Severing all tiesYesterday

Watching the lifeless body of Feng Mo, Feng Tianrui stood stunned on the stage. His gaze shifted upward to look at Feng Wuchen across from him. In that instant, it seemed as though he had aged more than ten years.

It wasn't that he lacked the strength to save Feng Mo just moments before. With his cultivation, if he had risked everything, he might have been able to protect him.

But he didn't dare!

Facing Feng Wuchen's sword intent, he felt true fear. He lacked the courage to wager his life against the overwhelming force of this young man's swordsmanship.

He didn't understand how this youth's strength had become so formidable. But what he did understand was that, gripped by even the smallest hint of fear, he was no match for Feng Wuchen.

"You... you dare to kill a Feng family genius!"

Witnessing Feng Mo's death with his own eyes, Feng Zhanggeng's fury caused his eyes to turn blood-red.

Before this, the Feng family had boasted five Spirit-Breathing realm experts. Such a powerful lineup made them the indisputable top family in Luofeng City.

Yet now, three of those experts had fallen to Feng Wuchen's blade, including Feng Mo, a prodigious young talent!

Cultivating such a genius was an arduous, decade-spanning effort, and even then, success wasn't guaranteed. With the current state of the Feng family, even twenty or thirty years might not yield another talent like him.

Feng Wuchen's strike had severed the roots of the Feng family's future.

"You vile beast! I'll have your life!"

"Enough! Stand down!"

Before Feng Zhanggeng could take action, Feng Tianrui released a surge of energy, sending Feng Zhanggeng flying with a single palm strike.

"Father..." Feng Zhanggeng, utterly bewildered, looked up in confusion. "Why... why are you stopping me from killing him?"

Feng Tianrui's expression grew ever grimmer.

Kill him?

If only it were that easy.

Feng Wuchen's sword intent was beyond terrifying. Even he, Feng Tianrui, had felt compelled to retreat. For Feng Zhanggeng to challenge him would be no different from courting death.

"Sigh..."

Feng Tianrui let out a long sigh.

"You've killed three of our family's Spirit-Breathing realm experts. Whatever grievances you harbored should be settled by now, yes? Stand down. What I said before still stands—eventually, even the position of family head could be yours."

Hearing this, Feng Zhanggeng was filled with disbelief.

Feng Tianrui intended to bequeath the position of family head to this young man who had slaughtered so many of their family members?

Yet in an instant, he understood. To someone like Feng Tianrui, emotions held no weight. All he cared about was profit and power!

At the same time, Feng Wuchen sneered as he stared mockingly at the old man before him.

The world of martial artists was indeed cruel. If you showed weakness, your enemies would only exploit it. Only by displaying absolute strength could you force them to view you with respect.

He could already imagine that if he had agreed to Feng Tianrui's terms at the beginning and returned to serve the family, he would never have been truly valued. One day, he would inevitably become expendable yet again.

"Hahaha... Hahahaha..."

Amid the stunned silence of the crowd, Feng Wuchen's laughter rang out, cold and eerie.

"What are you laughing at?" Feng Tianrui's brow furrowed.

"I'm laughing at your ignorance, at your delusions, at your sheer audacity!"

"You—"

"Hahaha! Enough of your empty promises, old dog. You act lenient only because I am strong. If I were weaker, I would have already been captured and tormented by now, wouldn't I? Just because I've claimed the debts owed to me doesn't mean I will ever forget the humiliation I've endured, nor will I ever serve this heartless, wretched family again!"

"You!" Feng Tianrui's pupils contracted. "You mean to say..."

Before Feng Tianrui could finish, Feng Wuchen's sword flashed, slicing off a sleeve of his robe. The fabric fluttered to the stage floor.

"Heaven above and earth below, I, Feng Wuchen, sever all ties with the Feng family! From this day forward, I am no longer connected to you in any way!"

He had severed all bonds!

At that moment, the surrounding air seemed to freeze.

"You... you dare to betray your clan?"

Betrayal of one's clan was a heinous crime in the martial world. Martial artists often held secrets vital to their family, and once someone defected, there was always the risk of those secrets being revealed to enemies. To prevent this, clans would stop at nothing to eliminate traitors.

"Betrayal of the clan? Hahaha! You think you can kill me?"

Feng Wuchen raised his Flaming Sun Sword, its point aimed straight at Feng Tianrui and his son, exuding an aura of utter disdain.

"Come, then! But consider carefully—once you make a move, either I die, or you do!"

His voice was devoid of any emotion, but it sent chills down Feng Tianrui's spine. It was as if a venomous serpent had them in its sights.

"Father! He's exhausted! If we join forces, surely—"

"Silence!"

Once more, Feng Tianrui cut off Feng Zhanggeng, his eyes clouded and his heart torn by an endless struggle. Finally, he sighed in defeat.

"Go. Leave!"

A hushed stillness swept across the arena. Feng Wuchen glanced at them disdainfully, then leaped off the stage, gently carrying Feng Ning on his back, and walked away without looking back.

As he left, the crowd erupted into murmurs.

"Tsk, tsk... What a joke the Feng family has become, driving away a Sword Cultivator!"

"Even if he doesn't have spiritual veins and can only reach the Spirit-Breathing realm, how many such experts exist in Luofeng City?"

"Plus, he easily slew three Spirit-Breathing experts as just an Inborn stage warrior! If he reaches the peak of the Spirit-Breathing realm, even a Gold Body expert might not be able to stop him. At that point, he'll be unmatched in Luofeng City! The Feng family truly ruined themselves."

"Letting him leave surprised me, though. This incident will haunt the Feng family as an eternal disgrace."

"Do you think that old man wanted to let him go? He had no choice. Feng Wuchen's strength terrified even him. Feng Wuchen did say his debts were paid, and he wouldn't bother the Feng family for now. But if they kept pushing him, who knows who would perish next? Losing their final Spirit-Breathing experts would mean the Feng family's annihilation."

Listening to the discussions and watching Feng Wuchen's retreating figure, Feng Tianrui's anger and frustration overwhelmed him, and he spat a mouthful of blood.

"Father..."

"Help me back... quickly!"