Slaughter at Tiger Fortress

Hey hey, little old man, don't you try to slip away. You were the one who pestered me to come along, making people think I was kidnapping you. Now that you've seen that beautiful lady achieve the Half-Ancestor's Eternal Divine Throne, and even witnessed an Ancestral-level battle for free, you think you can just run off?" Jin Sanyi grabbed the squat, fat Western god. "It's time to pay me back properly!"

"P-p-pay... pay back what?" the little old man stammered.

"Hey, don't play dumb with me. I'm no beauty, so why the stutter? When I stutter, you weren't even born yet. Don't pull that act on me." Jin Sanyi stared at the little old man. "I won't make it hard for you. You're the gift-giving old man, aren't you? Go deliver two gifts for me. Just take a trip to the East and give your best gifts to Binglan and Xuemeng. Say they're from your Third Brother."

Qier and Tianya rolled their eyes. This bastard was something else. Using Santa Claus like this was just too underhanded.

The squat Western god nodded frantically, only to be released after agreeing. He was about to flee for his life when Jin Sanyi grabbed him again.

"I'm not finished yet. Don't rush off."

"Th-Th-There's m-more?" the squat god stammered for real this time.

"I heard you Western types have a god named Cupid. Introduce me. I want to make a friend. Your Third Brother here is the friendliest guy around; I love making friends with gods everywhere."

Santa was speechless. Friend? He wouldn't believe that if his life depended on it.

"Hey, old man, haven't you seen a handsome guy this cool before? Don't look at me like that." Jin Sanyi squinted his peach-blossom eyes. "I heard that Cupid has a pretty neat divine artifact, some kind of bow and arrow. Tell him to shoot me seven or eight arrows. Oh no, make it seventeen or eighteen. 'Course, if he wants to shoot more, I won't complain. And tell him to keep his eyes open when he shoots—the targets should at least be on the level of that beauty over there."

He pointed at the divine maiden Lan Nuo in the sky. "And Binglan and Xuemeng have to be among those seven or eight, or seventeen or eighteen. 'Course, if he's really busy, he can just hand over the divine artifact set, and I'll shoot myself seventy or eighty times. Yeah, deal's done. Don't forget, or your Third Brother here will be coming for you. I hold grudges."

Everyone was speechless. This guy was too much.

The only one who appreciated him was Sha Polang, who kept giving thumbs up. "Brilliant! Absolute brilliance! A model for our generation!"

"Brother, you're my soulmate. Geniuses like us are so lonely. Life is truly as desolate as snow," Jin Sanyi sighed, patting Sha Polang's shoulder as if everything was understood without words.

Whoosh.

Finally breaking free of Jin Sanyi, the squat Western god took off running—but Bang! someone grabbed him by the collar again.

This time, Santa was on the verge of tears. "Third Brother, do you have any other requests? Could you say them all at once?"

But when he turned around, he saw a skeleton. For a god of light, this was a demon.

Sha Polang tried to make his skeleton smile look friendly, but it only scared the kindly god so badly he almost threw his gift bag at the skull's face.

"What kind of eyesight is that, old man? A handsome skeleton like me, scary?" Sha Polang was very displeased, but quickly lowered his voice. "Brother, we're practically family. I need to talk to you about something."

He crouched down, put his arm around the squat god's neck, and pulled him aside for a whispered conversation. After just a few sentences, Santa's face turned completely green, and he slumped his head, utterly dejected. He finally shuffled away, sick at heart.

In the sky, Lan Nuo and Shanwaishan transformed into beams of light and vanished.

The cultivators gathered near Mount Mitikas slowly dispersed, all discussing the outcome of the battle beyond the heavens. Most believed the Asura Half-Ancestor and the Skeleton King had not fallen, for killing a Half-Ancestor was extremely difficult, even for another Half-Ancestor.

"I heard Wu Zhanhun is hiding in the West, cultivating his Pure Martial War Body. Let's go find him," Jin Sanyi said, leading the way.

"Third Brother Jin is too wicked. And Sha Polang is no good either," Tianya grumbled, feeling sorry for the departed squat god.

In the Death World, Xiao Chen appeared in the Bone Well, utterly exhausted. By the time he climbed out, the blood on him had washed clean, but his body's pain had not lessened one bit. With a flash of light, he vanished and soon appeared in the Divine Village.

He went into closed-door cultivation for over ten days before fully recovering to his peak state.

"A cornered Half-Ancestor is truly terrifying. This battle was even more dangerous than the Sealed Era. Even with the Ancestral God battle armor, my martial body suffered severe damage. That terrible power nearly shattered all my bones and meridians. If I hadn't reached my current realm, I would have been completely crippled."

During the final clash beyond the heavens, when the three forces collided, a burst of light comparable to a stellar explosion had erupted. Even now, thinking back on it sent a chill through him.

"Those two old bastards must have been hurt much worse than me."

The moment his body recovered, Xiao Chen wanted to return to the Nine Provinces and head straight to Asura Island and the Skeleton Clan to settle the score.

But remembering the words of Tianwaitian and Renwairen, he held back. A great war was coming in the future, and Half-Ancestors would be indispensable. He couldn't act on impulse and go on a killing spree now.

Everything in the Divine Village was as peaceful as before. Six sovereign-level experts were recovering here, making it impregnable. The Tree-Man Sovereigns had contributed a large number of Yin-Yang Fruits, and with the addition of Ancestral Lord blood, their recovery was progressing smoothly. It wouldn't be long before they returned to their peak.

Xiao Chen had already told Tianwaitian and Renwairen about the strange occurrences in the Death World. Both were shocked but said it was no concern.

After spending nearly twenty days in the Death World, Xiao Chen bid farewell to the Divine Village and reappeared before the Dead City. The moment he manifested, he flew directly toward the Western Lands, pushing the Eight Aspect Worlds to their limit.

Mountains and rivers flew beneath him, and the Western Lands appeared on the horizon. Xiao Chen had long learned of Tiger Fortress's location and flew straight toward a beautiful mountain range.

Tiger Fortress truly lived up to its name, crouching like a sleeping tiger, vivid and imposing. It was a magnificent, towering structure built entirely from black crystalline stone, gleaming with an dark luster, solemn and mysterious. Surrounded by lush peaks and vibrant flowers, the area was warm as spring even in winter, a stark contrast to the distant snow.

Xiao Chen descended and began walking up the hundred black obsidian steps toward the fortress. The guards saw the uninvited guest immediately—a man with black hair and black eyes, clad in dark-iron battle armor, holding a war sword. An invisible, immense pressure struck them with a bone-deep fear.

"Who goes there? Halt!"

"One more step and you'll be killed! Halt!"

The Tiger Clan guards shouted loudly. Xiao Chen ignored them completely, striding forward with his war sword in hand, his gaze icy, his eyes fixed solely on the towering fortress gate.

"Release the God-Slaying Arrows!" the guard commander ordered.

Dozens of men at the fortress gate drew their bows, and beams of divine light shot forth with piercing screams, like a thousand old wolves howling. These God-Slaying Arrows had been blessed and refined, capable of killing experts above the Deathless Longevity realm.

Hundreds of arrows flew in a chaotic barrage, crisscrossing the sky like rainbows of dazzling light.

But today, they were useless. Thousands of brilliant arrows stopped three feet from Xiao Chen's body, blocked by an invisible force. Then, with a loud Boom! they all shattered to pieces, their divine light flickering and vanishing.

Everyone turned pale. To ignore God-Slaying Arrows was utterly terrifying.

"He... he's Xiao Chen!" someone stammered, causing a panic among the guards. Several fled immediately. The guard commander beheaded a few to restore order, and the chaos subsided.

Step. Step. Step.

The footsteps slowly drew closer. Xiao Chen reached the fortress gate in the blink of an eye.

"No matter who he is, our duty is to guard this gate!" the commander roared, ordering the men to stop him.

There were indeed loyal Tigers willing to die, who had heard of Xiao Chen's fearsome reputation but still charged with blades drawn.

But Xiao Chen could contend with Half-Ancestors. How could they stop him?

His pace unchanged, he advanced unhurriedly, slowly raising his war sword.

Slash! The first man lost his head, his skull flying over ten meters away as blood geysered from the headless corpse. The body stood there for a long moment before falling.

Slash! The second man was cleaved in two, his expression frozen in terror. The two halves fell to either side as Xiao Chen stepped through the blood.

Slash! The third man was cut in half at the waist. His upper body still swung its blade while he stared at his own lower half, and then his torso flew away with a spray of blood.

Slash! Slash! Slash! The ghastly sound continued. Xiao Chen's pace never changed as he strode forward, one man per sword strike. No one could resist. Every step claimed a life.

It was like slicing tofu. Xiao Chen seemed to move through an empty land. Each time his sword flashed, a weapon shattered and a guard fell, blood pooling on the ground.

In an instant, the ground before Tiger Fortress was covered in corpses.

In that moment, Xiao Chen was a demon god. He said nothing, simply advancing silently. Whoever tried to stop him was felled on the spot.

Even the most loyal, fearless guards were utterly unnerved. This man with his black hair flying, clad in iron armor, dragging a blood-drenched war sword, showed no trace of emotion. His eyes were cold as ice, as if he were not cutting down men but splitting dry wood.

With a collective gasp, everyone retreated, no one daring to block him any longer.

Xiao Chen dragged the dripping war sword behind him. The bloody blade carved a terrifying groove in the black obsidian pavement, leaving a ghastly trail of blood as he mounted the highest step and strode into the fortress.

Bell tones rang urgently from within.

A flood of experts surged out, summoned by Tiger Clan law: in an emergency, all strong members must drop what they are doing and reinforce.

But this did not stop Xiao Chen. He dragged his bloodied sword, his pace never changing, advancing step by step. Anyone who approached or tried to stop him was cut down by his sword. The cold, gleaming blade, the shocking spray of blood—it made everyone's heart freeze with terror.

He passed through as if walking through an empty land—that was the truest portrait of Xiao Chen in this moment.

Slash! The sword angled, and half a skull flew away, red blood and white brain matter a horrifying sight.

Slash! He thrust forward, cold light blazing in all directions, piercing a blocking commander. The corpse burst into pieces, chunks of flesh spraying.

There was a terrible magic to Xiao Chen's sword. Every time it swung, it drew blood. Every time, someone died. No one knew how many had fallen. Throughout it all, Xiao Chen did not speak a single word, simply pressing forward with unwavering determination.

Anyone who dared to stop him received only one sentence: Death.

Clean, efficient killing, like slicing vegetables. Heads fell.

"It's the Demon King Xiao Chen!"

"He's here!"

Of course, some recognized him. To the Tiger Clan, this man was a legend of terror. Many faltered back. Xiao Chen did not pursue those who retreated; as long as they did not block him, they were spared a bloody end.

A middle-aged man rushed forward from ahead, his face filled with shock and urgency. "Halt! Cease this!"

"Release the woman your Tiger Clan used as bait over a hundred and fifty years ago," Xiao Chen said, his voice cold. But he did not stop, still dragging his sword forward.

"I don't know where she is. Stop first," the Tiger Clan elder said, his expression grim as he took in the bloodstains around him, his pupils contracting.

"Even now, you dare to claim ignorance?" Xiao Chen's voice was icy, unmistakably furious. He strode forward and raised his sword again.

Clang! The middle-aged man drew a blue gleaming saber to resist, but in a single exchange, a flash of lightning severed the crystal-clear blue blade. His own body was split in two, blood gushing forth.

Everyone's hearts turned to ice. That was a Fish-Leap realm expert, cut down with one blow. They all retreated.

Xiao Chen advanced like a true demon god, not pursuing the cowards, but killing anyone who blocked his path.

"Stop killing!" Five Fish-Leap experts rushed over, blocking Xiao Chen's way. "Stop first, we can talk."

"Release the captive," Xiao Chen said, two words only, still dragging his sword forward.

"She's no longer in Tiger Fortress."

At this, Xiao Chen's expression turned even colder. He raised his sword. "Even now, you still refuse? Then I'll keep killing until you release her. I'll kill until your masters come out to speak with me."

His terrifying footsteps maintained their rhythmic beat, his speed never changing, but to the ears of everyone present, it was the most dreadful sound.

Slash! Blood sprayed. The sword swept sideways, cold light blazing, and then fell.

Slash! Slash! Slash! Slash! Five heads fell to the ground in succession. Five Fish-Leap experts couldn't even escape.

Xiao Chen strode forward, sword in hand. The mass of guards quickly split to both sides, no longer daring to stop him.

The magnificent ancient fortress, built entirely of black crystal stone, glimmered with an dark sheen. In this moment, it was filled with murderous intent, a bone-chilling cold saturating the air.

Xiao Chen dragged his war sword to the central hall, raised his arm, and swept a rainbow beam across it, shattering the White Tiger Saint Emperor's statue into pieces.

"Xiao Chen, you can stop now."

A white-haired elder walked out, his tiger eyes full of authority. "I am a second-generation elder of the Tiger Clan, the current master of this household."

Xiao Chen planted his blood-stained sword into the ground and looked at him calmly. "You are only at the Perfected Man realm. Send out someone at the Earth-Penetrating realm."

"There are no Earth-Penetrating experts here," the second-generation elder said woodenly.

"Then release the captive now." Xiao Chen's words were calm, but everyone could feel his intense emotional turmoil.

"That woman really isn't in Tiger Fortress."

"If she's not here, then where is she?" Xiao Chen stared him down. "Either send an Earth-Penetrating expert to see me, or release that woman immediately. Otherwise, don't blame me for a massacre."

"You're too arrogant!" the Tiger Clan elder snarled. Crack! He smashed his walking stick, and a black mist poured forth. All the Tiger Clan guards had already evacuated, and the doors to the hall flashed with light—they had been sealed shut.

"Ancestral God Corpse Poison?!" Xiao Chen was shocked. He slashed at the stone wall to his right. With a thunderous crash, even though the hall was sealed, it could not stop his escape—he had blasted an opening.

The Tiger Clan second-generation elder in the hall had already been annihilated, body and soul, reduced to corpse fluid flowing across the floor.

Ancestral God Corpse Poison was extremely potent, but it dissipated quickly, though not before withering all the vegetation around it and turning the distant snowy mountains a dark gray.

Xiao Chen stood in the snow, war sword in hand, his voice cold and emotionless, but heavy and powerful, carrying clearly for dozens of miles.

"I will make you tremble with fear."

He spoke these words calmly, and at the same time, his gaze shifted toward the direction of the Sun God Church.