*Thud!*
In the hall, the strongest person present, Chelro, was merely a Four Star Da Dou Shi. The rest were all at the Dou Shi level.
How could such meager strength possibly withstand the Dou Qi pressure of a Dou Wang expert?
In a single instant, everyone was forced to their knees, their faces flushing red as if a mountain were crushing them from above.
*Tap.*
Zhou Changqing's figure descended slowly, his feet touching the ground in the courtyard as he gazed at the crowd kneeling in the main hall.
"My, my, why is everyone kneeling? Such a grand ceremony… I'm truly flattered. Wouldn't you agree, Lord Chelro?"
He strolled forward until he stood before Chelro, looking down at him with the same gentle, scholarly smile.
Chelro struggled to lift his head, his neck thick and red with bulging veins as he stared at the youth who had suppressed them all with a mere gesture. His voice was hoarse. "Impossible! You… how could you possibly… become a Dou Wang expert!"
"A trick! It must be… some kind of illusion!"
"Go… to hell!"
Saying this, Chelro channeled all his Dou Qi to resist the pressure, attempting to launch an attack.
His hopes were high, but reality was cruel. No matter how he circulated his Dou Qi, he couldn't move a single inch.
Watching Chelro's desperate struggle, a flicker of amusement grew in Zhou Changqing's eyes.
He felt utterly refreshed.
In a word: satisfying.
No wonder so many villains loved to monologue and posture right before finishing off the hero.
This feeling of crushing an enemy for revenge… it was truly exquisite.
Unfortunately for the drama, his opponent was not a protagonist capable of a last-minute reversal, and he was not a villain who would die from talking too much.
He simply couldn't believe Chelro had any trump card that could turn the tables on a Dou Wang, not to mention with Medusa backing him up. He'd have an easier time believing he himself was the reincarnation of some ancient emperor.
Of course, a little taste was enough. He was not some sadist who needed to torture his enemies to feel vindicated.
The best state for an enemy was a dead one.
"Alright, the reunion is over. Time to send you on your way. Go meet your dear son."
His amusement sated, Zhou Changqing stopped wasting words and raised a hand.
The lightning-attribute Dou Qi in the world converged at his command, while the Dou Qi from his body surged from his palm. The two energies combined in a wondrous fusion, instantly forming a bolt of lightning that shot toward Chelro's head.
Amidst the blinding flash, Chelro's eyes filled with utter regret and indignation.
"I refuse to accept this! You little bastard! I curse you! May you one day suffer the same fate as me!"
He should have killed him himself back then! If only he had, this disaster would never have happened!
But regret was useless now. His fate was sealed.
*Splat!*
Chelro's head burst apart. Before any gore could splatter, the lightning intensified, transforming into countless arcs of electricity that enveloped his entire body, the brilliant light obscuring the scene within.
A few moments later, the arcs dissipated, leaving only a pile of black ash on the ground.
Chelro had been utterly annihilated.
With a wave of his sleeve, Zhou Changqing stirred up a gust of wind that scattered the ashes, leaving no trace behind.
Though he doubted Chelro could be resurrected, it was his habit to be thorough. Scattering the ashes was the best way. It took no effort, after all.
"Heh, you think this young master is as foolish as you?"
Watching a Da Dou Shi get turned to ash and then have those ashes scattered before their very eyes, the kneeling stewards trembled violently. Unspeakable terror filled their eyes, and some had already wet their trousers.
"Young Master Zhou, spare us! Spare us! This had nothing to do with us! We knew nothing! We never took part in any of the plots against you!"
"Yes, yes! It was all Chelro's idea! That damn mutt! I've hated him for years! He did nothing but evil! He deserved this end!"
"Thank you, Young Master Zhou, for ridding Wu Tan City and all of us of this great menace! Your benevolence is boundless!"
For a moment, the stewards scrambled to plead for their lives—some disavowed any connection, others cursed Chelro as if he were their mortal enemy, and still others shamelessly flattered Zhou Changqing.
Seeing their pathetic display, Zhou Changqing couldn't be bothered with another glance. He stepped out of the main hall and gestured to Medusa.
The two of them then rose into the air, disappearing from the stewards' sight.
"We… we survived?"
"I think… so?"
"Sob… Damn you to hell, Chelro! If it weren't for you, I'd never have faced this nightmare!"
"Wait! Why can't I still move?!"
Just as the stewards were awakening from their daze, believing they had been spared and letting loose their pent-up emotions, they realized that even though their tormentor was gone, they were still frozen in place.
At that moment, a vast and powerful voice echoed in their ears.
"All those of humble birth, forced to work in the Chelro Estate to make a living, leave this place at once. Anyone who remains after fifteen minutes will suffer the consequences!"
The instant the voice sounded, a powerful aura enveloped the entire estate. At the same time, streams of Dou Qi seeped into every corner, immobilizing certain people where they stood.
The family members, descendants, servants, and maids of the Chelro Clan were thrown into a panic.
"What's happening? Who's speaking?"
"Mother! Why can't I move?!"
"You worthless slave! What are you doing?"
"Hurry, hurry! Grab whatever valuables you can and get out!"
"Why?"
"Are you an idiot? Can't you see a powerful expert is here for revenge? The Lady and the others are all frozen! You want to stay here and die with them? If you won't go, I will!"
"You wench! Put down my hairpin!"
"Wench? You're still acting like the young miss of the Chelro Clan when you're about to die. Go on, wait for your death, you venomous woman!"
Once everyone understood the situation, the Chelro Estate erupted into chaos. Many people hurriedly packed their belongings and fled in a panic.
High in the sky, Zhou Changqing's perception covered the entire sprawling Chelro Estate, examining every single person.
Those with the aura of Chelro's bloodline: frozen!
Those dressed in fine silks and brocades: frozen!
Those with any level of Dou Qi cultivation: frozen!
Those who appeared well-fed and robust: frozen!
As for the rest, he let them all leave.
Fifteen minutes later, a golden glint flashed in Zhou Changqing's eyes. He raised his hand and pressed it down fiercely toward the Chelro Estate below.
In an instant, the energy of the world surged. Incandescent Dou Qi erupted, gathering around his arm.
"Flood Dragon Thunder Force!"
The next second, the terrifying energy flowed down his arm to his palm, coalescing into a dazzling lightning orb the size of a billiard ball, which he then hurled at the massive estate.
The lightning orb shot through the air like a bolt of lightning.
The moment it was released, it exploded, transforming into a creature nearly a hundred meters long. It resembled a giant serpent with a single horn on its head and two four-toed claws protruding from its belly.
A Flood Dragon!
A Thunder Flood Dragon!
This was the lightning-attribute application from the High Xuan Tier Dou Technique, Flood Dragon Thunderous Might. Its power was comparable to most Advanced Xuan Tier Dou Techniques.
*ROAR!*
*BOOM!*
With a thunderous cry, the Thunder Flood Dragon crashed into the earth with unstoppable might.
In that instant, a terrifying explosion rocked all of Wu Tan City. Everyone felt the ground tremble from the blast. The tremors were distinct.
Under the devastating power of the Thunder Flood Dragon, the Chelro Estate was instantly reduced to ruins. Buildings collapsed, dust and smoke filled the sky, and arcs of electricity and scorched black marks were everywhere.
And all those who had been frozen in place, unable to move, were utterly obliterated in that single strike, following Chelro to their doom.
"What was that? An earthquake?"
"Doesn't seem like it. An earthquake wouldn't be so localized."
"Look! To the west!"
"Is that smoke?"
"It's the Chelro Estate! Something's happened at the Chelro Estate!"
*Gulp.* "Look… what is that up there?"
"Are… are those the two Dou Wang experts?! Could they be the ones who…?"
"It must be. Who else could cause such a commotion? I'm afraid the Chelro Clan is done for."
"Thank you! Thank you, my lord, for avenging me! Chelro Clan! You finally got what you deserved!"
......
Within the top clans of Wu Tan City, like the Xiao and Jia Lie Clans, the higher-ups turned grim the moment they heard the massive explosion. Terror crept into their hearts.
Such a massive disturbance!
They didn't even have to think to know who was responsible. Besides the two Dou Wang experts who had arrived today, who else could it be? It couldn't be a coincidence that such a cataclysm struck the moment they appeared.
"Quickly! Go and find out what happened! I want a report immediately!"
"Damn it all to hell! Which godforsaken bastard provoked these two masters?! You might want to die, but this old man still wants to live!"