Chapter 2403: Chapter 2403
At this moment, Youming confirmed the mission with the steward.
Unlike ordinary tasks, these special assignments were unique—once accepted by someone, they wouldn’t be issued to others again.
With the mission secured, Ye Liuyun and the group left the Black Kill Secret Realm. Shortly after their departure, Ye Liuyun noticed Cold Blade emerging from the realm as well.
His spiritual sense was exceptionally strong, granting him a wide detection range. He initially assumed Cold Blade wouldn’t be able to track them.
Unbeknownst to them, Cold Blade had tampered with the defensive treasure given to Youming, embedding a tracking function within it. Even from a distance, he could monitor their movements.
Consumed by hatred, he planned to follow them, sabotage their mission, and ensure they failed—exposing them to their assassination target and sealing their fate.
After exiting the Black Kill Secret Realm, Ye Liuyun and the others each headed for the nearest city to their target’s secret realm, regrouping outside its walls.
Soon after, they boarded a flying vessel together, speeding toward their destination.
Once aboard, they all removed their black hoods, revealing their true faces.
Mad Shark was a burly, rough-looking man, while Heavenly Eye appeared refined, like a scholarly gentleman. One Blade, on the other hand, seemed utterly ordinary, blending into the crowd.
Youming’s beauty was indeed breathtaking, though her expression remained icy. Mad Shark, seeing her for the first time, couldn’t help but whistle in admiration.
Ye Liuyun, however, was unfazed by her looks. Having seen her before, he felt nothing.
He, too, reverted to his true appearance, revealing his real face to the group.
“Oh? You’ve got skills like that?” The others were stunned by Ye Liuyun’s mastery of disguise.
"This is an arcane art, not mere disguise!" Ye Liuyun explained to them.
That way, they could only admire it without asking him to teach them. After all, these were martial techniques—no one would willingly share their prized skills with others.
"So this is your true appearance?" Youming asked.
"Yes," Ye Liuyun confirmed.
"Then can you transform into any of us? Can you take on Youming’s form?" Kuangsha’s curiosity got the better of him.
Since they had nothing better to do, Ye Liuyun decided to give them a demonstration. And because he was clad in gilded armor, not only his face but even his clothing shifted into an exact replica.
The group was utterly astonished—even Youming was taken aback.
After a long pause, Kuangsha reached out toward Ye Liuyun. "Let me touch you to see if it’s real!"
"Get lost!" Ye Liuyun swatted his hand away, his voice now a perfect match for Youming’s. Only when he laughed did the icy expression on his borrowed face soften, betraying the difference.
"Hey, Youming actually looks pretty when she smiles!" Tianyan and Yidao chimed in, teasing from the sidelines.
"Change back!" Youming snapped, her face flushing as she ordered Ye Liuyun to revert immediately.
Amid the group’s laughter, Ye Liuyun resumed his original appearance.
The others marveled for a while longer, even discussing how the Thousand Illusions Art could be used to approach their target, before gradually retreating to their cabins to train.
Only then did Ye Liuyun finally get a chance to speak with Youming alone.
"What was it you warned me not to say earlier?" he asked her directly.
"Youmin countered with a question of her own, ’What are you getting at?’"
"’I was thinking—could we use the Ninth Prince to locate the Sacred Dynasty’s treasure vault?’ Ye Liuyun came straight to the point."
"’Hmm, that’s exactly what I didn’t want you to bring up,’ Youmin replied. ’We’re assassins. Our job ends with the kill. Your suggestion means taking him alive, which puts the whole team at risk. If the others knew you were considering this, they’d never agree to go with you!’"
"’Oh,’ Ye Liuyun acknowledged, but then pressed further, ’So what’s your take? Have you thought about it too?’"
"Youmin shook her head. ’I have, but I doubt the target would know anything useful. Princes sent on expeditions like this are usually minor figures—not privy to such secrets. Even if they do know, the intel could be fake, a trap. And once they’re dead, any resources in the vault would be moved immediately. We’d walk right into an ambush.’"
"Ye Liuyun mulled it over and had to admit Youmin made sense. The fact that she’d considered all this suggested she either had prior experience or had given it serious thought."
"’Maybe the experts the Sacred Dynasty sent to protect Xiao Muyu know something!’ Youmin offered another lead."
"Xiao Muyu was the Ninth Prince’s real name."
"’Why tell me this?’ Ye Liuyun pressed immediately."
"Youmin studied him for a moment before answering slowly, ’Because I think you’re capable. Handling second-tier Heavenly Realm experts and the treasure vault’s guards is no small feat. I’ve mentioned this to a few others before—they’re all dead now.’"
"Even the Water of Life couldn’t save them?" Ye Liuyun recalled her mentioning using the legendary elixir to heal someone.
"It worked initially—they recovered completely. But then they fell into an ambush during the treasure hunt... all gone." Youming’s voice was heavy with grief.
Ye Liuyun instantly understood. Youming hadn’t just theorized; she’d tried and failed repeatedly.
"You’re that certain I’ll succeed? What if—"
Before he could finish the casual remark, Youming cut him off sharply, her emotions flaring.
"I never said you had to go! If it’s too dangerous, just walk away!"
"Easy now—just thinking aloud." Ye Liuyun softened his tone, recognizing her raw nerves.
Losing allies would weigh on anyone.
Youming exhaled slowly, regaining composure before adding, "Safety first. Don’t push yourself."
"Got it." He nodded.
Shifting gears, Ye Liuyun inquired about the red-blue crystals from their last trade.
"Pure chance—we found them in a hidden realm. Used most ourselves. Those three pieces were all we had left." Youming offered the truth freely.
No alternatives, then. He’d have to hope fortune smiled again.
Changing subjects, Youming turned conversational.
"Twenty Celestial Realm experts this time. Got a plan?" Her question hung in the air.
"It depends. The odds aren’t in our favor," Ye Liuyun said with a shrug.
"Your spiritual power should be formidable," Youming analyzed thoughtfully.
"But I have no idea how strong theirs might be. Probably on par with ours, which is why I’m not confident," Ye Liuyun admitted, rubbing his temples.
"Then why did you agree to take this mission in the first place?" Youming countered, her brow furrowing in confusion.
"Does it really matter which one we pick?" Ye Liuyun sighed, his voice tinged with resignation. "Every special assignment from Black Kill is harder than the last."
"True enough," Youming conceded, her tone grim. "Most of Black Kill’s special missions go unfinished. And even when someone succeeds, few walk away unscathed."
