The sky was a murky gray, the earth ablaze with flames that dyed the moon a sinister crimson. Tonight was destined to be bathed in blood—tonight, a once-mighty clan would be erased from the annals of Douluo Continent's history.
The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan—a lineage as ancient as it was prestigious, the weakest of the three great clans, yet every member wielded the same supreme beast soul: the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon.
Their patriarch, Yu Yuanzhen, was a 95th-ranked Title Douluo.
For this operation, Ye Hao had prepared meticulously. Standing before the mountain gates, he gazed up at the massive dragon sculpture looming overhead, its lifelike form exuding an oppressive aura.
*"So this is the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan."*
The ground outside the clan was littered with corpses, the nearby lake stained red with blood. Inside, the clang of weapons and screams of battle echoed nonstop. The stench of blood was thick enough to rival even the Slaughter City.
Clearly, the moment Ye Hao gave the order, the Heaven Dou Royal Knights and the thousand soul masters had already struck.
Those thousand were the Spirit Hall's elites, and the Royal Knights were no ordinary soldiers—they too were soul masters. Over three thousand strong, this force was Ye Hao's carefully assembled blade to sever the three great clans.
He hadn't mobilized a single Spirit Hall elder. Instead, he brought his three closest Title Douluo:
Zhu Zhu, Zhu'er, and Xie Hu.
No longer soul beasts, they now stood as true humans.
And they tore through the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan like a storm, leaving only wreckage in their wake.
Even the night sky had turned red. There would be no sleep for anyone tonight.
*"The operation has begun. With Zhu Zhu and the others here, that old dragon patriarch doesn't stand a chance."*
*"Bring Yu Xiaogang."*
At Ye Hao's command, the blindfolded Yu Xiaogang was dragged to the clan's gates. He had no idea what was happening.
The sounds of slaughter filled his ears. The stench of blood hit him like a physical blow, and he vomited violently, unable to endure the metallic reek saturating the air.
*"Ye Hao... where have you taken me?"* Yu Xiaogang demanded, a primal dread rising in his chest.
*"The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. You're home."*
With that, Ye Hao signaled for the blindfold to be removed.
The moment light struck Yu Xiaogang's eyes, he flinched, tears streaming from the searing pain. After two and a half years in darkness, even this dim glow was unbearable.
Before him stood the colossal dragon statue—the symbol of his clan.
*"I'm... home?"* His voice cracked.
Then he looked down.
The corpse at his feet wore familiar robes.
Yu Xiaogang's body locked up, his mind blanking from shock. He whirled around—
And saw hell.
Mountains of corpses. Lakes of blood. Severed limbs floating in crimson water.
*"You... you..."*
His throat closed. Tears fell freely.
*"Gone... It's all gone..."*
His legs gave out. Kneeling in his clansmen's blood, he stared at the burning ruins of his clan's home.
*"THE BLUE LIGHTNING TYRANT DRAGON CLAN IS GONE! YOU MONSTER—I'LL KILL YOU!"*
Madness overtook him. His eyes burned red as he lunged at Ye Hao, his two pathetic century soul rings flaring. Even his mutated soul, Luo Sanpao the pig, charged with him.
It didn't matter that the gap between them was insurmountable. Yu Xiaogang had nothing left to lose.
His life had ended two and a half years ago. The only thing tying him to this world was his clan.
Now that too was ashes.
He welcomed death.
But Ye Hao didn't even move.
The sheer pressure of his Slaughter Domain crushed Yu Xiaogang mid-charge. Bones cracked. His face contorted in agony.
*"Pathetic."* Ye Hao shook his head.
*"Yu Xiaogang. You tried to kill me. You tried to destroy the Spirit Hall."*
*"Now karma has come. I made sure you'd watch as your clan burned—because this destruction? It's YOUR fault."*
*"The moment you conspired against me, this was inevitable."*
*"NOOOOOO!!!"*
Yu Xiaogang's wails meant nothing.
Ye Hao's soul rings ignited. Death Spider Emperor transformation. Twin black scythes for arms. Six Purple Light Wings unfurled.
A violet flash—
And the colossal dragon statue's head toppled from its body.
Retracting his soul, Ye Hao stepped onto the bloodied stairs.
*"Drag him along. Let him see every last corpse."*
As guards hauled him up the steps, Yu Xiaogang's mind shattered. His eyes were hollow pits.
*"Gone... all gone..."*
He didn't resist. The scale of devastation had broken him.
Through ruins. Through fire.
Finally, they reached the clan's central plaza.
The fighting was over.
---
Zhu Zhu, Zhu'er, and Xie Hu stood drenched in blood, their eyes still radiating killing intent. Upon seeing Ye Hao's approach, they immediately suppressed their murderous aura and bowed respectfully.
"Master."
Ye Hao nodded. "Is it finished?"
"Yes," Zhu Zhu reported. "All members of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan have been eliminated. Clan Leader Yu Yuanzhen died by self-detonation. The remaining senior members are all dead. We lost over 1,100 soul masters, while the enemy forces were completely annihilated."
"Master."
Zhu'er retrieved three soul bones from behind her back. "These are the three soul bones extracted from Yu Yuanzhen's body."
"Hmm." Ye Hao gazed up at the darkened sky, where the moon burned crimson from the reflected fires below. The stench of blood in the air grew increasingly oppressive.
"Report today's gains immediately. Include these three soul bones in the inventory."
"Dispose of the bodies quickly, arrange compensation for our fallen soul masters, and withdraw as soon as everything is settled," Ye Hao commanded.
"Young Master, what should we do with Yu Xiaogang?" asked a soul master who was restraining the broken man.
At this moment, Yu Xiaogang had nearly cried himself dry. Struck by shock, he collapsed to the ground, his body covered in his clansmen's blood—a pitiful sight.
"The Spirit Hall... I'll destroy the Spirit Hall... I'll destroy all of you..." Yu Xiaogang muttered deliriously, his words slurred with madness.
"Kill him. He's no longer of any use," Ye Hao ordered coldly.
The two guards nodded in understanding and began dragging the limp Yu Xiaogang away.
"No! No! Stay away from me!" Yu Xiaogang screamed, tears and snot streaming down his face. He clung desperately to life—even a return to his dark prison cell seemed preferable to death here.
"Ye Hao! You can't kill me! If you do, Tang Hao and Tang Xiao will never let you go! And my disciple Tang San—he'll avenge me!
"You can't kill me! You mustn't!" Yu Xiaogang sobbed openly, his fear laid bare.
Ye Hao waved his hand, signaling for them to halt. He then approached Yu Xiaogang and asked indifferently, "Then tell me—what value do you have left? I have no tolerance for turncoats or backstabbing cowards."
"Yu Xiaogang, don't think I don't know what you're scheming. Just moments ago, you were shouting about killing me, goading me, and claiming Tang Hao would never let me go."
"No, no..." Yu Xiaogang stammered, "You misheard! I never said those things! I... You can't kill me... I don't want to die..."
Ye Hao shook his head in utter disappointment. Yu Xiaogang's words were as empty as the wind—his lies couldn't even hold for a few breaths.
"Let me tell you the truth—Tang Hao is already dead."
Yu Xiaogang's pupils contracted sharply before he shook his head violently. "Impossible! Absolutely impossible! Tang Hao was a Title Douluo! How could you have killed him? You're lying! You must be lying!"
Yu Xiaogang had witnessed Tang Hao's combat prowess firsthand. Moreover, as one of Tang Hao's staunchest admirers, he refused to accept Ye Hao's claim.
There was no way Tang Hao could have fallen to Ye Hao. None whatsoever.
"How tedious." Ye Hao waved dismissively. With Yu Xiaogang stripped of all usefulness, there was no reason to keep him alive.
"Take him away."
Just then, a Spirit Hall disciple rushed forward with a report.
"Young Master, we've detected three individuals approaching from five kilometers away—Flender, dean of Shrek Academy; Liu Erlong, vice dean; and Tang San."
"So soon?" Ye Hao mused before issuing new orders. "Speed up the cleanup. All Spirit Hall personnel are to withdraw immediately."
"As for you..."
Ye Hao turned to Yu Xiaogang, the corners of his lips curling upward.
"I'll take you to see your beloved. Or should I say... Flender's wife now?"
The moment these words left his mouth, Yu Xiaogang spat out a mouthful of blood, overcome with rage.
This was his eternal wound—his so-called best friend had stolen his woman, earning his undying hatred for Flender.
His eyes burning with resentment, Yu Xiaogang glared at Ye Hao.
"That 'brother' of yours is quite something. After we announced your death, Flender cared for Liu Erlong with unwavering devotion. Rumor has it their child is nearly a year old now. How time flies," Ye Hao remarked mockingly.
Pfft—!
Yu Xiaogang vomited blood again, his entire body trembling so violently that the sound of his teeth grinding could be heard.
"Flender! You treacherous bastard! Taking advantage when I was down—and I called you my best brother!"
But then, his bloodshot eyes snapped back to Ye Hao.
"You're lying! You must be!"
Ye Hao merely smiled. "Believe what you want. You'll see the truth soon enough."
---
*Meanwhile, in the forest surrounding the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan...*
"I have a bad feeling about this," Liu Erlong murmured, her heart suddenly pounding for no apparent reason.
"Don't worry," Flender reassured her. "The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan is one of the three great clans. Our main purpose here is to see Xiaogang, after all..."
His words trailed off as he sighed deeply, casting a worried glance at Liu Erlong. He was terrified—terrified that meeting Yu Xiaogang again might make her leave him.
Damn it! Just one more night... I only needed one more night!
Flender swallowed his bitterness, not daring to show it.
Beside them, Tang San grew increasingly uneasy. He examined the two identical letters in his hands, confirming once more that the handwriting was undoubtedly his teacher's.
"This feels like walking into a trap," Tang San muttered. Then suddenly—
He froze.
His Slaughter Domain erupted instantly.
Killing intent—an overwhelming tide of it.
Liu Erlong and Flender stopped as well, looking at Tang San in confusion.
After a long pause, Tang San's expression darkened.
The scent of blood—he could smell it.
Having survived the Slaughter City, his sensitivity to blood was unparalleled. Even from miles away, the metallic tang was unmistakable.
"Vice Dean Liu... I fear something catastrophic has happened to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan," Tang San said gravely.
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!" Liu Erlong snapped. "Our clan possesses the world's premier beast soul! We're one of the three great clans! No one would dare—"
Then she caught the scent too.
Without another word, Liu Erlong shot forward like an arrow loosed from its bow, sprinting toward the clan's location.
"Please... let my instincts be wrong."
Flender and Tang San immediately gave chase.
---
*When they reached the lake bordering the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan...*
The sight before them struck like a physical blow.
The waters had turned red, its surface littered with corpses. In the distance, their ancestral home burned fiercely, the flames consuming everything. The stench of blood hung thick in the air—a scene straight from the depths of hell.
Liu Erlong's entire body trembled. Her legs gave out, sending her crumpling to the ground.
Tears streamed silently down her ash-streaked face as she stared at the devastation, unable to process the horror before her.