Chapter 003: The Downfall of the King of Killers

Her face contorted and transformed at that moment, becoming the aged visage of an old woman

The golden dragon suddenly turned its head and was astonished to find a gigantic black snake emerging from the soil. It had a flattened head, a neck engorged with blood, and two wings sprouting from it. Its pair of emerald green eyes fixed intently on the golden dragon, as it opened its gaping maw, revealing two rows of enormous cyan fangs, charging forward with lightning speed

"In my dreams, I, Yan Ziyao, would rather become a beggar than sink to your level of corruption," Yan Ziyao said sternly

"Ghost Brain, you have already killed so many people; do you not even spare your own mother? I thought you were at least a filial son." Yan Ziyao's voice had also turned into a hoarse and slow feminine tone, as if she had become another person

"Hehe, Yan Ziyao, we have been colleagues for many years. Your past is your only weakness. Unfortunately, none of us know who your beloved is; otherwise, I would have killed you by now," said the man known as Fang Guinao with a cold smile.

Ziyao, do you really want to fight against us

"Hmph, I am very sorry, but unless you lose all your memories, we cannot safely allow you to live in this world!" The man said this and suddenly whistled.

Join us, the man's voice said

Oh... the golden dragon's mouth flattened, just as I was about to cry out, the monk's skin suddenly turned blue and white, and his entire body froze in mid-air. A crisp sound came from his neck, revealing a thin crack, and then his head fell to the ground with a thud, shattering into countless bright fragments

No, no! Fang Guinao, how dare you treat me this way!" Yan Ziyao's face turned a shade of iron blue as she shouted hoarsely

"Master, Master Ziyao, what is wrong with you? Are you alright?" Huang Jinlong shouted loudly while shaking the Xuanbing wall vigorously

It is not that I and the books are unwilling to let you go; it is that you refuse to be silent. You cannot remain quiet; you must see that place, you must know the truth, and you must make the truth public. No matter how we tried to stop you, how we advised you, or even begged you, you still sought that damned place. Anyone who sees that place either joins us or dies. There is no third option; this is the decision from above. The man said in a low voice, anyone who sees that place either joins us or dies. There is no third option; this is the decision from above. The man said, "You have been spoiled since childhood, thinking that the world revolves around you, believing that everyone must obey your decisions, thinking that your way of judging right and wrong is the only one. Your stubbornness has driven all your friends away, yet you still refuse to yield.

At the critical moment, a white shadow flashed before his eyes like a spiritual crane. The gray robe worn by Yan Ziyao had somehow transformed into pure white, with all the dust accumulated over a month completely vanished.

The rumbling thunder echoed in the sky as a massive, brilliant blood-red meteor descended from above, trailing a torrent of blazing flames, aimed directly at the area where Yan Ziyao was located

Ah—! The heart-wrenching cries echoed through the mist of the night, followed by the heavy thud of a lifeless body hitting the ground

"Fang Guinao, I originally intended to spare you, but you have brought this upon yourself!" Yan Ziyao shouted hoarsely while desperately wielding her bone whip to fend off the relentless assault of the twelve swordsmen.

"Mother, no, this is not true. Yan Ziyao, you are deceiving me!" Fang Guinao's voice was piercing and frenzied

Help! The golden dragon cried out in despair. This strange black snake actually knew how to burrow into the ground, breaking through the five layers of defense of the mysterious ice wall to attack its enemy. Such intelligence is something even a human might not possess.

"Ah!" Fang Guinao roared as he surged upward from his hiding place, diving towards Yan Ziyao. It was only at this moment that Huang Jinlong saw the man's appearance. He wore a scholar's square hat, draped in a loose robe, and dressed in neat warrior pants. His attire was simple and tidy, and his face appeared quite presentable. At first glance, one would never suspect that he was the murderer intent on killing his master. It was only at this moment that Huang Jinlong saw the man's appearance. He wore a scholar's square hat, draped in a loose robe, and dressed in neat warrior pants. His attire was simple and tidy, and his face appeared quite presentable. At first glance, one would never suspect that he was the murderer intent on killing his master.

"I never expected that thirty years have passed, and you still refuse to let me go!" Yan Ziyao exclaimed angrily.

As soon as the ghostly figure of the demon appeared, Yan Ziyao's bone whip shot out like lightning, the straight white whip shadow mercilessly piercing through his body, emerging from his back and spraying forth a torrent of filthy blood. The illusions controlling the twelve various long swords simultaneously vanished, but before they disappeared, they all flicked their wrists, sending the long swords flying towards Yan Ziyao from all directions.

The twelve individuals are dressed in various styles, comprising both men and women, each possessing unique appearances. Every person exudes a distinctive aura, their faces immersed in a sense of experience and composure. It seems that each one harbors a poignant and intricate story, and although they are close at hand, their gazes appear to originate from afar

Thousands of sharp nails flew in from afar, gathering in her right palm along a spiraling trajectory, resembling a school of fish, transforming into a dazzling and menacing claw ball. Yan Ziyao's right palm suddenly flicked, and this menacing claw ball burst forth like an evil bud, unexpectedly blooming. Thousands of sharp nails whistled, collided, and spiraled, shooting into the distant night along countless strange trajectories. Yan Ziyao's right palm suddenly flicked, and this menacing claw ball burst forth like an evil bud, unexpectedly blooming. Thousands of sharp nails whistled, collided, and spiraled, shooting into the distant night along countless strange trajectories.

Although the golden dragon felt the scorching heat waves from the bookkeeper surging all around him in the icy cold of the frozen box, as if wanting to roast him like a pig, at that moment, he even wished he could die immediately to escape the torment of being roasted alive.

Master! The gray face of the Golden Dragon was once again ignited with hope. Yan Ziyao's right hand gracefully extended, and with a sweep in front of the ice wall, her five fingers twirled and twisted like orchids.

Yan Ziyao spun around, and suddenly her entire body was enveloped in a shell of profound ice. The long sword struck repeatedly against the ice shell, leaving fine cracks on its surface, before helplessly sliding to the ground. At that moment, a meteor from the sky finally fell upon her head, a brilliant and terrifying orange-red light engulfing everything. The purple curtain cast by the ghostly figure was reduced to ashes, and the night reappeared before her eyes, while the surrounding scenery transformed into a distorted illusion. Rocks shattered, ancient trees were sent flying, and soil was scattered; the entire summit of Liuhua Mountain was engulfed in fierce flames. At that moment, a meteor from the sky finally fell upon her head, a brilliant and terrifying orange-red light engulfing everything. The purple curtain cast by the ghostly figure was reduced to ashes, and the night reappeared before her eyes, while the surrounding scenery transformed into a distorted illusion. Rocks shattered, ancient trees were sent flying, and soil was scattered; the entire summit of Liuhua Mountain was engulfed in fierce flames.

So you are her disciple. Stop calling out, you have been struck by the Buddha's Ninefold Star, and there is no immortality. Suddenly, a rough voice appeared behind the Golden Dragon. He turned around, but the voice reappeared right in front of him, "Since you share such a deep bond as master and disciple, let you both embark on the same journey, descending to the Yellow Springs, where you can keep each other company."

"Look at the sword!" In the moment after the black snake's attack failed, another voice thundered. Suddenly, twelve various long swords surged in from all directions, as if these swords were possessed by souls eager for battle, rushing towards the Xuanbing Box. The bright sword light fiercely slashed at the Xuanbing Wall, wishing to chop the Xuanbing Box and the golden dragon inside into pieces.

As his cold laughter echoed, the twelve swordsmen simultaneously surged forth, their swords transforming into twelve brilliant blossoms of sword light, exploding around Yan Ziyao. In an instant, the sword radiance was dazzling, the intent to kill and the atmosphere of the scene intertwined, with shadows of blue looming heavily, and a chill rampaging, turning the ground within several dozen feet into scorched earth

A low and sinister voice emerged from the nearby ruins

The figure of Yan Ziyao reappeared, her hand gripping a snow-white snake tail bone, which was unmistakably the skeletal remains of the black snake reduced to ashes. With a forceful tug on the snake tail bone, she extracted the entire snake skeleton from the ground, transforming it into a long white whip. She wielded the bone whip, conjuring layers of cloud-like waves, creating a pale curtain around herself and the Xuanbing Box. The attacks from twelve various long swords were repelled by the whip's shadow, leaving only alternating sparks of blue and red in the air. She wielded the bone whip, conjuring layers of cloud-like waves, creating a pale curtain around herself and the Xuanbing Box. The attacks from twelve various long swords were repelled by the whip's shadow, leaving only alternating sparks of blue and red in the air.

The figure of Yan Ziyao flickered and vanished once more. Just as the black snake was about to bite the golden dragon, its body suddenly transformed from black to a golden tangerine red. A strange flame erupted from its mouth, instantly engulfing its entire body. The burnt, fishy smell of char siu filled the entire Xuanbing box, causing the golden dragon to cough repeatedly, its stomach churning violently, wanting to vomit but lacking the strength to do so.

"You are still so spirited, Yan Ziyao, just like you were thirty years ago." In the dark night, the man controlling the sword from a distance let out a sigh of emotion

Ziyao, let us go, walk with me

"Ghost Brain, why do you want to kill me? Look at who I am!" Yan Ziyao suddenly said in a sorrowful voice

Ziyao, where have you been for the past thirty years

Perhaps I was wrong, I always thought I had a good son

With a series of four thunderous sounds, four curtains of purple-black descended from the sky, severing the darkness from all directions and transforming the entire world into a stage shimmering with fluorescent light. Twelve various long swords, dancing and changing in the air, suddenly scattered, spiraling and falling into the curtains. Twelve figures slowly emerged from the fluorescence, each raising a hand in turn to catch a long sword, stepping forward with solemnity to encircle Yan Ziyao.

"What must I do for you to let me go, and to spare my disciple?" Yan Ziyao asked loudly

The little child, appearing to be no more than sixteen years old, has now died, which is somewhat pitiable. Buddha, I will grant you a swift end, ensuring that it will hurt not at all! The monk looked at him with a grin, suddenly puffing out his chest. His left fist swelled to several times its size, transforming into a massive iron-blue hammer, which he swung fiercely at the ice wall. The force, akin to a bursting flood, seemed capable of smashing both the ice wall and the golden dragon within into powder.

Ziyao, you have broken our hearts, do you know that

"You, you, you all..." Yan Ziyao looked around at the faces of the twelve individuals, and suddenly tears welled up in her slender and beautiful eyes, "It is you."

Mother, Mother! How could you be here?" Fang Guinao's voice sounded in a panic.

It has been a long time since we last met, Ziyao. Do you still remember us

The golden dragon raised its head and discovered that the one speaking was a monk dressed in a yellow robe. He had thick eyebrows and round eyes, with short hair on his head and a necklace of prayer beads made of glass beads hanging around his neck. Each glass bead contained the eye of a dead person

The intense flames persisted for half an hour before gradually fading away. The golden dragon, barely alive, crawled up from the ground and gazed towards the core of the fire meteor explosion. Yan Ziyao stood upright at the center of a pit with a radius of three zhang, her entire body encased in shattered dark ice, which lay scattered all around. Although she suffered no burns, streams of blood flowed from her eyes, mouth, and ears.

Get to work! The voice of the square ghost's brain also became piercing, clearly indicating that it had begun to exert its full strength.