A Single Sword Strike to the Throat

Before absolutely overwhelming strength, all techniques became fleeting illusions, utterly useless.

Fang Xuan used every trick he had, launching attack after attack at the man in black like a madman, only to be brutally defeated by the latter's absolute power!

Even against a Soul Elder, he had been confident he could put up a fight, but this was a Soul Ancestor. Their strength existed on entirely different levels!

Boom!

With a deafening crash, Fang Xuan was sent flying by the Sword Martial Soul. His shirt was torn apart, a vicious wound opened across his chest, and even the Shadowless Blade fell to the ground.

"Haha... I never thought I'd die like this."

Fang Xuan gave a bitter laugh, his face filled with despair and sorrow. His Soul Power was exhausted, he was seriously injured, and he looked utterly miserable.

Looking at the man in black standing before him, he remained motionless, slumped quietly on the ground as if he had already given up struggling and was simply waiting for death to arrive.

"At least let me die knowing the truth. Who sent you to kill me?!"

His eyes dimmed as he let out a lonely sigh.

By this point, he could more or less guess that this assassination likely came from the Imperial Palace and was connected to the Royal Family's conflicts. Someone did not want him, the emperor's illegitimate son, to remain alive.

Who could it be?

Xue Ye, Xue Qinghe, or one of the other princes...

All of them were possible!

The Royal Family was a muddy pool. Before the throne of power, no one cared about familial affection.

Fang Xuan had not inherited Xue Ye's surname and had no right to inherit the throne. He himself had no interest in the throne either. He had always quietly cultivated in his little courtyard and never involved himself in the chaos outside.

Yet someone still seemed unwilling to leave him alone and had specifically sent an assassin to eliminate him!

Who was it?!

The man in black stared coldly at Fang Xuan without saying a word. He merely raised the sword in his hand high, aiming at Fang Xuan's head.

At the brink of life and death, as he watched the Sword Martial Soul gradually descend toward his head, Fang Xuan was unusually calm. He methodically listed name after name in his mind.

"Xue Ye? Xue Beng? Or Xue Qinghe?!"

A faint curve suddenly formed at the corner of his lips. "Xue Qinghe? No! Or rather... Qian Renxue!!"

The man in black suddenly shuddered. The three words "Qian Renxue" left him stunned for a moment.

An instant!

Just that instant of hesitation!

Fang Xuan's eyes suddenly flashed with cold light as his left hand violently drew the Soft Sword hidden in his belt.

Fast!

Too fast!

This strike was unbelievably fast!

A cold flash passed by, and a bloody line appeared across the man in black's neck!

A single sword strike to the throat!

"How... is that possible?!!"

The man in black's pupils contracted violently. He desperately clutched his throat, but blood continued to spray out uncontrollably. He was a dignified Soul Ancestor, yet he had actually fallen to a brat like this.

Bang—

The next moment, this powerful Soul Ancestor crashed heavily to the ground and died on the spot.

"Phew~"

Fang Xuan finally let out a relieved breath, though he still felt somewhat fortunate. He had guessed that the assassin in black was most likely sent by Qian Renxue, and the assassin's reaction had confirmed his suspicions.

At present, the story of Douluo Continent had only just begun, perhaps five percent of the way in. The protagonist, Tang San, should still be in his sixth year at Nuoding Academy, with a level no higher than twenty. The other young geniuses were also only around level thirty.

The Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament would begin in roughly two years.

At such an early stage of the story, the name "Qian Renxue" was undoubtedly an extremely well-kept secret. It was only natural that the man in black had been shocked to hear Fang Xuan call out his master's real name.

That brief instant of shock and distraction was the killing opportunity Fang Xuan had waited so long for!

Losing his weapon, exhausting his Soul Power, and suffering injuries all over his body were all real. But giving up resistance and quietly waiting for death had been an act!

No matter when it was, he would never give up a chance to survive.

"Hiss, it hurts..."

Fang Xuan braced both hands against the ground and struggled to rise. But the moment he moved, intense pain shot through his chest, arms, thighs, and every other part of his body, twisting his young face.

He had barely arrived before being targeted by one of Douluo's major villain bosses. Things could not have been worse.

Fang Xuan knew that Qian Renxue had killed all three of Xue Ye's sons. The Fourth Prince, Xue Beng, had managed to escape death by pretending to be a wastrel and receiving Prince Xue Xing's protection.

Yet he had never expected that he, an illegitimate son with neither power nor influence, would also be placed on Qian Renxue's assassination list.

He knew Douluo's plot well and could prepare in advance for future major events. Unfortunately, his current strength was too low. Even a Soul Master at level thirty or forty was enough to threaten his life.

Although he had fortunately escaped disaster today, there might be even more assassination attempts in the future!

With a solemn expression, Fang Xuan thought of countermeasures while searching the man in black's corpse. A powerful Soul Ancestor should have quite a few valuable things on him.

Two minutes later, a purple ring lay quietly in Fang Xuan's palm. A faint glow radiated from it, illuminating his excited eyes.

"A Soul Tool!"

He was extremely excited. A Soul Tool capable of storing items was probably worth more than thirty thousand Gold Soul Coins. He had always wanted a convenient Soul Tool for carrying and storing items, but he had been too short on money to afford one.

He had never expected to obtain a Soul Tool Ring today. It was undoubtedly an unexpected windfall.

Unfortunately, the Soul Tool contained only three or four hundred Gold Soul Coins. It was hard to believe that this was the entire fortune of a Soul Ancestor.

"Maybe he spent all his money buying the Soul Tool."

That was Fang Xuan's guess. This Spatial Ring had an internal capacity of roughly ten cubic meters. Though it could not store living creatures, such storage space was already more than enough.

He calmly put the purple ring on the index finger of his left hand, then wiped the blood from the Soft Sword with his sleeve and placed it back into his black belt.

His escape from death this time had been entirely thanks to this Soft Sword!

When wandering Douluo Continent, how could one not prepare a few more Hidden Weapons and killing moves? Fang Xuan still had far too few trump cards. He would have to develop more in that area in the future.

He picked up the Shadowless Blade from the ground and activated the power of ice within his body. The blade, covered in icy spikes, lightly passed over the man in black's corpse, instantly freezing it into an ice sculpture.

Before long, the ice sculpture shattered with a crack, and a powerful Soul Ancestor vanished into nothingness.

Although he had fortunately killed this assassin in black, news of the failed assassination would likely reach Qian Renxue soon. With Spirit Hall's influence, there would definitely be more and stronger assassins sent after him in the future.

Fang Xuan furrowed his brows, his expression grave. He sat cross-legged nearby and quietly began to think.

This identity as a useless prince not only brought him no benefits, but also endless trouble. It gave him quite a headache.

It seemed that, to prevent further assassinations, he needed to choose a place that could offer him protection!

The next moment, three names gradually surfaced in his mind.

Spirit Hall, Shrek Academy, Heaven Dou Royal Academy...

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