Meanwhile, within the Feng family mansion, members of the clan and their allies were gathered in the lavish main hall, seated on ornate chairs.
At the front sat four elderly men—the patriarchs of the allied families. They appeared calm, though the tension in the air was unmistakable.
One of them said confidently, "There's no need to worry. With the four of us here, even if Long Chen has reached the Innate Realm, we can still kill him."
Another laughed heartily, "Ha! You're right. He's the only one in the Long family worth paying attention to. The rest haven't even reached the Spirit Cleansing Realm, isn't that so?"
A third added with malice, "We'll make him watch as we destroy his family, one by one."
"You're right!" The rest agreed with dark enthusiasm.
Feng Ru raised a cup of warm wine, drinking merrily. The four elders continued chatting and downed six cups in total.
Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the hall. Feng Ru frowned and smashed his empty wine jar to the ground. The chatter stopped immediately as all eyes turned toward the entrance.
A servant in grey robes rushed in, stumbling and falling from panic. Feng Ru's voice boomed like thunder, "How dare you barge in like this? Compose yourself!"
Tang Xin stood up and approached the servant. "Speak! What happened to cause such panic?"
The servant, panting and trembling, finally managed to speak. "It's the Long family! They're here! Long Chen is leading them... They're attacking everyone on sight! Many of our brothers are already dead!"
The words struck like lightning. The expressions of the four patriarchs darkened immediately.
Bang!
Feng Ru stood abruptly, his hand stretching toward the sword resting beside him. With a firm grip, he lifted the heavy weapon and swung it a few times, stirring fierce gusts of wind through the hall.
He roared, "So what if they've come? We'll welcome them with blood! I'll spill every drop myself!"
Without waiting, he stormed out of the hall. Tang Xin and the other elders followed him, flanked closely by the patriarchs.
As they neared the front yard, the sounds of clashing weapons and screams became clear. A heavy, metallic scent of blood filled the air. Faces grew grim—how many had already fallen?
When they arrived, the scene was horrific. Bodies in Feng family uniforms were strewn across the ground. Blood stained the earth, grass, and trees like spilled ink.
The fighting continued, and the most shocking sight was a Feng family member—at the Spirit Cleansing Realm—being slain by a mere Body Refining Realm disciple from the Long family.
Rage surged in Feng Ru. His temples pulsed, and his eyes turned blood-red like a cornered beast.
"I'll kill you all!" he shouted and lunged forward, aiming to cleave the nearest Long family member in two.
The young man panicked and fell backward, terrified.
Just then, Long Chen, standing amid the chaos, noticed the scene. His gaze sharpened. He raised his arm, pointed calmly, and flicked his finger.
Screech—
A ray of innate energy burst from his fingertip, piercing Feng Ru's skull instantly. The elder's head exploded like a shattered melon, spraying blood and brain matter everywhere.
Feng Ru's headless body slumped to the ground.
A terrifying silence fell.
The remaining three patriarchs froze, their faces pale with horror.
"L-Long Chen…?" one stammered. Tang Xin's pupils contracted—he couldn't believe Feng Ru, a half-step Innate powerhouse, had been killed in an instant.
Long Chen didn't speak. He launched himself forward like a divine beast descending from the heavens—sweeping through the battlefield like a storm.
Overwhelmed by fear, Tang Xin and the others couldn't move. Their hearts pounded violently, drowning out all other sounds. Tang Xin's instincts kicked in—he turned and tried to flee.
But Long Chen was faster.
In a blur, his blade flashed across Tang Xin's throat. A sharp line of red followed, and blood gushed out like a fountain.
Tang Xin's eyes widened in disbelief, then faded to emptiness as he collapsed.
Long Chen swiftly dispatched two more enemies. The morale of the Long family soared. Encouraged by their leader's might, they fought harder and bolder.
Meanwhile, Feng family forces were struck with fear and confusion. Their formation broke, and hope faded.
Long Chen's voice echoed coldly, "If any of you want to live, kill a Long family member in single combat, and I'll spare you."
His tone sent shivers down their spines. It wasn't just a challenge—it was a death sentence.
Tick… Tick…
Innate energy crackled and gathered across the battlefield. Under its pressure, every Spirit Cleansing Realm cultivator from the Feng side felt their strength drop to the Body Refining level.
And just like that, the Feng family's fate was sealed.