Explosion! Explosion! Still Explosion!

"A Saint Realm cultivator I don't know? More importantly, they're approaching me. Could they be after me?" Xiao Yao muttered inwardly.

[Beep! The host's guess has a 99.99% probability of being correct!]

"What's the difference between that and 100%?"

After a silent complaint, Xiao Yao considered his current defensive measures, only to find the Venerable Tier Heavenly Net Grand Formation.

He currently possessed over 1.6 million Low-grade spirit stones.

In other words, he could activate the Heavenly Net Grand Formation's burst state 16 times.

Even if it could only hold them for 1 second, that would be 16 seconds.

The time seemed short, but 16 seconds was enough for his Master to return to the courtyard from Zhu Ding.

Without further thought, Xiao Yao immediately set up the Heavenly Net Grand Formation.

In the blink of an eye, the grand formation, invisible to the naked eye, covered the entire courtyard.

Outside the courtyard.

A cultivator, completely wrapped in a black cloak, their face hidden, descended from the sky.

"I don't have much time left!"

"I must kill Xiao Yao, the target of this assassination mission, as quickly as possible."

With that, the cultivator unleashed their spiritual sense, quickly locating Xiao Yao within the courtyard.

Without the slightest hesitation, they advanced rapidly along the direct line to Xiao Yao.

As for why they didn't use spatial-type spells?

It was mainly out of fear of alerting the Lotus Sword Emperor. If that happened, not only would the assassination of Xiao Yao fail, but they might also lose their own life here.

However, just as they were about to break through the wall, they ran into the Heavenly Net Grand Formation.

Gazing at the faint blue light shimmering ahead, the cultivator's brow furrowed slightly, and many doubts arose in their mind.

Why would it be a Venerable Tier grand formation?

If they were truly trying to defend against someone, they should have set up a Saint Realm grand formation.

This was because most Emperor Tier cultivators knew each other and disdained to personally engage in assassination.

Could this be a trap?

For this reason, they immediately contacted the employer who had issued the assassination mission.

In the Xiao Family's guest room.

Zhu Ding, appearing drunk, was passionately venting his frustration.

"Lotus Sword Emperor, why am I so unlucky? I took on a disciple, and after only seven days, just seven days! I'm going to die because someone wants to kill your disciple!"

Dongfang Xuetong had no idea what madness Zhu Ding was experiencing.

Just as she was about to part her red lips, Zhu Ding drained the wine in his bowl and continued his frenzied rant, "Why? Why? Why does Xiao Ting want to kill your disciple?"

"Clearly... clearly there's no deep-seated enmity!"

At the same time, Zhu Ding had already received the contact message from the assassin he had hired.

After listening for a moment, he immediately replied, "A Venerable Tier grand formation means it's a trap? The Lotus Sword Emperor is currently being held back by me. Don't get delayed by any trivial matters. Make Xiao Yao cease to exist, body and soul, immediately."

Hearing Zhu Ding's roaring and shouting, the cultivator became enraged, indignant, "Damn it! When has this Saint, Duan Qi, ever been spoken to like this?"

Soon, Duan Qi regained his composure.

To dare to harm the direct disciple of an Emperor Tier cultivator, and to be able to hold back the Lotus Sword Emperor, this employer's identity was definitely not simple.

For now, he was not someone a mere assassin could afford to provoke.

Without further hesitation, Duan Qi gathered his mana and unleashed his full power, striking out with a palm towards the front.

However, there was no reaction, as if his attack had landed on cotton.

Inside the courtyard, Xiao Yao felt a pang of heartache. This full-power strike from a Saint Realm cultivator had cost him 100,000 Low-grade spirit stones.

Master! Why aren't you back yet?

Thinking this, Xiao Yao continued to activate the Heavenly Net Grand Formation's burst state to withstand the next wave of attacks.

Outside the courtyard, Duan Qi looked at his palm, his expression quite puzzled, while the employer's urgent voice echoed in his ears, "Hurry up, damn it! I can't hold them off for long!"

Duan Qi didn't hesitate any longer and unleashed his previous full-power strike again.

This time, as before, it caused no disturbance whatsoever.

"What in the world is going on?"

As the question ended, he heard Xiao Yao's young, clear voice, "Of course, it's a secret move my Master left me!"

"I advise you to get as far away as possible, or when my Master returns, you'll truly understand what it's like to suffer while alive."

Duan Qi looked towards the source of the voice and saw a handsome young man sitting on the wall, his face filled with defiance, as if he truly had a secret move.

But he actually thought otherwise. If there really was a secret move, why would Xiao Yao say these words? And why would he appear before him?

"Xiao Yao, do you think I'm a three-year-old child, easily deceived by you?"

"Come out now, and I'll let you die without pain. Otherwise, I'll torture you to death."

Xiao Yao's gaze sharpened, and he sighed, "It seems you are a battle-hardened assassin. Indeed, the older the ginger, the spicier it is!"

"So, you want to come down?" Duan Qi asked.

Xiao Yao shook his head slightly, a slight upward curve on his lips, giving him a somewhat arrogant appearance.

"Of course, I won't come down. I want to see if you can break the formation faster, or if I can hold out longer!"

Madman!

Duan Qi immediately gave him that evaluation in his heart.

But on second thought, this brat's cultivation was only at the peak of the ninth level of the Transcendent Realm, and yet he appeared on Dark Palace's SSS-class assassination mission. He couldn't possibly be an ordinary cultivator.

Subsequently, Duan Qi continuously unleashed full-power attacks towards the front.

Every time Duan Qi's attack landed, Xiao Yao would silently chant, "Activate burst state!"

Burst! Burst! Still burst!

[Beep! Host, you only have 300,000 low-grade spirit stones left!]

"300,000?"

"Doesn't that mean I can only hold on for three more hits?"

"How could there be so little left?"

At this moment, Xiao Yao finally understood how powerful the low-grade spirit stones given by the System's previous missions truly were.

"System, if I can survive this time, give me more and more low-grade spirit stones as mission rewards in the future. I want to exhaust these shameless old fossils to death."

In the Xiao Family's guest room.

Dongfang Xuetong felt a vague sense of unease. She stopped indulging Zhu Ding's drunken antics and said, "I've come here specifically to tell you that I will not be going on the Demon Flame Valley trip."

Zhu Ding realized that the Lotus Sword Emperor was about to leave. He quickly asked Duan Qi, "Is Xiao Yao dead yet?"

"Not yet, but it should be soon!" Duan Qi replied after unleashing another full-power palm strike.

Zhu Ding found it unbelievable. You are a Saint Realm cultivator, and you're talking about "it should be soon" when killing a cultivator at the peak of the ninth level of the Transcendent Realm?

Isn't this something that can be done with a single thought?

Without any hesitation, he immediately cursed, "And you call yourself an SSS-class assassin from Dark Palace? Is this all you've got? If it were me, I would have killed him long ago!"

Duan Qi, who was already annoyed, became even more irritable and, unable to hold back any longer, retorted.

"Damn it! Do you think I don't want to kill him? The problem is that Venerable Tier Grand Formation can withstand my full-power attacks. Although I don't know exactly what's going on right now, it definitely can't withstand my attacks forever. If you keep nagging, I'm quitting!"

Having understood the situation, Zhu Ding realized that more time was needed. But the Lotus Sword Emperor had already turned to leave. What should he do?

"Lotus Sword Emperor, I have good news for you."

Dongfang Xuetong stopped walking. She didn't turn around, only asking coldly, "What good news?"

"The Lord wants me to return, so you won't have to be monitored by me anymore!" Zhu Ding said quickly.

At this moment, Xiao Yao had only 100,000 low-grade spirit stones left.

Dongfang Xuetong immediately started walking again, saying, "Whether you are here or not is of no consequence to me."

"But wouldn't it be better if I wasn't here?" Zhu Ding forced himself to make conversation.

Bang!

Xiao Yao's low-grade spirit stones were completely depleted.

Xiao Yao stared at Duan Qi. He had already guessed that the employer was Zhu Ding, and only he could keep his Master occupied for so long.

Seeing Duan Qi swing another palm strike, Xiao Yao remained motionless, maintaining a confident demeanor. This was the last bit of dignity he had left for himself.

At the same time, Dongfang Xuetong suddenly realized something.

"Zhu Ding, you deliberately held me back?"