His voice seemed to drain all his strength and pride. Xue Meng abruptly closed his eyes, his cheeks wet and hot.

     “Stop fighting…”

     But just like a fire that spread through a prairie, it was easy to ignite and difficult to extinguish. After a chaotic battle, Loyalty Hall was already filled with both dead and wounded people. The blood of those people became hot oil, igniting hatred and madness to the extreme. For a while, not many people listened to Xue Meng’s roar or Xue Zhengyong’s sigh.

     Even if they heard it, those bloodthirsty eyes would not stop.

     There was too much unease these days. There had been bloody incidents one after another—the Heavenly Rift, the Zhenlong Chess Formation, the massacre at Guyueye, the disorder of Jiangdong Hall, Bitan Manor being without a leader for many days, and Wubei Temple being stained with blood. Many cultivators present had lost their relatives and friends in the past few days…

     Who was the mastermind? Who was lying?

     There were no answers, but all the clues pointed towards Sisheng Peak, so the accumulated hatred and fear erupted in this battle.

     It was impossible to undo what had been done.

     Xue Meng had experienced fewer major battles, and at this moment, he didn’t yet realize what this meant. His chest rose and fell as he stood there watching the chaotic battle.

     But Xue Zhengyong already understood that at this point things had gotten so out of control that even the instigator wouldn’t have expected it.

     He gritted his teeth and persisted through the pain of his wound opening and the dizziness before his eyes as he grabbed Xue Meng’s shoulder. “You… must leave quickly.”

     “Dad?!”

     “Get out of here now! Go to your mother’s side, quickly!”

     But before he finished his words, seven or eight people had already gathered in front of the two of them, all of them murderous. “Xue Meng, you killed my shixiong. I want you to pay with your life!”

     “Son of an evil beast!”

     Xue Meng stood there in a daze—he killed this person’s shixiong? When…? He had clearly never taken anyone's life. He had never…

     His mind was in turmoil, and amidst the confusion, he looked down and saw Longcheng in his hand, dripping with blood. He suddenly felt horrified.

     Yes, he did kill someone.

     He killed people—first, the false witness matchmaker, then…

     He couldn’t remember clearly. He had just started on a mad slaughter. His hands and face were covered with blood, his hands and face… his hands and face were covered in…

     “AHHH!!!”

     Xue Meng suddenly wailed like a dying beast, the veins of his forehead bulging and his eyes growing bloodshot.

     Why did it become like this…? Ever since the day Mo Ran left, everything had changed. One thing after another fell out of his control, and he was moving further and further away from his old self.

     “I killed someone… Dad… I killed someone…”

     He turned around in a panic, only to see Xue Zhengyong’s terrifyingly pale face. Xue Zhengyong grabbed his hand and pulled him behind him as he himself wielded the iron fan to slash and kill, paving a bloody path through the heavy encirclement.

    “Go.”

     The man on the verge of collapse was giving his no longer young son a chance to live.

     “Meng-er, go quickly.”

     Xue Meng stood there stiffly without moving. At this moment, another person rushed forward to kill, but Xue Zhengyong could no longer match the other’s strength and raised his hand to grab the hilt of the man’s blade. Xue Zhengyong cursed, and with his other hand drew a dagger from his waist and stabbed it into the man’s spleen and abdomen.

     Hot blood gushed out!

     “Go!!”

     Xue Zhengyong bellowed angrily and suddenly caught sight of someone. He shouted sternly, “Hanxue! Take him away! Take him away from here!”

     Mei Hanxue, who had been fighting his way over, finally broke through the siege and swept to Xue Meng’s side. He first glanced at Xue Zhengyong with a hint of pain in his eyes, then grabbed Xue Meng’s arm and said in a deep voice, “Come with me.”

     With these words, he led Xue Meng, who was already numb and disoriented, and fought his way towards the back door of Loyalty Hall. Perhaps it was Taxue Palace’s defection that caused the crowd to be distracted for a moment, but Mei Hanxue led Xue Meng all the way to the palace gate before someone finally reacted and rushed towards the two of them, shouting, “You want to run after killing someone? Who will pay for their lives?!”

     Mei Hanxue used one hand to play the konghou suspended in the air, producing a series of clanging sounds, like metal breaking through the air, to repel the enemies in front of him. Just as he breathed a sigh of relief, he suddenly heard Xue Zhengyong shout, “Watch out behind you!”

     He turned around suddenly, only to see a man with a face full of blood slashing down with his blade. It was too late to stop him—at this moment, an iron fan cut through the air, filled with spiritual power. It whirled in the air and plowed straight towards the man, instantly piercing through his chest.

     “Uncle…”

     “Dad…”

     The two young men looked back and saw Xue Zhengyong panting heavily, clearly exhausted by this attack. The iron fan also fell to the ground with a clang after hitting its target.

     The fan was stained with blood. Whether Xue was beautiful or the world was ugly, the words on the fan could no longer be seen clearly.

     Xue Zhengyong reluctantly gestured to the two of them and whispered, “Hurry…”

     Before he could say “go,” a heavy sword full of spiritual power reflected in Xue Meng’s shrinking pupils. A Jiangdong Hall cultivator stood behind Xue Zhengyong holding a fierce blade, and before Xue Meng could even make a sound, the man had already turned towards his father—

     One slash fell!!!

     Everything was quiet.

     Xue Meng’s eyes widened, and suddenly, he couldn’t hear any sound around him.

     It was like the silence at the bottom of the sea, ten thousand miles deep, with no wind, no heat, and no light.

     Black.

     The blood flowing through Xue Meng’s entire body seemed to freeze yet boil at the same time. He was horrified, and his pair of bloodshot eyes were fixed on the person in front of him.

     Xue Zhengyong’s face still had a trace of ease and relief at seeing his son saved, but it was already frozen at this moment.

     There was a slight illusion of serenity.

     The sea was deep, vast, and endless. The water was very cold, seeping into the flesh and bones in a way that couldn’t be undone in a lifetime.

     It was very quiet, deathly still.

     No sound… no sound…

     No.

     Until blood flowed down from his cracked skull, along his eyes and down his cheeks.

     Two trails, like red tears, dripping down.

     At this moment, Xue Meng seemed to think that this was a joke or a dream, or that perhaps all of this could be turned around and there was still time.

     But no.

     It was too late. When people had deep concern, they would have a weakness.

     The god of war could also die.

     “Dad!!!!!!”

     With a scream, the mountains merged into the sea.

     With this, the silence was shattered—waves rolled up and everything was washed away, but the earth crumbled and torrents poured down as the seas churned and waves split the sky!

     Xue Meng ran towards Xue Zhengyong like a madman, his cry like a dying beast tearing through the sky and stopping everyone’s movements. Everyone turned back in horror at the sound.

     The waves parted, and he stumbled through the crowd towards Xue Zhengyong.

     Xue Zhengyong still stood there, his spine refusing to bend even a little. He just stared at Xue Meng with his tiger eyes wide open. Those eyes made Xue Meng feel that he was still alive and could still be saved. He could still…

     Xue Zhengyong fell when he was just a stone’s throw away.

     With a thud, he fell straight down. The people of the four sects scattered in all directions, and the sounds of fighting ceased.

     Xue Meng suddenly stopped. He didn’t move forward any further.

     He just stood there like that, his whole body trembling, from slight tremors to violent shaking. His lips, his fingers—not a single part of him was under his control.

     He murmured inquiringly, cautiously.

     He said hoarsely, “Dad?”

     The entire hall was filled with blood.

     No one could answer again.

     Longcheng fell to the ground with a clang. Xue Meng slowly backed away and retreated… But where could he retreat to? Yesterday? Yesterday could never come back.

     Any step in life, regardless of whether it was due to an unexpected turn of events, or whether it was so painful that the liver and intestines burst, once it was taken, there was no going back.

     Loyalty Hall was silent.

     He stopped retreating, his body swaying violently. Then he knelt on the ground, staring blankly at everything in front of him as tears rolled down his face. He raised his hand and haphazardly tried to wipe them away, but he couldn’t, no matter how hard he tried, and the tears flowed down in streams.

     Finally, he buried his face in his palms, and a tiny whimper came from his throat. The whimper was like ink on paper—the ink spread until the paper was filled with ink stains.

     “Dad… Dad!!”

     The whimpering eventually turned into wailing.

     The man standing in front of Xue Meng could no longer stand up and use his broad shoulders and hearty smile to shield him from the storms of life.

     The carefree days of the darling of the heavens truly came to an end at this moment.

     It crumbled.

     It was a mess. Everything was a mess.

     The cultivator of Jiangdong Hall who had done such a cruel thing stood there in a daze. His heavy sword dropped to the ground, and he murmured, “No, no… It wasn’t me…”

     He kept shaking his head. Seeing Xue Meng kneel in place in a state of madness, he was extremely frightened, trembling like a chaff. He wanted to flee for his life, but everyone’s eyes were on him, and he could not escape.

     “No… Listen to me… I only wanted to knock the weapon out of his hand…”

     He stared at Xue Meng and swallowed nervously.

     Xue Meng was still currently drowning in grief, but he knew that the moment Xue Meng raised his eyes, only one thing would await him—death.

     “Quickly bring Madam Wang over.” Xuanji Elder was the calmest among the people. As he looked at Xue Meng curled up on the ground, still crying and not yet standing up, he whispered to his disciple, “Be quick. I’m afraid no one will be able to stop the young master later.”

     Seeing the Sect Leader’s death, the disciple’s face was covered in tears. “But Shizun, it was Sect Leader who didn’t allow Madam Wang to come over. Madam never interferes with major matters. She…”

     “It’s already come to this. Why are you still talking nonsense?” Xuanji said, “Go quickly!”

     The disciple wiped his tears and ran to the back mountain.

     It was only with the death of the Sect Leader that everything finally began to calm down. Some people in the hall were groaning in pain from their wounds, some were enraged, and some only pursed their lips without saying a word. Someone else whispered, “What’s going on? Xue Zhengyong’s ability should be greater than this. How could he be unable to escape?”

     They didn’t know that Xue Zhengyong had been stabbed by a Zhenlong chess piece in Wuchang Town while slaying demons and evil spirits the day before and had been critically wounded. They only sighed:

     “Ai, after sitting at the head position for so long, everyone would grow old, and heroes would fade with time.”

     Xue Meng did not listen to those whispered words. His eyes were gradually covered with blood from tears and hatred. He sobbed and wept, crying bitterly. Finally, his eyes were like a sea of red maple leaves.

     He raised his eyes and stared at the invaders. At this moment, those eyes that once burned with purity and sincerity only held blood and hatred, vengeance and resentment.

     Longcheng rose with a howl of fury!

     Kill!

     This time, Xue Meng had really gone berserk and lost control of his mind. He screamed at the top of his lungs. He had become so terrifying, with no sense of reason, not fearing death or pain. Who could stop him? No one could stop him.

     Wubei Temple, Guyueye, Jiangdong Hall, Huohuang Pavilion… pui! He couldn’t see them! He only saw the faces of evil spirits and twisted figures. He felt as if he were in purgatory, in the midst of an endless sea of blood.

     Hate!

     Why?

     Why was it that twenty years of loyalty could one day be unable to escape a scheme and a few words of nonsense?

     Why was it that a lifetime of dedication and hard work would only end with a sincere mistake and bloodshed?

     Why was it that when you gave someone a bowl of rice once, they were grateful, but when you gave someone a bowl of rice repeatedly, they would hate you for not giving enough?

     Why was it so ridiculous?

     Blood flowed like a river.

     Not a word could be heard, and everyone’s attempts to persuade him were in vain.

     Xue Meng went mad. The phoenix wanted blood, and his blood boiled into fire. From the fire, came a ferocious beast with red eyes full of blood. Its bloody teeth bit through the throats of anyone who tried to stand in his way!

     Did these people know that in his youth that year, cicadas were chirping in the middle of summer?

     Xue Zhengyong smiled as he patted Xue Meng’s head and asked, “What does my son want to do in the future?”

     “Just be like daddy.” The Son of the Phoenix opened his clear eyes and said, “Be a person of indomitable spirit and a great hero, be a good man who punishes evil and promotes good, and have a worthy heart.”

     Blood sprayed on his face, and someone screamed miserably.

     Who did he kill?

     It seemed to be someone’s sister or someone’s wife.

     It didn’t matter.

     Just kill, just kill. No matter what, he was no longer clean anymore. No matter what, they brought this upon themselves… They forced him!

     He slaughtered like a madman, and the crowd dispersed. He couldn’t hear… couldn’t hear…

     Until that person’s voice sounded.

    “Meng-er.”

     It was his weakness.

     It was a trembling voice, trying desperately to suppress emotions.

     It was as delicate as the smoke rising from a coil of incense and would dissipate with a pinch of the fingertips.

     Xue Meng was dazed.

     “Take him down!”

     “Don’t let him go crazy again!”

     People rushed towards him in all directions.

     “Meng-er…”

     Xue Meng was like a tiger or leopard surrounded by wolves. He was covered in blood, and his arm was shaking so badly that after this battle, he might not be able to use this arm to hold the saber ever again. He narrowed his eyes, blood dripping from his pupils as he turned his head stiffly.

     The back door of Loyalty Hall was wide open, and the vast sunlight poured in.

     Madam Wang appeared in the doorway, dressed in plain white. She was frail and gentle and never interfered with the affairs in the front hall. It had always been like this.

     It wasn’t until this moment that she heard the news and rushed over. The once-beautiful lady with thick hair now stood in her robe with wet tears.

     Xue Meng said hoarsely, his voice broken and fragmented, “Mother?”

     The disciples of Sisheng Peak bowed and kneeled down, “Madam.”

     The elders bowed down as well. “Madam Wang.”

     Her face was devoid of color. The only bright color was the coral red beads on her earrings. She didn't say a word. First, she saw her husband's body, and her body shook violently. Then she saw Xue Meng being suppressed by others and falling to his knees on the ground, and her face became even paler.

     The disciples were all worried about her frail body, fearing that she would not be able to bear it and faint at the next moment.

     But Madam Wang only trembled slightly before her lips moved. The first time, she was unable to speak.

     But the second time, she spoke. Her voice was hoarse, but she tried her best to stay calm.

     “Let him go.”

     These three words were spoken gently to those who were pinning Xue Meng down.

     Many of these people had never seen Madam Wang's face directly. When they saw her now, they only thought she was a weak woman, so they said to her fiercely, "Your son has killed so many people, how can you let him go?!"

    "He must be taken to Tianyin Pavilion for detainment and trial!"

     Madam Wang had tears in her eyes, but she still spoke, word by word, “Let him go.”

     “...”

     No one let go, and everyone was at a stalemate.

     Madam Wang raised her head slightly as if trying to hold back her tears, but she failed, and bitter tears flowed down her cheeks. She closed her eyes, and her slender body trembled slightly, as weak as catkins floating in the wind.

     Someone said, "Sisheng Peak refused to disband today and injured countless cultivators of the upper cultivation world. The matter of Mo Ran and Chu Wanning is even more suspicious, so no matter what, we must seek justice—killing someone means paying with his life. Madam, I'm sorry."

     Madam Wang did not say a word, nor did she look at her husband's body again. She walked silently through the people who parted of their own accord, and walked up the high staircase of Loyalty Hall, step by step, standing in front of the high seat.

     She stood still.

     People’s voices buzzed below: “Sect Leader Xue’s death was purely an accident due to the circumstances. But Xue Meng killed deliberately.”

     “Yes, we must take him away.”

     The sound was like a tide, rising and falling in waves.

     A cold breeze blew into the hall, causing the curtains to flutter. The gauze curtains were cold.

     “Xue Meng is innocent—”

     Bam! A loud sound rang out!

     Everyone in the hall was shocked.

     The one who slammed the table was actually this weak woman, as frail as a cattail. Madam Wang’s eyes were open wide, and her face, as beautiful as a lotus, was flushed red.

     She didn’t know how to be angry, but the anger had already burned her heart.

     She stood in front of the hall, her eyes sweeping over everyone—

     “Meng-er is my child, Ran-er is my nephew, and Zhengyong is my husband.”

     Her voice was not loud, but her words were clear and decisive.

     “You dug out my nephew’s spiritual core in front of me and took my husband’s life. Now, you still want to take my son away in front of me?”

     Jiangdong Hall had the greatest number of women, yet they were the most unable to understand Madam Wang’s feelings.

     Immediately, a female cultivator said coldly, “Madam Wang, please be reasonable.”

     "That's right. If your nephew hadn't practiced forbidden techniques, why would we have to dig out his spirit core? If your husband hadn’t ignored our advice, how could such a tragedy have occurred? If your son hadn't killed so many people, why would we have to take him away? Madam Wang, you must know your limits when it comes to protecting others."

     At this point, all the sects harbored deep hatred for Sisheng Peak, and none of them were willing to let them off easily.

     “Disband the sect and close the doors!”

     "Take away all those who just attacked! They must be severely punished and tried! Do you really want to let all these murderous demons go?"

     “Don’t let any of them go! Capture them all!”

     Madam Wang stood at the top of the hall. Facing this chaos, the frail woman closed her eyes and spoke slowly, “The widow is here. As long as I am alive, I will not allow you to touch Sisheng Peak or my son at all.”

     The people below found her amusing, and only Jiang Xi’s expression changed slightly. Beside the pillar, a woman from Jiangdong Hall spoke first: “You really are shameless.”

     Madam Wang walked down the steps of the hall slowly. She ignored the female cultivator and said to all the people watching her, “What kind of ability do you have to bully orphans and widows?”

     After walking down the last step, she stopped on the dark red carpet embroidered with pollia patterns and raised her beautiful eyes. Her face was still gentle, but her gaze was firm.

     She raised her hand, moved it, and took a silver bracelet off of her wrist.

     The female cultivator who had mocked her narrowed her eyes. "What are you doing?"

     Madam Wang raised her hand, and for some reason, a dazzling red light suddenly appeared in her palm. She closed her hand, and those slender fingers crushed the silver bracelet into powder!!

     Many people were so shocked that they stepped back. Even the people of Sisheng Peak were shocked speechless. Xue Meng was also stunned. In the crowd, it was only Jiang Xi—only Jiang Xi.

     He stared at her with an unsightly expression, but he wasn’t surprised at all.

     “At Sisheng Peak, life and death will never change. All of you present who wish for our sect to disband, come forward—”

     Madam Wang brushed the remaining powder from the silver bracelet off, raised her eyes, and said something that caused everyone’s faces to change color with alarm.

     “Engage in battle with me.”