From Sword to Slaughter: Evolution

"The captain's on the move; he'll definitely take down that traitor with ease!"

One of the men spoke confidently as Zhang Hu strapped his long sword to his back and walked out.

He had already sent word to the city lord's mansion, ensuring that the city gates would be heavily guarded. Ye Lan was now a trapped rat, with no chance of escape.

"Find him and inform me immediately," Zhang Hu ordered coldly as he headed out.

"Yes, sir!"

That night, the Violent Tiger Mercenary Group mobilized all its members, searching every corner of the city for Ye Lan's whereabouts.

Zhang Hu strode down the street, his eyes sharp and cold. He couldn't believe that a mere Ye Lan had caused him such trouble.

He had worked hard to expand the Violent Tiger Mercenary Group, recruiting new members and solidifying their power, but now...

His eyes narrowed as he noticed the bodies lying on the ground ahead. They were the corpses of his men, members of the Violent Tiger Mercenary Group.

But something was off—there was no blood around the bodies. The wounds had no traces of blood, as if it had been completely drained from them.

The sight sent a chill down Zhang Hu's spine.

"How... how was this done?"

The very blood had been sucked out of their bodies!

...

"Search everywhere! We must find that one-armed Ye Lan!"

The Violent Tiger Mercenary Group was out in full force. Some of the squad leaders were even second-rank martial artists.

"He's here."

Ye Lan, hiding on a rooftop, watched as a squad approached. His eyes were filled with murderous intent. The killings he had already committed had left him surrounded by a terrifying aura of death.

Without a sound, he leaped down from the roof, brandishing the Glimmering Shadow Sword.

A flash of blood-red light, and in an instant, several men were cut in half!

[Bloodthirsty Frenzy]!

Ye Lan continued to use the skill, absorbing the blood from the fallen men into the sword.

"There he is!"

The remaining members of the squad reacted in shock, unable to believe that Ye Lan had suddenly appeared behind them.

"You're Ye Lan?"

"I heard you're just a first-rank martial artist."

The squad leader, a bald brute wielding a large golden-ringed broadsword, stared at Ye Lan, feeling a cold shiver run down his spine despite his menacing appearance.

"You all deserve to die."

Ye Lan's bloodshot eyes glared at them, his entire body radiating a murderous aura. He was sacrificing his own blood to gain more power.

"I hope he doesn't die too quickly. It'd be best if he could take down Zhang Hu too," Ye Fan muttered from within the sword.

Zhang Hu and Xin Haohui had pushed Ye Lan to the brink of madness by murdering his mother. Now, even at the cost of his own life, he was determined to kill Zhang Hu.

"Even if you have a powerful sword, you're no match for me!"

The bald brute roared as he led his men in an all-out assault on Ye Lan.

"All of you... must die."

Ye Lan murmured, his voice filled with insanity. He tightened his grip on the sword and charged.

Clang, clang, clang—

The Glimmering Shadow Sword clashed violently with the brute's broadsword, filling the air with the deafening sound of metal striking metal.

At the same time, Ye Lan swiftly dispatched the men attacking him from the sides. His speed with the sword was so fast that they couldn't even see it.

These first-rank martial artists had no chance against him.

"You..."

The bald brute felt his blood run cold. The deathly aura emanating from Ye Lan's body was overwhelming.

No, it wasn't just Ye Lan—it was that sword, that black blade he wielded!

Clang—

Their weapons clashed once more, and the sheer force of the impact sent the bald brute staggering backward.

"My sword...!?"

He looked down in horror at his weapon, which was now full of nicks and small black holes. The dark energy that had splashed from Ye Lan's sword during their clash had damaged his broadsword.

What terrifying power!

But Ye Lan wasn't done. He pressed his attack with the Glimmering Shadow Sword, moving with the relentless force of someone who had nothing to lose.

Under the effects of [Bloodthirsty Frenzy], Ye Lan's power was now far beyond that of a typical second-rank martial artist. And the bald brute, already shaken, was no match for him.

In a blur of blood-red light, the brute's head was severed from his body.

[Absorbed second-rank martial artist's blood, gained 0.2 energy points]

...

[Killed second-rank martial artist, gained 200 evolution points]

Ye Fan received the system notification as Ye Lan turned, sensing something behind him.

Boom—

A powerful shockwave struck him, sending his body flying.

He crashed hard into the ground, skidding to a stop.

"A waste is a waste."

Zhang Hu, holding his broadsword, stepped forward from the shadows.

He had unleashed a devastating sword technique, creating a powerful shockwave that had sent Ye Lan hurtling through the air.

"Damn..."

Ye Lan gritted his teeth, using the sword to push himself back to his feet.

His body was now covered in wounds, and his clothes were in tatters. The shockwave had cut into his flesh as if it were a blade.

"Divine Sword, I need more power."

Ye Lan's face twisted with rage, completely ignoring the pain from his injuries.

"You want to convert more of your blood into power?"

Ye Fan watched as the blood from Ye Lan's wounds began to gather into the sword.

A massive amount of blood energy wrapped around Ye Lan, making him look like a demon.

"So, this is the power of that sword?"

Zhang Hu watched in awe, his breath growing heavier. There was no fear in his eyes, only an intense desire.

This sword was no ordinary weapon.

It had drained the blood from the bodies of his fallen men!

"Yes, you're right—it's the power of this sword."

"Zhang Hu, you're the one who ordered Xin Haohui to kill my mother, weren't you?"

Ye Lan pointed the Glimmering Shadow Sword at Zhang Hu, his face contorted with fury.

Tonight, Zhang Hu would die.

Revenge!