Chapter 1008: New Grudges, Old Hatreds (Requesting Moon Tickets)

"That sword of yours…"

Ming, who was applying medicine to Nian Tianjiao, looked strangely at Niu Zuo's loosely clenched right hand, as if he were holding an invisible long sword.

"The Yinxu Sword? It's a small result from the last experiment. Too bad An Dong'er was moved too early—otherwise, my gains would've been far greater."

Niu Zuo shook his head slightly; this was his killing technique, originally meant for Feng Wang and Huang Hou. Thanks to the Yinxu Sword's unique nature, even with a realm gap, it could inflict formidable damage—its properties were exceptionally rare.

Looking at Nian Tianjiao, whose hands were ruined, and Wu Huang Gui, curled on the ground trembling from the severe aftereffects of the Human Medicine, Niu Zuo's heart sank.

And just as he was about to withdraw his gaze… Niu Zuo's eyes suddenly locked onto something.

Because he saw that the tumor-thing, as black blood oozed out, was rapidly shrinking, its form condensing into the size of a human body.

And its shape unmistakably resembled the outward contours of Er Heiyu Huang Er.

Niu Zuo's body began to tremble; he stared in terror at the corpse on the ground, his heart rising to his throat, the Yinxu Sword slipping from his hand and clattering to the floor.

"Impossible… it can't be like this… not this…"

When the tumor-thing's black blood had fully drained and its breath ceased, its body fully restored to human form, though twisted and mangled from violent deformation, that head—there was no mistaking it—it was Huang Er!

The instant he fully saw the corpse, Niu Zuo's mind went utterly blank with a deafening buzz; he instinctively rushed to the body, clutching it to his chest, letting out incoherent, frantic screams—for the first time, he showed such a loss of composure.

As Ming watched with interest the tragic end of this ill-fated pair, a sudden CRASH erupted beside her—the wall cracked open, shards flying—and a streak of golden light shot past her, slamming into the same wall Niu Zuo had previously cracked.

Without even half a second's pause—CRASH! —this final wall also exploded, revealing the outside: Black Clouds thickly blanketing the sky, lightning flashing violently.

Ming stared hard—the golden streak that had just passed her was none other than Wu Captain, flying backward, eyes rolled back, barely clinging to life.

Half-conscious, Wu Captain seemed to sense two familiar energies rapidly approaching beneath Qing Gao Lou.

"That energy is…?!"

Wu Captain's foggy consciousness suddenly sharpened; the Phoenix Cry erupted again, and behind him, phantom wings of the Golden Phoenix unfurled—he froze midair, turning back toward Qing Gao Lou…

BOOM!!

The thunder cracked again—just then, Ming sensed something behind her, appearing as if teleporting directly to her back.

She turned—and there, before her, stood the Fourth Prince of the Wu Yu Clan.

His pale face, cold expression, and raised right hand all but sealed Ming's death sentence.

But at that moment, the Fourth Prince of the Wu Yu Clan seemed to sense something—he suddenly froze, staring at the massive breach ahead, his eyes wide with disbelief, as if witnessing something impossible.

"Impossible… why is she still alive? Could it be…?"

BOOM!!

The third thunderclap erupted at that moment.

Beneath the thunder: a sky full of white-bone kites, a celestial tree reaching heavenward, the shattered Qing Gao Lou, Niu Zuo clutching the corpse and wailing in grief, Wu Huang Gui collapsed on the ground, Nian Tianjiao with severed arms, the invincible Fourth Prince of the Wu Yu Clan, and Wu Captain flying out beyond Qing Gao Lou.

All of it, at that instant, seemed frozen—a single painting.

Just as Fang Yue and Tail arrived beneath Qing Gao Lou, the first thing they saw was this very scene.

And in the next instant—

Wu Captain, with his Golden Phoenix wings, charged toward the breach in Qing Gao Lou, followed immediately by fierce combat sounds, and occasional blinding streaks of golden light and Phoenix Cry erupting from within.

Seizing the opportunity, Ming yanked Niu Zuo, who had lost all will to fight, and sprinted upward along the stairs.

"Don't be this useless—it's just a corpse dying again. If you lose your will to fight now, I'll lose a lot of fun. Don't forget your target is still waiting for you at the tower's peak!"

Though Ming's words were harsh, Niu Zuo rallied his spirit—his entire will transformed into vengeful fire. Where Ming had been dragging him upward, he now lifted her and launched the final charge himself.

Whether or not someone in the group had cleared the path ahead, the ascent was utterly unobstructed—only at the final steps to the summit did they encounter numerous corpses of grotesques and humans, all brutally slain.

The tower's peak loomed directly ahead; the exit door glowed with blinding white light, as if passing through it would transport them to another realm.

Without hesitation, Niu Zuo dragged Ming straight upward.

They passed through the door and reached the peak—yet what met their eyes were four corpses of Wu Family Elders in blue coral robes, two kneeling on the ground, battered and bleeding: the Red Division's Grand Elder and Second Elder of the Nian Clan, and Huang Hou, drenched in blood, licking her bloodied dagger with her tongue.

Behind Huang Hou stood Feng Wang, his back turned to them all—as if he had never lifted a finger the entire time!

Seeing the object of his long-held vengeance, Niu Zuo released Ming's hand, drew the Yinxu Sword, and two small bumps slowly swelled on his forehead, rapidly growing into black ox horns!

"Finally… I see you again, Feng Wang and Huang Hou!!"

BOOM!!

Thunder flared again, illuminating Jingcheng beneath the black clouds.

Beneath the thunder, Feng Wang slowly turned, gazing at Niu Zuo, who had climbed up with every ounce of strength.

Their eyes met—new grudges and old hatreds converged at this moment.

Yet none in the room noticed: far away, within the dark clouds, a large formation of white-bone kites was rapidly approaching—led by none other than the Second Prince of the Wu Yu Clan!

As if locked onto their energy, he led his force straight toward Qing Gao Lou's rooftop—already from afar, he could see the two opposing sides locked in confrontation.

…

Qing Gao Lou, staircase steps.

Fang Yue was sprinting.

He was already moving fast.

Whether or not Niu Zuo's group had already stormed through, Qing Gao Lou held almost no Phoenix Organization personnel—only strange tumor-balloon grotesques and Wu Yu Clan white-bone kite grotesques.

And these grotesques were weak—Fang Yue ascended without resistance. Along the way, he encountered living people—apparently members of Niu Zuo's assembled force—but they were deserters, no longer climbing upward, instead fleeing downward.

Fang Yue did not stop them; after asking a few questions, he let them go.

Outside, Blood Rain poured relentlessly—without a Rain-level cultivator's protection, even reaching the ground meant no escape from Qing Gao Lou.

In Blood Rain, below Rain-level, all are ants!

(End of Chapter)