A heart-wrenching scream pierced the air. I opened my eyes wide—pale yellow mist swirled all around me. But that scream belonged to Lan Yin. I rushed forward, my mind a blur.
Gradually, I saw the ground beneath me—uneven, deep yellow stone. Ahead, a massive, irregular boulder stood, and atop it sat a figure: a yellow humanoid, its golden-red eyes staring intently at those below.
I stared—it's Lan Yin. He was clutching his wife, Judy Luo, but at this moment, Judy's body was drenched in blood, a pool of crimson flooding the ground. And standing before Lan Yin was his son, Leonard Lane.
Leonard was covered in wounds, one eye a bloody mess, blood streaming down his cheek.
"Leonard, that's enough."
Lan Yin sobbed, barely able to stand. Leonard smiled faintly, staggering forward step by step, while the yellow humanoid burst into wild laughter.
"Hades Circle, I've come here as promised. Let them go. I'm willing to take everything upon myself."
"Hahaha! You are all traitors to me, Hades Circle! There's no going back. I'll imprison your souls for eternity, never to rise again in the Ninefold Abyss of the Underworld. Regret is useless now. Su Yuanjie was smart enough to see that. Heh, Lan Yin, haven't you always wanted to change Hades Circle? How has your proud power served you? Your son, your wife—you can't save any of them. Do you see your own insignificance now?"
Lan Yin roared at the sky, his cries unending, but reality was cruel.
"Bastard! Huangquan, I'll kill you!"
In an instant, Lan Yin sprang to his feet and charged at the yellow humanoid who called himself Hades Circle. Suddenly, Leonard Lane jumped in front of Lan Yin. A yellow hand pierced through Leonard's heart, and he turned his head slightly, pushing Lan Yin backward.
"Father, I'm sorry. This time, it's my turn to save you. Live on—Mother said you are the only one who can change Huangquan. I believe in you. Please forgive me. I'm sorry, Father."
Lan Yin, sprawled on the ground, reached out a trembling hand, sobbing as he watched Leonard's body gradually turn to pulp in a swirl of yellow energy. Huangquan, grinning, wiped the blood from his hand and stepped toward Lan Yin.
"You want nothing more than to kill me, don't you? Heh, blame your greedy ancestors. That's what brought this on—the people of Huangquan deserve eternal punishment."
Lan Yin kept crying out, looking at his dying wife beside him. His face was filled with helplessness and rage, but it seemed everything was over. He gazed blankly at the gray-yellow sky, a pale, powerless smile on his lips.
"Go... follow these two threads. I marked the entrance when we came in. Go, my husband,"
Suddenly, Judy Luo, who had seemed on the verge of death, got up from the ground. With two sharp swishes, two supernatural black veils shot from her hands—one wrapped around Hades Circle, the other stretched out behind them like a black path.
Lan Yin stared wide-eyed at his wife.
"Go..."
With a furious howl, Lan Yin scrambled to his feet, turned, and bolted. He fled desperately along the path of supernatural black veils through the pale yellow mist, tears streaming in the wind, with the mocking laughter of Hades Circle echoing behind him.
The sound of waves crashing against the shore echoed. On the misty sea, a small boat appeared—the black thread stretched onto the boat. Lan Yin, lost and broken, staggered over, picked up the fading black thread from the ground, and clutched it to his chest, sobbing uncontrollably.
"I'm sorry, Judy... I'm so sorry..."
"Oh, finally come to your senses?"
A ghostly voice drifted over. Huangquan stood at the bow of the boat, eyes full of ridicule as he looked at Lan Yin.
"The hatred of a murdered wife, the vengeance for a stolen son... Heh, Lan Yin, you want to kill me, don't you? Go on, then..."
Faced with Huangquan's mocking tone, Lan Yin simply clung to the two black threads, silently bowing his head.
Huangquan approached step by step, lowered his head, and grabbed Lan Yin's face, forcing him to look up.
"Well? Beg me and I'll let you go. I'll send you back, by any means, and let you return here again to defeat me, to end the suffering of Huangquan. Hahaha..."
Huangquan laughed wildly. Lan Yin's mouth opened slightly.
"Please..."
With a thud, Huangquan slammed Lan Yin's head to the ground, pressing his foot down hard.
"Isn't this how you're supposed to beg? Ants are meant to be crushed. Beg me—if you make me happy, maybe I'll let you go. It's been a long time since I've felt this satisfied."
A gentle breeze drifted by, making the black threads float slowly before Lan Yin's eyes.
"Please... let me go."
Over and over, under Huangquan's mocking tone, Lan Yin repeated those six words. His eyes were lifeless, staring at the black threads, his strength completely gone as Huangquan pinned him underfoot.
No one knew how much time passed. Lan Yin's voice was hoarse—he couldn't even make a sound, though his mouth kept moving.
"Alright, alright, I'm not completely heartless, am I, Lan Yin? I had a lot of fun this time. Out of mercy, I'll let you go."
"Please... let me go..."
Suddenly, Lan Yin roared in anger, and Huangquan kicked him in the head, sending him sprawling to the edge of the boat.
"What are you howling for? Heh, remember this—don't be so naive next time. Just because you have two instincts, you think you can defeat me and free Huangquan? The world isn't that simple."
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As Huangquan spoke, he left the boat, turning his back on Lan Yin.
"Either die clinging to your obsession, or survive with it. But next time will be no different—I will personally crush any hope of betraying Huangquan. Remember this, and deliver my will when you return: the will of Huangquan."
After a while, Huangquan was gone. Lan Yin got up, wrapped the two black threads around his neck, and tied them. He hugged himself, clutching the black threads to his chest.
"Judy... I shouldn't call you my wife, should I? I'm sorry I never called you that once while you were alive. Leonard..."
Lan Yin turned his head. In the thick yellow mist, two figures appeared, waving as if saying goodbye to Lan Yin. They were his wife and son, their faces peaceful and smiling.
Lan Yin turned away. In an instant, the sadness vanished from his face, replaced by determination. He took up the oars and slowly rowed the boat across the sea.
"I will come back, Huangquan... I will come back."
Suddenly, I snapped awake.
"Ethan Zhang..."
In my head, I heard the Ghost Ancestor's shout. Roaring, I grabbed desperately at Lan Yin, whose lower body had already vanished.
"Have you forgotten, Lan Yin? Have you forgotten your wife and child? They're still waiting for you, alone on that island! If you're a man, wake up!"
Gradually, Lan Yin came to. I felt a grip in my hand and roared as I pulled with all my strength. The tortoise shell covering my body cracked, curse power invading me bit by bit, my consciousness nearly frozen.
With a tearing sound, I yanked Lan Yin out of the grip of that power.
"Go, quickly!"
With a boom, searing violet flames erupted across my body. Wings unfurled from my back as I dragged Lan Yin upward through the torrent of curse energy.
Closer and closer—suddenly, we burst through the surface of the curse energy. I pulled Lan Yin with me, speeding upward.
But then I felt something wrong. As I turned, my eyes widened—the curse energy was still chasing Lan Yin. The slender stream that had reached for the sky collapsed, and the entire mass surged toward him.
"Qingyuan!"
Above, I heard Rachel Lan's shout. I was already close to the Spirit Serpent, but the massive curse power surged up, wrapping around Lan Yin. In an instant, a tremendous force stopped me cold. I gripped Lan Yin's hands with all my strength, trying to pull him free.
"Don't come any closer, or you'll be swallowed up too!"
I shouted, and the four Forsaken above immediately stopped trying to approach. Lan Yin lifted his head slightly, shaking it.
"Let go, Qingyuan..."
"No! Even if I die, I won't let go!"
I roared, pulling with all my might, but nothing budged. Instead, the curse power dragged Lan Yin down bit by bit.
"Slaughter..."
Suddenly, I roared again. In an instant, it felt as if all the strength in my body was drained. Blood-red particles spilled from my back, and a red humanoid figure appeared behind me.
With two swift sounds, I saw two white threads descend from above. Just as I was about to let go of Lan Yin's hands, they wrapped around us, binding us together.
"Qingyuan..."
I turned my head—Lan Yin looked at us with urgent concern.
"It's alright, Ruoxi, it's alright..."
"Bloodbane Power..."
I roared, and the Slaughter on my back erupted instantly. A surge of blood-red particles shot into the curse power beneath Lan Yin.
"It worked!"
I shouted in surprise—my strength was gone, my body collapsing. The curse power binding Lan Yin shattered instantly.
"No, it didn't work..."
The Ghost Ancestor's voice rang in my head. The curse power that had scattered suddenly reformed, swiftly enveloping Lan Yin—only his head remained.
I felt a tremendous force still pulling at us. Rachel Lan kept struggling, trying to drag us out.
What now?
In that instant, only those three words echoed in my heart. The Bloodbane Power was useless—my mind went blank.
"Brother, let me teach you the true way to use Bloodbane Power. It's just a bit of curse energy..."
With a soft slap, a hand gently rested on my shoulder. I turned, eyes wide, as the blood-red humanoid on my shoulder gradually took on the form of Yin Choujian. Then Yin Choujian slowly emerged from my body, stepping onto my shoulder.
"You failed again this time, Lan Yin!"
Yin Choujian chuckled as he spoke. Lan Yin struggled to lift his head and looked at Yin Choujian.
"Why you..."
Yin Choujian spread his hands helplessly and sighed.
"The Dark Banquet should have already noticed my presence. Sigh, brother, my plan was supposed to be perfect. Still, consider this a reward for you, brother. Watch closely—the true Bloodbane Power..."
Suddenly, Yin Choujian leapt from my shoulder, landing before us. He gazed at the curse energy below with a faint smile, dressed in a black suit, one foot poised, hands casually in his pockets.
"It's about to begin—the Slaughter Feast..."