In Martial Universe, Signed in at the Start with Yao Lao's Ring

At this moment, beneath Lin Yan's foot, the severed head of Lei Bao, Patriarch of the Lei Family, was completely crushed into pulp.

Though such a method seemed excessively brutal, for Lin Yan—this man had repeatedly orchestrated attacks against the Lin Family, igniting a deep rage within him.

To Lin Yan, allowing him a quick death was already a mercy. As for leaving him a complete corpse—that was simply out of the question.

"Lei Bao is dead! All Lei Family members, surrender immediately!"

"Those who surrender will be spared. Those who resist—will be slaughtered without mercy!"

Lin Yan's powerful voice echoed across the battlefield.

The Lei Family warriors, who had been frozen in shock, were finally jolted back to reality.

"How… how is this possible?!"

Their expressions were filled with disbelief, as if they had just witnessed a ghost.

All eyes turned toward Lin Yan, standing tall as the undeniable victor. It was a sight that none of them could comprehend.

But as their eyes fell upon Lei Bao's lifeless body, reality sank in like a cold blade.

At that moment—the will to fight collapsed entirely. Because now, they all understood—the Lei Family… was finished.

Even now, they still couldn't fully comprehend how a young man who had cultivated for less than two years had managed to slay their Patriarch.

But no matter how ridiculous it seemed—it had happened. And all they could do was accept it.

"We surrender…"

"We surrender!"

One voice after another began calling out their surrender.

Soon, as if contagious, the remaining Lei Family warriors followed suit—one after another, throwing down their weapons in defeat.

"We won!"

"The Lei Family is destroyed!"

"Victory belongs to the Lin Family!"

Cheering erupted among the Lin Family warriors. As their gazes turned toward Lin Yan, admiration shone in their eyes.

They understood—The Lin Family's victory today was entirely thanks to him. After all, "capture the leader, and the battle is won."

The main reason why the Lei Family warriors had surrendered so easily was because—Lin Yan had slain Lei Bao.

If Lei Bao had still been alive, these warriors would have fought to the bitter end, even if it meant their total annihilation.

And in such a case—the Lin Family would have suffered tremendous losses as well.

Lin Yan walked up to Lin Xiao and spoke calmly.

"Uncle Xiao, I'll leave the cleanup to you. I'm heading over to check on Lin Dong."

Just earlier, Lin Dong's battle against Gu Ying had gradually led them far from the battlefield.

Now, they were some distance away from Steel Wood Manor, and Lin Yan felt uneasy about it. He wanted to see for himself how things had played out.

"Alright! Go ahead, don't worry about us!"

Lin Xiao, still exhilarated from the victory, responded enthusiastically.

Lin Yan nodded, then quickly rushed toward Lin Dong's location.

Initially, he had hoped to reach them in time—so that he could spare Gu Ying's life.

After all—Gu Ying belonged to the Blood-Clothed Sect, which was an extension of the Blood Wolf Gang.

This entanglement was far too complex and if they provoked them directly, the resulting conflicts could become endlessly troublesome.

However, by the time Lin Yan arrived at the scene, Lin Dong had already slain Gu Ying. Seeing this, Lin Yan let out a helpless sigh.

"So, in the end, there was no escaping this."

Lin Yan let out a sigh but didn't blame Lin Dong. Instead, he simply walked forward and asked, "Are you alright?"

Lin Dong nodded, but his expression held a trace of guilt as he looked at Lin Yan.

With a bitter smile, he admitted, "I'm fine. But Lin Yan, this Gu Ying… he wasn't just anyone. He was from the Blood-Clothed Sect. I actually didn't want to kill him either—but he tried to kill me first."

Lin Yan patted Lin Dong's shoulder reassuringly.

"Don't dwell on it. In that situation, you had no choice but to defend yourself. As for the Blood-Clothed Sect—if they come looking for trouble, I'll deal with them."

"Come on, let's head back."

Hearing Lin Yan's words, Lin Dong's heart trembled slightly.

Even though Lin Yan wasn't his real brother, at that moment—Lin Dong truly felt the warmth of an older sibling's protection.

A deep sense of loyalty and gratitude surged within him, making him feel that if Lin Yan ever needed him—he would not hesitate to risk his life.

"Alright!"

Lin Dong responded firmly.

"No matter what happens, we'll face it together!"

The two then returned to the entrance of Steel Wood Manor. By now, under Lin Xiao's command, the remaining Lei Family warriors had all been captured.

Of course, the Lin Family had no intention of executing them all. With Lei Bao dead, the remaining Lei Family members no longer posed any real threat.

Moreover, if the Lin Family mercilessly slaughtered them, it would paint them as excessively brutal.

Rather than massacring them, it was far more beneficial to assimilate them, much like they had done with the remnants of the Xie Family.

When Lin Yan arrived, Lin Xiao and Lin Ken quickly approached, ready to report on the situation. But Lin Yan simply gave them a wry smile.

"Uncle Xiao, you don't need to report these things to me. I'm just the younger generation."

"Besides, I have no experience in handling these kinds of matters—you should take care of it as you see fit."

Though Lin Yan had acted boldly during the battle, it was only because he understood the situation's urgency.

At that moment, the Lin Family needed a leader, so he stepped up without hesitation. But now that the battle was over, Lin Yan had no interest in hogging the spotlight.

"Ah, Yan'er, you…"

"Fine, fine, since you don't want to deal with these matters, Ken and Mang will help me handle them."

"But one thing is certain—you can't deny your achievements today. Everyone in the Lin Family saw it with their own eyes."

"When we were on the brink of disaster, it was you who led us to victory. When Father comes out of seclusion and hears about this, he will surely be overjoyed!"

Lin Xiao let out a helpless sigh as he spoke. He understood Lin Yan's temperament well.

Though he greatly approved of Lin Yan's humility, he also felt that at times—Lin Yan was far too selfless...

Behind him, Lin Ken and Lin Mang also nodded in agreement, fully supporting Lin Xiao's words.

Lin Yan simply let them be. Leaving the aftermath in Lin Xiao's hands, he walked away from the scene.

Of course, news of the Lei Family's defeat—and more importantly, the death of Lei Bao at Lin Yan's hands—was not something that could be kept secret.

Sooner or later, word would spread. And as the saying goes—paper cannot contain fire.

By early the next morning, the entire Qingyang Town had exploded in shock.