55: The curtain has fallen!

At this moment, as the dust settled, the entire Cloud Mist Sect had been reduced to ruins.

Jiang Luo stood in mid-air, his gaze slowly sweeping over the Cloud Mist Sect Disciples who were slumped on the ground and trembling. The atmosphere on the plaza instantly froze; even the wind seemed to have stopped.

The destructive power brought about by a Dou Zong battle was beyond imagination.

Not only did the Disciples suffer heavy losses, but even the Sect Elders were completely slaughtered by Yun Shan, leaving the current Cloud Mist Sect without a single spokesperson.

And the vast majority of them were merely at the Dou Practitioner or Dou Master level. Facing the pressure of a Dou Zong, they would likely be obliterated into a mist of blood in less than a breath.

"Surely Lord Jiang Luo won't start a massacre?"

Fa Ma stood at the edge of the plaza, his heart tightening involuntarily, a hint of worry flashing in his cloudy eyes.

The Cloud Mist Sect had at least several thousand Disciples. If Jiang Luo chose to start a massacre to eliminate future troubles, the Jia Ma Empire would surely run red with blood. Not only would the Empire's Origin Qi be severely damaged, but this newly risen powerhouse would also gain an enormous reputation for brutality.

He subconsciously took half a step forward, yet he dared not rashly speak up to dissuade him. He could only clench his sleeves tightly and quietly await Jiang Luo's decision.

Xiao Yan stood nearby, his mood equally uneasy.

Although he hated the Cloud Mist Sect, his hatred was limited only to high-ranking individuals like Yun Shan and Yun Ling.

But with their successive downfall, this farce should now come to an end.

After all, not all Disciples colluded with Yun Shan; many might have simply been coerced by him.

And they did not know that people from the Hall of Souls were manipulating things behind the scenes.

Just as everyone harbored their own thoughts and the atmosphere grew unbearably tense, Jiang Luo slowly descended. His voice was calm yet clearly spread throughout the entire plaza: "Yun Shan is dead, and the remnants of the Hall of Souls have been executed. The sins of the Cloud Mist Sect end here."

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone was stunned. Even the despairing Cloud Mist Sect Disciples stopped trembling and looked up in disbelief.

Jiang Luo continued, "I could have slain all of you to avenge the countless departed souls in the world. But Heaven possesses the virtue of cherishing life. Among you, many are ordinary Disciples who were merely misled by Yun Shan; not everyone deserves death."

His gaze swept over the Disciples whose eyes showed a desire to live, and his tone suddenly sharpened, "Today, This Sect Master spares your lives! Effective immediately, remove your Cloud Mist Sect attire and emblems. From now on, you are forbidden from acting in the name of the Cloud Mist Sect, and you must never attempt to restore the Sect! Should anyone violate this, no matter where they hide, I will surely execute them!"

Following his words, the plaza fell into dead silence, which was immediately broken by suppressed sobs and gasps of relief from those who survived the calamity.

The Cloud Mist Sect Disciples quickly scrambled to their feet, trembling as they removed the Sect emblems from their chests. Some even ripped off the sleeves marked with the Sect's insignia, their movements as urgent as if they were discarding hot brands.

Fa Ma and the others let out a long breath, a trace of admiration added to their gazes toward Jiang Luo.

He had both avenged a deep grievance and left room for mercy. This breadth of mind and decisiveness far surpassed that of ordinary powerhouses.

Xiao Yan also released his tightly clenched fists, a sense of relief flashing in his eyes. He knew that Jiang Luo had given those innocent Disciples a path to survival, and had also granted the Xiao Family clarity, preventing them from being consumed by hatred.

Jiang Luo looked at the Cloud Mist Sect insignias scattered across the ground, raised his hand and waved it. A wisp of cyan flame swept past, burning all the emblems into ashes.

"Disperse."

These three short words acted like an amnesty, instantly snapping the Cloud Mist Sect Disciples, who had been frozen in place, back to reality.

They no longer dared to hesitate even slightly, supporting one another as they stumbled and fled toward the outside of Yun Lan Mountain.

Among them, some would hide their names and return to the common populace; others would seek refuge with relatives and friends to find a new path in life. Perhaps some would harbor resentment, but under the absolute deterrence of Jiang Luo's strength, they would certainly not dare to make any moves in the short term.

Watching the figures gradually disappear into the distance, Fa Ma sighed softly, stepped forward, bowed respectfully to Jiang Luo in mid-air, his tone filled with emotion.

"Lord Jiang Luo's mercy today prevented another bloodbath in the Jia Ma Empire. This is truly a blessing for the Empire. This old man dares to represent the Imperial Family and offer His Lordship our thanks."

People from the other Families also stepped forward to agree, their gazes toward Jiang Luo containing a complex meaning beyond mere reverence.

The actions of this new hegemon seemed far more unpredictable than they had anticipated.

Jiang Luo slowly landed, his gaze sweeping over the devastated Yun Lan Mountain. His tone was calm and unwavering: "The Cloud Mist Sect reaching this point today is a consequence of their own sins, unrelated to others. As for what the Jia Ma Empire's future holds..."

He paused, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon, his words carrying a hint of detachment, "That will depend on your own choices."

"Return."

The battle had ended. Jiang Luo waved his hand at the crowd behind him. Before his words finished, his figure transformed into a streak of cyan light, speeding straight down the mountain, leaving only a fleeting afterimage in the air.