Chapter 743 - The Fearsome Assassin
Chapter 743: The Fearsome Assassin
Sunny weather trailed behind the misty rain. Night had yet to descend and the sun was as bright as ever, spilling a layer of sunlight on the Shi Clan Citadel that made it look like it was glittering in gold. It made it seem as if the chaos yesterday and the fearsome incident earlier were no more than a dream.
While still keeping his guard up and grappling with feelings of sorrow, Ling Yue glanced at Meng Qi and said, “Very well, very well! Young Master Su, this humble beggar admires gallant heroes like you the most! The affairs of the Shi Clan Citadel are also my affairs. I will make sure they reach Huamei Heights safely even at the cost of my life!”
He scanned their surroundings and left some instructions. “My dear niece and nephew, create a huge commotion so everyone in the martial arts social circles nearby knows that something has changed in the Shi Clan Citadel, and have them spread the news! This way, we can draw the masters to come here and investigate. If we can make the Unrelenting Tower hesitate, perhaps we will be able to force them into giving up!”
The latter half of his speech was merely meant to console Shi Xiaoxiu and Shi Xiaodang. If the ruthless assassin of the Unrelenting Tower would give up so easily, then the tower would not bear the reputation that kept people up at night!
However, if the commotion was big enough, the assassin would definitely be wary about attacking again and there might be a flaw in his next assassination attempt. Perhaps that would give them the opportunity to escape with their lives.
Meng Qi quietly watched Ling Yue give his orders without intervening. Even though these Jianghu veterans might be hindered by their personalities or flawed understanding and deduction of a matter, their many years of experience were not for naught.
Moments later, a booming sound reverberated from afar. The clouds and flames rose from the explosion and the radiance shot straight into the sky, suppressing the daylight.
Shi Xiaoxiu stared at the partially collapsed buildings and reluctantly turned her head. “We’re done.”
This was the home that she had grown up in but she had destroyed thirty percent of it with her own hands. How could she not feel heartache?
Shi Xiaodang arranged for his clansmen to stay in the buildings nearby. Based on the modus operandi of the Unrelenting Tower, the assassin would not bother exterminating their clan as long as they did not reveal any secret. The assassin would not want to provoke unnecessary trouble, especially at this moment. In fact, he would not have taken anything from the target had it not been part of the assignment, never mind causing a meaningless massacre.
Meng Qi took a breath and slowly said, “Let’s begin our journey then.”
He took the lead in taking flight. The Elder who was an Exterior expert grabbed the Shi siblings and followed suit, and Ling Yue brought up the rear. The three flying lights ripped through the horizon and headed straight for Huamei Heights.
“There will definitely be another assassination attempt during the journey!” Meng Qi had no doubt about this for the assassin had yet to fail a third time. If the assassin were to watch him and the others leave and enter Huamei Heights just like that, it would not be consistent with the style of the Unrelenting Tower.
Dazzling radiance and fierce astral winds enveloped them as they soared through the sky. The cold pierced deep into their bones as they traveled through a sea of clouds and snow. The scene was as beautiful as a paradise. Meng Qi’s Eight Nine Mysteries was on full blast but the lake of his heart remained still without a single ripple. He sensed his surroundings, particularly the danger targeted at himself. His spiritual force poured into the Heaven Inflicted Pain in his right hand. Using this, he had the sea of Vital Qi as well as other existences that were nearly incorporeal imprinted into his mind. This would prevent the assassin from killing Meng Qi by infuriating him and wearing down his confidence.
The state of mind and attitude were crucial elements in a battle between experts. Meng Qi had to put even more emphasis on these aspects as he was a whole realm weaker than the Blue Stair Assassin. Otherwise, he would die ten out of ten times!
The wind whistled. Meng Qi was completely at ease. His spirit swelled and shrank simultaneously as if it had merged into the sea of Vital Qi. It enveloped every inch of his surroundings, imprinting the minute details in his mind.
“Thump, thump, thump! Thump, thump, thump!” Suddenly, the sound of violent thumping of hearts entered his mind. It originated from the Shi siblings. Not even the Exterior expert at the level of Top Class Master Pro was able to restrain his nervousness.
To them, the Blue Stair Assassin was a terrifying existence capable of exterminating their entire clan. He was the cream of the crop among assassins and a master who could genuinely threaten or even kill a grandmaster. Their father (and Fort Master) were killed without even being able to counterattack. They feared that Senior Ling Yue, who was more or less on par with him, would suffer the same fate.
While “Killing Blade” Su Meng was famed throughout the land, his reputation did not necessarily strike fear into the hearts of everyone. He had just crossed the first step of the Celestial Ladder last year. Even after suffering four divine punishments, he was at most in the Fifth-fold Heaven realm at the moment and not yet a grandmaster. Strong as he was, his realm was still lacking. He might be able to stop the Blue Stair Assassin once, but what about the second time? The third? Or when the assassin became increasingly desperate and intense?
Perhaps Killing Blade would have no trouble defending himself, however, it would be impossibly difficult to protect all of them. He might even get himself killed trying!
The more the siblings thought about this, the more sorrowful they felt. They had just lost their father, but now they must face a life-and-death danger that they were helpless to resist. How could they feel anything but dejection, grief, and hopelessness?
“Thump, thump, thump!”
Meng Qi’s heart thumped furiously when he felt a sudden tremble in Heaven Inflicted Pain. Inexplicably, his saber jumped up and thrust at the center of Shi Xiaoxiu’s back. Lightning flared up, crackling and rattling. It all felt like an illusion.
“Here comes the assassin!” Meng Qi had confidence in himself and his saber. Without hesitation, he allowed his Interior, Vital Spirit, and the transferred Force of Heaven and Earth to pour into the blade of his saber. The layers detonated, giving him an abrupt increase in speed.
“Clang!”
His saber collided with the pointed end that had emerged out of nowhere. The two forces unexpectedly canceled each other out and mysteriously did not produce any aftershock. Under the dazzling sunshine, a silhouette was revealed.
The silhouette suddenly turned illusory. Having long prepared himself, Meng Qi suddenly thrust his red jade-like sword backward.
Just as a cold killing intent emerged, Flowing Fire split into two, then into four, eight, and, eventually, hundreds of sword lights. The lights formed a wide net that swept in the opposite direction.
Just then, the illusory silhouette in front of him became tangible again. The cold killing intent was like a weak snowflake that rapidly melted under the bright sunlight.
“Oh no!”
The thought had barely occurred to Meng Qi when the silhouette in front of him began rotating along with his sword, forming a spiral of “dragons of wind”. The silhouette condensed into thin strips of “dragons of wind,” sent Heaven Inflicted Pain flying, and charged at Meng Qi’s midbrows. The distance between them was closed in a flash. Meng Qi felt a stabbing pain at his midbrows and the sensation of his Vital Spirit being cut apart.
“I don’t even have the time to protect myself with my sword and saber!”
The assassin’s eyes were apathetic, betraying no happiness, excitement, or hatred. The pupils that reflected Meng Qi’s figure was calm. He seemed numb to the world as if he had seen every trick in the book.
Suddenly, a palm as fair as jade blocked his midbrows.
“Pfft!”
The faint golden glow emerged, preventing the pointed end from penetrating Meng Qi’s skin. Both sides activated their inner strength, causing the detonation of the Sword Qi inside them.
“Bang!” The palm that Meng Qi had used to block his midbrows at the eleventh hour turned into a mutilated mess, but he firmly held on to the pointed end!
Earlier, he had no time whatsoever to use his Saber of the Shattered Jade and Sword of the Mystic Turtle. Neither did he have the time to fully unleash his moves and activate the Kunlun Taoist Robe. He chose to directly put his left palm over his midbrows, blocking the attack before it could pierce his head. He relied on his physical body that was as sturdy as a monster’s to stop the attack.
He gripped the pointed end firmly in his hand even as blood gushed from his wound. There was a splash in the pointed end but it lost all vitality before it could leave its body. Meng Qi’s eyes widened as the pain he felt turned into a raging fire that burned his fighting will. His right hand that gripped the Saber of the Shattered Jade seemed to be halting. Just as he was about to unleash the Shocking Heaven and Earth technique, Flowing Fire and Heaven Inflicted Pain began revolving, one in front of the other, ambushing the assassin from all directions.
The assassin’s eyes showed no emotion. The sharp end of his sword trembled and emitted a strange energy that was similar to a wiggling loach. It inexplicably withdrew from the center of Meng Qi’s palm and turned illusory alongside its real body. The assassin then disappeared into the void. Meng Qi’s attack only managed to rip apart the airflow and send tremors through the void.
The assassin had fled once again after failing to kill with a single strike!
Everything unfolded so quickly that Ling Yue came to his senses and rushed over only after Meng Qi had blocked the assassin’s attack with his palm. The shadows of his rod that filled the sky had lost its target.
“Fled quickly, didn’t he?” Ling Yue said, gnashing his teeth.
Meng Qi thought the same. Had the Blue Stair Assassin stayed for just a moment longer, Ling Yue’s presence would have given Meng Qi the opportunity to use a main ingredient for forging a divine weapon. Then, he would be able to teach the assassin a good lesson!
Shi Xiaoxiu’s forehead was drenched in cold sweat. Meng Qi’s situation earlier was as dangerous as could be, as was hers. The assassin from the Unrelenting Tower was truly a fearsome character.
Meng Qi could see the fear in their eyes. Thus, he said in a clear voice, “Nothing but an insignificant ant. Even in an ambush, he could barely land a light wound on me. What’s there to worry about?”
His words were brimming with gallantry, sending tremors down Shi Xiaoxiu and Shi Xiaodang’s hearts. Their fear that had surged like a tide began to wane.* “That’s right! The assassin capable of killing of a grandmaster has barely managed to injure Young Master Su! Based on the rules of the Unrelenting Tower, he only has one more chance left. Now that Young Master Su has become accustomed to his ways, he might not necessarily fail to block the final strike!”*
Just seconds ago, they had wanted to request to stay behind in the citadel. They swallowed those words.
Meng Qi said nothing else and once again took flight with a heart full of caution.
Since he had undertaken this matter, he would never abandon them and escape alone. Such an act went against his nature and he would certainly suffer immense guilt if he did it. This was his flaw. If the assassin knew how to exploit this, he would definitely not live to experience the present outcome.
Based on their two-time exchange of blows, Meng Qi noticed that the assassin’s “domain” over a grandmaster was no more than his grasp of Dharma and Logos as well as exploitative nature. The assassin’s forte laid in self-concealment, the mysterious self-division, as well as a switcheroo. His display of strength against Meng Qi did not appear to be weakened in any way, to the extent that he seemed just a little inferior to an ordinary grandmaster in the Seventh-fold Heaven realm. Even so, the threat the assassin posed to Meng Qi greatly surpassed these types of grandmaster.
Before the effects of Law Phenomenon ended, he believed he would be able to put up a good fight against masters of the Seventh-fold Heaven realm. He might even win if he met an opponent under restraint or opponent with slightly inferior movements in terms of realm. However, battling this Blue Stair Assassin was akin to toeing the fine line between life and death. His two encounters with the assassin had been perilous.
The assassin’s grandmaster domain, personal fighting style, and grasp of movements were a perfect match, making him a true killing machine. If Meng Qi was careless, he would immediately die in the assassin’s hands.
The fleeing lights traveled at a high speed. In the blink of an eye, four hours had passed since Meng Qi and the others embarked on their journey. They were now only several hundred miles away from the vicinity of Huamei Heights—not the perimeter of the monastery but the perimeter that not even a grandmaster could sense activity from.
Shi Xiaoxiu and Shi Xiaodang both felt apprehensive and at ease at the same time. Like Ling Yue, Meng Qi was more and more cautious. He believed the Blue Stair Assassin would not give up so easily.
The only reason the assassin chose to let this drag on was to exhaust their mental energy on staying on guard against him throughout the journey. He would then attack them at the peak of his strength.
The thought had just occurred to him when the lake of Meng Qi’s heart began surging. In his hand, Heaven Inflicted Pain began to tremble.
“The assassin is here!”
Without time to consider anything else, Meng Qi immediately raised Heaven Inflicted Pain and brought it downward with great strength. He unleashed the Doom of Demons—a ranged attack. However, lightning condensed overhead, binding an area that was tens of feet wide that enveloped only him.
“Kaboom!”
Bolts of purple lightning detonated and soared all around Meng Qi. The bolts were all nearly of equal strength.
“Even if you can create a doppelganger and switch places with it, you must still be able to get close to me for it to work!”
Just then, the hairs on Meng Qi’s back stood up. His premonition of danger exploded like it was rumbling lightning!
With the “revival” of the shadow next to him, a sword flew out and aimed straight for his Yuzhen meridian point.
The Blue Stair Assassin had adopted a different strategy after concealing some of his tricks in the previous two encounters. He used his failures as his foundation, directing Meng Qi’s focus on him creating a doppelganger and then switching with it.
This was an assassin—a genuine assassin!
The sword light passed through Meng Qi’s newly-grown arms at a high speed, prompting strands of hair on the back of his head to fall. His heart seemed to be terribly shaken by the sword.
“Pfft!”
The sword light pierced the back of Meng Qi’s brain, which shattered upon touch. Golden glow radiated faintly from within. Strength Qi flared and ravaged his brain.
This scene was what Shi Xiaoxiu saw the moment she recovered her senses. She immediately screamed as pain and hopelessness weighed on her.
However, Meng Qi’s body suddenly expanded like a towering figure and he swung the Saber of the Shattered Jade at the assassin who had yet to retreat. It was not an attack or even an interrogation of the mind!
Next to his pierced head was a concealed second skull. It gave the Vital Spirit, that had popped up out of nowhere in a critical moment, a new resting place.
“Caught you!” Meng Qi’s voice reverberated like the roaring of thunder.