Corruption, Slaughter

He remembered now. This man was called Old Zhao, one of his father's personal guards. He'd watched Luo Yun grow up, and whenever the boy came tearing back from outside, Old Zhao would chase after him, calling, "Young master, slow down!"

Luo Yun turned and walked toward the city gates.

Spirit Hall.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

A chill welling up from the depths of his bones spread outward from his body.

Divine Slaughter's Domain.

Luo Yun's hair began changing color from the tips.

The black strands turned dark purple one by one, taking on an almost eerily beautiful sheen.

Luo Yun slowly turned around.

Old Zhao's body lay at his feet, a smile still lingering at the corners of his mouth.

Luo Yun lowered his head for one last look, then walked toward the city gates.

He had gone less than a hundred steps when a commotion of hurried footsteps and voices came from the gates.

"Quick! Hurry! Search thoroughly! His Holiness the Pope said we need to find him alive or bring back his corpse!"

"Sir, Frost Ridge City's burned to the ground. Could King Frost Extreme's brat really still be alive?"

"Who cares if he's alive or dead? There's a reward if we find him! Get searching!"

A squad of Spirit Hall Soul Masters entered through the ruins of the city gate.

There were about thirty of them, dressed in matching white armor, with Spirit Hall's crossed-swords insignia embroidered on their chests.

Leading them was a middle-aged man in red robes. He had a sinister face, a little tuft of goatee on his chin, and his hands clasped behind his back. He strutted like a proud rooster.

Two lines of Soul Masters followed behind him. Some carried weapons, while others glanced around, wearing the particular air of careless, flippant arrogance that came with victory.

The goateed man was the first to spot Luo Yun.

A child stood alone amid the ruins, dressed in a black robe covered in ash. His hair was a strange dark purple, and his eyes were...

The man stopped in his tracks, his pupils contracting slightly.

The child's eyes were crimson.

A murderous crimson that seemed to seep out from the depths of his gaze.

The goateed man was stunned for only a moment. Then his mouth spread into a grin.

So this was the brat.

His Holiness the Pope's wanted notice had spelled it out clearly.

The son of King Frost Extreme, six years old, black hair, handsome, suspected to possess Twin Martial Souls.

This child matched every detail—except for his hair color.

"Well, well." The goateed man sauntered toward Luo Yun, his hands still clasped behind his back and his chin held even higher. His voice was full of condescending amusement. "Just look who we have here. Could this be King Frost Extreme's precious son?"

He stopped three paces in front of Luo Yun and looked down at the child, who only came up to his waist.

He sized him up, then clicked his tongue twice and shook his head.

"Not bad-looking, but that gaze of yours isn't very charming." He tilted his head, as though teasing a disobedient puppy.

"Hey, little guy, where's your father? Oh, right—our Spirit Hall chased him off like a beaten dog, all the way to the Far North. Tsk, tsk, tsk. The great King Frost Extreme, a level-ninety-five Super Douluo. Tsk, tsk, tsk."

He smacked his lips, his face twisting as though he'd tasted something foul.

"Think he's still alive? That cursed place in the Far North, dozens of degrees below zero, not even a hot meal to be had. I bet he froze to death already. Hahahaha!"

The Soul Masters behind him joined in the laughter.

It rang through the ruins, shrill, brazen, and utterly unrestrained.

Luo Yun stood motionless.

As they laughed, his hair turned a deeper purple, until the last trace of black was swallowed up.

The next instant, Luo Yun moved.

The goateed man's laughter was still in his throat when Luo Yun's face appeared right in front of his, close enough that their noses almost touched.

Those crimson eyes stared straight into his.

The man's grin froze.

Before he could even summon his Martial Soul, Luo Yun raised his right hand, spread his fingers, and clamped them around the man's throat.

The Law of Destruction surged at his fingertips. Purple-black lightning poured through his fingers and into the man's body.

The man tried to fight back with Soul Power, but he couldn't last even a breath against the Law of Destruction. It vanished completely.

Crack.

A sharp snap.

The goateed man's head lolled to one side at an impossible angle.

He was dead.

Luo Yun let go.

The body crumpled to the ground, crashing against the rubble with a dull thud.

Blood poured from his mouth and nostrils, pooling in a glaring red stain across the gray-white flagstones.

Standing beside the corpse, Luo Yun swept his crimson gaze over the dozens of Soul Masters who remained.

No one moved. No one spoke. No one dared to breathe.

They stared at their captain—a mighty Six-Ring Soul Emperor—whose throat had been crushed by that six-year-old child before he could even summon his Martial Soul.

Fear spread among them like a plague. Some went weak in the knees and dropped to the ground. Weapons clattered from others' hands. A few turned to run, but their legs refused to obey; they stumbled after taking only a single step, sprawling face-first in the dirt.

Luo Yun looked at them, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.

The curve was so faint it was almost impossible to see.

Luo Yun spoke at last, his voice quiet.

"Since you're here, none of you are leaving."

Divine Slaughter's Domain unfurled completely. Dark-red mist spread outward from Luo Yun, surging like a flood tide, impossible to stop.

The instant the Soul Masters were enveloped by the mist, they collapsed to the ground, their pupils unfocused and their lips trembling. They couldn't even scream. Terror filled their eyes.

Luo Yun moved.

The Moon Eclipse Sword rang eagerly in his hand, purple-black lightning dancing along its blade.

The sword flashed. With each flash, a head fell, blood sprayed into the air, and a body hit the ground with a heavy thud.

Under the suppression of Divine Slaughter's Domain, the thirty-odd men couldn't even summon the will to resist. Like lambs awaiting slaughter, they fell one after another into pools of blood.

Luo Yun put away the Moon Eclipse Sword and stood amid the more than thirty corpses, his robe soaked in blood. A few drops had splashed across his face and ran down his cheeks.

His hair had turned completely dark purple, and his eyes were blood-red. Standing there, he looked like a fiendish god risen from the depths of hell.

Two voices rang out in his mind at the same time.

One was low and cold: "Destruction Nine Trials, Fourth Trial: Kill every remaining Spirit Hall Soul Master in Frost Ridge City. Leave none alive. Time limit: seven days. Reward: Soul Power increased by three levels, one divine-gift Soul Ring. Failure penalty—annihilation."

The other voice was gentle and clear, but just as uncompromising: "Life Nine Trials, Fourth Trial: Complete the Fourth Trial of the Destruction Nine Trials. Time limit: seven days. Reward: Soul Power increased by three levels, one divine-gift Soul Ring. Failure penalty—annihilation."