Staring at the extinguished Soul Lamp, the black-robed elder’s face filled with confusion. He thought he must be seeing things!
However, after he rubbed his eyes, the Soul Lamp did not reignite!
When the Soul Lamp goes out, the person is surely dead!
In other words, the Celestial Defect Blade Master had fallen!
But Qingyang City was just a small border town. The strongest Martial Artists there were only at the Martial Artist Realm, without a single Grand Martial Artist!
’How could the Celestial Defect Blade Master die in a place like that?’
After all, the Celestial Defect Blade Master was an elite assassin meticulously trained by their Celestial Slaughter Hall, capable of single-handedly wiping out an entire clan!
Even if he encountered a Late Stage Grand Martial Artist, the Celestial Defect Blade Master could still retreat with ease.
The black-robed elder couldn’t make sense of it. He stood up and headed for the Zhou Family residence!
「The Zhou Family.」
After more than ten days of recuperation, Zhou Tianhai was in much better spirits and could already get out of bed and walk.
Zhou Chengfeng comforted him, saying, "Don’t worry, my son. In a little over half a month, the Heaven-Suppressing King will break through to the Martial Monarch Realm. He’ll personally help you remove the Dark Force from your body. Then, Father will ask the Valley Master of Medicine King Valley to treat you. I guarantee your Dantian will be restored."
"Thank you, Father!"
Zhou Tianhai’s face was full of gratitude. He then said, "With you and the Heaven-Suppressing King’s assurances, I’m not worried about that. What I want to know most right now is whether or not the Xiao Family has been wiped out!"
"They’ve definitely been wiped out!" Zhou Chengfeng answered without a moment’s hesitation.
The strongest in the Xiao Family, Xiao Zhan, was only at the Martial Artist Realm, not even a Grand Martial Artist. There was no way he could have withstood the combined attack of four Mid Stage Grand Martial Artists!
What’s more, among those four Grand Martial Artists was the infamous Celestial Defect Blade Master!
Therefore, the Xiao Family’s destruction was a certainty!
Zhou Chengfeng continued, "Also, I’ve already instructed the Grand Elder to be sure to capture Xiao Qingxue alive and bring her back to the family. You’ll have your wish fulfilled very soon."
"Thank you, Father, for making it happen!"
Zhou Tianhai was ecstatic!
But soon, Zhou Tianhai’s eyes turned crimson and his face twisted into a ferocious scowl. He snarled, "Xiao Qingxue, you bitch! Once I get my hands on you, I’ll make you wish you were dead!"
In his mind, he had been crippled all because of Xiao Qingxue!
She was the root of all his problems!
Therefore, he wanted Xiao Qingxue to suffer endless torture, to live her entire life in Hell.
Just then, a disciple entered the room and announced, "Reporting to the Patriarch, someone from the Celestial Slaughter Hall is here!"
’Celestial Slaughter Hall?’
’Has the job been done already? Are they here to collect their payment?’
Zhou Chengfeng said with pleasant surprise, "Good, I’ll go out to meet them right now."
At that moment, Zhou Tianhai suddenly asked, "What about the Grand Elder? Has he returned?"
"Reporting to the Young Master, the Grand Elder has not yet returned since leaving the family!" the disciple answered honestly.
Zhou Tianhai frowned slightly.
Zhou Chengfeng smiled reassuringly. "Don’t worry, my son. Since the Celestial Slaughter Hall is here to collect their fee, it means the job is done. As for the Grand Elder, he’s burdened with Xiao Qingxue, so he’s bound to be slower than the people from the Celestial Slaughter Hall. He’ll arrive a little later."
Zhou Tianhai nodded, finally relaxing.
「In the main hall.」
Zhou Chengfeng spoke politely to the black-robed elder, "Welcome to the Zhou Family, Elder Gui. Please forgive me for not coming out to greet you sooner."
"Cut the crap!"
Elder Gui said coldly, "I’ll ask you, what experts does the Xiao Family have?"
Hearing this, Zhou Chengfeng’s face filled with contempt.
’Those few trash Martial Artists from the Xiao Family? Can they even be considered experts?’
’What a joke!’
’Being able to defeat Wei Zhengyang, Su Mo could barely be considered an expert, but Su Mo isn’t with the Xiao Family right now!’
Zhou Chengfeng said flatly, "The Xiao Family has no experts!"
Elder Gui frowned. "Are you sure!"
"I’m sure!" Zhou Chengfeng said with certainty.
SLAM!
Elder Gui suddenly slammed his hand on the table and stood up, roaring with fury, "Bullshit! If the Xiao Family has no experts, then how did the Celestial Defect Blade Master die?"
’What!’
’The Celestial Defect Blade Master is dead?’
Zhou Chengfeng said in disbelief, "That’s impossible! Those few Martial Artists from the Xiao Family couldn’t possibly kill the Celestial Defect Blade Master!"
Elder Gui said icily, "The Celestial Defect Blade Master’s Soul Lamp has been extinguished!"
At this, Zhou Chengfeng was completely stunned.
’If someone as strong as the Celestial Defect Blade Master died at the Xiao residence, doesn’t that mean our Zhou Family’s Grand Elder also died there?’
’How could this be?’
「Meanwhile, Su Mo had arrived outside the gates of the Imperial City.」
「On the city wall.」
A middle-aged Martial Artist in Black Armor asked in a low voice, "General Cheng, I heard the Heaven-Suppressing King is about to break through to the Martial Monarch Realm. Is it true?"
General Cheng stood opposite him. He was the commander of the Imperial City’s City Defense Army. Both men had long ago betrayed the Royal Family, secretly pledging allegiance to the Heaven-Suppressing King and serving his cause.
"Of course it’s true!"
General Cheng said with a smile, "To tell you the truth, after the Heaven-Suppressing King breaks through to the Martial Monarch Realm, he will seize the throne. When that happens, you and I will be founding fathers of the new dynasty. Just wait for the good life to begin!"
"We should be calling him ’His Majesty, the Heaven-Suppressing King’ then!"
The man in Black Armor cheered, "Long live His Majesty, the Heaven-Suppressing King!"
General Cheng scolded him, "Keep your voice down! Don’t let anyone hear you. It’s not time to address him as ’His Majesty’ just yet!"
"It’s only a matter of time!" the man in Black Armor said with a laugh.
Just as the two were talking, a massive black shadow suddenly appeared in the distance, hurtling toward the Imperial City’s wall at extreme speed!
"Look! What is that?"
"It looks like a giant bird!"
"What giant bird? That’s a Tier Four Demon Beast, a Cyan Cloud Sparrow! To your defenses! Close the gates!"
RUMBLE!
The Imperial City’s gates slammed shut!
When the Cyan Cloud Sparrow approached the city gates, General Cheng immediately stepped forward and said respectfully, "Welcome, Your Majesty the Demon King, to the Imperial City. May I ask what business brings you to our city?"
"I do have business here, of course!" the Cyan Cloud Sparrow said nonchalantly. "You must be the general defending the Imperial City. Hurry up and have your men open the gates and let me in."
"I’m afraid I can’t do that!"
General Cheng refused. "If I let you in and you start eating people inside the city, I can’t bear the consequences."
The Cyan Cloud Sparrow said flatly, "Relax. I definitely won’t eat anyone this time."
"That’s still not acceptable!"
General Cheng refused again. "The Empire has regulations that forbid allowing Demon Beasts into the city. If I let you in, I would be violating those rules. Your Majesty the Demon King, please turn back. Don’t make things difficult for me!"
"My ass! ’Not acceptable this, not acceptable that’—are you trying to get me to kill you?" the Cyan Cloud Sparrow roared furiously.
"Activate the Array!"
Following General Cheng’s loud shout, a protective barrier of light from an Array immediately rose over the city wall, shielding the gates!
"This Array was set up by Elder Huang, the president of the Array Master Guild. Even if you’re a Tier Four Demon King, you still..."
Before General Cheng could finish, an indifferent voice suddenly spoke from the Cyan Cloud Sparrow’s back. "This Elder Huang you speak of... you mean Huang Xu, right?"
Instantly, General Cheng’s expression changed dramatically!
His entire attention had been focused on the Cyan Cloud Sparrow; he hadn’t noticed at all that there was someone on its back.
The Cyan Cloud Sparrow was a Tier Four Great Demon!
Given its proud and unyielding nature, it would never willingly let someone ride it unless that person’s strength far surpassed its own.
’A Martial Monarch...’
General Cheng asked, trembling, "May I ask who you are...?"
Su Mo said flatly, "My name is Su Mo. I am Huang Xu’s master."
’What!’
’Elder Huang has a master?’
’He’s the president of the Desolate Empire’s Array Master Guild! How could he have been subdued and become someone’s servant?’
’How is that possible?’