Chapter 40: The Yao Clan Shaken
Yao Clan, Imperial City.
A towering stone monument stood tall here, like a pillar holding up the heavens—majestic and awe-inspiring, radiating a dignified presence that stirred reverence in all who saw it.
This was the Yao Clan's Ancestral Monument. Carved upon it were countless glowing names, each shining like a star. These weren't just decorative—every name belonged to an officially recognized Yao Clan descendant. Unlike branch-line members, only those truly acknowledged by the clan were recorded here.
Nearly every young member of the Yao Clan saw making it onto this monument as their lifelong goal, a mark of honor and pride.
There were only three ways to be inscribed on the monument: possessing a Dou Di bloodline of at least fourth-grade, becoming a seventh-tier alchemist, or contributing significantly to the clan.
This was the core of the Yao Clan's legacy.
Every name recorded here also carried a soul imprint, which allowed the clan to monitor the individual's vital signs.
Today—
Yao Ding's name suddenly dimmed on the monument. The soul imprint beneath it dissipated completely—signifying his death.
Buzz!
Almost as soon as Yao Ding's name faded, a figure appeared before the monument. Though his body radiated no oppressive aura, the moment he stood there, the surrounding heaven and earth energy froze in place. Clouds and wind halted as if caught in an invisible domain—utterly motionless.
The newcomer was an elderly man with snow-white hair. His cloudy eyes stared at Yao Ding's name without speaking.
Only those with exceptional bloodline talent—under thirty years old—could have their name recorded in that location. Someone Yao Ding's age should still be studying in the Imperial City. How could he suddenly die?
The Yao Clan placed great importance on training the younger generation—especially those with Dou Di bloodlines. Unless one had reached the Dou Zong level, they were rarely sent out for dangerous training. And even if they were, they'd be protected. There was no reason for such a silent, unexplained death.
The elder frowned. A vast, formless wave of soul force swept out, instantly enveloping the entire Imperial City—alarming many.
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
…
A moment later, several figures appeared at the elder's side, bowing respectfully. "Clan Leader!"
This elder was none other than the current patriarch of the Yao Clan—Yao Dan.
His gaze locked on one of them as he said in a low voice, "One of the younger generation has suddenly died. Investigate it thoroughly."
"?!"
The elder responsible for the clan's internal discipline, Yao Wangui, blinked in surprise. Then, looking toward the monument, he noticed that among the many glowing names, one had gone completely dark. His expression turned grim as he growled, "Understood."
In the next instant, his figure vanished.
…
…
Dan Ding City.
As Yao Nong released the spatial barrier, what emerged before everyone's eyes was a scene of complete ruin. The entire estate had been reduced to scorched earth. Not even a single body remained—showing the terrifying destructive power of the Thunderfire Pill. Especially within the sealed space, its force was enough to ensure that nothing below Dou Zong level could survive.
Yao Shan arrived late. When he saw the devastated ruins, his expression turned ugly. He stared in disbelief at his old friend Yao Nong and asked, "You did this?!"
There was no one else around. And Yao Shan had just watched Yao Nong remove the space barrier with his own eyes—he couldn't help but suspect him.
"My disciple sought revenge for his parents. As his teacher, I naturally had to assist. That's all."
Yao Nong remained calm as he replied.
"…That boy?"
Yao Shan's mind conjured an image of Yao Yan, his eyes full of confusion and disbelief. He couldn't help but shout, "Do you realize what you've done?!"
He didn't understand what madness had gripped his friend—why he'd suddenly helped his disciple annihilate everyone in Yao Ding's household. No matter how hard he tried, this incident couldn't be buried. Yao Ding was a registered name on the monument. The clan's elders would be alerted.
Yao Nong, as his accomplice, would face severe punishment—his cultivation could be crippled, or he might even be expelled from the clan.
Was this kind of price really worth it?
Yao Shan was baffled. He couldn't understand what had gone through Yao Nong's mind.
His expression flickered uncertainly. A moment later, he continued, "If your disciple had grievances with Yao Ding, you could've asked me for help. Why go this far? And where is he now? Don't think you can help him escape. The clan elders will track him down!"
If they caught Yao Yan, maybe there would still be hope for Yao Nong.
"I know. That's why I need to take one last step for him."
Yao Nong cupped his fists and gave a faint, relieved smile.
He was tired.
Living like this, under Hun Xuzi's control, had become a burden. Death felt like a release. It was a pity he wouldn't get to see Yao Yan's future—but with that boy's talent, it would surely be brilliant. He was curious how the Yao Clan would react when they learned the truth about him.
It would be… interesting.
As he finished speaking, an overwhelming wave of Dou Qi exploded from Yao Nong's body. Even space itself began to distort and quake.
"?!"
Yao Shan's heart dropped. He hadn't expected his old friend to go this far—to self-destruct just to further disturb the surrounding spatial energy. But it was too late. Chasing Yao Yan wouldn't matter now. Stopping Yao Nong's suicide was the only priority. A half-step Dou Zun detonating within a city… could destroy everything.
He swiftly activated his three-star Dou Zun power to seal the surrounding space. Looking at Yao Nong, whose body radiated with annihilation energy, Yao Shan's eyes reddened. He roared, "You've gone insane!!"
Whoosh! Whoosh!
At that moment, over a dozen Dou Zong-level powerhouses flew over from the city, stunned by what they saw—unable to make sense of it all.
Boom!
Yao Nong stood amidst the ruins. His Dou Qi surged violently, and the next moment—his body erupted with a horrifying blast of destructive energy. There was no holding back. Both his physical body and soul disintegrated in an instant, unleashing a shockwave that devoured everything.
The estate—already destroyed by the Thunderfire Pill—was ravaged again.
But this time, the devastation was even worse. Space itself began to crack and shatter. Jagged black fissures spread in every direction—utterly terrifying.
"Damn it!!"
Yao Shan bellowed in fury. He couldn't understand why his friend had done this. What power did Yao Yan possess that was worth such a sacrifice?
He struggled to contain the destruction eating away at space.
The nearby Dou Zong experts joined him one by one, trying to suppress the expanding wave of destruction before it could engulf the city. All of them wore expressions of shock—they had no idea what had just happened. Yao Nong had simply… self-destructed.
"Hold the line!!"
Yao Shan growled hoarsely. He couldn't let this destructive force spread. If it did, the entire Dan Ding City would be wiped off the map.
Buzz!
Suddenly, space trembled—and a giant transparent hand appeared, engulfing the destruction left by Yao Nong's explosion. With a gentle squeeze, it wiped out the terrifying force, smoothing over the nearby spatial cracks as well.
A stern figure emerged in everyone's sight.
With a voice like thunder, he barked, "Who will explain this to me?!"
A wave of Saint-level pressure spread across the entire city—forcing every single person to their knees. Even Yao Shan and the other airborne experts couldn't resist. They too were pressed to the ground, unable to look upon the saint's face.
The newcomer was none other than Elder Yao Wangui, the Yao Clan's head of punishment.
His mood was terrible.
Someone had dared cause such a ruckus within the Realm of Pills—and such a huge one at that. It was a direct slap to his face. How could he face Clan Leader Yao Dan now? He'd been in charge of enforcing order for years—how could something like this happen under his watch?
Yes, it was a joke.
More than Yao Ding's death, what infuriated Yao Wangui was that someone had broken the clan's rules. His authority had been challenged.
The entire city was deathly silent.
A moment later—
Yao Shan lifted his head with great effort and said, "It happened so suddenly. We don't yet know all the details. Please calm your anger, Elder."
"I'll give you half an hour."
Yao Wangui's tone was icy. His gaze was like that of a god staring at ants. And the moment his words fell, his figure vanished—along with the pressure blanketing the city.
The people slowly began to rise, murmuring in confusion.
Even now, most of them still had no idea what had just happened.
(END CHAPTER)
Friends, if you enjoyed the novel, you can subscribe to my Patreon channel.
Until November 30st, get 30% off both your subscription and the purchase of your novel. Thank you for your support.
Read 30 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Kira1997