With a thud, John Chou was dragged down by twelve pale blue threads, landing on the ground, wrapped up like a dumpling. Old Tom walked over step by step.
"Uncle Chou, there's something I've always wanted to ask you. Was Shui'er really killed by your hand back then?"
Old Tom's expression softened, while John Chou revealed a wicked smile.
"Of course she was. You want to kill me, to avenge your beloved. Go ahead."
Suddenly, Old Tom burst out laughing, the sound both desolate and wildly unrestrained.
"After all this, Uncle Chou, do you still plan to keep up your lofty act in front of me? Shui'er wanted my life back then, and I foolishly thought she loved me. If you hadn't killed her, I would've long since disappeared from this world."
John Chou put away his smile and looked at Old Tom.
"Anything else you want to ask, little cat? Before you give me the final blow."
"Uncle Chou, what did you really see in the Sanzu? Why do you want to destroy it? I've had doubts about this for years. Tell me—it's come to this, after all."
John Chou stared quietly at Old Tom. After a long time, he smiled and spoke.
"It's the people from the Dark Banquet. They want to know, don't they?"
Old Tom nodded.
"Indeed, it doesn't matter much to me, but to those people, they're desperate to know. Uncle Chou, why do you want to destroy the Sanzu? You're not the type to do something so drastic without a reason."
"It was just a whim."
John Chou replied casually. At that moment, Warren Qi walked over.
"People always say that a dying man's words are kind. John Chou, just say it—why did you destroy the Sanzu? You're going to die anyway, so you might as well tell us what you know."
"How about this: you take me back and interrogate me slowly. Isn't that more your style? You people love those methods."
Warren Qi helplessly waved his hand and shook his head.
"That might work for others, but not for you, John Chou. We don't want any more trouble. If you get even the slightest chance, you'll turn the tables on us. So the best option is to kill you here, whether you talk or not."
As Warren Qi spoke, he turned and glanced at Old Tom.
"Uncle Chou, this is the end. The power of the Twelve Zodiac Branches will begin to break down your ghost soul until it disappears completely. Death here means true death, since your Killing Stone has already merged with Zhang Qingyuan's instinct. The connection to this corpse road is entirely severed. Even if Zhang Qingyuan retrieves the Killing Stone later, it won't be able to bring you back."
"So, shouldn't I lash out one last time before I die, little cat?"
Suddenly, John Chou began to struggle. Old Tom raised a hand, and the pale blue threads wrapped around John Chou began to tighten.
"It's useless, Uncle Chou. Your power is like that of a child before me—completely helpless now."
"Little cat, have you forgotten? My Instinctual Slaughter."
Old Tom looked at John Chou and shook his head.
"Uncle Chou, I've known about your Instinctual Slaughter for a long time, and what kind of power it is. Now, you're missing the Blood Fiend Ghost Domain and the Blood Fiend Power. Your slaughter instinct could combine those two forces for maximum effect, to kill your enemies. But..."
"Instinct... Slaughter..."
With a roar, a tremendous howl erupted from within John Chou's body, and a streak of blood-red light burst forth.
"Goodbye, Uncle Chou."
Old Tom raised his hand, and suddenly, a surge of red light burst from the pale blue threads. Old Tom's eyes widened in astonishment.
With a swish, John Chou turned into a streak of red light, slicing through Old Tom's body. Old Tom stared in disbelief, turning his head to look at John Chou.
"What's going on? That power is unusual."
From a distance, Zuo Quanyi muttered under his breath. Beside him, Shengmu stared intently and spoke.
"That little cat got slashed, and his spell was broken in an instant. Normally, such a powerful technique would be hard to break even at John Chou's peak. Was that really his Instinctual Slaughter?"
A cracking sound rang out as drops of blood seeped from Old Tom's lips. He clutched his chest as the pale blue skin on his body began to split and fade. With a thud, Old Tom fell to one knee, gasping for breath.
John Chou turned with a smile, holding Rage Blood, and looked at Old Tom.
"You won't be able to stand up for a while, little cat. Like I said, no matter who you're facing, when you think everything is under control, that's usually when you can't see reality—and that's when it can kill you."
"Finish him."
Old Tom roared. John Chou swung Rage Blood at him again, but with a clang, Tan Tian blocked it with one hand. John Chou smiled.
"Are you next?"
With a swish, Tan Tian's entire arm and the right side of his body were sliced off by Rage Blood. With a crack, a crystal-clear brown corpse jade appeared, marked with a fracture.
A rush of wind sounded as the twelve Golden Masks attacked from behind.
With a thunderous crash, the twelve surrounding pillars began to crumble and collapse, dust rising everywhere. Fists flew as the twelve Golden Masks besieged John Chou. Yet John Chou seemed to have changed—he deftly used Rage Blood to block their blows.
"Let's take one out first."
With a rip and a scream, Mie's chest was pierced through by Rage Blood. Sheng instantly turned his fist into a knife hand, chopping at John Chou's arm. John Chou quickly drew Rage Blood, but under the joint attack of Zuo Quanyi and Warren Qi, he was struck several times and sent flying.
"It hurts! Hurts like hell!"
Mie lay on the ground while Sheng looked at Mie's chest.
"Stop whining, Mie."
"Hmph, what was that just now? Impossible. He shouldn't have any ghost energy left, and his ghost soul is badly damaged. Where did that bastard John Chou get his power?"
Wu lunged at John Chou the moment he landed, swinging both fists at him. Suddenly, John Chou rose, a flash of blood-red light slicing through. Wu stared in shock at his own fists, now mangled and bloody. A hand grabbed Wu's body and pulled her aside.
"Ada!"
Luke Ling shouted, raising a hand to block, but with a rip, John Chou's Rage Blood pierced through Luke's arm and then into Wu's chest, impaling them both. A massive figure pressed toward John Chou.
Ada raised his right hand, elbow smashing down at John Chou.
With a boom and a rush of air, John Chou dodged to the side, drew Rage Blood, and swung it at Ada.
With a clang, John Chou's Rage Blood struck Ada's thick right arm. Ada looked at John Chou with a smile in his eyes.
"Afu said my body is the strongest in the Immortality Society—even..."
"Oh, is that so..."
With a swish, Ada's entire arm was sliced off by John Chou's Rage Blood. Ada screamed, while John Chou's eyes turned cold, and he jabbed two fingers at Ada's eyes.
With a squelch, blood spurted out as Ada cried out. A gust of wind blew from behind, and with a boom, John Chou flipped in midair to dodge Zuo Quanyi's punch. Landing, he raised his left hand, and with a pop, John Chou crushed the two large eyeballs.
"My eyes, my eyes, my eyes..."
Ada screamed in pain as his body began to swell uncontrollably. Zuo Quanyi hurriedly pinned Ada to the ground.
"Ada, it's fine, it's fine. Just your eyes. Later, let Sheng go back and bring you a new pair."
The remaining Golden Masks stopped attacking John Chou, all seemingly pondering why he had suddenly become so powerful. Facing their assault, he showed no weakness—in fact, four Golden Masks now lay on the ground.
Wu stared at her ruined hands, destroyed by John Chou, and the wound in her chest that wouldn't heal. She coughed, blood spilling out continuously.
"It's not Blood Fiend Power."
After speaking, Warren Qi charged at John Chou again, while the other Golden Masks held back, choosing to observe him.
"Fighting so defensively—don't you feel stifled?"
John Chou taunted Warren Qi. Warren hunched down, throwing quick, light punches at John Chou, as if probing him. His eyes never left Rage Blood.
"Heh, John Chou, trying to anger me won't work. I'm not like those brainless fools."
Mie clutched his heart tightly; the black heart had stopped beating. He coughed up mouthfuls of black blood, wracked with pain.
"Kill me, Sheng. The pain of dying—no matter how many times, it's always unbearable. I can't take it anymore."
With a rip, Sheng pierced Mie's heart. Mie stopped crying out and collapsed limply.
Old Tom was off to the side, while Tan Tian examined his body, looking miserable himself.
"Hmph, that John Chou not only broke your spell, nearly split my corpse jade in two, but now the Immortality Society's people have fallen for his tricks too."
Old Tom stared intently at John Chou.
"What is Uncle Chou hiding? Is it Rage Blood?"