At that moment, while Lan Sirong was quickly analyzing the situation, Vice Director Fan, who seemed to have run out of patience with Mu Kangyuan, launched an attack without hesitation. Jet-black spider silk shot out from his hands at incredible speed, heading straight for Mu Kangyuan.
Even with his extensive battle experience, Mu Kangyuan was caught off guard. He had already expended a significant amount of energy in the previous fight, leaving him unable to react in time. Moreover, Lan Hua, who was standing close to him, was also ensnared. She felt an oppressive force suppressing her, her energy too drained to resist.
"What the hell are you doing?" Lan Sirong shouted immediately. She was about to intervene when suddenly, Ji Gang's body began to convulse, blood pouring out uncontrollably.
The spilled blood solidified into crimson spears and shot out in all directions, piercing through everyone in the vicinity at terrifying speed. It was too close, too sudden—no one had time to dodge.
At that moment, Guang Limei, who was caught in the attack, had a spear pierce her arm. Without hesitation, she severed her own limb and shouted, "Those blood spears contain a deadly poison that weakens our power!"
Realizing the danger, the members of the Seven-Colored Peacock Chamber of Commerce wasted no time. They immediately amputated the parts of their bodies that had been struck. But it wasn't over yet.
Ji Gang's body began to swell rapidly.
Guang Limei's voice rang out again. "Retreat now!"
The moment her words ended, all eleven beast tamers at the Emperor level, including Vice Director Fan, instantly fled. Those with void-element beasts tore open space to escape through dimensional rifts.
"No!" Lan Sirong gritted her teeth. She wanted to rush in to help Lan Hua, but Fan Qi's energy forcefully dragged her away.
Meanwhile, Mu Kangyuan and Lan Hua, trapped in the web, found themselves immobilized. The special spider silk not only restricted movement but also suppressed spiritual energy. On top of that, they had been pierced by the blood spears, further crippling their abilities.
Then, Ji Gang's body on the ground began to undergo a terrifying transformation. Glowing orange-red veins spread across his entire body, pulsating grotesquely.
Lan Hua resigned herself to fate. She turned to look at Mu Kangyuan and softly said, "...I love you!"
BOOM!
Ji Gang's body exploded. The force of the blast devastated the surrounding area, sending out waves of destructive energy. Hearing Lan Hua's words, Mu Kangyuan made a desperate decision—he exchanged his own lifespan with his beast's to momentarily unleash overwhelming power. His energy surged to an unprecedented level, shattering the webs that bound him. Grabbing Lan Hua into his arms, he flew away from the explosion at maximum speed.
Lan Hua stared at the man holding her, memories flooding her mind. She struggled and shouted, "Let me go!"
But Mu Kangyuan ignored her, holding her tightly as he sped away with all his might while the explosion chased after them.
Tears streamed down Lan Hua's face. She thrashed in his grasp, screaming, "Let me go! If you let me go, you'll have a chance to escape!"
"You idiot! Let me go!"
But no matter how much she pleaded, Mu Kangyuan didn't respond.
Just then, a pitch-black beam of energy shot toward them from afar.
BOOM!
Mu Kangyuan was struck by the dark energy, momentarily stunned.
"What the hell are you doing, Fan Qi?!" Lan Sirong roared.
Vice Director Fan, standing in the distance, replied coldly, "Eliminating the traitor."
BOOM!
Before any more words could be spoken, Lan Sirong lunged forward, grabbing Fan Qi by the throat in a fit of uncontrollable rage. Her eyes burned with the fury of an unquenchable fire.
At the same time, Mu Kangyuan, realizing that he couldn't escape the explosion in time, made the only choice he had left he threw Lan Hua as far away from the blast zone as possible.
Her body was flung through the air, tears still streaming from her eyes. Her pupils dilated as she stared at Mu Kangyuan.
A warm, gentle smile spread across his face, one filled with purity.
"I'm sorry... I couldn't keep my promise... I'm sorry..."
At that moment, Lan Hua's vision blurred with tears.
"No... No!"
"Move! Move! Move, dammit!"
She struggled desperately, biting into the spider silk that bound her, trying to move any part of her body, but it was useless. She could only watch as Mu Kangyuan looked at her one last time with that same smile—before his body was consumed by the blinding light of the explosion.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"
Her scream echoed throughout the battlefield as the searing light swallowed the foolish man forever.
BOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!
The explosion detonated, shattering Ji Gang's body into particles of raw energy that devoured everything in its wake. The ground, the air, every structure in the vicinity was ripped apart, leaving a massive crater in the heart of the Beast Emperor University. The barrier that had sealed off the entire university collapsed in an instant.
The explosion was so powerful that people in Golden Dragon City, a Level 6 city located kilometers away, turned to look in the direction of the university. More than 60% of the campus was obliterated. There was no trace of buildings left—no remains of the faculty, the guards, or anyone who failed to escape in time. Everything connected to this conspiracy had been erased.
Thick black smoke billowed into the sky. Though many students had survived, they were left in utter shock, screams and cries filling the air.
Beyond the blast radius, Lan Sirong was being held back by Guang Limei and others. On the other side, Fan Qi stood still as the wind carried the remnants of the once-great university into the air.
"I only eliminated a traitor. What did I do wrong?" Fan Qi spoke in a voice filled with anger.
Lan Sirong gritted her teeth before shouting back, "You're the real traitor! You're too stupid to see that Ji Gang's memories were altered! They used you as a pawn! No... actually, no, you were just jealous, weren't you? Jealous that Lan Hua only had eyes for Mu Kangyuan, that she never once looked at a worthless piece of trash like you!"
Fan Qi stiffened for a moment, his mind racing to counter her accusations.
"That's not true... You're just making excuses..."
BOOM!
Before Fan Qi could finish speaking, he was forced to leap backward at high speed. But even though he reacted in time, his right arm was instantly devoured by ice, turning into frozen shards before shattering into countless tiny pieces.
"AAAHHHHHH!!!" Fan Qi screamed in agony.
He gritted his teeth, cursing, "What the hell are you doing, you crazy! Did you forget that your little sister's life is in the hands of "
BOOM!
A massive snowstorm erupted, swallowing Fan Qi whole. In the blink of an eye, the entire ground—including Fan Qi was frozen solid.
Through the frigid storm, Lan Hua emerged. She was gravely injured, her left arm missing, but what was even more terrifying was her eyescompletely void of emotion. Her once-brilliant blue irises had deepened into an endless oceanic abyss.
Before anyone could react, a terrifying killing aura blanketed the area.
From the sky, fifteen mysterious figures descended, each clad in white robes with a single character embroidered on their backs "Guan."
They were from the Guan Holy Family!
One of them stepped forward, his presence exuding authority.
"Cease this fighting immediately. You are all"
Before he could finish, a mocking laugh echoed through the ruins.
"Playing right into our hands, hihi!"
BOOM!
The frozen body of Fan Qi was crushed into dust. A black mist engulfed his remains.
"AAAHHHH!!!"
Fan Qi's soul tried to escape, but a hand wreathed in black flames suddenly grabbed his head, squeezing until it shattered into nothingness.
"That's one down..." a mysterious voice sneered.
"The other two should be joining him soon..."
One of the elders of the Guan family narrowed his eyes at the cloaked figure.
"For them to send one of the Twelve Cardinals here... along with nine Archbishops... this must be quite an important matter."
A woman with emerald-green hair, clad in what resembled a nun's robe, smirked at his words. But her entire aura contradicted the gentle image of a nun it was cold, ruthless, and filled with malice.
"Oh, it is indeed important..."
She turned toward Lan Hua and Lan Sirong, her lips curling into a smile.
"Lady Lan Hua, Lady Lan Sirong, we have... secured Mu Kangyuan's soul for you."
She raised her hand, revealing a small glass vial. Inside, a faint golden light flickered weakly.
"And that's not all..." she continued, her voice laced with amusement.
"We've also retrieved the body of your beloved little sister."
A heavy silence fell over the battlefield.
The members of the Guan family were struck with shock.
Meanwhile, Lan Sirong and Lan Hua froze in place, their hearts pounding.
They understood immediately this was a trap.
And they were the prey.