The Beast Rampage

Yehan reappeared in the forest east of Miyat City and sat down to cultivate. With the god-level strong man Curtis overseeing the hundred groups' battle in the Domain of Doom, Yehan didn't need to intervene and only awaited the final outcome.

His cultivation in the Fanzhi Jue had reached the peak of the fourth layer, but he struggled to break through to the fifth. Advancing to the fifth layer would mark his transformation into a third-level zombie, significantly enhancing his power and abilities.

Depleted soul power left Yehan somewhat weakened. He was pleasantly surprised to find soul energy replenishing his spirit through the blood crystals, drawing from the souls of those who had died in the Domain of Doom. Since they had ingested his essence blood, their souls had formed a connection with Yehan's, allowing him to absorb a portion of their soul power upon their death.

The slaughter of a thousand left only a hundred survivors, and the soul power of the nine hundred deceased proved substantial. By the time Penelope brought the second batch of a thousand people, Yehan's soul power had fully recovered.

Yehan repeated the process with the second group, sending them back to the Domain of Doom without creating new essence blood, as there was still some left from the previous group. Zombies typically wouldn't create essence blood for each individual under their control; a drop in a sufficient amount of blood could control many.

According to Curtis's report, eight of the first ten groups completed the challenge on time, one ended with both of the last two combatants dying simultaneously, and one was annihilated by Curtis. Ultimately, only eighty people from the last ten groups survived, now recuperating. They were covered in wounds and blood, their killing intent intense, but still not meeting Yehan's standards for bloodthirst.

"It seems I need to create more opportunities for slaughter," Yehan thought, then disappeared from the Domain of Doom.

The cycle continued, with soul power being expended and replenished by the souls of the deceased. When the moon was high in the sky, Penelope finally brought the last thousand people.

"Hehe, little brother, this is the last batch," Penelope said to Yehan, smiling. Despite a tiring day, it was worthwhile, with three billion gold coins earned, equivalent to five years of total income for the Camilla Auction House, all in one day. Penelope was overjoyed.

"Alright," Yehan responded and then ignored Penelope, who tactfully left. Although curious about the fate of the previously delivered people, he never asked.

"The last batch," Yehan mused, looking at the moon above.

In the Domain of Doom, above the blood pool, Yehan watched the final group fight in the ten spaces, his eyes blood-red. Such scenes were a delight for zombies.

"How many survived?" Yehan asked without looking at Curtis.

"Two thousand four hundred and twelve," was the reply. Yehan nodded, remaining silent.

Out of over thirty thousand people, only a little over two thousand survived. Nearly thirty thousand had been killed to meet Yehan's stringent criteria. If word of this spread, it would surely shock the continent again. Nearly thirty thousand lives had been extinguished just to achieve Yehan's satisfactory standard.After the half-hour passed, the battles in the ten groups concluded, leaving only ten survivors, all of whom immediately sat down to recuperate. A full half-hour of relentless killing had exhausted everyone.

Yehan noticed something unusual. As Curtis removed the spatial barriers, the blood of the thirty thousand slain began to flow rapidly towards the blood pool, merging into it. As the blood pool swelled with the fresh influx, Yehan distinctly felt changes within the Domain of Doom.

The red crystal within his body began to rotate autonomously, emitting a subtle and profound power. After circulating through Yehan's body, this power spread into the surrounding space, integrating with it.

Yehan sensed that the entire Domain of Doom was expanding under the influence of this power. Opening his eyes, he gazed into the distance and, with a thought, vanished from above the blood pool.

A massive spatial rift, with wild space energies, was contained by the colorful barrier, not allowing a single trace to seep through. "I never expected that the infusion of such a large amount of blood would accelerate the growth of this space," Yehan murmured, appearing near the barrier.

"And my control over this space is growing stronger," Yehan noted, waving his hands and causing a mountain to rise from the ground, reaching a hundred zhang high. He was looking forward to seeing the Domain of Doom fully developed.

Returning to the blood pool, Yehan found not only Curtis but also Ursula and Chazo waiting outside the Blood Fog. He sensed a difference in them.

"Master," they greeted Yehan with respect.

"Your power has improved," Yehan observed.

"Yes, just now, the laws of this space became much clearer, and we made some progress," they reported.

"Good," Yehan realized that the power he had felt earlier was the force of laws. As the Domain of Doom grew, its laws became more defined.

"I have a task for you."

"Please instruct us, Master."

"Once they wake up, select some based on their talents and teach them the cultivation methods you know."

"Understood."

After giving his instructions, Yehan appeared at Xiaoya's residence. She was waiting at the doorway, looking around. Seeing Yehan, she ran to his side.

"Yehan brother."

"Wait until dawn, and then we will leave."

"Yehan brother, I..." Xiaoya hesitated, her big eyes filled with tears.

"What's wrong, Xiaoya?" Yehan asked, concerned. He didn't want her to feel hurt or distressed.

"Am I useless, always causing trouble for you? I know nothing and have no strength..." Xiaoya's tears fell as she spoke.

Yehan was touched by her concern. He gently wiped away her tears, "You haven't troubled me. Everything that happened is due to human nature, and it would have happened even without you."

"Will you abandon me, Yehan brother?" Xiaoya didn't fully grasp what Yehan meant. She cared only about him.

Yehan fell silent. Zombies are devoid of emotions, and Xiaoya's question was hard for him to answer. His hesitation caused Xiaoya to burst into tears and cling to him tightly.

"Please don't leave me, Yehan brother. I'll be good and won't cause you any more trouble. I won't go out again," she sobbed, her trembling body and her tears striking Yehan profoundly.

"Should I have her? Can I have her?" Yehan's soul trembled deep within. His hands, reaching out to Xiaoya, hovered in mid-air.

Is it sorrow or heartlessness?

The moon in the waning night, so beautifully bleak, incomplete and broken.

It's not heartlessness.

The passing of wounds,

Falls into the spring mud.

Gently, Yehan embraced the trembling body. Under the night sky, who cares about these small tremors of the world?

"Swordsmen, hurry up!" A swordsman burst into the inn, drawing everyone's attention.

He grabbed a jug of water from a table and drank thirstily, evidently parched from his rush.

"What's the matter? Take your time," a burly man at a nearby table asked.

"Beasts, beasts are coming!" the swordsman gasped.

"Ah, I thought it was something serious. Brother, continue about Yehan last night," the man paused, then turned in alarm, "Friend, what did you just say?"

"Beasts are coming, a large number of them heading this way," the swordsman caught his breath and continued, "Today, my friends and I went to the Hengduan Mountains, and suddenly, a horde of beasts charged at us. If they hadn't held them off, I might have..." He trailed off, overwhelmed by emotion.

After a moment, he composed himself, "They're all seventh-rank beasts or higher, swarming toward Miyat City. And, and there are saint-level beasts behind them!" Fear filled his eyes, and his body shook violently.

"This can't be," someone shouted in disbelief. A beast attack, with seventh-rank and higher creatures, was unthinkable.

"It's true, many saw it. The news must be spreading by now. Everyone, run for your lives!" The swordsman then dashed off, clearly fleeing for his life.

At the table where the swordsman had grabbed the drink, a young girl and a man wrapped in a black robe stood up, leaving a gold coin before exiting the inn.

Yehan and Xiaoya, now outside, strolled casually down the street, but the news of the beast attack was everywhere. Civilians began to pack and flee, while swordsmen and magicians prepared to leave Miyat City.

Witnessing all this, Yehan frowned. Why were the beasts attacking now, and why Miyat City?