Assassination
Zhao Minghui was unaware that he had misjudged the person from beginning to end. He had self-destructed his acupoints on Golden Sand Island, injuring his body. Although he managed to repair his body with some pills passed down from the Ancient Moon Hall, his resumption of martial arts practice was actually a form of self-destruction.
If Zhao Minghui hadn't practiced martial arts, he might have lived for another twenty years or so. But because he practiced martial arts so hard, even though he reached the realm of the celestial being, his body was completely depleted.
However, Zhao Minghui felt it was all worthwhile. In the past few years, he had rebuilt Golden Sand Island and stolen the technology of the Black Heaven and Ancient Moon forces. His master's only surviving son, Ye Fanxiao, had also grown up. One day, the Black Heaven Hall and the Ancient Moon Hall would decline, and at that time Golden Sand Island, under Fanxiao's leadership, would restore the righteous path of the martial arts world and stop the war.
While he was still able to move around, he decided to use this operation as bait to bring out all the suspicious individuals within the organization.
"There might be some who slip through the net, but we'll have to let them walk their own path from here on out." Zhao Minghui looked at the people around him, the most suspicious of whom was Zhang Zhaozhong, who was standing next to him. His son disappeared along with his wife shortly after birth, which was a very suspicious point.
"I'm sorry." Zhao Minghui looked at the people beside him and apologized in his heart. There might be some innocent people among them, but great things always require sacrifices. Even if these people are lucky enough to survive and return to Golden Sand Island, they will not be trusted afterward, including Xiang Le he thought might be innocent.
On the other hand, Xiang Le, or rather number 999, also misjudged Zhao Minghui. His true purpose this time was never to openly meet with his comrades, nor was it to test the traitor. He was not so indecisive. He did not even tell Ye Fanxiao his real mission this time.
Zhao Minghui glanced at one of the five people in the group, a number of thoughts flashing through his mind. It wasn't that he didn't trust Ye Fanxiao, but any matter that was known by too many people would eventually be leaked. It was best if only he knew.
The five of them quickly arrived at the front of the Forging Department. After taking a breath, they rushed towards the Forging Department at the same time. However, as soon as they entered the door, Zhao Minghui sensed a disturbance behind him.
Zhang Zhaozhong and slashed the leg of a man next to him. Meanwhile, another man swiftly stabbed another man in the body. The man, seemingly caught off guard by the sneak attack from behind, collapsed to the ground, lifeless.
"Brother Zhao, I'm so sorry, I have family..." Zhang Zhaozhong's face was full of apology as he stepped back, shouting loudly, "Catch the Assassin! Catch the Assassin!"
"So it's the two of you. Are any of those three on the mountain yours?" Zhao Minghui looked at the Black Heaven Hall disciples who had suddenly surrounded them and shook his head with a wry smile.
"I think these things are none of your concern, Island Master Zhao." Zhao Yifan stepped out from behind the crowd. "You inherited the name of Golden Sand Island and established a resistance organization, which has caused us a lot of trouble over the years."
"That's truly an honor, to cause trouble for the young master." Zhao Minghui didn't really care about the traitors. Everyone who came with him was considered a traitor, and even if they returned alive, he had instructed Ye Fanxiao not to trust them.
"You two may step down," Zhao Yifan said to Zhang Zhaozhong and the other traitor, then turned to Zhao Minghui in the arena. "I've heard that Island Master Zhao has broken through and risen again, reaching the true Celestial Realm. How about a little sparring?"
"Aren't you afraid I'll kill you with all my might?" Zhao Minghui asked, drawing his sword.
"If you can do it." Zhao Yifan looked at his kinsman. He had heard of this person's great name in his previous life. He was a member of the Zhao family, a martial arts family. He became a disciple of Golden Sand Island. After Golden Sand Island was destroyed, he single-handedly supported Golden Sand Island and survived between the two major forces Black Heaven and Guyue.
As for this person's fate, Zhao Yifan died in the previous life, so we don't know what happened to him in the previous life. But in this life, he will die here again.
Thinking this, Zhao Yifan also drew his Red Gauze Sword. Over the years, it wasn't that he hadn't had better spiritual weapons, but Zhao Yifan's sword had always been this Red Gauze Sword, which was ordinary and not particularly powerful.
As the two swords clashed, Zhao Yifan initially held a sliver of hope, but then discovered that Zhao Minghui's internal energy was pitifully weak. In fact, if it weren't for the fact that his opponent was in a state of communion with heaven and earth, he might have already been defeated by this single sword strike.
"Feigning weakness? That doesn't seem like it." Zhao Yifan wondered, but he showed no mercy. After a few moves, Zhao Minghui's sword was cut in half, and Zhao Yifan's Red Gauze Sword was placed against Zhao Minghui's neck.
Seeing Zhao Minghui panting heavily, Zhao Yifan realized that the other man looked terrible, as if his body couldn't withstand even a few uses of his internal energy.
"I overestimated myself. I didn't realize my health had deteriorated to this extent." Zhao Minghui showed no fear of impending death, instead laughing heartily, "But it would be wonderful if the young master could accompany me down."
"What?" Zhao Yifan's mind was distracted by Zhao Minghui's words, and a slight gap appeared in his concentration. The next second, the alarm bells in his mind began to ring loudly. The person who should have been a corpse lying on the ground suddenly sprang up with incredible speed, so fast that Zhao Yifan didn't even have time to react.
However, just because people don't have time to react doesn't mean Zhao Yifan really has no protective measures. A set of scales formed by his internal energy appeared on his body. This can be considered an instinctive reaction of his body. When encountering any danger, his body will automatically use internal energy to condense this layer of defense.
"This assassination technique seems familiar... wait a minute." A thought flashed through Zhao Yifan's mind. The blade in the opponent's hand had already struck the inner energy scales, leaving a white mark and sparks. Sensing something was wrong Zhao Yifan's inner energy surged out, and the Three Suns Seven Stars descended in the next moment.
The once bright sky darkened, and endless darkness descended. Zhao Yifan's spiritual sense reached its peak at this moment, and he finally noticed the black shadow that darted out from the ground.
Under the cover of Black Heaven, Zhao Yifan's figure flashed, causing everyone's vision to be obscured. Only two streaks of black light remained before they saw two corpses lying beside Zhao Yifan.
With a grim expression, Zhao Yifan condensed his palm into a blade and slashed Zhao Minghui, who was wearing a calm smile, to death. The state of Black Heaven Descent was also quickly dispelled. After all, he was not a mythical-level martial artist. If it weren't for Lu Li's years of teaching, he would have had difficulty truly and successfully casting this short-duration version of Black Heaven Descent.
"First, Zhao Minghui distracted me, then an Assassin drew my attention, and the final killing move was that ghostly figure." Zhao Yifan had used a similar method in his previous life, and he ultimately died because of a ghostly figure; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to react so quickly.
Zhao Yifan turned around and looked at Zhang Zhaozhong, who was stunned. The ghostly figure that had just been possessing him was the Ghostly Chi Baishu's unique martial art, the Ghost Shadow Possession Art.
"Tell me, how did that dark figure get on you?"