Moon Commerce Guild

On the White Moon Continent, a high-tier land where the headquarters of the Moon Commerce Guild stood, the atmosphere at the entrance was tense. The guards stationed there looked on in shock as two weary men approached, carrying the unconscious forms of Young Master Li Jun and two disciples of the Guild's Supreme Leader on their backs. Everyone was visibly alarmed, uncertain of the identity of these two men.

As soon as the guards sensed the strange energy emanating from the two figures, they released their Saint-level power to suppress and intimidate them. But before they could act further, something pierced each guard's neck, sending blood splattering across the ground. What had pierced their necks were their own bones, and their skulls shattered and twisted grotesquely.

Bai Gu Wang glanced coldly at the fallen guards and remarked indifferently, "Just mere guard dogs… and yet you dare bark at me?" Before he could say more, a tremendous force at the Saint Emperor level descended upon them.

"How dare you let my son end up like this!" a furious female voice rang out. A figure cloaked in white appeared in the air, filled with wrath. She was Xiu Ning, the mother of Li Jun, her face consumed with anger.

Ling Se took a deep breath and replied with a nonchalant tone, "We were hired to protect your son, but by the time we arrived, we found him already in this condition…"

Before Ling Se could finish, a massive spiritual energy struck him, sending him crashing through several buildings and flinging his body to the far edge of the city. Xiu Ning turned a cold gaze toward Bai Gu Wang.

"I paid you an enormous sum to protect my son, and this is the result…?"

Bai Gu Wang didn't wait for her to finish. He conjured a green bone from his hand, sending it flying directly at Xiu Ning. She quickly raised a defensive hand, creating a spiritual barrier, but the green bone pierced through her spirit shield with ease, wounding her hand and causing blood to splatter.

Despite the near-fatal attack, Xiu Ning dodged effortlessly, her eyes blazing with uncontainable fury as she looked at her son's broken body. She summoned a sword from her spatial ring, preparing to charge at Bai Gu Wang.

Suddenly, tens of thousands of white snakes surged toward her, but waves of power from surrounding figures obliterated them instantly. Five additional leaders of the Moon Commerce Guild appeared around Xiu Ning, each radiating an imposing presence, ready for battle. These leaders were powerful figures within the Guild, all possessing peak Saint King cultivation.

In that moment, two former leaders, retired from the positions of Second and Fifth seats, reappeared, paying respects to Xiu Ning. "We are here to assist you, Supreme Leader." But within an instant, their heads were severed and dropped to the ground amid the horrified screams of bystanders.

Bai Gu Wang, having just decapitated the former Second and Fifth leaders, spoke calmly. "I'm also strong, you know. It's just that I ran into some weird creature last time."

Xiu Ning's face was full of rage as she unleashed her power. Waves of sword energy slashed at Bai Gu Wang, slicing his body in two. However, at that moment, Ling Se's mocking voice echoed through the air.

"We really don't need to be fighting so recklessly, do we?"

Xiu Ning immediately turned to the source of the voice, her expression stunned as she saw Ling Se clutching the necks of the Third and Seventh Leaders. Both were powerless, their eyes slowly closing, and their lifeless bodies were soon tossed aside by Ling Se without a hint of compassion.

Xiu Ning clenched her teeth so tightly she nearly ground them to dust. Rage boiled within her, on the verge of exploding. All she wanted was for her son to return safely, but the opposite had come to pass. Li Jun was covered in wounds and severe injuries, and the money she had spent on hiring the Celestial Council had proven to be a waste.

"Who hurt my son?" Xiu Ning shouted, her voice trembling with anger and pain.

Ling Se replied indifferently, "It was the Heavenly Flame Dynasty… But that's neither here nor there. Now, hand over the remaining half of our fee, and we'll leave immediately."

"A fee?" Xiu Ning's voice was ice-cold. "You failed in your task and still demand payment? You're shameless! Do you actually expect me to believe that a lowly force like the Heavenly Flame Dynasty could harm my son? Couldn't you at least fabricate a more believable lie?"

Ling Se smirked. "I could scarcely believe my own eyes, either. Anyway, we're getting off-topic. Will you pay up or not?" His voice dripped with challenge.

"Oh, I'll pay…" Xiu Ning replied, her body flashing toward Li Jun in an instant, hoping to save her severely injured son. But Ling Se wasn't about to let that happen; he transformed into a white snake to gain speed and pursued her. Although Xiu Ning held an advantage in speed due to her Saint Emperor level cultivation, Ling Se was only a Saint King level 9. He attempted to strike at intervals to slow her down.

Meanwhile, Bai Gu Wang appeared seemingly out of nowhere, raising his bone sword to attack the Moon Commerce Guild leaders who were attempting to strike Ling Se. His bone sword pierced their bodies with cold precision, though they retaliated with all their remaining power, sending Bai Gu Wang flying back.

"You're still alive? Lady Xiu Ning should have killed you by now!" the First Leader cried out in despair.

"You underestimate me," Bai Gu Wang replied coldly, his gaze brimming with cruelty as he launched another assault.

As Xiu Ning and Ling Se closed in on Li Jun, their hands stretched toward him, ready to grasp him. Suddenly, Li Jun's body began to glow intensely.

Boom!