The three youths were standing before He Yunlong, placing themselves between him and Wang Lan.
Wang Yan's eyes were red, glistening with unshed tears. His voice trembled as he rushed forward, kneeling on the ground. Gently, he lifted his grandfather into his lap, holding him close.
Chen Yu and Zhao Qing flanked him, their stances tense, eyes scanning for any sudden attack from He Yunlong.
Chen Yu's eyes blazed with fury, voice sharp and unflinching. "Hey, you bastard! You've actually fallen to this—attacking those who aren't even involved in this war! If you can't face us, you attack the weak… this is exactly what the previous dirty City Lord was!"
He Yunlong's eyes darkened, fury blazing like a storm. His face twisted with disbelief and rage. "Hah! So, even the children dare lecture me now? Pathetic!"
He stepped forward, the shadows of his Black Iron Tyrant Ape coiling violently around him, his presence radiating a suffocating, oppressive power. "Do you think words can stop me? Foolish brats… I will crush every last one of you!"
Wang Yan's shoulders shook as silent tears streamed down his face.
He buried his face into his grandfather's chest. "Sorry… sorry, Grandpa… this… this is all because of me…"
Wang Lan's lips trembled, his voice barely audible, broken by pain. "Oh… my boy… don't… don't cry. You are a man… my proud star… you… you have made your grandfather proud."
After a short pause, Wang Lan's voice, still weak but steady, continued. "Remember, my child… the ultimate truth is this: whoever has come will surely go. There is no need for sorrow.
"And I… I am fortunate. In my final moments, I am able to see you. For that… I will never have any regret."
Wang Lan gently reached up, cupping his grandson's face with trembling hands, as if wanting to imprint his love one last time.
But his strength failed. His hands slipped from Wang Yan's face and fell limply to the ground.
The intense pain, the blood, the struggle—all of it ended in an instant.
Wang Yan felt a cold emptiness as he realized… his grandfather was gone.
The old man had passed away, leaving Wang Yan kneeling there, grief and rage flooding through him.
After a brief pause, Wang Yan gently laid his grandfather's body on the ground, bowing slightly to honor him.
Then he slowly stood, eyes blazing with fury, his body trembling as a surge of intense energy radiated outward, shaking the courtyard.
With a roar that seemed to split the air, raw and filled with unrestrained anger, he bellowed, "He Yunlong… today… you must die!"
Wang Yan's roar tore through the courtyard, shaking the very air. Crimson energy swirled tightly around him in a furious aura, radiating raw intensity. His friends' eyes fell on the lifeless body of Wang Lan, lying bloodied and unmoving. A heavy sorrow gripped Chen Yu and Zhao Qing—their beloved grandfather, mentor, and teacher was gone. Every memory of training under him surged through them, transforming grief instantly into searing fury.
Chen Yu's Wind Wolf martial spirit coiled around him, claws extended, fists glowing with force. Zhao Qing's Thunder Beast martial spirit crackled with electric energy, muscles tense, aura ready to strike. Both tightened their stances, grief fueling every heartbeat, every motion.
He Yunlong bent slightly, a cruel smile forming across his face, preparing to mock them. "You—"
Before a word could fully escape, Wang Yan surged forward, propelled by grief and rage. The Fourth Soul Ring skill activated—his Iron Sword multiplying into multiple sword shadows, each moving with precise delayed timing, striking in layered trajectories. The skill's power tore through the air, aimed directly at He Yunlong, whose Black Iron Tyrant Ape martial spirit roared violently in defense.
Meanwhile, Chen Yu and Zhao Qing charged toward Jin Lei. Chen Yu shouted, "He will regret what he has done today."
Zhao Qing followed, voice fierce and unwavering, "Yes, let him feel the pain he has caused, and he will definitely regret it."
Jin Lei's Thunder-scaled War Lion martial spirit flared, muscles coiling as he snarled, "Heh… let's see who will regret fighting whom!"
The clash erupted violently. Chen Yu struck with his fists enhanced by the Wind Wolf martial spirit, claws tearing through the air like slicing gales. Zhao Qing's electrified claws struck from multiple angles, forcing Jin Lei to block and retreat. The War Lion roared violently, but every strike from the friends was precise and overwhelming.
"You'll fall today!" Chen Yu shouted, delivering a twisting punch that battered Jin Lei's chest, wind slicing along his body. Zhao Qing's lightning-infused strikes tore at Jin Lei from the side, making him stagger under the coordinated assault.
Strike after strike battered him: Chen Yu's fists hammered his body while Zhao Qing's rapid lightning slashes disrupted his defenses. Jin Lei's War Lion spirit roared frantically, swinging claws and teeth, but he could not create any opening against the relentless, perfectly coordinated attacks. Blood sprayed, limbs shook, and his muscles tensed violently, trying to resist the unstoppable onslaught.
Finally, the brutal finishing blows came. Chen Yu thrust his fist into Jin Lei's chest with unimaginable force, crushing the heart. At the same time, Zhao Qing unleashed a concentrated lightning blast to the head. Jin Lei's body convulsed violently, eyes wide with shock and pain, before collapsing completely. Chen Yu held his hand in his chest—Jin Lei's heart now in his palm, the courtyard echoing with the intensity of their fury. Blood and energy splattered across the stones, leaving no room for revival or mercy.
Chen Yu and Zhao Qing's gaze immediately fell on Wang Yan, and without hesitation, they rushed to join him. Together, the three friends launched a relentless, coordinated assault on He Yunlong. The furious attacks of the three left He Yunlong unable to withstand the overwhelming onslaught. Blow after blow struck him from every angle, his Black Iron Tyrant Ape martial spirit struggling to defend, shrinking under the pressure. Within moments, the towering form of the Tyrant Ape began to dissipate, leaving He Yunlong bloodied, kneeling on the ground, completely exhausted and broken.
End of Chapter.