Liu Xing sensed the qi emanating from the group before him. He realized the first and second rows consisted of people with vast amounts of qi. While not as immense as Xia Juetian's, they were likely Core Splitting cultivators. The rest were at the Lock Opening realm, standing quietly like soldiers prepared for war.

Leading them was a cultivator with white hair. He wore red and black robes with a golden sash at his waist. The qi radiating from him was like staring directly at the sun—so vast it was almost blinding. His skin was white and youthful, yet he exuded an ancient aura, like a thousand-year-old tree.

As Liu Xing approached, several people turned their heads. Some nodded respectfully, while those in the front rows merely snorted, regarding him as little more than trash. The leader, Yang Zhaoyan, didn't turn his head but beckoned Liu Xing forward with a wave of his arm.

He walked between the cultivators of the Yang clan and soon stood directly behind Elder Yang Zhaoyan. This close, Liu Xing felt the air around the elder charged with power, humming as if it could lash out at any moment.

"My name is Yang Zhaoyan. Thank you for escorting our princess back," the elder said, finally turning to look at Liu Xing. Elder Yang Zhaoyan appeared to be a man in his thirties. A patch of white beard adorned his chin, his eyebrows were sharp as swords, and his eyes held a clear depth. His face was flawless; Liu Xing would even describe him as handsome.

"You're welcome," Liu Xing said, bowing slightly.

"I heard you came here to warn us, and this empire, about frightening spirit beasts."

On the way from the flower-covered hills, Liu Xing had told Yang Liangyu about the spirit beasts that killed Xia Juetian in great detail. He described their ability to steal and use bloodlines, along with everything else he knew, omitting only information about Wei Yi since he still lacked proof of his involvement. He had wanted Yang Liangyu to spread the word within her clan, and it seemed his plan had worked.

"Yes, they're dangerous," Liu Xing replied. "If allowed to roam too long, I fear they will raze this empire to the ground."

Yang Zhaoyan nodded gravely. "Spirit beasts like that need to be killed as soon as possible. Unfortunately, they came at a bad time. Or perhaps, from their perspective, the perfect time."

"Will you help me subdue them later?" Liu Xing asked.

The elder nodded. "I would help, but only if I can survive this ordeal."

Just as he finished speaking, Liu Xing heard a rumbling sound approaching from afar. He snapped his head forward. He had thought the terrain of rolling hills, like frozen green waves, might be used for maneuvering in a fight. But he knew it would only last seconds before a high-realm cultivator flattened it all with a large-scale attack.

Soon, he saw a group of people flying and running toward them as if their lives depended on it. The group consisted of three cultivators. Two women flying on swords, propelling themselves at full power, and one man running desperately on the ground. The women's faces were slick with sweat, their red and yellow robes torn and disheveled, while one woman was drenched in so much blood she looked as if she'd been dipped headfirst into a well of blood.

The running man wore a red robe embroidered with a golden crane. His black hair was cut short, and a stark red line crossed his face diagonally. Whether it was fresh blood or an old scar, Liu Xing couldn't tell. But he knew this man, likely Yang Jinyan, was terrified with beads of sweat dripping from his chin.

Behind them charged an abomination. It stood nearly five meters tall, covered in long, gray fur that swayed wildly with its movement. Its face resembled a dog's, but its ears were unnaturally long, trailing like ribbons. Its red eyes stared intensely at the fleeing cultivators. Yellow fangs jutted from its maw, and grotesquely, several severed human heads protruded from its large forehead. Their faces were either stretched wide in terror or fixed in smiles so wide they looked like the grins of madmen. There were five heads in total, the raw red stumps at their necks indicating they had been recently beheaded and crudely attached. This monstrosity possessed four limbs. Its two front limbs were disproportionately long, like human arms, while its rear legs resembled a dog's. As it ran, it slapped the ground with its front limbs, making the earth tremble. Its gait looked unbalanced, yet it moved with terrifying speed and undeniable menace.

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From the qi pulsing off the creature, Liu Xing knew it was at least as strong as Xia Juetian had been. Its qi felt like a dark, ancient ocean threatening to drown him. While the sheer volume might not have matched Xia Juetian's peak, the danger it radiated was palpable.

"Prepare!" Yang Zhaoyan shouted.

Behind Liu Xing, the clansmen drew their weapons, the sound of steel scraping against sheaths filling the air.

The three fleeing cultivators rapidly approached the compound. Elder Yang Zhaoyan extended his hands, and the protective barrier surrounding the clan shimmered into view—a white, milky wall, like solidified mist. Three openings instantly appeared in the barrier, allowing the two women and the man to pass through safely. With a swing of the elder's hand, the holes sealed shut.

The two women landed heavily on the ground before Liu Xing and the elder, collapsing from exhaustion. The man stumbled and fell, scrambling back to his feet before staggering toward the elder.

All three looked utterly disheveled and panicked. The man, Yang Jinyan, was at the Core Splitting realm; Liu Xing couldn't discern how many cores he possessed, but while he lacked Xia Juetian's terrifying aura, he was clearly stronger than Wei Gang. The woman drenched in blood was even stronger than the prince. The last woman was also a Core Splitting cultivator, though she felt only slightly stronger than Wei Gang. Liu Xing estimated the blood-soaked woman, the strongest of the trio, was likely a Core Splitting cultivator with at least three cores.

"Elder Yang Zhaoyan, it's bad! Really, really bad!" the woman who was slightly stronger than Wei Gang cried out.

Just after she spoke, the abomination crashed against the barrier, slamming its two long arms against the milky wall and letting out a horrifying roar—a ghastly mix of a goat's bleat, a cow's lowing, and a human's guttural growl.

"Where are the others? When will they return?" Elder Yang Zhaoyan demanded urgently.

"Elder, I'm sorry," Prince Yang Jinyan choked out. "Only the three of us survived. The rest... they're dead. Elder Yang Meiyue, Elder Yang Fengrui, Elder Yang Tianlei, Elder Yang Yanrong... and everyone who came with me... they died!"

A collective gasp rose from the clansmen. Elder Yang Zhaoyan's eyes widened in shock. Some cultivators physically recoiled, as if they'd heard the sky itself had fallen.

"What are you talking about?" the elder demanded, his voice tight with disbelief. "Four Sun Refining cultivators, dozens of Core Splitting cultivators... you say they all died? Only you three survived? Is this some kind of joke?"

"No, Elder," the blood-drenched woman stated grimly. "We underestimated Yang Lihuo's forces. That bastard not only usurped the throne and betrayed the clan, but he also colluded with a demonic cultivator. His forces are growing stronger as we speak, thanks to this demonic cultivator's help. And that demonic cultivator is formidable, at the peak of the Sun Refining realm, only half a step away from becoming a Sun Collapsing expert."

The abomination slammed its entire body against the barrier. The impact resonated like a thunderclap, and Liu Xing worried the shield might shatter.

The other woman added frantically, "Not only that, they also betrayed their allies! The Hei Clan, the Wu Clan, the entire army... they're turning into that!" She pointed a trembling finger at the monstrous beast relentlessly pounding the barrier with its long arms, standing on its hind legs, its howling and growling making the very air tremble.

Hearing all this, Liu Xing's heart began to pound against his ribs. The Yang clan members behind him started murmuring fearfully, and even Elder Yang Zhaoyan's composure seemed shaken, his eyes wide with horror. This news was catastrophic, far worse than anticipated. When Liu Xing arrived, he had assumed two factions were fighting for control. Now, it seemed one faction was effectively gone, its members transformed into horrifying hybrids of spirit beast and human. They had all become abominations!

"Only Yang Lihuo and that demonic cultivator, Wei Yi, remain human," the blood-drenched woman added, her voice heavy with dread. "It seems they intend to transform the rest of us into those... things... and control us to conquer the world."

Hearing the name, Liu Xing's already wide eyes grew even wider.

"What? Did you say Wei Yi?" Liu Xing asked, directing his question to the blood-soaked woman.

As he spoke, Elder Yang Zhaoyan, Prince Yang Jinyan, and the two women snapped their heads toward him, their expressions startled, as if they had momentarily forgotten he was even there.

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