A tense silence blanketed the scene, as if time itself had frozen. Yang Xuan, overwhelmed with fear, collapsed to the ground. His body stiffened, paralyzed with terror, and his pants were soaked—he had wet himself in sheer panic.
"I remember giving you and your son a chance to live last night," Horn said calmly. "Why didn't you cherish it?"
Yang Xuan, gasping for breath, crawled toward Horn like a desperate animal. "Young Master Su, I didn't know what was good for me. Please, give me another chance. I'm nothing but a dog before you. I swear, I'll never show my face in front of you again." He then began imitating a dog's bark, "Woof, woof, woof," abandoning all dignity to survive.
Horn's smile was icy. "Weren't you a genius from the Immortal Martial Academy in the imperial capital? Ranked third on the earth rankings? It's time to hit the road."
In a panic, Yang Xuan screamed, "No, you can't kill me! My father is with the Anbu. If you kill me, you'll be an enemy of the Anbu. You—" His voice cut off abruptly.
With a mere glance from Horn, Yang Xuan's head began to swell and throb with pain. It expanded rapidly before exploding like a watermelon, spraying blood and gore everywhere. He didn't even get to finish his sentence.
The remaining members of the Su family, who had clung to the hope of survival, watched in horror as Yang Xuan's headless body collapsed, blood gushing like a fountain. Some among them, overcome with fear, began to scream and cry uncontrollably. Having witnessed the gruesome deaths of Su Yao, Su He, and others, they felt a suffocating fear, as if a blade was hovering above their necks. This was not a fear that ordinary people could endure.
Horn, showing no more concern than if he had crushed an ant, flicked his right hand, sending Mr. Meng flying against the wall outside the mourning hall. Blood spurted from Mr. Meng's mouth as his body hit the wall with a sickening "bang."
"It's time to end this," Horn remarked casually.
Though barely alive, Mr. Meng summoned the last of his strength to shout, "You bastard, you can't kill me! Do you know how vast the world truly is? Do you understand what a true cultivating family is?" He gasped for breath before continuing, "My young master's mother comes from a cultivating family, and I was once a slave in that family. This is something few in the Tianhai Su family know. The Tianhai Su family is nothing compared to that immortal cultivating family!"
Mr. Meng paused, his breath labored. "I carry the power of a mark left by that family. If you kill me, the mark will transform into a curse, branding you. Anyone from that family will recognize you as my murderer at a glance. I advise you, don't make this mistake. We're not yet at the point of no return!"
As Su Quan and the others heard Mr. Meng's words, hope flickered in their hearts. They had never known about these cultivation families, but now, it seemed like salvation was within reach.
Mr. Meng, thinking he had instilled fear in Horn, sneered, "Horn, this world is full of mysteries beyond your understanding. Even if you go on a killing spree here, what will it prove? To a true cultivating family, you're barely more than an ant."
Horn's deep, calm eyes met Mr. Meng's. "Meng Laogou, your vision is limited to this earth. Do you even know what kind of existence I am now? If that so-called immortal family dares to offend me, they'll disappear from this world."
Mr. Meng was about to accuse Horn of arrogance when suddenly, Horn released a sliver of his true aura. Instantly, the entire Su family's manor began to sink, and the sky itself seemed to buckle under the pressure of Horn's presence.
Blood mist erupted from Su Quan and the others, forcing them to their knees. They couldn't stand against the overwhelming force, even as Horn tried to prevent the full effect of his aura from obliterating them.
"The earth can't even bear a breath of mine. Meng Laogou, who do you think I need to fear on this earth?" Horn's aura receded, and the ground stopped sinking as the sky slowly returned to normal.
Horn pointed a finger at Mr. Meng, and a terrifying cutting force rushed toward him. As it neared, the force multiplied into countless blades, slicing into Mr. Meng's flesh.
Mr. Meng fell into despair, realizing that this was just a fraction of Horn's power. "How can this bastard be so strong? What has Horn been through in the past two years?" he thought, overwhelmed by the realization that Horn could easily destroy the earth. The cultivating family he once feared was powerless against him.
Desperate, Mr. Meng pleaded, "Senior Su, please spare the lives of the Immortal Cultivators who may come after you in the future. I beg you!" His body, under the relentless assault of the cutting force, was rapidly turning into a skeleton, yet he persisted in finishing his plea.
Horn's voice was cold. "I won't harm anyone unless they provoke me first. But if the cultivating family you speak of seeks revenge, I'll send them all to hell to join you."
With that, Horn lightly waved his right hand.
Bang—
Mr. Meng, who still sought mercy, exploded into a shower of blood and flesh. At the same time, a mysterious force attacked Horn, leaving a black cloud-shaped mark on the back of his right hand. Although Horn could easily dispel this so-called curse, he chose not to, wanting the forces behind Meng Laogou to confront him directly.
Horn leaped into the air, hovering above the Su family manor. Below, Su Quan, the head of the collateral family, was paralyzed with fear. A large black dog suddenly bolted from the right side of the mourning hall, barking madly at Horn.
This was the vicious dog that had once attacked Horn under orders from the Su family. Horn's right index finger ignited with a small purple flame, and the temperature around him began to rise rapidly. With a flick of his finger, the flame descended. The moment the dog touched the purple flame, it was reduced to ashes.
Immediately, the purple flames spread, transforming into a monstrous fire that engulfed the entire Su family manor. Su Quan and the others were swallowed by the flames, and the manor was consumed, turning into a sea of purple fire.
Horn, his expression indifferent, turned and left. By the end of that day, not even a single chicken or dog remained from the Su family's collateral line.