The two male assassins looked to be around forty. Ordinary in appearance, both practiced the Iron Sand Palm. They had broad frames, and their right hands were especially prominent—rough and thick, like bear paws. But now they had been shattered and were bleeding nonstop.
Old Arts took effect slowly. They had trained their bodies for more than thirty years, only achieving extraordinary accomplishments at this age, yet they had been defeated by a young man barely past twenty. Neither could accept it.
Not far away, the female assassin woke up, feeling searing pain in her face and arms. Wang Xuan walked over, hauled her up, then struck her other arm as well. With a crack, her left arm broke too. The pain nearly made her scream.
Wang Xuan felt that all three were desperadoes and assassins. Unless he broke all their arms, there was no telling what other thoughts they might have—for instance, suddenly pulling out a gun or fiercely scattering a handful of knockout powder.
That cautious attitude looked entirely different in the eyes of the three assassins. They became even more convinced that they had encountered an untouchable monster who treated human lives like blades of grass.
"Give us a quick death," one of the men practicing the Iron Sand Palm said. His voice was somewhat hoarse. Bones were broken all over his body, and he lay there without much strength left.
"Which organization do you belong to?" Wang Xuan asked.
"Gray Blood." Unexpectedly, the man lying on the ground answered readily, without hiding anything.
Wang Xuan's facial expression did not change, but he was somewhat surprised inside. The other side was actually cooperating, directly revealing their origins.
The main reason was that the assassins on the ground were frightened stiff. Seeing him casually break arms and slap the pretty female assassin's face into something ghostly, they believed Wang Xuan might be extremely vicious. Afraid that they would suffer the same fate, they might as well speak frankly. In any case, they had no secrets that could threaten the Gray Blood organization.
After that, the three answered every question. They were not death-sworn agents, merely professional assassins who worked for money. They would not absolutely swear loyalty to anyone.
The Gray Blood organization's strongholds on Old Earth had been uprooted one after another tonight, suffering grievous losses. Yet some people had still remained dormant, untouched by the upheaval.
The three had received an assignment to kill Wang Xuan amid tonight's chaos. Regardless of the outcome, they were not supposed to make any moves until dawn tomorrow.
Wang Xuan's face was cold. Old Earth's deterrence had taken effect, but these assassins were still so crazed on the final night, daring to come and kill him. This was too much bullying! Did they really think Little Wang was so easy to knead?
"Someone really did raise the bounty further to kill you, but we truly don't know who it was..."
After receiving the notice, they had only been responsible for coming out to kill someone. As for who was behind the staggering bounty, there was no way the three could know.
They had even less access to the Gray Blood organization's upper ranks. The organization had strict protective and self-preservation measures. Even if a large number of assassins were captured, it would not affect Gray Blood's operations.
Targeted again and again, even a clay figurine had some earthy temper, much less Wang Xuan. The person behind it had hired the Gray Blood organization to kill him twice in succession. It was truly intolerable.
Looking at the three people lying on the ground, unable to move, he raised his hand and gestured a few times, but did not bring it down.
At the root of it, the three were only tools for killing. They were a hundred thousand miles away from the mastermind. Even if he killed them, it would not affect the person behind the scenes, nor would it be more than an itch to the Gray Blood organization.
When he had been ambushed earlier, killing intent had surged within Wang Xuan. But after calming down, he truly could not bring himself to beat the three to death alive in his own residence and turn the place into a murder house full of blood. It made him feel sick.
"Where are the people who came to kill me last time?" Wang Xuan asked.
"They've all been withdrawn. One became a vegetable, and another had his heart replaced with an artificial one. Their lives are basically ruined." Even the middle-aged man, who practiced the Iron Sand Palm and had always been cold-blooded and merciless, felt his scalp tingle when he thought of the fates of two assassins from the previous group. Once the young man before him struck, it was truly enough to make one shudder.
Wang Xuan was somewhat surprised. A stone he had thrown last time had smashed in an assassin's forehead bone, collapsing it. He had not expected the man to survive and become a vegetable. The other had been pierced through the body by a steel rod, his heart torn apart, yet he had survived as well.
"Fortunately, I've never killed anyone in my life," Wang Xuan sighed. But in the eyes of the three assassins, it did not carry the flavor of pure kindness at all. They even thought he was mocking himself.
Wang Xuan lowered his head and looked at them. "How about it? The three of you kill yourselves, or help each other settle it."
The three assassins' facial expressions changed. Every one of them felt chills crawl over their skin, becoming tense in secret. Listen to that—was that even human speech? He did not even want to do it himself, devising roundabout ways to kill people. He was absolutely a great fiend!
Naturally, they had misunderstood. Wang Xuan truly did not want to kill people, but he also felt that he could not be softhearted like a woman. They had come to kill him, so he could not let them go.
The three assassins lay there with stiff bodies, not knowing what to do. Could they really deal with themselves? They all felt somewhat bleak, because they remained convinced that Wang Xuan, this great fiend, was tormenting them by another route and would have more methods waiting.
"Forget it. I can't bear it in my heart." In the end, Wang Xuan sighed and shook his head. "After all, I've never killed anyone. For now, I don't want to make an exception."
When the three heard that, it instantly felt as though the sky of their lives had been filled with dark clouds, only for a ray of sunlight to tear through them and make everything brilliant at once. They were all somewhat agitated. Could fate truly reverse itself like this?
Wang Xuan glanced at them. "What are you thinking? Your hands are drenched in other people's blood. Letting you go would be the same as abetting evil. I won't give you another chance to kill and commit evil. Better leave you to professionals and let them send you on your way."
He directly contacted Qing Mu to help deal with it. Otherwise, merely disposing of the three bodies would be troublesome. He had always been a law-abiding, upstanding citizen.
The three on the ground went from harboring hope to swiftly falling into despair. Their emotions rose and fell wildly as they suffered torment. They unanimously felt that this was a great fiend, toying with their hearts. It was even more terrifying than simply killing them. He was absolutely a high-level player.
Wang Xuan felt nothing at all. He had not thought that much into it and merely sighed, "I'm still too kindhearted and soft-handed!"
When the three on the ground heard that, they felt even worse, as if they had fallen into hell. They became even more certain that this was a devil!
After Qing Mu received the news, he personally rushed over. He had been angered as well. Not long ago, he had spoken with Wang Xuan and told him that the Gray Blood organization had been uprooted on Old Earth, and that all parties would have to keep a low profile tomorrow.
Yet on this final night, the Gray Blood organization had sent people to kill Wang Xuan again. Was this their final madness, or were they simply being outrageously arrogant?!
When Qing Mu saw the state of the room, he bared his teeth. Little Wang really struck viciously. What kind of ghostly mess had the female assassin's face been beaten into?
"They're already like this, and you still won't add one more slap? Give them a quick death."
"I've never killed anyone!" Wang Xuan refused solemnly.
Qing Mu sucked at his teeth. "Fine. I'll personally interrogate them, then dispose of them." With a wave of his hand, several people came in and carried away the three assassins. He also had someone clean the room and remove the bloodstains from the floor. They truly were professional.
Wang Xuan asked whether the Silver Beast Skin Book he had obtained at Qingcheng Mountain last time had been appraised yet, and when he would receive his additional compensation.
Qing Mu had said that the scroll of beast skin was too astonishing, surely far beyond ordinary exploration gains. According to the organization's rules, there would be compensation.
"No. It's still being deciphered. Those mystical symbols have stumped even the expert team. They can only stare blankly without recognizing them. What, are you short of money right now?" Qing Mu asked in surprise.
Wang Xuan sighed. "See that? The landlord said this desk is rosewood. I'm a student who just graduated and hasn't even received a month's salary. I simply can't afford to compensate for it."
Qing Mu looked at his earnest expression, then at the three assassins who had been beaten crippled and dragged away by him. He was instantly speechless. No matter how he looked at it, it felt strange.
"Fine, I'll lend you some personally first." Qing Mu asked for his account number, then turned and asked, "Did you never consider another method? The three assassins fell into your hands. You could have made them transfer money."
"I'm afraid of being watched by the Relevant Department. I don't want dirty money. It has to be something I earned openly and honorably myself," Wang Xuan said.
"You're something else." Qing Mu patted his shoulder, utterly speechless. Then he turned and left with his people.
The room became quiet. After tidying up a little, Wang Xuan muttered to himself, "I hope these two Ascension Stones won't disappoint me."
It was precisely because he had recently mastered the Golden Body Art and become strong enough that he had been unafraid of the three assassins and captured them smoothly.
He did not know what the future held. He had to rise swiftly before he could face everything calmly and confront the Gray Blood organization and the rest. As long as he was strong enough and stood high enough, sooner or later he would directly drag out the person behind the scenes.
Once he became strong to a certain level, making the Gray Blood organization fearful and terrified, they might as well voluntarily reveal the person behind the scenes, or even deliver that person to him.
Wang Xuan Believed that no matter when it was, his true strength should exceed the outside world's estimates. Only then could he better protect himself and deal with enemies.
A smile appeared on his face. Holding the two Ascension Stones, he felt full of anticipation, hoping for a surprise!
The room was utterly still. Rich Mysterious Factor surged from the stones into Wang Xuan's body, nourishing his mind and cleansing his sinews and bones.
Then, he truly saw once more... the edge of the Inner Scenery Realm. It was very blurred, not far away, and he wanted to approach it.
The Ascension Stones were extraordinary objects. Today, he had not entered the Super-Sense state, yet he still saw that Void and Silence Land!
Wang Xuan longed for it beyond measure. If he could enter again, there was no doubt that another enormous harvest awaited him.
However, even if his spirit was exceedingly vigorous and he was circulating the Root Method of the Pre-Qin Daoist practitioners, he still could not approach that hazy place.
Though he could see it, a distance always remained between him and there.
Crack!
Wang Xuan did not hesitate. He crushed one Ascension Stone, instantly becoming submerged in dense Mysterious Matter. At once, he closed the distance, and the Inner Scenery Realm was within arm's reach.
Crack!
Without hesitation, he shattered the other Ascension Stone as well. Even denser Mysterious Factor enveloped Wang Xuan.
In an instant, Wang Xuan Found himself inside the Inner Scenery Realm. He had actually succeeded, but this place seemed somewhat different today from the Inner Scenery Realm he had entered last time!
Before you continue