Everyone, please come into the Human Emperor Banner for a chat

"Who goes there?!"

The members of the Jialie Clan swarmed out from the main hall in a chaotic rush.

Yet, they did not see a single soul in the courtyard.

But when they looked up, they saw an ethereal figure standing tall beneath the bright moon.

Moonlight cascaded like a silver waterfall, illuminating a pair of emerald-green Dou Qi wings.

"Dou Qi wings... a, a Dou Wang?! It's actually a Dou Wang!"

The pupils of everyone in the Jialie Clan dilated in shock, an unprecedented terror sprouting in their hearts.

This figure reminded them of the former Xiao Clan leader, Xiao Lin—the old man who had suppressed their Jialie Clan and the Oba Clan for many years.

It wasn't until that old man died twelve years ago that they finally had a chance to breathe!

Now, unexpectedly, another Dou Wang had arrived, one with an even more powerful aura and a much younger appearance!

While the crowd was paralyzed by fear, Jialie Bi, as the clan leader, forcibly suppressed his dread, stepped forward, and bowed respectfully.

"D, Dou Wang senior, may I ask for your name? And what business brings you to visit our Jialie Clan in the middle of the night?"

Although he tried his best to remain calm, he could not hide the tremor in his voice.

At that moment, the figure in the firmament spoke.

"This Seat is named Gu Yue Fang Yuan. This visit is merely to borrow one thing from you all."

"...W, what thing?"

"Your lives!"

A flicker of emerald-green flame suddenly danced within his pupils, looking exceptionally sinister.

His voice instantly echoed throughout the entirety of Wutan City, causing almost everyone from every clan to run out and catch sight of the arrogant figure standing in the sky.

Is this enough to attract everyone to come and watch?

Xiao Yuan muttered to himself.

That's right, the Dou Wang visiting the Jialie Clan was naturally Xiao Yuan, who had snuck out of the Xiao Clan at night.

There was only one purpose for doing this.

By letting everyone witness the destruction of the Jialie Clan with their own eyes, he could use the persona created by the Disguise Mask to completely distance the Xiao Clan from this turmoil.

Heh, I really am clever. Watch me, my substitute!

Little did he know, a graceful figure sat on a distant rooftop, resting her chin on her hand, her autumn-water-like eyes fixed on him without blinking.

Behind her, a pair of golden Dou Qi wings were also manifested.

"Gu Yue Fang Yuan... Heh, as expected of Brother Xiao Yuan; it truly is his style. Though, it would be even better if he could rely on Xun'er a little more."

The lingering echo of the young girl's sigh dissipated beneath the night sky.

Meanwhile, the members of the Jialie Clan were already scared out of their wits.

"S, Senior... please calm your anger. We don't know how our Jialie Clan has offended you; could there be some misunderstanding? Could you give our Jialie Clan a chance? Let us host a banquet to entertain you, so we can sit down and talk it over slowly..."

Jialie Bi was almost kneeling on the ground, on the verge of tears.

It was one thing that his son had provoked that monster Xiao Yuan of the Xiao Clan during the day, but why was a Dou Wang personally coming to wipe out their Jialie Clan at night!

Who on earth had they offended?!

What he didn't expect was that his pleas were completely useless.

A single sentence from the other party shattered his illusions on the spot.

"Apologies, This Seat does not eat beef."

"???"

Before Jialie Bi could even comprehend the meaning of those words, he saw the person above clap his hands together, a mass of black energy gathering continuously in his palms.

"Soul-entangling dreams, winds and clouds churn; stars circle the earth, the three realms' altar turns."

"The gate of life and death opens wide; a killing tribulation rises to wash away the vanity of pride!"

In an instant, cold winds erupted and black clouds filled the sky.

The pervasive black mist coalesced into dark clouds, obscuring the sun, moon, and stars, grinding slowly in the firmament like a giant millstone.

Within the eerie, chilling winds, the wails of ten thousand vengeful ghosts seemed to linger, as if the gates of hell had been thrown wide open!

Immediately, a long banner emerged from the swirling black clouds.

The pole was made of Ten Thousand Year Profound Yin Wood, hung with soul-snatching chains; the banner surface was like ink-stained green silk, surging with hideous white bone skulls, their eye sockets dripping with ghostly green flames. On the corner of the banner, the ancient seal characters for "Profound Yin Ten Thousand Ghosts Devouring Heaven" hung down.

It was the Ten Thousand Soul Banner!

The massive character for "Soul" struck their eyes.

Just one glance at the banner surface was enough to make one's mind wander and their spirit tremble, as if their soul could be sucked into it at any moment!

"C, Clan Leader, what is that?"

One of them asked.

But neither Jialie Bi nor anyone else could answer; they were frozen in place by the spectacle before them.

It was completely beyond their comprehension.

Or rather, it was beyond the comprehension of everyone in Wutan City.

"This Dou Technique is truly bizarre!"

Even Yao Chen was shaken to his core at the sight; with all his experience, he couldn't even identify the grade of this technique!

Most crucially, he felt a potent sense of threat emanating from those swirling black clouds.

Especially that long banner—it felt as if it were trying to devour his soul form!

He could feel a distinct, tearing force!

"Souls come, lives come; everyone, please enter the Human Emperor Banner for a chat!"

Xiao Yuan's voice echoed between heaven and earth.

The long banner fluttered, dancing without a breeze.

The next second.

A chain suddenly shot out from the Ten Thousand Soul Banner hidden within the black clouds, striking the man who had asked the question moments ago.

Accompanied by the clanking of chains.

The man's soul was forcibly ripped right out of his body!

"Run, run for your lives!"

Someone shouted, and instantly, everyone from the Jialie Clan scattered in all directions.

Many had already reached the streets, sprinting toward the gates of Wutan City.

Escape!

They had to escape this place at all costs!

That Dou Wang, that Dou Technique—neither was something they could ever hope to contend with!

"Hmph, since you've come, none of you shall leave!"

Xiao Yuan let out a cold snort, raised his palm toward the sky, and then brought it down with a violent motion.

Clatter!

The sound of chains rang out again, but this time it came from within the black clouds, like thunder coiling and gathering.

Immediately after, it fell like a torrential downpour!

Thousands of chains erupted from the black clouds simultaneously, piercing through the bodies of every fleeing person, passing straight through their chests!

Their souls were all ripped out and sucked into the banner.

A few breaths later, everyone from the Jialie Clan lay dead on the ground.

The black clouds dissipated, and the night sky cleared.

Looking at the long banner wreathed in living souls, Xiao Yuan waved his hand and gripped the slender pole.

In an instant, a pure and massive surge of soul power flooded into his sea of consciousness!

"Ugh..."

Xiao Yuan couldn't help but let out a muffled groan, his figure swaying.

A moment later, he felt a cool sensation radiating from his soul, washing over his entire body, as if everything around him had become clearer!

A breakthrough!

Not a breakthrough in cultivation, but a breakthrough in his soul!

Of the four realms—Mortal, Spirit, Heaven, and Emperor—Xiao Yuan, who had been in the Mortal Realm, had leaped directly into the initial stage of the Spirit Realm!

No wonder Hun Tiandi has the Soul Hall scavenging for souls so aggressively; wanting to push one's soul to the Emperor Realm—it really is effective!

He gently stroked the banner surface, which was permeated with black mist, truly unable to put it down.

"Hmm, the Grandmist Purple Qi has deepened a bit more. Not bad.

However, my business here is finished. This Seat departs!"

The wings on his back flapped, and he transformed into a streak of light, vanishing into the night.

"Ugh... Father, Uncle... how, how could it come to this?!"

After Xiao Yuan had left, Jialie Ao, who had finally managed to endure the effects of the Joyous Union Powder, stumbled and crawled into the courtyard. He looked at the corpses littering the ground, sobbing until he was out of breath.

"It must be Xiao Yuan, it must be that bastard Xiao Yuan! I, Jialie Ao, will never share the same sky as you, Xiao Yuan!!!!"

His heart-wrenching wail echoed across the night sky.

"Oh?"

A soft chuckle suddenly descended from above, startling Jialie Ao so badly that he collapsed limply to the ground.

"Wh-who's there?!"

"Heh, This Seat almost forgot about you. Soul, come!"

The black surface of the banner flashed by in an instant.

Clatter!

Chains wreathed in black mist descended once more, snatching Jialie Ao's soul away on the spot.

After all, a family should always be kept together.