Chapter Eighteen: Hell

Within the Wang Family Manor.

Wang Yi had summoned more than a dozen people from the manor to the main hall of his residence, adopting the air of someone about to discuss a matter of great importance. Everyone present wore anxious expressions; their faces were clouded with worry.

Those who could attend were naturally the ones who had partaken in the flesh and blood, and among them, those who had consumed the most showed the most severe signs of demonic transformation. At this very moment, their anxiety was at its peak.

“Ah, that Daoist Ling Xiao truly brought disaster upon us. Had we known, we should never have tried to corrupt him—should have just killed him outright,” someone in the crowd complained.

“You have the nerve to say that? If it weren’t for your wretched idea, the Daoist would have been persuaded to leave by the master long ago. None of this trouble would have happened.”

“Hmph! I think the Daoist simply didn’t see through us at the time; it was only the master who was too cautious.” Among the crowd, there were quite a few who were not entirely convinced by Wang Yi’s authority as the master.

“Heh! If not for the master, would we possess the powers we have today? You ungrateful wretch, not only do you forget the master’s kindness, you even dare to complain here?” Of course, there were also many supporters.

The two sides immediately broke into a heated quarrel, the hall descending into chaos and noise.

Watching the disputes unfold below, a strange smile flitted across Wang Yi’s face, though it vanished as quickly as it appeared. Absorbed in their arguments, none of those present noticed, or even if they did, none thought anything of it.

“Enough! I’ve gathered you all here today for the very purpose of resolving this issue,” Wang Yi finally spoke after allowing the quarrel to run its course.

The crowd fell quiet. Whether they supported Wang Yi or opposed him, they all had to admit that he was the most cunning among them. If there was any hope of solving this problem, it would likely require Wang Yi’s intellect.

“Master, what are your orders?”

Wang Yi’s expression was cold, his tone detached as he said, “The entire Wang Family Manor, and not one of you could stop a single Daoist. To be honest, I am deeply disappointed.”

Faces shifted at these words; no one dared mention that Shen Chang’an had actually escaped from Wang Yi’s own grasp.

“However, that Daoist does possess some skill. To deal with him, we must not be careless. After much deliberation, I have decided—the only way forward is to unite our strength.”

“Agreed!”

No sooner had he finished speaking than several people began to applaud. Whatever Wang Yi’s version of unity might entail, since he called for it, no one would dare oppose him at this juncture.

Even those who had been against Wang Yi understood that if they could not overcome this crisis, the entire Wang Family Manor would soon be in dire trouble.

“It seems no one objects to my proposal. In that case…”

Wang Yi paused, then looked around at the assembly, a wicked and sinister smile spreading across his lips.

“I must ask all of you to offer up your lives!”

As soon as the words left his mouth, Wang Yi sprang forward, landing before one of the elders. With a single motion, his hand plunged through the man’s chest, extracting his heart!

The others looked on in horror and utter shock.

“You…”

With a casual toss, Wang Yi swallowed the heart, then grinned and said, “The demon power of that Yaksha has been lodged within you for long enough. It is time you returned it to me.”

With that, he lunged at his next victim.

Panic instantly erupted. People scattered in every direction. Some, in a desperate bid to resist, charged at Wang Yi. But his strength and speed were leagues beyond theirs; none had the power to stand against him.

“Run!”

“Wang Yi has lost his mind!”

Cries rang out as people fled, while those who dared to confront Wang Yi were ripped apart.

“Don’t think you can escape! Today, I will drain every last drop of your strength!”

Those present were not fools. Seeing Wang Yi absorb the strength of the slain, a realization dawned on them, and their thoughts quickly turned into action.

Suddenly, someone launched a surprise attack on a fellow fugitive, clawing out the man’s vitals and devouring them.

One after another, more and more began to do the same. Those who were first to kill their kin felt their power rapidly growing.

“Haha! I thought you had some grand plan, Wang Yi. Turns out your strength comes from slaughtering your own kind. Well then, if we move faster than you, you’re finished!”

At once, the people of the Wang Family Manor descended into mutual slaughter. Just that morning, they had been as close as siblings; now, they had all gone mad.

The pressure to survive, the hunger for power, the release of desire—all these impulses fused together, and in the cramped confines of the Wang Family Manor, a bloody tragedy unfolded.

Heads rolled in droves. Blinded by bloodlust, no one remembered what it meant to be family; anyone still able to move became nothing more than a source of strength to be consumed.

Brothers slaughtered brothers, fathers devoured sons—atrocities beyond the bounds of human decency played out again and again. Any sage who witnessed the scene would be shaken to the core. The world had degenerated into such utter savagery.

Some unknown person set fire to the manor, and soon the Wang Family Manor was engulfed in flames. Those few who had been guarding the mountain forests rushed back, only to bring yet another storm of bloodshed upon arrival.

The entire vast estate was awash in crimson; rivers of blood gushed forth, mingling with the flames, painting a hellish tableau.

Wang Yi hid in the shadows, the hint of a cold smile on his lips. After so many years of waiting, so many years of patience, at last, his moment had come!

“Everyone in the Wang Family Manor deserves to die…”

He spoke in a hoarse voice, the eerie black gleam in his eyes once again flickering, swirling around him like a living fluid.

“Die!”

“Hahaha, trying to ambush me, are you?”

“Out of my way, all of you!”

“Mother…”

Screams, shouts, pleas for mercy, desperate cries for help—all these sounds mingled together, creating a chorus that would chill the bravest soul.

Wang Yi struck again and again from the shadows, targeting only those who had amassed sufficient strength. He would not allow any of them to continue growing stronger. Moreover, killing these individuals meant also extinguishing those they had slain; with their help harvesting souls, he no longer needed to hunt each person down himself.

At the very height of this orgy of slaughter, Wang Yi suddenly caught sight of a figure bursting through the chaos, clutching a talisman and shouting loudly, “By my command!”