Faced with five Fusion patriarchs surrounding him like hungry tigers, Carl Yelson's face suddenly turned ashen.
"You want to kill me?"
"What do you think?" Ian Song asked with a playful smile.
"You can't kill me! My grandfather is a Tribulation-stage expert of the Prime One Church. If you kill me, he won't let you off!" Carl Yelson shouted, trying to sound fierce but inwardly terrified.
As soon as he said this, the five Fusion patriarchs' expressions all changed, a hint of wariness appearing in their eyes.
Seeing that mentioning his Tribulation-stage grandfather had intimidated them, Carl let out a small sigh of relief and said, "Relax, as long as you don't kill me, I can pretend nothing ever happened!"
Even as he spoke, Carl was secretly thinking that if he escaped this time, he'd definitely ask his grandfather to take revenge and slaughter these bastards who wanted him dead.
Just then, Ian Song's voice rang out again: "So what if your grandfather is a Tribulation-stage expert? I've already made an enemy of the Prime One Church, what's one more? Go ahead—attack!"
Hearing Ian say this, the five patriarchs snapped back to their senses. They were already defying the Prime One Church—why fear one more Tribulation expert? They almost let Carl lead them astray. Realizing this, their gazes toward Carl grew even colder.
"Prepare to die!"
Just as the five were about to strike, Carl Yelson screamed in desperation, "Don't kill me! I can tell you a secret!"
"What secret?" Ian Song asked, clearly interested.
"As long as you don't kill me, I'll tell you!" Carl looked at Ian, realizing that only the early Soul‑Split Ian Song was truly in charge here.
"Heh."
Ian Song chuckled, "You're in no position to bargain. Speak—maybe your secret will buy you a chance to live!"
A look of hesitation and inner struggle flashed across Carl's face; for a long moment, he said nothing.
"What, you won't talk? Fine, then kill him!"
"No, wait!"
Carl Yelson screamed again, "I'll tell you! In Snowfield Province, there's a place that produces a miraculous treasure called Ice Soul. Consuming Ice Soul strengthens the body and nourishes the soul. The reason my cultivation improved so quickly is because I've taken quite a few Ice Souls!"
"Where exactly is this place?" Ian Song's eyes lit up as he pressed on.
"It's right at...!"
Carl didn't keep them guessing and directly revealed the location where Ice Soul was found.
Ian Song looked at Carl and said, "Alright, now you have two choices. First, obediently let me plant a restriction in your soul and become my slave. Second, die. I'll give you ten breaths to decide. Which will it be?"
"This..." Hatred flickered in Carl's eyes, but to save his life, he chose to become Ian Song's slave.
"Seal his Yuanshen!" Ian ordered the five Fusion patriarchs.
The five Fusion patriarchs joined forces to seal Carl's Yuanshen. Ian drifted over, pointed a finger at Carl's brow, and sent ten Puppet Mastery Divine Art sigils straight into his soul.
Carl was a mid‑Fusion cultivator with a powerful Yuanshen. Ian wasn't sure he could enslave him; if ten Puppet Mastery sigils couldn't do it, he'd have to kill him.
Luckily, Carl's Yuanshen was sealed by five Fusion patriarchs, and he didn't even try to resist. With all ten sigils sent in at once, Ian managed to enslave him.
Once the five Fusion patriarchs released the seal, Carl instantly knelt and called Ian "Master," looking extremely respectful.
Next came the time to reap the rewards.
With Carl, the branch master, leading the way, Ian and his group quickly reached the treasure vault of the branch altar.
Carl had served as Snowfield Province's branch master for over twelve hundred years. With a Tribulation-stage grandfather backing him, he'd kept back a lot of resources that should've been handed over.
After raiding both the branch altar's vault and Carl's private stash, the group gained nearly thirty thousand top-grade spirit crystals' worth of resources. The storage rings of the three slain Fusion experts held another eighty thousand, with nearly fifty thousand coming from Northwind Lin's ring alone.
After crippling the cultivation of all the branch disciples, Ian removed the formation and led everyone out of Mystic Ice City.
Tang Dynasty, Imperial Capital.
Today, a message spread: Sixth Prince Lucas Li and Prime One Saintess Lila Li will marry in half a month.
Fourth Prince Residence.
Upon hearing the news, Fourth Prince Victor Li flew into a rage, cursing Lucas Li as despicable.
Beside him, Bada looked worried. "They're doing this to lure Young Lord Song to the capital so they can kill him!"
Victor Li's face grew even darker. He said to Bada, "Bada, send someone to find my second brother right away. Tell him not to come to the capital no matter what—this is all a Prime One Church plot!"
"Sigh!"
Sam Li sighed, "Even the Prime One Church can't find Young Master Song. I doubt we'll be able to locate him either!"
Suddenly, Victor Li seemed to think of something and said immediately, "Wait, Bada, go to Immortal Cloud Pavilion and have Pavilion Mistress Bei tell my second brother not to come to the capital under any circumstances!"
"Yes, sir!"
Bada accepted the order and left at once.
With deliberate promotion by certain parties, news that Sixth Prince Lucas Li and Prime One Church Saintess Lila Li will marry in half a month quickly spreads throughout the Tang Dynasty.
That very evening, word of the destruction of the Snowfield Province Branch Altar reached the Prime One Church headquarters.
Because the branch master of Snowfield Province was the grandson of a Tribulation-stage elder, the Church’s high-level leadership convened another emergency meeting.
After discussion, they decided to temporarily conceal the news, since that Tribulation-stage elder was preparing for his Heavenly Tribulation. If his mental state was disturbed and he failed, the loss would be disastrous.
Snowfield Province, Chutian Commandery City.
On the upper floor of a restaurant, Ian Song and his group sat by the window, drinking wine and eating.
At that moment, two cultivators entered the restaurant, ordered food and wine, and started chatting as they ate.
Hearing their conversation, Ian Song’s expression suddenly turned razor-sharp. They were discussing how Sixth Prince Lucas Li would marry Saintess Lila Li in half a month.
"Damn it!"
The wine cup in Ian Song’s hand shattered with a crack.
"Young Master, what happened?" Shaoyang Chen asked with concern.
"Let’s go. I’ve just decided—we’re destroying another Prime One Church branch altar tonight." Ian Song’s voice was icy cold.
Two hours later, Ian Song’s group appeared directly at the Sunfield Province Branch Altar.
Five Fusion experts guarded the Sunfield Province Branch Altar, all at early Fusion. Ian Song’s side had six: one mid-Fusion and five early-Fusion patriarchs, who could match mid-Fusion strength when using Immortal Arts.
Inside the Sunfield Province Branch Altar.
"Pfft!"
A middle-aged Fusion cultivator had his head and Yuanshen pierced, but thanks to the tenacity of Fusion-stage life, he didn’t die immediately. Eyes wide with hatred, he glared at Ian Song and used his last ounce of strength to roar, "Little Demon Song, you’ll die a terrible death!"
As soon as he finished, his remaining life force drained away and he collapsed to the ground, dead.