Submission or Death

"So many people are watching. Aren't you embarrassed?"

Tang Yuehua chided coquettishly.

But from the moment Bai Ying wrapped his arms around her, everyone nearby had already been dismissed by him. There was no one on the entire street at all.

Tang Yuehua could only let him have his way.

Bai Ying suddenly said, "After some time, I'll come find you. I'd like to see the sect that was once the number one sect in the world."

Bai Ying's frivolous words made Tang Yuehua's cheeks flush. She softly retorted, "What do you mean, you want to visit the Clear Sky Sect? It's our Clear Sky Sect, not your home."

Bai Ying smiled faintly, a trace of mischief flashing through his eyes. He leaned close to Tang Yuehua's ear, his voice low and magnetic. "Why not? You're my future wife. Naturally, I have the right to meet my brother-in-law."

After saying that, he lowered his head and gently kissed Tang Yuehua's forehead before turning away, leaving her standing there. The blush had yet to fade from her face, but an inexplicable light shimmered in her eyes. The wind at the street corner drifted past, carrying away her shyness and his promise.

Night had fallen, and the streetlamps gradually lit up. Tang Yuehua's figure had already vanished into the darkness. Bai Ying stood alone in the street, his gaze profound, as though it could pierce the pitch-black night.

He slowly turned around, his voice low and resolute. "Summon the heads of the Four Element Academies, the Speed Clan, the Strength Clan, the Defense Clan, and the Breaking Clan. Have them come see me immediately."

The moment his words fell, the air around them seemed to freeze. Then figures surged in from every direction like ghosts, gathering before Bai Ying. Some were old, some young, but every one of them looked at Bai Ying with awe and loyalty in their eyes.

Bai Ying stood with his hands behind his back, sweeping his gaze across the crowd. "What happens today is of great importance. I intend to rebuild our strength and restore our former glory. You must work together with me to accomplish this great undertaking."

Tai Tan stood among the crowd, broad and powerfully built, his muscles like iron. He was like an immovable mountain. His bell-like eyes widened as he glared furiously at Bai Ying, his voice rumbling like thunder. "A great undertaking? I think it's just your ambition, Bai Ying! You want the Strength Clan to submit to you? Hah, what a joke! The Strength Clan is loyal only to the Clear Sky Sect and Lord Tang Hao. What makes you think we'll listen to you?"

As he spoke, Tai Tan clenched both fists, veins bulging as though terrifying strength might erupt from him at any moment.

The patriarchs of the other three clans were the same.

The Four Element Academies remained silent for the moment.

Bai Ying's gaze was as sharp as icy blades. A cold smile tugged at his lips, and his voice was frosty. "Tai Tan, since you refuse to appreciate my kindness, don't blame me for being merciless."

Before his words had faded, three Titled Douluo appeared beside Tai Tan in an instant. The terrifying aura radiating from them was like a mountain collapse and a tsunami, compressing the surrounding air until it twisted out of shape. Tai Tan's face instantly turned pale. His eyes widened as he tried to resist, but the helplessness rising from the depths of his heart left him unable to move.

One of the Titled Douluo reached out with a large hand and clamped down on Tai Tan's right arm like iron pincers. Tai Tan felt an immense force strike him, as though it would tear his arm off alive. Pain twisted his face, yet he could not make a sound. With a crisp crack, his right arm was forcibly ripped off. Blood sprayed out like a fountain, dyeing the ground red.

Yang Wudi's fury surged. With a flash, he appeared in the center of the scene. He gripped the Soul Breaking Spear, its tip pointed directly at Bai Ying, determination blazing in his eyes. The spear glimmered coldly in the night, as though it could pierce through all darkness.

"Kid, don't go too far!" Yang Wudi's voice exploded like thunder, making the streetlamps around them tremble slightly. He stood ramrod straight, like a spear shaft, filled with unyielding resolve.

Seeing this, Niu Gao also rose to his feet. Though his body was fat, he did not seem clumsy in the slightest. He said in a deep voice, "Old Yang, are you alright? We will never submit to this man of unknown origins."

The two stood shoulder to shoulder, confronting Bai Ying. The air was thick with tension and the smell of gunpowder, as though a battle could erupt at any moment. Everyone around them held their breath, waiting for the fierce battle that might follow.

A cold gleam flashed through Bai Ying's eyes. His voice echoed through the night like an icy blade cutting across every heart. He raised a hand and lightly flicked his fingers, and an invisible force instantly gathered in the air.

"Then if you refuse to submit to me, die."

Before the words had faded, that force swept out like a storm, instantly enveloping Yang Wudi and Niu Gao. Their expressions changed drastically. They felt an unprecedented pressure, as though a massive mountain had descended upon them. They used all their strength to resist, but the force came crashing down like surging tides, leaving them unable to withstand it.

The people around them stared in horror. They watched Yang Wudi and Niu Gao's bodies gradually twist beneath that force, as though they were about to be torn apart alive. Terror and despair filled their faces, but they could not make a sound. They could only watch helplessly as it happened.

Bai He, the patriarch of the Speed Clan, watched Yang Wudi and Niu Gao struggle beneath that terrifying power, and his face instantly turned pale. He abruptly rose, shooting through the crowd like an arrow before kneeling directly before Bai Ying. His fists were clenched tightly, his forehead pressed against the ground, and his voice trembled with determination. "Please stop. We are willing to submit!"

His voice echoed through the night sky, carrying a trace of despair and helplessness. The air seemed to freeze, leaving only Bai He's trembling breaths and the frightened pounding of everyone's hearts.

Bai Ying withdrew his gaze from Yang Wudi and Niu Gao and coldly looked at Bai He. He narrowed his eyes slightly, as though assessing Bai He's sincerity. After a moment, he nodded lightly and waved his hand. The force instantly vanished without a trace.

Under the night sky, the Soul Breaking Spear still glimmered with a sharp, cold light, but it had lost its former dominance. It seemed lonely, just like Yang Wudi's mood at that moment. He glared furiously at Bai Ying, his eyes seeming capable of spewing flames and burning all falsehood to ashes.

Yet Bai Ying seemed not to feel that anger at all. He smiled lightly, the smile holding both smugness and disdain. He slowly turned and walked toward a tea table that had long been prepared nearby. His movements were elegant and composed, as though everything that had just happened had been nothing more than an insignificant farce.

"Everyone, please sit." Bai Ying's voice echoed through the night, carrying unquestionable authority. He gestured with one hand, and four maidservants immediately stepped forward, placing steaming cups of tea before everyone. The fragrance of the tea filled the air, soothing the mind as though it could wash away all worries and exhaustion.

Bai Ying picked up a teacup and gently blew away the foam floating on top. A teasing smile played on his lips as he turned his gaze toward Yang Wudi. "Patriarch Yang, I recall that you have a younger brother named Yang Wuju, correct?"

Yang Wudi's expression changed sharply, and surprise flashed through his eyes. He gripped the Soul Breaking Spear in his hand as though he wanted to pour all his sudden rage and confusion into the cold weapon. He said in a deep voice, "Bai Ying, why bring up my brother? He betrayed the clan long ago. He has nothing to do with me!"

Bai Ying took a small sip of tea. His gaze appeared somewhat hazy through the steam rising from the cup, but his voice was exceptionally clear. "What a pity. Your younger brother refused to betray the Breaking Clan even until his death. Who would have thought that he would still have to bear such a false accusation after dying?"

"What did you say? Impossible! How could that be possible?"

"Don't get worked up. Oh, and there's one more thing. I believe Patriarch Yang may not remember Myriad Purple Thousand Reds either."

Yang Wudi's face instantly turned livid upon hearing Bai Ying's words. He abruptly stood up, nearly unable to hold onto the Soul Breaking Spear in his hand. His eyes widened as he glared at Bai Ying, his voice trembling. "You... what did you say? Myriad Purple Thousand Reds? How do you know about that?"

Bai Ying smiled faintly, a hint of slyness in his expression. He gently set down his teacup and looked directly at Yang Wudi. "Naturally, I have my own sources. I heard that you personally developed this poison. Seven mixed poisons, each harmless on its own, but once perfectly fused together, they erupt with world-destroying power. I imagine that was one of your proudest creations, wasn't it?"

As Bai Ying's words fell, the entire atmosphere seemed to freeze. He slowly rose to his feet, his gaze passing over each face before finally settling on Yang Wudi and Bai He. A teasing smile curved his lips, as though everything was under his control.

"Now, four of the cups of tea you drank contain the legendary 'Myriad Purple Thousand Reds.'" Bai Ying's voice was low and mysterious, carrying an indescribable magic.

The moment he finished speaking, the people who had been mired in terror and despair suddenly seemed to have been struck by lightning. They threw the teacups in their hands to the ground one after another. Tea splashed everywhere, leaving a complete mess. Their faces turned pale as they clutched their throats and vomited frantically, as though they wanted to empty out their very organs.

The night was as black as ink, and the atmosphere instantly tightened to the extreme. Yang Wudi, Tai Tan, and Niu Gao had only just struggled to their feet when their bodies seemed to be struck by invisible force. They shuddered violently, and then black blood erupted wildly from their mouths like floodwaters bursting through a broken dam.

Yang Wudi's face was as pale as paper, despair flickering in his eyes. As the creator of this poison, he naturally knew just how potent it was. Yet his hands were empty now, and he did not even have the most basic medicinal ingredients for an antidote. He gritted his teeth, trying to use Soul Power to suppress the poison in his body, but the force mercilessly destroyed his body's defenses like a raging storm.

In the darkness, Yang Wudi looked like a furious lion. Determination blazed in his eyes, and the Soul Breaking Spear in his hand glinted coldly beneath the moonlight. His body moved, shooting toward Bai Ying like lightning, his momentum seeming capable of tearing apart the entire night sky.

Bai Ying stood where he was, a teasing smile on his face as though everything remained under his control. Just as Yang Wudi's Soul Breaking Spear was about to pierce his body, Bai Ying moved. He was so fast that no one could clearly see him. With one hand extended, he firmly caught the unstoppable Soul Breaking Spear.

A crisp crack echoed through the night, as though even time had frozen. The Soul Breaking Spear in Yang Wudi's hand instantly shattered in Bai Ying's grip. Fragments flew everywhere, brilliant as fireworks. Yang Wudi's face turned pale in an instant as he stared in disbelief at the broken spear in his hand, as though he had seen his own defeat and despair.

Beneath the moonlight, Bai Ying's figure became even more mysterious and unfathomable. He casually crushed Yang Wudi's Soul Breaking Spear, and then a terrifying aura erupted from his body. Nine Spirit Rings slowly revolved around him like nine dazzling halos, radiating astonishing pressure. Most of them gave off a deep purple glow, the mark of Ten-thousand-year Spirit Rings. More eye-catching still were several brilliant red Spirit Rings, their auras powerful and violent, clearly at the hundred-thousand-year level.

As the Spirit Rings appeared, Bai Ying's eyes gradually deepened, as though they contained endless darkness and power. He slowly raised his head to look at Yang Wudi, a cold smile forming at the corner of his mouth.

The terrifying aura tore through the night. Yang Wudi's body trembled slightly in the air, as though bearing irresistible pressure. Beneath the moonlight, Bai Ying resembled a demon god from hell, every movement filled with destructive power.

Suddenly, Bai Ying moved. His figure vanished from where he stood, leaving only an afterimage swaying in the air. Immediately afterward, a massive black Dragon Claw tore through the air with a piercing whistle and slammed brutally toward Yang Wudi.

Fear flashed through Yang Wudi's eyes. He desperately tried to dodge, but the force bore down on him like a mountain, leaving him unable to move. He could only watch as the Dragon Claw drew closer and closer, growing larger and larger, until it finally struck him viciously.

Under the moonlight, Yang Wudi's body shattered in midair like dust scattered by a violent wind. His eyes were filled with unwillingness and despair, but nothing could be changed. His life came to an end.

Immediately after, Tai Tan's massive body also began to tremble beneath that destructive power. He tried to resist with muscles as hard as steel, but the Dragon Claw passed through his defense as though it were nothing and sent his entire body flying. He traced a long arc through the air before crashing heavily into a distant mountainside with a dull boom.

Niu Gao and Bai He's faces also turned pale at that moment. Watching the scene before them, their hearts were filled with terror and despair. They knew they would soon follow Yang Wudi and Tai Tan. Sure enough, the terrifying Dragon Claw swung again, sweeping toward them with world-destroying power. Before that force, their bodies seemed so small and helpless, as though they would be swallowed whole at any moment.

Niu Gao no longer had time to care about anything else and charged forward, but it was no different from a mantis trying to stop a chariot. He was reduced to dust.