"Something's happened!"
The middle-aged man's pupils contracted sharply.
He moved with lightning speed, appearing silently beside the gray wolf. Before the wolf could react, he grabbed its neck and snapped it.
He removed the jade pendant from the wolf's neck and turned it over.
" Yi Three ".
The two small, Dark Gold characters were crystal clear.
"It's highly likely that Yi Three attacked Fang Han, but failed and was killed!"
The middle-aged man's fingers trembled slightly as he held the jade pendant, and for the first time, a noticeable change appeared on his otherwise ordinary face.
The Identity Token is the lifeblood of Dark Abyss assassins; as long as the assassin is alive, the token is their lifeline.
Now that the Identity Token has appeared on a wild wolf, Yi Three's fate is self-evident.
The deliberate act of binding the Identity Token to the wolf was clearly intended to prevent the discovery of Yi Three's death.
" Fang Han..."
Yi Nine murmured the name in a low voice, hoarse and cold.
After a moment of silence, he released the gray wolf's carcass and turned to leave.
This message must be sent back to Dark Abyss as quickly as possible.
The Dark Abyss headquarters is located deep in an unnamed, desolate mountain in a certain county, and its architectural style is extremely similar to that of the Dark Sacred Cult.
In fact, Dark Abyss is closely related to the Dark Sacred Cult and is a subordinate organization developed by the Dark Sacred Cult.
However, even within the Dark Abyss, very few people knew this.
The Dark Sacred Cult developed such a secretive assassin organization with the aim of using assassinations to devour blood essence and cultivate demonic arts.
Inside a secret chamber carved into the mountainside, candlelight flickered.
Sitting at the head of the table was an old man with a withered face and a thin figure.
He wore a black robe, his hair and beard were all white, but his deep-set eyes revealed a coldness that seemed to see through the ways of the world.
He is the leader of the Dark Abyss, the head of the "A" assassins, codenamed Jia One.
" Yi Three is dead."
Jia One opened his mouth, his voice was hoarse and dry, like two rough stones rubbing against each other.
Three elderly men, all top-tier assassins and high-ranking members of the Dark Abyss, were also seated inside the secret chamber.
Upon hearing Jia One's words, all three of them couldn't help but frown slightly.
" Yi Three is dead? Wasn't Fang Han, the target of his assassination, only capable of Break Three Passes combat? How could he possibly have killed Yi Three?"
The old man on the left Jia Four, with a sinister face, frowned and asked.
" Fang Han's strength has exceeded our assessment."
Jia One spoke slowly, his deep-set eyes revealing no emotion.
"According to the intelligence chief of Qingyang Prefecture, Yi Three was likely killed by Fang Han after attempting to assassinate Fang Han. Based on his analysis, Fang Han's true combat strength has probably surpassed the Break Three Passes and is now approaching that of a Grandmaster."
A brief silence fell over the sealed room.
Yi Three ranks third among the "Yi" killers, so his strength goes without saying.
The fact that he was able to kill Yi Three certainly warrants a reassessment of his abilities.
"So who should we send next?"
Another old man, Jia Two, frowned and asked.
"Send Yi One there."
Jia One's voice was calm and even, yet it carried an undeniable decisiveness.
"Although Fang Han possesses combat strength surpassing the Break Three Passes, Yi One also has a record of killing martial artists who have surpassed the Break Three Passes, so sending him out is indeed the most suitable option."
The other three nodded in agreement.
Yi One, the number one ranked assassin among those named "Yi," has reached the level of Break Three Passes in cultivation, and his strength far Break Three Passes.
He has successfully assassinated two martial artists whose strength surpassed that of those Break Three Passes, a remarkable achievement.
This is already the strongest force in the Dark Abyss besides the Grandmaster-level assassins.
Even though Fang Han strength has surpassed the Break Three Passes, I believe he can still successfully assassinate him.
The next day, at the Fang Clan in Liangshui City.
A group of over a hundred people slowly set off from the Fang Mansion.
After leaving Liangshui City, the group headed along the official road towards Blue Moon City, where the Yun Clan was located.
Two days later, the Fang Clan's group arrived at Blue Moon City, where the Fang family lived.
The Yun Clan had already received the news, Clan Head, Yun Yue Shan, personally came to greet them at the door.
He wore a purple brocade robe, had a fair complexion, and three long wisps of beard on his chin. His every move exuded the calm and composed demeanor of someone who had long held a high position.
Standing beside him were his eldest daughter Yun Muyao, his second daughter Yun Qianyue, and his three sons.
Yun Qianyue was wearing a light purple dress today, her face still covered by that light purple veil, revealing only a pair of clear and cold eyes.
Upon seeing Fang Han riding on Redfire's back, a clear ripple flashed across his eyes.
Fang Han dismounted from the Crimson Fire, and his father Fang Zheng and Fang family patriarch Fang Lingyuan also dismounted. After exchanging pleasantries for a moment in front of the mansion gate, they were welcomed into the main hall by Yun Yueshan.
The room was furnished in an antique style, with rosewood tables and chairs gleaming with a deep luster in the sunlight.
The two sides took their seats as host and guest, Maid served fragrant tea.
Fang Zheng cupped his hands and said:
" Yun Clan, I have brought my son with me today because of the matter concerning my son and your two daughters..."
Yun Yue Shan nodded with a smile, his gaze lingering on Fang Han for a moment, his eyes full of delight.
The matchmaker stepped forward and presented the gift list with both hands.
Yun Yue Shan accepted the gift list and unfolded it for a closer look.
When he saw the Realm-Breaking Fruit at the top of the gift list, a hint of undisguised astonishment flashed across his calm eyes.
What I had longed for for years had suddenly appeared before my eyes.
He raised his head, looked at Fang Zheng, and his voice was filled with suppressed tremor:
" Realm-Breaking Fruit... this gift is far too precious."
"You're too kind, Master Yun Clan."
Fang Zheng laughed.
"This item was specially prepared by Han'er for the Yun Clan. I heard that Yun Clan has been stuck at the peak of the Fourth Grade for many years, so I specially found this item for you."
Yun Yue Shan took a deep breath, his gaze fixed on Fang Han, and his tone was solemn:
"You're very kind, my dear nephew."
Fang Han shook his head slightly:
"Uncle Yun, there's no need for that. From now on, we're family."
Upon hearing this, Yun Yue Shan's smile deepened.
The atmosphere was harmonious, and the two parties quickly set the wedding date for June of the following year.
Yun Qianyue sat beside Yun Muyao, her eyes lowered, a faint blush rising on the tips of her ears that were exposed outside the light veil.
After the engagement ceremony was completed, the Fang Clan stayed at the Yun Clan for a day before taking their leave and setting off.
Yun Qianyue escorted Fang Han to the gate of the mansion. The two looked at each other, their eyes meeting for a fleeting moment.
" Qian Yue, I'm leaving now."
Fang Han looked into her clear, cold eyes and spoke softly.
"Um."
Yun Qianyue nodded slightly, her voice still clear and cold, but with a touch more gentleness than usual.
Fang Han flipped himself onto the Redfire and slowly departed with the group.
Yun Qianyue stood in front of the mansion gate, watching the crimson figure gradually disappear into the distance until it vanished at the end of the street, before turning back into the mansion.
Three days later, the group arrived at the Prefecture City Qingyang Prefecture.
In front of the vermilion pavilion at the headquarters of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, Lan Daoxing had already been waiting with his three sons and daughter Lan Yuexin.
Lan Daoxing wore a dark blue brocade Brocade Robe and had a refined and scholarly appearance.
Lan Yuexin hair was styled into a flowing cloud bun, and a jade hairpin was inserted diagonally.
Upon seeing Fang Han riding the Redfire to the street corner, a hint of undisguised joy shone in her bright eyes.
Fang Han turned and got off the Redfire. Fang Zheng and Fang Lingyuan stepped forward and exchanged greetings with Lan Daoxing.
Lan Yuexin's gaze fell on Fang Han, a slight smile curving her lips as she gently nodded to Fang Han.
Fang Han smiled and nodded in response.
Lan Daoxing led everyone into the main hall, where they were seated according to their status as guests and hosts.
Maid served fragrant tea, and Fang Zheng Fang Zheng to the point, explaining his purpose.
The matchmaker presented the gift list with both hands, and Lan Daoxing took it and looked at it carefully.
When Lan Daoxing saw the Longevity Flower on the gift list, his hand holding the teacup paused slightly.
He raised his head, a hint of surprise flashing in his refined eyes.
" Longevity Flower..."
Lan Daoxing's gaze lingered on Fang Han for a moment before turning to Fang Zheng, his tone filled with admiration.
"Brother Fang, this gift is far too precious."
Fang Zheng laughed:
"Lord Lan, please don't refuse. This is Han'er's heartfelt wish."
Lan Daoxing put down the gift list, looked at Fang Han, and smiled.
"Alright, then I'll accept it."
Although Hundred Treasures Pavilion a large and wealthy family with astonishing wealth, that refers to ordinary wealth.
Rare and precious natural treasures like the Longevity Flower cannot be bought simply with money.
Even by his standards, it was still an extremely precious item, which showed that Fang Han had indeed put a lot of effort into it.
After discussion, both parties quickly set the wedding date for July of the following year.
Lan Yuexin sat beside her father, her eyes lowered, her fingers gently twisting the tassels on her sleeve, two very faint blushes rising on her exquisite face.
After her father and Fang Zheng finalized the date, she raised her bright eyes and looked at Fang Han.
Their eyes met, Lan Yuexin smiled, her smile filled with an unyielding tenderness.
After spending another day at the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, the engagement party set off back to Liangshui City.
Along the way, Fang Zheng was beaming, chatting and laughing with several Elder of the Fang Clan, clearly in a very good mood.
Fang Han rode on the back of Redfire, his gaze fixed ahead, a faint trace of solemnity between his brows.
With the two marriages settled, the next step is to return to the sect for secluded cultivation, focusing on improving strength to prepare for the Dark Abyss's next attack.
Early in the morning, Fang Han ate breakfast and prepared to set off to return to the Azure Profound Sect.
Lin Wan held Fang Han's hand and talked for a long time, mostly telling him to be careful on the road and to remember to send a message when he arrived at the sect.
Fang Zheng stood with his hands behind his back under the corridor, saying nothing, but simply patted Fang Han's shoulder twice heavily.
Fang Ying clung to Fang Han, refusing to let go, and insisted on going to the Azure Profound Sect as well. Lin Wan had to coax her for a while before she finally let go, pouting.
Fang Han bent down and ruffled her hair, then straightened up and looked at his parents.
"Father, Mother, there are still matters to attend to at the sect, I must return now."
Fang Zheng nodded, and Lin Wan saw Fang Han out with a smile.
Fang Han walked out the door, but did not leave immediately. Instead, he went into the backyard.
Redfire was lying on the clearing beside the bamboo forest when it heard footsteps. Its Dark Gold vertical pupils snapped open, and it wagged its tail as it came to greet them.
The enormous head nuzzled Fang Han's arm, letting out a low whimper.
Fang Han reached out and patted its neck, then after a moment of silence, whispered:
"You stay."
Redfire tilted his head, a hint of doubt appearing in his vertical pupils.
"You stay here and protect the Fang Clan for me."
Fang Han lowered his voice, his gaze fixed on the giant lion, its body a fiery red.
Redfire understood, letting out a low roar. A fierce light flashed in his Dark Gold vertical pupils before he fell silent again.
It nudged Fang Han's shoulder with its enormous head and swished its tail twice.
"If anyone attacks the Fang Clan, there is no need to leave any survivors."
Fang Han's voice was very soft, so soft that only Redfire could hear it, yet it carried an undeniable chill.
The Fang Clan's foundation is too weak. A slightly stronger Middle Third Grade martial artist would be enough to wipe out the entire Fang Clan. Now that a mysterious force has put a bounty on him, the Fang Clan has no choice but to be on guard.
Redfire let out a low whimper, which was taken as an agreement.
Fang Han patted its head again, then turned and strode towards the gate of the mansion.
The Guard standing in front of the mansion gate bowed and saluted when they saw him.
"Whoosh!"
Fang Han nodded slightly, left the mansion, determined the direction, and used his Body Movement to head towards the Liangshui City.
The morning light spills onto the bluestone streets of Liangshui City, where early-rising vendors are setting up their stalls, and steam rises from several breakfast shops.
Fang Han passed through the city gate and left Liangshui City, but his gaze remained calmly vigilant.
"Buzz--"
A cool sensation flowed through my nasal cavity and meridians, and my extremely keen senses spread outwards like an invisible spider web.
Within a radius of several miles, all living things are under our control.
This is not unfounded worry.
Despite some preparations to buy time, it's impossible to keep An Dark Abyss for long; An Dark Abyss may have already sensed Yi Three's death.
Given the efficiency of these assassin organizations, a new assassin is likely already on its way.