With bound hands and feet, Jiang Wang could still withstand their relentless assault. Unleashed? To what level would he rise then?

A single sword strike, a single Dao technique, had silenced them all.

From the moment he erupted from the pool, Jiang Wang had been fully prepared.

The reason for instantly slaying the four Tian family members was to prevent them from forming their Inner Mansion-level combat formation.

Tian He had previously revealed that the killing array mastered by Gong Yang Lu through the array disk required ten individuals.

Fourteen members of the Tian family had entered the Hidden Star World in total. Liu Si was already dead, and Tian He severely injured, leaving twelve.

Originally, killing just three would have sufficed. Jiang Wang had killed one more to provide cover for Tian He, lest the precise count betray suspicion.

Ordinary cultivators of the Teng Long realm were like chopping melons and cutting vegetables to him.

These Tian family members, deprived of their killing array trump card, held no fear for him. His earlier thought of concealing his identity and escaping was simply to avoid trouble.

After all, the Tian family of Da Ze was a prominent noble clan. If trouble could be avoided, it was best to do so.

Jiang Wang did not wish to reveal his true appearance, but even if discovered, he had nothing to fear.

He was determined to obtain the life-extending treasure. If he could take it secretly, he would. If not…

Then he would claim it openly and with righteous might, grand and swaggering!

Jiang Wang, sword in hand, surveyed the Tian family crowd. The immense disparity in strength had silenced these proud, noble disciples.

“Within the secret realm, contention relies on individual means. Today, having received your yielding, this matter ends here.”

With that, Jiang Wang turned and walked toward the exit.

This was the unspoken rule of secret realm contention. With so many secret realms in Qi, matters within a secret realm were resolved within it. Never were enmities openly carried beyond. If today brought death over one secret realm, and tomorrow brought life-and-death struggle over another, Qi would long ago have been consumed by internal strife.

Of course, private vengeance was impossible to completely extinguish.

While large-scale retaliation would not occur, if someone’s brothers, friends, or kin perished at an opponent’s hands within the secret realm, they would inevitably be viewed as enemies, and an opportunity for revenge awaited.

Jiang Wang’s disruption of the opposing killing array by reducing their numbers was for self-preservation. The restraint shown in the Eight Sound Flame Sparrow strike was to avoid absolute measures. He held his own measure in his heart.

The Tian family disciples blocking his path, panicked, hurriedly cleared a way.

Jiang Wang had already traveled far. When he plucked that nameless flower, he knew how to depart this realm, making his route clear.

But at that moment…

Witnessing the destruction of the Ink Warrior, Tian Yong, his anger blazing, roared at Jiang Wang’s back: “Jiang Wang! You dare to swallow this treasure? My Tian family will make it impossible for you to leave Da Ze County!”

Jiang Wang’s steps halted.

Private vengeance would undoubtedly follow; he cared not.

But Tian Yong’s words… they brought the matter into the open.

He was relying on the Seven Star Valley being located within Da Ze County to suppress Jiang Wang with the Tian family’s might.

He even declared that Jiang Wang would be unable to leave Da Ze County.

This… this crossed the line.

Jiang Wang turned back, slowly retracing his steps. “Why must you remind me?”

His voice was flat, yet its meaning was chilling—

Originally, the dust had settled, the treasure had an owner. Each could return home.

Why must you remind me to cut the grass and pull the roots?

Why must you remind me to kill and eliminate future troubles?

If these people insisted on carrying their enmity beyond the secret realm and even elevating it to the level of their entire clan, then Jiang Wang had no choice but to ensure they all remained within the secret realm.

And a Jiang Wang with his full combat power unleashed… could he, or could he not, cleanse these individuals?

That one sword, that one Dao technique, had already answered the question.

At least Tian Chang understood. They possessed little room for resistance.

Upon witnessing the masked Jiang Wang wield the Snake Tongue Sword, he still possessed the confidence to fight with trump cards. After the Eight Sound Flame Sparrow appeared, that confidence had vanished.

Tian Chang understood clearly in his heart.

To his right, a ball of water always floated, its surface rippling.

As Jiang Wang slowly walked toward them, he also stepped forward.

The other Tian family members either retreated in panic or gritted their teeth and advanced, their expressions varied.

Perhaps only Tian Yong, the instigator, having no path of retreat, was the most resolute.

“My Da Ze Tian family has no cowards. Fight him!”

Reaching Tian Yong’s side, Tian Chang’s hand just happened to reach out.

He plunged his hand into the water and withdrew a deep blue long knife.

The knife tip turned sideways and, with lightning speed, pierced Tian Yong’s abdomen, instantly shattering his Tong Tian Palace!

Tian Yong cried out in pain, shock, and disbelief!

But what shocked him most was not that Tian Chang had suddenly moved to kill him, but the knife Tian Chang had used!

“The long-lost Tide Faith… is actually in your hand?” Tian Yong coughed blood, his voice trembling.

The Tide Faith Knife was a renowned weapon, once held by a Tian family elder. Tragically, this elder later died on a sea expedition, and the Tide Faith Knife was lost.

Tian Yong suddenly remembered. That year, when that elder embarked on the sea expedition, Tian Chang was also part of the team. He was one of the only two who miraculously survived!

“Take your foolish question and your head, and die far away!”

Tian Chang coldly withdrew the knife, swept it across, and a head flew into the air!

Gripping the Tide Faith, he lunged toward the other Tian family members without hesitation.

“Tian Chang, are you mad?!”

“The Tide Faith Knife is in his hand! Don’t you all see it?!”

“Quickly escape! You must inform the family of this matter! Exterminate his lineage!”

The remaining Tian family members were both shocked and enraged.

But Tian Chang had already arrived, knife in hand.

These elite disciples of the Tian family… not a single one could endure more than two knife strikes from Tian Chang!

Moreover, Gong Yang Lu suddenly acted, activating an array. The ground sank in places, and sand snakes coiled.

This array had originally been prepared for Jiang Wang, yet at this moment, it was used for internal slaughter!

Jiang Wang, gripping his sword, stopped far off, silently watching the carnage.

He watched as Tian Chang and Gong Yang Lu joined hands, relentlessly killing these individuals to the last.

The screams quickly ended. Not a single person escaped.

Finally, the two stood together, looking at Jiang Wang.

“I admit, we are not your opponents. Now, you have two choices.”

Tian Chang spoke: “First, kill me. If all the Tian family members who entered the Hidden Star World die completely, this matter might forever remain unknown. But it’s also possible that suspicion arises, traces are found, and you are detected. Tian An Ping’s reputation needs no elaboration. You also cannot deny the possibility of him investigating you. And killing an entire Tian family team is not something that can be explained away by secret realm contention. Once exposed, it is a great life-and-death enmity.”

“Second choice. Let me go. I will explain that the treasure contention failed. I will explain the severe casualties of the team. My understanding of the Tian family is beyond doubt, and I can absolutely resolve these matters. And you have seen how I killed my clansmen, seen my Tide Faith Knife. You hold my handle, so you need not worry about my feigned obedience. Once the truth is exposed, I will be even more miserable than you, so I will only be more determined to conceal this matter. For you, this is the choice with the fewest future troubles.”

This individual, in a situation where matters were irreversible and Jiang Wang was about to unleash a massacre, had, in the shortest possible time, found a way out for himself.

And he had done so with such clarity, such certainty, and acted with such decisiveness and ruthlessness.

Even Jiang Wang had to admit that he spoke the truth, and his suggestion was very sound.

“You are a character.”

Jiang Wang could not help but praise, “You are indeed a character!”

“I am not afraid of embarrassment,” Jiang Wang stared at him. “To be frank, with a character like you, I don’t quite dare to hold your handle.”

Gong Yang Lu’s hand had already begun to shift, preparations made. If words failed, they would resort to desperate action.

Tian Chang, however, lowered his long knife, restraining his aggressiveness, and simply said: “The power of choice rests with you. You make your decision. The strong are qualified not to explain.”