Bloodbath, Sword Intent Initial Formation (Two Chapters Combined)

A day later, late at night.

Luo Heng sat cross-legged in his room, his eyes closed as he regulated his breathing for an entire day.

With pills, Yang Yuan Stones, and the Great Devouring Art operating at full force, his Primal Energy had recovered to ninety percent, while more than half of his Spiritual Power had returned as well.

Thanks to the body tempered by both Mysterious Nether Water and Jie Kong Yan, the injuries on his body were no longer a concern.

Yet the shock to his mind was not so easily calmed.

Yesterday's battle against Liu Chong had been his first true fight to the death.

The pressure of a Small Perfection of the Core Formation Realm expert, the overwhelming oppression of the Blood-Colored Chain, the suffocating sensation of death brushing past him... all of it had been deeply etched into his heart.

"So this was the cruelty of the cultivation world..." Luo Heng opened his eyes, a trace of complicated emotion flashing through them.

In his previous life, he had lived in a peaceful era. At most, he had killed a chicken during the holidays, much less a person.

After coming to this world for sixteen years, he had gradually adapted to the law of the strong devouring the weak. He had personally killed Demon Beasts and bandits, but a life-or-death battle like yesterday's, one that had nearly drained him dry, was his first.

And tonight... he was going to do something even bloodier and colder.

Exterminate entire clans!

The Lei Clan and the Xie Family had occupied Qingyang Town for decades. Counting their clansmen, guards, and dependents, they numbered at least several hundred.

The people he intended to kill were not merely Lei Bao and Xie Qian, the two masterminds. He also intended to kill every core member closely related by blood to the Lei and Xie Clans, as well as their utterly loyal guards and retainers.

When cutting weeds, one had to pull out the roots!

Luo Heng understood that principle well.

From the moment Lei Bao and Xie Qian had plotted to kill with a borrowed blade and spread the news, there could be no peace between them.

If he did not strike first, then once the Lei and Xie Clans colluded with the Blood Wolf Gang or secretly sabotaged them, the Luo Family, Lin Family, and Raging Blade Martial Hall might all suffer utter destruction.

"If I don't kill them, they'll kill me and my family." Luo Heng muttered, and the final trace of hesitation in his eyes completely vanished.

He took a deep breath, changed into black night clothes, covered his face, wrapped the Silver Feather Sword in black cloth, and strapped it to his back.

He pushed open the window. The night was as black as ink.

The winter wind howled past, carrying a bone-piercing chill.

Luo Heng's figure flickered, and he melted into the darkness like a ghost.

His first target was the Lei Clan.

The Lei Clan residence was located in Qingyang Town's East District. It covered dozens of acres, with high walls, deep courtyards, and brightly lit halls.

Tonight was Lei Bao's fifty-seventh birthday. Though he had not held a grand celebration, several banquet tables had still been set up in the residence. The Lei Clan's core members, several retainers, and representatives from a few close affiliated families had gathered to drink and feast amid great merriment.

Inside the main hall, Lei Bao sat in the seat of honor. His face bore a faint flush from drink, but his eyes gleamed sharply.

"Father, on your birthday, your son offers you a toast!" Lei Li raised his cup and said respectfully.

The injury to his arm had already improved, and his cultivation had reached the Peak Middle Body Tempering Ninth Level. Yet a hint of gloom remained buried in his eyes.

Luo Heng's appearance was like a mountain pressing on his heart, leaving him unable to breathe.

"Good!" Lei Bao laughed heartily and drained his cup in one gulp. He then swept his gaze across the crowd and said loudly, "Everyone, today is my birthday. I am deeply grateful that you have honored me with your presence! Come, let us drink this cup together!"

"May Patriarch Lei enjoy blessings as vast as the Eastern Sea and longevity as enduring as the Southern Mountains!"

"The Lei Clan will surely create even greater glory!"

Everyone raised their cups in succession, and flattery filled the hall without end.

Lei Bao was brimming with satisfaction. In his eyes, Luo Heng might be strong, but he was still only a youth. Though he had the Symbol Master Association behind him, distant water could not put out a nearby fire.

As long as the plan proceeded smoothly, they could use the Blood Wolf Gang to eliminate Luo Heng, then slowly devour the Lin Family and Luo Family. Sooner or later, Qingyang Town would fall into the Lei Clan's hands.

"Report!"

Just then, a guard rushed into the hall, his face pale with panic.

"Why are you panicking?" Lei Bao frowned, displeasure in his voice. Could he not see that it was his birthday?

"Patriarch, someone... someone has broken into the residence!" the guard said in a trembling voice.

"What?" Lei Bao shot to his feet, more than half of his drunkenness instantly gone. "Who dares be so bold? How many are there?"

"Only... only one person. Dressed in black and masked. He's incredibly fast. The brothers on guard can't stop him at all!"

"Useless trash!" Lei Bao roared. Then he sneered. "One person dares to break into my Lei Clan? He is courting death! Everyone, come outside with me and see!"

He strode toward the entrance of the hall, followed by Lei Li, several retainers, and the Lei Clan's core members.

However, the moment they stepped out of the main hall, they saw a sight they would never forget.

More than a dozen corpses lay scattered across the courtyard. They were all Lei Clan guards, each with a thin bloody mark across the throat, killed in a single strike.

At the center of the courtyard stood a masked figure in black, sword in hand. Blood dripped from its tip.

The night wind swept past, lifting the corner of the black-robed figure's clothing and revealing a pair of eyes so calm that they made one's heart tremble.

"Who are you, sir? Why have you broken into my Lei Clan by night and killed my clansmen?" Lei Bao suppressed his fury and asked in a deep voice.

He could sense that the black-clad man's aura was not particularly powerful, roughly at the Middle Heaven Yuan Realm. Yet that icy killing intent made even him, a Late Heaven Yuan Realm cultivator, feel a chill in his heart.

The black-clad man—Luo Heng—did not answer.

His gaze swept over Lei Bao, Lei Li, the Lei Clan's retainers, and the core members.

He recognized most of their faces.

There was no need to mention Lei Bao and Lei Li. The Lei Clan's three retainers, Lei Pi, Lei Xing, and Lei Nuo, were all experts from the Early Heaven Yuan Realm to the Middle Heaven Yuan Realm, with the blood of other Qingyang Town families staining their hands.

There were also several of Lei Bao's brothers, nephews, and grandnephews. Lei Tao was among them, as were the families of Lei Ying and Lei Shan, along with the heads of several small families attached to the Lei Clan that had committed countless evils.

Twenty-seven people in total.

These twenty-seven were the Lei Clan's core, and they were also the targets Luo Heng intended to kill tonight.

"Die."

Luo Heng finally spoke, deliberately making his voice hoarse and devoid of emotion.

Before his words had even faded, he moved!

Flowing Cloud and Soaring Goose Steps: Soaring Goose Style!

His speed erupted to the limit. His entire body transformed into a black bolt of lightning, instantly appearing before one of the Lei Clan retainers.

That retainer was at the Early Heaven Yuan Realm and reacted extremely quickly, immediately swinging the saber in his hand!

But Luo Heng's sword was faster!

The Silver Feather Sword left its sheath, its sword light pouring down like moonlight.

Tai Xu Swordplay: Void Blade!

A faint gray line flashed past.

"Pfft!"

The retainer's body abruptly stiffened. His saber stopped in midair, a bloody mark appeared across his throat, and he crashed to the ground.

Instant kill!

"Attack together! Kill him!" Lei Bao's eyes split with rage as he shouted sharply.

The two remaining retainers, Lei Pi and Lei Xing, along with Lei Bao himself, attacked at the same time!

Lei Pi wielded a pair of short halberds, Lei Xing used a long spear, and Lei Bao's palms crackled with lightning. The three attacked Luo Heng in a triangular formation, their momentum fierce!

All three were Middle Heaven Yuan Realm experts. Their combined strength was astonishing.

But Luo Heng's expression did not change. Using Soaring Dragon Steps, he moved through their offensive like a fish swimming through water.

At the same time, the Myriad Law Seal in his Niwan Palace turned slightly, and his Spiritual Power silently spread outward.

Eighteen Myriad Techniques Spirit Needles formed without a sound and shot toward the restless Lei Clan juniors!

"Ah!"

"My head!"

Cries of agony rang out one after another. How could those Lei Clan juniors at the Body Tempering Realm and Earthen Yuan Stage withstand the spiritual attack of a Peak Two-Seal Symbol Master? Seven or eight of them immediately clutched their heads and fell, blood pouring from their seven orifices. Whether they lived or died was unknown.

"Be careful! He's a Talisman Master!" Lei Pi cried out in alarm.

But it was already too late.

Luo Heng seized the instant when the three were distracted by the screams of their clansmen, and the Silver Feather Sword stabbed out once more!

This time, his target was Lei Xing!

Lei Xing's spear shot forward like a dragon, piercing straight toward Luo Heng's heart. Yet Luo Heng's body twisted strangely, passing through a gap in the spear shadows. At the same time, the sword tip lightly tapped forward, and a gray line entered Lei Xing's brow.

"Pfft!"

Lei Xing's gaze scattered. His long spear slipped from his hand, and he fell backward.

Another Middle Heaven Yuan Realm expert had died!

"Second Brother!" Lei Pi roared. His short halberds swung madly, and his attacks became even fiercer.

Lei Bao was completely enraged as well. Lightning flashed explosively from his palms as he unleashed the Fourth-Grade Martial Skill, Rushing Thunder Light, with all his strength. Bolts of lightning shot toward Luo Heng like venomous snakes!

Yet Luo Heng's movement technique was too strange. Alternating between the Flowing Cloud and Soaring Goose Steps and Soaring Dragon Steps, he moved with ease amid their storm-like barrage.

Even more terrifying was his sword.

Every time the Silver Feather Sword thrust out, it carried an intent of terrifying sharpness.

Rudimentary Sword Intent, though only half-formed, had already brought a qualitative transformation to his swordsmanship.

Ordinary martial skills and Primal Energy barriers were like paper before Sword Intent.

"Sshk!"

Another slash cleaved Lei Pi's short halberd in two. The sword light continued onward, cutting across his neck.

"Urgh..." Lei Pi clutched his spurting neck, his eyes filled with disbelief as he slowly collapsed.

Lei Bao's face turned deathly pale, and fear finally appeared in his eyes.

He could see that this black-clad man was far stronger than he had estimated.

That bizarre swordsmanship, those terrifying movement techniques, and that impossible-to-defend-against spiritual attack...

This was absolutely not an ordinary Middle Heaven Yuan Realm cultivator!

"You... who exactly are you? What grudge does my Lei Clan have against you?" Lei Bao's voice was hoarse as he fought and retreated.

Luo Heng still did not answer. He merely pressed forward step by step.

His sword grew faster and faster, while his Sword Intent became increasingly condensed.

His battle with Liu Chong and his slaughter against Lei Bao and the others had continuously tempered his Sword Intent in real combat, gradually pushing it from Rudimentary Sword Intent toward Sword Intent Initial Formation.

"Rushing Thunder Kill!"

Driven into a desperate corner, Lei Bao finally unleashed his ultimate technique.

He brought his palms together, and the Primal Energy in his body surged out madly, condensing into a Thunder Light Blade thirty feet long before him. It hacked viciously toward Luo Heng!

The power of this strike rivaled that of the Peak Late Heaven Yuan Realm. It contained the entirety of his life's cultivation!

Yet a cold glint flashed through Luo Heng's eyes.

"It ends here."

The Silver Feather Sword rose high. Above its blade, that illusory sword shadow abruptly became thirty percent more solid!

Half-Formed Sword Intent erupted to its limit!