Human Character Number Nine

Upon seeing the charcoal figure on his short brown robe, Ge Heng felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave, as if he were still trapped in a nightmare, yet he was also terrified and broke out in a cold sweat.

When was this drawn?

How was it drawn?

Who drew this?

I was completely unaware...

Completely unaware...

This is infinitely more difficult than killing me!

Such a thing was unheard of and unseen by Ge Heng. He was utterly shocked and his mind was shaken. It seemed as if a Seed of fear had been planted deep within his Sea of Consciousness.

He had no idea whether the three Heaven Character Class assassins in the Ghost-Wyrm Path could accomplish something similar, but none of the Earth Character Class assassins or other Martial Grandmaster he had encountered could do something so inconceivable!

Ge Heng swallowed hard, abruptly threw away the short robe in his hand, and was about to seize the opportunity to move his hiding place, or even escape Flame Capital.

He's always been the type to Deathlessness give up until he's faced a formidable opponent, and he won't shed a tear until he sees the coffin. Although he's encountered a master he's never met before, since the opponent hasn't shown himself yet, he's going to give it another shot!

Wiping away his disguise, Ge Heng turned around, trying to run towards the dark shadows by the door, when he saw a figure dressed in a scholar's blue robe standing with his back to him by the window.

The figure, wearing Carefree Headwrap and with his hands behind his back, was intently gazing at the Great Sun in the sky. Although he was only a little over seven and a half feet tall, in Ge Heng's eyes, he seemed as tall as if he were supporting the entire world outside the window.

A storm raged within Ge Heng's heart, as if he had been split in two, one half wanting to give up and the other half still trying to struggle. The two clashed fiercely, leaving him frozen in place.

He then heard a deep voice with a hint of metallic resonance:

"I have an old grudge against the Ghost-Wyrm Path, and having heard they are searching for a Traitor, how could I not come and join in the fun?"

Upon hearing this, Ge Heng suddenly fell silent.

Do they have an old grudge against the Ghost-Wyrm Path?

As the saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend...

Besides, I can't escape this either...

After a thousand thoughts raced through his mind, Ge Heng cupped his hands in a salute and said:

"Junior Ge Heng greets Senior."

"Ge Heng? Real name or pseudonym?" Accompanied by a deep, metallic voice, the figure turned around, revealing a face with distinct features and graying temples.

Although the face wasn't particularly handsome, it left a very deep impression on Ge Heng. His voice was dry as he replied:

"That was my real name before I became an assassin in the Ghost-Wyrm Path."

The middle-aged scholar with graying temples nodded slightly:

"I, Ling Donglai, what is your code name in the Ghost-Wyrm Path?"

"Before defecting from the Ghost-Wyrm Path, I was already Human Character Number Nine," Ge Heng stated truthfully.

The assassins of the Ghost-Wyrm Path have no names, only code names and aliases.

The Heaven Character Class represents Great Grandmaster, the Earth Character Class represents Martial Grandmaster of the Law Realm, and the Human Character Class Human Character Class Martial Artists of the Dayan Realm. The Human Character Number Nine represents the ninth most powerful assassin among the "Human" rank members.

"Why did you join the Ghost-Wyrm Path?" Ding Songyan Ling Donglai," asked in a deep and soothing voice, with a hidden metallic quality that hinted at a sense of mystery.

Ge Heng replied calmly:

"Orphaned at a young age, she was kidnapped by human traffickers and taken to a large ship, where she was sent to Ghost Island."

Ghost Island is the headquarters of the Ghost-Wyrm Path Main Altar, located somewhere in the East Sea. Its exact location and how to get there are unknown.

Seemingly knowing what the senior was going to ask, Ge Heng proactively added:

"After becoming a member of the Human Character Class assassins, I was sent off the island and placed under the command of Black Sanlang. I did not know where Ghost Island was, nor did I ever return."

"Now I only vaguely remember a large ship that would travel through the Mist, and it would dock at a port in New Yu."

Mist? Related to the Mirage Dragon? Ding Songyan nodded:

Why did you betray the Ghost-Wyrm Path?

Ge Heng's indifference and composure wavered slightly:

Five years ago, I made a mistake during a mission. Although the assassination was successful, I was in danger and seriously injured. I was unable to meet up with the person in charge of making contact, but was rescued by a young woman.

"I have developed feelings for her and have been influenced by her personality. I no longer want to continue killing. Moreover, the Ghost-Wyrm Path strictly forbids assassins from developing such feelings while on a mission. Violators will be severely punished and will have to sever their ties with her personally."

"I concealed this matter and returned to New Talisman City. Only after I reached the Perfected Dayan Realm did I seize the opportunity during a mission to find ' Surveillance Watchers,' kill him, and escape the sight of the Ghost-Wyrm Path."

His consistent style is bold yet meticulous... Even though he had thoughts of betrayal, he patiently waited until the Opening Orifices and the Organ Dressing were completed... Although Ding Songyan disguised himself as "Ling Donglai", this did not affect his evolution of "Mirror Lake Divine Mirror". The former is currently more like a special disguise, and Ge Heng does not know what "Ling Donglai" should look like or what realm he should possess, so he cannot see through the change between name and reality.

Considering that the Twelfth Madam might be curious about Ge Heng's love life, Ding Songyan in a low, soothing voice:

"Didn't you go see that girl?"

A warm and gentle expression appeared on Ge Heng's face, but it was quickly replaced by a twisted pain:

"We went there and stayed together for two whole years. Later, I found out that the people from the Ghost-Wyrm Path had somehow found the small town where we lived. Although they hadn't determined the specifics yet, if this continued, it was only a matter of time before I was discovered."

"I... I didn't want to implicate that girl, so I left a letter, left that place, lured the people from the Ghost-Wyrm Path away, and fled all the way to Flame Capital. I found a job in a nearby workshop by using my disguise skills."

"More than a year passed, and the people from the Ghost-Wyrm Path came again..."

Ding Songyan glanced at Ge Heng:

"You haven't yet stepped into the Law Realm?"

Seeing that this senior's tone was completely calm when he mentioned the Law Realm, as if it were a trivial matter that did not need to be cared about, Ge Heng became even more convinced of his judgment of the senior's realm and strength.

The Human Character Number Nine, replied indifferently:

Never.

"I came to Flame Capital for two reasons. First, I want to save up some Silver Coins to secretly give to that young lady later. Second, I want to seek an opportunity to reach the next Law Realm. If I can become Martial Grandmaster, I can take that young lady to escape further, and perhaps we can completely escape the Ghost-Wyrm Path and never be separated again..."

When asked about his fantasies about the future, his expressionless face softened.

What followed was pain.

"That girl isn't very strong?" Ding Songyan paced back and forth for a couple of steps.

Ge Heng shook his head:

"She was born with unusual acupoints, making her unable to enter the Mortal Realm."

You two each have your own hardships... Ding Songyan changed the subject, his voice low as he asked:

How many people have you killed?

"I don't remember. Back when I was an assassin, sometimes I'd kill one a month, sometimes four or five," Ge Heng recalled. "After betraying the Ghost-Wyrm Path, I only killed members of the Ghost-Wyrm Path and those who were investigating me."

He paused for a moment, then spoke calmly:

"If you wish to kill me for the evil deeds I have committed, I will accept it. I only ask that you send the Silver Coins I have saved to that young lady."

"You're quite the Seed..." Ding Songyan chuckled softly.

"I won't kill you for now; I need you to deal with the Ghost-Wyrm Path."

"Afterwards, if people from the Ghost-Wyrm Path come looking for you, I can temporarily help you fend them off, but if the Government Office want to arrest you, or if anyone seeks revenge, I will not intervene."

"Thank you, senior." Even with his cold demeanor, Ge Heng couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

He thought for a moment, then chose a topic that might interest his senior:

"No one will seek revenge on a younger generation. The relatives of the assassin will not even know the assassin's code name unless they capture Black Sanlang and obtain the 'ledger' in his possession."

As expected, we need to find Black Sanlang... Ding Songyan nodded:

How strong is Black Sanlang?

"He is the Earth Character Number Three." Ge Heng had a deep understanding of Black Sanlang.

The Ghost-Wyrm Path mostly engages in assassinations. The killers not only have no names, but they also do not let outsiders know their code names. Therefore, they cannot be included in the "Exalted Orchid Roll", the "Orchid Honor Roll", or the "Nine Hells Ranking".

Earth Character Number Three... I wonder how he compares to the Evil Through and Through Sun Feiyang... Ding Songyan thoughtfully changed the subject:

Which chapter of the * Ancestor Yu Scripture * are you practicing?

The Ancestor Yu Scripture is divided into three chapters: "Spitting Sand and Shooting Shadows," "Human Hearts and Ghost Wyrms," and "Heaven and Earth Gloom."

Ge Heng dared not conceal the truth:

"He studied the chapter ' Heaven and Earth Gloom,' but also the ' Seven Sand-Spitting Methods.'"

"If one remains in the Ghost-Wyrm Path and enters the Law Realm, one can choose to study one of the two chapters, ' Spitting Sand and Shooting Shadows ' and ' The Human Hearts and Ghost Wyrms,' as well."

"Which two texts did Black Sanlang revise?" Ding Songyan neither too fast nor too slow.

"After he became the ' Manager,' he had already completed three chapters of the same text." There was a hint of fear hidden in Ge Heng's indifferent expression.

Ding Songyan nodded almost imperceptibly:

"When you have some free time, write down the chapters ' Heaven and Earth Gloom ' and ' Seven Sand-Spitting Methods ' from memory and give them to me."

He didn't explain why he needed to study other people's techniques; explaining it would make the mysterious and unpredictable senior master seem inferior.

"Does the senior want to find the weaknesses of the Ghost-Wyrm Path Martial Arts from the detailed techniques?" Ge Heng agreed first, then asked:

"How should I pass on the cultivation technique to my senior when the time comes?"

Ding Songyan glanced outside the door:

"Stop hiding in these streets and alleys. If you keep doing things in the shadows, they won't be as effective."

"You should move to the vicinity of Treasure Market. It's a mixed bag there, with many Foreign Races, making it a perfect place to hide."

"After settling in, take the cultivation manual to the Cheap Wine Shop in Tiger Tail Alley and find the Manager Twelfth Madam Luo, and tell her that you will pass it on to Senior Ling Donglai."

Ge Heng memorized the contact method and waited for his senior to give further instructions.

Ding Songyan, with his hands behind his back, took a step towards the window and asked casually:

"Does the Ghost-Wyrm Path not have any poisons that can control people?"

The kind where you have to take the antidote regularly to prevent the poison from taking effect...

"Yes, but consuming it will affect the body and reduce strength, so it's not normally given to assassins," Ge Heng recalled. "The ' Manager ' and the ' Accountant ' would monitor each other, and certain key individuals would be controlled by Gu poison."

"It seems I don't need to worry about you. You can find work to save Silver Coins on your own. I'll occasionally have you do some odd jobs; you won't be doing them for nothing," Ding Songyan with a smile. "Once I'm ready, I'll go after the Ghost-Wyrm Path."

"Yes, senior." Ge Heng bowed his head in greeting.

Huo Ran, he felt the space in front of him disappear. When he looked up again, Senior Ling Donglai was nowhere to be seen.

The senior didn't do anything to me... Does he really trust me that much? Or does he have more faith in his own abilities? Ge Heng was a little surprised.