51: Chapter 51 Dealing with Traitors

"Indestructible Diamond Body — Open!"

Daoist Tie Yan's skin took on a metallic sheen, his muscles coiled like dragons, and he crossed his arms to protect his chest, preparing to take the punch head-on.

"Bang!!!"

As fist met arm, a thunderous explosion erupted!

Daoist Tie Yan felt a destructive force surge into his body through his arms; it was not True Essence, nor was it spiritual power, but something more fundamental and violent! It ignored his Protective Aura and struck his internal organs directly!

"Crack!"

The bones in his arms shattered!

"Pfft!"

Daoist Tie Yan flew backward, slamming heavily into the black barrier, vomiting blood as his chest caved in and his internal organs shifted!

"Your... your Physical Body..." His eyes were filled with horror.

"Second punch."

Ling Hao did not give him a chance to catch his breath, and the second punch followed immediately.

This punch was faster and heavier!

Before the fist arrived, the wind from it had already torn through the air, dispersing all of Daoist Tie Yan's Protective Aura!

"No!!!"

Daoist Tie Yan roared in despair, burning his essence blood to push his Physical Body strength to the limit, the metallic sheen on his skin almost becoming tangible!

But it was useless.

"Boom!!!"

The second punch landed solidly on his chest.

"Crack, crack, crack!"

His sternum shattered! His ribs broke! His heart was shocked into stopping for three breaths by the force of the punch!

Daoist Tie Yan flew out like a tattered sack, smashing through a corner of the city wall and becoming embedded in the bricks, covered in blood and barely breathing.

"Third punch."

Ling Hao walked up to him and slowly raised his right fist. On the knuckle, crimson-gold battle patterns swirled, with a trace of Chaos-colored light flickering in and out of existence.

If this punch landed, Daoist Tie Yan would undoubtedly die.

"Wait..." Daoist Tie Yan coughed up blood, a look of pleading flashing in his eyes. "I surrender... I am willing to surrender... I have secrets about the Qingyang Sect... I can..."

"Not necessary." Ling Hao interrupted him. "I will retrieve the secrets of the Qingyang Sect myself. As for you..."

He paused, his voice cold:

"Those who touch my Ling Family shall die."

The third punch landed.

"Pfft!"

His head exploded, spraying red and white everywhere.

Daoist Tie Yan, a Golden Core Early Stage Body Cultivator, had fallen.

Ling Hao withdrew his fist, shook off the blood, and looked at Ling Xiao: "What is the situation in the city?"

"Zhou Tianhong has been captured, Nangong Xiong has been taken down, and a total of thirty-seven members of the Zhou Family and Nangong Family who participated in the rebellion have all been controlled," Ling Xiao reported quickly. "Of the twenty Foundation Establishment Disciples from the Qingyang Sect, twelve died from infighting within the Formation, and the remaining eight have been taken prisoner."

"Very good." Ling Hao nodded. "Seal the captives' cultivation and throw them into the dungeon. Bring Zhou Tianhong and Nangong Xiong... up here."

Soon, Zhou Tianhong and Nangong Xiong were escorted to the city tower by the Ling Shadow Guards.

Both men had their cultivation sealed and were covered in wounds. Zhou Tianhong's face was ashen, while Nangong Xiong glared at Ling Hao with venomous hatred.

"Ling Hao, if you want to kill me, just do it. Why humiliate me!" Nangong Xiong hissed.

"Humiliation?" Ling Hao laughed. "Nangong Xiong, when you and Zhou Tianhong were plotting the rebellion three days ago, did you ever think this day would come?"

He walked up to Nangong Xiong, looking down at the once high-and-mighty Patriarch of the Nangong Family: "I am very curious. Nangong Waner breaking off the engagement was originally a matter of face for both families. Even though she conspired with the Heavenly Dao Palace to assassinate me, I only asked for your submission. Why did you want to put my Ling Family to death?"

"Why?" A flash of madness crossed Nangong Xiong's eyes. "Because you ruined the future of my Nangong Family! Waner originally had a Profound Rank Water Spiritual Root, reached the ninth level of Qi Refining at sixteen, and was expected to reach Foundation Establishment before twenty and Golden Core before thirty! But you crippled her, and the Nangong Family was reduced to an appendage."

He gritted his teeth: "It is all because of you! You trash with no Spiritual Root, what right do you have to ruin my daughter's future?! What right do you have to bring shame upon the Nangong Family?!"

"So you colluded with the Qingyang Sect to exterminate my entire Ling Family?" Ling Hao's voice turned cold.

"So what if I did?!" Nangong Xiong threw caution to the wind. "I only hate that those trash from the Qingyang Sect were useless and actually let you..."

"Slap!"

Ling Hao slapped Nangong Xiong across the face, sending him flying several meters, his teeth spraying out mixed with blood.

"This slap is for your ingratitude. Back when the Ling Family was at its peak, your Nangong Family was nothing more than a third-rate Family in Qingyun City. It was my father who promoted you, which is why your Nangong Family has what it has today."

He walked up to Nangong Xiong and slapped him again.

"This slap is for colluding with foreign enemies. Because of Family grievances, you actually invited outsiders to massacre the city. Do you know how many innocent commoners would have lost their lives today if the Qingyang Sect had succeeded?"

The third slap landed.

"This slap is for your utter stupidity. You think that if you destroyed my Ling Family, the Qingyang Sect would have spared the Nangong Family? In the world of cultivation, the weak are prey to the strong. You are nothing but a pawn in someone else's hand, to be discarded after use."

Nangong Xiong collapsed to the ground, his face covered in blood, his eyes unfocused.

Ling Hao stopped looking at him and turned to Zhou Tianhong.

"Patriarch Zhou, do you have anything to say?"

Zhou Tianhong trembled all over, kneeling and kowtowing: "Young Master Ling, spare me! I was confused! I was possessed by a ghost! I am willing to offer up all the Zhou Family's assets, I only beg the Young Master to spare the lives of my Zhou Family Disciples!"

"Your life is worthless," Ling Hao said indifferently. "I will take over all the Zhou Family's assets. As for you..."

He paused: "Crippling your own cultivation, go to the mines outside the city for ten years of hard labor. If you are still alive after ten years, I will allow you to leave Qingyun City."

Zhou Tianhong looked as if he had been struck by lightning, collapsing to the ground. Crippling his own cultivation and doing ten years of hard labor... this was harder to bear than killing him.

But at least, the Zhou Family Disciples could live.

"Thank... thank you, Young Master, for your mercy..." He kowtowed, his voice trembling.

"Take him away."

The Ling Shadow Guards dragged the two away.

On the city tower, only Ling Hao, Ling Xiao, and the others remained.

"Brother Hao, what should we do next?" Ling Xiao asked. "The three Golden Core Elders of the Qingyang Sect have all perished, and the twenty Foundation Establishment Disciples are either dead or captured. This matter will definitely not end well. The Qingyang Sect Master, 'Master Qingyang,' is a half-step Nascent Soul Great Cultivator. If he comes in person..."

"Then let him come." Ling Hao looked toward the east, the direction of the Qingyang Sect. "My Battle Spirit Body has already touched the threshold of the first layer of the War God Physique. If I can fight another battle, perhaps..."

A fiery Battle Intent flashed in his eyes: "I can make a Breakthrough in one go."

"But your injuries..." Ling Xiao said worriedly.

"It is fine." Ling Hao waved his hand. "The Golden Cores of Daoist Qingsong and the others are enough for me to recover from my injuries, and even advance further."

He turned around and looked at Ling Xiao: "Cousin, for the next three days, I will be in seclusion to refine the Golden Cores. During this time, I leave Qingyun City to you."

"First, reorganize the city defenses and repair the Formation, especially the West City Gate."

"Second, take inventory of the spoils of war — the Magic Treasures of the Zixia Palace and Qingyang Sect must all be collected, and I will deal with them after I come out of seclusion."

"Third," a cold light flashed in Ling Hao's eyes. "Spread the results of today's battle across a radius of ten thousand li. Especially to the Qingyang Sect... I want them to know that if they dare to come to Qingyun City, they must be prepared to die."

"Yes!" Ling Xiao cupped his fists.

Ling Hao said nothing more, his figure turning into a streak of blood-colored light as he returned to the Ling Family's secret chamber.