After I stopped trying, a rich woman trained me into a demon emperor.

A ruthless glint flashed in Ghost Shadow's eyes.

"Boy, don't be so arrogant!"

"Even if you use a magical artifact, how much of your spiritual power will be left?"

"Though I have been defeated, I am still a near-immortal. Today, I will perish with you!"

Before the words were finished, the ghostly figure suddenly sprang up.

He moved so fast that he left a trail of afterimages in the air, and a dark green dagger coated with deadly poison appeared in his hand, which he thrust straight at Zhou Ran's throat.

This strike brought together all his life's strength, carrying a resolute determination to destroy everything in its path.

"Go to hell!"

The ghostly figure's face contorted, and it let out a fierce shout.

Despite the deadly blow, Zhou Ran's face remained completely expressionless.

"Too slow."

There was a crisp "ding" sound.

That highly poisonous dagger, capable of cutting through gold and jade, was effortlessly held in mid-air by Zhou Ran with just two fingers.

No matter how much internal energy the ghostly figure exerted, the dagger seemed to have taken root between Zhou Ran's fingers, remaining completely still.

"This...how is this possible?!"

The ghost's pupils contracted violently.

"Is this your trump card?"

Zhou Ran stared at the ghostly figure so close to him, a flash of purple light in his eyes.

Zhou Ran's fingertips trembled slightly.

The dark green dagger snapped in two instantly.

Immediately afterwards, Zhou Ran reached into his chest with one hand.

"No!"

The ghostly figure let out a piercing scream and desperately tried to retreat.

But it was all too late.

His chest was a bloody mess; a large hand had already crushed his heart.

Fragments of internal organs were clearly visible, yet the ghostly figure was still panting heavily, its venomous eyes fixed on Zhou Ran.

"Cough cough... The Song family... won't let you get away with this..."

"The Wuji Sect... will... extract your soul and refine your spirit..."

"The Wuji Sect?"

Zhou Ran squatted down, stretched out a hand, and pressed it on the top of the ghost's head.

"Perfect timing, I'd also like to know what exactly you dug up in Jiangcheng."

With the crisis resolved, Qin San's men had already taken Wu's bodyguards under tight control.

Under Ye Futian's guidance, he could expend a large amount of spiritual power to forcibly search the soul!

An extremely domineering divine thought violently invaded the ghost's sea of ​​consciousness.

The ghost's body convulsed violently, and its eyes rolled back.

After a while.

Zhou Ran withdrew his hand; through soul searching, he had obtained a lot of interesting information.

It turns out that the Song family and the Wuji Sect were not only looking for the "Seven-Leaf Lingzhi", but also collecting a mineral called "Yin Sha Stone".

This type of ore only occurs in extremely yin places.

That so-called "relic" is indeed a huge corpse-raising ground, and a "living" corpse-raising ground at that!

"That's interesting."

Zhou Ran stood up, his gaze passing over the scorch marks on the ground and landing on the three people in the corner of the hall.

Zhao Shijiang, Zhao Tao, and Wu De.

The three people were completely terrified.

They watched as a powerful mercenary group was struck dead by lightning, and as the Grandmaster Ghost Shadow was crushed like a chicken.

This was completely beyond their comprehension.

"Zhou... Zhou Ran..."

Zhao Tao spoke in a trembling voice, the gun in his hand long since lost to him.

He watched Zhou Ran approach step by step, and the oppressive feeling made him feel suffocated.

Suddenly, as if remembering something, Zhao Tao lunged at Su Xiaoxiao, who was tied to a chair beside him.

Zhao Tao grabbed her by the neck and pulled out a folding knife from his pocket, pressing it against her carotid artery.

"Don't come any closer! Don't come any closer!"

Zhao Tao roared hysterically, his eyes unfocused and crazed.

She is your woman!

She's your beloved ex-girlfriend!

If you dare take another step forward, I'll kill her!

"I'll take someone down with me when I die!"

"That bitch betrayed you, but I know you still have feelings for her, right?!"

As if grasping at the last straw, Zhao Tao slashed a bloody gash across Su Xiaoxiao's neck with the knife in his hand.

Because her mouth was gagged, Su Xiaoxiao could only sob, her face covered in tears and snot, her eyes filled with pleading.

She hoped that Zhou Ran could be like before, compromising for her and doing anything for her.

After all, they had been together for three years.

After all, this man once cherished her dearly.

The air in the hall seemed to freeze.

At this moment, Master Qin and the others rushed in. Seeing this scene, they dared not make any rash moves and all looked at Zhou Ran.

Zhou Ran stopped in his tracks.

He looked at Zhao Tao, then at Su Xiaoxiao.

"My woman?"

Zhou Ran chuckled lightly, his tone so calm it was chilling.

"Zhao Tao, are you sure you're not mistaken about something?"

"A woman who is materialistic, treacherous, and willing to sleep with her brother for money is a treasure in your eyes, but in my eyes..."

Zhou Ran tilted his head slightly, his eyes revealing a cold indifference towards the common people.

"It's not even as good as the trash on the street."

Su Xiaoxiao's pupils dilated suddenly.

"You...you stop pretending!"

I don't believe you can just watch her die!

Zhao Tao increased the pressure on his hand, and blood flowed down the blade.

"Let's do it."

Zhou Ran crossed his arms and looked at him with a mocking expression.

"Perfect, I also felt that killing her myself would dirty my hands."

"You kill her, then I'll kill you. On the road to the underworld, you two can keep each other company. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

That nonchalant attitude wasn't feigned.

That was indifference that came from the depths of the soul.

Su Xiaoxiao's heart shattered completely at that moment.

What's more terrifying than death is being completely ignored.

Zhao Tao completely broke down.

The chips in his hand turned into worthless paper, and this psychological gap made him let out a desperate howl.

"Aaaaah! I'll fight you to the death!"

He pushed Su Xiaoxiao aside and charged at Zhou Ran like a madman, brandishing the knife.

However, he had only taken two steps.

A foot suddenly shot out from the side and kicked him hard in the back of the knee.

Click!

The sound of bones cracking rang out.

Zhao Tao screamed and fell to his knees.

The person who kicked him was actually his biological father, Zhao Shijiang!

"You unfilial son! Do you want to get me killed?!"

Zhao Shijiang's face was contorted with rage as he lunged at his son, punching and kicking him with all his might, trying to kill him.

"Master Zhou!"

I was forced into this, Master Zhou!

"It's all this unfilial son's fault!"

As Zhao Shijiang continued to beat Zhou Ran, he turned around and kowtowed to him, begging for mercy, tears streaming down his face.

I mean you no harm!

It was all the Wu family's fault that I had to take sides!

I'm begging you to spare my life, even if it means turning against my own family!

At this moment, Zhao Shijiang no longer possessed any of the imposing presence he once had as a real estate tycoon in Jiangcheng.

To save his own life, he even went so far as to cripple his only son.

Zhao Tao was beaten until he spat out blood, staring at his father in disbelief.

"Dad...you..."

Shut up! Who's your dad?!

"I don't have a troublemaker like you!"

Zhao Shijiang grabbed a shard of marble from the ground and was about to smash it over Zhao Tao's head.

This ugly scene made Master Qin and the others frown.

Tiger poison does not eat its seeds.

This Zhao Shijiang, in order to survive, is worse than an animal.

That's enough.

Zhou Ran spoke calmly.

Zhao Shijiang's hand hovered in mid-air, a fawning smile plastered on his face:

"Master Zhou, look..."

Zhou Ran walked up to the father and son, his gaze eerily calm.

"A loving father and a filial son, truly touching."

"However, I have a habit."

"I don't like leaving problems unresolved."

The words fell.

Zhou Ran snapped his fingers.

A wisp of dark purple flame gently landed on Zhao Shijiang.

"ah--!"

Zhao Shijiang let out a scream a hundred times more agonizing than that of a pig being slaughtered.

The flames, though seemingly weak, burrowed into his flesh like a maggot clinging to his bone, burning not only his body but also his soul.

"No! Spare me! Spare me!"

Zhao Shijiang rolled around on the ground frantically, trying to extinguish the flames, but the demonic fire ignited anything it touched and was impossible to put out.

Zhao Tao, who was standing next to him, was not spared either.

The fire spread and engulfed him as well.

The father and son twisted and struggled in the sea of ​​fire, eventually losing their breath and turning into two piles of human-shaped ashes.

The hall was deathly silent.

Everyone held their breath, watching this scene in horror.

That flame was too eerie and too domineering.

Having dealt with the Zhao family father and son, Zhou Ran never once glanced at Su Xiaoxiao.

Instead, she turned around and her gaze fell on Wu De.