Chapter 111: Chapter 111: Shadow Killing Sect
Hoofbeats thundered as Ye Xuan and the other two galloped forward.
Soon, the trio entered a mountain path flanked by dense, dark woods—the perfect place for an ambush.
As Ye Xuan galloped, he pushed his Profound Sense to its limit and even quietly spread out his Soul Sense. Though he was racing ahead, he could perceive any potential danger within a thousand-meter radius.
"They’re here!" Ye Xuan suddenly hissed. With a light push of his arms against his steed, he vaulted from the saddle.
Although Ye Batian and Ye Zhanyun hadn’t sensed anything yet, they followed Ye Xuan’s lead and vaulted from their saddles in unison.
The three fine steeds, driven by inertia, continued charging forward.
SWISH, SWISH, SWISH!
From the dense woods on both sides, over a dozen arrows suddenly shot out, striking the three steeds from every angle. In an instant, the fine horses were riddled with so many arrows they looked like porcupines.
The horses let out a painful whinny before collapsing with a thunderous crash, dying on the spot. Foul-smelling, black blood oozed from their wounds.
The arrows had been coated in a deadly poison.
SWISH, SWISH, SWISH!
In the next instant, dozens more arrows flew toward them, a dense volley that blanketed the entire area within several meters of the trio.
"Hah!"
Old Master Ye let out a low shout, his palms held before his chest. He suddenly unleashed a dozen palm strikes in all directions. Each strike was accompanied by the roars of dragons and tigers, stirring up wind and clouds. The powerful energy instantly formed a massive whirlwind around his body.
CRACK! SNAP!
The force of his palms surged, creating ripples of Profound Qi. The incoming arrows snapped and scattered in all directions.
"What coward dares to ambush us? Show yourselves!"
Ye Batian stood proudly on the road, his cold gaze sweeping across the surrounding woods. His aura was incomparably domineering.
"So, you’re Ye Batian?"
A cold, sinister voice rang out.
SWISH, SWISH, SWISH!
Twelve assassins in black leaped out from both sides of the road. Profound Qi surged from each of them as they surrounded the three members of the Ye family.
The three strongest among them had True Qi so condensed it was almost tangible; they were clearly peak Third Layer Earth Martial Artists.
Four of the others had slightly weaker auras, likely Second Layer Earth Martial Artists, and the final five were all First Layer Earth Martial Artists.
They all stared at Ye Xuan and his family with vicious, savage expressions.
"Patriarch of the Wang family, Patriarch of the Zhou family, and to think you lead two of Blue Moon City’s so-called three great families. Do you not even have the courage to show your true faces?"
Seeing them, Ye Batian just sneered. He showed no sign of panic, only utter disdain.
"You old bastard Ye! You offended my Wang family and the Zhou family. Today is the day you die!" Wang Hai ripped the mask from his face, revealing a savage, twisted expression.
Zhou Tong tore off his mask as well. "You killed the disciples of my Zhou family! Now I will have my revenge and tear you to pieces!"
"With just the few of you?" A sneer touched Ye Batian’s lips.
"Heheheh, what arrogant words. Patriarch Wang, Patriarch Zhou, is he the one you want me to kill?" The last assassin, who hadn’t removed his mask, suddenly let out a sinister laugh. His strange eyes stared malevolently at the trio, and his killing intent was so potent it was almost tangible.
"That’s right. That’s Ye Batian of the Ye family, their strongest expert. He just broke through to the Third Layer Earth Martial Artist a month ago," Wang Hai said coldly.
"Good. His life is mine," the assassin said with a wicked smile. "Kill!"
"Kill!"
Wang Hai and Zhou Tong roared in unison. Wasting no more words with Ye Batian, they waved a hand, and the twelve experts charged forward in a frenzy.
"Took you long enough!"
Ye Xuan smiled faintly. Two small spheres suddenly appeared in his hands, and he hurled them forward. They spun rapidly in mid-air before exploding with a BANG.
A cloud of bright yellow smoke instantly billowed out, enveloping the three members of the Ye family.
"Is that... poison smoke? Fall back! Fall back now!"
Wang Hai and his men knew full well how the Blood Saber Stronghold had been wiped out. Seeing the poison smoke, they immediately fell back. At the same time, they circulated their Profound Qi and unleashed a flurry of palm strikes. In just a few breaths, the fierce winds from their palms had completely dispersed the yellow smoke.
"Hm? Where’d they go?"
When the yellow smoke cleared, the spot where Ye Xuan and his family had been standing was empty.
The expressions of Wang Hai and his men changed instantly. Suddenly, as if sensing something, they all whipped their heads around. The sight that met their eyes brought looks of pure horror to their faces.
From both sides of the mountain path, several powerful experts emerged, surrounding Wang Hai and his men.
Wang Hai and Zhou Tong knew these people all too well: Chairman Hua Luoxuan of the Alchemist Association; Vice Commander Lin Xiong of the City Guard; Luo Zhan of Xingxuan Academy; and the Ye family’s Patriarch, Ye Zhanxiong, along with Ye Zhantang and the others.
"Hua Luoxuan, you’re actually colluding with the Ye family," Wang Hai said, his gaze darkening as he spoke with a savage grin. "No wonder the Ye family has been so fearless. It was you backing them all along."
Wang Hai had assumed the Ye family and the Alchemist Association simply had a working relationship, but now it was clear there was more to it.
"Patriarch Wang, how can you say such a thing? Your Wang family has been a plague upon Blue Moon City, colluding with the Blood Saber Stronghold. It is an act of utter villainy. Today, I am here to deliver heaven’s justice."
Hua Luoxuan usually acted like a disrespectful old man, but at this moment, an aura of righteousness emanated from him, giving him the dignified bearing of a true master.
"Chairman Hua is absolutely right. These men staged a masked ambush on a public road—their crimes are heinous. As Vice Commander of the City Guard, I, Lin Xiong, am sworn to protect the peace in Blue Moon City and will punish them without mercy," Lin Xiong added with a cold sneer.
Seeing this, the masked assassin let out a cackle. "Patriarch Wang, Patriarch Zhou, you never mentioned these people. To kill them as well, I’ll have to triple the agreed-upon price."
Wang Hai’s expression flickered, but he answered without hesitation. "Done!"
"A pack of sanctimonious hypocrites! Die, all of you! Heheheh!" Hearing the confirmation, the assassin let out a savage laugh and shot forward.
A black, ghostly face materialized above his head. Empowered by this martial soul, black, tentacle-like strands of Profound Qi oozed from his body. The bone-chilling aura made it feel as if they had been plunged into the depths of hell.
"The Shadow Ghost Demonic Art... You’re from the Shadow Killing Sect!" A sharp glint flashed in Hua Luoxuan’s eyes.
The Shadow Killing Sect was a mysterious organization of assassins within the Liuyun Kingdom. They were utterly lawless, daring to strike at anyone as long as the price was right. They operated in secret, appearing and disappearing like ghosts, making them a truly terrifying force.
"Heheheh, so you know. A pity you figured it out too late."
The assassin let out another sinister laugh as a black dagger materialized in his hand.
The dagger was entirely black, but a faint, azure gleam shimmered on its surface—it was clearly coated with a deadly poison. Like a viper striking its prey, it shot toward Hua Luoxuan’s throat.
Fast!
As fast as a meteor!
From the moment the assassin spoke to the moment the dagger flew, the entire process took less than the blink of an eye. The black streak of light was already at Hua Luoxuan’s throat.
’The great Chairman of the Alchemist Association just had to meddle in the dispute between my Wang family and the Ye family. Dying like this is exactly what you deserve.’ As the assassin struck, Wang Hai and his men also charged forward. A savage sneer crossed his face as he watched the scene unfold.
He and the Zhou family had paid an exorbitant price to contact the Shadow Killing Sect and hire this assassin.
Although this man was a Third Layer Earth Martial Artist, the same as them, an assassin from the Shadow Killing Sect was a veteran of a hundred battles. The number of experts who had died by their hands was countless. His combat prowess was far beyond that of any ordinary Third Layer Earth Martial Artist.
An Alchemist like Hua Luoxuan might have a high status, but when it came to combat prowess, two of him would be no match for this single assassin.
Just as Wang Hai and his men were gloating, the sneers on their faces suddenly froze.
BOOM!
A terrifying aura erupted from Hua Luoxuan. A frightening power, like a tidal wave, slammed into the assassin.
BANG!
Struck by the heavy blow, the assassin was sent flying backward.
’Such terrifying power...’ A hint of astonishment appeared in the assassin’s eyes.
’He knocked me back with just his defensive Profound Qi. This old man’s strength is unfathomable.’
A cold, sharp light flashed in his eyes. The assassin stabilized himself and shot forward again.
"You’ve got a few tricks, old man. Let’s see you handle this!"
Shedding his carelessness, the assassin leaped into the air and shot forward like a cannonball. In the blink of an eye, he was before Hua Luoxuan again, his dagger striking out in a frenzy.
The air filled with shimmering black phantoms that transformed into dark, venomous snakes. Their tongues flickered as they tore through the air, as fast as lightning, as elusive as ghosts. His black Profound Qi swirled into a vortex that threatened to annihilate everything in its path.
The ultimate technique of the Shadow Ghost Demonic Art: Limitless Annihilation!
This assassin was one of the top Third Layer Earth Martial Artist killers in the Shadow Killing Sect. His methods were sinister and unpredictable, his attacks nearly impossible to block. No fewer than four or five Third Layer Earth Martial Artist experts had died by his hand. He had mastered the Shadow Ghost Demonic Art to the point of absolute perfection.
Legend had it that he once assassinated a Third Layer Earth Martial Artist, decapitating his target with a single strike so fast that none of the other experts present even had time to react.
Hua Luoxuan’s expression was calm, not showing the slightest ripple of emotion. He formed a palm with his right hand and struck. The move was straightforward, with no frills.
The assassin sneered. "You’re strong, old man, but your combat experience is pathetic. You think a crude Fist Skill like that can block my Limitless Annihilation? It’s like a mantis trying to stop a chariot—you’re just asking to be crushed."
RUMBLE!
But before the words had even left his mouth, the force of Hua Luoxuan’s strike suddenly transformed. It was filled with the roars of dragons and tigers, the charge of armored cavalry, and an aura that could swallow mountains and rivers. A raging tsunami of power gushed from the void, the terrifying force instantly blanketing a radius of several meters and completely enveloping every feint and slash of the assassin’s dagger.
The energy surged, and explosions erupted everywhere within a ten-meter radius.
’This is... not good!’
Wang Hai and his men, who had been about to attack Ye Batian, stared in shock. They immediately tried to turn back and provide support.
