You Are Not Qualified
An Bulang's words moved Ji Hongxue once more. She stared dazedly at the figure standing in front of her.
The three Heaven-grade assassins on the roof unleashed dense killing intent that turned into icy waves and bore down on An Bulang.
The red-eyed assassin said softly, "He's the mysterious cultivator who killed Tyrant Tiger?"
The hunched old woman narrowed her eyes slightly. "Only at the Profound Body Fifth Layer? How is that possible?"
The man concealed beneath a black robe said, "Didn't you see how he dealt with the Shadow Demon just now? He must have hidden his true cultivation."
"Hehehe... He does have some skill..." The red-eyed assassin stirred with anticipation.
Ji Changwu looked at An Bulang in surprise. "I didn't expect you to dare step forward even now. You may have some strength, but don't forget, she is someone Ji Wuye must kill. See those assassins? You two merely met by chance. Why stick your neck out? Aren't you afraid of death?"
"No, I'm afraid of death," An Bulang said.
Ji Changwu was puzzled. "Then why are you still..."
An Bulang yawned and said lazily, "But what the hell are you lot, thinking you can kill me?!"
Ji Changwu: "???"
Boom! The assassins' killing intent surged explosively.
Even though it was not directed at Ji Hongxue, breathing became difficult for her. Let alone An Bulang, who stood at the heart of the storm.
"Fine, very fine. Nobody stop me—I'm going to tear him apart!" the red-eyed assassin said with a sinister grin.
"This boy is no weakling. Attack together," the Azure Dragon Elder, who had remained silent until now, said.
"As you command!" the three Heaven-grade assassins said in unison.
Three powerful figures leaped down from the roof and pounced on An Bulang together, unleashing thunderous killing moves from the very start!
Ji Hongxue's heart rose into her throat. She knew An Bulang was strong, strong enough to instantly defeat even an enemy at the Profound Body Ninth Layer. But these three assassins were all at the Profound Body Ninth Layer, and they were Heaven-grade assassins with exceptionally rich experience in killing. Working together, they might even threaten a great cultivator who had just entered the Spirit Attunement Realm!
"Crimson Lotus Demon Claw!" The red-eyed assassin extended his sharp, blood-colored hand and stabbed toward An Bulang's heart.
"Nether Curse!" The hunched old woman opened her mouth and spat out dark curse energy that shot like a flying sword straight at An Bulang's head.
The last black-robed man flashed behind An Bulang and pulled a long sword from within his robe. Spiritual energy surged as an incomparably sharp Sword Qi swept horizontally, as if it intended to cut An Bulang in two at the waist.
The three assassins coordinated flawlessly, sealing off every route of retreat.
They were confident that even if their opponent were a cultivator at the Profound Body Ninth Layer, they could kill him in an instant.
At that very moment, An Bulang moved. With ghostly speed, he closed in on the red-eyed man, dodging the sword slash from the black-robed assassin behind him. He tilted his head, letting the dark curse energy graze past his ear, then struck the blood hand's wrist from an extremely tricky angle with one hand and drove a foot directly into the red-eyed man's chest.
"Bang!" Terrifying force passed through his body. The red-eyed assassin's chest instantly caved in, and his back arched.
An Bulang's other hand was not idle either, striking toward the old woman at his side.
"Slap!" It was as though the old woman's face had slammed into a wall. Her face flattened, and her body spun several times before falling to the ground.
The black-robed man behind him had already thrust his sword again, aiming straight for An Bulang's back! An Bulang formed a sword with two fingers. As spiritual energy surged, golden sword radiance burst from his fingertips in an instant. He turned and swept horizontally, and the dazzling golden light illuminated the entire courtyard for a moment.
The black-robed man's sword-thrusting posture froze, but his head had already rolled onto the ground.
"Thud..." The headless body collapsed.
Blood spread across the ground.
The entire small garden suddenly became deathly quiet.
All three Heaven-grade assassins had fallen silent. Every one of them had been killed in a single blow!
Even at the moment of death, their faces retained undisguised terror.
The Azure Dragon Elder drifted down from the two-story pavilion. White mist dragons coiled and roared around him as an extremely powerful aura erupted.
With one step, the ground cracked apart under terrifying force. His body tore through the air as he lunged toward An Bulang, fully releasing the aura of the Second Layer of the Spirit Attunement Realm. A bloodthirsty smile suddenly appeared on his cold face. "Hahaha, very good. You are qualified to be my opponent!"
An Bulang looked toward the Azure Dragon Elder and raised two joined fingers toward the sky. An incomparably ethereal aura spread from his body. Spiritual energy surged wildly, transforming into the Five Elements and dividing into yin and yang. In the oppressive night sky thick with dark clouds, a bolt of golden lightning suddenly descended from the heavens, its radiance illuminating heaven and earth.
Crack...
Rumble!!
Blinding radiance fell.
Then came a deafening roar.
Along with the sounds of the earth exploding and countless arcs of lightning racing about.
When the energy dispersed, the Azure Dragon Elder was already charred black from head to toe, lying prone on the ground with a bewildered look on his face.
"Unfortunately, you are not qualified," An Bulang said coldly as he looked down at the charred man on the ground.
The Azure Dragon Elder's eyes widened at those words. He coughed up blood in fury and opened his mouth as if to say something, but his body twitched lightly, and all life left him.
The small garden returned to silence.
"He just... died?" Ji Hongxue stared blankly at the man who seemed like a god descended from heaven, finding it difficult to believe.
An Bulang turned to look at Ji Changwu.
Ji Changwu met An Bulang's gaze, his body trembling slightly.
The four Heaven-grade assassins of the Other Shore Pavilion, along with an elder-level figure, had all died before his eyes. The impact of such a scene was terrifying enough to leave his mind completely blank.
He had not underestimated An Bulang. Even an elder of the Other Shore Pavilion in the Spirit Attunement Realm had been dispatched.
But he had never expected everyone to be instantly killed by An Bulang, not even the elder spared!!
What kind of strength was that? Where had Ji Hongxue found such a monstrous prodigy to serve as her guard?!!
"Do you have any last words?" An Bulang asked.
Ji Changwu froze for a moment, then burst into laughter. "Do you think killing me means this is over? An Bulang, you are very powerful, and I do not know why you insist on protecting Ji Hongxue. But if you oppose Ji Wuye, no matter how strong you are, no matter what background you have, you will definitely die a miserable death! I may have lost this time, but I have no regrets!"
"Are you done with your last words?" An Bulang asked.
Ji Changwu saw contempt and indifference in An Bulang's eyes. His eyes suddenly widened. "You understand nothing at all!"
He thrust his spear fiercely at An Bulang, concentrating all his strength into this strike. Both its speed and power were astonishing.
An Bulang watched the incoming spear tip without changing expression. He raised a hand and lightly pressed with his forefinger and thumb, catching the spear tip.
Ji Changwu felt an unimaginable force transmit through the spear shaft, making it impossible for him to advance even an inch.
The next instant, a foot struck his lower abdomen. The force was like rotten wood collapsing before a gale, shattering his internal organs along with it.
Ji Changwu spat blood and flew backward, rolling miserably onto the ground. He struggled briefly, yet could not even rise to his feet.
An Bulang had still held back. Otherwise, that kick could have taken Ji Changwu's life.
"Alright, leave your brother's life to you," An Bulang said to Ji Hongxue behind him.
Ji Hongxue nodded gently, then walked over to Ji Changwu. Her expression was complicated as she looked at the miserable man before her, his eyes dim and defeated. He looked so much like her from before, yet not quite the same. This man was more calm and accepting.
She had won, but the sorrow in her heart had not faded.
"I hate it most when siblings turn their blades against one another, but I never thought that one day, I would personally kill the person I once trusted and loved most." Ji Hongxue slowly drew her dagger. She was not someone blindly softhearted. She knew that if she did not kill him now, he would very likely make the exact same choice as before and threaten the safety of her father and An Bulang.
"Third Sister..." Ji Changwu smiled with difficulty. "Let me give you some advice. Leave the Azure Kingdom. Go somewhere else and live under a false name. Perhaps then you may still have a chance to evade Ji Wuye's pursuit. With only you, you cannot change anything."
"I know." Ji Hongxue nodded. "Goodbye... Second Brother."
"Take care..." Ji Changwu looked at Ji Hongxue.
The trembling dagger sank into the man's heart, and scarlet spread through the rainy night...