293: Kill the answer

As Mu Chen walked step by step towards the area near the former Hong Family mansion, the atmosphere grew increasingly Severe (somber and murderous) and oppressive.

The surrounding shops and pedestrians were noticeably sparse, replaced by figures in grey-blue robes, arrogant expressions, and icy patterns embroidered on their chests, patrolling everywhere.

Finally, a sprawling complex of mansion buildings, now dilapidated, appeared before him.

The vermillion gate had long since shattered, and the half-broken plaque that once symbolized the Hong Family's glory hung askew, covered in sword marks and dried blood.

Inside the high walls, crumbling ruins and charred beams were faintly visible, all narrating the tragic battle that took place months ago.

A faint, lingering scent of blood still permeated the air.

Damn it! It's really gone!

Although mentally prepared, seeing this desolate scene firsthand, Mu Chen's heart sank abruptly, and a surge of uncontrollable rage shot straight to his head!

Jiang Donghua trusted him, entrusting him with such an important task, yet he was too late!

The Hong Family had indeed suffered such a great calamity!

But the shopkeeper's words echoed in his mind.

"Those who died, died; those who fled, fled!"

Since some fled, it meant there were still survivors!

Red Silk, perhaps there was still hope!

"I must find out!"

A cold glint flashed in Mu Chen's eyes, and he had already made up his mind.

Since covert investigation was too risky and inefficient, it would be better to simply stir up trouble directly!

He would muddy these stagnant waters and force out those in charge!

He no longer concealed himself, walking directly towards the dilapidated Hong Family gate.

At the entrance, several Xuanming Sect Disciples were lazily leaning, their expressions disdainful as they scanned the occasional passersby who dared not approach.

As disciples of the Xuanming Sect, a dominant force in the Northern Region, they were accustomed to acting arrogantly and paid no mind to people from smaller factions.

Seeing Mu Chen, an unfamiliar young man, walk straight towards them, one of the leading disciples, whose strength was roughly that of a Five-Star Dou Ling, impatiently curled his lip, waving his hand as if shooing away a fly, and barked,

"Hey! You brat, are your dog eyes blind?!"

"Can't you see this is territory under the Xuanming Sect's jurisdiction? Get lost! Don't get in our way!"

Several weaker Dou Ling disciples beside him joined in with mocking laughter, full of ridicule and disdain.

"Hahaha, another one who doesn't know his place!"

"Hurry up and scram, or we'll break your legs!"

However, their laughter and shouts ceased abruptly the next moment!

What greeted them was not the expected panicked retreat.

Instead, it was an invisible Dou Qi, seemingly casually flicked from Mu Chen's sleeve!

The Dou Qi was condensed to its extreme, moving at a speed beyond their reaction limit!

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Several dull thuds in succession, like ripe watermelons being instantly crushed!

The Xuanming Sect Disciples who were still laughing didn't even manage to let out a single scream before their bodies suddenly exploded without warning, turning into several pungent bloody mists and minced meat (flesh fragments), splattering onto the broken gate and the ground!

Instantly, the entrance fell into dead silence!

Only the heavy scent of blood rapidly permeated the air!

The next second, a shrill, sharp scream, filled with endless terror, erupted from a Xuanming Sect Disciple in the distance who had luckily not been affected and was already scared witless, echoing throughout the entire area.

"Enemy attack—!! Enemy attack at the Hong Family ruins!!!"

This scream, like a giant stone thrown into a calm lake, instantly shattered the silence of the area!

Powerful auras immediately erupted from deep within the Hong Family mansion and surrounding outposts, like a disturbed hornet's nest, as countless figures, filled with mingled shock, anger, and killing intent, surged frantically towards the gate!

Mu Chen stood still, his white robes as pure as snow, unstained, as if the person who had just thunderously annihilated several Dou Lings was not him.

He expressionlessly watched the Xuanming Sect forces surrounding him from all directions, his eyes as cold as ancient ice; this was the commotion he wanted!

He wanted to see how powerful the Xuanming Sect truly was, and more importantly, to force out the whereabouts of the Hong Family survivors, especially Red Silk!

"Who dares to kill my Xuanming Sect Disciples!"

"Take him down!"

"Tear him to shreds!"

Angry shouts and the sound of rushing wind rose one after another!

Streaks of Dou Qi light of various colors lit up from all directions, swarming towards Mu Chen at the gate like a plague of locusts!

In the blink of an eye, hundreds of people had gathered, surrounding Mu Chen three layers deep, making escape impossible!

Leading the charge were two elders with quite formidable auras, dressed in Xuanming Sect Elder robes, their strengths having impressively reached the levels of Six-Star Dou Huang and Seven-Star Dou Huang!

Such strength was considered that of a master in the Northern Region, sufficient to hold important elder positions in a sect.

Upon seeing the glaring pools of blood and the calmly standing Mu Chen at the entrance, a flicker of surprise crossed their eyes, immediately replaced by fury.

After all, they had strength in numbers and the backing of their sect, so they never considered that the newcomer might possess the power to overturn the situation.

The Seven-Star Dou Huang Elder evidently had a more explosive temper; he stepped forward, his sinister gaze locked onto Mu Chen, and he roared sharply,

"Boy! Who are you?!"

"How dare you commit murder here, killing my Xuanming Sect Disciples! Are you tired of living? Speak! What exactly do you want?!"

His voice was filled with condescending interrogation and undisguised killing intent.

In his opinion, the opponent was so young that at best, he was a low-star Dou Huang, challenging the Xuanming Sect merely by relying on some skill, which was simply courting death!

The hundreds of Xuanming Sect Disciples around them also started clamoring, with endless insults and threats, looking at Mu Chen as if he were a dead man.

They never even considered that this seemingly gentle young man before them was a terrifying existence they should look up to—a Dou Zong!

Mu Chen's gaze calmly swept over the aggressive Xuanming Sect forces, finally resting on the two Dou Huang Elders; he seemed not to hear their questions or the surrounding curses.

Thus, the moment the Seven-Star Dou Huang Elder's words fell, Mu Chen moved.

There was no earth-shattering momentum, no dazzling Dou Qi light.

He merely raised his right hand seemingly casually, and with a gentle clench, directed it at the two Dou Huang Elders and the several Dou Kings rushing at the forefront behind them!

"Om—!"

An invisible yet vast and boundless Soul Power mixed with pure Wood Attribute Dou Qi suddenly descended!

The space in this world instantly transformed into his domain!

Crack! Crack!

The two Dou Huang Elders, who had just been so imposing, had their angry expressions instantly freeze, replaced by extreme horror and terror!

They felt as if they had fallen into an invisible quicksand, their surrounding space completely sealed, no matter how they urged the vast Dou Qi within their bodies, they couldn't even move a single finger!

A terrifying sense of oppression squeezed in from all directions, making their bones groan under the unbearable weight!

"This is spatial power?! Dou Zong! You are a Dou Zong!"

The Seven-Star Dou Huang Elder finally realized something, letting out a desperate and sharp shriek!

And the several Dou Kings behind them, as well as some unlucky disciples further back, didn't even have a chance to react.

The ground suddenly burst open, and countless incredibly tough green vines shot out like venomous snakes, instantly coiling around and constricting them!

"Pfft! Pfft!"

The terrifying power contained within the vines instantly erupted; the several Dou Kings and dozens of disciples didn't even have time to scream before they were forcibly constricted into a sky full of blood mist!

Dismembered limbs and internal organ fragments splattered everywhere, making the scene utterly gruesome!

Instant kill!

A true instant kill!

In just a single exchange, two high-level Dou Huangs were captured and restrained by invisible spatial power, and several Dou Kings and dozens of elite disciples were instantly killed!

The battlefield, which had been incredibly noisy moments ago, instantly fell into a deathly silence!

The remaining hundreds of Xuanming Sect Disciples had their arrogance and killing intent replaced by boundless fear, like ducks whose necks had been squeezed, their mouths agape, their eyes blank as they stared at the white-robed youth standing like a god or demon in the pool of blood, their bodies trembling uncontrollably!

A Dou Zong!

This guy, who looked younger than most of them, was actually a legendary Dou Zong!

Immense fear, like a cold tide, instantly engulfed everyone's minds!

Mu Chen didn't even look at the terrified ordinary disciples; his indifferent gaze fell on the two Dou Huang Elders, who were firmly restrained by his spatial power and whose faces were ashen, and he finally spoke, his voice calm, yet carrying a soul-freezing chill.

"Now, can you answer my questions?"

"What happened to the Hong Family? Where are the survivors?"

"Especially a woman named Red Silk, is she alive or dead?"