Chapter Ninety-Nine: The Beginning of the Carnage

Before dawn, the Cloud Piercer swiftly glided over the city walls of Pingdu City, heading straight for the Shen family estate.

Not far from the Shen estate, Liu Junhuai retracted the Cloud Piercer, opened his Heavenly Eye, and with the Shadowless Wind Penetration Technique, vanished from sight, reappearing in the third courtyard of the Shen estate.

The courtyard was still brightly lit; torch-bearing guards patrolled continuously, while servants carrying lanterns weaved between rooms. Occasional sounds of cups clinking came from one of the chambers.

Amidst the bustle, vigilant eyes lurked in the corners and on the rooftops.

Liu Junhuai’s Heavenly Insight enveloped the entire Shen estate, revealing every room clearly. A faint smile played on his lips as he lightly tapped his toes and vanished into the boundless darkness.

Outside Pingdu City, in a hidden place, Liu Junhuai entered a chaotic space.

By the edge of Qingyun Lake, everyone waited anxiously. Seeing Liu Junhuai return, they rushed forward with questions.

Liu Junhuai said, “I scouted the Shen estate. The third courtyard is where the Third Madam and Shen Linghan’s family reside; it has now been renamed the fifth courtyard. The Second Madam and Fifth Madam’s families live in the sixth courtyard. Their original residences are all occupied by cultivators in hiding; even the servants and guards are disguised as Qi Refining Stage practitioners above the fifth rank. The third courtyard has three Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators; the fifth has five, all in the later stages. The sixth courtyard houses one early Golden Core cultivator alongside the family head, Shen Ao. Every rooftop is ambushed, and the entire urban area of Pingdu City has seen an increase in Foundation Establishment practitioners, including one mid-stage Golden Core cultivator within the city lord’s mansion.

“It seems the Shen family has brought in more reinforcements than we knew. They must have people throughout the city, including that mid-stage Golden Core. Many cultivators allied with the Celestial Mechanism Sect have entered the city. The situation is complicated. Starting tonight, I intend to gather precise information to find out exactly how many have come.”

Fang Keyin asked, “Junhuai, according to your plan, except for those three suspects, shall we strike at these reinforcements tonight?”

Liu Junhuai shook his head. “Not yet. The situation has changed. Now the whole city is watching the Shen family, and the city lord’s mansion will get involved. I need to devise a method to make them retreat out of fear.”

Mo Sitong said, “Junhuai, should my brother and I strike together today? Give them a harsh warning?”

Liu Junhuai waved his hand. “I want them to retreat due to fear, not bloodshed. First, I must instill terror in them.”

After some discussion, Liu Junhuai entered Mansion Number One, seated himself cross-legged, quietly circulating his cultivation technique to store true energy.

Inside the Shen estate, in the sixth courtyard, family head Shen Ao was consulting with several others, including Yun Jiezi of the Celestial Mechanism Sect.

An early Golden Core cultivator said, “Disciple Yun, according to your account, Liu Junhuai didn’t gather many reinforcements within the sect. He should now be heading here.”

Yun Jiezi replied, “He only managed to get help from my junior disciple Wu Wanren. The sect just issued a ban on going out. Even if Wu Wanren found help elsewhere, they’re only Foundation Establishment early to mid-stage cultivators, nothing to fear.”

Shen Ao asked, “Is that brat really at the late Foundation Establishment stage now?”

Yun Jiezi nodded. “He must have consumed some rare heavenly material to force his advancement. That’s not alarming, but one of our early Golden Core senior brothers has gone missing. I suspect a connection. If it’s his doing, then he must have support from Golden Core cultivators with formidable strength.”

The early Golden Core cultivator said, intrigued, “Oh? Interesting. Tell us more.”

Yun Jiezi recounted the situation in detail. Shen Ao exhaled deeply, visibly relieved. “So it’s not certain he’s responsible. Perhaps that A’Tel has already made a deal with him and fled with that cultivation technique.”

An elder resembling Shen Ao said, “That doesn’t add up! Brother Yun said Liu Junhuai never left the Celestial Mechanism Sect. Where would any deal come from?”

The early Golden Core cultivator said, “If A’Tel met with an accident, his killer must be at least mid-stage Golden Core, with help. Consider this: several Foundation Establishment cultivators, mostly mid to late stage, vanished alongside A’Tel.”

Shen Ao said, “Master Cheng’s right. A’Tel’s disappearance probably has nothing to do with that bastard. If he had such strong allies, why seek help everywhere and dream of joining the Celestial Mechanism Sect? Ridiculous! Overestimating himself!”

Master Cheng Kelei of the Yanfu Palace, who resembled Shen Ao, nodded. The elder was Shen Jin, Shen Ao’s brother and deputy city lord of Xuecheng in the Mengze Kingdom, a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.

The mid-stage Golden Core cultivator living in Pingdu City’s lord mansion was Shen Jin’s master, Pamo Ji, second elder of the prominent sect, Meteor Star Mansion.

The early Foundation Establishment cultivator standing nearby serving tea was Shen Bingwen. He said, “Grandfather, Liu Junhuai isn’t as weak as you think. I’ve never heard of a fifteen-year-old late Foundation Establishment cultivator. I don’t believe many elders have seen one. From what I’ve seen, A’Tel’s disappearance is definitely related to him. No one knows his sect; he must have used unusual methods.”

Master Cheng smiled. “Bingwen’s analysis makes sense. Brother Yun should re-interrogate those disciples who drank together; perhaps they’ve conspired on their testimony.”

Yun Jiezi pondered thoughtfully. Shen Jin said, “Regardless, the day of that brat’s appointment is coming. All city gates have eyes. Once he moves, we’ll know. The entire Shen estate is a deadly trap. No matter how strong he is, he won’t escape Pingdu City. Brother, Lord Xi’s arrangements won’t fail, right?”

Shen Ao said, “Lord Xi has planned well. As soon as Liu Junhuai’s people appear in Pingdu City, the guards will capture them to disrupt their formation.”

Lord Xi Nan Yu, a Foundation Establishment early-stage cultivator, was close to Deputy City Lord Shen Ao and related by marriage, effectively ruling this remote city.

As dusk deepened, the wind rose, and night fell like thick ink, heavy and impenetrable.

In the night sky, the moon was dim, stars sparse. The world seemed asleep, with only the Shen estate brightly lit and bustling.

In the third courtyard, a tall, slender figure suddenly appeared on the eastern rooftop corner. A black long blade silently sliced through the neck of a ninth-rank Qi Refining cultivator, who barely gasped before collapsing dead. The curtain rose on Liu Junhuai’s vengeance.

Lightly stepping on roof tiles, his shadow blade swiftly severed the necks of two more Qi Refining cultivators before vanishing.

In an instant, Liu Junhuai reappeared on the western rooftop. With a flash of dark light, three more Qi Refining cultivators died instantly, blood gushing from their necks. He then appeared on the southern rooftop.

Within moments, all lurking enemies on rooftops and dark corners were eliminated. Scanning with his Heavenly Insight, Liu Junhuai crouched at a southern window, casting a simple restriction spell. As the window opened and closed, he slipped inside.

Hearing the window, two mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators sipping tea froze. One felt a chill down his spine as a half-foot sword blade pressed against his chest.

The other screamed in terror, but the black blade had already sliced his throat. With gurgling sounds, he clutched his neck and collapsed.

Liu Junhuai’s brow twitched. He quickly moved behind the door as a young maid in green entered, carrying a tray. He flicked his finger, knocking her unconscious, and gently set down the tray.

He bolted the door, returned to the windowsill, dispelled the restriction, and leapt out.

Using the same method, within half an hour, all male cultivators in the courtyard were slain, and all the maids knocked out and left aside.

Liu Junhuai had used only the Shadow Blade to accomplish this, employing no other means.

After lying in wait a while longer and killing two groups of patrolling guards, Liu Junhuai returned to the second courtyard.

In just over twenty breaths, he had eradicated all male cultivators there.

After another inspection, he bypassed the courtyard walls, leaving footprints on the outer wall before disappearing into the endless night.

Half an hour later, a maid’s piercing scream ignited chaos throughout the Shen estate, accompanied by dogs howling in the distance and lights flashing in courtyards beyond, signaling an invisible panic descending on Pingdu City.

In the sixth courtyard, Shen Ao was discussing matters with Shen Jin in his study when sudden commotion erupted outside. Shen Bingwen burst in, rushing toward them.

“Grandfather, Liu Junhuai has appeared. Except for the maids, everyone in the second and third courtyards has been slaughtered. No one saw his figure!” Shen Bingwen whispered.

Shen Ao’s face paled as he collapsed into his chair. “All dead? No survivors? Right, the maids! Interrogate them immediately!”

Shen Bingwen said, “They’re being questioned now, but it’s unlikely to get anything. Each was knocked out at pressure points. I just regained consciousness before coming here.”

Shen Jin said, “Have you summoned your master and others? Gather the second, third, and fifth branches here. Your elder uncle from the Sea God Temple has arrived as well. They’re all staying at the Three Cauldrons Tavern. Bring everyone together.”

As they organized, over a dozen people rushed in, faces full of panic, looking around as they entered the hall—wives and children from the several branches.

Shen Ao and the others stood as the crowd babbled nonsense until Shen Ao shouted sharply, silencing them.

Suddenly, a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator burst in—Zhang Shizhuo, a guest expert Shen family had hired at great expense.

Zhang Shizhuo hurried to Shen Ao and whispered something, causing Shen Ao’s face to grow pale.

Shen Jin said, “Enough! What’s there to hide at a time like this? Speak aloud.”

Zhang Shizhuo glanced at Shen Ao. “The count is in: seventy-three people, including three Foundation Establishment cultivators, were killed in the second and third courtyards plus the patrol guards. None of the maids were harmed, but no one saw the killer’s face.”

Before Zhang finished, the Third Madam fainted, collapsing as her jade bracelet shattered on the floor, scattering fragments everywhere.