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"Elder Ling, can you tell what level that young man is?"
On the rooftop of a tall building in Wutan City, Xiao Xun'er gazed into the distance at the back courtyard of the Jia Lie family, where Ye Fan was unleashing his terrifying power. She softly asked the shadowy figure beside her, who was cloaked in black and shrouded in darkness.
"Miss, this old servant cannot discern his cultivation level. There is no battle energy fluctuation on his body, yet his physique is as fearsome as a magical beast—immensely strong, with overflowing vitality. Ordinary weapons cannot harm him; he twists them into scrap metal with ease. It's truly bizarre. It's almost as if... he is not cultivating battle energy but rather a body-refining technique based on blood and flesh. But this is merely my speculation—I dare not be certain."
Ling Ying, the weakest Dou Huang of the Ancient Clan, replied respectfully.
Xiao Xun'er nodded slightly. "And their identities? Have you made any progress investigating them?"
"This old servant is incompetent. Those two seem to have appeared out of thin air—there are no leads at all. The only thing we know is that they walked out of the Xiao family's back mountain with Young Master Xiao Yan."
"…"
Standing at a high vantage point, Xiao Xun'er could see far. The streets of Wutan City were a chaotic web of activity. Two separate forces were advancing towards the Jia Lie family's residence, their torches illuminating the night like twin fiery dragons closing in from different directions.
One group was from the Ao Ba family. The other was from the Xiao family, hoping to scavenge some benefits from the chaos.
A faint smile played at the corners of Xiao Xun'er's lips. "Uncle Xiao probably never imagined that this situation is far more than just picking up some small gains."
Ling Ying's expression turned strange as he nodded. "And where did Young Master Xiao Yan even find these two freaks? Their techniques are bizarre beyond belief—I've never heard of anything like them..."
The Ao Ba family's reinforcements finally arrived after half a day, rushing in while shouting, "Brother Jia Lie, we're here to help you!" They stormed through the gates, past the front yard, through the middle courtyard, and finally into the back hall's main courtyard.
But the moment the leading figures stepped over the threshold, they nearly pissed themselves on the spot.
Corpses.
Corpses everywhere.
Severed heads littered the ground, rivers of blood flowed, and some bodies had even been cleaved clean in half. The stench of death and filth filled the air, creating a scene straight out of hell.
Crack!
At the center of the courtyard, a lone figure coldly twisted the last survivor's neck with a sharp snap. His icy gaze, devoid of emotion, suddenly locked onto the newcomers.
That piercing, merciless stare—combined with the still-warm pile of corpses beneath his feet—created an oppressive, suffocating atmosphere. It was as if the very air had been sucked dry, making it hard to breathe.
The Ao Ba family's warriors, who had just forced their way into the courtyard, instinctively took several steps back. Their Adam's apples bobbed as they swallowed hard, cold sweat dripping down their faces.
Holy shit!
Did this guy really just wipe out the entire Jia Lie family by himself in such a short amount of time?!
What kind of bloodthirsty monster is this?!
Ao Ba Pa's eyelid twitched violently. He had no idea that the Jia Lie family had provoked a demon like this. Bringing people here was the worst decision of his life—he had just walked his men straight into death's embrace.
His lips trembled as he stuttered, "Re... Retreat..."
"Did I say you could leave?"
Ye Fan's expression remained indifferent as a golden book hovered in his palm, spinning rapidly. His voice alone was enough to make the nearly hundred Ao Ba warriors freeze mid-step, their rising momentum instantly extinguished.
"Which family are you from?" Ye Fan asked in a low voice. Wutan City had three major families, and he wanted to make sure he wasn't killing the wrong people—he had to answer to Brother Ka Dian later.
"We're from the Ao Ba family! We've always been at odds with the Jia Lie family, sworn enemies!"
Ao Ba Pa forced a flattering smile. "We saw the battle happening and rushed over to assist you, but... we were a step too late..."
Nice words, but unfortunately, Ye Fan wasn't an idiot.
"Oh? The Ao Ba family, huh..."
Correct answer!
The moment the words left his lips, Ye Fan's face twisted into a grin. His fingers twitched, and the spinning golden book transformed into a thin golden thread, shooting forward like lightning.
Ao Ba Pa had been on high alert. His pupils shrank as he barely dodged the attack, the golden book grazing past him. But his men weren't so lucky. Seven or eight were instantly sliced in half, collapsing like wheat under a sickle—including an elder who was a Da Dou Shi!
Even a Da Dou Shi was killed in an instant?!
"RUN! Get back and evacuate the family!" Ao Ba Pa roared, his eyes bloodshot. He condensed his battle energy into armor and... vaulted over the wall to escape!
The remaining Ao Ba elites snapped out of their daze and scrambled in different directions, running for their lives without the slightest hesitation. Nearly a hundred men split into three groups, fleeing as fast as they could. At that moment, they wished they had been born with extra legs.
Ye Fan frowned. He was only one person—he couldn't chase them all. After a moment's thought, he decided to pursue Ao Ba Pa. Taking down the leader first was always the best strategy. The others? He could settle scores with them later.
Meanwhile, one of the fleeing Ao Ba groups ran headfirst into a contingent of Xiao family warriors. After a brief moment of stunned silence, both sides immediately clashed. Old grudges flared up, and the Xiao family eagerly seized the opportunity to strike down their long-time enemies while they were vulnerable.
At the same time, another group of escaping Ao Ba warriors found their path blocked by a tall, lean young man dressed in black combat gear.
Lu Xian stood firmly in the center of the street, resting a massive black ruler on one shoulder. As he watched the approaching mob, his brow arched slightly.
"Get the hell out of the way!" an Ao Ba Dou Shi bellowed from afar.
"Tch! You fear Ye Hei, but do you think you can just ignore me?"
Lu Xian smirked as he raised his black ruler, his left hand brushing across its surface. Dazzling, milky-white runes lit up along the blade, as soul power surged into it like a raging river.
"Flame-Splitting Wave Ruler!"
He swung the ruler horizontally. A ten-meter-long crescent-shaped energy wave erupted from the blade, sweeping forward like an unstoppable guillotine.
BOOM!
The explosion echoed through half of Wutan City. Bodies were sent flying like ragdolls, slamming into the pavement with bone-crushing force.
Xiao Yan, standing on a nearby rooftop, gave a thumbs-up. "Lu Bro, you're insane!"
"Pfft, that was nothing." Lu Xian waved dismissively as he casually popped three recovery pills into his mouth. "Now stop slacking—get down here and help me clean up the leftovers!"
"On it!"
Maybe he wasn't the best fighter, but when it came to finishing off the wounded, Xiao Yan had no problem!
The two of them swiftly moved in to deal with the survivors.
"Die already, damn it!"
"....."