Night Moon Assassination

Tonight, the stars glittered and the bright moon hung high.

Pure moonlight flowed down like milk, draping this majestic Imperial City in a sacred veil of silver.

The streets of Heaven Dou City were exceptionally quiet at night, with very few pedestrians. Unlike the bustling daytime, they instead felt somewhat austere.

The towering imperial capital was a sight to behold!

"It's getting late. We should go."

At an ordinary crossroads, Shui Bing'er was saying goodbye to Fang Xuan.

The sisters had come to Heaven Dou City for fun and were currently staying at a hotel. It was already late, and it was not suitable for two girls to linger outside. They should both return to rest.

"Mm, goodbye."

Fang Xuan nodded calmly without saying much.

"Fang Xuan, we're staying at the Rose Hotel in the center of Heaven Dou City. Come visit us when you have time!" Shui Bing'er said.

"Alright!"

Fang Xuan agreed on the surface, but inwardly he thought, Like hell I'd go looking for you.

What if you suddenly changed your mind and demanded those two hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins back?

These days, being fickle and going back on one's word was as common as eating.

To avoid the debt, he had already decided to stay far away from Shui Bing'er, that major creditor. It would be best if they never met again.

"Little Prince, remember to pay me back... Hey, Sis, why are you pulling me?!"

Shui Yue'er was rather distressed over her private savings. She glared at Fang Xuan indignantly, wanting him to return the money, but the moment the words left her mouth, Shui Bing'er forcibly dragged her away.

After bidding farewell to the Shui sisters, Fang Xuan headed home alone.

This was an ordinary farmhouse courtyard: three thatched cottages and a small yard. Several lush green bamboo stalks grew in the cool shade by the wall, their verdant leaves bearing a trace of pale moonlight. The place looked tranquil and peaceful.

After Fang Qingxue passed away, Fang Xuan had lived alone. This ordinary farmhouse courtyard was the only thing his mother had left him.

Fang Xuan stared at the somewhat decayed gate for a while, then pushed it open and calmly walked inside.

It was nearly midnight, but the courtyard was not dark. The moon was especially bright tonight, and the surrounding scenery was clearly visible.

His shoes stepped on the soft dirt, producing faint rustling sounds.

When he reached the center of the courtyard, Fang Xuan suddenly froze. An indescribable, terrifying chill surged through him, as though the tip of a sword were pressed against his back!

He twisted sharply, stomped the ground, and shot toward the front left.

Only after rolling across the ground three times did he barely steady himself. Turning back, he saw that a mysterious black-clad figure now stood where he had been, holding a chilling longsword!

"Eh!"

The black-clad figure was clearly surprised. He had not expected Fang Xuan to evade that strike.

"Who are you?!"

Fang Xuan's face darkened as he stared coldly at the black-clad man. If he had been even a moment slower, his body would have already been pierced by that sword, and he would have become a corpse.

Ever since coming to Douluo Continent, he had barely interacted with anyone and had never offended anyone. Even those malicious people he had encountered in the Soul Beast Forest had all been silenced by him.

Why had someone suddenly come to kill him?!!

The black-clad man's gaze was icy. He clearly had no intention of answering Fang Xuan's question. Soul Power rippled through his body as four dazzling Soul Rings rose from the longsword—yellow, yellow, purple, purple! A powerful aura erupted forth in waves!

"Soul Ancestor!!"

Fang Xuan's pupils constricted violently when he saw the four Soul Rings on the sword-shaped Martial Soul.

A Soul Ancestor—this black-clad assassin was actually a Soul Ancestor above Level 40!

His expression immediately turned grim. He was only a Level 11 Soul Master. Facing a Soul Ancestor in his forties with two Thousand-Year Soul Rings, he had virtually no chance of winning!

"Who exactly sent you?!"

Fang Xuan's eyes turned frigid. His right hand gripped the hilt tightly as he stared fixedly at the black-clad man. From the latter, he could truly feel the threat of death.

"The dead have no need to know!"

A hoarse voice came from beneath the black face covering.

The black-clad man's serpent-like eyes flashed with cold light as the power of a Soul Ancestor fully erupted. Terrifying Soul Power swept through the surroundings like a gale. He raised his Sword Martial Soul in his right hand, its four Soul Rings gleaming as he charged Fang Xuan with surging Killing Intent.

"Blade Drawing Technique... Blade of Glacial Cold!"

Fang Xuan's expression was solemn, his Mental Power focused to its utmost. The instant he drew his blade, the Ice Phoenix within him awakened, letting out a piercing cry as endless power of ice flowed from its body!

The slender blade of White Blade · Shadowless was instantly coated in ice, which condensed into sharp icy spikes. Terrifying cold spread outward, causing the temperature in the small courtyard to plummet.

The black-clad man had clearly come specifically to kill Fang Xuan. Fang Xuan harbored no delusions that the man would spare him. Now, he could only fight to the death!

Thus, Fang Xuan unleashed his full strength from the very start. Wielding the Shadowless Blade, a Famous Blade, he used his strongest current attack, the Blade of Glacial Cold, hoping to seize a sliver of survival from this powerful Soul Ancestor.

Whoosh!

The Blade of Glacial Cold tore through the air, transforming into an icy blue blade light that slashed viciously toward the black-clad man's head. The black-clad man likewise swung his sword, sending his Sword Martial Soul crashing toward the Shadowless Blade.

Boom!

The Shadowless Blade collided violently with the Sword Martial Soul, immediately generating a powerful Soul Power Storm that ravaged the surroundings.

The next instant, Fang Xuan spat blood and was blasted backward.

"Puh... cough, cough!"

He felt as though he had crashed into a mountain. The web between his thumb and forefinger split open, his internal organs shook violently, and he lost all sensation in an instant. His body was sent flying uncontrollably by that terrifying force. He rolled across the ground three times before slamming heavily into the courtyard wall.

A Soul Ancestor was terrifying indeed!

This was not a difference between blade and sword, but an overwhelming gap in strength. The black-clad man completely crushed Fang Xuan in Soul Power Level. He did not even need to use a Soul Skill; one casual sword strike had sent Fang Xuan flying!

Fang Xuan's back against the wall was already soaked with cold sweat. His hair was disheveled and covered in dust, while intense spasms of pain shot through every part of his body, making his scalp tingle.

"Damn it..."

Watching the black-clad man approach step by step, Fang Xuan's heart gradually sank to rock bottom.

He had only been on Douluo Continent for a short time. He had only just glimpsed the tip of the iceberg of this wondrous world. Was he really going to die in obscurity in a place like this?!

He refused to accept it!

"Even at this point, you still haven't released your Martial Soul. It seems you truly haven't awakened one..."

The black-clad man approached with his sword, looking down at Fang Xuan from above. His bone-chilling eyes showed no emotional fluctuation as he sneered, "So what if you had awakened a Martial Soul? You're merely an ant. Today, only death awaits you!"

"Then let's find out!"

Intense fury rose from within him. Fang Xuan roared, gripped the Shadowless Blade, and charged madly at the black-clad man...