Xuan Jiu Makes a Name for Himself

Turmoil engulfed the Great Xia Prefecture! Seven powerhouses of the Heaven Hunting Pavilion had appeared. Four were dead, including two in the middle stage of the Sun Moon Realm. Yuan Qingdong had nearly been killed, and Ji Hong was severely injured. The normally low-profile Hu Dehao had taken action personally, slaying two middle-stage Sun Moons and wounding a faceless elder, revealing terrifying strength. One after another, the old veterans of the Great Xia Prefecture were revealing their hidden power. It seemed as though their depths had no bottom! Not only that, but on this very day, the Great Xia Prefecture issued a kill-on-sight order. Its primary target was not that elder, but Xuan Jiu! Xuan Jiu, who had dared to provoke the dignity of the Great Xia Prefecture! He had to die! Furthermore, the Heaven Hunting Pavilion was officially classified as an external enemy on par with the All-Races Cult. Anyone had the right to kill its members on sight without need of trial. Any operative of the Heaven Hunting Pavilion was fair game! In addition, all humans in possession of a Heaven Hunting sub-ranking were required to report it. Anyone caught concealing one would face severe punishment. Upon returning to Great Xia City, Chief Hu issued order after order. At the same time, numerous powerhouses were rushing toward the Great Xia Prefecture. Some had been summoned by Yuan Qingdong, while others came from the Heaven Hunting Pavilion. The Great Xia Prefecture was about to witness massive breaking news and momentous events. Having narrowly escaped, Xuan Jiu and Huang Jiu also went dark, severing all contact with the Heaven Hunting Pavilion. According to Xuan Jiu's parting words, he suspected there were human traitors within the pavilion, and that they had been sold out! *** Indeed, this was Su Yu playing the thief crying "stop thief!" At that moment, Su Yu was hiding high in a large tree. He had swapped his white robes for green ones, blending seamlessly into the foliage. He cursed non-stop in his heart! Right then, his mask vibrated once more. "Where are you?" It was a transmission from Xuan Jia. Su Yu retorted unceremoniously, "What for? Are you trying to pinpoint my location, Elder?" "No. A law enforcement elder has arrived at our branch. He told me to inform you that we will be investigating whether there is a human spy!" Xuan Jia's feelings were indescribably complicated as he spoke. "You said Huang Jiu might be a spy, correct?" "Yes! That fellow did nothing the entire time! How could a mere Shanhai escape alive? I'd bet everything he's a human spy!" "……" Xuan Jia was at a total loss for words. *If I didn't know who you were, damn it, I'd suspect you instead.* *Don't you feel any guilt saying that?* *You are Su Yu! You're only in the Lingyun Realm!* *If you didn't die, why should anyone else have to?* Su Yu continued, "So I also suspect Huang Jiu's superior, Yellow Division Elder Huang Jia, is dirty too! Elder Xuan Jia, there's definitely something wrong with them, right?" "……" *Right, my ass!* Xuan Jia could not be bothered to indulge him and cut straight to the point: "What exactly happened? Headquarters just issued an order to capture Ji Hong alive. There's a bounty of a full two hundred drops of Sun Moon Xuanhuang Liquid on him. That's a reward usually reserved for high-stage Sun Moons, but he's only at the second stage." Su Yu weighed the information in his mind. Was what Ji Hong had said true or false? Did Wan Tiansheng know about it? Had Ji Hong truly tracked the movements of that traitorous Invincible? It was hard to say! Logically, Ji Hong wouldn't spill such secrets so easily. However, if he knew death was certain, passing the information to the Heaven Hunting Pavilion meant that, even though the pavilion would profit immensely, they would inevitably sell the intelligence! That way, the human race would learn how far his investigation had reached. So it was entirely plausible that Ji Hong had spoken out at the final moment, not necessarily out of cowardice, but simply to prevent the trail from dying with him. Su Yu couldn't be certain! Also, did Wan Tiansheng know? Of all people, only Ji Hong had shown up. Could Wan Tiansheng really not have known Cai Yi was coming? Nonsense, Su Yu had told him himself! In that case, Ji Hong's arrival might very well have been arranged by Wan Tiansheng as well. *Which means Wan Tiansheng probably knows something, and intentionally leaked all of this. He might be in contact with Ji Hong, or he might not, but he predicted that Ji Hong would blab to everyone!* Su Yu's head throbbed. What were these old schemers plotting? It was giving him a headache! And Chief Hu—just you wait! That old man hadn't held back at all. Su Yu had taken severe injuries. In all honesty, if not for his absurdly durable physical body, multitude of tricks, and ability to regenerate flesh and blood, Chief Hu's shockwave would have crushed him to death! Ruthless, absolutely ruthless! Bombarded from afar, Su Yu had been on the verge of exposing his identity before that elder arrived to reinforce them. If he hadn't, Chief Hu would have beaten him into paste. Thank goodness an elder had shown up in time! Xuan Jia spoke again: "The law enforcement elder at the branch wants you and Huang Jiu to report in and give a detailed debriefing on what happened!" "I'm not going!" "If you refuse, you'll be branded a traitor!" Su Yu was speechless. After a long pause, he said, "I won't go in person, but we can set up an open channel to talk! Furthermore, I demand that the law enforcement elder be present, along with you, Huang Jiu's superior Elder Huang Jia, and two other law enforcers!" "I will pass on your message." "Fine!" "……" Their conversation ended there. Su Yu rubbed his chin. That had been a close shave. Old Wan had nearly doomed him. Luckily, Su Yu had already known how deceitful the man was; otherwise, had he naively assumed everything was fine, Ji Hong's opening blow would have flattened him. Yuan Qingdong hadn't died. Su Yu recalled the blood he had harvested. His original intention was to extract a drop of blood essence to search through the man's memories—his deepest, most indelible memories! Did that fellow know anything? Of course, since Yuan Qingdong was still alive, residual blood might not reveal much. Regardless, he would check it later. Besides, as a notoriously ruthless villain, he couldn't just tuck his tail between his legs. He, Xuan Jiu, had a reputation to uphold! "I must retaliate!" Struck by an idea, Su Yu sent a quick transmission: "Fatty Xia, give me a few names. I need to kill someone for revenge!" "……Are you Xuan Jiu or Huang Jiu?" "Take a guess!" "No need. You're probably Xuan Jiu. A nobody wouldn't fit your style!" "Smart!" "No, you're just unbelievable at blending in!" Xia Huyou was thoroughly speechless. *Damn it, I thought you were just a low-level pawn, but no, you're actually a mid-level figure in the Heaven Hunting Pavilion!* *You nearly butchered Yuan Qingdong!* *Incredible!* "You can't kill too many people," Xia Huyou added. "If you kill too many and they're all problem individuals, the people pulling their strings will compare notes and realize something is off!" Soon, Xia Huyou sent another message: "Trying to build a persona as a deranged, vindictive madman, aren't you?" "You're sharp! Putting it so eloquently. That's exactly my plan, though I couldn't have phrased it as nicely as you did!" Su Yu complimented him. That was precisely what he intended to do. At a critical juncture like this, going on a wild killing spree for vengeance—who else but a complete lunatic like Xuan Jiu would do that? A ruthless slap right across the Great Xia Prefecture's face! You say I'm a traitor to the Heaven Hunting Pavilion? Don't make me laugh! Would a human ever do such a thing? "Don't bother killing inconsequential nobodies! Killing too many of them looks fake! Kill someone important whose cultivation isn't too high. Let me think…… Got it! Go kill my uncle……" "Huh?!" "Xia Xinyi. Don't tell me you don't know him? Xia Chan's father—you must have seen him before!" "Holy crap, are you even human?! Has the power struggle in your family gotten that vicious? Or has he turned traitor too?" Su Yu was completely dumbfounded! *You want me to kill Xia Xiao'er's son, Xia Chan's father?! Are you out of your mind?!* *You're way too ruthless!* "It's fine. My uncle ran into a problem with his cultivation. I was thinking it'd be best to shatter his physical body so he can rebuild it from scratch! Besides, it'll give him an excuse to bow out of the current chaos. Just blast his physical body apart and leave a tiny sliver of his sea of will intact. Don't actually kill him! Once you obliterate my uncle's body…… the entire Human Realm will be shaken! That's the only way you'll look truly deranged!" "Won't your Great Xia Prefecture hunt me to the ends of the earth?" "Obviously! Aren't you supposed to be fearless? Didn't you want to build a persona? Isn't this candidate perfect? My uncle keeps a very low profile. Barely anyone pays attention to him, so he's not nearly as famous as Xia Yuwen, and his whereabouts are discreet. If you blow him up, my Second Grandfather will return immediately. That gives him a legitimate pretext to fly into a rage and recall powerful experts to the Great Xia Prefecture. Right now, it's awkward to mobilize them; calling them back out of nowhere would look too conspicuous." "The Great Xia Prefecture still has experts outside?" "Of course! Stationed over at the All-Heavens Prefecture, we have two Sun Moons, one of whom is in the late stage! On the All-Heavens Battlefield, the Demon Suppression Army also has Sun Moons, and their commanding general is a late-stage Sun Moon. Furthermore, the Great Xia Prefecture conquered five minor realms, guarded by twelve Sun Moons, five of whom are late-stage……" Su Yu swallowed hard! Holy crap! For real? He had known none of this. Was the Great Xia Prefecture this formidable? In his eyes, the Great Xia Prefecture had seemed weaker than the Great Ming Prefecture. "Then…… does the Great Ming Prefecture also have many hidden experts?" "Mediocre by comparison. The Great Ming Prefecture mostly keeps its experts holed up at home. They conquered three minor realms, but they govern them hands-off without late-stage Sun Moons stationed there. The Great Xia Prefecture is different. Almost every minor realm conquered by the Great Xia Prefecture is overseen by a late-stage Sun Moon." That made sense! Su Yu said in awe, "You mean that if I blow up your uncle, Marquis Xia will recall those experts?" "Naturally! That's his only son. Do you think he'll recall them or not? Under normal circumstances, he has no valid excuse to summon them back without making the Great Xia Prefecture look panicked and anxious. Now, this is our chance!" "Fatty, don't you dare swindle me. Don't tell me you're using me to take out your uncle in a succession feud, and then…… your Xia family actually comes to murder me!" Su Yu was still uneasy. Could this really work? Blowing up Xia Xinyi and getting away with it? Shattering his body while leaving a sliver of his sea of will—one slip of the hand, and the man would be dead for good. "Cut the chatter. It'll be fine, trust me!" "Who do you think you're talking to?" Su Yu cursed, then quickly added, "Then give me his itinerary, his guard numbers, everything!" "Done!" Soon, Xia Huyou sent over Xia Xinyi's recent schedule, along with details on his security detail and even their tactical flaws, as if terrified Su Yu might fail to beat his uncle to a pulp! What an unfilial monster! Su Yu clicked his tongue in wonder. If he truly blasted Xia Xinyi's physical body apart, those in the know would understand, but outsiders would think he had gone completely insane, wouldn't they? Beating Marquis Xia's son and Xia Longwu's cousin to smithereens! The Xia family line was thin, and Marquis Xia shared a close bond with Xia Longwu. Destroying Xia Xinyi might infuriate the family even more than blowing up Xia Huyou. With that in mind, Su Yu suddenly transmitted to Xuan Jia: "Elder, I am going to retaliate against the Xia family! I will avenge the betrayal against us! I will retaliate against everything! Elder, convey my words to the higher-ups of the Heaven Hunting Pavilion: whoever betrayed us will pay the price sooner or later!" "……" Xuan Jia was utterly baffled. Had Xuan Jiu been killed and replaced by an imposter? *Putting on an act is one thing, but you're really taking it too far, aren't you?!* "Who are you going to retaliate against?" "I'm going to kill Xia Huyou!" "I……" Xuan Jia nearly swore. *Stop messing around. Do you honestly think I'd believe that?* "Are you serious?" "Serious or not, pass my words to the upper echelon first. I will have my vengeance. I, Xuan Jiu, am a madman!" At that point, Su Yu grew curious. "Elder, whose side are you actually on? Are you an onlooker from a minor race, or are you one of us humans?" It had to be one of those two possibilities! The first was an indifferent bystander hoping for chaos among the major races, enjoying the drama without fear of the flames. The second was a human, perhaps someone with ties to the Great Xia Prefecture or other Human Realm experts, which was why he hadn't sold Su Yu out. After a pause, Xuan Jia replied, "To tell you the truth, I am your grandfather. You don't know much about your grandfather, do you? That's me. I left shortly after your father was born, ordered by King Daxia to infiltrate the Heaven Hunting Pavilion as a sleeper agent!" "……" *To hell with you!* *Damn old bastard, taking advantage of me!* "If you're human, shouldn't the head of the Xuan Division know your identity?" "It's an undercover identity. He has no idea." "Heh." "It's true. My real name is Su Nansheng—born in Nanyuan. Since you asked, I won't hide it any longer. Grandson, call me Grandfather. Grandfather is proud of you!" "……" *Damn it!* Su Yu cursed ferociously in his heart! This old bastard was mocking him and taking cheap shots. *Bastard, I'll beat you to death sooner or later!* He didn't bother responding and terminated the transmission. *Go drop dead!* *Sooner or later, I will beat you to death!* *No, the moment I discover your location, I'll have Zhu Tiandao ask King Daming to beat you to death!* *You old turtle, calling me your grandson…… We're not done!* *** Su Yu ignored him. Meanwhile, near the Great Tang Prefecture. Xuan Jia, concealed within the void, chuckled softly before reaching out to the law enforcement elder. "Eighth Elder, Xuan Jiu says someone betrayed him, and he plans to settle the score. The Xia family killed his subordinates, so he intends to retaliate against them as well. Once he finishes, he wants an open channel to confront Huang Jiu. He believes both Huang Jiu and Huang Jia are suspected traitors! He claims he was sold out!" The law enforcement elder fell silent for a moment before replying, "What do you think? Neither he nor Huang Jiu is contacting the branch right now, and they don't answer transmissions. Do you think either of them has a problem—or rather, who has the problem? You are Xuan Jiu's superior. You know his background. Could he have turned?" "That is hard to say. By the rules, I cannot disclose specific details, but…… based on the information in my grasp, he would not betray us. He lacks both the pretext and the motive. Of course, I cannot make any absolute guarantees!" "Fine, then we wait. He wants to retaliate against the Xia family? The Xia family is on high alert right now, and the Great Xia Prefecture is an inescapable dragnet. If he has turned traitor, putting on a show with the Xia family would be pointless and utterly foolish!" The law enforcement elder made this assessment. If Xuan Jiu only meant to kill a few small fry to prove his loyalty and clear his name, it would be thoroughly unnecessary. Far too foolish! "On that…… I am not entirely sure. Let us see what he does. If Xuan Jiu is indeed problematic, Eighth Elder may handle him as you see fit!" "Understood. Furthermore, operatives from the East and West Pavilions have been watching the entire time; they witnessed everything that occurred. The East and West Pavilions have also provided preliminary assessments. I will act accordingly." "Do as you see fit, Eighth Elder. It is inconvenient for me to say more at the moment." "Mm." Their conversation ended, and Xuan Jia said no more. *** Meanwhile, Su Yu was not one to delay his revenge overnight. Revenge deferred was revenge denied! To act convincingly, one had to commit fully. He slipped back into Great Xia City. Soon, Bai Junsheng reappeared in the streets. With Bai Feng covering for him anyway, Su Yu had nothing to fear. Xia Xinyi was scheduled to inspect the Xia Trading Company today! Inside the city, of course. With the Great Xia Prefecture in turmoil, Xia Xinyi was an important figure in the Xia family and had no intention of leaving the city to cause unnecessary trouble. He was merely inspecting a few shops within the walls. Great Xia City had always been exceptionally secure. Granted, a general had been assassinated a few days prior, but that was an anomaly. That Xuan Jiu was currently being hunted relentlessly across heaven and earth, probably eating dirt in some ditch. Su Yu, on the other hand, possessed his exact itinerary. Xia Xinyi's personal cultivation was modest, having only recently entered the Shanhai Realm. He had two guards, both at the peak of the Shanhai Realm. They were formidable; within the city, such strength was enough to hold off an early Sun Moon for a short while. The city was the Xia family's territory, packed with powerhouses. Who would dare cause trouble here? Moreover, his movements were discreet. Very few people knew where he was going. Even his own daughter might not have known! *Blow up Xia Xinyi……* *Two peak Shanhai guards!* Su Yu weighed the challenge. It would not be easy. It had to be fast—incredibly, blindingly fast! A one-hit kill! A single strike to obliterate Xia Xinyi, followed by an immediate retreat. He would resume his guise as Bai Junsheng and hide back in the Great Xia Cultural Research Academy. That was the safest place of all. Of course, Su Yu couldn't be bothered with that old bastard in the Xiuxin Pavilion right now; that man had nearly gotten him killed. After today, the name Xuan Jiu would echo across the All-Heavens! Xuan Jiu of the Heaven Hunting Pavilion—what a powerhouse! A lunatic! Vindictive to the extreme! The Xia family had crossed him, and in return, he turned around and blasted a high-ranking member of their clan to pieces. If someone like that wasn't a madman, what was he? Furthermore, this was in the Xia family's backyard—their very stronghold. Such a humiliating slap in the face meant the Xia family would pursue him to the death! As Su Yu was finalizing his thoughts, he sensed movement outside and walked out of his courtyard. Across the way, several students were approaching. Seeing Su Yu, one smiled and greeted, "Brother Bai, heading out?" Su Yu replied nonchalantly, "Yeah, going out for a walk. It's too stifling in here! Where are you all heading?" "Just outside the academy to buy some things……" "It's not safe out there right now. That Heaven Hunting Pavilion is killing people everywhere. My cousin won't let me leave. What a pain—staying cooped up is so boring!" "Brother Bai, haven't you heard? What does the Heaven Hunting Pavilion count for?" The speaker grinned. "Just a short while ago, Chief Hu and the others dealt them a crushing blow! Two Sun Moons died, two top-tier Shanhai experts were killed, and even a late-stage Sun Moon elder was battered until he coughed up blood and fled……" "Really?" Su Yu feigned astonishment. "Did that Huang Jiu from the Heaven Hunting Pavilion die? Last time I hired them, that Huang Jiu was the one guarding me. He was pretty capable, killed several Shanhai cultivators……" The others had heard of this incident, and one quickly said, "Anyone holding a Heaven Hunting sub-ranking must report to the Dragon Martial Guards immediately. Brother Bai, register early, or the Dragon Martial Guards might vent their anger on you and give you trouble!" "How could they? My cousin is Bai Feng, and Dean Hong treats me very well. Why would the Dragon Martial Guards hassle me?" "Hard to say. Nowadays, anyone holding a sub-ranking is considered an important figure. Within the Great Xia Prefecture, you'd better tread carefully, Brother Bai. Even Dean Hong might not be able to protect you!" "Seriously?" "Of course. Go register as soon as possible, Brother Bai……" Su Yu furrowed his brow and hesitated before saying, "Uh…… should I go right now? To the Dragon Martial Guards? Where do I register?" "Come along with us! We're heading out anyway and passing by their office. Once we get there, you can go in and register!" "Alright then, thanks for the trouble, guys!" "……" Su Yu exchanged pleasantries with them, inconspicuously blending into the group as they walked out together. Once outside, he would make a show of registering, obliterate Xia Xinyi on the side, and ensure his movements looked completely natural. *** Meanwhile, Xia Xinyi was entirely oblivious to what awaited him. He had no idea someone was plotting his destruction. Stepping out of the Prefectural Lord's Manor, Xia Xinyi maintained a low profile. Times were turbulent; keeping his head down was wise. His father still hadn't returned, ambling along the road as if there were no rush at all. Chief Hu was on the verge of cursing aloud! If the Marquis didn't return soon, the Great Xia Prefecture would fall into true chaos. Putting those worries aside, Xia Xinyi focused on his own responsibilities with the Xia Trading Company. A large shipment of goods had arrived over the past two days, and he needed to inspect it. The rest could wait until his father returned. His two guards remained concealed in the void, undetectable to anyone below the Sun Moon Realm. Xia Xinyi kept a low profile and wore plain clothes; very few people recognized him. He strolled toward the Xia Trading Company, not far from the Prefectural Lord's Manor. The area was a bustling commercial district—naturally, a trading company belonged in a crowded market. Though cautious, he wasn't genuinely worried. Come on, this was right outside his front door! Even when that general had been assassinated recently, his residence was far from the city center. Here, they were close to the manor, where Chief Hu was currently residing. If backup was needed, he would arrive within three or four seconds. If one were afraid of danger in such a short window, one couldn't even leave the house. Xia Xinyi continued walking forward. *** For Su Yu, the task was simple: locate Xia Xinyi and determine his timing. Then, strike him with a single punch, blast him apart, and instantly slip back into the crowd. As for any subsequent search, Chief Hu wasn't an Invincible powerhouse—why should Su Yu fear his inspection? As Su Yu's strength grew, several of his divine characters—"Change," "Endure," "Shadow," and "Still"—had advanced. The Xuan Turtle Breath-Concealment Technique had grown even more potent, and bolstered by the concealing divine talisman Old Bull had given him, practically no one could see through his disguise. *Two peak Shanhai, one early Shanhai…… the targets are obvious!* Su Yu kept his senses sharp, scanning continuously with his resonance jade. From a thousand meters away, without even looking directly at them, he could launch a sudden strike and land a punch. Flawless! Just as he was thinking this, Su Yu reached the main entrance of the Dragon Martial Guards' headquarters, chatting casually with his companions. Su Yu paused for a fraction of a second, so subtle it drew no attention. The guards stationed at the gate glanced at them without a word; people came here constantly on business or looking for someone. No one dared cause trouble at the Dragon Martial Guards' doorstep. In that split second, Su Yu dissolved into the wind. In the blink of an eye, he traversed a thousand meters through the void, spotting Xia Xinyi alongside the two peak Shanhai experts hiding in the space around him. The "Still" divine character activated. Before the two peak Shanhai guards could sense the slightest hint of danger, a massive fist materialized out of thin air! *Boom!* It happened right on the open street, surrounded by pedestrians. In an instant, everyone witnessed a horrifying sight. With a thunderous crash, a middle-aged man was struck by a fist and blasted into fragments of flying flesh and blood, completely obliterated! At that moment, the fierce spirit of the Great Xia Prefecture's populace showed itself. Dozens of people drew their sabers or swords in an instant; no one scattered in panic. In the shadows, the two Shanhai guards froze. The next second, one of them turned blood-red in the eyes, his mind going blank as he roared, "Young Marquis!" That roar echoed across the entire city. At that exact instant, a terrifying aura surged from the Prefectural Lord's Manor. "Bastard!" "Seal the city!" "Dragon Martial Guards, seal the city!" "All Shanhai and Sun Moon experts within the city, assemble immediately! Defiance will not be tolerated!" It was Chief Hu's voice, bordering on madness! Heavens! Someone had slaughtered Xia Xinyi right under his nose! When Marquis Xia returned, he would go berserk! As the Shanhai guard's shout tore through the air, the surrounding crowd froze in shock. Who? The Young Marquis? Who was the Young Marquis? Marquis Xia's son?! In an instant, the entire city was stunned. Marquis Xia's son had been beaten to death right inside the city, just a short distance from the Prefectural Lord's Manor, right beside the Dragon Martial Guards' headquarters—blasted into pieces! This…… this was inconceivable, utterly unimaginable! *** At that moment, powerful auras of the Sun Moon and Shanhai Realms erupted in succession. Su Yu returned instantly, chatting with the students before abruptly looking toward the blast with a stunned expression. The others were completely captivated by the commotion as well. The next instant, hundreds of Dragon Martial Guards poured out of the main gates. Several experts took straight to the skies, ignoring Su Yu and his companions. Su Yu and the others were shoved roughly aside by the rushing guards, who converged toward the scene of the attack. The Great Xia Prefecture's wartime machinery activated in an instant. *Woo—woo—woo!* War horns blared. This was a catastrophic incident—a member of the Xia family had been murdered mere steps from their own manor! Chief Hu's furious roars reverberated throughout the city. Seven or eight Sun Moon auras swept across the skies. Dozens of Shanhai auras gathered with alarming speed. A long spear shot into the sky as General Zhao charged out of the headquarters behind Su Yu, radiating world-shaking, uncontrollable murderous intent. Countless powerhouses were drawn out at once. "Seal the city!" "For the next three days, no one enters or leaves!" "All citizens, return home immediately and await inspection!" "Anyone leaving their home or attempting to exit the city will be executed without mercy!" "Turn over every inch of earth and find the killer!" In the sky, a brilliant sun manifested, projecting over the void and intimidating the entire city. Chief Hu clutched a tiny orb in his hand, on the verge of crushing it, consumed by towering fury. "Xuan Jiu! It's you, isn't it?!" "Heaven Hunting Pavilion, you have lost your minds! You're insane! You are dead! Summon King Daxia to return! Summon Prefectural Lord Xia to return! Summon Marquis Xia to return! Exterminate the Heaven Hunting Pavilion!" Chief Hu was completely unable to maintain his composure! Marquis Xia's son wasn't dead. However, his physical body was destroyed, and his sea of will was severely crippled. When Marquis Xia returned to this…… Chief Hu would have no face left! Right under his nose! Marquis Xia's son had been blown to pieces. The Heaven Hunting Pavilion! That fist had definitely belonged to Xuan Jiu; he recognized it. "Seal the city!" He had to hunt the culprit down. The assassin hadn't left the city—there was no way. He was definitely hiding among the populace. No matter the cost, he would find him and execute him before Marquis Xia returned. He had thought Xuan Jiu was just a minor pest. Who would have guessed the man wasn't a rat hiding in the dark, but a reckless monster who dared assassinate a core member of the Xia family?! His eyes turned frigid! Moreover, how had the killer known Xia Xinyi's itinerary? Even Chief Hu hadn't been entirely sure where Xia Xinyi was going. He glared coldly at the two frantic guards. Were these two fools completely devoid of situational awareness? Or had the Heaven Hunting Pavilion corrupted them as well? This could not be delayed; he had to report to Marquis Xia immediately! Chief Hu felt helpless. He could already picture Marquis Xia going wild. The Xia family treasured their descendants dearly because their lineage was so sparse. Xia Xinyi was Marquis Xia's only son. Massive troop contingents mobilized, locking down the entire city. All entrances and exits were sealed tight. All citizens were ordered back into their homes. Embassies stationed within the Great Xia Prefecture were surrounded by heavily armed guards, permitting no one to leave or enter! The Great Xia Cultural Research Academy, in particular, was placed under direct watch by the eighth-stage Sun Moon Bai Long due to the presence of other races. No one was allowed to depart, and anyone currently outside was ordered to return immediately! *** Urgent dispatches spread like wildfire from various points. "Urgent report! Marquis Xia's son, Xia Xinyi, was obliterated in the street by Xuan Jiu! Hu Dehao and Zhao Rui have locked down the city; no entry or exit permitted. Great Xia powerhouses are returning soon; citywide martial law!" "Urgent: Xia Xinyi assassinated! The Great Xia Prefecture is in chaos!" "The Xia family has sealed the city for a manhunt! Destroy all evidence, enter complete communications blackout!" "All personnel, hold your positions! If discovered, self-detonate immediately! Think of your families!" "……" Messages flooded out before abruptly falling silent. All transmissions ceased! No one dared risk their transmission frequency being traced. The entire city entered a full state of wartime readiness. *** At that very moment, Marquis Xia, who was nearing the Great Xia Prefecture, suddenly stumbled. His eyes turned blood-red as he bellowed like a madman, "Mobilize every Sun Moon of the Great Xia Prefecture to return immediately! I will flatten the Heaven Hunting Pavilion!" "Return! Faster! Back to the city!" Marquis Xia roared, hysterical with rage! The powerhouses around him were thoroughly shaken. Marquis Xia's full eighth-stage Sun Moon might erupted, his oppressive aura blanketing heaven and earth, shaking the four directions! The news spread rapidly toward the All-Heavens Battlefield. Soon, at the All-Heavens Prefecture, two Sun Moons of the Great Xia Prefecture pulled out and flew at top speed toward home. A short while later, the portal to the All-Heavens Battlefield opened, and eight Sun Moon experts tore through the void without pause, rushing toward the Great Xia Prefecture. *** Meanwhile. Within the Human Realm branch of the Heaven Hunting Pavilion. Bai Yi and the others looked at each other in stunned disbelief. The law enforcement elder could not resist tapping his golden mask. Everything was blowing up—truly blowing up! After a long silence, he snapped, "All white masks, go into hiding! Headquarters has received word; the Human Realm branch is suspending all operations! All elders, disperse and conceal yourselves! All operatives, maintain total radio silence!" "All members in the Great Xia Prefecture, evacuate immediately!" "The Xia family is going to lose their minds! Damn it, Xuan Jiu, that madman! If I'd known, I would have killed Huang Jiu to appease him instead……" The law enforcement elder was beside himself with horror! *Are you out of your mind?!* *You went into the Xia family's territory and slaughtered their crown prince right in front of them?!* Xia Xinyi was King Daxia's grandson! King Daxia had only two grandsons: Xia Longwu and Xia Xinyi! And you beat Xia Xinyi to death! *Damn it, you are completely unhinged!* Yuan Qingdong was also the grandson of King Dayuan, but King Dayuan had dozens of grandsons, and Yuan Qingdong had been attacked in the Great Xia Prefecture. Xia Xinyi had been struck down right at his own doorstep! This was an outright provocation! A maddening slap to their faces! The law enforcement elder was having a breakdown. The Xia family would never let this rest. News had already arrived that the Xia family was recalling the Sun Moons stationed in their minor realms, sending waves of experts back to the prefecture. They were out for blood! "Xuan Jia…… you…… if you contact Xuan Jiu…… you…… forget it……" The law enforcement elder didn't even know what to say anymore! Earlier, when Xuan Jiu spoke of revenge, he hadn't taken it seriously. Now, regret gnawed at him. *Damn it, if I'd known, I would never have let you retaliate against the Xia family!* Killing Xia Xinyi was crossing a line that could never be uncrossed! Both the East and West Pavilions were sending frantic transmissions, demanding to know if this lunatic truly belonged to the Four Divisions. Operatives from the East and West Pavilions had personally witnessed that fist—a single strike that blasted Xia Xinyi to pieces. They were scared half to death. With the city sealed, who knew how many of their people would be dragged to their deaths by Xuan Jiu's madness! That lunatic! The entire Human Realm was thrown into turmoil. Yuan Qingdong's circle of friends was also rushing madly toward the Great Xia Prefecture, sensing that a monumental catastrophe was brewing! They had to see it for themselves! Of course, it was best not to enter the main city, but rather watch the spectacle from the sidelines. The Xia family was about to go berserk; would Marquis Xia bring down the sky? His only son had been slain—how could he stay calm? If the Xia family went after the Heaven Hunting Pavilion, would they still have the energy to monitor the Nanyuan ruins if they emerged? Naturally, they had to be careful not to catch the brunt of the Xia family's indiscriminate wrath! These people called upon their friends, gathering in larger numbers. If everyone showed up together, they would possess enough strength to deter the crazed Xia family from directing its fury at them. As a result, even more people surged toward the Great Xia Prefecture. Those observers had a point: if the Nanyuan ruins appeared now, how could the Xia family spare the time to care? If they didn't slaughter the Heaven Hunting Pavilion, their prestige would be completely ruined! *** Xia Xinyi's assassination sent massive shockwaves through the realm. Even the All-Heavens Battlefield grew restless. King Daxia wanted to return, but unrest flared along the border, forcing him to stay. Incensed, King Daxia engaged a demon Invincible in a ferocious battle right along the frontier. The opponent was an Invincible from the Blood Fire Demon race. In the words of King Daqin: "Leave them be. Let those two pugnacious bastards fight it out to vent some steam!" The Invincibles had all received word of the situation in the Human Realm. King Dayuan's grandson had nearly been killed, and King Daxia's grandson had been blasted apart. The Great Xia Prefecture had descended into pure chaos! Over at the Heaven Hunting Pavilion, personnel at their branches across the All-Heavens Battlefield began evacuating. According to headquarters, the current situation was perilous! King Daxia might strike out indiscriminately to slaughter their members. Everyone had to be vigilant and cease all operations in the short term. A single Xuan Jiu had thrown the entire All-Heavens into upheaval. That madman—to kill a core member of the Xia family right at their front door, especially when the family had so few descendants—how could the Xia family not go insane? Things were already chaotic enough, and he had just poured oil onto the flames!