Death of the Heart, Life of the Heart

"Old Ghost Shang, you can go die now too."

Prison Flower's eyes were filled with arrogance and disdain, a faint smile curling at the corner of her lips, as if mocking his incompetence.

Honestly speaking, she had never truly regarded Zhao Yan Shang as a threat.

Even after consuming the Blood Spirit Pill, he was at best just a slightly larger ant.

"A mantis trying to stop a chariot, an ant trying to shake a tree."

With a light shout from Prison Flower, her surging Battle Intent shot straight into the clouds!

"True Martial: Shake the Heavens and Earth!"

"Black Dragon, roar to your heart's content!"

In an instant, Prison Flower's eyes turned pitch black, as suffocating as an abyss.

The Black Dragon on her right chest no longer coiled in restraint!

It soared into the air! A resounding Dragon roar filled the space between heaven and earth!

"Roar!"

Then, with extreme speed, it landed behind Prison Flower, strikingly forming a majestic phantom of a Dragon!

Black runes transformed into wisps of black Qi, circling her arms. Every inch of skin and every bone contained destructive power.

"Strength to shake the Five Mountains, Qi to pierce the heavens!"

At this moment of life and death, Zhao Yan Shang felt an indescribable complexity in his heart.

He could have spent his twilight years in peace, enjoying Family life, being a carefree old madman.

But how could life have so many 'ifs'?

"Rather than being led by the nose by fate, why not defy it just once?"

Recalling everything from the past made the old man's heart ache as if pierced by knives...

...

His son had originally been an outer Sect disciple of the Heaven Sword Immortal Sect, but due to poor Aptitude, he was expelled from the Sect, yet he remained an Elder within the Family.

It could be said he was extremely glorious, but heaven did not follow human wishes, and he was dragged into the interest disputes between Families.

Even to avoid implicating the Family, not even his wife could survive.

Under the guise of Family honor, Zhao Yan Shang had already made the wrong choice, yet he resolutely chose wrongly again.

He often felt annoyed and regretful, but he could not change the past or correct his mistakes.

Fate toyed with people; Zhao Yan Shang did not receive the favor of fate, but instead fell into a difficult choice once again.

Looking at the extreme power of the fist wind before him! A smile actually curled at the corner of his lips, and then he gave up resisting...

"Knowing it was a certain death trap, yet still coming here, I really am foolish."

"No! Perhaps this is... the wisest decision I have ever made."

"If I hadn't come, it would have been the death of my heart; coming here is the birth of my heart!"

The fist wind, accompanied by the overbearing Dragon roar, peerlessly pierced the old man's chest!

The earth crumbled, the clouds in the sky shattered, and within a radius of ten thousand meters, not a single living soul remained!

...

In the barren mountain region, a blood-soaked, strange figure was tripped by a rock once again.

She couldn't remember how many times she had fallen. Branches had scratched her skin, blinded her eyes, her delicate nose exposed white, ghastly bone, and the soles of her feet were already mangled and unrecognizable.

But this was Grandfather's warning! She had never seen Grandfather so serious.

"I crushed the message-transmitting Spirit Stone, but only Grandfather came!"

"Don't return to the Family! What happened to the Family!"

"A trap..."

"Or perhaps I was used as a pawn."

She couldn't figure it out, and she didn't want to understand; she only hoped that Grandfather could come and find her.

Her beautiful face no longer existed; the beautiful young woman now looked like a monster, covered in snot, tears, blood, and mud...

She couldn't walk anymore, so she hooked her fingers into the ground. Her spiritual power was exhausted, she had no Medicinal Pills left, and she felt just like a Mortal.

She crawled forward in a sorry state...

After a long time, a beautiful figure appeared ahead.

After seeing the person's face, Zhao Xinyi stopped moving, using her last bit of strength to lie on the ground.

"Zhao Aotian, this Young Miss might not be able to return to see you. You brat, take care of yourself in the future."

"Do not be careless in your cultivation. In the future, you won't be able to eat the pastries made by this Young Miss; don't forget me."

"Also, I really miss you..."

...

The Lin Family of Qingfeng City, a first-level cultivation Family.

The courtyard was littered with corpses, and a group of people stood in a circle, staring forward with eyes wide enough to split, filled with rage.

Blood stained the floor, desolate cries echoed throughout the Lin Family residence, and despair filled everyone's hearts.

"A tiny Lin Family actually produced a third-rate High Grade Genius!"

The person speaking was a burly man with a black cloth tied around his head, holding a large blade in his hand, his face full of ferocity.

"To not report such a Genius! Your Lin Family has a lot of nerve!"

The lackey beside him also chimed in hurriedly.

This person had gaunt cheeks, prominent cheekbones, and a pair of large buck teeth in his mouth that were very obvious. His eyeballs rolled around like a cunning rat.

"Hand over this person, and we will give your Lin Family a chance to survive!"

"Don't be ungrateful!"

Facing this malicious harassment, the people of the Lin Family were in despair.

The Genius within the Family was named "Lin Feng."

With his talent, he definitely had hope of reaching Foundation Establishment cultivation!

Therefore, the Family's resources were largely tilted towards him, and his whereabouts were listed as a secret; even the outside world didn't know such a person existed.

At the same time, he was the son of the Lin Family head. He was low-key and rarely stepped out of the house, seeking only to progress step by step and develop steadily.

Who could have imagined that while no one outside noticed, his tracks would be leaked by a close blood relative who was like a brother.

Perhaps jealousy had distorted him, or perhaps the high reward had tempted him.

"What was his name again?"

"Lin Feng."

Just as the burly man's words fell, the lackeys beside him hurriedly chimed in with flattery.

"Boss is wise and mighty! With an unforgettable memory! It truly makes us brothers feel ashamed."

"Boss was born with Divine Power! No matter where you are, you are a figure of general-level status!"

The burly man enjoyed this insipid flattery, unable to even suppress the corners of his mouth.

Perhaps wanting to show off his dominance, he raised his blade and spoke aggressively.

"Lin Feng, kid, come out voluntarily. Do you really want the entire Lin Family to be slaughtered because of you alone?"

It was clearly the most inferior method of provocation, yet it was unexpectedly effective.

A youth in the crowd silently lowered his head, saying nothing. His heart, already filled with self-reproach, became even more guilty.

The standoff had lasted until now; many people in the Lin Family had already died, leaving only a few high-ranking members and servants.

He could not accept this result in his heart; he could not bear to see one relative after another leave him. Just as he was about to resolutely walk out of the crowd!

A rough, large hand tightly grabbed his collar.

The youth looked at this person with confusion, his eyes full of tears.

It was his father! But at this moment, he looked very disheveled.

His father, who was usually dignified, had red eyes, and his body was trembling slightly.

"Lin'er, don't go. Let Ran'er die for you."

He forcibly suppressed his voice, but could not avoid a slight tremble and choking.

The nails on his other hand had long since dug deeply into his flesh.

"Only if you live does the Lin Family have hope."

The flame in the youth's heart seemed to be extinguished by cold water. He kept his head down, unable to move forward, his body trembling uncontrollably.

A trickle of blood flowed from the corner of his mouth, but reason ultimately overcame his anger.

"A real man knows when to yield and when to stand tall. Do not let yourself fall into danger because of the hatred before you!"

Watching his former clansmen die one after another, the youth's eyes were filled with nothing but monstrous coldness.

He hated this dark world!

He hated his own incompetence!

He hated his own cowardice even more!

The group of burly men, perhaps feeling that enough time had passed, laughed jokingly.

Their laughter was filled with ridicule and mockery, and tears streamed down uncontrollably.

"It's too ridiculous, this bunch of fools from the Lin Family!"

"They actually thought that if no one stood out, we wouldn't be able to find Lin Feng's tracks!"

The gaunt-cheeked man stuck out his tongue, his face full of madness.

"With just your little cleverness, you want to defy the methods of a Foundation Establishment expert!"

"Where Lin Feng is, we can see at a glance!"

The burly man couldn't help but laugh out loud again, a sense of superiority surging in his heart.

"A bunch of lowly Mortals, it was just toying with you all."

"Did you really think this master was an idiot!"