"What is going on?" a handsome man in his mid-thirties asked, frowning deeply.

"Young Master, the rebels are fighting once again," an old man replied, bowing his head.

"How is that possible? Have we not conquered the rebels?" the Young Master shouted. "The last time I checked, there were only a few rats left in the city."

Since the evil sect took over Guanyun City, they had slain all the powerful clans that refused to submit to their rule.

Some who even wished to submit were slain simply to be saved. With that done, the city had fallen under their control.

The human sacrifices had continued as planned, and in the next few weeks the plan would be complete. The Northern Region would be transformed into the Netherworld.

But now…

"Tell me what is going on now, or I will have your head hung at the city entrance." He spoke in a deadly, cold voice.

"Ah! Young Master." The old man shivered, his face slick with a bead of sweat.

He knew the Young Master was cruel and would not hesitate to kill him and devour his blood for cultivation.

"A few days ago, news of powerful armor began to spread among the underworld. At first we did not believe there could be such powerful armor… until yesterday."

"What happened yesterday?" the Young Master demanded, his rage rising. His aura flared.

"Two rat-soldiers killed some of our patrols and escaped," the old man revealed, lowering his head in fear.

He was ready for the deadly attack of the Young Master. Although he had chosen to serve the Young Master as his butler, that decision was a means to preserve himself and his family.

He was a mere Intermediate Core Refining warrior at stage-5, while the Young Master stood at Peak Core Refining, stage-9.

For Guanyun City, that was an insurmountable mountain. The Young Master alone held the city in his iron grasp.

He had subjugated the previous powerful clans, and no one dared defy him—until now.

"Have you seen the armor?" he asked.

"No, Young Master," the old man shook his head.

"Then what are you doing?" the Young Master shouted. "Bring me the armor immediately. I want to see what is so special about it."

Just then, a guard rushed into the main hall with a solemn expression.

"My Lord, the rebels have attacked again," the guard announced.

"What?" The Young Master rose to his feet. "Where?"

"Ritual Site," the guard answered in a low voice.

Boom! Boom!

Suddenly, a deafening sound echoed from the distance, and flames rose up into the sky.

The Young Master wore a solemn expression mixed with shock, staring at the scene before him.

"How is this possible?" the old butler whispered inwardly, fear gnawing at his heart.

Compared to the butler's shock, the Young Master was furious. He clenched his fists and commanded, "Today, all the rebels must die."

They had touched his reverse scale, and he would show them why everyone feared him.

Without hesitation, he vanished from his spot, racing toward the ritual site.

The city could burn to a crisp, but nothing must happen to the ritual site. That was his lifeline. If anything were to happen to it, he could forget about living.

Meanwhile, a group of cultivators ranging from Foundation Realm to Core Refining warriors were assaulting and destroying the ancient formation.

Their faces were filled with pride and smiles.

They had been oppressed by the evil cultivators for too long, but now they had armor that could help them change their faces.

"Young Miss, they must have noticed our action by now," a young, beautiful girl said to a cold woman.

"Hm. Continue according to the plan," the Young Miss replied, her eyes fixed on the direction of the City Lord Mansion.

Just then, a furious shout rang from the distance.

The Young Master appeared, a vein throbbing on his forehead. He glared at the rebels with a burning killing intent.

"You think a mere piece of armor could change your fate?" he sneered. "Naive. When I catch you, I'll torture you all and refine your blood into a blood pill."

His face contorted with savage brutality.

Looking at the Young Master, the Young Miss showed no change in expression. She gripped a thin sword; her eyes burned with resolve and killing intent.

"Today, we will take back our land," she vowed, rushing toward the Young Master.

"Kill!"

"Kill!"

The evil cultivators and the rebels charged toward one another. The rebels wore the Stoneheart Armor, while the evil cultivators relied on their dark arts and malicious techniques.

Bang! Bang!

The rebel Young Miss and the evil Young Master collided in a deadly duel.

For the evil Young Master, the outcome should have been straightforward.

His opponent was a Core Refining warrior at stage-7, while he was nearly at a Half-Step Golden Core. How could he lose?

Yet when the battle began, the Young Master's arrogant expression faltered. He was quickly overwhelmed and forced onto the defensive.

What was happening? His heart filled with confusion.

"Could this really be possible?" he roared inwardly.

He fought to regain momentum, but the tide turned against him.

The Young Miss's face remained impassive, and every swing carried the weight of her fury at what the evil cultivators had done to her family.

Ahhh! Ahhh!

Behind them, the evil cultivators fell like flies. It was a massacre; the rebels pressed forward from every side.

Fear and panic gnawed at the Young Master's heart, and his previous confidence dissolved.

Whoosh!

He drew a small cauldron from his storage pouch. The cauldron was etched with blood runes, pulsating with dark energy.

"Now, I end you and everyone," the Young Master declared, his face twisted with rage.

This was his sacred artifact. He had not planned to use it before, but now he had no choice.

He bit his tongue and spat blood onto the cauldron.

Instantly, a pulsating sound arose from within as the cauldron began to enlarge, and a powerful suppression descended on everyone nearby.

The cauldron's influence also tried to draw their blood.

Seeing this, the rebels panicked and tried to retreat. Just then, the Young Miss spoke in a low, determined voice.

"Dust Severing!"

She swung her sword, and a bright light, razor-sharp and terrifying, filled the sky.

Boom!

The enlarging cauldron split into two equal parts, and the evil Young Master was cleaved apart.