Chapter 17: Chapter 17: Vicious
The crowd outside the training grounds was petrified by the sight.
"Shen Shaotian, the one with the Venerable Bloodline, was defeated just like that?"
"This... How is this possible?"
...
No one had expected such an outcome.
Shen Shaotian, who had drawn a blessing from heaven and earth and possessed the Venerable Bloodline, had lost to Shen Daoxing.
It was like a dream.
The teachers from the three great academies were still in shock. The genius they had been fighting over, Shen Shaotian, had actually lost to Shen Daoxing?
The members of the Shen Family also turned deathly pale, especially Shen Bai, who had betrayed Shen Changqing.
Shen Daoxing walked coldly toward Shen Shaotian.
"How dare you!"
Madam Shen roared. In a flash, she lunged forward, swinging her wide sleeve down toward Shen Daoxing’s head.
"Old hag, are you going to interfere in a duel to the death?"
A cold sneer appeared on Shen Daoxing’s lips. Even when facing the Shen Family’s matriarch, he did not choose to dodge, instead meeting her attack with a punch.
BANG!
With a deafening sound, Madam Shen’s body was sent flying back several dozen zhang.
"Insolent!"
"Shen Daoxing, you have some nerve!"
At that moment, the many experts of the Shen Family swarmed forward, furiously berating Shen Daoxing.
With his hands behind his back, Shen Daoxing said coolly, "As I recall, this is a duel to the death. Are you all planning to break the rules and make the Shen Family a laughingstock for the whole world?"
Just then, Shen Shaotian staggered to his feet and pointed at Shen Daoxing. "Shen Daoxing, you cheated! There’s no way you could be my opponent."
Shen Daoxing challenged, "And why couldn’t I be your opponent?"
Shen Shaotian raged, "The Venerable Bloodline in your body was completely drained..."
Realizing his slip of the tongue, Shen Shaotian quickly shut his mouth, but it was too late.
A commotion broke out!
The entire area around the training grounds was in an uproar.
"What!? Drain the Venerable Bloodline?"
"Could it be that Shen Shaotian’s Venerable Bloodline was drained from Shen Daoxing?"
"If that’s true, the Shen Family is truly vicious."
...
Shen Shaotian’s face went pale, and he stumbled backward.
"Bullshit!"
Madam Shen hurried forward and snapped, "Shen Daoxing, stop trying to stir up trouble! You are nothing but a bastard the Shen Family took in. My Shen Family only has one person with the Venerable Bloodline, and that is Shaotian..."
Shen Daoxing said coldly, "Enough nonsense. This duel to the death isn’t over yet."
The Li Family Patriarch came to his senses and shouted, "Madam Shen, this is a duel to the death! Is the Shen Family planning to gang up on Shen Daoxing?"
"That’s right, it’s a duel to the death! Is the Shen Family really going to break the rules?"
"A duel to the death must end with a life-or-death outcome."
Soon, the Li Family Patriarch’s words were met with a chorus of agreement.
Madam Shen looked at the trembling Shen Shaotian. He was clearly heavily injured. If she let things continue, Shen Daoxing would definitely kill him.
Shen Shaotian was the hope of her Shen Family; he absolutely could not be killed by Shen Daoxing.
At this thought, Madam Shen’s aged hand clenched into a fist. "Shen Daoxing, I believe you cheated in this duel to the death. This duel needs to be reconsidered..."
Shen Daoxing cut her off directly. "You old hag, Shen Shaotian lost to me in front of this huge crowd, and you say I cheated? Are your eyes blind, or is your heart?"
Madam Shen had already made up her mind. She yelled, "Everyone, see this clearly! Shen Daoxing is treacherous and rebellious, committing insubordination..."
Clearly, she had thrown all caution to the wind.
As long as she could kill Shen Daoxing and save Shen Shaotian.
The Shen Family would still be the Shen Family.
The clamor from around the training grounds surged like a tidal wave.
"The Shen Family is so shameless! They’re clearly sore losers!"
"This is utterly shameless! Shen Shaotian is obviously no match for Shen Daoxing, yet the Shen Family’s matriarch is accusing him of cheating. I never thought the Shen Family’s matriarch would have such a disgusting side to her. It’s sickening."
"The Shen Family is a disgrace to their title as one of the three great families of Baiyun City! They should just get out of Baiyun City!"
"Get out of Baiyun City! Get out of Baiyun City!"
...
Seeing this, the teachers from the three great academies all shook their heads, a trace of contempt in their eyes.
Hearing the discussions around her, Madam Shen felt a rage surge through her heart and urged, "What are you waiting for? Attack together and kill Shen Daoxing!"
"Stop!"
Just then, a cold shout rang out.
The crowd followed the voice and saw a woman of breathtaking beauty.
Her skin was fairer than snow, and her eyes were like pools of clear water. Her every glance carried an air of refined, noble grace that captivated all who saw her, making them feel unworthy and daring not to defile her with a single thought.
This person was none other than Shangguan Yiran.
Madam Shen’s expression changed. She quickly said, "Commandery Princess!"
Shangguan Yiran said coldly, "Today’s duel to the death is about fairness and justice. No one is to interfere."
Hearing this, Madam Shen looked utterly devastated. After all, Shangguan Yiran was not to be trifled with, in terms of either status or power.
A cold sneer formed on Shen Daoxing’s lips as he walked toward Shen Shaotian.
Seeing Shen Daoxing approach, Shen Shaotian cried out, "Grandmother, save me!"
Madam Shen remained silent. If she were to act now, she would surely bring disaster upon the entire Shen Family.
When Shen Shaotian saw that Madam Shen didn’t speak and the other Shen Family experts wore cold expressions, a surge of hatred welled up in his heart. ’If that’s how it’s going to be, then don’t blame me for what I do next.’
The next moment, a short sword appeared in Shen Shaotian’s hand, and he plunged it directly into Madam Shen’s chest.
"GURGLE~!"
Blood flowed down the sharp edge of the blade.
Madam Shen lowered her head and glanced at her blood-soaked clothes. "You... you..."
"Shen Shaotian, have you gone mad!?"
Shen Lin couldn’t help but cry out.
Everyone present was stunned.
No one had expected Shen Shaotian to suddenly attack—not Shen Daoxing, but the Shen Family’s own matriarch.
"There is a Secret Technique for those with the Venerable Bloodline. Absorbing the blood of a close relative can increase one’s own power."
Shen Shaotian’s face was twisted in a savage expression. "Grandmother, don’t blame me. In the future, your grandson will revitalize our Shen Family."
As he spoke, Shen Shaotian extended a palm, and Madam Shen’s bright red blood began to flow continuously into his hand. At the same time, his aura began to surge dramatically.
Madam Shen’s face turned beet red. "You... you rebellious spawn!"
At the most critical moment, she had been thinking only of how to save Shen Shaotian. Yet, to save his own life, he was killing her and draining her blood.
The members of the Shen Family were all stunned. With Shen Shaotian absorbing the matriarch’s blood, they didn’t know whose side to take.
Shen Yuerou bit her lip. "Shen Shaotian is truly an animal."
Shen Changqing shook his head. "An animal, yes, but one that Madam Shen raised herself."
As more and more blood was drained from Madam Shen’s body, her face became deathly pale.
Soon, Shen Shaotian finished draining the blood. He then tossed Madam Shen’s body aside like a piece of trash, turned to face Shen Daoxing, and said with a savage grin, "Shen Daoxing, the best is yet to come."
"Matriarch!"
Shen Lin led the Shen Family members to Madam Shen’s side.
Lying in a pool of her own blood, tears of regret streamed from Madam Shen’s aged eyes. "This... this is all my own doing..."
