[T/N: This is a Christmas Bonus chapter, ENJOY~🎁🎄 Merry Christmas🎄🎁 guys]
A gust of wind swept past, lifting the black robe of a tall figure. Long black hair danced in the air, revealing a sharp, handsome face and a pair of piercing, jet-black eyes.
The man walked toward Chu Yang, towering over him like a predator assessing its prey. His cold, cutting gaze bore into Chu Yang, whose heart pounded wildly.
Trapped under that gaze, Chu Yang felt like a cornered beast. His limbs froze, his breathing became labored, and a chill seeped into his bones.
The man smirked with a trace of disdain. "I thought you'd be someone important, but it turns out you're nothing more than a disciple of the so-called Daozi of Heaven's Path Sect. A mere bug like you dares provoke me?"
He raised his right foot with deliberate slowness. "You? Trash like you? I can crush you however I like."
"No!" Chu Yang screamed in terror, but he was powerless. His injuries rendered him immobile, unable to escape the impending blow.
Crack! Crack!
The sound of bones snapping echoed through the air. Both of Chu Yang's legs were mercilessly broken under the man's heel.
The excruciating pain struck him like a thunderbolt, blanking out his mind. Trembling violently, his eyes bulged wide in agony and disbelief.
The man sneered at the sight of his handiwork, his lips curling into a cruel smile.
"Who... Who are you?" Chu Yang croaked through gritted teeth, his voice laced with despair and rage. "Why are you doing this to me?"
"Why?" The man's voice turned icy, each word laced with malice. "You dared to touch my women. That's reason enough for me to kill you."
"What?" Chu Yang's pupils contracted in horror. "You mean... they're your women?"
The realization hit him like a thunderbolt. His mind raced as he stared at the man before him. "You… you're the Young Master of the Su Family?"
The man smirked coldly, nodding slightly. "Now you get it. Yes, I am Su Chen. But it's too late for regrets."
"No, no!" Chu Yang panicked, clinging to his last thread of hope. "Young Master Su, this is all a misunderstanding! I didn't know! Please, let me explain—"
"Explain?" Su Chen cut him off, his gaze sharp as a blade. He signaled with a flick of his eyes to the woman at his side.
Su Meier, standing calmly by, stepped forward. Without hesitation, her dagger flashed. The blade sliced cleanly through Chu Yang's throat, crimson blood spurting out and soaking the ground.
"Please, no..." Chu Yang's voice gurgled as he clutched at his neck, blood flowing between his fingers. His once-proud eyes now reflected only fear and regret.
Su Chen looked down at him with icy indifference. "A pathetic worm like you dared to lay a hand on my women? The Su Family doesn't tolerate such insolence."
Chu Yang's body convulsed as the light in his eyes dimmed. His lips quivered as though he wanted to speak, but no words came. Finally, his body went limp, collapsing into the pool of blood beneath him.
———
Ten Thousand Miles Away: The Heaven's Path Sect
In a quiet chamber, a white-bearded elder sat cross-legged, meditating in peace. Before him stood a rack of soul lamps, their flames flickering gently in the dim light.
Suddenly, one of the lamps sputtered, its flame extinguished.
The elder's eyes snapped open, and he sat bolt upright, his face etched with concern.
"These soul lamps... they represent the lives of our sect's elite disciples." He stared at the now-dark lamp, his expression grim. "Someone has fallen."
His brows furrowed deeply. "Chu Yang's lamp..."
Chu Yang was the most talented of Daozi Xuan Zhen's disciples, someone who had reached the mid-stage of the Great Sage Realm. With his cultivation, even against a peak Great Sage expert, he should have been able to escape. For his soul lamp to go out so abruptly...
Unless...
The elder's eyes widened as a chilling thought struck him. Could it be a Quasi-Emperor?
Quasi-Emperors were rare and mighty, the peak of mortal cultivation. Why would such a powerhouse bother to kill a junior disciple?
Shaken by the implication, the elder stood up swiftly. "I must report this to the Sect Master immediately."
———
Heaven's Path Sect - Taiqing Hall
Within the grand hall, a woman sat in serene meditation, her black robes fluttering gently despite the stillness of the air. Her skin was porcelain-smooth, glowing faintly under the surrounding spiritual light. Her features were breathtaking, an ethereal beauty unmatched.
This was Ji Yueyao, the Sect Master of Heaven's Path Sect.
Despite her youthful appearance, Ji Yueyao was a peerless cultivator who had reached the peak of the Quasi-Emperor Realm within three short decades. She stood on the precipice of the fabled Emperor Realm—a step away from immortality.
Her cultivation base made her a figure of reverence. Even elders of the sect bowed to her in awe.
As she meditated, spiritual energy surged around her. Within her dantian, a magnificent lotus flower with seven colored petals bloomed, radiating divine brilliance.
Suddenly, Ji Yueyao's brows furrowed. She opened her eyes, her gaze sharp as she sensed someone approaching. Moments later, a figure appeared at the entrance—it was Zhao Hanshan, the sect's steward elder.
"Sect Master," Zhao Hanshan said, his voice tinged with urgency. "Something grave has happened. Chu Yang's soul lamp... it has extinguished."
Ji Yueyao's serene expression faltered for the briefest moment, replaced by a flicker of surprise.
"Chu Yang... has fallen?" Her tone was calm, yet a faint undercurrent of cold fury seeped through.
Zhao Hanshan nodded grimly. "Yes. His strength should have been enough to escape most situations. The only explanation is that he encountered someone far beyond his level... perhaps even a Quasi-Emperor."
Ji Yueyao's gaze turned icy. "To think someone dares to kill a disciple of my Heaven's Path Sect."
Her voice carried an undeniable authority. "Hanshan, investigate immediately. Find out who is behind this. Our sect will not be trifled with."
"Understood, Sect Master!" Zhao Hanshan bowed deeply and departed.
Left alone, Ji Yueyao's expression darkened. Her fingers lightly tapped the armrest of her chair, her thoughts clouded with unease.
"Su Chen," she muttered under her breath, her tone heavy with foreboding.
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