Huo Yuhao began the execution. Without using any Spirit Ability, he simply joined his fingers into a blade, mixing mental force and spirit power at his fingertips to form a sharp edge. He then methodically dislocated Dai Yueheng's jaw first to prevent him from committing suicide or being too noisy; after all, compared to Dai Yueheng's screams, he preferred to hear the voice of that Duchess. Next, his fingertips swept across the shoulder blades with a faint but clear 'crack.' Dai Yueheng's arms slumped at a bizarre angle. Like a master butcher carving an ox, Dai Yueheng's tendons were precisely severed, and his skeletal joints were forcibly pried apart—from his hands to his torso, and then to his legs...
Huo Yuhao's movements didn't falter for a second. His actions visibly transitioned from initial awkwardness to practiced proficiency. Every time his fingertips descended, they were accompanied by the subtle sounds of bone dislocation and fascia tearing. Throughout the entire process, Huo Yuhao's expression remained calm, without the slightest change.
On the other side of the light screen, the Duchess's eyes were nearly splitting, a beast-like hiss echoing from her throat through the military tent. The resentment in her eyes was almost tangible. Beside her, Dai Hao sat perfectly upright, one hand gripping the armrest of his chair so hard his fingers sank in and the wood deformed, yet he remained silent.
After a long while, when only Dai Yueheng's chest was still weakly heaving and his breath was as thin as silk, Huo Yuhao suddenly stopped. He grabbed the pile of mush that was Dai Yueheng and dragged him before the light screen, forcing Dai Yueheng's face—twisted by extreme agony—to face the maddened Duchess on the other side. Then, he spoke with a light chuckle: "By the way, Madam, do you know who I am?"
The Duchess did not speak; her voice was hoarse as she let out low, beastly growls. She stared fixedly at Huo Yuhao with eyes full of venom, nearly losing her sanity.
Huo Yuhao gave a light laugh and reminded her with a smile, "You used to call me a little mongrel."
The resentment in the Duchess's eyes suddenly froze. Then, fragments of forgotten memories flooded her mind. She stared intently at Huo Yuhao's face. Finally, Huo Yuhao's slightly youthful features overlapped with a frail figure from her memory that could only curl up in his mother's arms. Then, she instantly went into a frenzy, "It's you!!"
She erupted into hysterical screams, struggling frantically only to be held down firmly by the guards behind her, unable to move. But those eyes stared fixedly at Huo Yuhao, as if wanting to bite a piece of flesh off him. "It's you, you bastard! You're actually not dead!!!"
The smile remained on Huo Yuhao's face. Looking at the maddened Duchess, he grabbed Dai Yueheng by the hair with one hand to lift him up. His free hand formed a palm-blade, spirit power condensing at the edge of his palm, and then...
He raised his hand and swung down. "Puchi—"
The headless body fell to the ground, while the head was held in one hand. The expression on Dai Yueheng's face was completely frozen. Inside the military tent, there was a deathly silence.
"Ah... ahhh, ahhhhh!!!"
Screams rang out incessantly, but at a certain moment, they stopped abruptly, turning into gasps of extreme horror and despair. The Duchess stared fixedly at that head, her eyes wide enough to tear. Suddenly, her body stiffened, and she fell straight backward, fainting completely. Huo Yuhao didn't care about the warm blood splattered on his face and half his body. Keeping his smile, he turned his head to look at the still expressionless Dai Hao.
Then, he grabbed the head and tossed it casually. The head traced an arc through the air and landed squarely on the desk in front of Dai Hao, rolling half a turn. Those hollow, lifeless eyes happened to meet Dai Hao's gaze. "I'll leave your son's head for you to bury. As for this body..."
Huo Yuhao paused slightly, then raised his hand as spirit power surged. Dai Hao's body leaned forward slightly as if wanting to stop him, but he forced himself down, sitting motionless in his chair. In the next instant, the majestic spirit power pressed down like a millstone. Dai Yueheng's headless remains were instantly crushed, turning into a blur of flesh and blood, leaving no corpse behind. Inside the military tent, a bloody stench so thick it wouldn't dissipate spread out, and the atmosphere was deathly silent.
As if he had just finished a trivial matter, Huo Yuhao turned and bowed respectfully to Du Busi, his tone peaceful. "Master, it's over."
"Mm, not bad."
Du Busi nodded, stood up, and patted Huo Yuhao on the shoulder. Then he spoke loudly, "The Body Sect won't participate in the related compensation discussions. You all chat; we shall take our leave first."
Having said that, regardless of how the others reacted, Du Busi led the blood-drenched Huo Yuhao out of the military tent with large strides. The tent fell into a deathly silence once more, but this time, the silence didn't last long. Within the light screen, Zhang Lexuan's gaze was calm as she spoke indifferently, "So, now it is time to discuss the matter of compensation."
Star Luo City, the penthouse suite of the Star Emperor Grand Hotel.
——
——
The afterglow of the setting sun dyed the distant streetscape a warm gold. The streets were busy with traffic, and the lights were just beginning to come on, revealing prosperity and bustle. Qiu'er leaned boredly against the railing of the meeting room balcony. Behind her were the members of the Sun Moon Team discussing their plans for the upcoming tournament. She didn't care to listen, so she thought about getting some fresh air on the balcony.
Her glass-like red eyes blinked without pause, reflecting the beautiful street scene, but they were filled with annoyance. She had been driven out.
A few months ago, she had staked out the Laboratory for a long time before finally waiting for her Lord Sister. Then, she couldn't hold back and asked her Lord Sister what the relationship between her and that guy really was. To this, her Lord Sister's expression was exceptionally complex at the time. After pausing for a good while, she coldly gave her the phrase "contractual relationship." Subsequently, she ordered her to stay away from the Chamber of Commerce, stop being a maid, and return to the academy to study properly, or simply go straight back to the Star Dou Great Forest. This left her almost no room for negotiation. Then her Lord Sister threw her back to the academy. She tried to go back to the Chamber of Commerce but was thrown back again, given no chance at all. With no other choice, she could only temporarily give up. However, in contrast, studying at the academy was far too boring for her now; she really couldn't sit still. Thus, she simply chose to participate in this Pan-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Fighting Tournament and came here.
Qiu'er pursed her lips, an imperceptible trace of anxiety deep in her heart. Among the orders her Lord Sister gave her, there was one stating that if she ever saw a certain someone again, she must tell her Lord Sister immediately and leave it to her Lord Sister to handle. But what exactly did the "handling" her Lord Sister spoke of mean?
After so much time, combining various clues, she had roughly guessed what her Lord Sister had sacrificed to trade for the current situation. It must be that man using threats and inducements to make her Lord Sister sign an unequal contract, and then bullying her day and night—could it be that she really has to let her Lord Sister be bullied by that guy?
(End of Chapter)
[Get +40 Extra Chapters on - P@tr3on "RinBlaze"]
[Every 15 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter Drop]
[Thanks for Reading!]