Rearing Demons
Chapter 110: Weeping Willow

Chapter 110: Weeping Willow

Renri had his beast crash directly through the castle windows, patience forgotten.

"Willow! Dad!" He jumped off the large hawk, quickly returning it to its jewel, and sprinted through the halls. "XIA!" he yelled loudly, but there was no reply.

"Ah..." A weak groan echoed nearby.

"Dad!" Renri recognized the voice immediately.

Without wasting time, he drew his blade, smashing through the walls with all his strength, ignoring the hallways entirely. He instantly burst into his father’s room.

"BASTARDS!" The sight before him filled him with horror and fury.

Two men dressed in black cloaks stood behind his father. One was attempting to pry open his chest with a blade, while the other drained his blood into jars.

Without hesitation, Renri attacked fiercely, his energy at its peak. The cloaked figures jumped back, but only one evaded the strike. The other’s head fell to the ground immediately. Renri crushed it beneath his foot and leapt toward the second man.

Though the cloaked man tried to resist, he was weaker than Renri and was quickly decapitated.

Renri rushed to his father, who lay on the brink of death. His body had been cut open, skin peeled away in multiple places. Agony was etched deeply into his face.

"Dad!" Renri’s eyes burned with rage and sorrow.

"Go!" His father suddenly spoke, eyes wide. "W-Willow... go!" He pushed Renri weakly, using all the strength he had left.

Seeing this, Renri gritted his teeth. "I’m sorry... I have no way to save you, Dad," he whispered, holding his father’s trembling hands, tears streaming down his face.

Stepping back, he lifted his sword, and with eyes tightly shut, he swung downward.

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Bryant also arrived at the city, approaching from the front gates. Immediately, he found himself surrounded by men in black cloaks.

"What the fuck!" Landing swiftly, Bryant drew his weapon, charging at the enemy alongside his small team of three. "Kill them all!"

The city had few cultivators left, all of them weak. Most stronger cultivators had been sent away to defend other cities. Although Freau was considered one of the strongest Mortal Kingdoms at this time, tonight would change everything.

"Fuck them up!" Bryant yelled, sprinting past the cloaked attackers while his team engaged them.

As he rushed further into the city, his eyes widened upon seeing something unusual in the center.

"A willow tree?" A strange, drooping tree bloomed in the middle of the city, encircled by dozens more cloaked figures. Bodies littered the ground, many seemingly unconscious rather than dead.

Enraged, Bryant charged in without hesitation.

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Renri, following a trail of blood, hurried toward the city. He noticed the broken window and realized Willow must have fled in this direction.

"WILLOW!" he shouted anxiously.

He summoned his beast once again, quickly mounting it. "Find Willow!"

The hawk nodded, soaring swiftly through the air, scanning the ground. Suddenly, it let out a sharp screech, alerting Renri to movement below. Several masked figures hurried through the alleys.

"Dive down!" Renri commanded. Waiting for the right moment, he leapt from the hawk and attacked the group.

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"These motherfuckers!" Bryant and his team slowly forced their way deeper into the city, fighting through relentless waves of cloaked men.

Suddenly, their attention shifted to the willow tree. Cloaked men were carrying two limp bodies toward it.

"Willow!" Bryant immediately recognized her face. "XIA!" he shouted, noticing his niece being carried as well, also unresponsive.

Bryant fought even more desperately, panic driving him. "FUCK OFF!" He swung wildly, disregarding defense entirely as he charged recklessly forward. Blades stabbed and sliced his body, but he ignored every wound, running toward the tree.

"LET GO!" he roared as more cloaked men jumped onto him, trying to restrain him. "RENRI!" he screamed, using every ounce of strength left, knowing his brother was somewhere in the city.

Struggling furiously against the men, Bryant suddenly had heavy metal chains shoved into his mouth, silencing him. Tasting blood and metal, he struggled helplessly.

His men tried to rush to his aid but were quickly overwhelmed.

Bryant stared helplessly at the willow tree as the cloaked men dressed Willow and Xia in white robes, tying them tightly to the tree. The entire area suddenly lit up, glowing brighter and brighter as the cloaked figures stepped back and began chanting unintelligible murmurs.

Willow and Xia’s eyes fluttered open in confusion.

"Mom!" Xia cried in terror.

"Calm down, baby, calm down," Willow whispered, though her own body trembled with fear. Her gaze fell upon Bryant in the distance. "Help us!" Tears streamed down her face.

Seeing her, Bryant also began to cry, fighting even harder against his captors. He clawed desperately at them, digging his nails into their flesh.

I’m coming, Willow! I’m coming!

He continued struggling, hearing the screams of his men dying around him. But suddenly, he saw Renri approaching from afar.

"Daddy!" Xia screamed upon seeing him, terror evident in her voice.

"Xia!" Renri shouted, blood covering his body.

Summoning his severely injured hawk—now missing one wing—he called out, "Help me!" The beast, despite its condition, attacked the cloaked figures, biting and clawing desperately.

"GET OUT OF MY WAY!" Renri’s blade chipped and cracked, so he grabbed weapons from fallen enemies, kicking, punching, and stabbing anything in his path. He made slow but determined progress toward the willow tree.

The bright glow intensified further until suddenly—

"AHH! DADDY!" Xia screamed, spotting a horrifyingly large mouth forming nearby.

"RENRI! DEMON!" Willow shouted, struggling desperately against the ropes. She finally managed to loosen them enough to break free, quickly rushing toward Xia.

Willow frantically bit and clawed at Xia’s restraints, which were much tighter due to her smaller body.

"C’mon!" Willow stomped anxiously, tears flowing freely, her breathing rapid. The monstrous mouth became more vivid with every passing second.

Bryant, finally breaking free, rushed forward despite his badly injured leg.

"Bryant, SAVE THEM!" Renri yelled desperately.

Bryant said nothing, focusing only on action. He sprinted forward with everything he had. Just as Willow loosened Xia’s bindings, a massive, saggy demonic hand seized Willow by her waist and legs, holding her like a doll.

Willow’s eyes widened in horror. Yet, she managed to throw Xia toward Bryant. "Save her!"

Bryant caught Xia, instantly surrounded again by cloaked figures. "Fuck!" He knew he couldn’t push further without risking Xia’s safety. He cradled her protectively, charging through the enemies despite numerous injuries.

Renri, seeing his beloved grabbed by the demonic creature, flew into a rage.

"FUCK OFF!" Abandoning caution, he leapt onto his hawk, using it as leverage to launch forward. Blades tore into him, but he ignored the pain, dashing toward Willow.

"Willow, hold on!" He grabbed her arms, pulling desperately against the demonic hand. He kicked, bit, and stabbed at it, yet the flesh remained as strong as metal.

What do I do?! Panic consumed him as he desperately continued pulling.

Suddenly, he noticed someone approaching. "Sect Master Dri!" he screamed frantically. "DEMON!"

The elderly man flew swiftly through the air, power radiating from him.

"DEMON!" Sect Master Dri shouted, lifting a large sword and cleanly slicing the demonic hand.

Willow fell into Renri’s arms as the elder instructed, "Elders, kill all demonic cultivators!" He immediately used his essence to fight the slowly closing portal.

Holding Willow tightly, Renri whispered, tears falling, "You’re safe now... You’re safe." He hugged her closer. "I thought I was too late."

There was no response. Renri’s heart stopped. He turned her around, feeling her faint breathing.

"Willow?" He noticed the severed hand still gripping her waist and legs. He removed it easily now that the source was gone. But as he did, horror filled him.

Her body from the stomach down was completely crushed and flattened.

"NO!" Renri screamed, tears flooding his eyes. "Willow!" he wailed desperately as he held her tighter, feeling her final breaths fading away. "No, NO!"