Ten Key Lands
After dealing with Ghu Lin and the Central Ghu Territory, the remainder of the Ghu Clan's territories fell without anything unexpected happening. Ghu Lin was the leader of the Ghu Clan, and now, those clansmen at the other territories were desperately trying to contact him for an update on the current situation, but it was naturally to no avail.
Ghu Lin had conscripted various powerhouses from across the province to act as a believable bait for the self-destruction of this grand formation, but Yaan turned this method against the Gu Clan Lord, resulting in all of those powerhouses dying to their own trap.
Without Ghu Lin, and with so many Origin Soul Realm cultivators killed, the Ghu Clan couldn't even formulate a plan to defend against Yaan.
Perhaps, if they knew that the Central Ghu Territory had already fallen, they might have chosen to flee - but they were in the dark, and Yaan's travel speed was simply monstrous. He could cross the province in a matter of minutes, allowing him to move from one territory to the next like a ghost.
Even when the Southern Ghu Territory managed to send out a warning to the remainder of the Ghu Clan elites that their enemy was too powerful, advising the other elite clansmen to flee so that they could at least retain their bloodline for the future, it was useless. Yaan had already anticipated that something like this might happen, so he used his fastest travel speed to soar through the skies, crossing the entire Ghu Province and eradicating the clansmen before they had even finished making their preparations to escape.
When he visited the Ghu Clan Territories, meaning their private domains where outsiders were not allowed to intrude upon, Yaan opted to wipe out every single living being within the territory. When he made his way to their four public cities, he only targeted the Ghu Clansmen, leaving behind an identical warning to that which he left behind in the North, proving to the people that the Ghu Clan had fallen at his hands, and that now, the new ruling power was the Heavenly Path Sect, and they could not be opposed.
Naturally, the cultivators all across the province were thrown into a state of terror. However, when they realised that the mysterious powerhouse was really only targeting the Ghu Clansmen and noboody else, not even bothering with those affiliated to the Ghu Clan, they felt somewhat relieved. It seemed that this mysterious person was actually quite reasonable, and he had some degree of moral principles preventing him from slaughtering 'innocents'. Perhaps he had a grudge against the Ghu Clan specifically, or perhaps he was giving everyone else a second chance to change their allegiance!
In reality, Yaan wasn't thinking about any sort of moral principles, nor did he once consider something like 'forgiveness'. Everything that he was doing was for the sake of the Heavenly Path Sect and Elia. He was removing the threat of the Ghu Clan, whilst showing the rest of the cultivators in the province that although he was powerful and tyrannical, he could be reasonable, so long as they didn't stand against him. Like this, he would be able to take over the organised structure within the province that the Ghu Clan had spent so many years building up and maintaining, giving Elia fewer problems to deal with once all was done.
Yaan was sure that a few individual Ghu Clansmen had probably tried to escape, but he didn't worry about this for now. He was already doing his best to cull this demonic clan, and so long as he killed all of those at Rank 4 and Rank 5, the remaining weak stragglers were unlikely to ever pose any sort of issue. Of course, Yaan was cautious, so he still planned to put a bounty on their heads; there was no harm in clearing up the rabble if possible.
It was only after circling the entire Ghu Province and reaching the East Ghu Territory that Yaan finally encountered an entire group which had fled. It was clear that they had learned of the rapid fall of their other territories, and the Ghu Clan elites realised that they no longer had a place to stay in the Ghu Province. They fled at their fastest possible speed to the Jyu Province, which lay directly to the East of the Ghu Province, and was only 350 miles away from the East Ghu Territory.
With the help of the Late Origin Soul Realm clansman who had been left in charge after the peak stage East Ghu Territory Lord was asked to support the Central Ghu Territory, they actually made it over the border, into the Jyu Province.
Yaan's cold gaze showed that he couldn't care less about the provincial borders. He activated Reveal Truth and tracked down the remnants of aura left behind during their hasty retreat, and soon enough, he found this final group of Ghu Clansmen.
It wasn't particularly unexpected, but when he arrived, he found the group of Ghu Clansmen wearing grim expressions as they faced members off the Jyu Clan, the rulers of the Jyu Province.
The Jyu Province was smaller than the Ghu Province, and the Jyu Clan weaker than the former Ghu Clan, but the Jyu Clan elites quickly realised that if such a massive group of Ghu Clansmen were fleeing so hastily through their lands, then they must have encountered a calamity.
When Yaan arrived, the two sides were arguing. The Jyu Clan looked quite relaxed and even teased the panicking Ghu Clansmen, whilst the Ghu Clansmen couldn't help but look back every now and then fearfully, proving to the Jyu Clansmen that their deduction was correct.
And then, in the midst of their heated argument which would no doubt turn into a battle before long, Yaan appeared between the two groups like a ghost. He made no sound and nobody saw him arrive, causing both sides to immediately become apprehensive.
Yaan glanced at the Jyu Clan first, for now ignoring the Ghu Clan. The Jyu Clan didn't worry him at all, but even so, he had no desire to enter in a pointless conflict, if peace was a viable option.
"I will take care of these people. They are the last of the Ghu Clan; every single clan member was killed by myself. I have no qualms with your Jyu Clan. So long as you stand aside and watch me deal with them, without you all interfering. After removing these people, I will leave your province and return West."
The foremost Jyu Clansman was a woman with long brunette hair. Her hair was strangely long, almost reaching her knees, yet it didn't look messy at all, despite flowing freely without anything holding it in place. Like all of the other Jyu Clansmen, she had unique silver eyes and wore a dark green robe.
She was one of the strongest powerhouses in her clan, yet when this silver-haired young man who glanced at her with that calm expression, she felt like thunder had exploded within her mind, causing her to immediately break out in cold sweat. At first, she genuinely felt terrified, but after processing his words, she examined him carefully, before nodding, then cautiously retreating, shortly followed by her wary clansmen.
'This is good too - I can prove my strength before the Jyu Clan right now, so they won't give us any problems in the future.' Yaan thought this as he turned back towards the Ghu Clansmen, who, for some reason, were all frozen, paralysed in fear.
Yaan's aura was enough to suppress Origin Soul Realm cultivators so severely that they couldn't even move when facing him. This made it simplicity itself to deal with them.
For the last time today, he raised the wooden sword above his head. Crimson illusions of hundreds of corpses appeared in a sea of blood which encompassed the sky for as far as the eye could see. Of course, the illusion wasn't actually so massive that it stretched out for hundreds of miles, this was merely an illusion, but it certainly looked this way from the perspective of everyone standing beneath it.
The Jyu Clan woman broke out in cold sweat, but her terror only amplified ten fold when Yaan casually swung down, killing every single Ghu Clansman with a single strike. There was no blood, there were no screams…they simply died. When the wooden sword somehow brushed across each of the hundreds of clansmen, they just…died.
Yaan waved his hand, collecting the various spatial treasures and other treasures, as well as the many corpses. He then glanced back at the Jyu Clansmen and gave them a faint nod, before turning with the intention of leaving.
However, before he could go, the woman called out:
"Senior, my apologies, but might junior request to know your name and organisation?" Saying just this took all of her courage to muster up, but she knew that if she returned to the clan without even trying to ascertain this mysterious powerhouse's identity, she would be reprimanded by the clan lord. And besides, although he was terrifying and clearly very ruthless, he didn't seem to be too unreasonable…
Yaan didn't look back, but his words echoed in her ears as he took a step and blurred into the distance, followed by a mountain of corpses and treasures which drifted close behind him.
"My group is the Heavenly Path Sect. From today onwards, the Ghu Province is no more - the Western lands will now be known as the Heavenly Path Province. I will not bother your clan, so long as you all keep away from my home. This is both a promise and a warning."
And with that, he was gone.
As the sun began to set, Elia stood atop the peak of Heavenly Path Mountain and starred into the darkening sky. She knew that within the next half hour, the sun would go down for the day…marking the time that Yaan had promised to return by.
Without making a sound, Yaan appeared by Elia's side. Somehow, despite not seeing, hearing, or sensing him in anyway…she still knew that he was there.
He had returned, just as he promised…
"I've handled the most pressing matter, the Ghu Clan no longer exists in this world."
Elia became dazed when this voice sounded out from beside her. She quickly turned around, only to see Yaan smiling at her with an amused smile. He opened his mouth to playfully tease her about getting so worried when he had only been gone for less than half a day, but the words got stuck in his throat when Eli'a wide eyes teared up, then without any warning, she threw herself forwards and into his embrace.
Yaan was taken by surprise at first, bet when he felt the earnest anxiety and relief in this woman's aura, his expression softened and he returned the hug.
"Don't worry Elia, the danger was non-existent, and I've long since grown numb to this sort of thing."
"I know, Yaan…that's what make it so tragic…"