
“Brother Mo, guess what fascinating expression Shi Jian will have when he receives our invitation?” Ling Jue chuckled after clinking cups with Mo Tuo.
“I truly wish I could see it,” Mo Tuo replied grimly, snorting, “This isn't the end. After tonight, I will continue targeting the Shi Family. I want to cripple them piece by piece, make Shi Jian slowly taste the agony of losing sons and grandsons, and finally, I will kill him with my own hands.”
“Patriarch Mo, remember your promise,” Bu Bo, a slender man clad in a dark crimson robe with an aquiline nose, his eyes glinting with faint green light and radiating an eerie, cold aura, stated.
“Sect Master, rest assured. Once the Shi Family is annihilated, I will absolutely fulfill what I promised you,” Mo Tuo quickly affirmed.
Bu Bo nodded without saying more.
“Shaofeng, that’s enough; don’t drink too much. You still need to attend to the bride tonight. Ha! Your grandfather is counting on you to give me a great-grandchild soon,” Ling Jue said, noticing Ling Shaofeng’s flushed face as he downed cup after cup.
“Haha, esteemed uncles and elders, Shaofeng must excuse himself now. Hehe, Yanyu is waiting for me in the bridal chamber. I beg your indulgence for leaving this celebratory banquet first,” Ling Shaofeng bowed in apology, his face flushed, leaving with a cheerful gait toward the bridal room.
A short while later, Ling Shaofeng entered the bridal chamber and immediately saw Mo Yanyu, her head completely covered by the red veil.
“Yanyu, tonight you are mine. Do you realize how long I’ve waited for this day?” Ling Shaofeng stepped forward and lifted Mo Yanyu’s veil, gazing at the charmingly alluring woman with eyes full of excited infatuation.
Today, Mo Yanyu lacked some of her usual aloofness, showing more seductive allure. Her face was rouged, her cheeks flushed, and her beautiful eyes held faint traces of deep emotion.
“Shaofeng, you must promise me you will utterly exterminate the Shi Family. My father died at the hands of the Shi Family; now that you marry me, you must achieve this for me,” Mo Yanyu said softly.
“Rest easy; the Shi Family won’t trouble us much longer. After tonight, our two families combined will launch a massive campaign,” Ling Shaofeng nodded with a smile, his tone deeply affectionate, “Yanyu, your concerns are mine. For you, I would do anything. Look, I even dared to touch Yang Hai; my loyalty is as clear as the sun and moon.”
“Mm, I know you are good to me,” Mo Yanyu nodded gently.
“Ling Jue, Mo Tuo, give up your lives!”
Just then, a wild roar erupted from above the Ling Residence—it was Shi Jian.
“Hee, hee, hee, hee, what a lively gathering. But it will soon turn into a place of death,” Xiao Hanyi’s spine-chilling laughter suddenly rang out, echoing above the Ling Family, causing every member of the Ling and Mo Families to feel their scalps tingle and their hearts seize with dread.
“I hadn’t come looking for you, and you sent yourselves to my door, Shi Jian! Tonight, I will see you dead!” Mo Tuo yelled toward the sky, his expression frenzied.
Swarms of Azure Blood Demon Bats suddenly materialized from the clouds.
The Asura Blood Guards riding the bats looked down at the crowds below with ferocious cruelty, instinctively licking their lips, seemingly relishing the impending massacre.
“Leave no soul alive!”
Xiao Hanyi commanded mildly. He descended from the sky like a demon, and three rivers of blood materialized out of thin air, plunging like blood dragons toward the crowd of Ling Family members.
“Boom! Boom! Boom!”
The stone buildings of the Ling Residence began to collapse and shatter, one after another, sending rock debris flying everywhere.
The three rivers of blood poured down from the sky, making the stench of gore rise powerfully from the Ling compound. Martial artists from both the Ling and Mo Families were submerged in the blood rivers, bobbing up and down, emitting piercing, ghost-like screams, and a large section of them perished in an instant.
Rows of Asura Blood Guards flew above the rivers of blood on their Azure Blood Demon Bats. If they spotted any escaping Ling or Mo Family martial artists, they immediately pounced. The sharp weapons on their bodies erupted with dazzling light; with a flash of radiance, a martial artist’s head flew high into the air.
One second it was a joyous wedding feast; the next, it had become an Asura slaughter field, heads flying and limbs scattering.
Shi Jian hadn't even made a move, yet he saw Ling and Mo Family martial artists dying off in swathes. The Asura Blood Guards, riding the Demon Bats, roared with savage, crazed laughter, slicing off heads as their mounts circled, displaying a chilling excitement.
They seemed accustomed to this practice of wiping out entire families; there was no mercy, only the enjoyment of slaughter.
Zuo Xu’s expression changed, a look of utter horror flashing in his eyes. Watching the Ling and Mo Family martial artists, who usually walked around like respectable figures, being butchered rapidly like lambs to the slaughter, Zuo Xu felt a chilling dread creep into his heart, and he glanced fearfully at Xiao Hanyi, who was leading the rampage.
—Zuo Xu finally grasped the terrifying madness of the warriors from the Endless Sea.
Shi Yan stood on Xiao Hanyi’s Demon Bat, his expression cold, a cruel smile playing on his lips. Watching the slaughter below, inhaling the sharp scent of blood, he felt a dark excitement bubbling up, wishing he could join the fray.
“Young Master Yan, don’t move. We are more than enough,” Xiao Hanyi said while fiercely slaughtering those below, sparing a smile for Shi Yan, “Wiping out entire families is something we do frequently. Every Asura Blood Guard must have slain at least a hundred martial artists before joining us. Only brutal butchers are qualified to become Asura Blood Guards.”
“Mm,” Shi Yan nodded.
Piercing screams continued to echo from every corner of the Ling Residence. Not a single person dismounted the Azure Blood Demon Bats; they all soared atop them.
Fleeing martial artists from the Ling and Mo Families were snatched up into the air by the bats, their bodies ripped apart, their flesh and bone being chewed in great gulps by the beasts.
The Azure Blood Demon Bats were not only mounts for the Asura Blood Guards but were also inherently cruel spirit beasts that delighted in eating humans. This moment was a prime opportunity for the bats to gorge themselves, and they certainly would not miss it.
As Shi Yan sat on Xiao Hanyi’s Azure Blood Demon Bat, he felt wisps of negative energy surging toward him furiously from all directions.
Below, the ground was carpeted with corpses. The countless Ling and Mo Family martial artists slaughtered instantly generated negative energy like an unending, surging river. Shi Yan, suspended high above, absorbed an unimaginably massive amount of this dark force.
“Not good!”
Shi Yan’s heart clenched, and his face instantly changed drastically.
There was too much negative energy, far exceeding his imagination. The current Shi Yan felt as if he could not assimilate it; the acupoints within his body were constantly swelling, giving him the distinct sensation that he was about to explode and die.
“Uncle Xiao, let me go to the bridal chamber! I’ll crash the wedding party!” Shi Yan roared.
…V