Something's wrong! Just as I thought!
Sun Qian's face darkened. He stared fixatedly at the events unfolding next in the Villain Simulator.
The only one who could make a move inside Hidden Dragon City—could it be...
SLAM!
The door flew open!
A figure stepped inside.
You, still unconscious, were lifted and carried out by the figure, then placed onto a carriage. You had no idea where you were being taken.
The journey passed in complete silence...
In a daze, a surge of overwhelming power erupted from your Supreme Imperial Bone in your spine, instantly dispelling the intoxicating fumes lingering in your body and rousing your slumbering consciousness bit by bit.
As your awareness gradually returned, an inexplicable chill washed over you. Your Supreme Imperial Bone seemed to be sending out a warning, urging you to save yourself...
Something's happened! I've been captured! Yang Hong really is up to something!
What's going on? I was vigilant at first—so why did my guard drop so completely these past few months? Could I have fallen victim to some kind of technique?
Anger and shock boiled in your chest. The only person in Hidden Dragon City powerful enough to lay a hand on you was your own uncle—the Qianyuan God of War, Yang Hong.
And at that moment, you could faintly detect two familiar auras inside the carriage with you.
One belonged to Uncle Dog. The other, even more recognizable—was none other than your uncle Yang Hong.
You began to recall all the strange signs from before. You realized that lately, you'd been subconsciously ignoring certain things, placing blind trust in Yang Hong—so much so that you'd even told him about the Nine Steps to Treading the Heavens...
That was so unlike your usual self.
Though you still couldn't move, you could faintly make out snatches of a conversation drifting from somewhere inside the carriage...
「Master, must we really do this? Young Master is your only living blood relative left in this world! His veins carry half the Yang Clan's blood...」
「Master, there must be another way! Even though you're injured, even though you've lost your former divine might—we can still find another solution...」
「Master, you're the Qianyuan God of War! The undefeated legend of our time...」
「Do you really have to dig out Young Master's...」
It was Uncle Dog!
He was actually pleading for your life!
But despite Uncle Dog's desperate pleas, Yang Hong remained silent—utterly wordless.
Piecing together those fragmented sentences, a bone-chilling dread washed over you. Could it be true? Was your own flesh and blood uncle, Yang Hong, also coveting your Supreme Imperial Bone?!
Was he injured, and trying to take your bone to heal himself?!
That explained why, night after night, you'd heard those beast-like roars echoing from the City Lord's Mansion...
That explained why, ever since you'd arrived here nearly two years ago, you'd been watched like a hawk every step of the way—afraid you'd run away...
So it was all a trap. The entire trip south had been nothing but a carefully laid snare. Even your own uncle had been plotting against you this whole time.
Ironically, the only one who'd had a shred of kindness for you was that crafty old yellow dog—who'd been trying his best to beg for your life this entire time!
.....
Seeing that his pleas were falling on deaf ears, Uncle Dog's spirits sank. He padded over to your unconscious form and licked your cheek gently. 「I'm sorry, Young Master... Uncle Dog tried. I couldn't save you...」
That eerie fragrance that had knocked you out—it had been him who'd released it...
Yang Hong sat in the deepest shadows of the carriage, his face hidden from view, his expression unreadable. He hadn't uttered a single word from start to finish.
Neither man nor dog—not master nor servant—had any idea that your Supreme Imperial Bone's warning had roused your consciousness, allowing you to regain your senses.
Before long, the carriage came to a halt outside a small courtyard...
Yang Hong stepped out first, leading the way. Uncle Dog stood up on his hind legs, his body swelling to an enormous size. He lifted you in his massive jaws and carried you into the courtyard...
Inside the courtyard stood a simple wooden bed. And beside it loomed the figure of a butcher missing half his face, emanating a thick, murderous aura.
In his hand, the butcher clutched a fearsome cleaver, its blade glinting with cold, bloodstained light...
「Greetings, True Lord!」
The butcher bowed respectfully, standing at attention—like a hunter waiting for his prey to be served up on a platter...
You were laid down on the wooden bed...
Witnessing this scene, your heart turned to ice, sinking into the depths of despair...
In that moment, you could guess exactly what was about to happen. You activated Supreme Mode instantly, channeling every last ounce of strength you had into regaining full consciousness...
Yang Hong stood beside the bed, his face completely expressionless, staring down at your "unconscious" form with cold, calm eyes.
Uncle Dog's canine features twisted with pain. He opened his mouth, about to beg once more—only to be cut off by Yang Hong's icy command. 「Leave.」
Uncle Dog's tail drooped limply between his legs. His shoulders slumped in defeat as he hung his head and shuffled out of the courtyard.
「Begin.」
At Yang Hong's order, the butcher nodded. He raised his cleaver, preparing to step forward—only to freeze in his tracks, his face twisting into a mask of shock...
SLAP!
Your eyes snapped open without warning. You reached out and grabbed Yang Hong's wrist, your gaze burning with disbelief and rage as you stared him dead in the eyes, your voice a soul-shaking roar. 「Uncle! You want to dig out my bone too?!」
This sudden turn of events left everyone in the courtyard stunned speechless.
No one had expected that a mere Mountains and Rivers Realm cultivator like you would be able to break free from the effects of the Soul-Clouding Incense—a technique designed specifically to subdue Heavenly Beings!
Yang Hong, his wrist trapped in your grip, remained as impassive as ever, showing no sign of emotion.
But as you clung tightly to his arm, you could feel a faint, almost imperceptible tremor run through his body.
Clearly, the great Qianyuan God of War was not as calm and collected as he appeared to be!
WHOOSH!
Seizing everyone's moment of shock, you silently activated the Life-Substituting Blood Escape Talisman hidden close to your skin. Your body was instantly engulfed in a shroud of blood-red light, ready to teleport you to safety.
It was your only trump card left.
Please, let Yang Hong not have a Talisman of Sealing to counter it...
CRACK!
In the next instant, your eyes went wide with stunned horror as an arm tore through the fabric of space itself, ignoring the protective bloodlight completely. With a single squeeze, the arm crushed the Life-Substituting Blood Escape Talisman into dust.
The one who'd struck was none other than your uncle—Yang Hong.
The once-great Qianyuan God of War had used nothing but his bare hand, a single casual gesture, to snuff out every last hope of escape you had.
「Petty tricks.」
BOOM!
An invisible force slammed into you, hurling you violently back onto the wooden bed. Your five senses vanished instantly, your mind going completely blank.
Only Yang Hong's cold, emotionless voice echoed in your ears.
「Take it.」
RIP!
The flesh on your back was sliced open by the butcher's blade, the sharp steel severing the vital tendons and connections in an instant...
An excruciating pain, unlike anything you'd ever felt, tore through your very soul...
Your Supreme Imperial Bone was torn from your body—ripped out while you were still alive...