Massacre

The next day. The City Lord's Estate. The Council of Elders was convening within the estate grounds. From early morning, the estate's massive plaza had been teeming with people as powerful figures arrived from outside, accompanied by their entourages and kin. Many years ago, the Twelve Great Clans had been hegemons of the martial underworld. Some of them had even originated from Silver Moon. Silver Moon had long been revered as the holy land of martial arts, but fierce internal strife had wracked it, allowing clans that migrated out to flourish instead. In the past, the Twelve Great Clans had even sent people to Silver Moon to reclaim lost secret arts. Naturally, the outcome hadn't been very pretty. Now, the Twelve Great Clans each occupied a section, with a massive martial ring set in the center. Aside from them, the rogue cultivators occupied a single platform, while another elevated terrace was reserved for the factions observing the proceedings. The Council of Elders meeting did not bar major outside factions from watching. *** Owing to Lin Hongyu, the Lin Clan occupied the primary position, where countless experts were gathered, young and old alike. At this moment, many eyes scanned the crowd for Lin Hongyu. After that woman lost her temper yesterday, the clan had quieted down for a while. Yet seeing no sign of her now, several elders could not resist cursing under their breaths. At such a pivotal moment, why hadn't Lin Hongyu arrived early in her capacity as city lord? Was she planning to be the grand finale? "Is she still in the rear courtyard?" "Reporting to the First Elder, yes, she is." "Absurd!" The First Elder spat in a low, furious mutter. She was a woman, yet she had spent the entire night in the rear courtyard with those people—utterly disgracing the family's honor! When it came to Lin Hongyu, the Lin Clan held only one of two thoughts: either she grow old alone, or take a husband into the family. Of course, any matrilocal match would have to be chosen by the clan elders. Otherwise, wouldn't the clan's vast estate end up falling into the hands of an outsider through her? At the thought of the donkey-leading man they had seen yesterday, who looked somewhat like a pretty boy, the elders' faces darkened. They hadn't recognized Chen Zhongtian from his youth, but in his younger years, he truly had looked very much like a gigolo. Amidst the bustling clamor, all the various factions arrived. All fourteen elevated platforms were packed to capacity. Mysterious energy surged across heaven and earth. The spectacle caused several watching experts to turn slightly pale. The Twelve Great Clans truly possessed profound foundations! Furthermore, several members of the Twelve Great Clans brought mounts—all formidable demon beasts. Nowadays, demon beasts were not overly abundant, and the demon faction was primarily centered around Phoenix Mountain. Across the mainland, there were virtually no other exceptionally powerful demon beast powers. Consequently, many demon beasts had nowhere else to turn. Since the City of Supernaturals served as the world's trading hub for supernatural resources, quite a few demon beasts congregated here—some captured, others arriving of their own accord to seek shelter. *** The observation terrace. Representatives from the Eight Departments, the imperial family, and even the Three Great Organizations were present, their expressions grave. "There are quite a few powerful figures here." "Indeed. The Twelve Clans kept quiet all this time, yet they actually have a whole swarm of Divine Power experts." "Isn't that all thanks to Li Hao's rampages? If not for him slaughtering so many experts, our Rising Lights would have stepped into Divine Power too. How many experts did he butcher from the Nine Departments and the Three Great Organizations?" someone cursed via voice transmission. Li Hao and his cohorts had slain far too many experts. Divine Power experts alone numbered dozens, to say nothing of the Rising Lights who, given enough time and resources, would have had great hopes of advancing to Divine Power. If not for him, there would be at least forty or fifty more Divine Power combatants in their ranks by now. That was no small figure! A vast number of top combatants had died at Li Hao's hands. At the mention of Li Hao, someone chuckled. "Lately, Li Hao has been locking horns with the Wind and Cloud Pavilion, which has kept him from causing trouble elsewhere. Let's hope the pavilion keeps him tied down for a good long while." "Rumor has it Li Hao left Heavenly Star City two days ago. Someone spotted him heading to Sky Sword Manor, after which all trace vanished... It would be best if that madman came to the City of Supernaturals." Laughter rippled through the onlookers. It was filled with dark meaning! Throughout the recent turmoil, the City of Supernaturals had suffered negligible losses. A few Divine Power experts had died, true, but none were particularly strong, and most of the dozen clans had come away completely unscathed. Instead, as Li Hao ran amok across the realm, many supernaturals fled here seeking sanctuary with the clans, swelling the city's power even further. If Li Hao really came here... everyone would be thrilled. Whether the City of Supernaturals killed Li Hao or Li Hao butchered their experts, both outcomes worked to their benefit. Naturally, such wishful thinking was out of the question for now. While they chatted, a group approached from the direction of the rear courtyard. Lin Hongyu took the lead! Today, she wore a crimson robe, looking heroic, sharp, and strikingly festive. Eyes turned toward her from every direction. Beside Lin Hongyu were several figures draped in hooded cloaks. Nobody paid them much mind; a few noticed with vague curiosity, but held their tongues. Today was the City of Supernaturals' home ground. As to whether these figures were champions put forward by the Lin Clan to seize seats on the Council of Elders, no one knew for sure. Seeing Lin Hongyu appear, a burly middle-aged man on the first platform to the left called out loudly, "City Lord Lin, everyone has been waiting quite a while! What are the rules for this Council of Elders? We're all waiting on your word!" "Indeed! All we've heard is that we're choosing elders! But how are we choosing them? Martial sparring, or something else? If the City Lord never puts forward a concrete procedure, the visiting experts from other factions will take us for a joke..." Voices grumbled in dissatisfaction. Lin Hongyu had given everyone very little time, merely stating that elders would be selected to co-rule the City of Supernaturals, while leaving the exact arrangement completely blank. Lin Hongyu ignored the complaints entirely. Taking her seat at the head of the Lin Clan's section, she looked toward several elders seated nearby, her face darkening. "Move. Those seats are for distinguished guests!" The elders froze, their faces flushing red with fury! How insolent! Has Lin Hongyu lost her mind? Slighting her own clan elders right in front of all the other families—had this woman gone completely mad? Distinguished guests? As elders of the clan, were they beneath a handful of outside drifters? The First Elder's face burned crimson. Beside him sat his grandson, quite young, whose expression had also soured. "Hongyu, you—" Lin Hongyu belonged to the same generation and was several years younger than him, yet she turned to him with icy eyes. "No sense of seniority or respect? Does a junior like you have the right to address me by name?" The young man's face twisted into an ugly mask. Surprise rippled through the surrounding crowds, quickly giving way to amused smiles. Fascinating! Right off the bat, there was a good show. Was the Lin Clan heading for internal strife? Though the Council of Elders had not formally begun, watching the Lin Clan make fools of themselves was just as entertaining. Bright smiles spread across the other eleven families. Among the Twelve Great Clans, the Lin Clan was the strongest; Lin Hongyu possessed peerless talent and formidable might. Aside from Lin Hongyu, the Lin Clan had nine elders who had virtually all crossed into the Divine Power Realm—almost all, because the First Elder was ostensibly still a martial master, yet could unleash combat power on par with Divine Power. This was why the Lin Clan towered above the rest. Tremendous strength! The other families had Divine Power experts of their own—seven or eight at most, three to five at fewest, none of them weak. However, their peak combat strength fell short of Lin Hongyu, and their numbers could not rival the Lin Clan's council of elders. Watching the Lin Clan fracture from within naturally delighted them. Lin Hongyu stared coldly at the First Elder and the others. The First Elder's complexion was livid. Aware of the eyes on them, he cursed her inwardly a thousand times over. Yet turning hostile right now would turn the Lin Clan into the laughingstock of the city. *Lin Hongyu, you wretched creature, just you wait! Once the clan cultivates a peak six-element combatant to wield our world-suppressing divine weapon, you will be the first one suppressed!* *An ungrateful wolf that can never be tamed!* Endless thoughts churned in his mind. After a brief standoff, his face dark with suppressed fury, he snorted coldly and stepped back to the second row. He cast a chilling sidelong glance at Li Hao's cloaked group. *Where on earth did these bastards crawl out from?* Lin Hongyu paid them no heed. Turning to the audience, she announced, "When selecting elders, strength naturally comes first!" Wasting no words, she declared swiftly, "Martial sparring will be the primary method! "Naturally, all participants are experts, at least at the Divine Power Realm... Once battle commences, the fallout will be immensely destructive. To protect the supernaturals within the city, the City Lord's Estate will be sealed off, and no one may approach!" Her voice turned cold and crisp. "City Guard, establish a one-kilometer exclusion zone around the City Lord's Estate! No one is permitted near! Offenders will be... executed!" Outside the estate, the city's garrison was vast. Several generals roared in unison, "Understood!" Units of the City Guard swiftly fanned out, clearing away the supernaturals in the vicinity. The various clans had no objections. Clashes between Divine Power experts were indeed no small matter; keeping the rabble at a distance made sense. Besides, none of them wanted weaklings gawking at them. Only the strong possessed the right to witness the battles of the strong. "To prevent shockwaves from spreading, destroying architecture, and harming innocents... the City Lord's Estate must also be shrouded by a divine weapon, which will likewise bar outside prying!" With that, a series of black, rectangular fragments materialized in her palm. Someone frowned slightly. "Is that really necessary?" Lin Hongyu replied coldly, "Why wouldn't it be? The Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office is hell-bent on taking the City of Supernaturals. This prevents Li Hao's cohort from causing trouble, and stops them from discerning our true strength! Must we lay our cards bare before the world?" The factions fell silent. Still, no one objected. There were far too many Divine Power combatants present; if they wanted to seal the area, let them. Breaking out would be trivial whenever they wished. Lin Hongyu waved her hand, tossing the black fragments outward. Each fragment sank into the void. Gradually, a protective barrier took shape. Over by the Nine Departments and the imperial family, a few figures took notice. One transmitted a voice: "Those look rather similar to our Heavenly Mirror shards. It seems the Lin Clan does possess some remarkable heritage..." A translucent dome began enveloping the surroundings. The crowd merely watched without intervening. At the same time, heaven and earth seemed completely severed from the outside. Five-element energy gently diffused around them. Lin Hongyu stated calmly, "This is a Five-Element Shield. Difficult for ordinary Divine Power to breach, it is sufficient to withstand battles between Divine Power combatants without spilling shockwaves outside!" The spectators nodded slightly. A fine treasure! A barrier capable of withstanding the destructive force of Divine Power was considered a top-tier treasure in this era. Beside Li Hao, Chen Zhongtian clicked his tongue in disbelief. *Fucking bunch of fools.* They just let Lin Hongyu set all this up without a peep. Of course, sheer overconfidence played a part. With so many Divine Power experts gathered together, they felt invincible. With these numbers, taking on a seven-element combatant would be no trouble at all, let alone the fact that several clans possessed origin clones or world-suppressing divine weapons. Could a mere defensive barrier do anything to them? Meanwhile, Li Hao was quietly manipulating his divine characters to seal the perimeter. Those black fragments were pieces of the ancient mirror. Between all his acquisitions, including those from the Inspectorate, Li Hao had gathered six in total. Now, he had placed one in each cardinal direction—front, back, left, right, above, and below. Combined with the five-element divine characters sealing the area, the venue had instantly become an inescapable cage. Of course, in the eyes of those experts, with their dozens—nearly a hundred—Divine Power combatants, a shield formed by an ancient divine weapon could be shattered effortlessly. The crowd watched idly. When the visible dome faded and the five elements settled, everyone felt that the surrounding space had been sealed off. Before anyone could speak, Lin Hongyu's deep voice rang out: "The creation of this Council of Elders is not for internal squabbling over power and profit, but to withstand the impending assault from the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office! "Once the council is established, the elders won't simply sit back and enjoy privilege. I may unite our forces to launch a preemptive strike against the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office. If any among you are unwilling, afraid, or terrified of death, step forward now! The City of Supernaturals has no room for the half-hearted!" At those words, the crowd broke into laughter. The burly man from earlier bellowed, "Right after my own heart! The Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office acts with unbearable arrogance, daring to dictate rules to the supernaturals of the world! That wet-behind-the-ears Li Hao brags entirely too big! "Well and good! The Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office enjoys quite a reputation nowadays. If our City of Supernaturals can exterminate them, our stature will reach new heights! "Indeed! They make the perfect sacrificial lamb! Though the Silver Moon experts are no weaklings, we should join hands with all factions. Today, the Nine Departments, the imperial family, and the Three Great Organizations are all represented. With our countless champions, how could we allow Li Hao to strut about unchecked? "Those Silver Moon fools practice nothing more than the cast-off secret arts we abandoned, yet they prance around calling themselves the orthodox lineage of the martial underworld. Truly laughable!" Clan heads chimed in one after another. Striking the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office was an excellent proposition. Of course, the prerequisite was drawing other factions into the fray; otherwise, the City of Supernaturals would bear heavy casualties. As they chattered excitedly, Lin Hongyu asked in a somber tone, "Does anyone wish to withdraw? If you back out now, you will not be held accountable. Otherwise, once battle commences, desertion will be punishable by death!" She looked toward the platform of the rogue cultivators, where several dozen gathered. Lin Hongyu said gravely, "You are rogue cultivators, unaccustomed to restraint. If you insist on participating in the council selection now, there will be no turning back!" Among the rogue cultivators, an elderly man with the demeanor of a transcendent sage beamed warmly. "City Lord Lin underestimates us. Li Hao has no regard for the heavenly order and knows nothing of life and death, yet he presumes to set rules for all supernaturals under heaven—a complete joke! We may be rogue cultivators, but we refuse to submit to his shackles. If we secure seats as elders of the City of Supernaturals, we will gladly charge at the vanguard. Slaying Li Hao is a deed every supernatural under heaven yearns to accomplish." "The world has suffered under Li Hao for far too long!" Another sighed, "If not for him, how could so many extraordinary experts have perished? They were all pioneers of our generation, yet they were butchered by that Demon Li! It is maddening that our strength was lacking, or we would have severed the beast's neck long ago!" The rogue cultivators voiced their indignation in unison. As long as Li Hao lived, the strong would be bound by rules. Who would accept that? Now that a colossal power like the City of Supernaturals was willing to lead the charge against him, everyone was eager to join. Lin Hongyu sighed internally. *Courting death!* A chance had been given. Never mind the Twelve Great Clans—among these rogue cultivators, some had traveled from all quarters and had not even resided in the City of Supernaturals previously. She had offered them a chance to step back. Even if they couldn't leave, they wouldn't necessarily have had to die. Now... that chance was gone. Lin Hongyu gave a subtle nod and glanced at Li Hao beside her. *I've done everything you asked.* *Now it's up to you.* *I originally wanted to win some over, but you insisted it wasn't necessary. So I'll wash my hands of it.* *** Li Hao's gaze swept over the crowd, inwardly marveling at the sheer number of Divine Power experts. Among the Twelve Great Clans, the strongest, like the Lin Clan, possessed ten Divine Power combatants including Lin Hongyu. Across the way, among the forty to fifty rogue cultivators, there were surprisingly ten Divine Power experts as well. For independent cultivators to reach Divine Power... Li Hao couldn't help wondering how they had managed it. Had they stumbled upon ancient ruins, or were they pawns planted by certain factions? Seeking to infiltrate the City of Supernaturals? As for the other eleven families, each fielded anywhere from three to eight Divine Power experts, averaging more than five per clan, totaling nearly sixty. The observers sent by the major factions were almost all at the Divine Power level, numbering over a dozen. Nearly a hundred Divine Power combatants! He had to admit, they certainly had reason for confidence. Aside from the Divine Power cultivators, there were over a hundred attendants and family members present, none of them weaklings. Across the two to three hundred individuals here, not a single one was feeble. If this gathering was wiped out in one stroke, then aside from the major factions, the vast majority of independent top-tier supernaturals across the realm would be virtually eradicated. Below, seeing that Lin Hongyu had yet to lay out the rules and schedule, the crowd grew restless. "City Lord Lin, are we not beginning yet?" "Indeed!" Lin Hongyu turned her eyes toward Li Hao again, and noticing her glance, many in the audience followed her gaze. Li Hao chuckled. Looking out over the gathering, he suddenly spoke up: "'The world has suffered under Li Hao for far too long'... Truly... I never would have imagined!" In an instant, expressions changed! The next moment, a brilliant flash of sword light blazed through heaven and earth! "Kill them all!" A cold roar resounded. At that exact second, the figures mingled among the rogue cultivators struck without warning, and Li Hao attacked simultaneously, unleashing a devastating thrust—*boom!* A Divine Power expert was skewered on the spot. A dazed expression still lingered on his face. An instant later, a terrified screech tore through the air: "Li Hao... it's Li Hao—!" The Twelve Great Clans were still in a stupor. Only when the scream reached their ears did they begin to snap out of it, stricken with disbelief. The Lin Clan's First Elder's face drained of color as he roared, "Lin Hongyu, you beast—!" The strongest expert of the Lin Clan had colluded with Li Hao! The lord of the City of Supernaturals had welcomed the wolf into their midst, ushering Li Hao directly into their heartland! It defied all belief! He had barely finished roaring and tried to flee when a sharp pain pierced his chest. Looking down, he saw that the pretty boy, Chen Zhongtian, had punched clean through his chest. Chen Zhongtian offered a meaningful grin. "We had no intention of killing members of the Lin Clan, you know!" Beside him, Lin Hongyu's expression remained utterly calm. She had requested it. Kill every last one of these relics so they wouldn't get in the way. Having climbed to the position of city lord, she was no merciful soul. These Lin Clan kin constrained her, sought to use her as a tool for the family's expansion, and excelled only at dragging her down. In that case... they might as well all drop dead! Spotting Lin family members fleeing in panic, a scimitar appeared in her grip and vanished in a flash, slicing off a young man's head. His dying eyes burned with venom and rage. Lin Hongyu paid it no mind. What good was hatred to a corpse? By now, the other clans had snapped out of their shock, roaring in fury: "Bastards! It's a trap—!" "Kill them!" At that exact moment, thunderous booms erupted from the rogue cultivators' platform. Sky Sword, Earth Sword, Hou Xiaochen, and Director Zhou unleashed their might all at once. Sword rays flared, a gigantic golden fist materialized, and a spear tore through the void. In the blink of an eye—*boom!* Deafening detonations ripped through the air as the majority of the dozens of rogue cultivators were butchered on the spot. Several Divine Power rogue cultivators were slain instantly, and those attempting to flee were swept up by the Heaven-Turning Earth-Overturning Sword! Two slashes passed, and the rogue cultivators' platform was cleared out in an instant. The four of them possessed combat strength of at least six elements, making the gulf insurmountable. Though the rogue cultivators boasted over ten Divine Power experts, every single one became ghosts beneath the swords in an eyeblink! It was over in a heartbeat. On the Lin Clan's side, Lin Hongyu and Chen Zhongtian struck together. Though the elders fought back with desperate madness, facing two peak six-element masters meant they were wiped out cleanly in seconds. The first to perish were actually the Lin Clan elders. Yet not everyone was dead; across the entire Lin Clan, aside from Lin Hongyu, a single elder remained, staring at her with terror-stricken eyes. Lin Hongyu said calmly, "Third Elder, watch the show with me. In past days, only you ever spoke a fair word on my behalf. Today, you may live." "Hongyu..." The Third Elder was pale as a ghost, staring at the corpses strewn around him, unable to comprehend the carnage even now. Within the family, whenever Lin Hongyu couldn't resist their demands, she had simply ignored them. Although she had lost her temper yesterday, she hadn't displayed any killing intent. Who could have imagined that today she would slaughter the rest of them down to the last man? Right then—*boom!* Amid a tremendous crash, a divine weapon manifested, radiant as a sacred weapon! A burly man erupted in ecstatic joy: "The sacred weapon can actually unleash even greater power... Li Hao, you deserve to die!" He was one of the eleven clan heads. He had only intended to repel Li Hao, never expecting the world-suppressing divine weapon to erupt with far more power than usual. It was incredible! Why? Normally, these world-suppressing divine weapons could at best reach the six-element level. Yet today, he vaguely sensed that it had broken through its customary limitations. How could he not rejoice? Moments ago, seeing the rogue cultivators butchered and the Lin Clan virtually annihilated in an instant, he had been gripped by mortal terror. But now, wild excitement coursed through him. If he killed all these bastards, wouldn't he wipe out the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office, leaving the City of Supernaturals entirely his? The instant the sacred weapon flared, Li Hao abruptly withdrew his five-element domain. In a flash, a monstrous aura surged outward, sweeping across heaven and earth. The space surrounding the sacred weapon shattered instantly. *Crack!* A fracture abruptly split across the sacred weapon. The weapon, which had been humming with excitement, was instantly fractured by the tearing of space. Li Hao redeployed the five-element domain, shrouding heaven and earth once more. The burly man was already dumbstruck! At that moment, a ray of sword light shot straight toward the manifestation of the sacred weapon. With a resounding crack, the sacred weapon shattered. A phantom silhouette emerged from it, seemingly awakened, murmuring in bewilderment and despair, "The space... why did it only target me?" It was laced with pure incomprehension! If space had shattered, it should have targeted everyone present. Why only it? No one offered an explanation. In an instant, the fractured sacred weapon was devoured by the Starry Sky Sword. Li Hao shifted his feet, teleporting before the burly man. Brandishing the Starry Sky Sword, which was still absorbing the weapon, he thrust out! Around them, experts attempted to flee in every direction, while others roared in fury and charged Li Hao's group. *Boom!* Wind, rain, thunder, and lightning—all manner of divine powers exploded! *Rumble!* Sky Sword and the others went on a rampage, slaughtering all around them. With their overwhelming might, ordinary Divine Power cultivators were slain where they stood. "Kill Li Hao!" someone yelled. "He's the one who sealed this place! Kill him to break the seal!" "Kill!" A clan head bellowed, swinging a divine weapon that hadn't fully awakened but remained immensely potent straight at Li Hao. In that instant, several demon plant clones manifested, all terrifyingly strong. The visiting experts from the various outside factions joined the fray as well. In a heartbeat, at least thirty Divine Power combatants surged toward Li Hao! Right then, two flashes of light materialized. *Boom!* Fists struck! Palms slammed! Faint energetic radiance shimmered around Jiang Yingli and Li Shengzhang. The moment the two struck, their might proved extraordinary; a single punch shattered a demon plant clone into splinters! The onlookers were struck dumb! What kind of combat power was this? In the rear, Lin Hongyu's expression shifted slightly. *So strong!* *They don't seem like living people!* Li Hao had spoken of seven six-element and three seven-element combatants. She knew who the three seven-element combatants were, but of the seven six-element figures... she had only seen five. Just as the thought crossed her mind, a dog suddenly let out a deafening roar, instantly turning golden and opening its maw to swallow heaven and earth! *Boom!* Midair, the weaker supernaturals lost their footing and flew uncontrollably toward Black Panther's jaws. With a sickening crunch, they were bitten in two. Moreover, Black Panther swiped a paw like a surging tidal wave—*crack!* Another Divine Power expert was pulverized beneath its claw. Li Hao waved his sleeve, and a tree emerged—the jujube tree. Without the slightest hesitation, it erupted with power approaching the seven-element level, devouring a demon plant clone in the blink of an eye! Only now did Lin Hongyu understand where the seven six-element combatants had come from. They were far more than mere six-element powerhouses! Her expression turned solemn. Not a single person here seemed weaker than her. That golden-bodied expert seemed to traverse space itself, taking down one foe per punch. Divine Power or otherwise, almost no one could withstand a single blow! This was a massacre! Even when six-element experts among the crowd brandished divine weapons, it availed them nothing; the weapons were instantly shattered by a sword, and those six-element combatants were butchered where they stood! The experts swarming Li Hao collapsed into utter rout in seconds. The two puppets, having perhaps gone countless millennia without a fight, were wildly excited. Though they could not channel origin energy or ancient secret arts, the sheer brute force of their puppet frames shattered their opponents' morale. Even when a sacred weapon struck a puppet, it merely kicked up sparks without leaving a single scratch on the chassis. "Hmph!" Jiang Yingli scoffed, "These were forged personally by the Principal! You think the likes of you could scratch them?" Though they were dead and inhabited puppet bodies, these puppets came from Yuanping Martial Arts University! The four robotic cats were personal creations of the Principal himself. Could people who hadn't even reached the Peak Realm ever hope to break them? With a single punch and a deafening crash, even the sacred weapon was smashed to pieces! This was no ambush—this was a one-sided slaughter! *** Lin Hongyu had long since been dazed with shock. Beneath her shock lay a wave of relief, thankful that she had made the right choice. At that moment, the phantom projection of a redwood tree manifested beside her. Without a word, it crushed a demon plant clone on the spot, greedily devouring its origin power. Glancing furtively at Li Hao and seeing him busy executing foes with his sword, the Redwood demon plant sighed in relief. *Whatever!* There were plenty of demon plant clones here; it would be a waste not to feast. It had never anticipated these people would be so terrifyingly powerful, butchering so many in a few blinks of an eye. At this moment, an elder shrieked shrilly, "Li Hao, do you truly intend to wipe out every supernatural under heaven?" In mere moments, at least forty or fifty Divine Power experts had died! It was utterly unthinkable! All resistance was futile. Demon plant clones were pulverized, sacred weapons shattered, and every counterattack rendered meaningless. These people were simply too powerful. Li Hao's expression was indifferent. "No. You simply failed to recognize what was good for you. You were given a chance, but failed to cherish it." "I surrender—" *Crack!* A sword came down, lopping off his head. At this point, surrender meant nothing. Li Hao hadn't expected these people to be so weak either. Well, it wasn't that they were weak, but that his own side had grown unimaginably strong. "Fight Li Hao to the death!" Someone roared in desperate fury, lunging toward Li Hao, while another cried, "Governor Li, spare us! We are only here from the Administrative Department to observe, not to oppose the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office—" Useless! There was only slaughter! At this stage, Chen Zhongtian and Lin Hongyu threw themselves into the fray as well instead of merely watching, felling expert after expert. Six elements! They were all six-element or even seven-element combatants. With such strength, if the Wind and Cloud Ranking were redrawn, almost every single one of them would place in the top twenty. Unfathomably formidable! Potent sacred weapons were shattered directly by the Starry Sky Sword. Some let out furious curses before shattering, while others cracked straight into fragments without a sound. The butchery continued unabated! Fewer and fewer remained to resist. Midair, the demon plant clones were destroyed one by one. The jujube tree, the redwood tree, Black Panther, and Director Zhou—those capable of absorbing origin power—singled them out specifically. The clans' demon plant clones varied in strength, but even the strongest merely approached the Peak Realm. In the blink of an eye, they were butchered to the last, and origin power was ravenously devoured in a frantic frenzy. The protective barrier glowed with a sickening blood red. Far too many experts had fallen! In the distance, Sky Sword and Hong Yitang fought side by side. Once the Heaven-Turning Earth-Overturning Sword emerged, no Divine Power could withstand their combined strike; even six-element combatants were cleaved apart instantly! The sheer devastation left even Lin Hongyu reeling in disbelief! Their techniques resembled neither supernatural divine powers nor ordinary martial arts. What kind of method was this? Yet she had no time to ponder it. Amid a deafening explosion, a Divine Power expert self-detonated in a desperate attempt to drag someone down with him, only to have the blast effortlessly absorbed by the two puppets. Ten minutes later. Heaven and earth fell silent! The disparity was simply too vast. Though there were many Divine Power combatants, before Li Hao and his companions, a two-element Divine Power expert was something to be dispatched in a single strike. In the vast City Lord's Estate, only Li Hao's cohort remained, along with Lin Hongyu and the Lin Clan's Third Elder. The Third Elder was ghostly pale, trembling uncontrollably. Even though he possessed four-element Divine Power strength, he stood shivering as though in the presence of fiends from hell. Was this the invincible City of Supernaturals? In a little over ten minutes, the mighty City of Supernaturals, with nearly a hundred Divine Power experts, had been wiped out to the last man! Was this the city destined to contest hegemony over the realm? The Twelve Great Clans... were finished! Lin Hongyu, however, was remarkably composed. She glanced at the Third Elder, then at the floor covered in corpses. Her thoughts unknown, a sudden smile touched her lips as she looked to Li Hao. "Congratulations, Governor." Li Hao returned her look. This woman... was ruthless enough! Yet since it was enemies she killed, he appreciated it. Being ruthless was good; being wishy-washy would only be nauseating. In a flash, Sky Sword and the others gathered around. They glanced at Lin Hongyu without a word. Director Zhou drifted down, smiling faintly. "All taken care of..." "Deliver the coup de grâce! Burn the corpses!" A torrent of flame surged from heaven and earth, instantly immolating the corpses. Suddenly, a shriek of agony rang out as someone who had been playing dead was burned to ashes in a breath! Lin Hongyu and the others raised their brows slightly. Someone truly had played dead well enough to fool them. Li Hao was just as ruthless! Heaven and earth turned into a sea of fire. In the blink of an eye, the corpses were reduced to ashes, leaving behind only storage rings and fragments of divine weapons. Li Hao chuckled, his expression completely relaxed. Looking up at the two great tree clones still vying for origin power and the ravenous Black Panther, he smiled. "This was just the appetizer. What's your rush?" The two trees and the dog said nothing, continuing to devour. Such an opportunity was rare! As for what came next, it might well be a grueling battle, so it was best to feast first. Lin Hongyu watched quietly, then glanced at the two puppets before finally turning to Li Hao. "Governor, are you truly planning to target the demon plants' true bodies?" "Naturally!" Lin Hongyu asked no more. Looking around at the cleared City Lord's Estate, she felt a trace of wistfulness. From this day forward... the City of Supernaturals belonged to Li. All former ambitions had dissolved into thin air.