Chapter 139: Slaughtering All Directions

Chapter 139: Slaughtering All Directions

The moment the "Annihilation Qi" was born, Ning Xiaochuan's aura underwent a transformation, becoming even sharper.

Earth Martial Essence was a level higher than Martial Arts Profound Qi.

Annihilation Qi, however, was even denser and more potent than Earth Martial Essence, carrying a power that could extinguish all life.

Of course, Ning Xiaochuan had only produced a single wisp of it within his body, far from being usable—it could only be used to nourish the Demonic Sword. But this was still a sign, marking Ning Xiaochuan's official entry into the Annihilation Path.

"You think you can kill all of us? How utterly arrogant!" A warrior at the Sixth Level of the Divine Body Realm sneered, not taking Ning Xiaochuan seriously at all, treating him as nothing more than a plaything in their hands.

"Swish!"

Ning Xiaochuan's body teleported, moving like a streak of rainbow light, his speed reaching an extreme. In an instant, he grabbed the arm of the Sixth-Level Divine Body Realm warrior.

A surge of immense power traveled through the arm and into the warrior's body.

"Crack! Crack! Crack!"

Every bone in the warrior's body shattered, and he collapsed to the ground like a pile of mud.

"Such terrifying speed! His body turned into a rainbow—what kind of divine ability is this?" All the warriors were shocked, rubbing their eyes in disbelief, wondering if they were hallucinating.

Even Lu Huntian was slightly startled. He hadn't been able to see how Ning Xiaochuan moved—only a streak of rainbow light flashed past, and a martial arts expert from the Cloud Alliance was already lying on the ground.

"Rainbow Teleportation!"

Ning Xiaochuan condensed a Profound Qi Sword in his hand and teleported again, beheading a warrior at the Fourth Level of the Divine Body Realm.

"Whoosh!"

A streak of rainbow light weaved through the Cloud Alliance warriors, and wherever it passed, heads flew, crimson blood staining the earth.

In just three breaths of time, seventeen martial arts experts at the Divine Body Realm had fallen, their heads separated from their bodies, littering the ground in a gruesome display.

The remaining warriors broke out in cold sweat, their legs trembling. Ning Xiaochuan seemed like a god of slaughter, forcing them to retreat step by step in terror.

"Die!"

Lu Huntian clenched his teeth, his hatred overwhelming. His arm turned crimson, transforming into a Beast Claw as he unleashed a devastating force.

Ning Xiaochuan sprang forward, his feet leaving the ground as he met the attack head-on. With a single palm strike, he slammed into Lu Huntian's palm, sending him staggering backward.

"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Ning Xiaochuan struck thirteen times in succession, forcing Lu Huntian back thirteen steps. Unable to defend himself, Lu Huntian crashed into a wall, blood spurting from his mouth.

The stone wall, over a meter thick, caved in from the impact, cracks spiderwebbing across its surface.

Lu Huntian stared at Ning Xiaochuan in shock, unable to believe the overwhelming power behind each strike—it felt like being hammered by a series of massive weights.

Ning Xiaochuan's eyes burned red as lightning crackled in his palms. With a dual strike, he slammed both hands into Lu Huntian's chest.

"Boom!"

The wall completely collapsed, shattering into massive chunks of stone.

Lu Huntian's body was sent flying through the wreckage, tumbling onto the street. His chest was a mangled mess, his internal organs severely damaged, blood continuously pouring from his mouth.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The remaining fourteen warriors of the Cloud Alliance were sent flying out of the manor, each with a bloody palm print on their chests. Some of the weaker cultivators had already been killed by the force of the strike.

Ning Xiaochuan stepped out of the manor, shaking the blood droplets from his robes, his entire body wreathed in crackling lightning as he coldly stared at the dozen or so warriors lying in the ruins.

"Ten Thousand Swords Transforming into Rain."

Ning Xiaochuan spread his arms, and the rainwater around him coalesced into swords, gleaming with a chilling, merciless edge.

"Thud!"

"Thud!"

The swords descended one after another, and a series of agonized screams erupted from the ruins.

Amid the pool of blood, only the severely wounded Lu Huntian remained, desperately holding up a Profound Qi Shield to block the onslaught of blades.

Ning Xiaochuan walked up to the shield and gazed at him indifferently.

"How… how is this possible? Even if you’ve broken through to the Sixth Level of the Divine Body Realm, you shouldn’t be this strong!" Lu Huntian gritted his teeth, his heart trembling.

Today’s defeat was too brutal. They had come to eliminate Ning Xiaochuan, but instead, he had slaughtered dozens of them, nearly wiping out the Cloud Alliance’s forces.

In truth, with Lu Huntian’s cultivation, he should have been able to contend with Ning Xiaochuan—even surpass him. Though Ning Xiaochuan possessed the Physical Strength of the Ninth Level of the Divine Body Realm, his actual cultivation was only at the Sixth Level.

The reason Lu Huntian lost so quickly was because he had underestimated Ning Xiaochuan. Worse, he had foolishly tried to match him in physical combat. By the time he realized his mistake, Ning Xiaochuan had already pummeled him into helplessness, leaving him grievously wounded.

It wasn’t that his power was inferior—it was his mind that was weaker.

"Want to know the answer? Go ask the King of Hell in the underworld."

With a single finger, Ning Xiaochuan shattered Lu Huntian’s Profound Qi Shield. Under Lu Huntian’s despairing gaze, he brought his palm down on his head, smashing it like a watermelon, sending fragments of blood-red skull flying.

The small red dragon, hiding behind a pillar, was so terrified by the sight that it immediately turned to flee.

After entering the Emperor's City, the small red dragon had vanished without a trace, only to reappear now. Just as it tried to slip away again, Ning Xiaochuan caught it by the tail.

"Come fight alongside me," Ning Xiaochuan said.

The small red dragon shook its head vigorously, letting out a series of panicked dragon roars.

Ning Xiaochuan replied, "From the moment you were born, your fate was to grow through battle and transform through slaughter. If you don’t kill others, they will kill you. Like me, you have no choice. This is our destiny."

The small red dragon clenched its tiny claws, its round eyes fixed on Ning Xiaochuan as if making an incredibly difficult decision.

Meanwhile, at the Tianli Society...

Nie Hai, Jin Quexi, Yue Mingsong, Shi Hailiang, Ning Xin'er, and Murong Wushuang had all gathered, their expressions varying.

Shi Hailiang stood atop the wall, his face grim. "The sounds of slaughter have stopped... It seems... Ning Xiaochuan is likely in grave danger."

"Brother!"

Ning Xin'er's eyes were swollen from crying. Clutching her ancient sword, she tried to rush out, but Jin Quexi stopped her, unwilling to let her throw her life away.

Jin Quexi consoled, "The Cloud Alliance's influence in the Emperor's Ruins is formidable. Even your brother was no match for them. Going there would only mean certain death for you."

"I don't care! I want my brother!" Ning Xin'er pushed Jin Quexi back with a palm strike and dashed outside without hesitation.

Yue Mingsong stood at the entrance, blocking her path once more. With a sigh, he said, "Junior sister, life is inevitably filled with birth, aging, sickness, and death. Even a Martial Venerable will eventually turn to dust. Why must you cling so stubbornly? Have you forgotten what your brother said before he left? He entrusted you to me, and I won’t let you throw your life away. I’ll take care of you, raise you to adulthood—ah!"

Ning Xin'er swung her ancient sword—a Mystic Artifact—and struck Yue Mingsong’s neck with the scabbard, sending him crumpling to the ground unconscious behind the door.

Without hesitation, Ning Xin'er rushed out, her determination unshakable. No one could stop her now.

A warrior cloaked in black remarked, "It seems Ning Xiaochuan has already fallen to the Cloud Alliance’s siege. A peerless genius has perished, and an even greater storm is likely brewing."

Xie Mengyao, also clad in black with a golden mask covering her delicate face—revealing only her crystalline lips and captivating eyes—frowned slightly and sighed. "The Cloud Marquis truly lives up to his reputation as a Once-in-a-Century Talent. Ruthless and decisive, he leaves no room for threats to grow. Anyone who poses even the slightest danger is eradicated in the cradle."

Her heart still held a trace of sorrow. After all, Ning Xiaochuan was the master of the Ghost Manor. She thought to herself, I must report this to my master immediately. The Ghost Manor will need a new leader.

Just then, an exclamation erupted beside her.

"Heavens! What’s happening?"

Curious, Xie Mengyao turned her gaze toward the end of the ancient street. A crimson tide surged forward, flooding the road.

Dozens of corpses floated atop the bloody waves.

Ning Xiaochuan strode through the scarlet current, step by step, advancing toward Zhang Linshan until he stood face-to-face with the Cloud Marquis’ fourth disciple.

The water was rainwater, yet dyed red with blood.

As the tide receded, the street was left strewn with dozens of corpses—some headless, others shriveled, and many mutilated beyond recognition.

It was a ghastly sight, akin to a battlefield of slaughter, enough to haunt the nightmares of ordinary folk.

Xie Mengyao watched as Ning Xiaochuan passed by not far from her. His tall, unyielding figure, combined with the sea of bloodied corpses, left her utterly stunned.

He… he actually slaughtered every single martial expert from the Cloud Alliance.

But the most shocked of all was Zhang Linshan. Earlier, to prevent his cultivation from regressing after Ning Xiaochuan drained his blood, he had stayed behind to stabilize his realm. In his eyes, with Lu Huntian leading the charge and dozens of martial experts assisting, killing a severely wounded Ning Xiaochuan should have been effortless.

Who could have predicted this outcome?

The Cloud Alliance’s warriors had been annihilated, reduced to lifeless bodies. Even Lu Huntian, who had reached the Eighth Level of the Divine Body Realm, lay dead among them.

What in the world happened?

Hidden in the shadows, warriors from other factions were also utterly shocked, a sense of foreboding rising in their hearts. They realized Ning Xiaochuan was not a trapped beast but a fierce tiger about to be unleashed.

"Ning—Xiao—chuan!" Zhang Linshan clenched his fists tightly, unable to believe what was happening before his eyes, yet forced to accept this reality.

Ning Xiaochuan stood in the pouring rain, his long hair hanging loose, his gaze sharp as a blade. His clothes were drenched in blood, making him resemble a vengeful ghost that had crawled out of hell.

Perched lazily on his shoulder was the small red dragon, looking utterly harmless as it yawned repeatedly.