The Mad Dragon's Defeat, Anying's Divine Might, and the Journey to Central Capital

Demon Capital, Li Family Manor.

The usually tranquil and luxurious manor was now shrouded in a somber and oppressive atmosphere.

In front of the ornate iron gate of the manor, Long Batian, the core elder of the Long Family, was leading more than a dozen imposing geniuses from Capital capital and guards at the Meridian Opening Realm, blocking the entrance to the Li Family like an impregnable Iron Wall.

Long Batian wore a long robe embroidered with gold, his hands behind his back, his eyes, as bright as the sun, flashing with a domineering, even somewhat tyrannical, cold light.

Inside the gates of the Li Family Manor, Li Canghai, the head of the Li Family, along with several elders who remained behind, stood facing Long Batian with grim expressions.

"Long Batian! What do you mean by this?!"

Li Canghai roared, "Our ancestors and the Sun Grade investigators just established the rule that everyone must fight the monsters together! Not only does your Long Family not contribute to the Boundary, but you also led people to forcibly break into my Li Family. Do you really think my Li Family is easy to bully?!"

"Heh, Li Family, you've really hit the jackpot."

Long Batian stood with his hands behind his back, sneering repeatedly, "As I said, the Long Family will investigate the Demon Capital in Shanghai. The Pan Family's spirit mine market—your three families are making a killing off it. We, the Long Family, are new here; we can't just come all this way and leave empty-handed, can we?"

"Just say you want resources, why bother with those high-sounding excuses!"

Li Canghai gritted his teeth, "I'll give you the money, but you're blocking the door with your men now; this is a slap in the face to the Li Family!"

"So what if I slap you in the face?" Long Batian took a step forward, the terrifying pressure of his [Half-Step Sea of Consciousness] level sweeping out like Mount Tai crashing down. "Tonight, the Li Family must hand over half of the Pan Family's assets, or don't blame this old man for his unforgiving true energy!"

Under the overwhelming power, the elders of the Li Family were forced to retreat repeatedly, their faces pale. Although Li Canghai was able to hold on, a trace of despair flashed in his eyes.

With their patriarch gone, the Li Family simply couldn't withstand the ferocious dragon that had crossed the river from the Long Family!

Deep within the manor, in a secluded villa of Hong Gui.

Hong Gui stood by the window, looking at the tense situation at the gate, her alluring face filled with worry and anger.

"That old scoundrel! He actually took advantage of the patriarch's absence to kick someone when they're down!"

Hong Gui bit her red lips, "Although the old man is at the True Power Realm Perfection, Long Batian is a powerful expert at the Half-Step Sea of Consciousness, and the Meridian Opening Realm guards he brought are no pushovers either. If a real fight breaks out, our Li Family will definitely suffer a great loss!"

The Baihu stood to the side, its gaze also solemn.

"This is a dead end," Baihu analyzed. "The Long Family has the authority of an official inspection team. If the Li Family forcibly resists, they will not only suffer heavy casualties, but may also be accused of treason."

Hong Gui turned her head anxiously to look at Dongfang Yueming, who was sitting on the sofa.

"Yueming, this..."

Although she knew that Dongfang Yueming's strength was unfathomable, she still instinctively felt some apprehension when facing a top-tier super family in the Great Xia Dynasty.

"A bunch of clowns."

Dongfang Yueming calmly patted the back of her hand.

Two dark golden halos slowly swirled in his deep eyes.

[Top-Tier Soul Condensation Perfection: Soul Transforms into a Sword]!

"Buzz!"

No need to use your inner energy, nor is it necessary to leave the room.

Dongfang Yueming merely casually separated a barely perceptible wisp of sword intent from the semi-transparent divine soul sword that was floating on the platinum spiritual Lingtai within his Sea of Consciousness.

"Cut."

Outside the gate of the Li Family Manor.

Long Batian was preparing to continue applying pressure, and had even condensed a ball of golden True Power, ready to deliver another fierce blow to the Li Family's gate.

However, the moment he raised his hand!

"Boom--!!!"

A terrifying mental fluctuation, indescribable and even transcending the material dimension, exploded in Long Batian's mind without warning!

That's a sword!

An invisible sword composed entirely of pure killing intent and spiritual power!

This sword intent ignored his proud Half-Step Sea of Consciousness defense and pierced directly into the depths of his soul!

"Puff--!"

Long Batian's once arrogant and domineering face instantly turned ashen white! His eyes bulged out, and he spat out a mouthful of thick blood. As if struck by lightning, his legs went weak, and with a "thump," he knelt directly in front of Li Canghai!

"What... what is this?!"

Long Batian trembled violently. The terrifying sword intent that seemed capable of tearing his soul apart still hovered above his Sea of Consciousness. With just a thought from the other party, this powerful being at the Half-Step Sea of Consciousness would instantly become an idiot!

"Elder?!"

The dozen or so experts from the Long Family behind him were completely dumbfounded! They hadn't even seen who had made the move, yet their high and mighty core elder had inexplicably knelt down?!

Li Canghai and the elders of the Li Family were also completely bewildered, having no idea what had happened.

Just as everyone was in a state of utter horror...

A cold, indifferent voice, seemingly traversing endless space and resounding directly in everyone's minds, exploded like a thunderclap from the heavens:

"Roll."

Just one word.

Yet it contains an irresistible and supreme divine might!

The moment they heard those words, everyone in the Long Family felt as if they had been granted a pardon. Long Batian endured the excruciating pain that was tearing his soul apart, and didn't even dare to utter a harsh word. With the help of his subordinates, he scrambled away from the Li Family manor.

Their disheveled appearance showed no trace of their former glory as "crossing the river dragons"; they looked like a pack of stray dogs.

Watching the Long Family members flee in disarray, Li Canghai stood there, unable to recover for a long time.

He suddenly raised his head and looked into the Xukong.

"Which reclusive, powerful senior figure stepped in to save us?!"

Li Canghai was shocked. A mere mental transmission was enough to make Long Batian at the Half-Step Sea of Consciousness of Consciousness, kneel down without any resistance. Such strength was probably far beyond even his own ancestor!

Meanwhile, in the Hong Gui Villa.

Hong Gui and Baihu stared wide-eyed at the dramatic scene outside the window, then turned to look at Dongfang Yueming, who was still standing quietly in the room.

"What... what did you just do?" Hong Gui asked, her voice trembling.

Dongfang Yueming glanced indifferently out the window.

"It's nothing, just a friendly warning."

Without shedding a drop of blood, he scared away the top-tier outlaw of the Great Xia Dynasty with just a wisp of spiritual power!

This is the divine power of Top-Tier Soul Condensation Perfection cultivator!

Ignoring the two women's shock, Dongfang Yueming turned to Baihu and asked, "How much do you know about Central Capital? Especially those unorthodox Soul Technique and the possible methods above the Sea of Consciousness?"

Baihu took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down from the shock he had just experienced.

She answered earnestly, "As the absolute center of Martial Dao power in the Great Xia Dynasty, Central Capital home to numerous powerful families with profound cultural heritage. Not only does it boast top-tier Martial Dao academies, but recently... it will also host a once-a-decade ' Great Xia Martial Dao Secret Codex Expo '!"

"An expo?" Dongfang Yueming's eyes lit up.

"Yes." Baihu nodded. "This expo is jointly organized by Central Capital and the government. At that time, a large number of rare, even extinct, unorthodox cultivation techniques and Soul Technique will be exhibited. It is even said that there are some fragmented stone slabs excavated from ancient ruins."

"If there's anywhere in the world where you're most likely to find what you're looking for, it's definitely this expo!"

"Very good."

Dongfang Yueming nodded in satisfaction. "Then let's set off for Central Capital immediately."

Hong Gui glanced at the Dongfang Yueming, then looked out the window.

"I... I'm going to say goodbye to the old man."

Hong Gui bit her red lips, turned around and walked out of the courtyard.

A dozen minutes later.

In Li Canghai's study.

Looking at his daughter who had come to say goodbye, Li Canghai's expression was complicated.

He recalled the strange scene outside the gate just now, and looking at his daughter's determined eyes, he had a vague idea of what was going on.

"Hong Gui..." Li Canghai hesitated, then finally let out a sigh, "That person... can he protect you?"

"He's ten thousand times more powerful than you imagine." Hong Gui smiled confidently.

"Go ahead. Be careful in everything." Li Canghai waved his hand.

Demon Capital churned above Shanghai.

Dongfang Yueming stood atop a skyscraper, with Hong Gui and Baihu standing on either side of him.

Before leaving Demon Capital, Dongfang Yueming's immense Divine Sense, which had reached the [Soul Transforms into a Sword] realm, swept across the vast city one last time, like mercury spilling onto the ground.

Golden light swirled in his Heavenly Dao Dharma Eye.

"Hmm? There are still so many who slipped through the net?"

In his view, besides the high-level demons and Variants fighting fiercely at the Boundary, there were still many Variants scum lurking in the dark corners of the Demon Capital and even deep within some seemingly respectable aristocratic families.

These were all low-level "seeds" deliberately left behind by the three major families and the government to cover their tracks.

"Since you're leaving, at least clean up properly."

Dongfang Yueming's tone was icy.

He slowly raised his right hand.

[Heaven Grade Ultimate Technique - Flowers Bloom with a Thought, Soul and Spirit Annihilated]!

"Buzz!"

In an instant, the divine soul sword in Dongfang Yueming's Sea of Consciousness burst forth with dazzling starlight!

These starlights ignored spatial distances, ignored solid physical defenses, and even ignored the vital energy shields that those Variants creatures were so proud of!

"Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!"

Every corner of the Demon Capital.

Whether it's a low-level Variants hiding in the sewers feeding on corpses, or a degenerate from a powerful family lying in a luxurious villa dreaming sweet dreams.

Any creature that has been tainted by that disgusting demonic energy.

The moment I came into contact with this sky full of stars.

Their eyes instantly became empty, and their souls, under that domineering divine sword intent, withered like flowers in an instant, completely obliterated and annihilated!

Hundreds and thousands of hidden Variants died suddenly and without warning at the same time! They didn't even have time to utter a scream before turning into empty shells devoid of souls!

After doing all that.

Dongfang Yueming withdrew his hand, ignoring the horrified gazes of Hong Gui and Baihu beside him, as if they were looking at a god.

"Let's go to Central Capital."