Although Zhao Qian projected an air of humility, her heart was filled with surging hatred. This was her father’s birthday banquet, yet she had been forced into such a desperate corner by Chu Xuan; it was truly unforgivable.
"Once I survive this crisis, I will certainly not let Chu Xuan go!"
Zhao Qian knew this was no time to act tough. Given the strength Chu Xuan had just demonstrated, if she did not humble herself and coax him into a good mood, she would surely meet a grisly end today.
Forcing a smile that looked worse than crying, Zhao Qian trembled as she crawled toward Chu Xuan, her voice dripping with artificial softness. "Brother Xuan, I know I was wrong... I was possessed back then. You are a magnanimous person, please forgive me this once. As long as you spare me, I... I will do anything..."
She deliberately pushed out her chest, her messy hair falling over her shoulders, her hands wandering restlessly over her own body. "Look, I am still the same as before; my heart is full of you. As long as you say the word, my life is yours."
Zhao Tai stood to the side, his face flushed red, his fists clenching and unclenching. Watching his daughter near-naked, fawning over a man he had once trampled underfoot, felt like a knife twisting in his heart. But the murderous aura radiating from Chu Xuan made his legs turn to jelly; he could only force a flattering smile, his voice trembling.
"Yes, yes! Young Master Chu! Xiao Qian has always been thinking of you; she hasn't let go of you all these years!" He bowed repeatedly as he spoke, large beads of cold sweat rolling from his forehead onto the floor. "I’ve always thought that in all of Jinling, you and Xiao Qian were the perfect match! As long as you spare our Zhao Family, everyone in the family will be at your beck and call from now on!"
"I really didn't expect you to go this far."
As Chu Xuan spoke, he slowly reached out, his well-defined fingers stretching toward Zhao Qian. A flash of surprise ignited in Zhao Qian's eyes; she was overjoyed. She panted, her voice growing even sweeter. "Brother Xuan, I knew you would be soft-hearted... as long as you are willing, I can give you anything..."
She tilted her face up, her eyes filled with seduction, her body subconsciously leaning into him. However, the second she thought she had succeeded, Chu Xuan’s palm pierced through her chest like lightning, his fingers gripping her still-beating heart.
Zhao Qian’s eyes widened, a guttural "gurgle" escaping her throat as she stared at Chu Xuan in disbelief. With no expression on his face, Chu Xuan ripped her heart out, tossed it to the ground, and ground his heel into it. Scarlet blood began to spread from beneath his shoe.
"I once offered you my true heart, yet you conspired with others to trample over a hundred lives of my Chu Family!" Chu Xuan’s eyes were cold, his voice heavy with hatred. "Now, I want to see if your heart really knows it was wrong!"
Zhao Qian’s wide eyes gradually lost their luster, and her body collapsed stiffly to the floor, blood gushing out. This gory scene sent the guests into a series of screams; many rolled their eyes back and fainted on the spot. Everyone looked at Chu Xuan in pure terror. Zhao Qian was, after all, one of the greatest beauties in Jinling—how could such temptation fail to sway him, only to lead to such an end? Chu Xuan’s willpower was truly terrifying.
But how could they understand? To Chu Xuan, Zhao Qian was nothing more than a butcher whose hands were stained with the blood of the Chu Family. Compared to his cold, elegant, and celestial master, Zhao Qian couldn't even compare to her finger; even the female inmates in the women’s prison could easily outclass her. Furthermore, the hundred-plus wronged souls of the Chu Family haunted his heart night and day. Every time he thought of what Zhao Qian had done, he felt nothing but disgust—how could he show her any mercy?
"Xiao Qian! My daughter!" Zhao Tai stared at his daughter’s corpse lying in a pool of blood. His eyes turned bloodshot, his hair stood on end, and he looked like a cornered beast driven to madness. He stumbled toward Zhao Qian, his trembling hands stroking her cooling face, tears streaming down his cheeks.
"Chu Xuan!!!" Zhao Tai suddenly spun around, his vicious gaze piercing Chu Xuan like a poisoned blade. He let out a beastly roar: "You damn bastard! How dare you kill my daughter? I will slice you into a thousand pieces!" He shook violently, the veins on his forehead bulging. "Do you know the status my son, Zhao Yaojin, holds now? He is a captain of the Lingzhou Iron Cavalry! His strength is about to break through to the level of a Grandmaster! If he weren't tied up with official business today, he would have ground you into meat paste already!"
Zhao Tai panted, his face purple with rage. "But even if my son isn't here, so what? The head of the Wei Family, Wei Junhao, has already received the news and is currently bringing a large number of elites to help! And there is the Dog-Wolf Society, the underground powerhouse of Jinling—they are the solid backing of our Zhao Family! You killed my daughter; today, I will make you wish you were dead!"
He shrieked at the top of his lungs, spittle flying, his eyes filled with murderous intent, wishing he could tear Chu Xuan to shreds immediately.
Chu Xuan looked coldly at Zhao Tai’s frantic display, realizing that Zhao Qian’s earlier seduction had been nothing but a delaying tactic. He curled his lips into a mocking smile and said in a deep voice, "Small tricks like these, and you dare to show them off in front of me? Today, not a single person in the Zhao Family will escape, especially you, Zhao Tai! The blood debt of the Chu Family must be repaid!"
Before the words had even faded, Chu Xuan’s figure flickered like a ghost, appearing instantly in front of Zhao Tai. With one hand, he clamped onto Zhao Tai’s neck like an iron vice and lifted him into the air with ease.
"Let... let me go..." Zhao Tai’s feet dangled, his face turning purple, his hands clawing desperately at Chu Xuan’s arm, but it was like a mantis trying to block a carriage.
Chu Xuan was expressionless. "Zhao Tai, you wolf-hearted beast! My father treated you well back then, calling you brother. Yet, when the Chu Family faced life and death, he knelt and kowtowed to you until his forehead bled, begging you for mercy. Not only were you indifferent, you mocked him! You pried his eyelids open so he would have to watch over a hundred members of the Chu Family die a miserable death! This blood debt—today, I will make you pay in blood!"
As he spoke, Chu Xuan’s other hand moved like a sharp blade, slowly slicing toward Zhao Tai’s neck. With a "rip," Zhao Tai’s flesh was torn open, and blood sprayed out. Chu Xuan’s technique was precise, avoiding vital organs with every strike to keep Zhao Tai conscious through the excruciating pain.
Then, Chu Xuan began to dismantle Zhao Tai’s bones. One... two... every time a bone was removed, Zhao Tai let out a miserable shriek! The sound was like a wail from hell, causing the hair on the back of every guest’s neck to stand up and their legs to turn to water.
"Ahhh!" Zhao Tai passed out from the pain several times, only to be jolted awake by a punch from Chu Xuan infused with his Vermillion Bird True Qi.
Chu Xuan’s cold voice echoed in his ear: "Don't be in such a hurry to die; this has only just begun!"
Under the torture of endless agony, Zhao Tai’s bones were removed one by one. When the final bone was detached, Chu Xuan threw the mangled lump of flesh onto the ground. Zhao Tai, now left with only a final breath, used his remaining strength to gasp, "G-give... give me a quick death..."
Zhao Tai never thought he would end up in such a state, but even now, there was not a shred of remorse in his heart for the Chu Family. He only hated that he hadn't cut the weeds and pulled the roots years ago, leaving a survivor like Chu Xuan.
This incredibly gory scene completely shattered the psychological defenses of the guests. Some rolled their eyes back and were frightened out of their minds; others collapsed to the floor, losing control of their bladders.
Suddenly, someone in the crowd shrieked: "This Chu Xuan is insane! Let’s run!"
In an instant, the guests became like frightened birds, scrambling and shoving as they fled madly toward the door. Many of these guests had participated in the siege of the Chu Family back then, their hands stained with blood. Seeing the state Zhao Tai was in—neither living nor dead—their fear surged like a tidal wave.
However, how could Chu Xuan let this group escape easily? His eyes scanned the room like a hawk, and in a flash, he locked onto the enemies trying to run. His fists moved with terrifying force; every blow he struck resulted in someone being instantly obliterated, the air thick with the heavy scent of blood.
Chu Xuan stood in the center of the bloodbath, a chilling aura radiating from him. He spoke coldly: "I only kill those who have a blood debt to the Chu Family! If you stay where you are, I will not make things difficult for you. But if anyone tries to run again, they are simply shielding these damned people and acting as scapegoats. If that happens, don't blame me for being ruthless!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the previously chaotic and noisy scene fell into deathly silence. Those guests who were still attempting to flee froze on the spot, not even daring to breathe loudly.
Chu Xuan watched this with satisfaction. Seeing that Zhao Tai was beyond saving, he slowly turned his gaze toward Wei Yiqun.
Wei Yiqun felt a chill shoot from his heels to his crown; it felt as if his hair was about to explode. With a "thud," he fell heavily to his knees before Chu Xuan and kowtowed incessantly, his forehead quickly seeping blood.
"Grandpa Chu! Ancestor Chu! Please, have mercy and let me go! I was blind and deserved to die! You are a magnanimous person—please, spare my dog's life!"