The three figures moved silently through the deeper territory of the Bloodscale Clan.
The buildings here were quieter and more secluded, reserved for the higher elders of the clan. Lantern light flickered along the corridors, casting long shadows across the stone ground.
Wang Yan suddenly slowed.
Two powerful auras could be sensed ahead. Soul Saints.
The three exchanged a brief glance before moving closer, stopping outside a large hall whose doors were slightly open.
Inside stood two men.
One of them was the same Soul Saint who had once helped the Bloodscale Clan Patriarch escape the battlefield. His expression was cold and cautious.
Beside him stood an older man. His hair was white, but the aura surrounding him was far from weak. His presence carried a sharp and restless energy, as if his body contained power that could burst out at any moment.
The two were speaking quietly.
"The Patriarch's injuries are severe," the older man said slowly. "Even after absorbing blood essence, he has not fully recovered."
The other Soul Saint frowned. "That Wang Yan… his strength is abnormal. If he dares to come again—"
His words stopped abruptly.
A suffocating pressure suddenly descended upon the hall.
Wang Yan's domain expanded.
The two Soul Saints' expressions changed instantly.
"Enemy!"
Before the shout could spread outside the hall, the three shadows had already moved.
Wang Yan's sword flashed like cold moonlight.
The Soul Saint who had helped the Patriarch escape reacted quickly, releasing his spirit rings in defense. But the difference between them was overwhelming.
Within Wang Yan's domain, his strength was heavily suppressed.
The sword cut through his defenses in a single stroke. Blood sprayed across the hall. The man's body staggered before collapsing to the ground, lifeless.
But the older Soul Saint was different.
The moment the domain appeared, his body exploded forward with terrifying speed.
His right leg flashed with a strange crimson light. A soul bone.
The bone greatly enhanced his speed, allowing him to break away from the center of Wang Yan's attack range almost instantly.
His figure blurred like a shadow as he attempted to rush toward the door.
If he managed to escape and alert the clan, the entire infiltration would be exposed.
Zhao Qing moved first.
Thunder burst from his body as his Thunder Beast martial soul erupted. Lightning shot across the hall, attempting to intercept the fleeing old man.
But the old Soul Saint twisted his body mid-movement, the speed granted by the right leg soul bone allowing him to evade the lightning by a hair's breadth.
Liu Ming stepped forward. His spear thrust forward like a streak of silver light, blocking the old man's path.
The old Soul Saint roared in fury, releasing his spirit power violently as he tried to break through the encirclement.
Yet inside Wang Yan's domain, every movement was restrained.
Wang Yan appeared before him in the next instant. The old man's eyes widened as the sword descended.
He tried to dodge again using the speed of the soul bone— But Zhao Qing's lightning struck his body at that exact moment, freezing his movement for the briefest instant.
That single moment decided everything.
Wang Yan's sword swept across.
The sword cut cleanly through the old man's neck. The body froze for a second before collapsing heavily onto the ground.
Silence returned to the hall. Two Soul Saints lay dead.
Liu Ming slowly withdrew his spear. "That one was faster," he said quietly.
After a moment , around the old man's right leg, a faint crimson glow was slowly gathering. The energy condensed little by little, forming something solid as strands of spirit power intertwined.
A soul bone was forming.
For a moment the three remained silent. Even among powerful soul masters, soul bones were extremely rare treasures.
Wang Yan stepped closer and observed the forming bone carefully. The lingering spirit fluctuations were still clear — the same strange burst of speed the old Soul Saint had used during the fight.
He looked at Zhao Qing.
"This one suits you," Wang Yan said calmly.
Zhao Qing frowned slightly. "Me?"
Wang Yan nodded.
"It's a right leg soul bone, and the ability inside clearly enhances speed during movement. But more importantly, when that old man attacked, he used that speed to strengthen the momentum of his strikes."
Liu Ming understood immediately and added, "Your Thunder Beast martial soul is mainly attack-type, but it already has natural explosive speed. If you combine that with the acceleration from this soul bone your attacks will carry much greater impact. The faster the movement, the stronger the strike. It will increase the power of your lightning attacks."
Zhao Qing looked again at the glowing bone. He remembered clearly how the old Soul Saint had moved earlier — the sudden burst of speed that almost allowed him to escape.
He looked at the bone for a moment, then nodded. He carefully picked up the right leg soul bone and stored it away.
"This isn't the time to absorb it," he said quietly.
The three quickly hid the two bodies and erased every trace of the battle.
Now, three Soul Saints had already died.
Only one remained.
The three shadows moved again.
Wang Yan led the way deeper into the inner compound of the Bloodscale Clan. The deeper they went, the quieter the surroundings became. Most of the stronger elders lived in this area, while the outer guards rarely entered.
Along the path ahead, several Soul King level guards were patrolling the corridor.
Wang Yan raised his hand slightly.
The three split instantly.
Before the guards could react, Zhao Qing moved first. Lightning flashed for a brief moment as his Thunder Beast power erupted silently. One Soul King collapsed immediately, his heart shattered by the lightning strike.
At the same time, Liu Ming's spear moved like a streak of silver light, piercing through another guard's chest before he could even open his mouth.
Wang Yan stepped forward calmly, his sword flashing once.
The remaining guards fell one after another.
In only a few breaths, the small patrol had been completely eliminated.
Their bodies were quickly dragged into the shadows.
The three continued moving, searching for the last remaining Soul Saint.
After a short while, Wang Yan suddenly stopped again. A powerful aura appeared ahead. Inside a courtyard, three figures were standing.
At the center stood an elderly man with a powerful presence — the last Soul Saint of the Bloodscale Clan.
Beside him stood two subordinates. One Soul Emperor, Two Soul Kings.
They seemed to be discussing something quietly, completely unaware that death had already reached their doorstep.
Wang Yan's eyes turned cold. He spoke in a low voice.
"The last one."
Liu Ming tightened his grip on the spear.
Zhao Qing's fingers crackled with faint lightning.
Without another word, Wang Yan stepped forward.
His domain expanded instantly, covering the entire courtyard.
The sudden pressure made the four men inside freeze in shock.
"Enemy—!"
The Soul Saint tried to shout. But it was already too late.
Zhao Qing's lightning exploded first, striking the two Soul Kings before they could react.
Liu Ming's spear shot forward like a meteor, piercing straight through the Soul Emperor's chest.
And in the next instant—
Wang Yan's sword descended. The last Soul Saint struggled desperately under the suppression of the domain, trying to release his spirit power.
But compared to Wang Yan, his strength was far too weak.
The sword flashed once. The old man's head separated from his body.
Silence returned to the courtyard.
All four Soul Saints of the Bloodscale Clan were now dead.
End of chapter.