Blood Demon Ancestor Surrenders but Is Killed by Wang Hao

Wang Hao smiled.

"Atone?"

Bloodfiend Patriarch looked up, his eyes filled with earnestness.

"This old man is willing to fight for the Great Zhou for ten years. Even if my body perishes and my Dao disappears, I will not have a single complaint."

"With this old man's cultivation at the peak of the Skysoaring Realm, I can definitely help Your Majesty sweep away the Heavenly Secret Pavilion and suppress the remnant chaos in the Western Regions."

"This old man can also offer all the hidden treasure vaults of the Crimson Moon Demonic Sect."

"I only beg Your Majesty to give this old man a chance to redeem himself through meritorious service."

These words were spoken flawlessly.

Valuable.

Showing the right attitude.

Leaving room for exploitation.

He even brought up "body perishing and Dao disappearing."

If it were any other emperor, they would probably be tempted. Wang Hao looked at him.

Suddenly he asked, "Eight hundred years ago, how many people did you betray?"

Bloodfiend Patriarch's pupils contracted sharply.

But he immediately lowered his head.

"Why would Your Majesty say such a thing?"

Wang Hao said indifferently, "Three."

"The first was your sworn brother who helped you seize the position of Sect Master of the Crimson Moon."

"The second was your Dao companion who blocked the righteous path's siege for you."

"The third was your personal disciple."

Bloodfiend Patriarch's expression finally changed.

"Your Majesty..."

Wang Hao interrupted him.

"You don't want to atone."

"You want to live."

Bloodfiend Patriarch fell silent.

Wang Hao continued, "Your lifespan is less than ten years, and the blood fiend backlash has penetrated deep into your bones. Your so-called offering of your life's cultivation is nothing more than wanting to borrow the Great Zhou's national destiny to suppress the backlash, then borrow my hand to seize more resources, and finally charge at the Martial God realm."

"As for submission?"

Wang Hao chuckled.

"People like you, the faster you kneel, the harder your rebellious bones are."

The aura around Bloodfiend Patriarch slightly stirred. In that instant, the pressure of the peak of the Skysoaring Realm seemed about to erupt.

But in the next instant.

Wang Hao raised his hand.

His five fingers fell.

Crack.

The sound was very crisp.

Like crushing a ripe walnut.

Bloodfiend Patriarch's skull collapsed on the spot.

His eyes widened fiercely.

The vitality of the peak of the Skysoaring Realm had just risen when it was pressed back into his body by an irresistible force.

He wanted to escape.

He wanted to counterattack.

He wanted to burn his essence blood.

He wanted to activate the Bloodfiend Escape Art.

But under Wang Hao's palm, all his thoughts were as slow as a crawling turtle.

The Martial God Peak Experience Card had not ended yet.

A half-step Martial God?

In front of a true peak Martial God, it wasn't even half a joke.

A vague "Heh" came from Bloodfiend Patriarch's throat.

Then his head tilted.

Dead.

Dead cleanly.

Dead abruptly.

Dead without any dignity.

The whole scene fell dead silent.

The surviving demonic cultivators' eyes almost popped out.

Their final patriarch.

The trump card that had been in secluded cultivation for eight hundred years.

Just knelt down.

Just offered treasures.

Just said he wanted to redeem himself through meritorious service.

And was crushed to death by Wang Hao like a walnut.

Xiao Chen watched, his scalp tingling.

"Isn't this too fast?"

Ye Guyun nodded.

"Indeed."

Wanyan Gu swallowed a mouthful of saliva.

"When I kneel to him in the future, should I lower my head a bit more?"

Qin Hongye said coldly, "You can choose not to kneel."

Wanyan Gu thought seriously for a moment.

"Then I'll lower it a bit more."

Wei Zhongxian also froze for a moment.

He had indeed entertained the thought of "using Bloodfiend Patriarch" just now.

This was normal.

From the perspective of imperial interests, a peak Skysoaring Realm expert was too valuable.

But Wang Hao killed him without the slightest hesitation.

Wang Hao grabbed a dark red golden core from Bloodfiend Patriarch's body.

The golden core was the size of a fist, its surface entwined with blood veins, containing terrifying cultivation essence.

He casually threw it.

The golden core traced an arc and fell toward Patriarch Ren.

Patriarch Ren subconsciously caught it.

"Refine medicine for your great-granddaughter."

Wang Hao said indifferently, "Don't waste it."

Patriarch Ren looked at the Bloodfiend Golden Core in his hand, his mouth twitching.

A golden core condensed from peak Skysoaring Realm cultivation.

Placed outside, it would be enough to trigger countless sects to fight over it.

In Wang Hao's mouth, it became "don't waste it."

Patriarch Ren remained silent for a moment, then cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for the reward."

He no longer called him the Wang family brat.

He was now increasingly glad.

Fortunately, the Ren family took sides early and sent his great-granddaughter over early.

Otherwise, one day he might also be casually refined into medicine by Wang Hao.

Carrying the Crimson Moon Demonic Tome, Wang Hao turned to look at the crowd.

The rain pattered.

The black-robed emperor stood amidst the bloody mud and ruins, his voice not loud, but it spread throughout the gorge.

"I said it."

"No negotiations accepted."

"No surrender accepted."

"From top to bottom, the hands of the Crimson Moon Demonic Sect are stained with the blood of mortals."

"When they massacred cities, did they ever accept the surrender of mortals?"

"When they blood-sacrificed children, did they ever hear a single plea for mercy?"

"When they refined human skin into pages and sealed departed souls into the demonic tome, did they ever think of atonement?"

No one answered.

Because everyone knew the answer.

Wang Hao continued, "For such people, living for one day is an insult to the dead."

"If I accept Bloodfiend Patriarch today, tomorrow all the demonic cultivators in the world will understand—as long as you are strong enough, no matter how many people you kill, you can be forgiven."

"Then in the future, who will still fear retribution?"

"Who will still believe in the laws of the Great Zhou?"

"Who will still believe what I say?"

His gaze swept over Wei Zhongxian, over the patriarchs of the various sects, over the generals of the Great Zhou.

"The righteous path is not shouted out with the mouth."

"The righteous path is not pretended by wearing white clothes."

"The righteous path is that some advantages cannot be taken."

"Some accounts must be settled."

"Some people must die."

Wei Zhongxian bowed deeply.

"This old slave knows his mistake."

Patriarch Ren also silently cupped his hands.

Pavilion Master Heavenly Sword said in a low voice, "Your Majesty's words, the Sword Pavilion has noted."

Wang Wudi looked at Wang Hao from the clouds, the playful smile in his eyes diminishing a bit, replaced by a trace of genuine gratification.

This junior was truly sinister.

And truly wicked.

But his bottom line was also truly firm.

Xiao Chen lay on the stretcher, staring blankly at Wang Hao.

At this moment, he suddenly understood something.

This person Wang Hao was dark-bellied, shameless, full of schemes, liked to deduct performance points, liked to use prodigies as beasts of burden, and had a mouth so toxic it could anger people into internal injuries.

But he never laid a hand on the innocent.

The people he conned were basically those who deserved to be conned.

The people he killed were also basically those who deserved to die.

This was perhaps the only faint and precious gleam of humanity in this tyrant.

Just as Xiao Chen thought of this.

Wang Hao suddenly added a sentence.

"Besides, those who surrender at the peak of the Skysoaring Realm generally have rebellious bones."

"Killing them saves trouble."

Xiao Chen: "..."

He silently took back that little bit of emotion from just now.

Sure enough.

One couldn't hold too high expectations for Wang Hao.

He might also just feel that Bloodfiend Patriarch was hard to manage, killing him saved salary, and his corpse could still be refined into medicine.

New Emperor Sword leaned over, looking at Bloodfiend Patriarch's corpse with shining eyes.

"Tyrant, can I eat this?"

Wang Hao said, "No."

New Emperor Sword grew anxious.

"Why? You just said don't waste it!"

Wang Hao said indifferently, "His golden core is useful, his corpse is poisonous, his brain has rebellious bones, eating it will affect your IQ."

New Emperor Sword fell silent for a moment.

"Is my IQ very high right now?"

Wang Hao glanced at him.

"So it can't go any lower."

New Emperor Sword: "..."

Wei Zhongxian finally couldn't hold back and let out half a laugh, then immediately held it back in.

On the battlefield, the purge continued.

Bloodfiend Patriarch's death completely crushed the last trace of luck in the Crimson Moon Demonic Sect.

The remaining demonic cultivators were either killed or pinned to the cliff walls by Demon-Suppressing Crossbows.

The Crimson Moon Demonic Sect.

As of today, it was truly wiped out.

Wang Hao looked up at the ruined blood-colored palace deep within the canyon.

The light screen of the Sign-in Intelligence System appeared once again.

[The core area of the Crimson Moon Demonic Sect has been cleared.]

[Sign-in conditions for the special location have been met.]

Wang Hao's eyes flickered slightly.

"Sign in."

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for successfully signing in at the headquarters of the Crimson Moon Demonic Sect.]

[Reward: Basic Spiritual Energy Amplification Matrix Blueprint.]

[Intelligence obtained: The core runes of the Crimson Moon Demonic Tome can be reverse-purified. Its sacrificial structure can be replaced by spirit stones, array bases, and vitality crystal cores.]

[Hint: The Crimson Moon Demonic Tome poses an extremely high risk of corruption. It must be suppressed by lightning, national destiny, or a purification array before it can be studied.]

Wang Hao looked at the evil tome made of human skin in his hands.

The corners of his mouth slowly curled upwards.

Wei Zhongxian, who was standing nearby, saw this smile and his heart skipped a beat.

Every time His Majesty showed this kind of smile...

It meant someone was about to suffer.

Or a group of people was about to work overtime.

Wang Hao put away the Crimson Moon Demonic Tome and said calmly, "Pass down my orders."

"Exterminate the remaining enemies."

"Seal the demonic sect's treasury."

"All ancient texts, array diagrams, fragments of anomalous artifacts, and blood pool materials are to be registered and stored in the warehouse."

"Anyone who dares to hoard them privately will be punished for treason."

Wei Zhongxian bowed.

"This old servant obeys the decree."

Wang Hao added, "Have the accompanying technical personnel from the Ministry of Works, the Eastern Depot, and the Directorate of Armaments come to see me."

Wei Zhongxian looked up.

"Your Majesty wishes to see them now?"

Wang Hao looked at the Crimson Moon Demonic Tome, his smile deepening.

"Strike while the iron is hot."

New Emperor Sword whispered, "Doesn't 'while it's hot' usually refer to eating a meal?"

Wang Hao replied, "This time, we are smashing someone's rice bowl."

New Emperor Sword didn't understand.

But he felt that there was a high probability someone was going to end up more miserable than him.

Thus, his mood improved.

The rain was still falling.

The stench of blood in the Crimson Moon Canyon was gradually being washed away.

But in Wang Hao's eyes, these ruins were not the end.

Rather, they were a new mine for the Great Zhou's military-industrial complex.

The demonic sect had committed sins for two thousand years.

The people were dead.

But the debt was not yet settled.

He was going to take the evil things left behind by these animals, tear them apart, wash them clean, and melt them down to be recast into the Great Zhou's war machine.

The dead could not be brought back to life.

But the legacy of his enemies had to be squeezed for its residual value.

This was very cruel.

And very much like Wang Hao.

In the first hour after the annihilation of the Crimson Moon Demonic Sect, the Great Zhou army did three things.

First, exterminate the remaining enemies.

Second, rescue the wounded.

Third, seal the account books.

The first two were normal military duties.

The third was personally ordered by Wang Hao and personally supervised by Wei Zhongxian.

As a result, an extremely bizarre scene unfolded throughout the Crimson Moon Canyon.

Frontline soldiers were still risking their lives fighting the demonic cultivators hiding in the rock crevices.

In the rear, the guards of the Eastern Depot had already charged into the demonic sect's treasury with abacuses, jade slips, and paper seals.

Every time a storehouse was opened, before checking if there was any danger inside, they slapped a seal on it first.

"His Majesty decrees, all spoils of war belong to the state!"

"Pocket a single spirit stone, and three years of military pay will be docked!"

"Pocket a single anomalous artifact fragment, and you will be punished for treason!"

"Anyone who pockets a demonic cultivation manual will be sent to the Eastern Depot's purification class, with room, board, and interrogation all included!"

Many sect disciples had just picked up spirit stones from the demonic sect's storehouses, and before they could even warm up in their pockets, they were stared at eerily by the Eastern Depot guards.

"Young hero, what is that in your hand?"

The disciple's face stiffened.

"I... I saw it fall on the ground and was afraid it would be ruined by the rain."

The guard smiled.

"The young hero is truly loyal to the country."

The disciple nodded hastily.

"It is only right."

The guard held out his hand.

"Then hand it over to the state."

The disciple: "..."

In the distance, Xiao Chen sat in front of a temporary medical tent, watching this scene with sheer amazement.

"The Crimson Moon Demonic Sect was just destroyed, and Wang Hao is already shearing the sheep."

Ye Guyun, who was adjusting his breathing with his eyes closed, said, "This isn't shearing the sheep."

Xiao Chen asked, "Then what is it?"

Ye Guyun said flatly, "Flaying the skin."

Wanyan Gu was holding a bowl of healing medicinal soup, grimacing as he drank it.

"You Great Zhou people have such a complicated way of fighting wars."

Qin Hongye asked, "Do the Northern Barbarians not inventory their spoils of war?"

Wanyan Gu said seriously, "We do."

Xiao Chen was curious.

"How do you inventory them?"

Wanyan Gu said, "Whoever grabs it, keeps it. After grabbing, we fight, and the winner gets another share."

Everyone fell silent.

New Emperor Sword crouched nearby, deep in thought.

"That kind of system sounds very suitable for me."

Wei Zhongxian appeared behind him at some unknown point, smiling cheerfully, "Lord Sword, His Majesty has spoken. Your quota for devouring anomalous residue today is thirty catties."

New Emperor Sword spun around abruptly.

"What? Thirty catties? I fought very hard just now!"

Wei Zhongxian said, "His Majesty said that Lord Sword's main jobs today were eating leg of lamb, complaining, and attempting to sneak bites of corrupted residue. Your actual military merits need to be audited."

New Emperor Sword stomped his feet in anger.

"Slander! This is slander!"

Wei Zhongxian took out a jade slip.

"His Majesty also said that if Lord Sword is dissatisfied, you may file an appeal."

New Emperor Sword's eyes lit up.

"How do I appeal?"

Wei Zhongxian's smile grew even gentler.

"During the appeal period, the supply of anomalous residue will be suspended. Once the Eastern Depot finishes its review, a response will be given within three to five years."

New Emperor Sword fell silent.

A moment later, he indignantly held up three fingers with grief.

"Thirty catties it is, but I want it with a good mix of fat and lean."

Wei Zhongxian: "..."

Lord Sword's requirements for his ingredients were becoming more and more specific.

Meanwhile.

Outside the ruins of the Crimson Moon Demonic Sect's main hall, a large black tent had been temporarily erected.

Three layers of restrictions were set up around the tent.

The first layer was a sword qi barrier personally laid down by Pavilion Master Heavenly Sword.

The second layer was a vitality lockdown array carved by Patriarch Ren using his dragon-head cane.

The third layer was the Thunder Abyss Demon-Suppressing Pagoda floating above the tent, its doors half-open, with lightning flickering faintly.

If anyone dared to barge in blindly...

First, they would be hit by sword qi.

Then, they would suffer vitality suppression.

Finally, they would be struck by lightning.

The security was extremely thorough.

The downside was that it didn't look like a research tent, but rather an execution ground.

Inside the tent.

Wang Hao sat in the seat of honor.

He had not yet changed out of his black dragon robe, and his cuffs were still stained with rainwater.

Before him lay the Crimson Moon Demonic Tome.

The Crimson Moon Demonic Tome was bound by nine lightning-patterned chains. Its pages trembled continuously, and its thirteen eyeballs twitched from time to time.

It was clearly very uncomfortable.

But no one cared whether an evil tome made of human skin was comfortable or not.