Chapter 49 Yang Kang

Chiyang Mountain

As the sun set, its fading rays bathed the mountainside in a fiery glow, setting the sky ablaze.

The dozen or so elders of Xu Village, together with the clan leader, all bearing injuries of varying severity, surrounded the village’s youngest elder. Every pair of eyes burned with grim killing intent.

The reason was simple. The elders of Chijia Village had used a Rare Gu Worm to expose Yang Kang as the inheritor of the Blood Sea Ancestor’s inheritance.

Ever since the Blood Sea Ancestor founded Blood Path, it had been relentlessly suppressed by the Heavenly Court of the Central Continent. Rumor had it that Heavenly Court possessed a method capable of tracking every Blood Path Gu Master and Gu Immortal in the world.

For centuries after the Blood Sea Ancestor’s death, when Blood Path flourished throughout the five regions, Heavenly Court and ten great sects under its command had been determined to eradicate it completely. They not only dispatched their own Gu Masters to hunt down Blood Path cultivators, but also provide information to the other four regions, allowing them to track down and eliminate Blood Path Gu Masters wherever they were found.

Furthermore, Blood Path placed very low demands on a Gu Master’s aptitude. As long as one possessed an aperture, one could cultivate it. It required very few cultivation resources, with fresh blood serving as its primary material. Its cultivation speed was also astonishingly fast, provided one was willing to pay the price.

Such easily obtained power drove countless Blood Path Gu Masters into obsession. Enslaved by their thirst for strength, many committed countless heinous acts in pursuit of even greater power.

Because of this, the Blood Path was suppressed by every righteous force and universally regarded as a demonic path. Anyone who cultivated it would be branded a demonic Gu Master.

“Surrender! A wise man submits to the circumstances. Hand over every Gu worm you possess and return to the village with us. If you cooperate, we may spare your life.”

“Yang Kang, you’ve seen the situation for yourself. There’s no point in resisting. Think about your sister.”

“The outcome has already been decided, Yang Kang. If you insist on resisting, you’ll die here today!”

The other elders of Xu Village, regardless of whether they had once shared any friendship with Yang Kang, all looked at him with undisguised greed and killing intent.

A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime.

Although the righteous path of Southern Border had spent years suppressing Blood Path, they had also been secretly researching its profound mysteries.

Now that a genuine Blood Path true inheritance had appeared before them, how could they not be tempted?

By now, the rocks beneath Yang Kang’s feet had been stained dark red with blood. His face was deathly pale from excessive blood loss, appearing especially grim beneath the crimson glow of the setting sun.

His once-pristine red robe had long since been torn to shreds. His hair hung in disarray, and his entire body was soaked in blood. Fresh blood continued to flow from the countless wounds covering him, pooling beneath his feet.

Ever since unexpectedly inheriting the Blood Sea Ancestor’s true inheritance, Yang Kang’s path had been smooth sailing. With the help of the Gu worms within the inheritance, he temporarily raised his aptitude, while his cultivation steadily advanced until he broke through to Rank Three and became an elder of Xu Village. In the end, he personally avenged his family by killing the one who had seized their inheritance.

Moreover, his exceptional combat strength and achievements at such a young age earned him a position as a village elder, making him the object of admiration for many young women in the village.

“I never thought that I, Yang Kang, a dignified Blood Path Gu Master, would one day die from blood loss. How ironic! But if you want my life, then all of you can stay here and die with me!”

Yang Kang no longer had any regrets. Having accepted his fate,he was prepared to self-detonate and drag every elder of Xu Village down with him.

Just then, an elderly man with white hair and a long white beard stepped out from the crowd. His back was slightly hunched, and his frail appearance bore the marks of old age. He was the former clan leader of Xu Village. Although his cultivation had fallen to Rank Three, no one in the village could rival his prestige.

“Yang Kang, even if you have fallen onto the demonic path, you are still a member of the Yang clan. This time… we can let you go.” Before he could finish speaking, the former clan leader broke into a violent coughing fit.

“Former Clan Leader! How can you let him go?”

“Blood Path demons must not be allowed to escape!”

Faced with a genuine Blood Path true inheritance, the others were naturally unwilling to let Yang Kang leave so easily and immediately voiced their objections.

The former clan leader let out a cold snort and struck his cane against the ground. The crowd instantly fell silent, not daring to utter another word.

Clearly, the former clan leader still commanded immense authority within the village.

“Thank you for your kindness, Clan Leader. Since you’re willing to let me go, what price must I pay?”

Yang Kang understood the implication behind those words. He wasn’t a fool. If the other party was willing to spare him when victory was already within their grasp, then he undoubtedly had a condition.

Looking at Yang Kang, who was already at the end of his rope, the former clan leader slowly raised three fingers.

“I’ll give you three choices. Agree to any one of them, and I’ll let you leave.”