Hong Tao Dies

This sudden turn of events left everyone stunned.

Hong Tao looked at the hand that was blocking his palm, yet showed not a trace of true energy, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes. "Who are you? How dare you interfere in the affairs of my Hong family?"

"Dongfang...?" Jiao Yu'er was both surprised and delighted when she saw the person who had come, and blurted out.

Hong Tao's expression changed, but it was quickly replaced by anger. As the young master of the Hong family, when had he ever encountered such obstruction in Cold Wind City?

"I don't care who you are! Get out of my way!" Hong Tao roared, his inner energy erupting once more. His other hand formed a fist and slammed it hard into Dongfang Yueming's face!

"Watch out!" Jiao Yu'er exclaimed in surprise, reminding him, "He has already reached the Qi Refining Minor Achievement!"

However, despite the powerful punch, Dongfang Yueming remained standing in place.

He simply raised his other hand and extended one finger.

An ordinary finger that looks powerless.

Amidst everyone's puzzled gazes, that finger casually touched the fist that Hong Tao was throwing.

"Snap--!"

A crisp cracking sound echoed throughout the entire venue!

Time seemed to stand still at that moment.

The ferocious expression on Hong Tao's face froze instantly, then was replaced by endless pain and fear. He watched helplessly as his fist bones, wrist bones, arm bones... shattered inch by inch like dominoes! An irresistible force, containing the true meaning of thunder, surged into his body along his arm, instantly crushing his internal organs.

"Well..."

Hong Tao didn't even have time to utter a scream before the light in his eyes quickly dimmed, and his body went limp, his Vitality extinguished.

One finger, and the soul is severed!

The entire dock fell into a deathly silence.

Everyone stared in disbelief at the scene, as if petrified. Hong family's henchmen were so frightened that their legs went weak and they collapsed to the ground, their crotches soaked with sweat.

"It's over..." Jiao Yu'er looked at the corpse on the ground, her pretty face turned pale, and her heart turned ice-cold.

Although she knew Dongfang Yueming was very strong, she never expected that he would dare to kill the young master of the Hong family in the street! This... this is tantamount to making an enemy of the entire Hong family!

"Dongfang... you..."

"He deserves to die, doesn't he?" Dongfang Yueming withdrew his finger, his tone as indifferent as if he had merely crushed an ant.

"But... but the Hong family is incredibly powerful, and their patriarch is a master of Inner Force Perfection! You should run! Run as far away as possible!" Jiao Yu'er urged anxiously.

"Don't worry." Dongfang Yueming turned her head, her gaze beneath the bamboo hat calm and unwavering. "As long as what comes isn't some extraordinary Grandmaster, it doesn't matter."

Jiao Yu'er was taken aback by his words, finding the meaning behind them rather strange. What did he mean by "an extraordinary Grandmaster"? Were there different kinds of Grandmaster?

"Let's go, let's go see the Jiao Clan." Dongfang Yueming didn't offer any further explanation.

Although Jiao Yu'er was extremely anxious, she had no other choice but to take Dongfang Yueming away from this dangerous place and seek her father's advice.

Meanwhile, at the Hong family mansion.

Hong Batian, the patriarch of the Hong family, was pacing anxiously back and forth in the hall.

"What's going on? Why haven't the Bai family members arrived yet?!" he roared at his servants.

Just then, a scout stumbled in, his face filled with terror. "Master... Master! Something terrible has happened! News has come that the Bai... the Bai family... is completely wiped out!"

"What did you say?!" Hong Batian was struck dumb, grabbed the scout by the collar, and roared in disbelief.

The scout, trembling, recounted the information he had gathered. "... It's said that they angered a mysterious prodigy from the Central Continent, and on the returning giant ship, they were... were all slaughtered by a single man..."

"One person... slaughtered them all?!" Hong Batian released his grip, staggering back a few steps, his eyes filled with horror. The Bai family had quite a few experts with Inner Force! What kind of genius could possess such terrifying strength?!

A chill ran through him. The Bai family was finished. Then what about the true purpose of the Hong family's bargaining chip in their deal with the Yi family — the Lightning Prison Star-Shattering Hammer? Without it, how could they possibly win over the Yi family and suppress the Jiao Clan?

Just as he was feeling agitated, another servant rushed in, looking panicked.

"Master! Something terrible has happened! Young... Young Master... has been murdered!"

"What?!" Hong Batian felt a sudden darkness before his eyes and almost fainted.

He forced himself to stand and asked in a hoarse voice, "Who did this?! Was it someone from the Jiao Clan?!"

"No... no..." the servant explained in a panic, "It was a young man wearing a bamboo hat, who seemed to know Miss Jiao. After he killed the young master, he left with Miss Jiao!"

Upon hearing that it wasn't the Jiao Clan who was behind it, Hong Batian felt inexplicably relieved.

[Thankfully, thankfully... it's not the Jiao Clan planning a full-scale war. After all, the Yi family's stance is still unclear.]

He subconsciously overlooked the "young man's" strength, assuming that since he wasn't a power on par with the Jiao Clan, the other party must not have any powerful background.

[Since it's not the Jiao Clan, that makes things easier!]

A surge of overwhelming rage instantly replaced the previous panic.

"How dare you! You dare kill my son, Hong Batian's son!" His eyes flashed with murderous intent as he roared, "Men! Follow me... to the Jiao Clan to demand your release!"