Chapter 10 - Death and Despair

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[Taipeng Mortal Village]

[Third Circle of Taizun City]

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In Taipeng Village, situated on the eastern side of the third and final circle of Taizun City, the sun blazed high in the sky.

The once serene and peaceful village was now engulfed in chaotic flames.

Shadows of malevolent figures moved like predators, wreaking havoc as desperate cries filled the air, pleas to the indifferent heavens above for mercy that would never come.

"What have we done to deserve this? Spare my son, please! I beg of you, don't let them take him! Ahhh... you monsters!"

"Why hasn't the City Lord come to our aid? Don't they care about us, about our lives?"

"My crops... please, don't burn them! It's all we have left to survive the winter..."

"I'll give you everything we own, just spare my wife! We're not rich, we're just simple folk trying to make a living!"

Splurt!!! Splurt!!!

A sickening sound echoed through Taipeng Village as the blade of Yang Tao, known infamously as the Pedo Demon, severed the head of a defenseless elder.

The elder had been mourning his wife, who had just been violated by Yang Tao himself.

"Hahah... dare to attack when this seat was enjoying the delicacies. It's your wife's honor that her filthy cunt had the opportunity to embrace my glorious cock. Do you know how many women would die to have the chance to moan under me? Now die, you insect."

Blood sprayed across the dirt path, mingling with the dust and the screams of terrified villagers. The village that had been home to simple, hardworking mortals now lay in ruin. Houses smoldered, their thatched roofs ablaze.

The stench of burning wood and flesh filled the air, while the cries of the dying echoed desperately. Women and girls, once full of life and joy, were subjected to unspeakable horrors.

Women were raped, men were killed, wealth was looted—such was the cruel sight of Taipeng Village.

In the center of the chaos stood Yang Tao, leader of the Yang Demon group. His presence was a sinister force that seemed to drain the light from the surroundings.

His eyes, devoid of humanity, scanned the scene with perverse satisfaction.

He was Clad in dark Daoist robes, he exuded an aura of malevolence that made even his own men shudder.

"Gu Dan, how's the collection going? I don't expect these peasants to have much wealth, but at least we won't have to cross the mountains in winter, do we?"

The reason for this sudden attack on the village was their depleted resources. Having spent all their money on whores and alcohol, their mountain had become barren with no slaves left to exploit.

The female slaves they had captured were about to give birth, which would hinder their operations. Thus, they had killed all the female slaves, valuing nothing but killing, women, wealth, and the prosperity of their group.

Nearby, a thin bandit with a scar heard his boss's questions and smiled menacingly, showcasing his yellow, broken teeth.

"Boss, these bastards are poor. Even though we've looted the entire village, we could only gather 20 spirit stones. They say this village trades in livestock rather than spiritual stones, but our men have already burned the houses, making it difficult to sell the livestock as most have already died."

"Bastard! These beasts have no self-control. Raping women was fine, but why burn the livestock? We could have sold them for profit. Anyway, I'll let them quench their thirsts in these areas. There are more than ten villages here. Ahahahah!" Yang Tao declared.

"Burn it all, you sons of whores, but don't dare to do this when we attack another village, or else you'll be without whores for the entire winter," he commanded, his voice as cold and sharp as his blade.

The bandits, a ragtag group of thieves and murderers, eagerly obeyed. They reveled in the destruction, their laughter mingling with the cries of the villagers.

They were all low-level innate warriors, with some at the first layer of the Qi Condensing Realm.

Only Yang Tao and Gu Dan seemed to have higher levels of cultivation, but dealing with mortals was relatively easy; even a man who followed martial dao or an innate warrior could kill hundreds.

"Please, spare us! What did we mortals do to deserve this?" an elderly woman cried out, clutching her chest as she watched her home burn.

Splurt!!

A bandit sneered and struck her down with a single blow, her head rolling far from her body.

"Shut up, hag! Your life is nothing to us. Even your pussy can't be used, you old bitch."

In another corner of the village, villagers hid, trembling as their world was torn apart. Among them was a young girl, her name forgotten in the chaos. Her eyes were wide with terror as she saw her father being dragged away. Tears flowed from her eyes relentlessly as she shouted.

"Dad! No, please! Spare him, please, I beg you..." she screamed.

Swiss!! Splurt!!!

The next second, one more head fell.

"Haha, this bitch looks ugly. Can't even use her as a whore," the bandit who killed her father swung his sword again, the blade plunging into the screaming girl's mouth, the edge protruding from the back of her head.

...At that moment, life ceased to exist in her eyes.

"Mommy, help me! Help me! Help me! Someone, please! Sir, I'm your daughter's age... please spare me, I didn't do anything wrong, please sir... please sir... I beg you... ahhhh!" screamed a young girl as several bandits had pinned her down.

Her cries were heart-wrenching, piercing through the chaos. Her mother, seeing the horror inflicted upon her daughter, fainted on the spot, her body collapsing into the dirt.

"Please, stop! I beg you!" another woman pleaded, her voice trembling with fear as she was dragged away by two bandits.

Her screams for mercy were ignored, and soon they turned into anguished cries of pain and horror. Two men held her arms, pinning her to the ground, while another two spread her legs apart.

...One man positioned himself over her, his weight crushing her innocence.

"Hahah! Brothers, look at her, she looks like a frightened chicken!"

"Bastard, just do it. I want to taste her too. Don't waste time."

"No! No! It hurts! Please, stop!" Her fingers clawed at the mud, nails breaking as she tried to free herself. Blood flowed from her core, mixing with the dirt beneath her.

Her cries weakened as her body gave in to the brutal assault.

After a while...

The fainted mother, regaining consciousness, saw the horror and screamed.

"No! My daughter! Please, stop!" She tried to reach her, but another bandit struck her down. "No, no, no!" she sobbed, losing consciousness again from the shock.

"Curse this filth!" one of the bandits growled after the girl fell silent. He summoned spiritual energy, burning her violated body until it was nothing but ash, her suffering erased in a cruel cleansing.

"Have mercy! We have done nothing to you!" a father pleaded, trying to shield his family with his body. A bandit laughed cruelly and drove a sword through his chest.

The man's wife and children screamed, their cries of despair echoing with the sounds of the dying.

Yang Tao's gaze swept over the carnage, his cruel smile widening. He relished the despair, the absolute helplessness of the villagers.

"Mortals are like insects. With this, my men will be more energetic and enthusiastic in attacking the rest of the villages. Tsk... women really cry a lot when you make love to them. Hahah! Ahaha! Hahah!"

Meanwhile...

Not far from Taipeng, the sound of hooves colliding with the ground echoed as a battalion of 300 soldiers marched towards the village. They were led by General Chen Tianglong himself, his aura firm, and in his hand, he held a naked sword ready to quench its thirst for blood.

"Chen Su, how come there was no support from the second circle? Weren't they supposed to have signed a pact with us? And why was this sudden change not reported to the City Lord?"

Chen Tianglong asked angrily, his horse constantly narrowing the distance between him and the enemies.

"My liege, I can only say that the attack was a surprise. Our people didn't have much time to react. The distress signal sent by Protector Murong was already too late, many villages have already been destroyed. Now the bandits should be at Taipeng Village. As for the martial dao members, they said one of the enemies is already at the ninth level of the Qi Condensing Realm, and risking their lives for mortals was not important enough."

Hearing this, Chen Tianglong fell silent, thinking about it. It seemed like a plausible excuse to avoid battle and bear casualties, but as a general, he knew this village was just the start. If the bandits had already reached the Foundation Establishment Realm, they would soon attack the inner circles.

Soon, they were a few kilometers close to the village and saw mountains of smoke rising above it, flames still swaying violently.

"Damn it, those bastards. My lord, it seems we are already too late. The village must have been wiped out," a soldier murmured, his voice heavy with despair.

Seeing this, many soldiers' hearts sank. The purpose of their mission seemed lost. What remained was a battle to bring justice to the deceased.

None of them were naive enough to think the bandits had left anyone alive. For bandits, the rule had always been simple: rape women, kill men, loot wealth, and run away.

"No...if that's the case," Tianglong said, his voice filled with determination. "At least we'll kill all those bastards who dared to enter Taizun City." He shouted,

"EVERYONE, EXECUTE THE QUIET-SPARROW ART! DON'T LET ANY OF THEM ESCAPE. IF YOU SPOT ANYONE SUSPICIOUS, SLICE THEIR THROATS AND RIP OUT THEIR HEARTS! KILL THEM ALL!"

"Understood, Commander," they responded in unison.

Hearing this, the soldiers realized the urgency and recited the scripture of the Quiet-Sparrow Art. Soon, their whole battalion was enveloped in a gray aura.

Even the sound of hooves and their battle cries were muted, as if absolute silence had descended.

The battalion continued to move forward. On the way, they killed many suspicious people who had no idea what was coming until the moment their necks were severed.

After two hours...

Two hours had passed Since the initial assault on Taipeng Village.

In the heart of the chaos, a group of bandits cornered a terrified mother they had found near a well.

This cunning woman had leaped into the well with her children to keep them safe, but now she was discovered and desperate for her life.

Her children were about to be slaughtered, as the bandits did not take children captive.

She pleaded for their lives, her voice hoarse and desperate.

"Please, don't kill! Don't kill the children. You can do whatever you want with me; I won't complain, please—"

Nearby, the bandits laughed.

"What a fool! Who told you to hide from us, woman? Do you think we're stupid? If you like kids that much, we'll make sure you get pregnant. Though we'll kill them too after you give birth! Hahaha!"

With lustful eyes, one bandit moved forward to tear her clothes. But before he could deliver the fatal blow, an arrow whistled through the air, its shaft glowing with Qi energy.

The arrow struck the bandit with such force that it sent him flying backward, his body slamming into the ground lifelessly.

The bandits looked around in confusion, their eyes widening in fear as more Qi-infused arrows rained down upon them, piercing their hearts.

Soon, half of them turned into corpses.

Yang Tao, the Pedo Demon, sensed the shift immediately.

His eyes narrowed as he scanned the surroundings, realizing they were under attack.

Soon...

From the void, General Chen Tianglong's army emerged from all directions, almost cornering the bandits like lambs to be slaughtered.

"Damn it! We're surrounded!"

Each soldier exuded a powerful aura, their cultivation levels at least at the fourth level of the Qi Condensing Realm.

"Quickly, escape!"

"Don't fight; we've already achieved our goal."

They moved with lethal precision, cutting down the bandits with ruthless efficiency.

Blood sprayed across the ground as swords clashed and arrows found their marks.

"Mercy! Please, mercy!"

"Spare me! I surrender!"

"Ahh... my leg!"

The soldiers killed without hesitation, giving no chance to these monsters.

They showed no mercy, their faces grim with determination. They had come to exact justice, and justice demanded blood.

The bandits, outclassed and outnumbered, fell like chaff before the scythe.

Only a few were captured, their hands bound and their faces etched with fear.

Amidst the carnage, General Tianglong noticed a figure about to flee.

He moved forward, his presence commanding. His eyes locked onto Yang Tao, who was preparing to run.

With a roar, Tianglong unleashed a giant Qi-infused palm, the energy crackling with deadly intent.

"Yang Tao! Your Life ends here!"

A giant palm print rushed forward like a tiger spotting its prey, towering and majestic, made of blue energy as Tianglong's element was water.

"Why is foundation establishment cultivator here? Wasn't this supposed to be a mortal village?"

The palm struck Yang Tao, causing him to spin around and vomit blood from the internal injury sustained from the attack, his eyes wide with panic.

He barely managed to raise a defense, the force of the attack sending him stumbling back.

"Do you have no honor?" he spat, desperation coloring his words. "Even though you are a general, you ambush people like a coward! Where is the dignity of a warrior? Have you sold all your shame? A Foundation Establishment Realm giant ambushing a mere Qi Condensing Realm cultivator, how laughable."

Tianglong's eyes blazed with fury. "You speak of honor and dignity? After what you have done to these innocent people?" His voice thundered with anger, he raised his sword, its blade glowing with a fierce, violent energy.

"I'll show you the true meaning of honour"

"Thousand Violent Petals, Second Form: Annihilation!"

A whirlwind of Qi energy erupted from Tianglong's sword, forming a torrent of burning waves that hovered in the air like a majestic eagle.

The energy shot forth, a blazing and boiling water storm aimed directly at Yang Tao. It was a large wave, humongous like a mountain.

Yang Tao's eyes widened in terror. He knew he would die if he didn't escape. In a desperate bid for survival, he activated the Blood Legion Escape Technique.

His body exploded into a cloud of blood-red particles, dispersing into the wind and painting the ground in a gruesome hue.

"YANG TAO!" Tianglong shouted, his voice echoing through the devastated village. Although he saw Yang Tao explode, he wasn't sure if he had truly died. His heart was restless.

Some time passed, and it was already evening. General Chen Tianglong walked among the ruins. His golden robes, once pristine, were now stained with the blood of the fallen bandits. His heart ached for the innocents who had suffered at the hands of these monsters.

Suddenly, a faint movement caught his eye. A woman, bruised and bloodied, was waking up from her unconscious state. She sat up slowly, her eyes wide with confusion and fear.

As her vision cleared, she saw Tianglong standing before her, his sword still dripping with the blood of her tormentors. The corpses of the bandits lay at his feet.

"You have survived," Tianglong said softly, his voice filled with relief and sorrow. "It's good that at least there are a few survivors. Now that I've come, no one can hurt the innocent. We will place you in a safer area so that you can live in peace."

The woman showed no emotion as she looked around. The scene was one of utter devastation. The limbs of her family were scattered and burned, her daughter lay violated, and her husband was dead.

Tears welled in her eyes, but instead of weeping, she laughed—a hollow, broken sound that sent chills down Tianglong's spine.

"Live? For what? What's the point of it all?"

Before Tianglong could react, she spotted a knife on the ground. With desperate swiftness, she snatched it up.

"No, stop!" Tianglong shouted, lunging forward. But it was too late. The woman plunged the knife into her throat. Blood sprayed from the wound like a broken water pipe, and her body crumpled to the ground, lifeless.

Tianglong fell to his knees beside her, his teeth gritted in frustration and sorrow. "Chen Su!" he roared.

"Yes, my lord," came the immediate response. Chen Su, Tianglong's deputy, approached quickly, his own clothes soaked with blood. He bowed respectfully, awaiting orders.

"Tell our men to gather all the nearby villages. We will move them to the second circle of the city. This place is no longer safe for living. Do it right away," Tianglong ordered.

"But sir," Chen Su hesitated, "what if there is resistance? The martial dao families might not like mortals sharing the same skies with them. What if—?"

"Tell them it was my order," Tianglong interrupted, his eyes blazing with authority. "And what about the captives?"

"There are twenty bandits who have been captured by us. Should we exterminate them?" Chen Su asked.

Tianglong thought for a moment, then spoke. "No. My children have grown up, and it just so happens that I want them to experience the cruelty of the world and the horror of human nature. Those friendly spars won't prepare them adequately; they might be killed one day. These bastards will serve as practice tools for my children. This way, they won't hesitate to kill enemies in real battle."

Soon, Tianglong's orders were swiftly carried out. Soldiers were dispatched to nearby villages to gather the people and bring them to the safety of the second circle of the city. The surviving girls were given clothes, and the bandits' legs were tied up with ropes, the other ends fastened to horses.

The sky darkened, and it was no longer safe here. The battalion began their journey back to the city, the bodies of the prisoners were dragged mercilessly along the ground.

The rough terrain tore at their flesh, leaving a gruesome trail of blood in their wake.

No one knew how many would survive when reaching the inner circle, but it didn't matter to begin with: they were all destined to die.

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( End Of The Chapter )

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