551 A three-foot sword, with light on it.

A sliver of understanding remained, yet she couldn't help asking again, 'Why is your heart so cruel?'

The night was as cold as ice, and the sounds seemed to have frozen into ice. Although it was extremely calm, the killing intent was also extremely cold, and the anger and grief could not be concealed.

Questioning and accusations, along with deep sympathy for innocent lives and an unbearable sense of powerlessness.

The Yao family patriarch, with a calm expression and his five fingers hidden behind his back, said in a deep voice with a look that seemed to see through the vicissitudes of life, "My Yao family has protected the peace of Hezhou for generations, which is why Hezhou is so prosperous and peaceful today."

With evil spirits and demons in power, and since they have received the protection of my He family, isn't it only right that they pay a price?

Young people, you are still very young, and there are too many things you can't see through.

If I don't break through my limits and can't protect the safety of this great Hezhou, who will protect them when evil spirits come? Do you think you can do it?

You demon-slaying bureaumen, you've been paid and put in the work, but by the time you realize what's happening, this place will be completely wiped out.

His eyes held a hint of ferocity, his tone was harsh, and his gaze was like a knife, piercing straight into Ren Pingsheng's heart.

The voice conveyed a strong sense of questioning and an unquestionable domineering attitude, as if what was said were the absolute truth, as if the speaker were an emperor emeritus. And such behavior was taken for granted.

Lin Yi's face was ashen, and his voice was deep and powerful: "During the reign of the Holy Emperor, the people had already paid land taxes, household taxes, and corvée labor for building roads, dikes, and city walls."

And recently, you have arbitrarily added taxes on firewood, fishing, and hunting, along with all sorts of other exorbitant levies. Aren't these enough?

Dissatisfaction and anger were no longer concealed; repression and pain were poured out. They also wanted to ask this long-established family where their bottom line truly lay.

In an instant, the wind stopped, and the air seemed to freeze.

The Yao family patriarch remained expressionless and said in a deep voice, "Where in the world is there such suffering? This chaotic world is about to arrive. In this vast Hezhou, if everyone cannot work together and even sacrifice their lives, where will there be such peace and tranquility?"

Since they can no longer make a greater contribution, don't you think that sacrificing a little of their own for the peace of the majority would be the best outcome?

His cold tone, sharp as ice and piercing as arrows, struck Lin Yi and Ren Pingsheng with the force of a thousand pounds. Endless exploitation seemed to be the only right thing to do, and they were willing to sacrifice their souls even in death.

Ren Pingsheng nodded slightly, his indifference vanishing. He chuckled softly, "So that's how it is. I was too naive. The land of adults is the beautiful place in my heart."

Lin Yi felt a chill in his heart. In this chaotic world, no one survives. How long has it been? This is just the beginning. Without the suppression of rules, it is a memory he does not want to relive.

A chill ran through them, and as their eyes met, their swords clashed.

In the cold wind and rain, who sings "East Wind Breaks"? Born into a chaotic world, today iron blades and spears splatter with blood.

Ren Pingsheng wielded a slender sword, his movements agile, the tip of the sword flashing with a sharp light. Man and sword were one, and every move he made was meant to determine life or death.

Lin Yi brandished his longsword, unleashing two bursts of sword energy with overwhelming force. Each strike carried the power of thunder.

A figure flashed, aiming straight for Old Master Yao's head. Sword energy and blade light intertwined, and a chilling aura instantly filled the entire space.

Old Ancestor Yao was instantly enraged. After his breakthrough through sacrifice, his mind became bloodthirsty and murderous, and the servants in the courtyard were constantly being replaced.

And what about Qing Shi Village? If it weren't a village, how could I have gained the favor of the Demon God, been rejuvenated, and even broken through to the next level?

In an instant, a large axe, about six feet long, with a golden back, appeared. It was sharp, powerful, and heavy. With the axe in hand, he immediately felt invincible, as if endless power flowed through his body.

The golden-backed mountain-splitting axe swept across with immense force, seemingly possessing the power to defeat ten thousand men. As the blade energy swept across, he suddenly realized that his own strength was not as great as the blade energy.

My heart sank instantly; it was too late to retreat.

With the axe blade pointed at Ren Pingsheng, it cleaved down his head, not even managing to split the air, creating a gust of wind. The axe shadows were numerous, as if he had returned to his prime.

In his prime, he was agile and steady, as if he could split mountains and rivers.

But after the three axe blows, he suddenly felt his energy depleted and unable to replenish it. Instantly, a blade of energy shot through the air, and a sword energy, like a sharp, icy blade, pierced straight into his heart.

He mustered his inner energy and blocked with the great axe. He was immediately knocked back and used the force to retreat. He turned around and was about to shoot towards the demon statue. His chance to turn the tables was here. His mind was filled with a bit of madness and frenzy.

Lin Yi's eyes were resolute and frenzied. His movements seemed to foresee everything, and with lightning speed, he instantly blocked the way. The long sword in his hand rose into the air, and a three-inch blade of light condensed on the blade.

The man followed the blade, arriving decisively and slashing out with unwavering force, as if to say: This path is blocked, the only way is to slay the enemy.

A low, frenzied, and fearless growl roared, "This road is blocked! If I don't kill you, how can I live up to the trust the master has placed in me!" His resolve was unwavering.

Carrying a long sword, his aura was as fierce as a tiger, ready to die for his cause. Otherwise, how could he betray the trust placed in him by his lord?

The long sword drew a dazzling arc in the air, splitting the air and exploding with a deafening roar, instantly creating an immense force that filled the surrounding area.

A resolute glint flashed in his eyes as he growled, 'Die.'

The blade energy erupted suddenly, and Lin Yi fought to the death without retreating. Old Ancestor Yao felt immense pressure, as if Mount Tai was pressing down on him. His body was knocked away and rolled several times in the air.

In his haste, the axe cracked his tiger's mouth, causing him to momentarily relax, but he quickly regained his composure.

Ren Pingsheng's sword energy was like water, and his figure moved swiftly. He closed his eyes, as if he had entered a state of selflessness in an instant, moving like clouds without fixed direction and flowing like water without end.

The man was like a sparse shadow, the sword and the man were separated, passing through each other in an instant.

Blood gushed from between his eyebrows like water, shooting out three steps.

The longsword followed closely behind, its blade flashing with light. Without the slightest carelessness, a blinding blade of light shot straight up, like a dazzling silver dragon, slicing horizontally.

The head tumbled, blood gushing forth, severed in two, then fell to the ground with two soft thuds.

The two men, their eyes grave, entered the inner room at the same time. The blood-soaked statue looked particularly eerie.

There seemed to be a low, seductive voice: 'Want immortality? Want power and beauty? Pleasing me will make everything you desire a reality.'

The sword energy burst forth, and the sword exploded, shattering the statue into pieces. The sound abruptly ceased.

Without pausing, the two moved swiftly like eagles to provide support elsewhere.

After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the shouts of battle began to subside.

Lin Yi and Ren Pingsheng both looked rather grim. Their expressions were somewhat grave.

Although the two rescued in time, they suppressed various families and killed Yao, the prefect of Hezhou.

However, casualties are inevitable. There are quite a few people who worship evil spirits, some of whom are completely unexpected, including Governor Yao. Moreover, many statues suddenly appear, which is extremely strange.