Dark Emperor

"By a secret signal, I mean that as long as I mention the signal, you must listen to me. No matter how unwilling you are, you must do as I say. Otherwise, I'll come back and tell the sect master that you refused to listen to me." Zhong Shan spoke earnestly.

"What's fun about that? No, no way." Tian Ling'er immediately looked reluctant.

"No. We have to agree on this beforehand. If what I ask you to do is wrong, you can tell the sect master. Even if he punishes me, I'll accept it. But if you don't agree, we won't leave." Zhong Shan's expression was solemn.

"Mm, all right, all right. You're so nagging. I'll listen to you." Tian Ling'er answered reluctantly.

Looking at Tian Ling'er's expression, Zhong Shan smiled faintly. She really does have the temper of a young lady.

"Let's choose something more unusual. Hmm, you like eating Osmanthus Cake, so let's use 'Osmanthus Cake' as the signal. As soon as I say Osmanthus Cake, it means I'm being extremely serious, and you must listen to me. You must. I mean it." Zhong Shan spoke gravely.

"All right, all right. Osmanthus Cake, hehe!" Tian Ling'er burst out laughing at the signal. What kind of signal was that?

"Good. Since that's settled, wait here a moment. I'll get my luggage, and then we'll leave together." Zhong Shan nodded.

After saying that, Zhong Shan entered the house and brought out a huge bundle weighing a full fifty pounds. Carrying the bundle on his back and holding his saber, he said, "All right, let's go."

"Give it to me. I'll put it in my Storage Bracelet. You look exhausted." Tian Ling'er smiled.

Zhong Shan did not stand on ceremony and handed her the bundle directly, leaving only a saber in his hand.

"Ah, my Red Silk is only second-grade. It can carry only me. Use your Wind Chasing Boots, and let's hurry together." Tian Ling'er said.

"All right." Zhong Shan hefted his saber, circulated his true qi, and shot rapidly into the distance.

Tian Ling'er stepped onto a strip of Red Silk and flew along after him. They were finally leaving, and Tian Ling'er was incomparably delighted.

Tian Ling'er knew the way out of the mountains. She soon led Zhong Shan around the great formation and out of Kaiyang Sect.

After leaving Kaiyang Sect, Zhong Shan looked at the little thatched hut and sighed inwardly. He had become a member of the Immortal Sect too.

Zhong Shan did not go greet Shoushan inside the hut. Instead, he took Tian Ling'er and hurried off in a certain direction.

It had taken several months to come here. On the way out, Zhong Shan believed that with his current speed and the Wind Chasing Boots, it would take at most fifteen days. In fifteen days, he would reach his manor.

The two of them ran through the mountains for a day. When darkness fell, they were both somewhat tired, so they found a place with pleasant surroundings. They took two hammocks from the bundle, tied them between tall trees, and scattered some medicinal herbs on the branches to ward off poisonous insects.

"All right, we'll sleep up here tonight." Zhong Shan turned and said to Tian Ling'er.

Looking at the nets stretched between the two trees, Tian Ling'er's eyes sparkled. She looked at Zhong Shan, a trace of excitement flashing through her eyes.

"Zhong Shan, this is wonderful! How did you think of it?" Tian Ling'er immediately flew onto one of the hammocks and lay inside it, wriggling and swaying back and forth in excitement.

Looking at Tian Ling'er's lively, innocent appearance, Zhong Shan shook his head without saying anything. He made several leaps and reached his own hammock.

"All right, you can look at the stars. I'm going to sleep first." Zhong Shan said.

Lying in the hammock and gazing at the stars filling the sky, listening to the chirping of insects in the woods, Tian Ling'er was completely exhilarated. Clearly, it would be a long time before she could fall asleep.

At the same time, as night fell, within Zhong Manor in the Great Kun Kingdom, Zhong Shan's Hidden Body sat cross-legged inside a room.

Slowly, the Hidden Body Zhong Shan rose to his feet. He picked up a small book from the table beside him. The words "Dark Assault Art" were written on its cover. It was what his main body had seen in the Scripture Pavilion of Kaiyang Sect not long ago. A portrait was tucked inside the Dark Assault Art as well—a portrait of Hao San.

Holding the Dark Assault Art, the Hidden Body's form wavered slightly and turned into a shadow. Then he truly became a shadow, slipped through the paper-thin crack beneath the door, and darted outside. Under the moonlight, a black shadow raced across the ground at tremendous speed. It was as swift as a ghost, vanishing in a flash.

The Hidden Body was different from the main body. His physique seemed extraordinarily excellent. He cultivated the Supreme Yin True Scripture at an astonishing speed. Whenever the main body broke through, the Hidden Body broke through immediately as well. This was also one of the Hidden Body's great limitations. At present, the strength of Zhong Shan's Hidden Body was also at the Innate Third Stage.

An hour later, a black shadow entered a valley. The valley contained a large number of buildings and was exceptionally well hidden.

Zhong Shan's shadow headed straight for a hall at the very center. Three pitch-black characters were written on the hall's plaque: "Dark Night Hall."

Dark Night Hall was the nightmare of the powerful in the Great Kun Kingdom and five surrounding kingdoms. It was the strongest assassin hall, with countless killers and terrifying strength. Some members had even reached the tenth level of the Houtian realm. It was said that there were even Xiantian experts within. Thus, in all six kingdoms, it was a name that made people blanch at the mere mention of it.

At the entrance of Dark Night Hall, Zhong Shan suddenly revealed his form. He walked inside step by step.

There was only one person inside, someone holding a lamp while studying a huge map.

That person failed to notice Zhong Shan's entrance.

"Who?" Only after Zhong Shan had completely entered the hall did the man become alert. He turned his head, and a thin sword slid into his hand.

When he saw who had come, the man finally relaxed.

He was a man of about fifty, with ordinary features—the kind who could be thrown into a crowd and never noticed.

"Master." When the man saw Zhong Shan, he immediately bowed respectfully.

"Ah, Dark Emperor, how many times have I told you? You and I can address each other as brothers. Why do you have to act like this? Besides, you've already reached the Xiantian realm, yet you refuse to enter an Immortal Sect for its selection. That's too unfair to you." Zhong Shan shook his head.

"Master, this life of Dark Emperor's was saved by you. The vengeance for my clansmen, parents, wife, and children was also avenged because of you. Dark Emperor swore that he would be loyal to you for life, without the slightest complaint. There is no question of unfairness." Dark Emperor spoke respectfully.

"You're the hall master of Dark Night Hall now. The aristocratic clans and Imperial Families of all the kingdoms tremble at the mention of your name." Zhong Shan shook his head with a laugh.

"Everything is because of you. Dark Emperor has what he has today because of you. Dark Night Hall will remain loyal to you forever." Dark Emperor immediately replied.

"All right, I won't say more, lest you keep calling me Master. It sounds awkward to me too. Here's an Xiantian cultivation method. Continue cultivating it." Zhong Shan handed the small book to Dark Emperor.

"An Xiantian cultivation method?" Dark Emperor exclaimed in surprise.

He gently accepted it. The three characters "Dark Assault Art" were written on it.

"I'm also cultivating an Xiantian cultivation method now, just a different one from yours. Yours is a top-tier Xiantian cultivation method as well. It has ten stages and can be cultivated to the Golden Core Stage. Work hard at cultivating it. When you reach the Golden Core Stage, I'll find something else for you." Zhong Shan looked at Dark Emperor seriously.

"Yes. I'll cultivate diligently, and at the same time train the finest assassins for Master." Dark Emperor bowed respectfully.

"That's right, the Dark Assault Art has a portrait tucked inside it. It's a Xiantian expert. Search for him everywhere, whether he's alive or dead. Once you find him, don't take action. Just notify me." Zhong Shan spoke.

"Yes. I'll search for him with all my strength." Dark Emperor bowed.

"All right, all right. I'll be leaving first. Take your time with your work." Zhong Shan shook his head.

Then Zhong Shan slowly walked out. Once he was beyond Dark Emperor's sight, he transformed into a dark shadow and rapidly returned along the way he had come.

Looking at the Dark Assault Art in his hands, Dark Emperor sighed deeply. At the same time, he gazed toward the place where Zhong Shan had vanished, his eyes filled with resolve.

The next day, before dawn, the main body Zhong Shan woke up. Seeing Tian Ling'er, who had only fallen asleep after being excited for most of the night, he did not wake her. Instead, he put away the hammock, took up his saber, and practiced his saber techniques nonstop nearby.

Heaven Splitting Strike! Slaughter them all!

On a huge boulder, Zhong Shan practiced by cutting through it as if it were tofu. Relying on his sense of touch, he sought out its weak points.

Only Zhong Shan could have such an imagination. Even the person who had originally created the saber technique probably had never possessed such a terrifying idea. Wood grain was one thing, but could a stone really have grain and weak points too?

Zhong Shan practiced for an hour before stopping to rest, then quickly sat cross-legged and circulated his cultivation method.

By then, Tian Ling'er had also awakened. The moment she opened her eyes, she saw Zhong Shan working hard at his cultivation, and a wave of shame washed over her. Tian Ling'er's Root Bone was exactly the opposite of Zhong Shan's—it was simply too excellent. As a result, even without much effort, she could cultivate faster than ordinary people.

In this desolate mountain region, Zhong Shan did not dare sink into cultivation for long. He merely summarized the insights he had gained from splitting the stone earlier.

He slowly opened his eyes and happened to see Tian Ling'er's large eyes blinking at him. The morning sun shone across her porcelain-like face, making her resemble a flawless work of art glowing with radiant light.