Killer

Tang Deyou looked at the Great Elder and said with some concern, "We have to be careful with this matter. We can't let the Chen Family get hold of any more leverage against us."

The Great Elder gave an evil grin. "Don't worry. I'll find someone to handle it cleanly. I'll make Yang Lingtian disappear from this world without a sound."

"He deserves to die for ruining our plans."

Yang Lingtian had been in the Weapon Workshop these past few days, guiding Wang Tie Zhu in forging weapons day and night.

Finally, after half a month, Wang Tie Zhu's forging skills had reached the standard of a top-level apprentice. He was fully capable of taking charge of weapon quality control.

Yang Lingtian also breathed a sigh of relief. For the past half month, he had not cultivated at all, spending his time guiding Wang Tie Zhu instead.

Now, as long as he reported back to his adoptive father, he could resign from the heavy responsibility of being the Chief Artifact Refiner.

At last, he stepped out of the Weapon Workshop and set off down the road back to Chen Manor.

When he reached a corner, a Flying Needle suddenly shot toward Yang Lingtian.

Fortunately, he reacted swiftly and used the Flowing Cloud Wind Movement to barely dodge it.

At that moment, a startled voice rang out.

"I really didn't expect a mere Qi Refining Level 7 cultivator like you to dodge my attack."

"A Movement Martial Skill. It's definitely a Movement Martial Skill. A mere Qi Refining Stage cultivator actually cultivated a Movement Martial Skill."

A Black-Clothed Man appeared in front of Yang Lingtian, radiating the aura of a Foundation Establishment expert.

At the same time, a trace of greed and excitement gleamed in his eyes, as if he had discovered some astonishing treasure.

Yang Lingtian's expression turned solemn. "Who are you? Why did you attack me?"

"An esteemed Foundation Establishment expert actually ambushed a Qi Refining Stage cultivator like me. Don't you think that's disgraceful? Aren't you afraid of ruining your reputation?"

The Black-Clothed Man sneered. "I'm only carrying out a job for money. I've been waiting for you for a long time."

"That Movement Technique you used just now was pretty good. Hand over that technique, and I can let you die more painlessly."

Yang Lingtian sneered as well. "Hmph. If you have the ability, come and take it yourself!"

The Black-Clothed Man flew into a rage. "Arrogant! Do you think dodging one attack makes you my equal?"

"I'll show you the vast gap between a Foundation Establishment expert and a Qi Refining cultivator."

Facing the Black-Clothed Man's threat, Yang Lingtian's expression was grave, but his tone remained unyielding.

"Whether I'm your equal or not, you can come and find out!"

The Black-Clothed Man's eyes turned cold. His figure vanished from the spot in an instant, leaving behind only a black afterimage.

Suddenly, a sharp Sword Qi appeared behind Yang Lingtian.

Yang Lingtian sensed it and used his Movement Technique again to dodge. Then he spun around, drew his Spirit Sword, and unleashed the Hundred Shadow Cold Sword, sweeping out a fierce Sword Qi.

It collided violently with the other party's Sword Qi, and the two streams of Sword Qi crashed against each other.

Yang Lingtian was jolted backward again and again, almost unable to steady himself.

He was forced back more than ten meters before finally stopping. His originally calm face had paled considerably.

After all, the gap between Yang Lingtian and an expert in the Foundation Establishment Early Stage was simply too great.

If not for the boost from his Spirit Sword and the fact that he had mastered two martial skills, he would have been killed by a single sword strike long ago.

"A Spirit Sword? It seems your position in the Chen Family is no ordinary one. You actually have a Spirit Sword equipped," the Black-Clothed Man said in surprise.

"You're only a Qi Refining cultivator. You can't bring out the full power of a Low-Grade Spirit Sword. Hand it over to me."

The Black-Clothed Man's eyes filled with greed.

"Your resistance to my attack just now was indeed stronger than that of an ordinary Qi Refining Level 9 cultivator, but you're still far inferior to a Foundation Establishment expert."

"I advise you to surrender obediently. Even with the boost from a Spirit Sword, you're still no match for me."

Yang Lingtian said nothing. Instead, he drove his power to its fullest.

Then he used the Flowing Cloud Wind Movement and the sword technique Hundred Shadow Cold Sword, charging straight at the Black-Clothed Man.

The two figures began crossing through the air again and again, their clash growing increasingly fierce.

At this moment, Yang Lingtian's speed and strength had both drawn infinitely close to those of a Foundation Establishment Early Stage expert.

However, he was facing a true expert in the Foundation Establishment Early Stage, so he still fell behind from the very start.

Yang Lingtian swung his sword again and again, using his Movement Technique to evade the attacks. For a time, the other party was unable to defeat him quickly.

The Black-Clothed Man grew more astonished as the battle continued. He had never expected Yang Lingtian to display strength close to that of a Foundation Establishment expert.

Moreover, that strange Movement Technique caused his attacks to miss repeatedly.

The Black-Clothed Man grew furious. He began circulating his power and attacked with all his might.

He suppressed Yang Lingtian completely.

Boom!

Yang Lingtian ultimately failed to dodge one attack. He was sent flying and crashed to the ground, vomiting blood.

"To have fought me to this point, you're already extremely impressive."

"But you're still not a Foundation Establishment expert. You won't escape death today!" the Black-Clothed Man said viciously.

Yang Lingtian staggered to his feet and sneered. "Hmph. I indeed can't beat you, but killing me won't be so easy either."

"Watch my final move—Hundred Swords Convergence!"

With his explosive shout, an even more powerful aura erupted from his body.

He swung his Spirit Sword, forming a dazzling sword light.

The power throughout his body surged into the Spirit Sword, which shot forward with that sword light.

The Black-Clothed Man's pupils contracted. He could feel that this attack had genuinely reached the level of a Foundation Establishment expert's strike.

He hurriedly swung the sword in his hand, drawing on his own power to block the formidable attack.

Boom!

The Black-Clothed Man was also sent flying by the strike.

Yang Lingtian seized the opportunity and used the Flowing Cloud Wind Movement to flee at top speed.

By the time the Black-Clothed Man steadied himself, Yang Lingtian had already escaped far away.

The attack had not inflicted much damage on the Black-Clothed Man, but it had bought Yang Lingtian the chance to escape.

The Black-Clothed Man could only watch helplessly as Yang Lingtian fled, fury and unwillingness in his eyes.

There was also a trace of shock. He had never imagined that a Qi Refining Level 7 cultivator could unleash such a powerful attack.

A sense of humiliation rose within him as well. He had actually allowed a Qi Refining Stage cultivator to get away.

"Damn it, I failed. I actually let that brat escape."

"I didn't expect that brat to be a freak capable of fighting above his level, and he actually had so many trump cards."

"That was a Low-Grade Spirit Sword and martial skills. They're all rare treasures. It's a real pity that I failed to obtain them when such an opportunity presented itself!"

"And I failed to complete the mission. How am I supposed to face the employer when I go back..."

Because Yang Lingtian had fled toward the bustling part of the city, the Black-Clothed Man could not act there even if he caught up with him.

At this moment, Tang Deyou and the Great Elder were waiting for good news from the Black-Clothed Man.

He had been the one to inform the Black-Clothed Man that Yang Lingtian had come out in the first place.

"Master, rest assured. Yang Lingtian is certain to die this time. I paid a hefty price to hire a killer in the Foundation Establishment Realm."

"That useless Qi Refining cultivator could never escape the assassination of a Foundation Establishment killer," the Great Elder said confidently.

Tang Deyou also believed that Yang Lingtian would not escape death this time, and a smug smile spread across his face.

"If Yang Lingtian really is a First-Rank Artifact Refiner, then the Chen Family will suffer the loss of another precious Artifact Refiner this time."

Just as they were basking in their triumph, the Black-Clothed Man returned.

Tang Deyou and the Great Elder both stood up and walked over expectantly. "How did it go? You handled it cleanly, and no one saw anything, right?"

"There was a mistake. I let him escape," the Black-Clothed Man said bluntly.

"What? He escaped?" Tang Deyou's smile vanished, replaced by an expression of shock.

"What happened? I gave you so many Spirit Stones, and you actually let him escape?" Great Elder Tang Defa's expression changed drastically as well.

"It was my mistake, but the information you provided was also inaccurate," the Black-Clothed Man explained.

"Although Yang Lingtian is only at Qi Refining Level 7, once he unleashed his full power, his strength approached that of an expert in the Foundation Establishment Early Stage."

"In particular, he had mastered a powerful sword technique and a strange Movement Technique. Combined with the boost from his Spirit Sword, I couldn't kill him in a single strike."

"Moreover, he's currently inside the city. I didn't dare pursue him. If we had been outside the city, he would certainly be dead."

Tang Deyou and Tang Defa were deeply shaken by what they heard.

A Qi Refining Level 7 cultivator could display strength close to that of an expert in the Foundation Establishment Early Stage?

They found it impossible to believe. Even with the boost from a Low-Grade Spirit Sword, his strength should not have skyrocketed by that much.

"There's also this: although his aura is at Qi Refining Level 7, I faintly sensed that the Spiritual Power in his body seemed even purer than that of an ordinary Qi Refining Level 8 cultivator."

"I think that's also why he was able to display such powerful strength," the Black-Clothed Man added.

Tang Deyou and Tang Defa fell into deep thought.

They realized that Yang Lingtian was not simple at all.

The former wastrel had not only suddenly become a First-Rank Artifact Refiner, but also possessed so many secrets.

This made them increasingly certain that Yang Lingtian had probably obtained some great opportunity.

Perhaps he had even inherited the legacy of some powerful expert.

"That brat has changed far too much. He's practically become a different person," Tang Deyou muttered inwardly, narrowing his eyes.

"His strength has risen so rapidly in such a short time. He must have obtained some great opportunity. I'll have to dig it out of him."

At this moment, Yang Lingtian had already returned to Chen Manor and told his adoptive father about the assassination.

"What? A Foundation Establishment killer? They sent a Foundation Establishment killer to deal with a Qi Refining Level 7 cultivator!" Chen Zhengqing's expression changed drastically.

Normally speaking, assassinating a Qi Refining Level 7 cultivator did not require a Foundation Establishment expert.

That was simply using a sledgehammer to crack a nut!

This showed that the other party took him very seriously and had sent a Foundation Establishment killer to prevent any mishaps.

Unfortunately, that very mishap had still occurred.

"Ling Tian, are you all right? How did you escape?" Chen Zhengqing asked with concern.

He immediately examined Yang Lingtian's body and discovered that he had only suffered minor injuries.

For a Qi Refining Level 7 cultivator to escape from a Foundation Establishment expert without suffering serious injuries was simply astonishing.

"I held out for a while, then took the opportunity to flee into the bustling part of the city. That killer didn't dare continue pursuing me," Yang Lingtian explained.

Even so, Chen Zhengqing was still astonished. If it had been an ordinary Qi Refining Level 7 expert,

a Foundation Establishment expert could have killed him effortlessly with a casual strike. He would not even have had time to react, much less escape.

Yang Lingtian's ability to escape showed that his true strength was far more than merely Qi Refining Level 7.