A River Of Blood

Silence enveloped the world.

Horn's third rib disintegrated into powder, the fine bone dust carried away by the wind. The Su family members present swallowed in unison, their hearts heavy. Could their leader truly be dead?

Su Xiao, their patriarch, was a formidable early-stage Heavenly Star Realm powerhouse—someone they had always revered. But now, before Horn, their leader had been nothing more than a feeble obstacle, easily swept aside.

Horn—an outcast once bullied and discarded by their own Su family—had risen beyond their wildest imagination. In just two short years, he had transformed from a weak target to a terrifying force.

The Su family members' hearts pounded as they struggled to breathe, their faces pale with shock. The blood splattering Su Wu's body pulled him from his stunned state. After a minute of disbelief, rage overtook him, and he screamed, "Horn, you damn b*****d!"

"You killed my father! I'll make sure you die with no place to be buried!"

But his roar was all he could manage. His body was suspended in mid-air, unable to move, restrained by Horn's power. The pungent smell of blood filling his nostrils caused his lips to quiver.

Even though he didn't want to believe it, the truth was undeniable: Horn had grown far stronger than anyone could have imagined. His father, a cultivator at the early stage of the Heavenly Star Realm, had been slain like a mere insect. That could only mean that Horn's true strength had reached the Late Stage—or perhaps even the Peak of the Heavenly Star Realm.

Jealousy consumed Su Wu. How could Horn, at only twenty-one, have advanced so far?

They had taken everything from him. Horn should have been condemned to live as a lowly worm, crawling through the dark corners of life.

"Grandpa, you must avenge my father and uncle!" Su Wu shouted, his voice trembling with desperation.

Mr. Jiang, Jiang Zhan, and the others stared solemnly at Horn, their expressions grim. They had suspected it, but now the truth was laid bare: Horn's cultivation had far surpassed the early stage of the Heavenly Star Realm.

Jiang Feng whispered to his sister, "Sister, you better hold onto a man like brother-in-law! Men like him will be surrounded by heavenly beauties in no time."

Jiang Wan bit her lip, knowing that she and Horn weren't even officially together yet. But in that moment, she vowed to herself: if they made it through this alive, she would find a way to win Horn over.

Meanwhile, Guo Chengping, who had lost both arms, spoke urgently, "Mr. Su, we cannot delay any longer. Today is your birthday banquet, yet both of your sons have fallen, slain by an outcast of your own family. If word of this gets out, the Su family will become the laughingstock of the Xia Dynasty."

Horn's cold voice interrupted, "The birthday banquet is over."

"You," he gestured toward the Su family members, "go intercept the guests. No one gets close to the Su estate."

Many of them hurriedly dispersed to follow his command.

Horn remained calm, casually extending his right hand toward Su Wu. Su Wu's grandfather, Horn, shouted in rage, "How dare you, b*****d!"

This time, even Xia Qingying spoke up, her voice carrying authority. "Horn, enough is enough!"

"The immortal bones in Su Wu's body are of use to me. He's only just begun to control them."

"Though the Su family has wronged you, you carry their blood in your veins."

Her tone was proud, her eyes filled with arrogance. "Do you know the hundreds of tribes in Kunlun Mountain?"

"These families, hidden in the mountains, are each powerful enough to sweep through the outside world."

"They existed long before the earth's spiritual energy revived, and I come from the Xia family of Kunlun Mountain."

"We rank ninth among the hundred tribes."

"If you stop now, I can offer you a place within my family. If you prove yourself, perhaps I'll even consider making you my husband."

She spoke like a queen offering a grand favor.

Horn frowned, then scoffed. "Is there something wrong with your head?"

"Kunlun tribes? Immortal families? You think I should grovel?"

"As long as I'm willing, I could crush every single one of those so-called tribes."

Horn's past encounter with the Ye family—one of the Kunlun Mountain clans—had taught him that these families were nothing compared to what he had become.

Xia Qingying's face darkened with fury. "Do you even know what you're saying, Horn?"

"Be careful with your words. Even if you've reached the Heavenly Star Realm, you're still just a larger ant to the Kunlun families."

"You are beneath me," she said with disdain. "I was only offering you this because of our past."

Jiang Wan shouted, "Who does she think she is? She's not even worthy of tying Horn's shoes!"

Jiang Feng nodded in agreement. "Exactly. She doesn't even compare to my brother-in-law!"

Xia Qingying's eyes flickered with anger, but before she could retort, a sudden pfft echoed.

Horn had pulled out a fourth rib from Su Wu's body.

A scream tore from Su Wu's throat, reverberating in the air. This time, the rib gleamed with gold—it was his immortal bone.

Without it, Su Wu grew weaker, blood pouring from his mouth as his breathing faltered.

Horn held the golden bone in his hand. As he activated his energy, the bone dissolved into tiny golden light spots, which flowed into Horn's body. Before their eyes, a new bone began to grow, filling the gap in Horn's skeleton.

As soon as it fused, a terrifying aura burst forth from Horn.

Wind howled around them. The sky darkened.

Mr. Jiang's voice shook as he whispered, "Half-step into the Sky Moon Realm…"

The Sky Moon Realm was a level far beyond the Heavenly Star Realm, and from low to high, it spanned Early, Middle, Late, Peak, and Dzogchen stages.

Jiang Zhan, Jiang Wan, and the others held their breath, unable to tear their eyes away from Horn.

Horne's voice broke the tense silence. "I'll give you one last chance, traitor."

"Give up the power you've gained and transfer it to your cousin Su Wu. I will spare your life and only destroy your cultivation."

"You have only this one chance."

Horn laughed mockingly. "Such generosity!"

"Where were you when they ripped my immortal bones from my body? When Su Xiao and his family tortured me, did you speak up then?"

"Spare me? You're not worthy."

"I'm not here to beg," Horn said, his voice chilling. "I'm here to make the Su family drown in rivers of blood."