Chapter 194 Eliminate the Weeds at the Root!

The smoke over the Tianyun Mountain Range had not yet fully dissipated, and the pungent, foul stench of blood still drifted freely in the air. Mingling with the smell of scorched earth, it formed a bizarre and intense odor, making one feel as if they were in a living hell.

Ye Haocheng stood silently atop a mountain piled high with countless corpses, as motionless as a sculpture.

His feet were planted firmly on a massive, hideous corpse. This corpse belonged to the man who, just moments ago, had been arrogant and overbearing—the overlord of the Central Region and the ninth-generation ancestor of the Chu family, Chu Jiu!

At this moment, where was the Chu Jiu of the past, with his heroic spirit that could swallow mountains and rivers? His limbs had been brutally snapped by Fan Wujiu's raw strength, hanging limply on the ground, devoid of life.

The purple brocade robe that originally represented supreme authority was now tattered and torn, stained with thick dust and patches of blood. His hair, which had been neatly combed, was now a disheveled mess, veiling most of his old face, which was covered in filth and bloodshot veins.

At this moment, Chu Jiu was the living image of a spineless wretch, in a state of utter wretchedness.

"Cough, cough..." Chu Jiu endured the intense pain, letting out a series of low, raspy coughs. Each cough was accompanied by a large mouthful of blood spraying out, mixed with fragments of internal organ tissue.

He used every last ounce of strength to slowly raise his head. Through his blurred vision, he looked at the young man before him, who appeared like a demon god descending upon the world. His eyes revealed an extreme craving for survival, but even more so, an unconcealable, bone-deep terror.

He did not want to die.

He had lived for two thousand years, enjoying two millennia of wealth and glory.

He was a grand figure standing at the peak of the Central Region; how could he die in this godforsaken place?

How could he die at the hands of a barbarian from the Eastern Region?

"Palace... Palace Master Ye..."

Chu Jiu's voice was as hoarse as two pieces of scrap metal rubbing together.

He forced out a fawning smile that looked worse than crying.

His body writhed slightly beneath Ye Haocheng's feet, seemingly expressing submission.

"Let's... let's talk this through..."

"Before... it was all a misunderstanding..."

"A misunderstanding?"

Ye Haocheng looked down at the old man beneath his feet.

A playful, cold sneer curled at the corner of his mouth.

He had not retracted the heaven-burning sword in his hand; the tip of the blade still pointed at the center of Chu Jiu's brow.

The flickering red sword light sizzled against Chu Jiu's skin.

"You brought tens of thousands of people to kill me, and now you're telling me it was a misunderstanding?"

"Just a moment ago, you wanted to extract my soul and refine my spirit, lighting me as a sky lantern for ten thousand years. Was that also a misunderstanding?"

"No, no, no! That was this old man... no, that was this lowly one failing to recognize a titan!"

Chu Jiu trembled all over in fear, ignoring his agonizing pain as he shook his head repeatedly.

His eyes flickered frantically, and his brain worked at high speed, trying to find a silver lining of hope.

As long as he could survive, he was willing to be a dog.

After all, a miserable life is better than a good death.

"Palace Master Ye, how about this..."

Chu Jiu took a deep breath, seemingly having made a monumental decision.

He struggled to lift his head and look directly into Ye Haocheng's eyes, his tone carrying a hint of urgency and temptation.

"If only you are willing to let me go this once."

"My Chu family... is willing to serve Asura Hall as its master!"

"In the future, you shall have first pick of all the resources in the Central Region!"

"The spirit stones, beauties, and treasures the Chu family offers you every year will surely satisfy you!"

At this point, Chu Jiu seemed to feel that the conditions he offered were not sincere enough.

He hastily added:

"I can even... even give you the key to the Chu family's treasury!"

"That is the accumulation of thousands of years of the Chu family!"

"Even if you want the entire Central Region, with the cooperation of my Chu family, it is not impossible!"

"As long as you... as long as you spare my dog's life..."

As Chu Jiu spoke, he observed Ye Haocheng's expression.

He was gambling.

Gambling that no one in this world could refuse such a temptation.

That was wealth sufficient to buy half of the Central Region.

That was power that stood above ten thousand people.

He did not believe Ye Haocheng wouldn't be tempted.

As long as Ye Haocheng hesitated even a little, he would have a chance to strike back, or... escape.

However.

To his disappointment.

That faint, cold sneer remained on Ye Haocheng's face.

In those deep eyes, there was not a trace of greed; instead, there was only an even more intense killing intent.

It was as if he were watching a clown's clumsy performance.

"Are you finished?"

Ye Haocheng spoke indifferently.

His tone was so calm it was chilling.

"This... this is my sincerity, Palace Master Ye!"

Chu Jiu's heart skipped a beat.

An ominous premonition surged in his heart.

He grit his teeth, attempting one last struggle.

"Think about it; if you kill me, all you get is a corpse and the eternal hatred of the Chu family."

"But if you release me, you get the loyalty of the entire Chu family!"

"No matter how you calculate it, this deal is worth it!"

"Loyalty?"

Ye Haocheng scoffed.

He slowly crouched down and patted Chu Jiu's cheek with the blood-stained blade of his sword.

The action was contemptuous to the extreme.

"Do you think I would believe the promise of a mad dog?"

"Today, to save your life, you can betray the Chu family."

"Tomorrow, for even greater gain, you wouldn't hesitate to plunge a knife into my back."

"Besides..."

Ye Haocheng stood up and gazed into the distance toward the Chu family's ancestral lands.

The killing intent in his eyes erupted instantly, a physical chill that caused the surrounding temperature to plummet.

"The grudge between me and your Chu family is no longer something that can be resolved through interests."

"From the moment you ordered the hunt for me."

"From the moment you treated Asura Hall as a soft persimmon to be squeezed."

"The outcome was already decided."

"And that is... a fight to the death."

Hearing those words.

The light in Chu Jiu's eyes completely went out.

In its place was the madness that follows despair.

Since the soft approach didn't work, then he would go down fighting!

"Ye Haocheng!!"

Chu Jiu suddenly let out a shrill roar.

From within his broken body, an astonishing power erupted once again.

He was burning his final life essence.

Even if he died, he would take someone down with him!

"You want to kill this old man?! I'll drag you to hell with me first!!"

"Explode!!"

Chu Jiu wanted to self-detonate his Primordial Spirit.

A terrifying energy fluctuation rapidly expanded within his body.

Once it detonated, not a blade of grass would remain within a ten-mile radius.

Even a Peak Martial Venerable would be heavily injured by the blast.

"Trying to self-detonate in front of me?"

Ye Haocheng snorted coldly.

His eyes were full of disdain.

He gave Chu Jiu no opportunity whatsoever.

The heaven-burning sword in his hand was already primed.

Puchi—!

A flash of red light passed.

It was incredibly fast.

It even surpassed the speed of Chu Jiu's thought process.

Chu Jiu's frantic expression froze on his face.

His mouth was wide open, but he could no longer make a sound.

Because at the center of his brow, a thumb-sized bloody hole had appeared.

The heaven-burning sword qi instantly pierced through his brain and shredded his Sea of Consciousness.

The Primordial Spirit that was about to self-detonate was also directly burned into nothingness by the domineering flames.

"Ugh..."

A meaningless groan escaped Chu Jiu's throat.

The life in his eyes rapidly faded.

The terrifying energy that had been expanding also vanished into thin air.

Like a punctured balloon.

Thud.

Chu Jiu's corpse slumped to the ground.

He died with his eyes wide open.

This formidable figure who had dominated the Central Region for centuries ultimately failed to escape his fate of death.

He died at the hands of a "barbarian" he had once looked down upon.

At the moment of Chu Jiu's death.

A crisp and pleasant notification sound suddenly rang out in Ye Haocheng's mind.

To him, this sound was more beautiful than celestial music.

"Ding!"

"Congratulations to the host! Successfully killed a cultivator with a golden luck grade!"

"Target Identity: Ninth Ancestor of the Central Region's Chu Family, Chu Jiu."

"luck points reward: Five million points!"

"Current luck points balance: 8.6 million points."

"Sweet!"

Ye Haocheng shouted inwardly.

A heartfelt smile finally appeared on his face.

Five million luck points!

This was absolutely a massive fortune!

One must know that killing a genius of The Butcher's level had only yielded a few hundred thousand.

Yet this old fellow had directly dropped five million!

It seemed this so-called "golden luck" was indeed incredibly valuable.

"With this sum, I can upgrade Asura Hall again."

"I can even try to break through to the legendary realm above Martial God..."

Ye Haocheng calculated in his mind.

But he did not immerse himself in joy for long.

Because things were not over yet.

Although Chu Jiu was dead, he was only one ancestor of the Chu family.

The behemoth that was the Chu family still existed.

The reputedly even stronger First Ancestor of the Chu Family was still there.

If they weren't completely eradicated, it would be a time bomb that could explode at any moment.

"To cut the grass, one must remove the roots."

Ye Haocheng put away the heaven-burning sword, his gaze turning cold once more.

He turned around and looked at Black and White Impermanence, who had been standing respectfully behind him.

These two fierce generals from the Underworld were currently looking at their Palace Master with faces full of admiration.

The style of that sword strike just now had even made these two bloodthirsty ghost messengers feel alarmed.

"Fan Wujiu, Protector Xie Bian."

"Your subordinates are here!"

The two responded in unison.

The baleful aura surged around them; clearly, they hadn't killed enough.

"In this battle, the Chu family's elites were out in full force."

Ye Haocheng pointed at the corpses strewn across the ground.

Besides Chu Jiu, there were dozens of elders and an entire Black Dragon Legion.

For the Chu family, this was a crippling blow.

"The Chu family's ancestral land is currently at its most vulnerable."

"I want you two to set out immediately."

"Target: Bawang City, the Chu family's ancestral land."

"There is only one mission."

Ye Haocheng extended a finger and made a cutting motion in the air.

His tone was icy, devoid of any emotion.

"Leave neither chicken nor dog alive."

"Send their whole family to a reunion."

"By your command!!"

Fan Wujiu and Protector Xie Bian glanced at each other.

Both saw bloodthirsty excitement in the other's eyes.

This kind of work—exterminating a whole clan and eradicating the roots—was practically tailor-made for them.

"Rest assured, Palace Master!"

Fan Wujiu thumped his chest in guarantee.

His black face was covered in a savage grin.

"I'll go and wipe out that Chu family nest right now!"

"Whatever damn Bawang City, I'll smash it into ruins!"

"Hee hee hee..."

Protector Xie Bian also began to laugh sinisterly.

His long tongue licked his lips.

"The souls of the remaining Chu family brats must taste quite good."

"I'll catch them one by one into the Myriad Ghost Banner and play with them properly."

"Go."

Ye Haocheng waved his hand.

"I do not wish to see the Chu family still existing in this world when tomorrow's sun rises."

"Yes!"

The two didn't waste words.

They transformed into two streaks of light, one black and one white, and instantly soared into the sky.

They flew at extreme speed toward the Chu family's ancestral land.

Their speed was so fast they disappeared into the horizon in the blink of an eye.

Looking at their departing backs.

Ye Haocheng did not stay idle.

He turned to look at the Asura Guards who were cleaning up the battlefield.

And at Jin Daoming, who was scavenging spoils from Chu Jiu's corpse.

"Jin Daoming."

Hearing the summons, Jin Daoming immediately ran over.

Ye Haocheng spoke with a serious expression.

"Have the things I asked you to prepare been readied?"

"They are ready!"

"According to your instructions, I have already contacted the largest chambers of commerce in the Central Region."

"And those second-rate forces that have always been suppressed by the Chu family."

"The news has also been spread."

"Very good."

Ye Haocheng nodded.

A sharp glint flashed in his eyes.

This was a war not limited to just martial force.

There also had to be a war of public opinion and an economic war.

He wanted the Chu family to be utterly disgraced before their destruction.

To let everyone know the consequences of offending Asura Hall.

"Tell those forces."

"The Chu family is finished."

"Those who don't want to die should immediately cut ties with the Chu family."

"If anyone dares to help the Chu family at this time, they will be the mortal enemy of my Asura Hall."

"Furthermore..."

Ye Haocheng paused, a playful smile appearing on his lips.

"Hang Chu Jiu's head on the flagpole of the Asura Heavenly Palace."

"I want everyone in the Central Region to see."

"This is what a so-called overlord looks like."

"Understood!"

Jin Daoming rubbed his hands in excitement.

This move was quite vicious, but also very satisfying.

This wasn't just killing people; it was destroying their hearts!

"By the way, Palace Master, there is another piece of news."

Jin Daoming seemed to remember something and pulled out a jade slip from his robes.

"Leng Yi just sent this back."

"It says that several other Great Sacred Grounds in the Central Region seem to be making moves."

"Ten Thousand Sword Pavilion, Medicine God Hall, Hehuan Valley... their high-level members are secretly mobilizing."

"Their direction... also seems to be toward us."

"Oh?"

Ye Haocheng raised an eyebrow.

He took the jade slip and glanced at it.

He wasn't too surprised.

This was the norm in the cultivation world.

When a wall is about to fall, everyone gives it a push; when a drum is broken, everyone beats it.

But it could also be the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.

"Are they coming to loot a burning house, or are they coming to deal with us?"

Ye Haocheng asked.

"It's not clear yet."

Jin Daoming shook his head, a hint of worry on his face.

"However, according to Leng Yi's analysis, these forces have always been at odds. This sudden joint action definitely bodes no good."

"If they take advantage of the fact that we've just finished a battle and our footing is not yet stable..."

"It doesn't matter."

Ye Haocheng casually crushed the jade slip.

There was not a trace of fear on his face.

Instead, he showed an expression of anticipation.

"If they are sensible and only come to carve up the Chu family's territory together, I won't bother with them."

"After all, the Central Region is so large that my Asura Hall cannot swallow it all."

"But if they want to target me..."

Ye Haocheng snorted coldly.

The aura on his body rose once again.

It was the confidence gained after just receiving five million luck points.

"Then let them come."

"It just so happens that my sword hasn't drunk enough blood yet."

"I will kill as many as come."