Assassination

The Clear Sky Sect's council hall.

Battle reports flew in like snowflakes, and the hall was in an uproar.

"Another thirty disciples fell yesterday. The entire team transporting cold iron to Gengxin City was wiped out."

"Even the three Soul Emperor deacons stationed there were hammered to death and hung from the city gate tower."

Several stewards were red in the face, unable to conceal the panic and anger in their eyes.

Rather than reflect on their mistake in defying Tang Zhen's order to pull back, they all directed their resentment at Tang Yuehua, who sat upright in the head seat.

"It's all this harbinger of doom's fault."

A branch-family steward pointed at Tang Yuehua and shouted, "The old sect master had barely passed before this disaster befell the sect. It's all because you, you good-for-nothing, brought us bad luck!"

Several other stewards chimed in, their words growing increasingly vulgar and vicious.

"You're a money-losing burden who isn't even a Soul Master. What gives you the right to hold power? Do you really think you're somebody?"

"The sect is on the brink of disaster. If we want a way out, I say we send this money-losing burden off for a marriage alliance. Even if she only becomes a concubine to an elder with real power in another faction, we could at least get some outside help in return."

Faced with the relentless pressure and filthy words of these brutes, Tang Yuehua gritted her teeth, a chill spreading through her heart, but she was powerless to do anything.

She stared coldly at the pack of clowns and said:

"Have you all forgotten? Before my father died, he repeatedly ordered the entire sect to withdraw its people immediately."

"If you had pulled your people back like the three subordinate clans, how would things have come to this?"

"The trouble outside was plainly caused by your greed for profit, yet you have the gall to put the blame on me?"

Her rebuttal struck at the heart of the matter, and the stewards were instantly driven to fury by their humiliation.

"Insolence! Who do you think you are? What right do you have to lecture us?"

Their faces turned ashen as the pressure of their Soul Power roared forth, making Tang Yuehua, who had no fighting strength, struggle for breath and turn pale.

Seeing how frail and helpless she was, they exchanged looks of contempt and satisfaction. With a cold snort, they swept their sleeves and left.

The remaining members of the neutral faction merely watched in silence, then left as well.

The night was dark as ink.

The secluded courtyard residence where Tang Yuehua lived alone was cold and quiet.

A chilly evening wind swept through the courtyard. Tang Yuehua sat alone on a stone stool, her delicate brows slightly knitted as she pondered her nearly hopeless situation.

She had anticipated that taking power would bring her to this.

Over the past month, she had tried to win people over and establish a foothold, but she could not even gain the support of the three subordinate clans, much less the brutes of the Clear Sky Sect, each of whom went his own way. Bai He had even earnestly urged her to give up early on.

Today, she had been humiliated in public in the great hall, and they had even clamored to send her away as someone's concubine. It had given her an unprecedented sense of danger.

After the meeting, she had swallowed her pride once more and sought help from Niu Gao, Yang Wudi, and Bai He in turn.

The two clans of brutes, the Defense and Strength Breaking Clans, naturally looked down on a weak woman with only ninth-level Soul Power. Neither was willing to wade into the muddy waters of the Clear Sky Sect's internal strife.

Only Bai He, mindful of the ties between his late sister and Tang Zhen, sighed and ultimately agreed to transfer several guards with powerful Soul Power from the Speed Clan the next morning to protect her.

But Tang Yuehua had truly underestimated how impatient these men who knew only how to swing great hammers could be. They could not even wait a single night.

The sect disciples who usually patrolled the area had been quietly transferred away at some unknown time. The entire residence was silent, save for the cold wind stirring the withered branches.

Bang!

The courtyard gate was brutally kicked to pieces from outside.

A branch-family disciple reeking of alcohol staggered into the courtyard, a great hammer in his hand.

His eyes were bloodshot and dazed with confusion. He had clearly been drugged, and he slurred a string of curses:

"Money-losing burden, die! The Clear Sky Sect belongs to us men!"

Still shouting curses, he revealed four Soul Rings, two yellow and two purple, and raised his Clear Sky Hammer to smash it down on Tang Yuehua.

Tang Yuehua had already noticed that something was amiss and was on guard. She hastily dodged to the side.

The Clear Sky Hammer struck the stone table, sending fragments flying through the air.

Knowing she had no chance of facing a Soul Ancestor head-on, she made a snap decision and ran for the courtyard gate.

But she had only taken a few steps when the gate closed, preventing even the slightest sound from escaping the courtyard.

"Bitch, you think you can run?"

The disciple turned with a savage grin, out of control, and swept his great hammer sideways at her.

Tang Yuehua bit her lower lip and tried to dodge the hammer, but she was only a Soul Scholar, even though she released her Innate Domain, Noble Ring, in an attempt to awaken his reason.

But unlike Tang San in the original work, who bore killing intent and could control himself, he was a madman whose mind had been clouded by drugs. Her domain's effect was pitifully weak, and the hammer still struck her right shoulder.

With a sharp crack, the agony of a fractured bone pierced her heart. Tang Yuehua lost her balance and was thrown several meters, blood spilling from her mouth and staining her elegant, unadorned skirt crimson.

Despite her grave injury, she forced herself up and maneuvered around the courtyard's rockery and stone screens, trying to buy time and praying that her domain would take effect.

The howling hammerhead smashed through one obstacle after another. Flying shards of stone cut her body and cheeks, and blood streamed down.

Faced with the frenzied attacks, she dodged several times with all her strength, but her stamina finally gave out. Her steps faltered, and she fell to the ground.

The crazed disciple raised his heavy hammer high and brought it crashing down toward her head.

Watching the hammer descend toward her, Tang Yuehua felt a flicker of despair and slowly closed her eyes.

At this final moment between life and death, neither her two brothers who had killed their kin and betrayed their clan nor her dead father flashed through her mind. Only that silver-haired figure appeared with perfect clarity.

"Gu Yue..."

Tang Yuehua murmured inwardly, a trace of regret welling up in her heart. If Yuehua has another life, I truly wish I could see you one more time...

Death did not come as expected.

A jade-like hand covered in dragon scales gripped the disciple's throat from a distance and lifted him into the air. His Martial Soul shattered and dissipated.

Beside Tang Yuehua, a warm, pure green light slowly rippled outward, enveloping her.

In the blink of an eye, all her injuries healed, leaving not a single scar.

Tang Yuehua opened her eyes and stared blankly at the two stunning women who had appeared before her out of nowhere.

The woman healing her wore a long emerald-green dress. Her figure was tall and well-proportioned, her features ethereal and otherworldly, and her manner gentle and gracious;

Her long, jade-green hair hung loose down her back, and a rich breath of life radiated from her.

The other woman was covered in a close-fitting layer of purple-black dragon scales. She was tall and curvaceous, with a slender, enchanting figure;

Her long purple-black hair fell lightly over her shoulders. Her face was bewitchingly beautiful, her eyes a deep, dark purple, and her lips a strange, vivid violet. A diamond-shaped scale adorned the center of her forehead.

They were none other than the Emerald Swan, Bi Ji, and the pure-blooded true dragon, the Hell Demon Dragon King Zi JI.

Zi JI waved a hand in front of Tang Yuehua's eyes and raised a brow.

"Scared silly?"

Tang Yuehua instinctively touched her right shoulder. The piercing pain had long since vanished. She forced down her racing emotions, rose, and bowed respectfully before asking softly:

"Thank you, seniors, for saving my life. May I ask why you came to my rescue?"

Bi Ji considered for a moment, then spoke gently in an ethereal, soft voice:

"We came on... our lord's orders to assist you."

"Your lord?"

Tang Yuehua's heart jolted.

Ah Yin, who had spent a short time with her back then, had addressed Gu Yue respectfully as "my lord."

"May I ask... is the lord you speak of my benefactor, Gu Yue?"

Bi Ji was slightly taken aback and thought to herself, Gu Yue? Could that be the alias our lord uses in the human world?

Bi Ji's expression remained calm as she nodded lightly. "Yes."

If Gu Yue had known, she would surely have asked, "How come I didn't know? When did I arrange this?"