The City Falls! Slaughter! Flee!

"Family Head Zhang really is a clever man."

The scar across the old man's face writhed like a centipede as he smiled, grotesque and gleeful.

He casually tossed Zhang Tao onto the ground like a rag.

Zhang Tao lay sprawled on the floor, twitching silently. Blood kept seeping from the corner of his mouth, and he looked like a dying beast.

"Tao'er..."

Zhang He's heart clenched. Instinctively, he tried to rush forward.

Whoosh.

A faint whistle cut through the air.

The old man flicked a finger. A black pill that reeked of something pungent and foul shot precisely into Zhang Tao's wide-open mouth and slid down his throat.

"You... What did you feed Tao'er this time?!"

Zhang He glared until his eyes nearly bulged from their sockets.

He stared at the old man, fury and fear in his eyes, along with the despair of someone on the verge of collapse.

He wanted to lunge at him, but his legs felt as if they were filled with lead. He couldn't take a single step.

"Don't worry, Family Head Zhang." The old man gave a sinister smile, which looked especially eerie in the moonlight.

"I merely fed your son a poison pill. As long as you cooperate tomorrow night and take care of what needs to be done, I'll naturally give you the antidote."

He paused, then leaned toward Zhang He, his grotesque face nearly touching him. His voice dropped to a hiss, like a poisonous snake flicking its tongue.

"But if you so much as think of disobeying me, then get ready to collect your son's corpse."

"Oh, right. When this poison takes effect, it'll tear through his guts. He'll writhe in agony for seven full days and nights before he finally dies."

"Your son's mouth is already ruined. When the time comes, he won't even be able to scream. He'll just have to suffer through it."

With that, he straightened up, savoring Zhang He's face, pale as paper. Then he flashed away, vanishing like a ghost into the darkness beyond the door.

Zhang He sat stunned in the room for a while. Then he drew a deep breath, forced down his fear, and helped Zhang Tao—whose face was twisted with despair—back up.

At the same time, anger surged within him.

Useless! Every last one of them was useless!

Especially Huang Tong, the Transformation Strength martial artist the Zhang Family paid ten thousand taels of silver a year to retain.

He'd boasted that with him guarding the family, the Zhang Family would be as impregnable as a fortress. And what happened?

The Seven Kill Cult's people had slipped into the estate as if strolling through their own backyard, and that old fool hadn't even noticed.

"That useless wretch. I'll kick him out tomorrow!"

The thought had barely crossed Zhang He's mind when—

"Oh, right."

A sinister cackle rang out behind him, sudden as an owl's cry.

The hairs on Zhang He's body stood on end. He spun around.

The white-haired old man who had just left had somehow reappeared in the middle of the room.

He was still hunched over, still wearing that sinister smile.

But this time, he had something else in his hand.

A head.

Drip... drip...

Dark-red blood kept falling from the severed neck, spreading into a small, appalling black-red stain on the brick floor.

The old man casually tossed it aside. The head rolled across the floor and stopped at Zhang He's feet, facing him as if silently staring.

Zhang He lowered his head. In the ghastly moonlight filtering through the window, he finally saw the face.

It was Huang Tong!

The Transformation Strength martial artist the Zhang Family had retained for seven or eight years—the well-traveled Huang Tong, who claimed to have seen it all.

Now his eyes were wide open in death, his unblinking face turned toward Zhang He. His lips were slightly parted, as if he'd tried to cry out before he died but never managed to.

Blood still trickled from his severed neck, soaking the floor and the toes of Zhang He's shoes.

"This... This is..."

Zhang He's voice caught in his throat, emerging as a short, chicken-like whimper.

His eyes widened, his pupils contracting violently. He stood frozen as if struck by lightning, forgetting even to breathe.

That was a Transformation Strength martial artist!

One of the few top experts in Anxi County!

And now, the head of this Transformation Strength martial artist was being held as casually as a freshly picked watermelon before it was tossed at his feet.

The old man leaned toward Zhang He, grinning to reveal several yellow teeth. His voice was as soft as a cold breeze.

"When I went out just now, I happened to run into this old fool sneaking around and peeking in."

"I thought he'd only get in the way if I left him alive."

"So I took care of him while I was at it."

He straightened and dusted off his hands, as if he'd done nothing more than some trivial chore.

Then he turned once more and vanished soundlessly into the darkness beyond the door, just as he had before.

Zhang He remained frozen in place, not moving a muscle.

A Transformation Strength martial artist had just died like that?

A chill unlike anything he had ever felt surged from the soles of Zhang He's feet straight to the crown of his head. It froze his body stiff, as if even his blood had congealed.

The next day.

Jiang Ye rose early, as he usually did.

But today, he didn't practice his punches. He simply packed a few belongings, then stood outside the gatekeeper's room, gazing at every blade of grass and every tree inside the Martial Academy, a tangle of emotions flickering in his eyes.

After a long while, he walked over to the Martial Academy's entrance, opened the gates with practiced ease, and sat on the little stool by the entrance, staring blankly at the empty street.

Unlike Jiang Ye, a solitary old man with no one to his name, Liu Yiyi and the others had far more luggage.

Boxes and trunks of all sizes filled half a room: clothes, books, daily necessities, and even some training equipment. Packing everything was a tedious process.

Mother and daughter worked from early morning until the afternoon before finally putting everything in order.

Liu Qingshi had even arranged for a spacious carriage, which now waited outside the Martial Academy.

They were going to stay at the Su Family's home today so they could leave Anxi County as soon as possible the next morning.

Liu Qingshi stood before the Martial Academy gates, taking one last look at the place he had built with his own hands.

The sunset's afterglow fell upon the rooftops, gilding them in a warm red-gold light.

The wooden training dummies still stood quietly in the practice yard, as if waiting for the disciples who would come to train tomorrow.

But he knew there would be no one.

Everyone felt a weight in their hearts.

"Get in the carriage."

Liu Qingshi drew a deep breath, forcing down his churning emotions. His voice was so calm it could have been an ordinary invitation to travel.

But his hand, hanging at his side, had clenched ever so slightly.

Before climbing into the carriage, his wife, Huang Xiyu, turned back for one last look at Bluestone Martial Academy. Her eyes reddened, and she couldn't help bursting into tears.

Liu Yiyi, standing beside her, showed no emotion on her face. But her reddened, beautiful eyes betrayed her sorrow.

Jiang Ye, however, showed no sign of emotion beyond a brief flicker in his eyes.

The atmosphere inside the carriage was so heavy it was almost suffocating.

Liu Qingshi watched the streets race past the window. Then he suddenly spoke, his voice gentle as he tried to break the stifling silence.

"When I was young, I had a friend. I heard he's doing quite well in the Azure Sky Sect."

"Once we reach Prefecture City, I'll call in a favor from him. With Yiyi's natural talent, she should be able to join the Azure Sky Sect."

"Yiyi can join the Azure Sky Sect?" Huang Xiyu's eyes suddenly lit up, and some of the sorrow on her face faded.

In Cloud Ridge Prefecture, the Azure Sky Sect was everything.

Even she, a woman who knew nothing of martial arts, knew that a martial artist who joined the Azure Sky Sect had a bright future ahead.

Liu Yiyi stirred slightly, but still spoke up, her cool voice carrying a hint of stubbornness. "Father, can't I just keep training with you?"

At this, Liu Qingshi shook his head with an amused smile.

"Yiyi, if you train with me, you'll reach your limit at Transformation Strength."

"In a small place like Anxi County, a Transformation Strength martial artist is still someone of importance."

"But in Prefecture City, Transformation Strength isn't anything special."

As he spoke, he looked deeply at his daughter, his eyes filled with hope and solemnity. "With your talent, you have a good chance of surpassing me, breaking through Transformation Strength, and embracing your qi to form a core!"

Liu Yiyi froze slightly. "Embracing qi to form a core?"

It was the first time she had heard Liu Qingshi mention a realm beyond Transformation Strength.

Jiang Ye sat beside her with his eyes closed, seeming to doze. In truth, he was listening even more intently than Liu Yiyi.

"Mm." Liu Qingshi gave a slight nod, then continued.

"Martial arts training begins with laying a foundation: tempering your qi and blood through external techniques until they turn into strength. Bright Strength is fierce, Dark Strength is yielding, and Transformation Strength combines hardness and softness, allowing you to do as you please!"

"Above Transformation Strength, you go from the outside in and begin nourishing 'qi' within your body."

"Once the 'qi' within your body has been nurtured to a certain point, you can embrace it and form a core, entering the Core Formation Realm!"

At this, a trace of longing crossed Liu Qingshi's face. He sighed softly.

"This realm holds a hint of the miraculous. Once a martial artist reaches it, as long as they remain free of illness and calamity, they can easily live for a hundred and twenty years. With the right means of extending their life, they can live even longer."

"But..." Liu Qingshi's tone shifted. His expression turned grave, and his voice grew heavier. "Breaking through to this realm is extremely difficult. The most important thing is the Qi Nourishing Method!"

"This is a secret art jealously guarded by the imperial family, sects, and great clans!"

"Other than joining a sect or great clan, there's almost no way to get a Qi Nourishing Method."

"When I was young, I once tried to get my hands on one. I was badly injured and nearly lost my life."

"So if you want to break through beyond Transformation Strength and go further in the martial path, you must join the Azure Sky Sect."

Liu Qingshi watched Liu Yiyi with a grave expression.

Liu Yiyi listened quietly, a determined glint in her beautiful eyes.

She gave a slight nod and said nothing more, but her eyes said everything.

"The Qi Nourishing Method..."

Jiang Ye, who seemed to be dozing, murmured the words silently to himself.

About half an hour later, the carriage came to a slow stop outside a grand residence.

Its vermilion gates gleamed with polished brass studs, and a plaque inscribed with "Su Mansion" hung above them.

The Su Family's head, Su Chen, was waiting at the entrance, with a graceful figure standing beside him. It was Su Yan.

"Martial Academy Head Liu, you must be tired from the journey!" Su Chen smiled as he stepped forward and saluted. "Please, come in. The food and wine are ready. You can rest a while first."

Liu Qingshi climbed down from the carriage and exchanged a few pleasantries with him before ushering everyone else down.

"Old Man Jiang!"

Su Yan greeted Jiang Ye politely, a strange look flickering in her beautiful eyes.

For some reason, ever since that night, she'd felt something oddly out of place whenever she saw Jiang Ye.

"Miss Su, sorry for the trouble."

Jiang Ye lowered his head slightly. His voice was hoarse and deferential, no different from that of the inconspicuous old gatekeeper he had always seemed to be.

Deep into the night, all was quiet.

After dinner, everyone went to bed early.

The bed in the Su Mansion guest room was soft and comfortable, and the bedding carried a faint scent from its incense. It was completely different from the hard bed in the Martial Academy gatehouse.

But Jiang Ye still sat cross-legged on the bed instead of lying down.

He was used to sleeping on a hard bed. A soft one like this kept him awake instead.

His eyes were closed, his breathing long and even, as if he had entered a meditative state.

Moonlight poured through the window like water, bathing the artificial rockery and pond in the courtyard in peaceful stillness.

Now and then, the night watchman's clapper sounded in the distance. Its "tok, tok" echoed far into the night.

Suddenly—

Boom!!!

A furious roar, like a peal of thunder, ripped through the silence of the night.

The sound seemed to come from East City, carrying boundless savagery and murderous intent. It made the window frames buzz.

"Heaven gave birth to all things to nourish mankind, yet mankind has done nothing good to repay Heaven!"

"Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill!!!"

Each of those seven cries of "Kill" rose louder than the last, like seven peals of thunder in quick succession, making people's scalps prickle and their hearts quake with terror.

It was some ancient, blood-soaked madman's cry, the hallmark of the Seven Kill Cult.

The roar seemed to carry the shrieks of countless vengeful ghosts, sending chills through everyone who heard it!

Jiang Ye's eyes flew open.

Then—

"The East City Gate has fallen!!!"

"The Seven Kill Cult is inside!!!"

"Run for your lives!!!"

Piercing screams, terrified wails, the chaos of pounding footsteps, the sharp clash of blades, and the thunder of collapsing buildings surged from East City like floodwaters breaking through a dam, engulfing the entire county in an instant.

"Not good!"

Jiang Ye flashed to the window.

He pushed it open and looked toward East City.

There, flames shot into the sky! Thick smoke billowed, staining half the night sky a terrifying dark red!

The screams drew closer and grew more frequent, spreading toward the west and south of the city like a rising tide.

"Has the Seven Kill Cult really struck so soon?!"

A chilling glint flashed in Jiang Ye's eyes.

The devastation in Lushan County, the slaughter that had left nine out of ten homes empty, those grisly scenes from the rumors—all flashed through his mind.

Bang, bang, bang!!!

A frantic knocking suddenly rang out, accompanied by Liu Qingshi's hurried, hushed voice. "Old Jiang! Quick! Pack your things. We're leaving now!"

Jiang Ye didn't waste a moment. He snatched up the bundle he'd packed long ago and hurried out the door.

Outside, Liu Qingshi's face was ashen, his eyes full of grim urgency.

Behind him, Huang Xiyu's face was deathly pale. She clutched Liu Yiyi's hand tightly, trembling all over.

Liu Yiyi, on the other hand, was composed, but her usually cool eyes glimmered with unprecedented shock and wariness.

"The Su Family's already gathering! Come with me!"

Liu Qingshi grabbed Jiang Ye by the arm and rushed with him toward the front courtyard of Su Mansion.

They crossed the covered walkway and passed the ornamental rockery. The scene in the front courtyard came into view.

Su Chen stood in the middle of the courtyard, solemnly directing his family and servants.

Several stewards hurried about, taking a head count and handing out weapons.

Su Yan stood beside her father in a fitted outfit, a short sword hanging at her waist. The face that was usually warm and smiling now held nothing but cold vigilance.

"Master Liu!" Su Chen hurried over when he saw them. "The situation is urgent. There's no time to explain!"

"My Su Family has a secret passage. We'll leave at once and escape Anxi County through it!"