Impersonating Baxia's Shadow Guard

The stabbing pain in his back still lingered. Lin Zhao touched the savage hole in his Dragon Pattern Armor, his fingertips feeling the broken rings of the fine iron chainmail beneath—Xuan Ying's poisoned black iron dagger had pierced through all four layers of his defenses. Was this the refined True Qi technique of a Heavenly Gang Realm Grandmaster Warrior?

"Though that old ghost was weaker than Baxia, his exquisite control over detached True Qi was even more troublesome than Baxia's fierce, iron-blooded approach." Lin Zhao clenched his fists, Mystic Dragon True Qi racing through his body before he finally suppressed the lingering fear. "The Heart Guardian Seal, soft armor, Dragon Pattern Armor, and chainmail—four layers of defense, yet they could not withstand a single strike. If my Mystic Dragon Aura had not been thick enough to directly resist the remaining True Qi, my heart would have been pierced clean through by now."

He laughed at himself. "Sure enough, great profit came with great risk. I was too hasty when snatching the Dragon Yuan just now." The bone-chilling warning he had felt while climbing the drill ground's fine iron railing still made his scalp tingle when he recalled it—if Blood Poison Spider Technique: Intuitive Awareness had not warned him in advance, he might not have been able to activate the Heart Guardian Seal, his trump card, in time.

"That plain white barrier looked fragile, but it actually dispersed seventy percent of the True Qi's force. Otherwise, that dagger would have already pierced my heart meridian." Lin Zhao steadied himself, and his gaze sharpened once more. "I wore the Rakshasa Mask amid the chaos and used the Bone Softening Technique to alter my shape and shrink my bones. Naturally, no one recognized me. When it is time to use a trump card, one must be decisive. I cannot wait for death merely because I fear exposure—in this Oirat capital, strength is the foundation of survival."

He tucked the Dragon Yuan close to his body in a secret leather pouch, then hurried back toward the courtyard he rented in the outer city.

The moment he turned into the alley, he saw flames soaring into the sky in the distance. The sounds of slaughter and screams drifted over on the wind—Lanting Holy City had fallen completely into chaos. The rebels and Baxia's Fierce Wind Guard had already clashed, while the outer city's gangs took advantage of the flames to loot and rushed toward the central city with blades in hand.

Those rogue martial artists who had once been crushed so hard by the Fierce Wind Guard's iron laws under the "Guardian General of the Nation" that they dared not lift their heads had all emerged now.

"I need to pack up quickly. I cannot stay here any longer." Lin Zhao vaulted into the courtyard and swiftly packed up his cold iron forging tools and the Green Falcon Technique manual. Then he took out the Xuan Yao Pavilion Heavenly Craftsman Token. "But before leaving, I must pay a visit to Minister of Revenue Ling Song's residence—the Venerable Dragon Yuan Divine Statue cannot simply fall into the hands of the rebels."

The Rakshasa Mask fastened over his face, concealing most of his features.

Lin Zhao sprang onto the rooftops like a wildcat, using the thick smoke and night as cover as he raced toward the Ministry of Revenue official residences in the inner city—while the rebels were stirring trouble, it was the perfect chance to fish in troubled waters. If he missed this opportunity, approaching Ling Song's heavily guarded residence again would be harder than climbing to heaven.

At the charity morgue on Mass Grave Hill outside Lanting City, crows cawed noisily from dead trees, while the stench of rot mixed with the smell of blood and drifted far away.

A pale figure stumbled toward the place. It was Xuan Ying, who had just escaped from the drill ground.

Covering his bleeding left shoulder, he coughed up blood as he lifted a broken gravestone inscribed "In Memory of My Late Father" in the morgue's rear courtyard. Beneath it was a hidden passage barely wide enough for one person to pass through.

"That monster Baxia! Was he truly at the peak of the Heavenly Gang Realm, or had he already stepped halfway into legend?" Xuan Ying cursed through gritted teeth, his voice filled with dread. "Even when I fought Prince Jing'an, Zhu Chenhao, back then, I was never in such a wretched state!"

He bent down and crawled into the passage. It was damp and dark within, with only the ghostly green glow of phosphorescent fire along the walls barely lighting the way.

After walking some dozens of steps, the passage suddenly opened up—it was actually an underground cavern renovated from an abandoned ancient tomb, with a faint smell of poisonous smoke filling the air.

More than a dozen assassins dressed in black nightwear stood guard within. The moment they saw him enter, they immediately dropped to one knee. "My lord! Are you all right? Shall we apply Golden Wound Mending Ointment immediately?"

"It is only a minor wound." Xuan Ying tore off his Night Raven Mask, revealing a face full of wrinkles. Blood still seeped from the wound on his left shoulder. "Go into the city at once and bring back Tongrentang's finest Golden Wound Mending Ointment and Bezoar Detoxification Pills. I will recuperate here.

Remember, you must not expose the location of this hidden cavern—this is Night Raven Tower's last stronghold in Oirat. If the Fierce Wind Guard sets its sights on it, none of us will survive!"

"Understood!" The assassins dared not ask further questions. They turned and slipped out through another exit leading to the outer city sewers, leaving only two Peak Martial Master guards at the cavern entrance.

Xuan Ying leaned against the stone wall and closed his eyes. Yet whenever he recalled Baxia's bloodshot eyes, eyes capable of directly confronting a Pangolin Dragon, he could not help but shudder—there were likely not even five Grandmaster Warriors at the peak of the Heavenly Gang Realm in the entire world.

"Spare me! Under Oirat law, assassins are to be executed! Are you not afraid the Fierce Wind Guard will wipe you out?"

In the back alley of Lord Zhou's residence, an official in charge of the Ministry of Revenue in the inner city, Lord Zhou lay collapsed on the ground. The official waist saber in his hand had snapped in two, and half a short blade remained embedded in his chest, blood dyeing his blue-green ninth-rank official robe red.

His three household guards all lay dead on the ground. Before him stood a woman in fitted black clothes—the woman was tall and slender, the muscles across her chest taut from years of boxing practice. A Night Raven-patterned mask covered her face. She was Ji Xuanying, Night Raven Tower's Gold Rank Assassin.

"Friend from Night Raven Tower, we can discuss this!" Lord Zhou panted, his voice trembling. "How much did the rebels pay you? I will pay double! No, triple! As long as you spare my life, I still have half a chest of cold iron ingots in my residence. They are all yours!"

Ji Xuanying gave a cold laugh, the flexible steel sword in her hand gleaming beneath the moonlight. "Night Raven Tower deals in contracts sealed by death. We follow rules—once we accept the employer's money, we take your head and throw Baxia's rear lines into chaos." Her feet shifted lightly, and her flexible steel sword darted toward Lord Zhou's throat like a venomous snake flicking out its tongue.

At that critical moment, a black shadow suddenly leaped down from the rooftop, the long sword in his hand striking the flexible steel sword with a clang!

"Who?!" Ji Xuanying abruptly retreated, staring warily at the person before her—the person wore a Rakshasa Mask, had a burly build, and was still covered in dust from the outer city. He had clearly rushed over from the chaos, and his blood and Qi fluctuations were far from weak.

"Someone from Night Raven Tower?" Lin Zhao's voice was low as his gaze settled on her Night Raven Mask, a trace of coldness flashing through his eyes—Night Raven Tower had been responsible for the attempt on his life back then. Their grudge had long since been forged.

"That is correct." Ji Xuanying tightened her grip on the flexible steel sword, her tone carrying a warning. "This matter has nothing to do with you, sir. Please step aside, lest we damage our harmony—you may possess the strength of a Peak Martial Master, but that does not mean you can defeat me."

"Harmony?" Lin Zhao suddenly roared, his voice shaking the surrounding leaves loose in rustling showers. "People from Night Raven Tower dare speak to me of harmony? Today, I will first use you to settle the old debt! Take your life!"

Before his words had even faded, Lin Zhao stepped forward. Mystic Dragon True Qi surged madly into his long sword, and pale golden ripples instantly spread across the blade—it was his signature sword technique, the Three Talents Slash.

Bzzzz—

The void seemed to tear apart as the sword light cleaved toward Ji Xuanying with a shriek that split the air!

Not good! This was a formidable opponent! This sword technique carried at least a thousand jin of force! Ji Xuanying's face changed as she hastily raised her sword to block. But her flexible steel sword had always excelled in nimbleness—how could it withstand Lin Zhao's fierce True Qi?

With a crisp crack, the flexible steel sword split directly into two. The residual Sword Qi skimmed past her shoulder, carving open a wound deep enough to expose bone.

"Who exactly are you?! You dare oppose Night Raven Tower in Oirat—are you not afraid of being hunted down?" Ji Xuanying was both shocked and furious. She had never expected such a powerful Peak Martial Master to be hiding in the Oirat capital. She no longer dared to continue fighting and turned to leap toward the rooftop.

How could Lin Zhao possibly allow her to escape?

With a flick of his wrist, the black iron dagger at his waist flew free, shooting toward Ji Xuanying's thigh with a sharp whistle of wind!

Splat!

The dagger buried itself precisely in her flesh. The anesthetic took effect at once. Ji Xuanying's leg gave way, and with a scream, she lost her balance and fell from the rooftop.

Lin Zhao leaped after her and stomped on her lower leg—crack! The sound of bone breaking rang out clearly.

Ji Xuanying trembled from head to toe in pain. Just as she tried to struggle and activate her remaining True Qi, Lin Zhao grabbed her arm and twisted hard—crack! Her other arm broke as well.

Under the double assault of agonizing pain and anesthetic, the Thorn Lady's vision went black, and she fainted outright.

Lin Zhao glanced down at Lord Zhou, who was sprawled on the ground. The man had long since turned deathly pale from fright, his whole body shaking.

He hoisted Ji Xuanying over his shoulder and entered an abandoned old Oirat post station nearby. Searching her body, he found nothing useful apart from several packets of sleeping smoke powder, a spare short blade, and a Night Raven Tower assassin token.

He threw Ji Xuanying into the post station cellar, covered it with wooden boards while leaving a gap for air, then merely removed her Night Raven Mask and tucked it into his robes before turning to leave.

When Lord Zhou saw him emerge, he hurriedly crawled over, his voice trembling with tears. "M-my lord, are you a covert agent of the Fierce Wind Guard under General Baxia, the 'Guardian General of the Nation'?"

Lin Zhao paused. His voice beneath the mask remained low as he deliberately imitated the Fierce Wind Guard's manner of speech. "Do not panic. I am a shadow guard under General Baxia, ordered to purge the assassins within the city. Are you unharmed? This place is dangerous. Go quickly to the inner city government office to take temporary shelter—soldiers are stationed there, so it is comparatively safe."

Having said that, he did not linger. With a flash, his figure vanished into the night—with this Night Raven Mask, perhaps he could infiltrate one of Night Raven Tower's strongholds and uncover more information.