Assassination

Late at night, a faint candle flame flickered on the desk in a bedroom in the imperial palace, illuminating a few meters around it. Everywhere else lay in darkness, lending the room an especially eerie atmosphere.

A figure sat before the desk, absorbed in the book in his hands. His complexion was sickly pale, yet though he had long since reached middle age, he looked as young and handsome as a twenty-year-old.

He was Xu Tianran, the Third Prince of the Sun Moon Empire.

Suddenly, a black-clad figure appeared beside Xu Tianran, but he showed no reaction and continued reading.

"Your Highness, the news has been confirmed. Xu Lanqing has acknowledged Kong Deming as his master."

The black-clad figure knelt on one knee. His hoarse voice held no emotion.

Xu Tianran paused, then slowly closed the book. His gaze lingered on its cover, slightly vacant, his thoughts unreadable.

After a long while, he came back to himself, smacked his lips, and let a trace of scorn show on his face.

"Heh. Ultimate Ice, and now he's taken Kong Deming as his master. At this rate, they'll make him Crown Prince next, won't they?"

No one knew a son better than his father. Likewise, as a son, Xu Tianran understood all too well what his imperial father was thinking.

He lowered his head and looked at the empty space in his trousers. His eyes filled with hatred and resentment. He remembered all too clearly the agony of having to undergo an amputation back then. Though he had made the First Prince, who had framed him, pay in blood, what they had fought over so fiercely was nothing more than the one and only throne. Yet now the emperor intended to hand it over to a six-year-old child. How could he accept that?

With Kong Deming backing him, Xu Lanqing could count on the support of nearly half the Rank Nine Soul Masters in the Sun Moon Empire. Add to that his own formidable talent, and if he were given a little more time to grow, his place as Crown Prince would be all but assured.

"If I remember correctly, you found an underground Star Luo Empire outpost in Mingdu before. Find a way to pass this information to them. I'm sure they'll be happy to stir up some chaos in the empire. Make sure you aren't exposed."

Xu Tianran's lowered face flickered between light and shadow in the candlelight, like a venomous snake lurking in the dark, waiting for its chance to strike its prey a fatal blow.

After a moment, he clenched his fist, as if he had reached a decision, and slowly spoke. "Also, tell them I accept their terms."

If he had any other choice, he truly wouldn't want to work with those repulsive creatures who couldn't bear the light of day. But now, he had no other option.

"Yes."

The black-clad figure acknowledged the order, then vanished in a wisp of black smoke.

The next morning, the soft light of dawn streamed through the window and into the room.

Xu Lanqing woke groggily and went through his usual washing routine.

The maid attending him had already brought in a washbasin. When Xu Lanqing saw her unfamiliar face, he paused, puzzled.

"Why is it you today? Where's Sister Xiu'er? She's always the one who comes."

The maid walked toward him, a smile on her pretty face.

"She accidentally hurt herself just now, so I've come to serve you today."

As she drew closer, the maid bent down to set the washbasin in her hands down.

"Careful!"

Electrolux's warning echoed in Xu Lanqing's mind.

Xu Lanqing's expression changed drastically. The hairs on his body stood on end, and a faint sting prickled his skin. Acting on instinct without a moment's hesitation, he activated Starry Night Guardian, worn on the index finger of his right hand.

A two-meter-wide shield instantly spread out. Its silver-white surface was covered in irregular, shimmering points of light that drifted slowly. Within it, Xu Lanqing seemed surrounded by stars.

In the next instant, a blade of icy light swept toward him. Violent ripples shook the air, followed by a sharp, piercing whistle.

"Clang—"

The dagger, radiating a bone-chilling cold, struck the beautiful shield with a clear ring. The shockwave from their collision tore through the room, leaving it in utter disarray before it collapsed.

Dust billowed as a loud crash rang out. The Royal Law Enforcement Team's guards had already arrived.

Stars flowed across the shield. A moment later, it blazed with light and flung the female assassin away with a counterforce. Then it faded, revealing Xu Lanqing standing unharmed where he had been.

The female assassin narrowed her eyes, shocked. Eight Soul Rings circled her dagger.

She had just unleashed her strongest attack, gathering all her power into one strike while using her Martial Soul Avatar and her third and eighth Soul Skills. Yet she hadn't even managed to break the Soul Guidance Shield cast by a Soul Scholar. Had the Sun Moon Empire's Soul Guidance Technology really become this powerful?

Her first attack had failed, but she struck again. Having attempted an assassination in the imperial palace, she had never expected to leave alive.

"Wretch, how dare you!"

A furious shout rang out in the distance like a thunderclap. The next moment, a terrifying pressure from Soul Power descended from afar, and the entire area abruptly sank beneath it.

Under that pressure, the female assassin froze. Xu Lanqing, however, seemed unaffected. Clearly, the newcomer had deftly kept the pressure from reaching him and the group of guards from the Royal Law Enforcement Team rushing over.

The female assassin was forced onto all fours, her body arched as she struggled to rise, but she couldn't move. Her gaze hardened, and she was about to bite down on the poison in her mouth and kill herself.

"Hmph!"

A cold snort rang out. The female assassin was struck by an invisible blow. Blood streamed from her eyes, ears, nose, and mouth; her gaze went vacant, and she collapsed completely, her body twitching now and then.

The newcomer had subdued a Soul Douluo-level assassin before even appearing. The strength behind that feat was clear.

A streak of light crossed the sky and appeared before Xu Lanqing. The familiar, towering figure was none other than the teacher Xu Lanqing had acknowledged just yesterday: Kong Deming.

"Lan Qing, are you all right?"

Kong Deming asked with concern, his sharp eyes carefully examining Xu Lanqing. Only after confirming that he wasn't hurt did he let out a sigh of relief.

"Fortunately, I had the Starry Night Guardian you gave me yesterday, Teacher. I'm unharmed."

Even without Starry Night Guardian, he could have relied on his other teacher, Electrolux. He could easily have held out for a second or two until Kong Deming arrived, but that would have exposed him.

Still shaken by his narrow escape, Xu Lanqing glanced at the female assassin. His pounding heart gradually settled, and he hurried closer to Kong Deming. Only then did he feel safe.

Kong Deming looked at the unconscious female assassin, his face filled with anger.

"White Tiger Dagger Martial Soul. It mutated from the White Tiger Martial Soul, retaining the White Tiger's killing power while developing extreme speed. It's a top-tier agility-type Martial Soul. Apart from the Star Luo Empire, this old man has never seen it appear anywhere else."

"Take her away and interrogate her thoroughly. Force out everything she knows!"

"Yes!"

The Royal Law Enforcement Team captain respectfully acknowledged the order. Two team members behind him stepped forward to restrain the female assassin and escort her to the imperial palace's dungeon.

The captain knew full well that although the team had many brutal methods of interrogation, people like her were usually willing to die for their cause and rarely gave anything away. Still, he could only try.