Chapter 3: The Destruction of the Xu Family

“Retreat quickly!”

With a furious roar, the Grand Elder himself was the first to retreat wildly backward.

But the others were not so fortunate. Already in the midst of their attack, they had no time to withdraw their strikes and could only watch helplessly as the suddenly surging black flames engulfed them.

“Ah!!!”

A chorus of agonized screams erupted as a tornado of flames ravaged wildly around Ye Xiao.

The Grand Elder and Xu Xiao, who had not yet had a chance to strike, staggered back nearly a hundred steps before coming to a halt.

Their faces were grim, especially the Grand Elder’s — his dark, rain-soaked expression still bore a trace of lingering fear.

If he hadn’t retreated quickly just now, he likely wouldn’t have survived.

“How is this possible? He can actually still advance! What kind of secret technique is this?”

The Grand Elder muttered to himself, disbelief etched on his face.

Ye Xiao, who had just been at the threshold of the Spirit Realm, had now officially stepped into it.

“Grand Elder, what should we do?”

Xu Xiao’s voice trembled. As a fifth-level Official Realm cultivator, he was far weaker than the elders.

Their only hope now was the Grand Elder beside him, who had just reached the ninth level of the Official Realm.

At that moment, the enormous fiery tornado gradually ceased and dissipated.

A figure also retreated with it.

It was the Second Elder.

But he was in very poor condition — both his arms were gone, and where they had been severed, no blood flowed, only wisps of black energy coiling around the wounds.

“Are you alright?”

The Grand Elder asked.

Pale-faced and shaken, the Second Elder replied, “I won’t die for now... But what the hell is this guy?”

The Grand Elder shook his head, “I don’t know.”

“Over eighty percent of the Xu family has already been killed or injured! Why haven’t the patriarch and others returned?”

Watching Ye Xiao in the distance, who had begun to regain human form, the Grand Elder’s heart grew anxious. If the patriarch and the heir didn’t come back soon, he would have no choice but to flee.

Meanwhile, having consumed the broken sword, Ye Xiao’s flames had mostly dissipated, but a fiery battle robe still clung to his body.

“Pft!”

Suddenly, Ye Xiao spat a mouthful of fresh blood, feeling as if his internal organs were being scorched by fierce flames. His life force was draining at an alarming rate.

Holding the broken sword, he took step after step towards the three elders, each footfall leaving a black footprint on the ground.

“He’s about to collapse!”

Xu Xiao exclaimed excitedly.

The Grand Elder frowned but said nothing. The Second Elder, however, spoke bitterly, “He may be near death, but at his current strength, killing us is like killing chickens.”

Xu Xiao, who had just smiled moments before, immediately turned pale upon hearing this.

Ye Xiao advanced step by step, his crimson eyes burning with boundless murderous intent.

“Xu Xiao! Ready to report to hell?”

His grim smile and demonic aura terrified Xu Xiao so much he collapsed to the ground.

“G-Grand Elder, please act quickly!”

He had no thought of escape—knowing it was impossible—only praying the Grand Elder would intervene.

Stopping before the Grand Elder, Ye Xiao sneered, “Are you... going to make a move?”

Sensing Ye Xiao’s evident madness, the Grand Elder tightened his grip on his sword.

“If you don’t strike, then I won’t be polite!”

With that, Ye Xiao vanished into a black shadow and charged directly at the Grand Elder. The broken sword trembled slightly as faint flames wrapped its blade, temporarily restoring the sword to its complete form.

Within moments, Ye Xiao was before the Grand Elder, swinging the sword in a decisive strike.

No hesitation.

The Grand Elder’s face changed drastically. Without time to think, he raised his sword to block.

Clang!

The Grand Elder’s sword shattered at the sound, while Ye Xiao’s flame-wreathed broken sword struck without pause.

The Grand Elder’s pupils contracted as he stumbled back, narrowly avoiding the full blow—but his arm was severed.

Excruciating pain and burning sensation washed over him, nearly knocking him off his feet.

Ye Xiao pressed the attack relentlessly, driving the broken sword toward the Grand Elder’s chest.

The strike came as swift as thunder.

The Grand Elder’s cultivation was no match for Ye Xiao’s now, and compounded by his recent injury, he had no chance to resist. The sword pierced his chest.

In that instant, a powerful and sinister force voraciously consumed his life force.

Within just a few breaths, under the stunned gazes of Xu Xiao and the Second Elder, the Grand Elder, who had looked no older than fifty, suddenly appeared emaciated and aged.

After another two breaths, Ye Xiao withdrew the broken sword. The Grand Elder, now nothing but skin and bones, collapsed lifelessly to the ground.

From the moment of attack to death, it had taken but a moment.

Spirit Realm masters were indeed terrifying.

Turning his gaze back to Xu Xiao, Ye Xiao sneered coldly, “Your Grand Elder is dead. What will you do now? Or...”

He glanced toward the already gravely injured Second Elder beside them.

“Want to try next?”

The Second Elder’s face went pale with fear. Without hesitation, he turned and fled. Even the ninth-level Grand Elder had no power to resist Ye Xiao.

A seventh-level Official Realm cultivator, already badly wounded, had no chance against Ye Xiao.

“Run? Do you think you can escape?”

Ye Xiao waved his hand, sending the broken sword flying through the air, piercing the fleeing Second Elder’s back.

Soon, the Second Elder’s life force was also drained dry, and he collapsed to the ground with eyes wide open.

At this moment, all the elders of the Xu family had fallen.

“Now, it’s just you left.”

Ye Xiao’s crimson eyes, like a demon from hell, fixed on Xu Xiao.

Xu Xiao sank to the ground, retreating until his back pressed against a sturdy tree trunk.

He looked at Ye Xiao, who approached slowly holding the broken sword, voice trembling, “P-please don’t kill me. It was the heir who made me do this. He learned about your sister’s celestial bones. It has nothing to do with me.”

“Oh? Is that so?”

Ye Xiao’s voice was icy as he came right before Xu Xiao, towering over him.

Suddenly, Ye Xiao raised his foot and stomped, breaking Xu Xiao’s leg bone. The pain forced a wail from him.

“Where is your heir?”

Xu Xiao was too pained and terrified to answer, teetering on the brink of collapse.

“Looks like you’re not suffering enough yet!”

Ye Xiao kicked again, breaking the other leg.

Another piercing scream rang out, causing Ye Xiao to frown.

“If you scream again, I’ll kill you!”

The screams abruptly ceased. Gritting his teeth, Xu Xiao endured the pain and looked up shakily.

“Where is Xu Beichen?”

Ye Xiao roared.

“He... he went with the patriarch to the Xuanhuang Sect! Because forcibly merging the celestial bones caused severe rejection in the heir’s body, they went to the Xuanhuang Sect to seek the heir’s master’s help to suppress the celestial bones.”

Ye Xiao gripped the broken sword tightly, murmuring to himself.

“The Xuanhuang Sect, huh?”

“Please don’t kill me! I can tell you something!”

Xu Xiao pleaded.

“Speak.”

Xu Xiao swallowed nervously, “The patriarch has a treasure that can sense the family’s situation at any time. They should be on their way back now.”

“This time, there might even be experts from the Xuanhuang Sect coming to assist. If you don’t leave soon, it may be too late.”

“That’s all I know. Please spare me—I was only following orders!”

Ye Xiao was silent for a moment, then a smile curved his lips.

“Spare you? Are you dreaming?”

As his words fell, the broken sword plunged into Xu Xiao’s chest before his despairing eyes.

Having done all this, Ye Xiao turned toward Ye Yanran.

Looking at his sister who had lost her breath, guilt and hatred flickered once more in Ye Xiao’s eyes.

He gently brushed her cheek and whispered, “Yanran, I’ll take you back first. Once I’ve killed that father and son, I’ll come back to be with you.”

With that, he turned and walked toward the Xu family’s gate, Ye Yanran’s body still suspended by black flames, following slowly behind him.

But after only a few steps, the world spun violently.

Suddenly, he felt all his strength leave him; the broken sword slipped weakly from his grasp.

“What... What’s happening to me...”

Feeling his consciousness blur, he knew his life force was nearly depleted.

He was at the brink of exhaustion.

Collapsing to the ground, Ye Xiao looked at Ye Yanran’s body just a few steps away and bitterly smiled.

“Never thought... in the end, I still couldn’t avenge you.”

As his awareness slipped toward unconsciousness, a vague figure appeared before him. Ye Xiao struggled to lift his head, trying to see who it was.

But his vision blurred; after losing his strength, his eyes seemed destined to fail him.

“Sigh~”

With a sigh, Ye Xiao completely lost consciousness.