The Di family mansion.
The patriarch of the Di family, covered in blood, finally managed to escape back.
His face was deathly pale, his breathing ragged, and his expression was one of immense desolation and grief.
They had mobilized their entire clan, every elite member dispatched, a force so vast it could almost sweep across Blood State.
And the result?
An utter annihilation, with him being the sole survivor, like a stray dog clinging to life.
However, as long as he was alive, there was hope for the future.
He had managed to latch onto a powerful patron, possessing a formidable backing.
As long as that mysterious man offered his protection, the Di family should be able to weather this current crisis, and there might still be a chance for them to rise again in the future.
"You're back. Did you succeed?"
A sinister voice suddenly echoed.
Before the Di family patriarch, a young man clad in golden armor appeared.
His strength was truly terrifying; he had materialized without any warning, startling the Di family patriarch greatly.
"My lord, save me, save the Di family. You must avenge my Di family!"
Upon seeing the man in golden armor, the Di family patriarch immediately prostrated himself at his feet, tears of old age streaming down his face.
Seeing this, the man in golden armor's expression instantly turned extremely grim, and he roared, "You failed? You used the entire might of the Di family, and you couldn't even kill a young Yinglong with a flawed bloodline. Useless!"
With the operation a failure, Ying Menglong might be alerted. If she returned to the Yinglong clan's territory, assassinating her again would be nearly impossible.
Before he left, the Grand Priest of his family had repeatedly emphasized that Ying Menglong's fate was special, intertwined with the destiny of the entire Dragon Clan. To deal with the Yinglong clan, Ying Menglong had to be eliminated first.
They had attempted to poison her while she was still in her mother's womb, but Ying Menglong had not perished, only suffering from a bloodline issue, born without wings.
Later, the Yinglong clan protected Ying Menglong very well, and they never had another opportunity to ambush her.
It was only this time, when Ying Menglong secretly came to the Immortal Spirit Realm for training, that they found an opening.
"My lord, you have no idea. Ying Menglong has already advanced to the peak of the Emperor Immortal Realm and is augmented by light wings. I didn't even get a chance for a surprise attack. Also, for some reason, those bastards from the Nine Heavens Que stood on their side and slaughtered all my Di family disciples."
The Di family patriarch complained, attributing his family's failure not to their incompetence, but to the overwhelming strength of their enemies.
He felt that the man in golden armor should bear some responsibility, as the information provided was inaccurate. Ying Menglong was incredibly powerful, not a flawed Yinglong, and very difficult to deal with.
"Impossible! Ying Menglong's bloodline is flawed; she could never have grown wings. You old fool, to shirk responsibility and cover up your incompetence, you dare to lie and deceive me."
The man in golden armor was enraged and kicked the Di family patriarch flying.
The Di family patriarch was sent flying, crashing through several buildings and landing heavily amidst the rubble.
*Pfft...*
He spat out a mouthful of blood, his chest caved in, several bones were broken, and he was nearly dead.
At this moment, the Di family patriarch felt immense grief and indignation.
The man in golden armor's actions were utterly heartless and unrighteous.
He had sacrificed his entire Di family to do the man's bidding, only to be treated in such a manner. It was truly disheartening.
"My lord, every word I speak is the truth. Feel free to investigate if you don't believe me. Now, the elites of the Di family are all but annihilated. I implore your lordship to take pity and protect my Di family through this ordeal. Your lordship is a powerful figure among the Dragon Clan; protecting my Di family should be a simple matter."
The Di family patriarch struggled to rise from the rubble, gazing fixedly at the man in golden armor, his words carrying a hint of threat.
He deliberately mentioned the other's identity, implying that if the man in golden armor disregarded the Di family's plight, then he shouldn't blame him for exposing the man.
"Threatening me?"
The man in golden armor paused for a moment before understanding the Di family patriarch's intention.
After all, in his entire life, no one had ever dared to threaten him; this was the very first time.
"I dare not. I merely beg for your lordship's mercy."
The Di family patriarch met the man in golden armor's gaze without backing down.
Now, the Di family was left only with the old, the weak, women, and children. If the man in golden armor chose to stand by and do nothing, then the Di family would likely be utterly finished.
"Mercy?"
The man in golden armor laughed, stepping towards the Di family patriarch and sneering, "You only guessed that I am a dragon, but you don't know which clan I belong to. You want my mercy, do you? Then I shall bestow my kindness and send your entire Di family to reunite."
As he spoke, clusters of flames erupted from the man in golden armor's body, scattering to various parts of the Di family mansion, igniting all the buildings.
The flames he emitted were extraordinary, growing with the wind, and in moments, they transformed into a vast sea of fire, completely engulfing the entire Di family mansion.
"Candle Dragon, you are from the Candle Dragon clan!"
The Di family patriarch's face was filled with terror, then he roared in anger, "Stop, stop! How can you be so vicious, not sparing even the elderly and children? Beast, you are a beast!"
At this moment, the Di family patriarch felt utter despair.
The Candle Dragon clan was notoriously cunning, treacherous, and bloodthirsty.
If he had known the other was a Candle Dragon, he would never have agreed to do his bidding.
He had truly been blinded by greed back then, believing the man's deceitful words, which led to his current predicament.
"A family should be together."
The man in golden armor's face contorted with malice, and he mocked, "A piece of trash like you dares to threaten me? You're seeking your own death. Die!"
As his words fell, his hand transformed into a dragon's claw, instantly piercing the Di family patriarch's chest and ripping out his heart.
"I curse you to die a terrible death..."
The Di family patriarch fell straight down, his eyes wide open in death.
Soon, the entire Di family mansion turned into a sea of flames, burning away all traces.
The young man in golden armor was silencing witnesses, absolutely unwilling to let his identity be revealed, at least not before Ying Menglong's death.
"The Tianyu Forest has the most up-to-date information in the entire Blood State. Perhaps I can use those bird-people to find out Ying Menglong's every move. I hope this little girl doesn't get scared off."
The man in golden armor quickly formulated a new plan, intending to find new helpers.
The Tianyu Forest had considerable strength and would be excellent pawns.
As long as Ying Menglong remained within the Immortal Spirit Realm, he would still have opportunities to strike.
No matter what, with him present, Ying Menglong would never be able to leave alive.
Accompanied by a burst of flames, the man in golden armor vanished from the spot, heading towards the Tianyu Forest.
Meanwhile, Ji Mo also began to receive the ransoms.
The most proactive was the Zhu family of Tianyu Forest. Without any unnecessary words, they promptly sent people with a vast amount of immortal crystals to redeem Zhu Fengwu and the others.
Following that.
The Tongtian Sect also sent a letter.
Ji Mo immediately became excited. Could this letter contain the rubbings of that stone sword?
The most anxious was Mo Lun. Did the sect value him so highly that they were willing to hand over what Ji Mo wanted?
Ji Hanhan opened the envelope, and indeed, it contained a piece of Xuan paper, on which the faint outlines of complex runes could be seen.
He quickly unfolded it, and a terrifying power surged out, emanating an astonishing killing intent.