Chapter 51: Uproot the Grass, Remove the Roots!

The sky over Luo Bay County seemed to have changed color overnight.

The scent of blood hadn't yet dissipated, and a heavy sense of oppression settled over everyone's mind.

The Wang Family Old Residence was even the epicenter of this oppressive storm.

The broken walls and ruins hadn't been cleared, and the air was filled with a complex mix of herbs, blood, and dust.

The surviving Wang family members, some silently bandaging wounds, others carrying the bodies of fallen clan members, all wore faces full of fatigue, sorrow, and a post‑catastrophe bewilderment.

The Outside World, riled up by the Wang family's earth‑shattering counter‑kill, was buzzing with rumors like "Old Demon Wang appears in the sky" and "Body Refining Ninth Layer Peak mourns Luo Bay."

But inside the Wang family, hardly anyone at this moment had the mind to care about those rumors.

Joy of victory? Perhaps a hint of it, but more so the deep pain after paying a terrible price.

Wang Shan sat on the main seat of the inner hall, his complexion still a terrifying pallor, both arms strapped with splints, and the bandage across his chest oozed tiny drops of blood.

He had just forced himself to finish the condolence matters for the sacrificed clan members, and then took Wang Zhize's report on receiving each family's "compensation and apology" supplies.

Those who usually held their noses in the air were now queuing like grandchildren to present gifts—truly ironic.

But he had no time to bother with those petty troublemakers. Right now, a more important matter awaited.

His gaze passed through the open main hall door and fell on the courtyard center, where a filthy, trembling figure knelt like sifted chaff.

It was Chen Tianfeng.

This former proud head of the Chen family, who not long ago conspired with Wan Hong to bring the Wang family to ruin, now lay in a pitiful state like a wild dog whose spine had been broken.

He seemed to sense Wang Shan's stare, jerked his head up, tears and snot streaming down his face, mixed with dust and… uh, some indescribable stains. It seemed he was truly terrified.

"Wang… Wang family head! Wang grandpa! Spare me!!"

Chen Tianfeng rolled and crawled toward the main hall entrance, his knees scraping blood on the rough ground without a care, crawling while frantically kowtowing, his forehead striking the bluestone slab with a muffled "dong dong".

"It was my blind dog eyes! My heart was clouded by pig‑fat! I shouldn't have believed that old dog Wan Hong's scheming! I… I am nothing! Your lordship has great abundance, treat me like a fart and release me!"

"I was wrong! I truly was wrong! Please, consider… consider the Dao's favor… spare this dog's life of mine!"

"My Chen family! No, I! Everything I have—spiritual stones, spiritual fields, shops, even my useless grandson! I offer all to the Wang family! I am willing to be your ox and horse, be a dog for the Wang family for life! I only ask… I only ask you to spare my life!"

He cried out hoarsely, his voice ragged and filled with despair and fear. In that dust‑deep humility, there was no trace of a family head's dignity at all—it's as if the character "coward" were carved on his forehead.

Wang Shan watched his performance with a blank expression.

Spare him?

Wang Shan recalled the clan members who fell in the pool of blood, remembered Zhitao's defiant gaze before death, and the moment he himself was nearly killed by Wan Hong's claw.

All of this, Chen Tianfeng, the wolf‑bringing scoundrel, bears responsibility!

Had he not acted out of personal grudges and greed, colluding with the Wan family, the Wang family wouldn't have suffered such heavy losses.

Those dead clan members—who will spare them?

"Spare you?" Wang Shan finally spoke, his voice low but with a bone‑chilling cold, "Who will spare the innocents killed by the Wan family?"

"You colluded with the Wan family, aided tyranny, brought wolves into our house, caused my Wang family descendants to die miserably… every single case, which one isn't enough for you to die a hundred times?"

"Such a treacherous scoundrel—what use is there for you? You deserve death beyond measure!"

A cold killing intent instantly enveloped Chen Tianfeng; he shivered all over, his crotch soaked with a large wet patch, and a foul, fishy smell spread.

It's over! This time it's really over! Old Demon Wang is about to deliver a death blow!

Just as Wang Shan was about to wave his hand, ordering Wang Zhize to drag this disaster away for disposal, a name suddenly leapt into his mind—Chen Dao.

That prodigious youth whose cultivation he had ruined, yet Wan Hong coveted as a vessel for the forbidden art 【Wan Beast Method】.

Although the kid had been outrageously arrogant before, wanting to step on the Wang family's head and defecate, his crime didn't merit death.

Moreover, the Wan family clearly valued the 【Wan Beast Method】, and Chen Dao as a "vessel" was still useful to them.

Killing Chen Tianfeng would indeed be satisfying, but it might also push Chen Dao completely toward the Wan family, making him a future major threat to the Wang family.

And keeping Chen Tianfeng alive, perhaps… perhaps one could pry from his mouth some secrets about Chen Dao and the 【Wan Beast Method】?

That old fool, though a waste, is still Chen Dao's own grandfather; he must know something, right?

Wang Shan's thoughts raced swiftly.

Killing is simple—one stroke ends everything.

But not killing seems to retain some utility.

Weighing the pros and cons, Wang Shan quickly reached a decision.

He looked at the limp, mud‑like Chen Tianfeng, who could barely breathe, and let out a cold snort.

"Want to die? It's not that easy."

Chen Tianfeng froze at the words, then his eyes burst with ecstatic joy, thinking he had escaped disaster, just as he was about to kowtow again in thanks.

Wang Shan's next words were like icy water poured over his head, chilling him from top to toe.

"The death penalty can be avoided, but the living crime cannot escape!" Wang Shan's voice held no warmth, "A scoundrel who sows discord and betrays trust, even alive you are a disaster. Keep your cultivation, and who knows when you'll stab from behind again."

He lifted his chin, signaling Wang Zhize standing nearby.

"Zhize."

Wang Zhize immediately understood, strode forward to Chen Tianfeng's front.

Having endured this blood‑soaked battle, his gaze had long shed its naiveté, becoming cold, hard, and sharp.

Chen Tianfeng stared in terror as Wang Zhize approached, emitting an unintelligible whimper, trying to retreat but utterly powerless.

"No… don't…"

Wang Zhize showed no hesitation, raised his palm, the Spiritual Power within him subtly circulating, then, cleanly and decisively, slapped the palm onto Chen Tianfeng's dantian!

"Puff!"

A muffled thud rang out, accompanied by Chen Tianfeng's pig‑like, agonized scream!

He felt a torrent of violent force surge into his dantian, tearing apart the foundation he had cultivated for decades as if crushing rotten wood.

The faint Spiritual Qi within him burst like a punctured balloon, vanishing instantly without a trace!

The dantian is destroyed! Cultivation is completely lost!

Chen Tianfeng lay paralyzed on the ground, his body convulsing violently, foam spilling from his mouth, his eyes filled with inconceivable pain and despair.

Chen Tianfeng became a waste! A completely useless waste, not even comparable to an ordinary strong man!

This feeling is ten thousand times more painful than killing him!

"Put him in the Woodshed and keep a tight watch!" Wang Shan's voice rang out again, bearing an unquestionable command, "No one may touch him without my permission! Reduce his rations by half; as long as he doesn't starve to death, that's enough."

Destroying his cultivation and then imprisoning him is more torturous than simply cutting him down with a single sword.

Wang Shan wants Chen Tianfeng to barely cling to life amid endless despair and pain.

At the same time, it's also leaving a living mouth to see if any useful information can be extracted.

As for the future? We'll decide according to the situation.

Two Wang Family youths stepped forward, dragging Chen Tianfeng like a dead dog—his body limp as mud, still convulsing and wailing—as they pulled him away.

After dealing with Chen Tianfeng, the chief culprit, Wang Shan did not pause.

He looked at Wang Zhize, "Zhize, take a squad and go to the Chen Family immediately!"

Wang Zhize was startled, "Father, what do you mean?"

"Seize the Chen Family!" Wang Shan declared resolutely, "All of the Chen Family's assets, spiritual fields, and shops—move everything that can be moved back to our family treasury! Not a single needle or thread may be left behind!"

"Remember, act quickly! The guys in Luo Bay County now probably wouldn't dare to make a move. Seize this chance and wipe out the Chen Family completely!"

"Yes! The son understands!" Wang Zhize nodded heavily, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes. Mercy toward the enemy is cruelty toward oneself. He had already learned this deeply through a lesson of blood.

Soon, Wang Zhize gathered his men and, with a fierce momentum, rushed straight for the Chen Family.

Just as Wang Shan had anticipated, at this moment in Luo Bay County, all families were cowed by the Wang Family's thunderous tactics and the fearsome reputation of Old Demon Wang. Watching the Wang Family members storm into the Chen Family, ransacking and hauling everything away, not a single person dared to utter even a single "no", not even to watch covertly, fearing to invite trouble upon themselves.

In less than half a day, the Chen Family, once a notable household in Luo Bay County, became a complete empty shell. All its wealth poured into the Wang Family treasury, which had just endured a great battle and urgently needed replenishment.

The name Chen Family, from today onward, is utterly erased from Luo Bay County's history.

Watching Wang Zhize lead his men to move box after box of valuables into the storage, Wang Shan, leaning on his cane, stood in the courtyard, his gaze sweeping over the clan members whose faces still bore scars and sorrow, yet whose eyes were gradually hardening with resolve.

He spoke slowly, his voice low yet clear enough to reach everyone's ears: "Did you all see? This is the fate of betrayal and opposing my Wang Family!"

"Chen Tianfeng, bringing wolves into the house, deserves ten thousand deaths! We spare his life today, stripping his cultivation and imprisoning him, only because his incompetent grandson still has some use! This will not set a precedent!"

"Remember! Against the enemy, we must never show any softness or mercy! Cutting the grass must eradicate the roots! Otherwise, the spring wind will cause it to grow again, leading to endless future troubles!"

"We have killed the Wan family! We have annihilated the Chen family! From now on, anyone who dares to scheme against my Wang Family will meet a fate even worse than theirs!"

Wang Shan's words, like a heavy hammer, struck the hearts of every surviving Wang Family youth.

Decisive killing, ruthless and merciless! This is the most profound lesson the Family Head has taught them.

It may be cruel, but in this law‑of‑the‑jungle world, to survive and protect one's clan, one must act this way!

From the Woodshed in the corner came Chen Tianfeng's intermittent sobbing and curses.

Feeling the emptiness and searing pain in his dantian, his eyes filled with a despair more terrifying than death, and a venomous hatred that grew like a poisonous snake.

"Wang Shan... Wang Family... Even if I become a ghost, I will never let you get away!"

He clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging into his palms, dark red blood oozing out.

After tallying the last box of valuables, Wang Zhize walked to Wang Shan's side and whispered, "Father, the Chen Family has been dealt with completely."