C380 Kill If You Have To!

"Ahhh!" Su Yin's scream tore through the air, a visceral response to the searing pain, a desperate struggle against fear, and a furious reaction to humiliation. Yet, the nascent "Evil Demon," born from the malice, poison, and endless remorse of countless deceased in the Absence Relic and infused with the spiritual energy of the Yellow Court Little World, remained unmoved.

The "Evil Body Refining Skill" was intended for cultivators at the Profound Break Stage to fully harness its potential and manifest an Evil Demon. Yet Yu Yuan, blessed with extraordinary talent, had managed to condense an Evil Demon at the Yellow Court Stage. His success was not only the result of his arduous cultivation in the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area but also owed much to Yu Zhu's contributions.

When Yu Zhu channeled his spiritual energy into Yu Yuan, he seemed to intuit that the murky, tumultuous abilities would aid in the Evil Demon's formation, and thus, he bestowed them upon him. These powers, which ordinary people struggled to refine and which impeded their cultivation, took root in Yu Yuan's bones and viscera, poised to erupt at a pivotal moment.

The Evil Demon, a being more advanced than the mere evil spirit, represented the true ingenuity and formidable essence of the Evil Body Refining Skill. Once this creature materialized, it obeyed Yu Yuan's intent, ruthlessly seeking to obliterate Su Yin's lifeforce.

The Evil Demon glided down his neck, and from there, a long, narrow gash was viciously torn from the nape to the lower back. The gaping wound, oozing with blood, severed several tendons and shattered his vertebrae.

Su Yin's agonized cries, underscored by the ghastly sight of his wounds, caused Van Chaoguan and Lim Hanyu to feel a profound sense of shock, their hearts heavy with the realization of what had transpired. Yu Yuan possessed the formidable power to wound Su Yin!

Lee Yuchan and Lee Yu, bound to the stone pillars, had their attention riveted on the clash between Yu Yuan and Su Yin. Witnessing Yu Yuan emerge unscathed from Su Yin's assault, only to counterattack and grievously injure the higher-ranked Su Yin, they were both astonished and perplexed.

How had Yu Yuan become so formidable?

Lee Yuchan's cool gaze was alight with a mix of astonishment and intrigue, the previously fierce curl of her lips now softened by her bewilderment. "Could it be that he didn't rely on the strength of others to make Su Yin too terrified to even move? How could he possibly take on Su Yin, who was a whole realm above him, all by himself?" Lee Yuchan's mind was awash with questions.

She had a deep understanding of Yu Yuan, aware that he was highly regarded by the likes of Zhou Cangmin and Yan Qiling, with Yu Zhu's unwavering loyalty behind him. Whether in temperament or intellect, he outshone the rest.

From the moment Yu Yuan stepped into the hall, she sensed that he had the situation well in hand.

In her estimation, Yu Yuan, despite being slightly less advanced in his cultivation, merely needed to dispatch Qin Yun to address all the issues within the Huang family's hall and to cow the present company.

Why should she intervene personally?

Yet, Yu Yuan initially refrained from summoning anyone, choosing instead to confront Su Yin as soon as he made a move.

It was an impulsive act, but it astonishingly resulted in Su Yin's grievous injury.

"You dare to kill me?!"

Out of nowhere, Su Yin, with his back to the crowd, emitted a cry of terror and confusion.

At the sound of his voice, Fan Chaoguan, Lim Hanyu, Lee Yuchan, and Lee Yu's faces all registered shock.

Was Yu Yuan truly intent on slaying Su Yin?

After all, Su Yin was a scion of one of the Empire's five great families, cherished by Su Kui and Su Kang. In the current state of the Empire, Su Yin's brazenness was backed by solid confidence.

Yu Yuan had already gained the upper hand by inflicting serious wounds. Would he indeed go so far as to commit murder?

"What is there to fear?" Yu Yuan responded with a wry smile. "As you've said, times have changed. In this era of imperial transition, the death of one or two individuals is inconsequential. In the grand scheme of things, if I, Yu Yuan, am deemed trivial, then what significance does Su Yin hold?"

With these words, he brought his fingers together in a sword-like gesture and aimed for Su Yin's chest.

A mere flicker of intent, and a stream of pure spiritual power surged from the Yellow Court's dantian in his lower abdomen, coursing through his meridians like swift lightning.

He refrained from invoking the sword soul. Instead, as a subtle warmth spread through his left arm, he tapped into the sword intent entwined within his bones, guided by his Heavenly Soul.

A fine, crimson light, delicate as a filament, sparked to life within the sinews and bones of his left arm, casting a faint but fierce glow.

In a fleeting moment, Yu Yuan's left hand fingers radiated with a brilliant light!

A beam of intense light burst forth from his fingertips, piercing the dimness of the hall and dazzling onlookers.

Su Yin, his back soaked in blood, was overwhelmed by fear as he felt a sinister entity slide down his neck and burrow into his spine with a violent force!

His energy became chaotic, and the Qi and blood within his lower and middle dantians began to quake uncontrollably.

He found himself suddenly unable to muster any strength.

The Fiend Demon that erupted from his spine transformed into myriad streams of destructive light, voraciously consuming his flesh and vitality, relentlessly ravaging his organs!

How could he possibly muster the strength to retaliate?

As his eyes locked onto the sword-like formation of Yu Yuan's fingers, he sensed a piercing sword intent and the unmistakable aroma of impending death.

"No, it can't be..."

This was the final thought that flashed through his mind before death took hold.

Then came the excruciating pain in his chest.

"Puchi!"

A streak of crimson light stabbed into Su Yin's chest, obliterating his organs and snuffing out his life force.

With Su Yin's demise, Yu Yuan's spirit eased. The nascent Fiend Demon, having no strength left to sustain it, perished within Su Yin's body.

"The Yellow Court Stage, with just five refinements, and yet the purity of Spiritual Energy is so profoundly terrifying!"

Yu Yuan nearly burst into uproarious laughter, wanting to release the elation swelling within him.

He had chosen Su Yin as his adversary, sought out this battle, to gauge the extent of his combat prowess after undergoing five refinements at the Yellow Court Stage's Middle Period.

Su Yin proved to be an exceptional opponent!

Throughout the clash, not only did evil spirits escape from his bones and flesh, but they also merged with his own Spiritual Qi to form a "Fiend Demon," unleashing a formidable power that took even him by surprise.

— It was an outcome he hadn't anticipated!

Neither the evil spirits lurking within his body nor the birthed "Fiend Demon" were part of his pre-battle calculations.

Yet, in the heat of combat, as he executed the Devil Spell, what needed to emerge did so effortlessly!

What astonished him further was the ease and swiftness with which Spiritual Qi overflowed, discharged, and converged during the Yellow Court Stage, as natural and quick as lightning.

This was an epiphany he could never grasp at the Spirit Accumulating Stage—the exquisite sensation that should accompany battle.

Ascending just one realm higher, the refined spiritual energy of his Yellow Court Little World now responded to his every whim, coursing through his tempered body with ease.

"Combat, real combat, reveals so much!"

Yu Yuan flashed a wide grin, reveling in the fight, and at last, he understood the exhilaration and ease with which those mighty cultivators, who commanded the winds and clouds, dispatched their foes.

Meanwhile, Fan Chaoguan and Lim Hanyu stared ahead in stunned silence, their composure eerily intact.

Su Yin was indeed slain on the spot by Yu Yuan!

Neither could have imagined that the young lord of the Yu family from Darkmoon City would dare such audacity!

With Su Yin dead, would the Su family simply stand by? Wouldn't Su Kui and Su Kang, the two formidable Yin Gods, annihilate the entire Yu clan to quell their own family's fury?

Not even Su Xiangtian could intervene in the aftermath of Su Yin's demise!

"He's dead; why prop him up like a statue?" Yu Yuan murmured, casually pushing Su Yin's upright body aside. He watched as the Su family scion, who had been a thorn in the Yu family's side, crumpled to the ground.

Stepping over the fallen body, Yu Yuan positioned himself before Fan Chaoguan and Lim Hanyu.

"Father-in-law, it's been too long since our last meeting. I've missed you dearly."

With a respectful bow and a lift of his head, Yu Yuan's smile beamed at Lim Hanyu as he said, "In line with the pact between our families, the time has come for me to wed your daughter. Could I trouble you to relay a message to the Cold Yin Sect, asking for her prompt return to the empire so we may proceed with the marriage?"

At those words, Lim Hanyu's face darkened ominously.

Fan Chaoguan inhaled sharply, steadying his emotions before subtly stepping back, leaving Lim Hanyu and Yu Yuan to confront each other directly.

As the patriarch of the Fan family, he suddenly felt as though the youth before him was shrouded in enigmatic mists, utterly inscrutable.

"He had the audacity to kill Su Yin, and he actually did it. What kind of backing does this kid have?"

Fan Chaoguan decided to bide his time. After all, with Lim Hanyu now in Yu Yuan's crosshairs, there was no need for him to make a move just yet.

…