Chapter 229: Chapter 217: Yin Yang Assassination Extinction Array
"Never mind who I am. I’m here to ask you one thing: Did you send your people to kill Yangg Yan and Feng Xiao from Luoshui City?"
Nie Yun snorted.
He was here for revenge, so what if his opponent was an Ultimate Venerable? ’If they cooperate, fine. If they don’t, I’ll just kill them!’
In both his past life and this one, Nie Yun valued nothing more than his family and friends. If anyone dared to lay a hand on them, he would exterminate their entire clan, even if it was beyond his power.
It was this very madness and cold-bloodedness that had earned him the title of the "Blood Realm Demon Clan" shortly after his debut.
"Hm? So you’re here for those two good-for-nothings? Correct. The Assassin Union sent men to kill them." The middle-aged man’s brow furrowed as he flew into the air.
"So you were the ones who killed them?"
Nie Yun’s fists clenched, his eyes turning bloodshot.
With no one admitting to the deed before now, he’d had to suppress his rage. But now, knowing for sure that the Assassin Union was responsible, he felt like he was about to explode.
"The Assassin Union takes money for a job. Those two were merely at the Early-Stage Armor Realm, yet someone offered a million taels for their heads. Naturally, we killed them! What of it? Do you intend to avenge them?" the middle-aged man sneered.
The Assassin Union’s standard rate was ten thousand taels for an Early-Stage Armor Realm target, thirty thousand for a Mid-Stage, sixty thousand for a Late-Stage, and one hundred thousand for a Peak. A million taels for an early-stage target was an astronomical price.
"Paid for a job? Who hired you to kill them?" Nie Yun gritted his teeth, his expression savage.
"The Assassin Union would never reveal information about its clients!" The middle-aged man waved his hand dismissively, his eyes filled with cold indifference as he looked at Nie Yun. "Asking after Yangg Yan and his companion, and so young... If I’m not mistaken, you must be the Ultimate Venerable Nie Yun! The new Ultimate Venerable who caused such a stir in the Imperial Capital just a few days ago. I admit you’re quite something. However, you’re still far too green to throw your weight around in our Assassin Union with just this much power! You destroyed our hall. Compensate us with ten million taels of silver, and I can overlook this. Otherwise, not only will you die, but all your family and friends will die with you!"
The middle-aged man’s words carried a sinister, cold aura, implying that if Nie Yun refused his demands, he would strike him down without another word.
"My family and friends will die?"
A terrifying coldness filled Nie Yun’s eyes.
He hated it when others threatened his loved ones. His opponent had just crossed an unforgivable line.
"What do you take the Assassin Union for? An inn? A hotel? A place you can come and go as you please? If you don’t have ten million taels of silver, get on your knees and beg for forgiveness. You might just live. Otherwise, this day next year will be the anniversary of your death!"
"This reckless fool! This is the Assassin Union! Everyone here is an assassin! What an idiot, looking for trouble here!"
"I think he’s got a death wish. It’s a good day when *we* aren’t the ones causing trouble, yet he dares to act so arrogantly here. He’s asking to die!"
"Guild Master, why are you even talking to him? Just kill this arrogant brat who doesn’t know his place. Leaving him alive will only cause more trouble..."
All the members of the Assassin Union began to roar in anger.
In the eyes of the world, the Assassin Union was a mysterious and terrifying organization that no one dared to offend. For a young man to show up and immediately demolish half their gate, every one of them was red-faced with fury.
"Silence!"
He barked, his voice rolling out like a physical shockwave.
Struck by the force of that soundwave, all the assassins felt as if a venomous snake had fixed its gaze on them. An uncontrollable terror bloomed from the depths of their hearts.
’He... just how many people has he killed to possess such an aura?’
The ones who had been clamoring just moments ago now stood silent, not daring to utter another word.
As assassins, which one of them hadn’t killed? Which one hadn’t killed an expert stronger than themselves? That was why they had looked down on a youth like Nie Yun. ’After all,’ they thought, ’no matter how fast his Cultivation, a killing aura is built on experience. At his age, he can’t have killed that many people.’ None of them had expected him to exude such an overwhelming killing intent!
In fact, compared to him, these assassins were like caterpillars before a Divine Dragon. There was simply no comparison!
"I will ask you one last time: who was the client that hired you to kill Yangg Yan and Feng Xiao!"
Having silenced all the assassins with a single command, leaving them too afraid to even breathe loudly, Nie Yun turned his gaze back to the middle-aged man.
"You’re still asking about the client? I suggest you worry more about your own predicament. Lik Nansou, form the array!"
"Yes!"
With a long cry, seven Qi Sect Powerhouses, led by Lik Nansou, instantly took up seven positions and surrounded Nie Yun.
’The Yin Yang Assassination Extinction Array?’
Nie Yun’s eyes narrowed as he recognized the seven-man formation.
’The Yin Yang Assassination Extinction Array is an Annihilation Array designed for assassination. It maximizes an assassin’s natural advantages. With seven Qi Sect Powerhouses wielding this array, taking down even an Ultimate Venerable Peak expert wouldn’t be difficult. No wonder this Assassin Union has stood for so many years. I never thought they would possess such a profound Combined Array!’
"I’ll give you credit, you know your stuff. I’ll be honest with you—I’m the one who went to Luoshui City and personally took care of Yangg Yan and Feng Xiao. Heh heh. How about it? Feel like killing me? Too bad you’ll never get the chance!"
Seeing Nie Yun standing still, completely surrounded, Lik Nansou chuckled in excitement.
"You were the one? Then you can die!"
Hearing the old man’s confession, Nie Yun’s eyebrows shot up, and he brought his Profound Jade Sword down in a powerful slash—Momentum of the Earth.
RUMBLE!
Momentum of the Earth, augmented by the crushing pressure of the Earth Profound Mysteries, transformed into a magnificent wave of Sword Qi that shot straight toward Lik Nansou.
"Yin Yang Assassination Extinction Array—Defense!"
Facing the incoming Sword Qi, Lik Nansou was completely unconcerned. With a loud cry, he formed a hand seal. Instantly, six streams of Sword Qi shot in from the other array members, forming a protective barrier around him that blocked Nie Yun’s Momentum of the Earth.
The Yin Yang Assassination Extinction Array could be used to defend or attack, perfectly balanced for both. Even the immense power of Nie Yun’s Momentum of the Earth was blocked.
"You think you can block this? Can you really?! Great Strength Dantian, Powerful Qi!"
With a cold laugh, Powerful Qi flooded Nie Yun’s body, and the might of his Momentum of the Earth instantly multiplied tenfold!
BOOM!
The Profound Jade Sword, its power now ten times greater, unleashed Sword Qi as magnificent as a tragic epic. RIIIP! It tore through the protective barrier and was about to pierce Lik Nansou.
"Use softness to overcome steel—Yin Yang Conversion!"
Just then, the middle-aged man entered the fray. With a grasping motion of his hand, the Grand Array churned, producing countless fine, cotton-like threads that entangled the immensely powerful Momentum of the Earth.
Once entangled by the threads, Nie Yun felt like an elephant stuck in a swamp; no matter how much power he possessed, there was no way to unleash it. His Momentum of the Earth, infused with Powerful Qi, struck Lik Nansou with all the force of a gentle breeze, having no effect whatsoever.
"The Yin Yang Assassination Extinction Array... you’ve actually mastered Yin Yang Conversion? How is that possible?" Nie Yun’s expression was one of pure shock.
The Yin Yang Assassination Extinction Array embodied the principles of Heaven and Earth’s Yin, Yang, and Five Elements. When expertly wielded, it could invert Yin and Yang, alter the flow of True Qi, and transform the hard attacks of those trapped inside into softness, rendering them completely ineffective.
’My Momentum of the Earth combined with Powerful Qi has the force of over five hundred elephants in a single blow. An attack like that could shatter mountain ranges, yet it can’t even kill an ordinary Qi Sect cultivator. It’s obvious they’ve grasped the secret of the array’s Yin Yang Conversion, transforming my purely yang, rigid power into something pliable and soft.’
"It’s too late to realize that now! Grand Array, rotate—swift strike!"
The middle-aged man sneered. With a wave of his right hand, the array shifted once more. The previously gentle, yielding energy instantly became hard and sharp. One moment, it felt like being trapped in a swamp; the next, it was like being caught in a Sword Array.
Countless blades of Sword Aura rained down, blotting out the sky. This sword-shower covered all of Nie Yun’s escape routes and targeted every vital point on his body.
’What a vicious array!’
His expression changed. Nie Yun took a step back, using his Profound Jade Sword to assume a defensive stance.
Momentum of the Earth was a Sword Intent, not a specific move. It could be used to launch an overwhelming attack or to form a defense as thick and heavy as the earth itself.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
The crisp sound of countless metal-on-metal collisions echoed across the mountaintop. Nie Yun blocked the entire sword-shower, but he was forced back again and again, cutting a sorry figure.
’A Grand Array formed by one Ultimate Venerable Peak Powerhouse and seven Qi Sect Powerhouses... I can’t possibly break through it. It seems my only option is to kill one of them in a single blow to disrupt the Array Base, then look for an opportunity!’
He would have trouble dealing with an Ultimate Venerable Peak and seven Qi Sect cultivators even if they just mobbed him, let alone when they were empowered by such a formidable array!
The greater the danger, the calmer Nie Yun became. His body moved like a butterfly flitting through flowers. Locking onto his target, he suddenly flashed forward and reappeared before Lik Nansou, his sword a swift thrust.
’The Yin Yang Assassination Extinction Array is too powerful. Even with my detailed knowledge of this array, breaking it will be incredibly difficult. I have to strike when they least expect it!’
’If I can just kill one of them by surprise, the array’s power will be crippled. Then, breaking out of it will be no problem at all.’
FZZZZT!
This sword strike used neither Momentum of the Earth nor Powerful Qi. It looked light and weightless, as if containing no power at all, yet it seemed to carry an irresistible force that struck terror deep into one’s heart.
"An Assassin Master’s Assassination Technique? You’re an Assassin Master, too? That’s impossible!"
Seeing the young man’s sudden, explosive attack, the middle-aged man’s expression changed. He lunged forward, his hand shooting out to save Lik Nansou.
’Assassin Master is a special talent. According to my information, this kid is not only talented in Alchemy, but is also a Tracking Master and possesses Storage and Beast Taming talents. If he’s an Assassin Master on top of all that, he’s just too heaven-defying!’
’How could one person have so many talents? It’s impossible!’
But whether it was true or not, Lik Nansou could not be allowed to die. If he were killed, the Yin Yang Assassination Extinction Array would be instantly broken, and they would lose their ability to trap and kill the young man.
"Heh, you fell for it."
Seeing him rush to the rescue, creating a flaw in the array, Nie Yun gave a faint smile. With a flick of his left hand, a plume of dark brown smoke shot straight at the middle-aged man and entered his nostrils.
"What is this?!"
The middle-aged man let out a hoarse scream. His entire body began to tremble like a leaf in the wind as blood gushed from his seven orifices.
