Assassination

The next morning, Su Yu, clad in a green robe, stepped out of Skywind City alone.

A delicate Storage Bag hung from his waist, containing his recently purchased supplies.

Twenty bottles of Spirit Replenishing Pills, twenty bottles of Blood Replenishing Pills, and enough dry rations and clean water for half a month.

A 100,000 tael gold note from Su Tianheng, awarded in the name of the family after winning the grand competition.

In the direction of the Monster Forest, the morning mist had yet to dissipate, and faint, distant beast roars could be heard.

Su Yu's expression was calm, his steps steady, as if he were merely going on an ordinary outing, not venturing into a dangerous place.

Meanwhile, in the Lin Family's main hall.

A bronze beast-shaped censer exhaled dark purple incense, shrouding the entire hall in a strange shadow.

Lin Zhentian sat at the head seat, his knuckles tapping lightly on the armrest, a cold glint in his eyes.

"Patriarch."

An old man in black robes entered silently and whispered, "A scout reports that Su Yu has already left the city alone, heading towards the Monster Forest."

Lin Zhentian's fingertips paused, and the corners of his mouth slowly curved into a sinister arc.

He didn't speak, merely raised his eyes slightly, his gaze sweeping towards the shadows in the corner of the hall.

Swish--

A dark figure appeared like a ghost, entirely shrouded in a black cloak, even his face hidden by a black iron mask, revealing only a pair of eyes as cold as a viper's.

"Black Fiend," Lin Zhentian said faintly. "You know the target this time."

Black Fiend bowed slightly, his voice hoarse like grinding stones. "A junior in the Qi Refining Realm, is he worth the Patriarch's attention?"

Lin Zhentian sneered, "He could defeat Tian'er, who is in the Spirit Condensation Realm, while only at Qi Refining Level 8. Do you think... he's an ordinary Qi Refining Realm cultivator?"

Black Fiend was silent for a moment, the gaze beneath his mask growing colder.

"Remember," Lin Zhentian slowly stood up. "I want him to die silently, without a trace. If even a hint of this leaks..."

"Rest assured, Patriarch," Black Fiend's voice was low. "For someone in Spirit Condensation Level 5 to kill a Qi Refining Realm cultivator, no matter how monstrous he is... there's no chance of survival."

As his words fell, his figure vanished like smoke, as if he had never appeared.

Silence returned to the hall, with only the swirling incense.

Lin Zhentian stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the brightening sky outside the window, killing intent surging in his eyes.

"Su Yu... this time, I'll see how you survive!"

On the edge of the Monster Forest, the hairs on the back of Su Yu's neck suddenly stood on end.

The pale yellow light sphere deep within his soul flashed wildly, sending him a signal of extreme danger.

A Martial Artist had locked onto him!

"At least Spirit Condensation Realm..." Su Yu's pupils constricted, but his steps remained unhurried.

The ancient sword in his Sea of Consciousness trembled slightly, but there was no further reaction.

Whoosh--

The green-robed figure suddenly turned into an afterimage, charging into the depths of the forest at a speed far exceeding the Qi Refining Realm.

The surrounding bushes swayed violently under the wind pressure, startling countless birds.

Seven or eight miles away, Black Fiend's brow furrowed beneath his mask. "Interesting."

His black robe billowed, and his figure floated like a ghost, causing all vegetation in his path to wither.

The distance between them shortened at a visible rate.

"Damn it!" Su Yu felt the increasingly close chilling aura behind him and gritted his teeth, channeling all his Spiritual Power.

The Wind-Swept Flowing Cloud Sword Intent formed a vortex beneath his feet, increasing his speed by another third.

But the deathly aura behind him remained like a persistent shadow—

Five miles...

Three miles...

One mile...

A hoarse voice, like a viper's hiss, suddenly sounded thirty feet behind Su Yu.

Su Yu's every hair stood on end, and the pale yellow light sphere deep within his soul frantically warned him.

He instinctively rolled sideways, and a streak of ghostly blue blade light grazed his hair, cutting through a tree hugged by three people in front of him with a dull thud.

The Wind-Swept Flowing Cloud Sword hastily met the attack. The moment the two forces collided, Su Yu was sent flying backward like a kite with a broken string.

He slammed into three ancient trees before his momentum was finally halted, a metallic sweetness rising in his throat.

Black Fiend walked closer, his dark iron mask reflecting the cold moonlight. "To survive my attack, it's no wonder the Patriarch is so wary.

He gathered ink-black Spiritual Power at his fingertips and said, "But your journey ends here..."

ROAR--!!!

A Heaven-Shaking Tiger Roar suddenly exploded, the sound waves shattering trees within a ten-zhang radius.

A colossal, blood-red tiger, two zhang tall, leaped from the forest, its scarlet beast eyes locked onto Black Fiend.

"Level three... Blood-Eyed Tiger?!" Black Fiend's voice suddenly changed.

Though his mask hid his expression, his violently trembling black robe betrayed his fear.

Black Fiend had barely retreated three zhang when the Blood-Eyed Tiger pounced like a scarlet lightning bolt.

Its tiger claws, as large as washbasins, slammed down from the air, accompanied by a piercing shriek that tore through the atmosphere--

Squelch!

The sound of flesh and blood being torn apart was bone-chilling.

Black Fiend's Spirit Condensation Level 5 protective Spiritual Power was as fragile as thin paper against this absolute power.

His body was flung dozens of zhang like a tattered rag doll, crashing through seven or eight ancient trees before slumping softly to the ground.

Before he could even land, the Blood-Eyed Tiger had already chased him like a phantom, its bone-white fangs precisely severing his throat.

Crack!

The sound of cracking bones echoed through the forest, accompanied by a nauseating chewing sound.

Su Yu held his breath, his body rigid as stone, not daring to even tremble his eyelashes.

Cold sweat trickled down his spine, soaking through his inner garment.

In the face of such a ferocious beast, his Qi Refining Realm cultivation was like child's play.

At this critical juncture of life and death--

Deep within his soul, the ancient sword suddenly vibrated violently.

A vast, ancient aura spread out like ripples, quietly enveloping Su Yu.

This aura was subtle, yet it caused the grass and trees within a ten-zhang radius to bow.

The Blood-Eyed Tiger's chewing abruptly stopped.

Su Yu felt those scarlet beast eyes staring intently at him.

Confusion flickered in the tiger's eyes, then turned to uncertain surprise.

Its massive body began to tremble slightly, its thick tiger claws unconsciously clawing at the ground.

"Roar..."

A low whimper escaped the Blood-Eyed Tiger's throat.

This Level 3 Yao Beast, which had been ferociously powerful moments ago, now acted like a frightened kitten. It slowly retreated a few steps, suddenly turned, and fled desperately into the depths of the forest, disappearing without a trace in an instant.

Only when the tiger's roar had completely faded did Su Yu let out a long sigh, his legs going weak as he sank to his knees.

His trembling fingers lightly touched his brow, where a faint, ancient Sword Intent still lingered.

What was the origin of this sword?