"A Saint Realm cultivator I don't recognize? More importantly, he's getting closer to me. Could he be coming for me?" Xiao Yao thought to himself.
[Beep! There is a 99.99% chance the host's guess is correct!]
"What's the difference between that and 100%?"
After grumbling to himself, Xiao Yao considered the defensive measures he had on hand. It turned out that the only one was the Venerable Tier Heavenly Net Grand Formation.
He currently had over 1.6 million Low-grade spirit stones.
In other words, he could activate the Heavenly Net Grand Formation's burst mode sixteen times.
Even if it could hold the enemy back for only one second, that would still be sixteen seconds.
That might not seem like much time, but sixteen seconds was enough for his master to return from Zhu Ding's side to the courtyard.
Without another thought, Xiao Yao immediately set up the Heavenly Net Grand Formation.
In the blink of an eye, the formation, invisible to the naked eye, covered the entire courtyard.
Outside the courtyard.
A cultivator wrapped from head to toe in a black cloak, his features obscured, descended from the sky.
"I don't have much time left!"
"I have to kill Xiao Yao, the target of this assassination, as quickly as possible."
With that, the cultivator immediately extended his Spiritual Sense and soon detected Xiao Yao inside the courtyard.
Without the slightest hesitation, he strode straight toward Xiao Yao.
Why not use a spatial spell?
Mainly because he was afraid of alerting the Lotus Sword Emperor. If that happened, not only would he fail to assassinate Xiao Yao, he might also lose his own life here.
But just as he was about to smash through the wall, he ran straight into the Heavenly Net Grand Formation.
Gazing at the pale blue light shimmering before him, the cultivator furrowed his brow slightly, his mind filling with questions.
Why was this a Venerable Tier formation?
If it was meant to keep people out, they should have set up a Saint tier formation.
Most Emperor Tier cultivators knew one another, and besides, they wouldn't deign to carry out assassinations themselves.
Could there be a trap?
With that thought, he immediately contacted the employer who had given him the assassination mission.
Inside the Xiao Clan's guest room.
Zhu Ding, who looked thoroughly drunk, poured out the frustration in his heart with heartfelt abandon.
"Lotus Sword Emperor, tell me, how can I be so unlucky? I take on a disciple, and just seven days—only seven days—and he dies because he tried to kill your disciple!"
Dongfang Xuetong had no idea what had gotten into Zhu Ding.
She was about to part her lips when Zhu Ding downed the wine in his bowl and continued raving, "Why? Why? Why did Xiao Ting have to go and kill your disciple?"
"We didn't even... we didn't even have some deep-seated grudge!"
At the same time, Zhu Ding had received a message from the hired hand who had taken on his assassination mission.
After listening to him, he immediately replied, "A Venerable Tier formation means there's a trap? The Lotus Sword Emperor is being held up by me right now. Don't let some irrelevant nonsense hold you back. Kill Xiao Yao right now—leave no body, destroy his soul!"
Hearing Zhu Ding's furious, bellowing voice, the cultivator grew incensed and snapped, "Damn it! I'm Duan Qi, a Saint! When has anyone ever talked to me like that?"
Soon, Duan Qi regained his composure.
Anyone bold enough to target an Emperor Tier cultivator's Direct Disciple—and capable of keeping the Lotus Sword Emperor occupied—had to be someone of considerable standing.
For now, he certainly couldn't afford to provoke an employer like that on his own.
Without further hesitation, Duan Qi gathered his Mana and unleashed his full-strength attack, slamming a palm toward the formation.
But there was no reaction at all. It was as if his attack had struck cotton.
Inside the courtyard, Xiao Yao's heart ached. That full-strength blow from a Saint Realm cultivator had cost him 100,000 Low-grade spirit stones.
Master! Why haven't you come back yet?
Thinking this, Xiao Yao once again activated the Heavenly Net Grand Formation's burst mode to withstand the next attack.
Outside the courtyard, Duan Qi looked at his palm, his face full of confusion. At the same time, his employer's impatient voice rang in his ear: "Hurry the hell up! I can't hold things up much longer over here!"
Duan Qi didn't hesitate. He unleashed the same full-strength attack again.
Just like before, it didn't stir up the slightest ripple.
"What in the world is going on?"
As soon as he finished asking, he heard Xiao Yao's young, clear voice. "Of course it's a secret technique my master left me!"
"I advise you to get as far away as you can. Otherwise, when my master returns, I'll make sure you learn just how painful it is to be alive."
Duan Qi looked toward the source of the voice and saw a handsome young man sitting on the wall, his face brimming with brazen confidence, as if he really did have a secret technique.
But Duan Qi was convinced he didn't. If he truly had one, why would Xiao Yao say such things? And why would he show himself?
"Xiao Yao, do you take me for a three-year-old? You think I'll fall for that?"
"Come out now, and I'll let you die without pain. Otherwise, I'll torture you to death."
Xiao Yao's gaze sharpened. He sighed, "Looks like you're a veteran assassin. As expected, old ginger is spicier!"
"Then you're not coming down?" Duan Qi asked.
Xiao Yao gave a slight shake of his head, the corners of his mouth lifting into a somewhat arrogant grin.
"Of course not. I want to see whether you can break the formation faster or I can hold out longer!"
Madman!
Duan Qi immediately judged him in his mind.
But then he reconsidered. Xiao Yao was only at the Peak of Transcendent Realm Ninth Layer, yet he had appeared on the Dark Palace's SSS-rank assassination list. He clearly couldn't be an ordinary cultivator.
After that, Duan Qi kept unleashing one full-strength attack after another.
Every time Duan Qi's attack landed, Xiao Yao silently thought, "Activate burst mode!"
Erupt! Erupt! And more eruption!
[Beep! Host, you have only 300,000 Low-grade spirit stones left!]
"300,000?"
"Doesn't that mean I can only hold out for three more hits?"
"How did I end up with so few left?"
Only now did Xiao Yao understand just how generous the system's earlier mission reward of Low-grade spirit stones had been.
"System, if I make it through this, give me way, way more Low-grade spirit stones as mission rewards from now on. I want to wear out these shameless old bastards!"
Inside the Xiao Clan's guest room.
Dongfang Xuetong felt a faint sense of unease, so she stopped indulging Zhu Ding's drunken antics and said, "I came here specifically to tell you that I won't be going to Demon Flame Valley."
Realizing the Lotus Sword Emperor was about to leave, Zhu Ding quickly asked Duan Qi, "Is Xiao Yao dead yet?"
"Not yet, but he should be soon!" Duan Qi replied after striking the formation with another full-strength palm.
Zhu Ding couldn't believe it. You're a Saint Realm cultivator, and you're saying you should soon be able to kill a cultivator at the Peak of Transcendent Realm Ninth Layer?
Shouldn't you be able to kill him with a single thought?
Without the slightest hesitation, he began cursing furiously. "And you call yourself an SSS-rank assassin from the Dark Palace? This is all you can do? If I went over there, I'd have killed him already!"
Duan Qi, already irritated, grew even angrier and finally fired back.
"Damn it! You think I don't want to kill him? The problem is that Venerable Tier formation can withstand my full-strength attacks. I still don't know what's going on, but it definitely can't hold out against me forever. Keep cursing me, and I'm done!"
Once Zhu Ding understood the situation, he realized he still needed to stall for a little longer. But the Lotus Sword Emperor had already turned to leave. What was he supposed to do?
"Lotus Sword Emperor, I have some good news for you."
Dongfang Xuetong stopped. She didn't turn around, merely asking coldly, "What good news?"
"My Lord has ordered me back. You won't have to be watched by me anymore!" Zhu Ding hurriedly said.
At that moment, Xiao Yao had only 100,000 Low-grade spirit stones left.
Dongfang Xuetong immediately started walking again. "Whether you're there or not makes no difference to me."
"But wouldn't it be better without me?" Zhu Ding forced out, searching for something to say.
Boom!
Xiao Yao's Low-grade spirit stones were completely spent.
Xiao Yao stared at Duan Qi. He had already guessed that Zhu Ding was the employer. He was the only one who could keep his master occupied for so long.
As Duan Qi struck out with another palm, Xiao Yao remained unmoving, still wearing an expression of confidence. It was the last scrap of dignity he had left.
At the same time, Dongfang Xuetong suddenly realized something.
"Zhu Ding, were you deliberately keeping me here?"
Before you continue