4: Mine attacked

The Beilu Mine was the Di Clan's largest Spirit Stone production site.

Under the cover of night, the protective formation surrounding the mine was in tatters. The pale blue light curtain that once enveloped the entire mine now only flickered stubbornly in a few scattered places. Dozens of corpses lay strewn across the ground—some belonged to Di Clan guards, others to the invaders. Blood seeped into the soil, staining the mine entrance a dark red.

"Third Elder, we can't hold them off!" A blood-soaked guard stumbled to Di Tianxiao's side, his right arm missing. "The Ma Family has sent three Elders, and that old dog Ma Baixiang is leading the team!"

Di Tianxiao wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and the long blade in his hand, "Frost Blade," hummed incessantly. This Third Elder of the Di Clan was about thirty-five years old, with a face as resolute as iron. A hideous scar stretched from his brow bone down to his chin on his left cheek, a remnant of an attack on the Family five years ago.

"Ma Baixiang... Tenth Level of the Divine Mansion Realm..." The veins on Di Tianxiao's hand holding the blade bulged. "The Ma Family is truly tearing off their mask!"

A burst of arrogant laughter came from the distance, the sound waves like thunder, causing the gravel around the mine to tumble down. A white-robed old man was seen walking through the air, a blood-colored lotus blooming beneath his feet with every step. The old man had a sinister face and narrow, blade-like eyes. Most striking were his unusual hands—his ten fingers were long and hooked, with nails of a strange purplish-black hue.

"Di Tianxiao, Third Elder of the Di Family, the strongest of the Di Family (the Ma Family didn't know Di Shenglong had made a Breakthrough)." Ma Baixiang stopped in mid-air, looking down at the Di Clan members below. "Eighth Level of the Divine Mansion Realm? Tsk tsk, the Di Clan has indeed declined."

When the Di Clan was at its Peak, there were three or four experts in the Purple Mansion Realm.

Di Tianxiao spat out a mouthful of bloody phlegm. "Ma Baixiang, your Ma Family dares to launch a sneak attack on our clan's mine. Are you not afraid of being held accountable by the City Lord's Manor?"

"Held accountable?" Ma Baixiang gave a strange laugh. "The City Lord is in secluded cultivation. Who rules Xuantian City now? If you're smart, hand over the mine obediently, and perhaps I can leave you an intact corpse."

Before he finished speaking, Ma Baixiang suddenly raised his hand, and a beam of blood-red light shot from his fingertip, heading straight for the center of Di Tianxiao's forehead!

"Frost Blade, protect your master!"

Di Tianxiao roared, blocking with his long blade. With a loud "Clang," the blood-red light struck the blade's body. Di Tianxiao retreated seven steps, leaving a three-inch deep footprint on the ground with every step.

"Pfft—" He spat out a mouthful of blood, his face instantly turning as pale as paper.

"Third Elder!" Several Di Clan guards rushed forward to support him.

Di Tianxiao pushed them away and stared fixedly at Ma Baixiang. "The Ma Family's Blood Fiend Finger... As expected, some of the black-clothed men who attacked our clan five years ago used this very Cultivation Technique!"

A flash of surprise crossed Ma Baixiang's eyes, followed by a cold sneer. "So what? The Di Clan will soon cease to exist. Who will care about things from five years ago?"

With a wave of his hand, dozens of Ma Family disciples behind him swarmed forward. The light from various Martial Skills and Magic Treasures illuminated half the sky. Although the remaining Di Clan guards fought to the death, their defensive line was quickly torn open in several places under the absolute strength gap.

"Men of the Di Clan, hear my command!" Di Tianxiao suddenly straightened his body, his voice like thunder. "Defend the mine entrance to the death! The Clan Chief will arrive with reinforcements soon!"

The remaining thirty-some guards quickly gathered, centering around Di Tianxiao.

Seeing this, Ma Baixiang let out a disdainful sneer. "Like ants trying to shake a tree!"

He formed hand seals, and thick, blood-colored mist suddenly surged around him. As the mist churned, it transformed into dozens of hideous blood pythons, hissing as they lunged at Di Tianxiao.

"Nine Frost Slashes!"

Di Tianxiao roared, unleashing nine blade glows. The blade glows were like moons, radiating a piercing cold, and they collided with the blood pythons in mid-air, erupting in a deafening roar.

"Crack—"

Amidst a tooth-aching sound of shattering, several cracks appeared on the body of Di Tianxiao's "Frost Blade." The Third Elder spat out another mouthful of blood, but his footsteps did not retreat in the slightest.

"Interesting." Ma Baixiang narrowed his eyes. "The Di Clan's stubbornness is indeed well-deserved. However—" He smiled sinisterly, "In the face of absolute strength, what use is backbone?"

His figure flashed, appearing instantly in front of Di Tianxiao, his purplish-black nails piercing toward the latter's heart like sharp blades!

"Third Elder!" the guards cried out in alarm.

At the critical moment, a look of determination flashed in Di Tianxiao's eyes. He suddenly bit the tip of his tongue and spat a mouthful of essence blood onto the damaged blade.

"With my essence blood, I sacrifice my Frost Blade!"

The Frost Blade suddenly erupted with a blinding blue light, and the cracks on the blade healed instantly. A terrifying Aura far exceeding the Eighth Level of the Divine Mansion Realm swept through. Di Tianxiao's hair and beard turned completely white, and his face aged at a visible rate, but his Aura surged higher and higher!

"Blood Ignition Secret Art?" Ma Baixiang's expression changed slightly, and he quickly changed his move. "You're insane! Even if you don't die, your cultivation will be completely ruined!"

"For the Di Clan, it's worth it!" Di Tianxiao's voice was as raspy as sandpaper. His long blade turned into a bolt of blue lightning, slashing straight at Ma Baixiang's face.

Ma Baixiang hurriedly summoned a blood-red shield. With a thunderous boom, the shield shattered, and Ma Baixiang was knocked back over ten yards, a trace of blood leaking from the corner of his mouth.

Ma Baixiang wiped away the blood, the killing intent in his eyes exploding. "I intended to give you a quick death, but now I will make you wish you were dead!"

After burning his essence blood, Di Tianxiao's strength increased significantly, allowing him to briefly contend with Ma Baixiang.

At the Di Clan.

"Clan Chief, Clan Chief, this is bad!" Grand Elder Great Elder Di Chengyuan rushed to Di Shenglong in a panic.

"Grand Elder, why such alarm?"

"Clan Chief, the Ma Family's Grand Elder Ma Baixiang has launched a sneak attack on the Beilu Mine. Old Third is about to fall!"

"What?" A sky-piercing Aura erupted from Di Shenglong. "I will head there first. You lead the clansmen and follow."

With Di Shenglong's cultivation at the Ninth Level of the Heaven-Reaching Realm, it would only take him fifteen minutes to reach the Beilu Mine.

"You've held on for so long; it's time to send you on your way."

Ma Baixiang's hands moved rapidly in seals, and the blood mist around him solidified, forming a blood-colored demonic avatar with three heads and six arms behind him. As soon as the avatar appeared, the Spiritual Qi within a hundred yards was instantly drained. The blood on the ground flowed toward the avatar like a living thing, making it increasingly solid.

"Blood Fiend Demonic Avatar!" someone among the Di Clan guards screamed in terror. "The Ma Family's supreme technique!"

Di Tianxiao's face was haggard, yet he still stood as straight as a pine. He knew he had no chance of winning, but as long as he could hold out until the Clan Chief arrived— "Die!" Ma Baixiang With a sinister grin, he thrust out both palms., the blood avatar's six arms moved together, and six beams of blood-red light struck toward Di Tianxiao like heavenly punishment!

At this life-and-death moment, the world suddenly fell silent.

All sounds vanished, and even the wind stopped blowing. Those six terrifying beams of blood-red light froze in mid-air, like mosquitoes trapped in amber.

"Who gave you permission to touch someone of my Di Clan?"

A terrifyingly calm voice rang in everyone's ears. The voice wasn't loud, but it seemed to explode directly in the depths of their Souls.

Ma Baixiang looked up in horror to see a slender figure standing in the sky. The person wore an ink-gold robe, with black hair cascading like a waterfall. Most frightening were his eyes—the left eye was as bright as a blazing sun, while the right eye was as red as a blood moon!

"Emperor... Di Shenglong!" Ma Baixiang's voice trembled, unable to believe his eyes. "Such a terrifying Aura, how is this possible?!"

Di Shenglong did not answer; he simply raised his hand and pointed a finger at Ma Baixiang from a distance.

"Boom!"

A pillar of light, woven of gold and red, erupted from his fingertip, instantly piercing through the blood avatar and striking Ma Baixiang's chest without losing momentum. The Ma Family's Grand Elder, at the Tenth Level of the Divine Mansion Realm, didn't even have time to scream before his body crumbled inch by inch like a sand sculpture, finally dissipating into a cloud of blood mist in the night wind.

Silence.

A deathly silence enveloped the mine.

Everyone was dumbfounded, including the Di Clan guards. One finger—with just one finger, he had killed Ma Baixiang, who was at the Peak of the Divine Mansion Realm! What level of cultivation was this? How terrifying was it?

Di Shenglong slowly descended, the phantom of the Divine Demon Wings behind him gradually receding. He walked to Di Tianxiao and reached out to support the staggering Third Elder.

"Clan Chief... I... fortunately, I did not fail my mission..." Di Tianxiao's voice was as weak as a thread, his face already resembling that of an eighty-year-old man.