In Star Dou Forest.
A group of Xiao Clan members led by Xiao Zhan knelt on the ground in terror, Xiao Huo among them.
"Who are you? Why are you targeting my Xiao Clan?" Xiao Zhan looked at Feng Yu beside him, his face full of fear.
Just seconds ago, Feng Xiao had said, "They're an eyesore standing there," and Feng Yu's gaze had shifted slightly. In an instant, a terrifying aura forced more than twenty people to their knees, their faces pale and their foreheads beaded with sweat.
"Who are we? Didn't you hear back at your Xiao Clan? Then again, the Xiao Clan no longer exists."
Hearing Feng Yu's words, Xiao Zhan recalled that apocalyptic scene. A colossal phantom had appeared, followed by a palm descending from the heavens. In the last image etched into his memory, the Xiao Clan had become ruins.
At that moment, terror consumed him completely. But he could not understand it. Were there truly gods in this world? And had the Xiao Clan's actions actually drawn the gods' displeasure?
"Xiao Zhan, so your Xiao Clan has finally met this day!"
Suddenly, a voice thick with hatred drew Xiao Zhan and the others' attention. Seeing the intense killing intent in Suo Ying's eyes, Xiao Zhan felt like crying. He truly could not understand how his Xiao Clan had offended these people before him—or rather, these gods.
Xiao Zhan had completely lost the pride he once possessed as clan leader. With an expression uglier than tears, he asked, "How exactly has my Xiao Clan offended you?"
In response, Suo Ying merely drew the Yama Blade with cold eyes. As he walked toward them, he said, "Since you don't know, I'll help you remember. Six years ago, for your own selfish desires, you slaughtered an entire village. Do you still remember that village's name?"
Hearing this, shock appeared in Xiao Zhan's eyes. "You're the child who escaped from Suo Village back then!"
After slaughtering Suo Village, Xiao Zhan had flown into a rage when they counted the dead and discovered that one person had escaped. But since it was only a child, he had not taken it to heart afterward. He never expected that when they met again, it would be under such circumstances.
"Since you remember, I'll send you on your way. You slaughtered my village back then. Is it too much for me to destroy your Xiao Clan today?"
At that, Xiao Zhan's face turned ashen with realization. But then, as if he had thought of something, he immediately slammed his head against the ground. As he kowtowed, he pleaded, "Please spare my child! He is innocent! I alone made the decision back then!"
However, Suo Ying said disdainfully, "Innocent? Were the children you killed back then not innocent? Who in that village was not innocent? And if not for Xiao Huo, why would you have targeted Suo Village? Enough talk. Today, not a single member of the Xiao Clan will be spared!"
"I'll make you watch your loved ones die before your eyes, so you can feel that helpless agony!"
With that, Suo Ying walked to the side, grabbed the kneeling Xiao Huo by the hair, and dragged him before Xiao Zhan. No matter how Xiao Huo struggled, Suo Ying remained expressionless. Under Feng Yu's pressure, all resistance was futile. He could not use Soul Power at all.
"Xiao Zhan, you crushed my parents' corpses beneath your feet back then. Today, I'll repay you a hundredfold." As he spoke, Suo Ying raised his blade and aimed it at Xiao Huo's leg.
"No, don't!" Amid Xiao Zhan and Xiao Huo's pleas, Suo Ying swung down without mercy.
"Pfft!"
As the blade cut through flesh, one of Xiao Huo's legs was severed. The wound was perfectly smooth, but in an instant it was obscured by spurting blood. Xiao Huo's heart-wrenching scream immediately rang out, while Xiao Zhan could not bear to look.
"Open your eyes and watch carefully. I watched with my own eyes as you trampled my parents' corpses back then. I was in as much pain as you are now! No, I was in even greater pain than you!"
The blade rose and fell once more. Blood spurted again, and another leg was cut off. Xiao Huo's wails echoed through the vast Star Dou Forest, making the people behind Xiao Zhan tremble uncontrollably in utter terror.
Watching Suo Ying's crazed expression, Feng Xiao, who had been watching the show from the side, found it immensely satisfying. At the same time, he came to deeply understand one thing: in this world, only the strong had the right to decide others' life and death. Tina, beside him, murmured, "Serves them right. Evil will be repaid with evil."
"I'll use the people of your Xiao Clan as sacrifices for my dead family and the people of my village."
At this point, Suo Ying no longer intended to torture Xiao Huo. He raised his blade and placed it against Xiao Huo's neck. All it would take was the slightest force for Xiao Huo to die. But just then, the ring on Xiao Huo's finger lit up with a faint glow, followed by an ancient, weary sigh.
"Alas, this is karma. Good and evil will eventually be repaid, but some people are still innocent. Young man, you may kill the others, but for this one, cutting off his two legs should be enough."
The next second, an old man's soul floated out of Xiao Huo's ring. Upon seeing him, Xiao Huo cried out, "Master, save me!"
Suo Ying froze when he saw the old man, while Feng Xiao revealed a faint smile. He had long known that this old fellow existed.
For a moment, the scene fell silent. Suo Ying turned his gaze toward Feng Xiao, waiting for his command.
"Old man, are you sure you want to protect him? Do you know the consequences?"
The old man was somewhat surprised by Feng Xiao's calmness, but he still spoke confidently. "Young man, leave some room in all matters so that you may meet again in the future. If you insist on killing him, then this old man does not mind stretching his limbs a little. That tiny third-rank god behind you is no match for me."
At once, Xiao Huo and the others seemed to see hope for survival. Yet Feng Xiao only laughed even more at the old man's words.
"Old man, I was originally planning to spare your life, but what you said just made you boring. Do you think you're impressive just because you were a first-rank god when you were alive? Forget your current self—even when you were alive, I wouldn't have cared about you. Now take another look at his cultivation."
Hearing Feng Xiao's words, the old man's expression changed drastically. When he followed Feng Xiao's gaze and looked at Feng Yu again, he discovered that at some point, Feng Yu had gone from being merely a third-rank god to a first-rank god, even half a step into the God King realm.
"Enough, we've watched enough of this show. Feng Yu, make your move. Destroy the bastard. I don't like him showing off in front of me."
"Alright."
Feng Yu reached out with one hand and grasped at the air. The old man's soul body seemed to be seized by something and began shrinking into a ball.
"No, this is impossible!!"
Amid the old man's desperate and unwilling scream...
"Pop~"
With an exceptionally crisp sound, the soul of a former first-rank god was reduced to ashes. Xiao Huo's face turned deathly pale. He could not believe that his master, who had told him stories of the God Realm, had died here.
"It's done. Suo Ying, kill them all. The show is about over."
Hearing Feng Xiao's words, Suo Ying nodded. Without another word, he raised his blade and severed Xiao Huo's neck. Then came the Xiao Clan members, falling one after another as blood flowed like a river, until only Xiao Zhan remained.
Xiao Zhan looked at his dead son and clansmen. He went mad.
"Hahaha, hahahahaha..."
Xiao Zhan began laughing. His clan had been destroyed, his son had died before his eyes, and he had watched his clansmen be beheaded. The blows from every direction had driven him insane.
Yet Suo Ying merely said faintly, "That was how I felt back then too."
Without mercy, he raised his blade and brought it down with a whoosh.
The last member of the Xiao Clan, Xiao Zhan, fell. From that moment on, there was no longer a Xiao Clan in this world.
At that moment, Suo Ying raised his head, tears falling from the corners of his eyes. For some reason, despite having avenged himself, he could not feel even a trace of joy. He simply stared blankly at the sky, as though he could see those he had once lost smiling and waving at him.
"Let's go. Let him have some time alone."
With that, Feng Xiao led Tina and Feng Yu away. At a time like this, Suo Ying only needed to be alone for a while.
Before you continue