Qingyang Town was located at the foot of the Nine Heavens Mountain Range, a small town with only tens of thousands of people! At the center of the town lay a circular lake, with all buildings constructed around it, creating a picturesque scenery! The three major families—Chu, Ma, and Zhao—were situated at three different positions around the lake, forming a tripartite balance! the Zhao family's territory was drenched in blood, corpses littered the ground, and the stench of blood filled the air. Every single member of the Zhao family, numbering in the thousands, had been slaughtered without mercy— The Zhao family of Qingyang Town had been completely exterminated! As for the Chu family's territory, the ground was also strewn with numerous corpses, their blood staining the earth red! Fortunately, they had not been completely wiped out. Over half of their remaining clansmen were tightly surrounded by Ma family disciples within their territory. This was because their fleeing ancestor, Chu Tianyang, had not yet been killed, and they feared his future retaliation. Moreover, these people could serve as hostages to force him out! The meticulous Ma Bangguo gave the order: Only after seeing Chu Tianyang's corpse would they slaughter all his remaining clansmen—there was no need to rush! At this moment, inside a grand hall within the Ma family's territory, Ma Bangguo, dressed in gray robes with a ruddy complexion, was leisurely sipping tea, when he suddenly frowned and asked, "Still no trace of Chu Tianyang?" "Reporting to the ancestor, we just received word that Chu Tianyang has been severely injured by the Grand Elder and is currently being pursued!" "It won't be long before his corpse is brought back!" Clan Leader Ma Changsheng replied respectfully. "Excellent. From now on, Qingyang Town will belong entirely to our Ma family!" Ma Bangguo narrowed his eyes. Only by completely controlling Qingyang Town could he freely explore that secret realm without worry! "Clan Leader, disaster! Someone has broken in!" several Ma family members rushed in in panic. "Outrageous! How dare you behave so rashly in front of the ancestor?" Ma Changsheng scolded the intruders angrily. But seeing them covered in blood, he frowned and asked, "What happened?" "Clan Leader, Chu Tianyang has stormed into our Ma family!" "Chu Tianyang of the Chu family has invaded! Many of our clansmen have already been killed!" Ma Bangguo narrowed his eyes, asking skeptically, "Just him alone?" "Yes, ancestor! Just him alone!" Ma Bangguo suddenly stood up and said coldly, "It seems Chu Tianyang has been driven to desperation. Since he's delivered himself to us, out of respect for our century-long rivalry, I'll personally send him to hell!" He intended to personally crush the skull of this old rival he had competed with for over a hundred years! Suddenly, Ma Changsheng's face paled, his legs trembling as he stared in horror at the roof behind the ancestor. A massive blue serpent had somehow coiled itself there unnoticed! Thɪs chapter is updatᴇd by novel⦿fire.net Ma Bangguo frowned and turned around. But what greeted him was a gaping maw. Before he could react, the serpent's fangs sank into his neck, its massive body sliding down from the roof and instantly coiling around him. Strike from ambush rather than face the enemy head-on— this was the wisdom Long Yuan had accumulated over years as a demon beast. Ma Bangguo roared in shock, channeling his spiritual energy outward like sharp blades slashing at the serpent. But the serpent's body shimmered with an icy blue energy shield—a defense technique only a Third-Tier Martial Master could possess, impervious even to Second-Tier Martial Warriors! Ma Bangguo's attacks struck the serpent with a series of crisp clangs, only producing sparks! Ma Bangguo's face drained of color. "A Third-Tier Demon Master?" This serpent was actually a Third-Tier Demon Master? He bellowed urgently as a fiery red energy cloak erupted around his body—his own Third-Tier Martial Master technique! the energy cloak shattered. Trapped in the serpent's coils, Ma Bangguo screamed as unbearable pressure crushed him! Ma Changsheng shrieked in terror. How could this serpent be so powerful? Even their Third-Tier Martial Master ancestor was no match? "Great Serpent, if our Ma family has offended you in any way, we beg for mercy!" Ma Bangguo coughed blood and roared. He felt his organs were about to burst! This was undoubtedly an existence surpassing his own strength. "Hmph! This lord is the Guardian Beast of the Chu family. Need I explain your crimes?" Long Yuan’s deep voice rumbled from his maw. The Ma family members trembled in shock. Chu family's Guardian Beast? A Fourth-Tier Demon Sect beast that speaks human language? How could the Chu family possess such hidden power? "Spare us! Whatever benefits the Chu family offered, we'll pay tenfold!" Ma Bangguo pleaded desperately. Long Yuan snorted coldly. He had already sworn an oath with Chu Tianyang— His powerful spiritual energy erupted, his fangs sinking deeper into Ma Bangguo's neck as frigid energy flooded the man's body. Ma Bangguo refused to surrender, but his fire-attribute energy was utterly suppressed by Long Yuan's ice-attribute power. Ma Bangguo froze into a blue crystalline statue, which shattered explosively under the serpent's crushing coils! Witnessing this, Ma Changsheng stood paralyzed with terror. "Clan Leader, flee! As long as the mountain remains, we'll never lack firewood!" Several disciples drew their sabers and charged the serpent, buying time for their leader to escape. With their ancestor dead, all their advantages had vanished! Yet Long Yuan's sweeping tail smashed them aside like ragdolls, their corpses colliding with Ma Changsheng and snapping him from his daze. As he turned to flee, he crashed into a blood-soaked Chu Tianyang. "Clan Leader Ma, where are you going?" Chu Tianyang's voice was colder than the abyss. Ma Changsheng had no will to fight. With that monstrous serpent watching, victory was impossible! "Chu Tianyang, dare you face me in single combat?" In desperation, Ma Changsheng could only roar this challenge. "Why not? Let me personally send you to hell, whelp!" Old hatred flared between them, and the two instantly clashed in fierce combat. Both were Second-Tier Martial Warriors, capable of projecting spiritual energy from their bodies, with power to shatter stone and metal! Their fists and palms collided with thunderous force, the shockwaves blasting gaps in the hall's walls! Meanwhile, Long Yuan curiously examined Ma Bangguo's crushed corpse. Thanks to the Emperor-tier "Azure Dragon Emperor Art," 20x cultivation speed, and Third-Tier elixirs, he'd broken through to early Fourth-Tier Martial Sect overnight! Long Yuan marveled—cheating felt amazing! One night's progress dwarfed years of effort! His gaze then fell on an oval token that had survived his crushing coils unscathed—clearly no ordinary object! Chu Tianyang panted heavily. Despite his experience as a Second-Tier Martial Warrior, his unhealed injuries took their toll, while Ma Changsheng lay dead in a pool of blood! "If Ma Bangguo carried it, it must be valuable." Long Yuan advised Chu Tianyang. "The Ma family must have stumbled upon some opportunity—there's no way they could produce so many Second-Tier Warriors otherwise." "Whatever their secret, you'll uncover it after taking over." A barbed whip lashed repeatedly into Chu Xiuran's back, sending blood spraying like water droplets! "Think you're so impressive, looking down on this young master? I'll flay you alive!" Before the Chu family's gates stood twenty stone pillars, each chained to a battered Chu clansman—their leader, elders, and geniuses all included. Ma Guanpeng, the Ma family's young master, wielded the thorned whip, savagely striking Chu Xiuran, the Chu family's top genius. Once, this man had mocked him for failing to become a warrior— now vengeance was sweet. "Hahaha! Trash remains trash—even when given chances!" "That whip's wasted in your hands, you worthless maggot!" Though blood poured from his wounds, dyeing the stone pillar crimson, Chu Xiuran's gaze remained filled with scorn for Ma Guanpeng. The Ma young master's face twisted with rage, his blood-spattered features demonic in their fury. Teeth grinding audibly, he suddenly grinned viciously, tossing the whip aside. "Such a tough talker. I wonder if your sister Chu Yiran's mouth is as unyielding? Should be easy to pry open!" "Bring Chu Yiran here! I'll put on a show for her dear genius brother!" 1st Tier: Warrior/Petty Demon 2nd Tier: Martial Warrior/Demon Warrior 3rd Tier: Martial Master/Demon Master 4th Tier: Martial Sect/Demon Sect 5th Tier: Martial King/Demon King 6th Tier: Martial Emperor/Demon Emperor 7th Tier: Martial Venerable/Demon Venerable 8th Tier: Martial Saint/Demon Saint 9th Tier: Martial Emperor/Demon Emperor