The combined presence of Shi Zhan and Wu Shi, both at the pinnacle of the Posterior Heaven Realm, ninth stage, caused the Blood Wolf Gang's forces to falter. Their auras rippled like tidal waves, silencing the chaos.
"Shi Zhan! Wu Shi!" Blood Wolf's expression darkened.
The two village chiefs stood shoulder-to-shoulder beside Xiao Tianxiong, their robes billowing like war banners.
"Shi, you old fool… Wu, you stubborn cur…" Blood Wolf's voice dripped with venom. "This is a matter between my Blood Wolf Gang and Xiao Clan Village. Stay out of it."
"Hmph!" Shi Zhan snorted. "Xiao Ye is Qingyang Town's first-ever prodigy. We won't stand by while you butcher him."
Wu Shi's laughter boomed like a war drum. "He's my granddaughter's husband! Cross him, and you'll have to step over my corpse!"
Blood Wolf's eyes narrowed. "Three old men… do you truly think you can stop me?"
"Try us," Shi Zhan said coldly.
The Gathering Storm
A thunderous shout echoed across Qingyang Town: "Blood Wolf Gang! Leave Qingyang Town! Our prodigy's life isn't yours to take!"
The villagers' fury, pent up for four years, erupted like a volcano. Men, women, and children grabbed farming tools, forming a human shield around the three village chiefs.
Xiao Ye's name had become legend. Stories of his rise—from a bullied teen to a Posterior Heaven Realm, fifth stage prodigy who slaughtered Liu Er—had spread like wildfire. To the villagers, he wasn't just a boy; he was their hope, their sword against tyranny.
"He's just a kid!" Blood Wolf roared, his aura tearing through the air. "I'll bury this village!"
The Three Elders' Oath
Xiao Tianxiong, his face gaunt but eyes blazing, stepped forward. "We three old bones will stand together, as we always have!"
The three village chiefs launched themselves at Blood Wolf, their combined Posterior Heaven Realm energy shaking the earth. Villagers fell back as shockwaves obliterated everything in their path.
Blood Wolf's fists crackled with lightning, each strike splitting the ground like a scythe through wheat. Yet the elders held firm, their aged bodies defying logic.
Sacrifice and Resolve
Amid the carnage, Xiao Ye fought like a feral beast. His Great Splitting Palm, now refined to five layers of Qi, carved through Blood Wolf's minions. But for every Blood Wolf guard he slew, two more took their place.
"Uncle Shan!" Xiao Ye screamed as a blade cleaved toward him.
Shi Da, his arm severed, thrown Xiao Ye aside. "Run, boy! You're Qingyang Town's future!"
Xiao Ye cradled his mentor's bleeding torso, tears mixing with blood. This is all my fault…
"Lad," Shi Da grinned weakly, "take my life… but live to kill Blood Wolf."
A Prodigy's Vow
Xiao Ye stumbled to the village square, his robes stained with blood. He knelt thrice—once for his father, once for the villagers, once for the elders.
"I, Xiao Ye, swear here: If I survive, I'll return with your blood as my offering!" His voice pierced the chaos, raw and unyielding.
Blood Wolf halted, unsettled by the boy's aura—no longer fear, but a predator's calm.
"Run, then," Blood Wolf spat. "But one hour. After that…"
Xiao Ye rose, his eyes cold as winter. "If I die, I'll haunt you in death. If I live… Qingyang Town will drown in your blood."