On the banks of the Qingyuan River, blood rained down and the wind reeked of death. All of Cangyun City was utterly shaken as a wave of heated discussions stirred into an uproar.
Among them, the powerful elite families were the most active. By now, who didn't know? There was a list in the hands of the Former Chief Military Commander, and a spot on it was a death sentence. Many noble clans had already fallen to him; there was no longer any need to question the list's authenticity. Everyone worried that they might find their name on it.
But now, if Chen Yang were to die, all their worries would die with him.
「」
In the sky, the snowstorm grew heavier, turning the heavens increasingly somber and the cold more piercing.
In a teahouse not far from the Chen Family estate, a young man in white stood on the balcony, his hands resting on the railing. His eyes, holding the faintest hint of a smile, gazed through the snowstorm toward the distant, blood-soaked square below.
"Do you really think Chen Yang survived that old bastard Tang Likun and is coming to reinforce them?" the young man, Tu Su, asked casually.
"Not necessarily." A middle-aged man stood half a step behind him, holding a black umbrella over Tu Su's head to shield him from the wind and snow. The man himself was steadily being covered in a layer of white. "After all," the middle-aged man added, "the gap between a Heaven Saint and an Earth Saint isn't so easily bridged."
"Indeed." Tu Su nodded, then shook his head. "If he can't even overcome a hurdle like Tang Likun, then he's not qualified to be my opponent. It would mean this trip was a waste, and I must return disappointed."
"Young Master, your talent is exceptional. Besides our own clan and those cultivation sects on Yuning Mountain, how could anyone in this mundane world possibly be qualified to be your opponent?" the middle-aged man chuckled. "This Chen Yang is nothing more than a fame-seeker. Besides, what do his achievements in this mortal realm matter to you, Young Master?"
"Haha, you do speak the truth." After laughing, Tu Su abruptly changed the subject. "I hear there's a woman in the Red Lotus Valley named Liu Qingmei, whose beauty can topple nations. I'd like to go see for myself."
"The Red Lotus Valley and the Biluo Sword Valley are currently at each other's throats. If you are interested, Young Master, this could be a rare opportunity," the middle-aged man advised.
"After this show is over, we'll make a trip to Red Lotus Valley," Tu Su decided.
His gaze fell upon the square in front of the Chen Family home. Two Great Elders had Chen Shangwu's war blade locked down. Seizing the opening, Li Jiangong swung his own blade in a sweeping side cut.
Caught off guard, Chen Shangwu suffered a gash on his chest so deep that bone was visible. He stumbled back several steps, completely spent. His body was soaked in blood, his clothes in tatters.
"Chen Shangwu, you brought this on yourself!" Li Jiangong snarled. "Today, not only will you die, but your entire Chen Family will be reduced to ashes."
THUMP.
Chen Shangwu collapsed, barely managing to keep himself on one knee by using his broken blade for support. Beside him, the other Great Elder had already breathed his last. The Chen Family's elites were all but annihilated. Though the Chen estate was right behind him, at this moment, he was utterly alone.
Desolate. Solitary. His sun was setting.
COUGH. COUGH.
Chen Shangwu tried to stand, but only coughed up a mouthful of blood. He lifted his gaze, the elderly man's expression resolute. "As long as Chen Yang lives, the Chen Family is not extinct. And I, Chen Shangwu, will be waiting for you on the Road to Hell."
But in the next instant, a figure holding a longsword rushed to his side, supporting him. "How are you?"
Chen Shangwu was speechless. "You… how did you end up here?"
His face instantly darkened. He had been willing to sacrifice the entire Chen Family just to trap the forces of the two great imperial families here. In the end, the Chen Family's elites were dead, and he himself was gravely wounded.
Why had he done it?
His sole purpose had been to relieve the immense pressure on Chen Yang. With Chen Hua's help, Chen Yang might have had a chance to escape. As for himself, what did death matter? As long as Chen Yang survived, the annihilation of these imperial families was only a matter of time.
But who could have expected this? Chen Yang had indeed broken free, but instead of fleeing, he'd run straight here? Wasn't this just escaping the tiger's den only to enter the wolf's lair?
"You… you…" Chen Shangwu nearly choked, his voice turning sharp. "Why did you come?!"
The once-majestic Sovereign was now a pitiful, miserable wreck. His blood-streaked, aged face suddenly dimmed, and his eyes, now devoid of all vitality, filled with indescribable dejection and despair. A single moment had undone everything. All their sacrifices had been in vain.
Chen Yang didn't explain, simply helping Chen Shangwu up. "Seeing as you can still lecture me, you're probably not dying yet."
He was fully aware of Chen Shangwu's intentions, but if he had simply turned and fled, he wouldn't be Chen Yang. Besides, even if he did manage to break the shackles of the Saint realm and enter the Divine Conquest, what would be the point? What good was achieving Divine Conquest if it was built on the sacrifice of his own family, when he couldn't even protect them?
Chen Shangwu was silent.
"Are you really that stupid, kid?" Chen Shangwu wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, seething with frustration.
"None of your business."
Seeing that Chen Shangwu's spirit was still strong, Chen Yang let him go. He turned his gaze toward Li Jiangong, a hundred meters away. "Old fool, I'm the one you want to kill. Come for me."
Li Jiangong was astonished. For this man to be here alive could only mean one thing: Tang Likun had been killed. It was very unexpected. But soon, a smile spread across his face.
He had a clear path to heaven but chose to charge into hell instead?
Li Jiangong sized up Chen Yang with a smirk. The last time, Liu Qingmei's intervention had prevented him from even seeing the Former Chief Military Commander's face before he was forced to turn back. It had been a great embarrassment.
But today…
"Boy, I'd like to see who can possibly save you now," Li Jiangong said with a faint, dismissive smile, his right hand stroking his war blade.
CLANG!
Chen Yang had never been one for wasting words. His right hand blurred as his longsword left its sheath. In that instant, the wind and snow swirled violently, rising ten meters high like a bolt of shattered white silk shuddering in the air.
"Hmph!" Li Jiangong sneered. "You little bastard, you dare draw your sword before me?"
Chen Shangwu, holding his broken blade, stood shoulder to shoulder with Chen Yang. Chen Hua also walked over to join them. No words were spoken, but their resolute eyes said everything.
"A bunch of cripples!" Li Jiangong roared, slashing out with his blade. The attack tore through the curtain of swirling snow, the icy glint of its edge shooting straight for Chen Yang.
CLANG!
Chen Yang first held back Chen Hua and Chen Shangwu, who were about to charge forward. He met the attack head-on with his Traveling Dragon Sword. The clash of metal sent a shower of sparks flying, mingled with a spray of fresh blood.
How could the already heavily-injured Chen Yang possibly withstand such a blow?
He was sent flying backward like a kite with a snapped string, landing hard on the ground seven or eight meters away.
COUGH! COUGH!
Great mouthfuls of blood spurted from his lips.
But he stood up. Blood streamed from his mouth as he dragged his longsword, staggering forward.
"Again!"