"Let go... I'm your son... you've mistaken me for someone else..."
The sounds disturbed the villagers of Holy Soul Village.
A woman passing by carrying buckets of water tilted her head and listened for a moment, her expression gradually changing. "Is that... Little San in Old Drunk Tang's house?"
Several villagers who had been squatting in the shade at the foot of a wall stood up as well.
"Let's go take a look."
Someone peered through the crack in the door, then jerked his head back as though he had seen something horrifying.
"What's wrong? What did you see?"
The man swallowed, disbelief written all over his face. Only after a long while did he squeeze out a few words. "It's over... something terrible has happened..."
Several men exchanged glances and broke down the door. The sight inside left them aghast.
A village woman pointed into the house, her lips trembling. "He... he's lost his mind... he's treating Little San as his wife??..."
Two villagers rushed forward to pull them apart, but before their hands even touched Tang Hao's shoulders, an invisible force flung them away, sending them stumbling back several steps.
"Ah Yin... Ah Yin, this time I'll protect you. I'll protect you!"
Tang Hao did not budge or turn around. His eyes remained fixed on the boy in his arms as he repeated a name over and over.
It was as though he were trapped in some moment from years ago.
But the villagers could not pull Tang Hao away at all. They could only watch helplessly as he sank deeper and deeper.
Some more time passed.
With complicated looks in their eyes, the villagers watched Tang San stagger out of Holy Soul Village like a walking corpse.
His retreating figure grew ever more distant, as though he meant to leave all of Holy Soul Village, his entire past, and that man called "Father" behind him.
To leave this place that had exhausted him in body and mind and filled him with fear.
Tang Hao stared blankly in the direction Tang San had gone.
His lips moved, but no sound came out.
Only when that figure had vanished completely did someone abruptly come to his senses, turn toward Tang Hao inside the house, and let out the first shout.
"Tang Hao, are you even fucking human? That was your own son! How could you do that?!"
"There isn't another father like you under heaven!"
"You've ruined his entire life! Do you understand?!"
Like water flung from a basin, the curses could no longer be held back, striking Tang Hao one after another.
Tang Hao never raised his head.
But both his hands had clenched into fists, his nails digging deep into his palms. Beads of blood seeped out and mingled with the dust, turning dark red.
Tang Hao abruptly raised his head, his eyes bloodshot, and muttered to himself.
"You all saw it."
"Every one of you saw it."
"This can't get out."
"I absolutely cannot let this get out."
"I've already wronged Little San. I can't let people point accusing fingers behind his back too."
"I'll kill you all. Not one left."
A heavy black hammer silently materialized in Tang Hao's hand.
"Tang Hao! Don't do anything rash!"
"We just... we just couldn't bear to watch..."
Only then did the villagers realize something was wrong. Tang Hao had a Martial Soul and Soul Power. He was a Soul Master. They all backed away in fear.
"No! Please, no!"
"Ah!"
"Tang Hao! Have you gone mad?! Why are you killing me?!"
"Help! Help!"
Hammer shadows swept through Holy Soul Village, plunging it into chaos.
Like a demonic god, Tang Hao slaughtered everyone who had witnessed that scene.
Men and women, young and old-all fell beneath the Clear Sky Hammer.
By the time he stood in the center of the devastated village, no expression remained on his face.
There was only coldness and numbness, with a trace of madness lingering deep in his eyes.
He searched the entire village, confirming that no one remained alive.
Then he staged the scene to look like the aftermath of a "Fallen Soul Master's massacre."
Once everything was done, Tang Hao never looked back. His figure flashed away as he pursued Tang San in the direction he had left.
Night fell.
Returning from a neighboring village where he had been invited for drinks, Old Jack hummed a little tune on his way home.
The closer he came to Holy Soul Village, the more he sensed something was wrong.
It was too quiet.
There was not even a single bark.
When he pushed open the familiar gate in the fence at the village entrance, a thick stench of blood hit him in the face.
Old Jack stopped in his tracks and tremblingly raised his head, only to see bodies strewn across the ground and shattered doors and windows.
His whole body shook violently. He opened his mouth, but not a sound came out.
"How could... how could this happen..."
The old man's legs gave way, and he toppled straight backward.
He hit the ground heavily and lost consciousness.
Meanwhile, in Suotuo City, a pitch-black figure slowly descended into a dim alley under cover of night.
It was none other than Ye Guixu.
After digging up the Blue Silver Emperor and taking the Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone, he had raced all the way to Suotuo City, finally arriving with the intention of resting there for a night.
"There's nowhere in particular to go."
Ye Guixu stepped out of the alley and looked at the desolate streets at night, his steps briefly faltering.
"Hmm?"
"An evil presence..."
At the same time, a somewhat secluded house was brightly lit and filled with noisy voices.
A mercenary band was celebrating the day's "haul."
"Ha! Boss, that fat fish today was a good one. Several hundred Gold Soul Coins!"
A gaunt man with triangular eyes twirled a dagger in his hand, snickering.
"Heh, that old man was still clinging to his little fortune at death's door. His wife tasted pretty good, though." A red-haired fat man licked his lips, his grin utterly lewd.
"Fuck, you fat bastard. You just love playing with our leftovers."
"Exactly. Always picking up the scraps."
"Hahahaha! Maybe he likes it better because that woman had our scent on her!"
The red-haired fat man ignored his companions' mockery, his face full of rapture as he savored the memory.
"What do you know... that feeling when they're completely broken, like a doll you can do anything to-how could you understand?"
"Tch, like a puppet. What's fun about that?"
"Exactly. Your tastes are fucking sick."
"Last time, he even did it while the body was still warm..."
The men burst into laughter, their conversation growing increasingly vile.
The dark-faced, bald man at the head of the table watched his subordinates fool around and gave a snorting laugh, not bothering to rein them in.
"All right, we'll pull off a big job tomorrow. Strike while the iron's hot!"
"Stick with the boss, and there's meat to eat!"
"That's right! Meat to eat, women to play with-what could be better!"
The smells of wine and meat mingled with laughter that echoed through the house.
Clearly, this group was engaged in anything but honest work.
What they failed to notice, however, was-
Outside the house, a heavy suit of pitch-black armor stood silently in the darkness.
Patterns of interwoven dark gold and inky green covered its surface, glimmering with a muted, cold light in the night.
It slowly raised its head, and two scarlet lights suddenly flared on its metal face.
Following the evil presence he had sensed earlier, Ye Guixu had tracked it all the way here.
He activated the Full-Spectrum Sensing Array, instantly taking in everything inside the house.
Six signs of life steeped in bloodshed and murderous energy:
Four Soul Grandmasters between levels 25 and 27, and two Soul Elders, one at level 31 and one at level 35.
Ye Guixu withdrew his perception, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.
"Interesting."
"I was just worrying about finding somewhere to stay."
"Tonight... I can get some proper rest."
"Delicious evil!"
Before you continue