Chapter 179: A Stage For Blood (5)
A loud, piercing shriek echoed across the battlefield.
Then, the creature collapsed. Its massive form split apart under Yan Wuhen’s strike, dissolving into dark fragments that scattered into the air.
From within it, Lan Shiyu dropped to his knees.
His body trembled violently as he looked up, only to find Wuhen’s shadow falling over him. Above them, the red hue of the moon slowly began to fade.
"You really don’t know how to use your strength properly," Wuhen said.
His red-gold eyes glowed ominously, his nine tails swaying behind him.
"I would have summoned five thousand of those things if I were you... but you only summoned one."
"Please..." Shiyu choked.
Wuhen grinned, baring all his teeth as he crouched in front of him, gripping his arm.
"You did grow your arm back," he said lightly. "Can you grow your heart too?"
Shiyu’s eyes widened. But it was too late.
Wuhen’s hand plunged straight into his chest.
Blood spilled instantly as he tore his heart out without hesitation.
In the same motion, his claws ripped upward and Shiyu’s head was severed from his body.
The corpse dropped.
Wuhen rose to his feet, tossing the heart aside like it meant nothing.
"Stupid snakes," he muttered. "Overgrown pests."
He turned, walking toward where Lan Yunlai and Lan Meishan were.
Jun Haoxuan remained in his dragon form nearby, stabilising Ningyan, who was deep in cultivation at the center of the battlefield.
"Strange things," Wuhen said lazily, licking his fangs.
At that moment, a sharp crack rang out.
The chains binding Lan Yunlai shattered. Demonic energy burst violently as he broke free and immediately moved toward Lan Meishan with killing intent.
Lan Meishan, distracted by Lan Tianlong’s beast form, turned too late.
But before Lan Yunlai could reach him, a red-gold flash struck.
Lan Yunlai was blasted away instantly.
Lan Meishan’s eyes widened in surprise as he turned toward Wuhen. "What are you doing?"
Wuhen didn’t even spare him a proper glance.
"What does it look like I’m doing, slippery thing?" he scoffed, lips curling. "You’re hurting our husband with this ridiculous plan of yours."
Silence.
Meishan’s expression went completely blank.
Our... husband?
Before he could respond, a violent blast of demonic energy tore through the air.
Lan Yunlai had moved again.
Wuhen’s eyes sharpened instantly as he shifted, a red-gold glow bursting outward while he blocked the incoming strike. The impact rippled through the ground beneath their feet.
This time, Lan Yunlai was no longer smiling.
Dark, suffocating energy coiled around him like a living abyss, his emerald eyes glowing with something far colder than before.
Both Wuhen and Meishan turned toward him fully now.
The wind howled. Robes and hair whipping violently around them.
Wuhen’s nine tails unfurled behind him, stretching and burning like living flames, their glow staining the air crimson-gold.
Beside him, Lan Meishan’s body surged with emerald light, a massive translucent serpent coiling around him, its presence ancient and suffocating.
Wuhen blinked once. Then frowned.
"You’re in the Divine Beast stage?"
Meishan glanced at him, unimpressed. "Yes."
Wuhen stared at him for a second longer, then scoffed loudly, offended. "Everyone’s breaking through to the Divine Beast stage now except me?"
The ground beneath them split and massive serpents formed from thick black miasma burst upward, lunging straight at them with gaping jaws.
Wuhen didn’t even look.
With a flick of his hand, the serpents exploded apart instantly, disintegrating into nothing.
His expression didn’t change. He was still very much annoyed.
Meishan’s gaze lingered on him for a brief moment.
Wuhen was at the Saint Beast stage... And yet, he was this strong.
If Wuhen ever took cultivation seriously... He would be terrifying.
Across from them, Lan Yunlai exhaled slowly. A sound almost... tired.
His gaze swept over them both, calm, unbothered now.
"My son." His eyes settled on Meishan.
"You know we don’t have to do this." His tone softened, but the energy around him only grew darker. "Come back with me. Let us leave this place peacefully."
Meishan’s eyes narrowed. The serpent behind him coiled tighter. "No."
Lan Yunlai went motionless. Then... He sighed. "Of course..."
Slowly, he lifted a hand to his forehead, rubbing it as though he was disappointed. "Your mother will be glad to see you. She misses you, you know?"
Meishan said nothing.
"You..!" Lan Yunlai hissed.
The sky darkened instantly, clouds swallowing the light as the wind turned sharp and violent. Ominous whispers curled through the air, carried by the demonic energy.
"You impudent child!" He stepped forward and in an instant, he was in front of Meishan.
His hand shot out toward Meishan’s chest. But a red-gold light slashed through the space between them, forcing him back.
Meishan staggered with a gasp. He turned sharply, looking at Wuhen.
Wuhen stormed forward and grabbed Meishan by the collar. "What in the Three Realms are you trying to do?"
Meishan frowned and grabbed Wuhen’s wrist in return. "I have to kill him."
Wuhen’s expression darkened. "Ningyan doesn’t want to lose you, you idiot!"
At that moment, Lan Yunlai struck again, this time aiming for Wuhen.
Wuhen released Meishan and shoved him back hard, but he wasn’t fast enough to fully evade the attack.
The blow sent him crashing into the earth.
He coughed up blood, pressing a hand to his chest and let out a sharp laughter.
Slowly, he rose to his feet, eyes locked on Lan Yunlai.
Lan Yunlai looked even more displeased now. Wuhen was interfering again, disrupting his attempt to deal with his son.
But Wuhen only cared about one thing.
He had to fulfill his deal with Ningyan.
They were going to get married and he was going to make sure it happened.
He immediately summoned his blades and charged at Lan Yunlai.
The moment they clashed, the battle erupted into full scale destruction.
The earth cracked beneath their feet again and again.
Darkness gushed from Lan Yunlai in violent waves, while red-gold light pulsed like fire with every movement of Yan Wuhen.
Wuhen’s expression was hard and focused. His movements were fluid and elegant, almost like a dance.
Lan Yunlai fought brutally. Dark serpents burst from his qi, twisting and coiling toward Wuhen.
Wuhen shattered them instantly with a burst of energy, then flung one of his swords forward.
Lan Yunlai caught it but the blade exploded into multiple swords.
They shot forward like deadly rain, piercing into him from every direction.
Lan Yunlai froze in shock.
Before he could react, a massive nine-tailed fox of red-gold light erupted from Wuhen’s body and stormed towards Yunlai.
Wuhen was going to end it.
"Wait! Wuhen!" Meishan suddenly yelled.
All of a sudden, a sword slipped through Wuhen’s chest.
His eyes widened.
Meishan was too late.
Jun Yongrui had already driven the blade into Wuhen’s body.
Meishan immediately struck back, blasting Jun Yongrui to the ground.
Wuhen dropped to his knees.
"Wuhen!" Meishan rushed to him, catching his arm as he fell.
Wuhen blinked weakly. His ears drooped, and his nine tails slowed, losing their light.
"No... no." Meishan’s emerald glow erupted as he tried to heal him.
But Lan Yunlai’s dark serpents appeared again. They wrapped around Meishan and dragged him back toward his father.
Lan Yunlai seized Meishan’s chin, forcing him to look up. "Yield already!"
He pressed a hand to Meishan’s chest. A dark pulse erupted into his body.
Meishan jerked violently, screaming in pain. Then his body went completely limp.