76: Zhao Kun was defeated and killed, and the Zhao family was wiped out.

The sunlight of the shen hour pierced through the dissipating blood mist, illuminating the battlefield outside the Tianling Academy mountain gate. The ground was covered with corpses and bloodstains, glaring especially under the sun. The air was thick with the scent of blood and lingering evil Qi, yet it couldn't hide the solemnity of the Alliance Grand Army's victory. The looming sense of crisis from the Demonic Cultivator Alliance hung like a dark cloud over the entire scene, but the desperate resistance of the remaining Zhao Family forces still needed to be thoroughly dealt with, especially the main culprit, Zhao Kun; he absolutely could not be allowed to escape.

In a corner of the battlefield, Zhao Kun, covered in blood, slumped weakly to the ground. The blood jade thumb ring in his hand glowed faintly with blood-red light, and the evil spiritual Qi around him was in disarray. His aura, originally at Late Stage Foundation Establishment, had significantly plummeted, clearly indicating that he had exhausted most of his spiritual power. He looked at the retreating Zhao Family soldiers, the captured Blood Shadow Sect Priests, and the Alliance Disciples slowly closing in from a distance, his eyes filled with madness and unwillingness, bloodshot and looking utterly deranged.

"Impossible! How could I lose! I have the blood jade thumb ring, I have the Blood Shadow Sect's support, I clearly could have razed Tianling Academy and exacted my revenge!" Zhao Kun roared in a low, hoarse, and broken voice, clenching his fists tightly, his fingernails digging deep into his palms, blood dripping between his fingers, yet he felt nothing. The humiliation of the disastrous defeat at Black Wind Valley, the cost of the blood sacrifice ritual, and the despair of the allied army's annihilation all intertwined in his heart at this moment, causing him to completely lose his reason.

Lu Chen, supporting a weakened Yu Lan, slowly walked up to Zhao Kun. He looked at him with icy eyes, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable authority: "Zhao Kun, you colluded with evil cultivators, massacred innocents, offered living sacrifices, and acted against the natural order. Today, defeated and captured, you have received your just deserts. Why not surrender now?"

"Surrender?" Zhao Kun threw his head back and laughed wildly, his laughter shrill and frenzied. "I, Zhao Kun, have traversed half my life, when have I ever bowed to anyone! Even if I die, I'll drag you all down with me!" Before his voice faded, he suddenly looked up, a resolute ferocity flashing in his eyes. He bit his tongue sharply, spitting a mouthful of vital blood onto the blood jade thumb ring on his left hand.

The blood jade thumb ring instantly erupted with an extremely dense blood-red light. The bizarre patterns on its surface seemed to come alive, swirling madly. A vast and violent evil spiritual Qi surged out from the thumb ring, flowing into Zhao Kun's body along his arm. His body trembled violently, and his aura surged at a visible speed. The originally chaotic spiritual power instantly became violent and condensed, even subtly breaking through the shackles of Late Stage Foundation Establishment, reaching the Foundation Establishment Peak Realm. However, his face grew paler, his eyes were bloodshot, and faint black Qi mixed within the blood-red light around him, clearly indicating that he was burning his vital blood to forcefully activate the extreme power of the blood jade thumb ring, at the cost of burning his own life force, like drinking poison to quench thirst.

"Not good! He's burning his vital blood to boost his strength!" Elder Li Ping's expression changed, and he quickly shouted, "Lu Chen, be careful! The power of the blood jade thumb ring has been pushed to its limit by him; its might is extremely strong!"

Zhao Kun stood up, his body swaying slightly, yet emanating a destructive and ferocious aura. He stared intently at Lu Chen, his voice hoarse and sinister: "Lu Chen, today I will use your blood to honor my deceased Zhao Family members and to atone for my humiliating defeat! Die!"

As his voice fell, Zhao Kun leaped forward, his body surging with blood-red light. A gigantic blood-red fist phantom condensed, enveloped in dense evil black Qi, carrying a vast destructive power, and smashed towards Lu Chen. Wherever the fist force passed, the air was torn apart, the ground was shaken with deep cracks, and the surrounding Alliance Disciples were all intimidated by this violent aura, retreating in haste.

Seeing this, Yu Lan's eyes were filled with worry, wanting to help, but due to the excessive consumption of Bloodline Power earlier, her body was too weak to move. Lu Chen gently pushed Yu Lan behind him, his eyes firm. Golden and green spiritual light continuously surged around him. He circulated the complete Myriad Manifestations Art to its extreme, and the Golden Core in his Dantian spun rapidly, drawing in pure spiritual Qi from heaven and earth. A blurry Myriad Manifestations phantom gradually appeared around him, enveloped by the red and blue spiritual light of the yin-yang twin pearls, exuding a profound power that encompassed all things and was indestructible.

"Zhao Kun, your evil deeds are too numerous to count. Today, I shall act on behalf of heaven and end you!" Lu Chen declared in a deep voice. With a wave of his hand, the Myriad Manifestations phantom moved accordingly, and a gigantic fist phantom imbued with the power of all phenomena in heaven and earth condensed. The fist phantom, intertwined with golden and green, radiated a faint red and blue glow, forming a stark contrast with Zhao Kun's blood-red fist phantom, and met Zhao Kun head-on.

The two gigantic fist phantoms collided with a thunderous crash in the center of the battlefield. There was no earth-shattering roar, only a powerful spiritual energy shockwave that spread out like a tide. The surrounding corpses and rubble were all sent flying, and the Alliance Disciples were all shaken back by the impact. The moment Zhao Kun's blood-red fist phantom touched the Myriad Manifestations fist phantom, the evil black Qi on its surface was rapidly purified, and the blood-red light gradually dimmed. The power of the fist phantom was continuously disintegrated and absorbed by the Myriad Manifestations Power, gradually dissipating like a clay ox entering the sea.

"How is this possible? How could my blood jade thumb ring's power be so easily resisted by you!" Zhao Kun's eyes were filled with disbelief, and the madness on his face was gradually replaced by despair. He could clearly feel that the extreme power he had activated by burning his vital blood was no match for Lu Chen's Myriad Manifestations Power. The spiritual power within his body was continuously devoured by the Myriad Manifestations Power, and his Meridians sent waves of tearing pain.

Lu Chen's eyes turned cold. Without hesitation, he channeled all the spiritual power in his body. The power of the Myriad Manifestations fist phantom surged again, completely crushing Zhao Kun's blood-red fist phantom. Its remaining might undiminished, it slammed heavily into Zhao Kun's chest.

"Pfft!" Zhao Kun spat out a large mouthful of blood, his body flying backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily to the ground and kicking up a cloud of dust. He struggled to get up, but found that the Meridians in his body had been completely shattered by the Myriad Manifestations Power, his spiritual power thoroughly chaotic. The blood jade thumb ring, unable to withstand the extreme power and the purification of the Myriad Manifestations Power, let out a crisp cracking sound, shattering into countless fragments that scattered across the ground.

Zhao Kun looked down at the shattered blood jade thumb ring, his eyes filled with despair and emptiness. All his hopes, all his ambitions, were utterly shattered with the breaking of the blood jade thumb ring. He slowly looked up at Lu Chen, who stood before him, a complex glint in his eyes—unwillingness, resentment, but also a faint hint of regret. He recalled his youthful vigor, the past glory of the Zhao Family, and how he had resorted to any means for revenge, ultimately ending up in such a state. His heart was filled with melancholy and remorse.

"I... was wrong..." Zhao Kun whispered, his voice weak and hoarse. Then he tilted his head and breathed his last, the light in his eyes gradually fading. A generation's overlord, after all, met the end of his life and Dao.

With Zhao Kun's defeat and demise, the remaining soldiers of the Zhao Family completely lost their will to resist. They dropped their weapons one after another, knelt on the ground, and chose to surrender. Seeing this, the Alliance Disciples stepped forward, binding the surrendered soldiers one by one and escorting them to Tianling Academy for detention, awaiting further disposition.

Elder Li Ping looked at Zhao Kun's corpse, his eyes filled with emotion, and softly said, "Zhao Kun's obsession was too deep throughout his life. He resorted to any means for revenge and ultimately reaped what he sowed. It is both lamentable and pathetic." After speaking, he turned and loudly addressed the Alliance Disciples, "Zhao Family's main culprit Zhao Kun is dead, and the remaining forces have all surrendered. The Zhao Family is annihilated! Pass down the order: clear the battlefield, treat the wounded, and at the same time send people to the Zhao Family mansion to seal all Zhao Family properties and appease the innocent Zhao Family members. Do not harm the innocent."

"Yes, Elder!" The Alliance Disciples responded in unison, then began to systematically clear the battlefield. Some Disciples collected the bodies of their fallen comrades, preparing for a proper burial; some treated their wounded companions, giving them healing pills; some escorted the surrendered soldiers towards Tianling Academy; and a team of Disciples, led by an Elder, set off towards the Zhao Family mansion to carry out the sealing and appeasement tasks.

Zhao Feng stood not far away, looking at Zhao Kun's corpse, his eyes filled with complex emotions—relief, sorrow, and also a sense of release. He slowly walked up to Elder Li Ping, knelt on both knees, and said in a deep voice, "Elder, Zhao Kun was my uncle. I also bear inescapable responsibility for the crimes committed by the Zhao Family. Although I turned against them and assisted today, I am still not blameless. I humbly request the Elder's judgment."

Elder Li Ping looked at Zhao Feng, his eyes filled with gratification, and reached out to help him up, saying, "Zhao Feng, you were able to discern right from wrong at a crucial moment, turn against them to assist us, and dismantle the Zhao Family's conspiracy, for which you have rendered great service. The Zhao Family's crimes were all committed by Zhao Kun alone, and have nothing to do with you, nor with the innocent Zhao Family members. If you are willing, you may stay with the Alliance, assist us in appeasing the innocent Zhao Family members, and in the future do practical things for the Cultivation World to atone for past mistakes."

Zhao Feng's eyes were filled with gratitude, and he quickly cupped his hands, saying, "Thank you, Elder, for your forgiveness. This Disciple will certainly not fail the Elder's expectations. I will properly appease the Zhao Family members and contribute my strength to the Cultivation World to wash away past mistakes."

Subsequently, Zhao Feng followed the team of Disciples heading to the Zhao Family mansion, going to the Zhao Family to begin appeasing the innocent Family members and clearing out the remaining Zhao Family forces. He knew that this was the beginning of his atonement and the starting point of his new life.

Lu Chen walked over to Zhao Kun's corpse, looking at the scattered fragments of the blood jade thumb ring on the ground, a hint of vigilance flashing in his eyes. He noticed that after the blood jade thumb ring shattered, a faint wisp of black Qi flew out from the fragments. The black Qi, like a swimming snake, quickly drilled into the ground and disappeared, leaving only a faint, eerie aura that sent shivers down one's spine.

"What is this black Qi?" Lu Chen wondered, activating his spiritual sense to trace the black Qi's whereabouts, but found that it had completely vanished after burrowing into the ground, utterly undetectable. He vaguely felt that this wisp of black Qi was by no means simple evil Qi, and perhaps had some connection with the Blood Shadow Sect, or even the Demonic Cultivator Alliance. However, with the Demonic Cultivator Alliance approaching and the situation urgent, he could only temporarily remember this matter and investigate it later.

At this moment, an Alliance Disciple, while cleaning Zhao Kun's corpse, discovered a small black booklet that had fallen from Zhao Kun's embrace. He quickly picked it up and handed it to Lu Chen. Lu Chen took it and saw the title "Blood Jade Breaking Method" on the cover. Inside, it detailed the weaknesses and breaking methods of the blood jade thumb ring, including how to use purifying power to counter the blood jade's evil erosion, and how to use brute force to shatter the blood jade thumb ring. This was clearly a defensive method Zhao Kun had compiled himself, but now it had become a spoils of war for the Alliance. Lu Chen carefully put the booklet away, secretly deciding that he would teach this breaking method to the Alliance Disciples in the future, so that everyone would know how to deal with similar evil secret treasures.

After the battlefield was cleared, the Alliance Disciples carried the bodies of their fallen comrades and supported their wounded companions, slowly returning to Tianling Academy. The sunlight shone on them, and although they carried the fatigue of victory, they also exuded a firm belief. The downfall of the Zhao Family completely eliminated a major hidden danger in the Cultivation World, and the main forces of the Blood Shadow Sect were also completely annihilated. This decisive battle for the fate of the Cultivation World had finally achieved a phased victory.

But everyone knew that the crisis was not completely resolved. The main forces of the Demonic Cultivator Alliance were already approaching Tianling Academy. Their strength far surpassed that of the Zhao Family and the Blood Shadow Sect allied forces, and they were mysterious and unpredictable, skilled in manipulating highly corrosive Devilish Qi. The Alliance Disciples, having just experienced a major battle, were already exhausted, with greatly depleted spiritual power. Facing the Demonic Cultivator Alliance's attack would undoubtedly be as difficult as ascending to heaven.

Lu Chen stood in the center of the battlefield, looking at the dense Devilish Qi rapidly approaching in the distance, and then at the weakened Yu Lan and the exhausted Alliance Disciples beside him, his eyes filled with determination. He gripped the rune iron sword in his hand, secretly vowing that even if he had to fight with all his might, he would protect Tianling Academy, protect these comrades who fought alongside him, and protect the peace of the Cultivation World. And the wisp of black Qi that flew into the ground after the blood jade thumb ring shattered also buried a new hidden danger in this conflict. No one knew what kind of crisis this wisp of black Qi would bring.