Shentu stood frozen in place, his lips curling as though he wanted to say something, but no words came out.
A single snowflake drifted down, landing on the top of his head.
The next instant, with a soft puff, the snowflake's point of impact became the center of a violent split — Shentu's body cleaved cleanly in two. Bright crimson blood sprayed from the bisected remains as his organs scattered and plummeted downward together.
The Ghost Hand Shentu, who had terrorized the outskirts of Maple Forest City for countless years, had just died — utterly and inexplicably.
And in the very next moment, the Insect Mother that had delivered the killing blow swayed slightly before vanishing into thin air. No one knew where it had gone or where it was hiding!
The snowflakes drifting through the sky all melted away at once, and the bone-chilling Frost Intent that permeated the area dissipated as though it had never existed.
In the distance, the gathered crowd erupted in uproar.
Every pair of eyes was wide as they stared at what had just unfolded far ahead. Though the distance was too great for them to make out the details — and they had no idea exactly what had happened — the deaths of those dozen Void King Realm cultivators and the fall of Shentu himself had been visible with perfect clarity.
The sheer visual impact left them feeling as though they were witnessing ghosts in broad daylight. Not a single person could believe what they had seen, and more than a few were rubbing their eyes furiously, as if trying to peer more clearly through the haze of disbelief.
"Shentu... is dead?"
It was a long while before anyone managed to murmur those words, their tone thick with uncertainty.
"Shentu really is dead. That person killed him."
"No, no — Shentu wasn't killed by that person. He was struck down by another powerful cultivator."
"Right. It seems there's a friend protecting that one. This powerhouse is no ordinary fighter."
"Thank heavens we didn't try to make a move on him earlier. Otherwise..."
Quite a few of the onlookers were secretly congratulating themselves, seized by the distinct sensation of having narrowly escaped disaster.
Once they realized that Yang Kai wasn't here alone to attempt his breakthrough, but rather had a formidable guardian watching over him, none of the surrounding cultivators dared remain where they were. Almost as if they had reached a silent consensus, they all pulled back several dozen li in a body, settling at a much greater distance to keep watch — terrified of offending the hidden protector lurking in the shadows.
On the other side, the Qin family group was similarly slack-jawed with shock.
When Shentu and his cohort had set off, they had been bursting with aggressive confidence, but not a soul had predicted that their ultimate fate would be total annihilation.
"Did any of you get a clear look at who dealt the final blow to Shentu?" Qin Yu's stunning eyes gleamed with an unusual light as she stared intently toward the spot where the Insect Mother had disappeared. Her voice carried a note of barely contained excitement.
Shentu had been a first-level Dao Source Realm powerhouse. Whatever being could cut him down in a single exchange had to be at least a second-level Dao Source Realm expert.
If she could recruit this person into the Qin family, the family's overall strength would instantly rival that of the City Lord's Manor. The Qin family would enjoy a powerful guardian going forward.
Unfortunately, the Insect Mother had struck far too quickly and vanished just as fast — Qin Yu simply hadn't had the chance to see clearly.
When she asked her question, the Qin family cultivators exchanged glances before slowly shaking their heads one by one.
The middle-aged man said, "Miss, I didn't manage to get a clear look either, but it appeared that person was using twin sword Artifacts. Is there any powerhouse near Maple Forest City known for wielding that kind of Artifact?"
"Twin swords!" Qin Yu's expression turned pensive, and after a long moment she shook her head. "I've never heard of one. Twin swords are exceptionally difficult to use. If any powerhouse near Maple Forest City had mastered twin-sword techniques, I would certainly have heard about it. It seems this person must be an outsider."
The Qin family cultivators listened and nodded to themselves without suspicion.
"It's not just the protector who's powerful — the one currently in the midst of his breakthrough is no ordinary figure either." Qin Yu lightly pressed her crimson lips together, her beautiful eyes shining as she gazed toward Yang Kai's position, straining to see more clearly. Unfortunately, that area was enveloped in dense spiritual energy, and she couldn't make out Yang Kai's features at all.
The middle-aged man nodded at her words. "Indeed. This person is at the most critical juncture of his breakthrough, yet he was still able to strike down over a dozen Void King Realm cultivators — clearly, he's far from ordinary. And... what puzzles me most is why Shentu suddenly tried to flee."
Qin Yu's expression shifted. "Shentu is a cruel and bloodthirsty man. The fact that he ran tells me he must have suffered a devastating loss at that person's hands!"
"You can't be serious, Miss — that person is only a third-level Void King. He hasn't even broken through to the Dao Source Realm yet, while Shentu was a bona fide Dao Source Realm expert!" The middle-aged man looked stunned.
"Have you ever seen a third-level Void King create such a spectacle when attempting to cross into a major realm? Look over there — it seems like even space itself is beginning to collapse." Qin Yu pointed forward.
The middle-aged man let out an awkward laugh. "I'm only a third-level Void King myself — how would I have ever witnessed a Dao Source Realm breakthrough? But even though I haven't seen one before, I have to think the commotion wouldn't normally be this tremendous."
"That's exactly my point. The stronger the cultivator, the bigger the upheaval!" Qin Yu's eyes darted with a playful gleam, and she chuckled softly. "I'm growing more and more interested in this person. If I could recruit him..."
The middle-aged man glanced at his young miss and saw that her expression was genuinely animated — he could tell she was truly entertaining the idea of recruitment. He said, "In that case, we should wait until he's finished his breakthrough before making any moves."
Qin Yu gave a gentle nod and murmured to herself, "He should succeed."
Just then, a deep peal of thunder rolled across the sky — enormous and deafening, as though it were about to split heaven and earth apart.