Thus, the lightning and fire that landed on Murong Shui were greatly reduced, and it was clear that Murong Shui's pressure had lessened considerably, his back straightening a little.
However, at this moment, a sinister laugh echoed from the clouds.
Murong Shui and the people of the Murong family couldn't help but feel a jolt. Had the inevitable finally arrived?
A dark figure appeared in the clouds, ethereal and seemingly very light.
"Murong Shui, are you senile? Knowing we were coming to wipe out your clan, you still attempted tribulation? Are you afraid we wouldn't come!" the voice from the dark figure boomed.
He wore a mask, but his voice had already betrayed him, rendering the mask a mere decoration.
It was Nangong Zhendong.
"Nangong Zhendong, your Nangong family has already taken the Lingdu Sect from the Murong family, and we didn't pursue the matter. Why must you push your luck?" Murong Mu, standing on a rooftop, said indignantly.
Nangong Zhendong casually removed his mask and said calmly, "As the saying goes, if you don't cut the grass at the roots, it will grow back with the spring breeze. If I don't push my luck today, you will surely rise again tomorrow."
"You are also a person of the Stairway. Aren't you afraid we will report this matter to the Stairway?"
Nangong Zhendong spread his hands and said, "Therefore, today, none of you will leave here alive."
As he spoke, he beckoned, and a dense mass of black-clad, masked figures appeared around him. He waved his hand again, and these figures scattered from beneath the clouds, entering the Murong family's estate from all directions.
In an instant, light and shadow flashed, explosions erupted, and the Murong family was plunged into a realm of clashing blades and flickering swords.
Occasional screams were interspersed!
And blood splattered everywhere!
Nangong Zhendong pointed his hand and declared, "Sky Curtain Sword!"
A black curtain violently swept across the sky and earth, surging towards Murong Shui!
Cang Shan flicked his fingers repeatedly, and countless bubbles surged out, instantly falling into the black curtain.
A rumbling sound ensued.
After expanding for a moment, the black curtain was violently torn apart, transforming into wisps of black smoke that dispersed in all directions before gradually dissipating.
Nangong Zhendong let out a surprised "Hmm," not expecting to find an Immortal cultivator here!
But he then smiled calmly, "Murong Shui, you are indeed prepared. However, I never engage in a battle unprepared. Allow me to introduce an old friend."
As he spoke, another figure appeared in the black clouds.
Murong Shui, bathed in the lightning and fire, showed a look of astonishment in his eyes.
That person was none other than Li Xingyuan, who had left the Murong family in a disheveled state that day!
His physique had now returned to normal, suggesting his cultivation had also been restored.
Li Xingyuan let out a cold laugh, "I endured humiliation and hardship through these dark days, all for the hope of one day taking revenge on the Murong family. Today, I will let the blood of every member of the Murong family cleanse my shame."
A surge of blood churned within Murong Shui's chest. When Nangong Zhendong first appeared, he had already felt indignant, his internal spiritual energy running wild, scattering outwards. Now, his blood and qi seemed to be flowing in reverse.
With his internal spiritual energy losing balance, the external lightning and fire intensified, striking the protective waves fiercely. The waves began to decay at a visible rate.
Cang Shan immediately warned, "Calm yourself, steady your mind."
However, it was too late. The waves above his head collapsed with an unstoppable momentum.
As one waned, the other waxed. The beam of lightning became more ferocious, its sound louder, as if the very heavens were trembling.
Seeing an opportunity, Li Xingyuan said, "Let me help you!"
He formed a hand seal and pointed, sending a beam of light surging out towards Murong Shui.
Cang Shan attempted to intervene but was intercepted by Nangong Zhendong. The two engaged in a fierce battle, locked in a struggle that was difficult to resolve.
Murong Shui knew he could not escape death today and prepared to fight with all his might.
His body suddenly floated horizontally, and the lightning from above crashed down, creating a large pit on the ground.
Murong Shui slid out from the edge of the pit, but his body was still grazed by the lightning. He trembled, and black smoke billowed from him.
Li Xingyuan's beam of light followed closely behind.
Murong Shui hastily condensed a wave, and before it was fully formed, he met the attack with desperation.
The wave shattered like broken glass, exploding with a deafening roar.
Murong Shui's body was sent flying backward, crashing heavily onto the ground.
Murong Huo, Murong Ping, Murong Jin, and others attempted to rescue him but were entangled by the masked figures, barely able to fend for themselves.
They were shocked to discover that each of these masked figures possessed considerable cultivation, their divine abilities were bizarre, and their movement techniques were particularly elusive, darting left and right, making them difficult to track.
These divine abilities were nothing like those of the Li family or the Nangong family.
Upon closer inspection, it was evident that they were generally shorter and thinner!
Murong Huo, with a question in his mind, created an opening, allowing himself to be heavily wounded, and at the same time, he ripped off the opponent's mask.
Seeing this, Murong Huo was filled with both anger and rage, roaring, "Nangong Zhendong, you actually dared to collude with the Earthlings."
At this moment, Murong Shui, lying like mud on the ground, was greatly startled and decisively commanded, "All Murong family members, scatter and flee! Save who you can. Whoever survives must deliver the news of Nangong Zhendong and Li Xingyuan colluding with the Earthlings to the Stairway."
The Murong family members, who had been fighting with all their might, even when completely on the defensive, did not break formation. Upon hearing their patriarch's command, they all counterattacked with full force, seeking any opportunity to escape.
However, the enemies were simply too numerous. For every one that slipped through, others blocked their path.
In the end, not a single Murong family member managed to break through.
Murong Shui's chest burned with fiery rage.
At this moment, another beam of lightning descended from the sky towards him.
It was like a roaring mountain, a radiant light that swallowed mountains and rivers!
Murong Shui's eyes filled with tragic determination. He took a deep breath and stood his ground, not dodging.
The beam of lightning struck him precisely, engulfing his entire body.
Continuous crackling sounds were heard.
The electric light within the beam resembled a flashing net, flickering in and out of existence.
The net enveloped Murong Shui's entire body, making him appear to flicker in and out of existence as well.
Following this, his body began to swell, making rustling sounds, as if it were about to explode at any moment.
Just then, his body lifted off the ground, radiating light, and charged towards Li Xingyuan.
Li Xingyuan was terrified to the point of losing his wits.
He was absorbing the lightning with his body and intended to self-destruct to achieve mutual annihilation!
Li Xingyuan hastily unleashed a beam of light, sweeping it towards Murong Shui.
At the same time, he used his movement technique to flee into the distance.
Murong Shui did not dodge at all. He held his breath, pushing through the beam of light, even absorbing some of its spiritual energy.
His speed was astonishing!
In just an instant, he caught up to Li Xingyuan.
Li Xingyuan was so scared he wet himself, shouting as he activated his teleportation technique to dodge at extreme speed.
With a world-shattering explosion, Murong Shui's body detonated, a burst of white light instantly spreading out, engulfing Li Xingyuan's body.
When the white light dissipated, a deep pit had appeared on the ground.
And Li Xingyuan's body lay motionless at the edge of the pit.
Cang Shan glanced at the fragments of flesh and blood in the pit and couldn't help but sigh. Seizing a brief opportunity, he swooped away into the distance.
Nangong Zhendong was unwilling to let him go and immediately gave chase.
Murong Mu, Murong Huo, and Murong Jin were successively killed. The remaining family members scattered and fled, while the black-clad figures pursued them everywhere.
In the end, no one knew if any members of the Murong family had managed to escape.
Nangong Zhendong pursued Cang Shan relentlessly. Cang Shan did not engage him in combat, employing various escape techniques and surprisingly managing to break free.
Nangong Zhendong lost sight of him, stamping his feet in anger.
Endless trouble!
He then reconsidered. That person was clearly not from the Murong family, and the possibility of him returning for revenge in the future was slim.
If he were to step forward and testify against him, he could simply deny everything. The problem was not significant.
The most important thing now was to ensure not a single member of the Murong family survived!
Therefore, he rushed back to the Murong family's estate.
By this time, the Murong family estate was littered with corpses, a river of blood flowed, and the air was thick with the pungent smell of blood.
A chilling wind howled, as if the souls of the wronged were crying out!
At this moment, a figure still floated in mid-air, clad in black and masked, with a stern and murderous aura.
Nangong Zhendong immediately flew over, landing before him, and asked with some urgency, "Eunuch Wang, have all the Murong family members been killed?"
Eunuch Wang pulled off his mask, revealing a withered face with triangular eyes.
He said coldly, "How would I know? I didn't conduct a headcount. I only agreed to help you kill people, I didn't promise anything else. If you want to check, go ahead. We're leaving after the killing."
With that, he floated away.
Nangong Zhendong trembled with rage but was helpless.
With the scattered remnants, how could he possibly conduct a headcount to ensure no one was missed?
Just then, in the deep pit, Li Xingyuan's body stirred, and a faint cry for help was heard: "Save me!"
Nangong Zhendong couldn't help but grumble internally. He still couldn't die, this fellow was too tenacious.
He really wanted to step forward and finish him off.
But then he thought, if there were any remnants of the Murong family left, keeping Li Xingyuan alive could serve as a shield for him.
So, he descended from the clouds and helped Li Xingyuan up.
Cang Shan fled for a while and entered a forest. Seeing that no one was pursuing him, he slowed his pace.
His heart was in turmoil. His time spent at the Murong family's estate had given him a sense of warmth, of home.
Moreover, everyone in the Murong family had been hospitable, treating him sincerely, never treating him as an outsider.
He had, in silence, come to regard them as his own family.
Yet, in the blink of an eye, this home had suffered a devastating blow.
Would he have to wander again?
He was filled with anger and secretly resolved that if an opportunity arose, he would definitely seek justice for the Murong family.
But first, he had to find Murong Yanran at the Heavenly Stairway Academy and then take her to the Hongmeng Southern Sea to find Mo Qi.
He possessed a barrier rod, which could easily pass through barriers!
Murong Shui had given it to him before his tribulation, sensing that he might not survive. He had entrusted Cang Shan with the task of taking Murong Yanran to the Hongmeng Southern Sea to seek refuge with Mo Qi if the Murong family met with disaster.
As for revenge, he had not mentioned it!
At this moment, the sound of fighting could be heard in the distance, interspersed with curses and the cries of a child.
Cang Shan's heart stirred, and he immediately activated his movement technique, speeding towards the source of the sound.
He saw five black-clad figures attacking a man covered in blood, his face unrecognizable.
However, he recognized the eight or nine-year-old boy behind him.
He was Murong He, the son of Murong Jin.