The Shadow Killing Pavilion Submitted

Night.

Bright moonlight spilled over the land, as though draping it in a soft veil of light.

At that moment, inside the Shadow Killing Pavilion.

"Pavilion Master, their soul lamps... they've... they've all gone out."

Inside the Shadow Killing Pavilion, a woman in fitted black attire spoke with a grave expression.

In the seat of honor, the Shadow Killing Pavilion's master, Yingzi, looked shaken.

"The intelligence was wrong. That Xiao Dushui has really screwed us over. We can't stay here. Hurry, prepare to relocate."

The next moment, violent spatial fluctuations rippled through the void.

"Relocate? Where to?"

Li Xiao's voice rang out.

Yingzi's expression changed drastically, and he quietly stirred his peak half-saint presence.

Li Xiao arrived at the Shadow Killing Pavilion and looked at Yingzi before him.

Their eyes met. That single glance made Yingzi's hair stand on end as the sensation of death closed in on his heart.

"P-Peak Saint Realm."

Yingzi's face turned white, and his voice trembled.

The moment he saw Li Xiao, he finally understood why everyone he had sent out had been wiped out.

According to their intelligence, Li Xiao had only just entered the Saint King Realm at most, while even the weakest of those dispatched had been an early Saint King.

He had thought success was as certain as taking something already in his grasp. Who could have known Li Xiao was actually in the peak Saint Realm?

When had a peak Saint appeared in the Upper Realm? Why hadn't he disappeared?

Question upon question rose in Yingzi's mind.

"Pavilion Master!"

In an instant, the Shadow Killing Pavilion's many subordinates surrounded the entire building, sending immense pressure bearing down on Li Xiao inside.

Li Xiao narrowed his eyes slightly. His body shook, and his peak saint presence erupted in full.

The next moment, every assassin within ten li of the Shadow Killing Pavilion was immobilized.

"Young Master Li, please don't act rashly. We can talk this through."

Seeing this, Yingzi hurriedly spoke.

He truly feared Li Xiao would slaughter them all in a fit of anger.

Even within the Saint Realm, there were differences in strength. Everyone in the Shadow Killing Pavilion combined would not be enough to withstand a single slap from him.

"Why did you ambush us today? I don't recall ever offending your Shadow Killing Pavilion."

With killing intent in his eyes, Li Xiao looked at Yingzi and spoke slowly.

Although he had heard of the Shadow Killing Pavilion, he had never had any dealings with them. Besides, he always cut things off at the root when he acted. No one could possibly have had the chance to hire the Shadow Killing Pavilion.

Under Li Xiao's piercing gaze, cold sweat instantly streamed down Yingzi.

"Young Master Li, Xiao Dushui, the head of the Xiao Lineage, paid us today. We were merely taking money to do a job. He told us to capture you and the Li Lineage disciple beside you alive."

At this, regret surged through Yingzi's heart. He wished he could tear out Xiao Dushui's tendons and skin him alive.

Of all the people to provoke! Had he known Li Xiao was in the peak Saint Realm, he would not have dared accept even a hundred times the payment, let alone ten.

At this point, he no longer cared about the assassins' code and recounted everything Xiao Dushui had done that day to Li Xiao.

Li Xiao understood.

"I forgot about that business. It was only the Xiao Lineage's young master, after all. It really wasn't anything important, so forgetting was reasonable enough."

Yingzi broke into a mortified sweat at his words.

What the hell did he mean, "only the Xiao Lineage's young master"? As one of the Upper Realm's great lineages, the Xiao Lineage might not compare to the Four Symbols Sects, but it still had standing and prestige. Yet Li Xiao had spoken of it as though it were utterly insignificant.

He did not understand the world of big shots.

Li Xiao's gaze flickered. He casually found a chair and sat down, tapping his index finger rhythmically against the table from time to time.

The sound became exceptionally loud in the dark night, striking everyone's hearts like the King of Hell tolling a bell.

A moment later, Li Xiao made up his mind and spoke slowly.

"I'll give you a chance. You have one incense stick's time to wipe out the Xiao Lineage. Otherwise, the Shadow Killing Pavilion will have no reason to exist."

Yingzi's expression shifted at these words. After a long internal struggle, he finally sighed.

"Very well. My Shadow Killing Pavilion submits."

What could he do in the face of such overwhelming strength? If they resisted, the Shadow Killing Pavilion would likely be erased from the Upper Realm after tonight.

The Shadow Killing Pavilion's ten-thousand-year foundation could not be destroyed in his hands.

Li Xiao nodded in satisfaction.

The Li Lineage was now like the sun at its zenith. To develop into the foremost power, it needed all sorts of personnel.

He could not handle everything himself, after all. The Shadow Killing Pavilion excelled at all kinds of assassination. Put to good use under his command, this organization would become a keen blade.

"How many people does your Shadow Killing Pavilion have?"

Li Xiao asked.

"The Shadow Killing Pavilion has over fifty people, all above Ancient Emperor in cultivation. The remaining disciples number over three hundred, scattered throughout the Upper Realm, with varying cultivation levels."

"Good!"

"Go. Deal with the Xiao Lineage. Otherwise, bring me your heads."

Li Xiao withdrew his presence and spoke mildly.

The next moment, everyone breathed a sigh of relief as their restraints lifted, their backs already soaked in sweat.

Yingzi gave a meaningful glance and led the Shadow Killing Pavilion's disciples through a tear in the void to attack the Xiao Lineage.

He knew this was Li Xiao's test for them. Only by proving their value would they have a chance of survival.

Soon.

Wails and screams rose one after another within the Xiao Lineage, shattering the quiet night.

One incense stick's time passed.

Li Xiao stood at the highest point of the Shadow Killing Pavilion with his hands behind his back.

The next moment, Yingzi emerged from the void with the Shadow Killing Pavilion's members, their tight black clothing covered in blood.

"Young Master Li, the heads of all thirteen hundred members of the Xiao Lineage are inside. Please inspect them."

Yingzi took a storage ring from his robes and offered it to Li Xiao.

Li Xiao accepted it and swept it with his divine sense.

Inside were thirteen hundred traces of presence, not a single one missing. One had even reached peak quasi-saint, undoubtedly belonging to the Xiao Lineage's ancestor.

"Acceptable."

Li Xiao slowly uttered that single word.

Everyone from the Shadow Killing Pavilion instantly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Come. Return to the Li Lineage with me."

Under the astonished gazes of the Shadow Killing Pavilion's members, Li Xiao's figure flashed.

The next moment, Li Xiao appeared down on the ground in front of the Shadow Killing Pavilion.

He gathered strength in one hand, a terrifying presence condensing in his palm.

Then he thrust it downward, his hand plunging into the ground as though slicing through tofu.

Li Xiao let out a deep shout. The ground instantly cracked in a regular pattern, and soon a square fissure framed the entire Shadow Killing Pavilion.

Spiritual power burst from Li Xiao's body, and he raised his right hand.

A thunderous rumble rang out.

The entire Shadow Killing Pavilion was actually lifted into the air.

"Holy shit!"

Seeing this maneuver, Yingzi and the others were shocked beyond measure.

They had thought only the personnel would relocate and be absorbed into the Li Lineage. Who knew it would be so damn brutal-he was moving their entire home outright. What kind of strength was this?

The next moment, Li Xiao held the Shadow Killing Pavilion aloft with one hand and tore open space with the other.

"Come. Return to the Li Lineage with me."

"We obey your command, Young Master."