Congratulations, You Have Earned the Patricide Achievement

"I'm not some utterly deranged demon. Besides, I'm in a pretty good mood today, so I've decided to kill only one person."

"As you can see, the three of them are trapped inside iron cages."

"These cages are incredibly sharp. Even a Titled Douluo wouldn't be able to withstand them, and they will gradually shrink."

"Thirty seconds! In just thirty seconds, they'll be sliced into hundreds of pieces."

"What you need to do is kill two people in exchange for the means to cut through the iron cages!"

"One thing worth mentioning: the item is single-use. Killing two people means you can only save two people!"

Qian Cheng's tone did not fluctuate in the slightest, as though he were discussing something utterly ordinary.

Upon hearing this, Liu Erlong's face instantly turned deathly pale.

Qian Cheng had not mentioned the fate of the last person, but Liu Erlong understood that person would be cut into pieces.

In other words, she had to let one of them die.

Her lover?

Her father?

Her brother?

Liu Erlong's heart was filled with conflict and pain. Her gaze swept back and forth between Flender and Yu Luomian, unable to decide.

"Friendly reminder: there are only fifteen seconds left!"

Qian Cheng's utterly cold voice instantly jolted Liu Erlong awake.

Now was not the time to consider who should die. She had to get the item first, or Yu Xiaogang and the others would all die!

"He's lying to you! Don't believe him!"

Seemingly sensing Liu Erlong's killing intent, the two Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan disciples shouted in terror.

"I have no other choice!"

Liu Erlong gritted her teeth and sprang up from the ground.

To end things quickly, she gave those two disciples from her own clan a truly heartfelt talk!

Flame Dragon Claw, straight through their chests!

"Give me the item!"

Liu Erlong quickly stepped up before Qian Cheng.

"To prevent you from making an operational error, I've decided to remove the item."

"You only need to say who dies, and I'll release the other two!"

Qian Cheng said with a teasing expression.

"I..."

Looking at the three people still trapped in the iron cages, Liu Erlong's brows were filled with conflict.

"Sister Erlong, don't worry about me. I'm not afraid of death. Go save Xiao Gang and your father!"

Perhaps seeing Liu Erlong's dilemma, Flender did not want to make things difficult for her.

Flender wanted to die?

But how could Yu Xiaogang bear to let him die!

If Flender died, the Three-in-One Spirit Avatar Fusion Skill would be gone. He would still be that useless cripple!

The one who had to die today could only be that old bastard!

"Erlong, don't worry about me. Go save Flender and your father!"

Yu Xiaogang stared straight at Liu Erlong, putting on an act of playing hard to get.

Liu Erlong said nothing, clearly deeply conflicted.

Although Flender was not related to her by blood, they had risked life and death together for many years. They had long since become like family.

As for Yu Xiaogang, there was even less need to say anything!

And finally, Yu Luomian. Though she despised him deeply, he was still her father after all.

"Erlong, I was never a qualified father. I wronged your mother, and I wronged you even more."

"Can you give me a chance? A chance to make it up to you?"

Yu Luomian looked at Liu Erlong, his eyes gradually reddening.

"Make it up to me? You don't want to make it up to me. You're afraid of dying. You're only shedding crocodile tears now that death is at your door!"

She had originally been conflicted, but when Yu Luomian mentioned her mother, Liu Erlong flew into a rage.

"You unfilial daughter! I'm your father. Without me, there would be no you!"

Seeing his thoughts exposed, Yu Luomian immediately began morally coercing her.

Yu Xiaogang also revealed a smug smile.

This was in the bag!

Yu Luomian was definitely going to die!

As for his severed fingers, he could still have a Healing Spirit Master reattach them.

Though it would affect their use somewhat, being alive was what mattered!

"I want him dead!"

Liu Erlong pointed at Yu Luomian, her face full of fury.

"No problem!"

Qian Cheng lightly snapped his fingers, and the iron cages trapping Flender and Yu Xiaogang vanished out of thin air.

The iron cage trapping Yu Luomian, meanwhile, began rapidly shrinking!

"I'm your father! How can you treat me like this?!"

"I'm the vice clan leader of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan! If you dare kill me, you'll face the pursuit of the entire clan!"

Watching the iron bars draw ever closer and feeling their bone-piercing chill, Yu Luomian's face instantly twisted in ferocity.

"Don't kill me, please, don't kill me!"

"As long as you're willing to spare me, I'll give you anything!"

"Money, beautiful women, spirit bones—whatever you want, I can give it to you..."

As death closed in, Yu Luomian's voice trembled ever more violently, and he even began speaking incoherently.

"Xiao Gang, are you alright?"

Liu Erlong supported Yu Xiaogang, whose fingers had been severed, her eyes full of concern.

"I..."

Just as Yu Xiaogang was about to answer, a shrill scream rang out.

"Aah!"

The miserable scream lasted only a second before vanishing into silence.

The Golden Iron Triangle turned their heads and saw an utterly horrifying sight.

Bloody chunks of flesh lay scattered about, no longer recognizable as human.

The shocking scene plunged everyone present into silence.

"Can we leave now?"

Only after quite a while did Flender force himself to speak.

"Take care. Until we meet again, if fate allows."

Qian Cheng's lips curved slightly as a trace of amusement flashed through his eyes.

The night was as black as ink, dotted with countless stars.

Qian Cheng casually found an inn and took Hu Liena inside.

"Did you enjoy today's grand show?"

Qian Cheng looked at Hu Liena with great interest.

"I did. Very much!"

This was far more than enjoyable to Hu Liena—it had practically shattered her worldview.

At first, it had been two women tearing into each other, and that scene alone had left her shaken.

Then came the incestuous mess, followed by choosing a lover over one's father, leaving her utterly dumbfounded!

However, Hu Liena had also reached a conclusion!

Her teacher was not only incredibly powerful, but his methods were cruel to the extreme.

A traitor?

There was no such thing!

Even if Hu Liena were tortured to death by an enemy, she could never become a traitor!

"Huh, Teacher? Why is your ring glowing?"

A faint light pulled Hu Liena back from her thoughts.

"My ring is glowing?"

Qian Cheng lowered his head and looked at the ring on his index finger.

The ring looked extremely ancient, but nine tiny gemstones were embedded in it.

One blue gemstone and one green gemstone were emitting a dim glow.

"If you had awakened sooner, you could have caught this grand show. What a pity you're a little late."

Looking at the gemstones on the ring, Qian Cheng revealed a gentle smile.

The last time he had been awake, he had taken in nine disciples and created gemstones capable of detecting their auras according to their spirit avatar attributes.

Now, only the water-element and plant-element gemstones had reacted, which meant the survivors were Shui Hanyan and Ye Muyun.

If he remembered their names correctly!

After all, he was an old man. It was only normal for him to remember wrong.

PS: The foreshadowing has been wrapped up, the transitional arc is over, and the killing begins!