Translator: CinderTL
The head of the Cui Family was an Initial Stage Celestial Being Realm martial artist, making him the perfect candidate to test Xiao Hulu's combat prowess.
The streets of the city were already devoid of pedestrians.
Suddenly, a figure darted past, heading straight for the Cui residence.
Xu Sanyan sat calmly in his room, preparing to attempt remote control of Xiao Hulu in battle.
Inside the Cui residence, the head of the Cui Family sat in his study, a book in hand but his mind elsewhere, preoccupied with the news that had come from the capital.
With members of the Cui Family in the military, he was often the first to receive such information.
"Tap... tap... tap..."
At that moment, a series of light footsteps echoed from outside the door. The head of the Cui Family felt a surge of anger. He had repeatedly instructed his family not to disturb him when he was deep in thought. Who could be so forgetful?
As the footsteps drew closer, the head of the Cui Family suddenly paled. This was not the gait of anyone he knew!
A candle flickered to life inside the room, casting a faint silhouette through the paper window of a figure standing at the door, holding a round, spherical object.
"Who's there?!"
The head of the Cui Family roared, slamming his hand on the table and leaping to his feet. His palm surged with powerful Inner Qi, shattering the door with a thunderous crash.
Bang—
The wooden doors flew off their hinges, revealing a tall, slender figure cloaked in black robes, a hood covering his head, and a ghastly mask obscuring his face.
"Who are you?!"
The head of the Cui Family shouted, trying to rouse the other members of the Cui Family. At the same time, he flipped his hand, and a longsword hanging on the wall flew into his grasp.
Xiao Hulu casually tossed the spherical object at his feet. The head of the Cui Family glanced down and his expression immediately changed—it was unmistakably a head!
The head of his son, Cui Jie!
"Who are you?!"
The head of the Cui Family's heart burned with rage, but it was also filled with terror. His son had been living nearby, yet someone had managed to decapitate him without a sound, and he hadn't even noticed!
Xiao Hulu remained silent, his figure flickering as he vanished from sight, only to reappear at the head of the Cui Family's side. His withered hand reached out, aiming directly for the man's heart.
The head of the Cui Family's pupils contracted sharply. He hadn't even seen the man move!
At the critical moment, his sword let out a sharp "clang" as it left its sheath, the blade crossing in front of him to block the incoming hand.
"Clang!"
A clear, metallic sound rang out as the head of the Cui Family was sent flying, crashing into the bookshelf behind him, scattering books across the floor.
Terror filled the head of the Cui Family's eyes. Every move this person made was unpredictable. Normally, when someone exerted force, there was a preparatory phase—whether it was bending the knees before a jump or drawing back the arm before a punch—that allowed one to anticipate the action.
But this person...
Xiao Hulu's fingers came together, sharp and dagger-like, with a cold, eerie glow emanating from their tips. He moved from below, aiming to slice the head of the Cui Family open from belly to chest.
"Ah! Xu Sanyan!"
The head of the Cui Family screamed in agony, finally realizing who was behind this.
After all, it was he who had obtained the "Life Coffin Technique" from the Cui Family, and he had naturally read it himself. He just never imagined that this Mystical Art would one day be used against him.
The vast Cui residence was eerily silent. No matter how intense the battle between the two became, no one came to investigate. Xu Sanyan had already used Xiao Hulu to slaughter the entire Cui Family, with the exception of his eldest son, Cui Sheng.
It seemed the old man had anticipated this day and had secretly moved Cui Sheng away in advance.
Xu Sanyan sat by the bed, frowning slightly, pondering whether the extermination of the Cui Family had been too hasty.
The attitude of Cui Yousheng, who stood behind the Cui Family, was still unknown. If they had been thorough in their eradication, it might have been fine, but now that Cui Sheng had escaped, it was likely to leave future troubles.
He shook his head gently. What was done was done, and overthinking it was pointless. Besides, even if they offended Cui Yousheng, so what?
In his estimation, Cui Yousheng was at most at the Peak Stage of Foundation Establishment, and Xu Sanyan was not afraid of him.
As for why he guessed that Cui Yousheng was at most at the Peak Stage of Foundation Establishment, it was because Yang Qizhu had once mentioned that Cui Yousheng had only joined the upper sect a little over a decade ago. No matter how talented he was, it was impossible for him to break through the Foundation Establishment Stage and reach a higher level in such a short time.
Unless he also had some kind of cheat.
As he pondered, Xiao Hulu had already driven the head of the Cui Family into a corner.
The head of the Cui Family, his white hair flying, his face twisted in rage, the long sword in his hand had long since been unable to bear the strain and had shattered into several pieces.
"Even if I die, I will take a piece of your flesh with me!"
He knew full well that there was no escape today. He took out a crimson elixir from his bosom and swallowed it in one gulp. Instantly, his face turned crimson, like a demon from hell.
Through Xiao Hulu's pitch-black eyes, Xu Sanyan could vaguely see this scene, and a spark of interest arose in his heart. What kind of elixir was this?
It seemed the Cui Family had quite a few treasures.
The head of the Cui Family erupted with a powerful aura. This elixir was his last resort, known as the Blood Ignition Pill, which traded life force for a brief burst of power. Although the effect was potent, once the elixir's effect wore off, death was inevitable.
"Hehe... come on, let me see if the methods of an immortal are truly invincible?"
The head of the Cui Family placed his palms together in front of him, took a deep breath, and then swung them outward with force.
Instantly, a violent surge of Inner Qi swept up the scattered debris in the room, forming a wind dragon that rushed toward Xiao Hulu.
Xiao Hulu stood like an iron tower in the wind, unmoving, allowing the wind dragon to engulf him.
The violent Inner Qi tore his black robe to shreds, and the mask on his face exploded, revealing a face filled with deathly aura. Yet his body remained completely unharmed, without a single wound.
The head of the Cui Family stared in shock at the body before him. The limbs were extremely mismatched, with gaps that had not fully healed. The head did not match the body, and even the colors were different.
An aged head with a pale complexion, while the robust body was dark black, with a few strands of chest hair prominently displayed. The limbs were of varying thicknesses.
Yet it was this patchwork body that had completely overwhelmed him, a Celestial Being Realm expert, leaving him without any means to fight back.
Despair filled the eyes of the head of the Cui Family. That last move had been his most powerful technique, and it had only managed to shatter his opponent's clothing.
Was the gap between mortals and immortals truly insurmountable?
The head of the Cui Family let out a long sigh and hung his head in silence.
A faint smile appeared on Xiao Hulu's lips, combined with his face, it was utterly terrifying.
The head of the Cui Family knew that it was Xu Sanyan behind him mocking him, but he was powerless to do anything.
As the elixir's effect faded, he felt himself growing weaker and weaker, even losing the strength to stand, and could only collapse to the ground.
"Hehe... the Cui Family... is not yet extinct..."
His only comfort before death was that he had sent away his most talented son and grandson, preserving a sliver of the Cui Family's legacy.
Xiao Hulu stepped forward, watching intently as the head of the Cui Family lost the spark in his eyes, his once gray-streaked hair now completely white, devoid of any vitality.
Xiao Hulu raised his foot and forcefully crushed the man's skull, eliminating any future threats. He then proceeded to search the body, finding a key—likely the key to the Cui Family's Royal Treasury.
(End of the Chapter)
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