C1 The Devil Monarch Has Returned!

In Zhonghai City, within the courtyard of the Faang family estate, tensions were high.

"You Faangs have some nerve, injuring our Ma family's second young master. If you don't hand over that little wretch today, we'll flatten your entire family!"

"I beg you, my son has already been severely injured by your hands. Please show mercy and spare him. I... I'm kneeling before you."

"Your kneeling means nothing to us! Hand him over now!" The aggressors bellowed with a menacing arrogance.

The Faang family members were visibly terrified, resembling children who had been caught misbehaving. Among them, a young man lay on the ground, his body covered in wounds.

Suddenly, the injured young man's eyes snapped open, revealing a fierce determination that would be unmistakable to anyone who caught his gaze.

"Dad?" Faang Han's heart ached as he looked at his father, who was kneeling on the ground.

"This is the scene from thirty thousand years ago, when my father knelt before the Ma family, pleading for my life. How am I witnessing this again? Wasn't I betrayed and sent plummeting into the abyss by the underlings of the Burning Moon Devil Monarch?"

Back then, Faang Han was a mere mortal. When his girlfriend was insulted, he, normally timid, lashed out for the first time and struck the offender, not realizing he was the Ma family's second young master. This act brought calamity upon the Faang family. Captured by the Mas, Faang Han endured unspeakable torment and humiliation. It was only after his father knelt outside their home for three long days and nights that the Ma family finally released him.

The incident turned father and son into the laughingstock of Zhonghai City, and the Faang family disowned them. Shortly after their expulsion, a tragic accident took the lives of Faang Han's parents, with the second young master of the Ma family emerging from the truck, his face twisted in triumph.

Haunted by those scathing taunts, Faang Han attempted to end his life, only to find himself transported to the cultivation world. There, he was taken prisoner by a sect of the Devil Path. Fueled by his deep-seated rage, he dedicated himself to mastering the Devil Path's dark arts, his power growing exponentially.

In a mere 30,000 years, he ascended to become the youngest Devil Monarch in the Devil Realm, rising to the top as the leader of the nine great Devil Monarchs. His conquests included leading his forces in a raid on the Immortal Realm, where they seized a wealth of resources.

During the emergence of the Primordial Divine Tomb, he came into possession of a mysterious small gourd. Tragically, he was betrayed by his fiancée, the Burning Moon Devil Monarch, leading to the destruction of his soul. Unexpectedly, he found himself inexplicably reborn in this lifetime.

"Now that I'm back, I'm determined to change my fate and rectify all my past regrets. I will ensure the Ma family faces eternal damnation for their treatment of my Faang family. I will shield my loved ones from harm, allowing them to stand tall, free from any insult, and I will take her hand to explore every corner of the Divine Continent."

Currently, the Faang family members were desperately pleading for mercy, groveling in the most abject manner, seeking only to secure their own safety.

"The fault lies with that wretch Faang Han; it has nothing to do with us. We'll hand him over to you, so please, just spare the rest of us," pleaded a member of the Faang family to the Ma family's butler.

"Indeed, Faang Han is a clueless fool, and his father, Faang Hongtao, had the audacity to defend him. They both deserve to be punished by the butler!" another chimed in.

"I've always known that father and son were no good, daring to offend the esteemed Ma family. They are truly blind to their own folly."

The Faang family members glared at the kneeling Faang Hongtao with anger, blaming him and his son for their predicament.

"Faang Hongtao, this is your final opportunity. Surrender the boy, or don't blame the Ma family for showing no mercy," the Ma family's butler declared icily.

"Please show mercy. I am ready to take the punishment in his place," Faang Hongtao implored, prostrating himself on the ground.

"And what are you? A mere insect daring to obstruct the Ma family's way? Break his legs, so he'll never dare to stand in our way again!"

"Clap, clap, clap."

In the midst of conversation, the Ma family's butler clapped his hands, and from the crowd, a robust elderly man emerged.

"Butler, you called for me?" the old man approached, speaking with deference.

"Break this old fool's legs and take the brat to see the second young master," the butler commanded.

"Yes, sir."

The old man nodded respectfully and made his way toward Faang Hongtao.

"A Covert Strength Master, my goodness, I recognize this man. He's a Covert Strength Master of the Ma family, the notorious Zhou Shaan, known as Crippled Hand!"

A gasp rose from the Faang family members.

Covert Strength Master!

The Faang family was engulfed in shock and fear.

Covert Strength Cultivators were revered as masters among martial artists. In all of Zhonghai City, the number of such masters could be counted on one hand, with the majority affiliated with the Ma family.

Beyond the seldom-seen Strength Transforming Experts, Covert Strength Cultivators were regarded as the pinnacle of combat prowess. A master of the Covert Strength level could easily dominate a region.

The mere presence of Zhou Shaan was enough to raze the entire Faang family to the ground!

In their hearts, the Faang family members silently pleaded, hoping that once the Ma family took Faang Hongtao and his son, they would spare the rest of the Faang family.

"What a bunch of spineless fools. You've been bullied right to your doorstep, and yet not a single one of you has the courage to stand up."

A cold voice cut through the air, and the Faang family members turned to see Faang Han, who had been sprawled on the ground, now standing tall.

"Damn it! Faang Han, who are you calling spineless?"

"Faang Han, get down on your knees and apologize to the Ma family elders, and don't bring disaster upon our Faang family."

"You coward, quickly apologize to the Ma family master and beg for mercy, hoping they'll spare our Faang family."

The Faang family members were bewildered, never expecting the usually timid Faang Han to speak up so boldly.

Yet, as they met Faang Han's scornful gaze, their anger intensified. When had this coward become so audacious?

"Are you the one who assaulted the second young master, Faang Han?" the butler inquired, a smile playing on his lips.

"He deserves far more than a beating; he deserves to die!" Faang Han retorted icily.

Faang Han hadn't forgotten that it was the Ma family's reckless scion who had driven his parents to their untimely deaths, leaving him with no choice but to leap from a rooftop.

That profound hatred was etched into his very marrow. Now that he had the opportunity for vengeance in this lifetime, he was determined to make the profligate son endure excruciating pain before meeting his end.

Furthermore, he intended to extract his soul and imprison it within a soul vessel, subjecting it to eons of torment until his own heart was purged of its rancor.

"How dare you utter curses against our Young Master Ma! Get on your knees!" the butler demanded, his voice now devoid of warmth.

"For that remark alone, you should meet your end!" Faang Han declared.

"What a joke, you're on death's doorstep and still trying to act tough? Old Zhou, beat him to a pulp and drag him back to the Ma family for the young master," Butler Ma commanded.