Annihilating a Clan

Chapter 25: Annihilating a Clan

"You gave it to me, yes. But when did I ever say that if they gave me the Heavenly Bead, I wouldn't wipe out their entire clan?" Xu Zimo retorted.

"Uh..." Guan Zhenhai looked utterly baffled. "It really does seem like you never said that."

"Then there you have it," Xu Zimo replied. "And even if I had said it, so what? Can't I go back on my word now that I've changed my mind?"

"Yes, yes." Guan Zhenhai paused, then hurriedly nodded.

Everyone present felt that Xu Zimo had utterly shattered their worldview. He could speak of breaking his word so righteously, with such solemn seriousness.

The three of them could only sigh. I have never seen such a shameless person.

The True Martial Sacred Sect was a renowned righteous sect, an Imperial Dynasty Immortal Sect. Its Vice Sect Master was a hero of his generation, having opened seven Meridian Gates and ascended to the Saint Meridian Realm at such a young age.

Yet his son was actually so scheming, never playing by the rules.

The night deepened. The occasional bark of a dog drifted through the streets, and all of Tianjian City had long since sunk into dreams.

Only the Chang Family estate remained brightly lit. Several of the Lineage's most influential figures had gathered in the discussion hall.

"The True Martial Sacred Sect has gone too far. They simply don't take our Chang Family seriously!" the First Elder said furiously, his beard white as frost.

"Why would they need to take you seriously? Any random elite inner sect disciple could sweep through our Chang Family," the Fifth Elder muttered from the side.

"I think we should lodge a protest with the Sacred Sect. I know one of the Sacred Sect's Outer Sect Elders," the Second Elder quickly added.

"What the hell use is an Outer Sect Elder? He can't control their inner sect disciples," the Fifth Elder said weakly again.

"Old Fifth, no one will mistake you for mute if you keep your mouth shut," Chang Tianxiong said flatly, glancing at the Fifth Elder.

"Exactly. We're already full of anger. Can't you at least let us vent?" the Third Elder snorted coldly from the side.

"Stop arguing, everyone. I think whatever you have to say can be discussed slowly once you reach hell," a voice suddenly rang out.

Everyone present froze, then hurriedly looked toward the entrance.

A Man in Black slowly walked in with a sword in hand. Blood still dripped from its blade, and it seemed that all the servants outside had been killed.

"Who are you?" Chang Tianxiong frowned slightly as the three Meridian Gates on his body opened wide.

The other elders in the hall also stared warily at the newcomer. Their auras faintly joined together as they pressed down on him.

"Lunquan, Xuangu, Chaoyingfeng," the Man in Black said softly. With every step he took, another Meridian Gate opened on his body.

Then he took a fourth step, opening the fourth Meridian Gate, Kunhai. His powerful aura was like towering waves blotting out the sky, crashing over them wave after wave until everyone in the hall could barely breathe.

Lunquan's Meridian Gate was located on the back of the left hand.

Xuangu's Meridian Gate was located on the back of the right hand.

Chaoyingfeng was located at the chest.

Kunhai faced the chest directly, its Meridian Gate located on the back.

When all four Meridian Gates opened, everyone in the Chang Family paled and cried out, "Empty Meridian Realm!"

The Man in Black slowly raised his sword, its blade pointed directly at his chest. His right wrist trembled lightly, and a streak of sword light shot forth.

The First Elder beside him did not even have time to react before the sword light tore him into four pieces.

"Don't panic, everyone! Attack him together and hold him back. I'll go to the City Lord's Mansion for reinforcements!" Chang Tianxiong shouted, then immediately slipped away.

The sword light in the Man in Black's right hand shot out again, this one shaped like a cross.

Chang Tianxiong had no chance to react. The sword light had already enlarged before his eyes, about to strike into his chest.

The Fifth Elder suddenly rushed in front of Chang Tianxiong and blocked the fatal sword strike for him.

"Patriarch, run! Our Chang Family cannot end like this!" After saying that, the Fifth Elder spat out a mouthful of blood and lost consciousness.

"You may be a bit loose-lipped normally, but when it matters, you're still the reliable one," Chang Tianxiong said sorrowfully.

The Man in Black held his sword in his left hand. In his right palm, clusters of fireballs gathered.

He threw those fireballs into the Chang Family estate. Buildings along their path collapsed amid the explosions and began to burn.

Blazing firelight and billowing smoke slowly rose over the Chang Family estate, covering the sky and blotting out the sun.

In the Chang Family's rear courtyard, the Third Prince and the old man immediately noticed that something was wrong.

The old man wanted to protect the Third Prince as they fled, but the Man in Black stopped them.

"Sir, this is the Third Prince of Ziyang Empire. He has absolutely nothing to do with the Chang Family, and we have always supported the Sacred Sect," the old man hurriedly explained.

He stood suspended in the air with four Meridian Gates open. He was actually an expert of the Empty Meridian Realm as well.

"What Sacred Sect? I'm merely an ordinary Rogue Cultivator. I could not stand the Chang Family's usual conduct, so I wished to eliminate evil and uphold justice. It has nothing to do with the Sacred Sect," the Man in Black said calmly.

"Yes, yes, it has nothing to do with the Sacred Sect. Sir acts chivalrously and righteously. Your heart of a hero is truly admirable," the old man hurriedly said.

"Go. Tonight, you saw nothing," the Man in Black said.

The old man quickly bowed in thanks and left with the Third Prince.

Xu Zimo sat in the Branch Hall courtyard, admiring the bright moon while watching the flames in the distance dye the sky crimson.

In his Previous Life, the Chang Family seemed to have been the first faction to pledge allegiance to Chu Yang.

They had even presented the Prison Suppressing Pearl to Chu Yang.

Although the Chang Family was now pitifully weak in his eyes, Xu Zimo still had no intention of leaving behind future trouble.

"You're from the True Martial Sacred Sect!" Chang Tianxiong roared through gritted teeth as he looked at his Lineage reduced to ruins, his rage soaring to the heavens.

"Why? I already handed over the Heavenly Bead. Why are you still doing this?"

"Does a weakling's death need a reason?" the Man in Black said calmly.

"I don't understand. How exactly did our Chang Family offend him?" Chang Tianxiong looked around in grief and indignation.

Five hundred years of weathering wind and rain, the result of generations of effort, had all been destroyed in his own hands.

He still remembered the day his father had passed the position of patriarch to him.

"Xiong'er, you must find that Person of Destiny and lead the Lineage into a true golden age. Do not remain confined to one corner, letting this cage called Tianjian City bind the wings of our Lineage."

He slowly raised the sword in his hand. Children's cries, the terrified screams of his clansmen, and the remnants of five hundred years of Chang Family glory amid the flames filled his ears and eyes.

He raised his sword and looked up at the gloomy sky. At some unknown moment, his hairpin had fallen loose.

His long hair spilled down around him. With a tragic roar, he raised his sword and slit his own throat.

With a clang, the sword fell to the ground. Chang Tianxiong dropped to one knee as blood gushed from his neck, his vision growing increasingly blurred.

At last, his body collapsed limply to the ground.