novelzi Chapter 38 Slaying the old dog
Chapter 38 Slaying the old dog
Both of them locked eyes, a silent battlefield stretching between them. Wen Ran's gaze was calculating, his sharp mind working overtime. He couldn't afford to be reckless. A head-on clash was out of the question; his advantage lay in his cunning and the element of surprise. His fingers twitched slightly, ready to manipulate the blood he'd already spilled, though he'd need to time it perfectly. Every second spent observing the old man's stance, his breathing, his aura, was a second closer to forming a strategy that might lead to victory.
As for the old man, his smirk masked the storm brewing inside him. Relief and terror fought for dominance. How could a cripple—a lowly slave—reach such heights? His aura screamed of the Spirit Gathering stage, but its oppressive weight felt entirely wrong, far stronger, far more refined. It made no sense. And yet, knowing this, the old man took comfort in his own experience and realm advantage. "A bug is still a bug," he muttered under his breath, steeling himself for what he assumed would be a guaranteed win.
"You damn slave," the old man sneered, his voice dripping with disdain. "You've sold your soul, haven't you? Taken the evil path to get back at us. How pathetic. To think you'd go this far for a fleeting moment of vengeance." He let out a bitter laugh, the mockery echoing in the silent, blood-soaked hall. "Throwing away your life just to take down my clan? How pitiful."
Wen Ran's lips curled into a dark smile. "Is that what you think?" His voice carried an icy chill. "No wonder your clan is nothing more than a pile of garbage. You think you're invincible, living in this tiny corner of the world, blind to the truth. Let me tell you something—your entire clan isn't even worth the dirt under my feet. I won't just kill you. I'll erase you so thoroughly that even the heavens won't remember you. How about that? Are you scared now?"@@@@
The old man's smirk faltered, his confidence wavering for just a moment. That aura—demonic and vile—it felt ancient and monstrous, like a ghost from forgotten legends. He couldn't tell if Wen Ran's words were truth or bluff, and that uncertainty gnawed at his resolve. The blood control Wen Ran wielded was like nothing he'd ever seen, the kind of power that only existed in the horrifying tales parents told their children to scare them away from the evil path. Those who wielded such techniques were devils incarnate, capable of the most unspeakable atrocities. And now, standing before him, was a man who embodied every nightmare those legends described.
For the old man, this wasn't just about survival—it was about obliterating a threat that could destroy not only his clan but the world as he knew it. His hands tightened into fists, spiritual energy surging around him like a raging storm. I can't let him live. If I do, he'll eradicate my clan. No, he'll bring ruin to everything.
Yet the old man's body betrayed him. His strength faltered, his spiritual energy running dry, and his once-powerful punch lacked the force to match Wen Ran's determination. The sword pressed forward, cutting through the last of his resistance. His remaining arm was severed, blood spraying into the air.
The old man's vision blurred, his body trembling as he stared into Wen Ran's crimson eyes. Those eyes—they weren't human. They bore into his soul, merciless and unrelenting, like the gaze of a demon. His heart sank as he realized the truth: there would be no escape, no salvation.
The old man closed his eyes, surrendering to his fate.
Wen Ran didn't hesitate. With a clean swing, he severed the old man's neck, silencing him forever. The Fang Clan elder collapsed lifelessly, his blood pooling on the ruined floor.
In that instant, a surge of immense spiritual energy exploded from the old man's body, rushing into Wen Ran like a flood. It filled his dantian to the brim, expanding the vast crimson ocean within. But this time, something new happened. Above the ocean, a small, crimson object began to take shape, radiating a faint, moonlike glow. It hovered above the boundless sea of energy, casting an eerie red light that rippled across the surface.
"What is that?" Wen Ran's voice trembled as he focused on the strange object in his dantian. The presence of it was overwhelming, an ancient and terrifying power that sent chills down his spine. For the first time in his new life, he felt a flicker of fear—a fear that this newfound power might be something far beyond his understanding.