62: Chapter 62 Slaughtering the Soul

It wasn't just cracking; it was completely shattered!

Countless bronze fragments scattered everywhere; the Xuantian Sect's town-securing treasure had been destroyed!

"Pfft—!" Supreme Elder Yun Xuzi felt as if he had been struck by a heavy blow, spraying a mouthful of blood as his aura instantly withered significantly. The xuantian mirror was connected to his mind; with the Magic Treasure destroyed, he also suffered heavy injuries.

"Impossible... This is absolutely impossible..." He muttered to himself, his lips trembling. For the first time, his eyes were filled with incomprehensible shock and fear that seeped into his very marrow. His Dao Heart was on the verge of shattering at this moment.

Ling Hao did not give him a chance to catch his breath.

Taking a second step, his figure flickered slightly. Enveloped in the still-lingering violent Spiritual Pressure and chilling killing intent, he appeared as clearly as a ghost right in front of Supreme Elder Yun Xuzi.

His left hand gripped his throat.

His right hand pressed against his Dantian.

"Weren't you going to search my soul and seize my spirit?" Ling Hao's voice was cold. "Now, it is your turn."

"Disintegration · Origin Devour."

Supreme Elder Yun Xuzi's eyes widened abruptly.

He felt that his Soul Emergence spiritual power, cultivated through a thousand years of hard work, was being crazily devoured by a terrifying force!

"No—!!!" He screamed miserably.

But his voice came to an abrupt halt.

Because his body, starting from his Dantian, was disintegrating into ash inch by inch.

A Soul Emergence Realm Cultivator had fallen.

Ling Hao released his hand, letting the ashes drift away.

He turned his head to look at Granny Yin and Chief Disciple Xue Yuzi, who were already terrified out of their wits.

"It is your turn."

Granny Yin let out a shriek and turned into a gust of sinister wind, trying to flee.

But Ling Hao merely raised a finger.

"Freeze."

The sinister wind solidified.

Granny Yin's figure fell from the Void Realm, looking in terror at her own body which could no longer move.

"Old hag," Ling Hao walked up to her, "you said just now that you wanted to smash my father's bones?"

Granny Yin's lips trembled: "Spare... spare me..."

"Too late."

Ling Hao stomped down.

"Crack."

Her left kneecap shattered.

"Crack."

Her right kneecap shattered.

"Crack, crack, crack..."

Every stomp precisely crushed a bone.

Yet he did not kill her.

He only let her feel her body turning into mush inch by inch amidst extreme pain.

Her screams pierced the sky.

Chief Disciple Xue Yuzi's face turned deathly pale, and he turned to flee.

But as soon as he flew out a hundred zhang, he crashed into an invisible wall.

Ling Hao had appeared before him, no one knew when.

"Where do you want to go?" Ling Hao asked.

Chief Disciple Xue Yuzi gritted his teeth and summoned the Blood Jade Sword; the sword light turned into a blood-colored river, slashing towards Ling Hao!

This was his Lifebound Treasure, and its power was comparable to a full-force strike from an Early Stage Nascent Soul Cultivator!

Ling Hao didn't even look, just reached out and grabbed.

The blood-colored river was crushed by him alive.

He held the Blood Jade Sword in his hand and applied force with his five fingers.

"Crack."

The sword shattered.

Chief Disciple Xue Yuzi felt as if struck by lightning, bleeding from his seven orifices.

"The Xuantian Sect's Chief Disciple?" Ling Hao shook his head. "Trash."

He raised his hand and pressed it onto Chief Disciple Xue Yuzi's crown.

"I want your Golden Core."

"I want your soul as well."

"In your next life, remember not to provoke anyone with the surname Ling."

He closed his five fingers.

Chief Disciple Xue Yuzi exploded into a cloud of blood mist.

In the blood mist, a fist-sized Golden Core entwined with blood-colored patterns, along with a blurry soul, were collected into Ling Hao's palm.

The battle ended.

From the moment Ling Hao appeared until the three Xuantian Sect experts were completely wiped out, it took no more than ten breaths.

Heaven and earth were silent.

Everyone stared blankly at that figure in the sky.

White hair, wrinkles, a weak aura; the aftereffects of burning his battle blood began to appear.

But those crimson-gold eyes were as bright as the sun.

Ling Hao slowly descended from mid-air. Although his robes were stained with blood and dust, his figure remained as steady as a mountain, landing gently on the mottled and damaged high platform.

He did not speak immediately, his gaze slowly sweeping across the entire scene.

First, he looked at his father, Ling Zhentian, who was pale but forcing himself to remain calm, then turned to Ling Xiao, who was covered in blood and standing while leaning on his sword. Finally, his gaze swept over the faces of every clansman below the platform who was still standing, whether injured or exhausted.

"From today on," he finally spoke. His voice was hoarse from exhaustion and the fierce battle, yet it was like iron and stone that had been honed; every word hammered heavily into everyone's hearts, carrying an unquestionable and irresistible power. "If the Xuantian Sect dares to offend my Qingyun City by even a single step again..."

"I will personally go to the Central Region and level the Xuantian Sect's mountain gate."

Having said this, his body swayed.

Ling Xiao hurriedly supported him.

"Brother Hao!"

"I'm fine." Ling Hao waved his hand and looked deep into the ancestral grounds. "I need to go into seclusion to heal. In three days, we depart for the Valley of Buried Weapons."

"The Valley of Buried Weapons?" Ling Xiao was stunned.

"Yes." Ling Hao nodded. "There is something I need there."

He paused, then added, "When I return from the Valley of Buried Weapons..."

He lifted his chin slightly, his gaze seemingly piercing through the roof of the hall, casting towards the vast and chaotic Southern Region.

"It will be time to start planning to let this entire Southern Region change its master."

The voice was not loud, and he hadn't even deliberately raised it, yet every word was like a thunderclap from the nine heavens, carrying the determination to shatter the old order, exploding in everyone's hearts!

In the end, when meeting his son's deep, firm eyes that no longer held a shred of childishness, it all turned into silent sighing and pride. He patted Ling Hao's shoulder heavily, his broad palm conveying a heavy trust and entrustment.

"Good! Father... believes in you!"

Ling Xiao also smiled: "Brother Hao, when the time comes, I will go with you."

"And us!" The Ling Shadow Guards and the ten children from the Youth Battalion, scarred but with burning gazes, shouted in unison. Although their voices were hoarse with fatigue, they were like gathering firewood, burning with an unyielding flame.

On this path, he was not alone.

"Good." He nodded slowly, his voice gentle but unshakable. "But this time, only Cousin and I need to go. You all stay behind and guard this place; that is equally important."

Having said this, he turned and walked step by step towards the ancestral grounds.

His steps were somewhat unsteady, his back casting a long shadow in the setting sun.

But everyone knew,

when this figure walked out of the ancestral grounds again, the entire Southern Region would be shaken because of him.

[System Notification]

[Achievement "Slaughterer of Soul Emergence" achieved (Killed a Soul Emergence Cultivator while at a lower Realm)]

[Rewards obtained: 20000 Origin Points, 1 Soul Emergence Origin Fragment (can be refined and absorbed), Chaos Origin Sutra (Complete Version)]

[Unfinished Task Issued: Explore the Valley of Buried Weapons and obtain the first complete Origin of War]

[Task Reward: Determined based on completion status]

[Host Current Status]

[Ling Hao: War God Physique Second Layer (Weakened period after burning battle blood, requires three days to recover)]

[Origin Points: 21400]

[Abilities Mastered: Disintegration Dao Pattern (Complete Version), Unlimited Usage, Origin of War, Eye of Origin, True Meaning of Return to Ruins (Prototype), War God Art (First Layer), War God Totem (Elementary), Origin Deduction, Chaos Origin Sutra (Complete Version)]

[Burning Battle Blood: Taboo secret technique, burns Lifespan in exchange for power]