Swish!
Whoosh!
Yang Lie's sword arced through the air, releasing a terrifying golden sword aura that seemed capable of slicing through the clouds.
The radiant energy drifted with an ethereal grace, yet carried an unstoppable force. With lethal precision, his blade tore through the air, striking down the four disciples.
In a single, seamless slash, their bodies were severed in half, their anguished screams echoing momentarily before being swallowed by the ominous stillness.
The golden aura radiated outwards, its devastating force unleashing a powerful gust that sent shockwaves rippling through the forest.
The sheer power of the strike felled several trees in its wake, their trunks cleaved cleanly as though by the hand of nature itself.
Breathing steadily, Yang Lie flicked his sword, sending droplets of crimson blood scattering into the air before sheathing it with a practiced motion.
He wiped the blood from his cheek with a calm, measured gesture, his expression unreadable.
"Strange," he mused inwardly, his sharp eyes scanning his surroundings. "Why haven't I received a Quest Completion Reminder? Could it be that someone still lingers in the shadows, posing a threat to my life?"
A few kilometers away from Yang Lie, a young man concealed himself amidst the dense canopy, his stealth technique rendering him one with the shadows.
"Truly... remarkable," he mused inwardly, his eyes narrowing as he observed the scene. "The Golden Sword Aura and the Peerless Sword Body—both as extraordinary as described in the ancient manuscripts of the Supreme Dao Sect's library."
Yet his admiration was fleeting. His thoughts quickly shifted to the task at hand. "I must act swiftly. The maid sister's instructions were clear: the Shadow Recording Stone, which captures everything, must be sent with the Spirit Letter the moment someone starts killing our people. However, if no such threat arises, I am to assist them in defeating the enemy at my discretion."
He clenched his fists, his thoughts a whirlwind of frustration and uncertainty. "There's no way I can take down that bastard, even though my cultivation techniques far surpass those five worthless fools. All of my skills are tailored to stealth and assassination—I can't hope to win against him in a direct confrontation. What should I do now?"
No matter, he resolved. I'll think about it later. There's no way that bastard can see through my stealth technique, anyway. For now, I'll observe him for a few more days. If the right opportunity arises to ambush him, I won't let it slip through my fingers.
His gaze sharpened as he looked at the Shadow Recording Stone in his hand. "First, I need to save the video and send it through a Spirit Letter immediately," he thought, reaching to deactivate the device.
But before he could finish, a sword slash tore through the air, its power severing the entire tree he was perched on.
"Damn it!" he cursed under his breath, leaping off the tree just seconds before it crashed to the ground.
Could it be...? Has this bastard already discovered my location? No... no, that's impossible! My Assassination Art is a Rare-Grade technique—there's no way he could see through it, not with his current cultivation level. Even a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator wouldn't be able to detect my presence! His mind whirled in disbelief, desperately trying to make sense of the situation.
"You rabbit... so this is where you were hiding," Yang Lie's voice rang out, cold and mocking, snapping him out of his thoughts.
What? Can he actually see me? No, no—that shouldn't be possible. Whether he can or not, I can't stay here any longer. I need to run!
Without hesitation, he bolted, his movements swift and desperate.
"Hahaha..! Your panicked running is absolutely hilarious," Yang Lie taunted, his tone laced with amusement.
He can see me running? the young man thought, panic rising in his chest as his feet moved faster.
"Are you wondering how I can see you?" Yang Lie's voice followed him effortlessly. "You see, I have a little trick—a special ability in my left eye called the Divine Insight Eyes. Even though it's not fully awakened, its most basic function is quite useful. It allows me to detect the faint traces of any stealth technique up to Rare-Grade within a five-kilometer range."
He paused for effect, his tone growing amused. "This may be just the entry-level ability of this eye, but as you can see, it's already more than enough to deal with someone like you." A smirk tugged at his lips.
"Unfortunately, I haven't unlocked its other powers yet. Those require an absurdly high number of System Points—far more than I currently have. But even so..."
He chuckled, his voice dripping with mockery. "It seems I don't need anything fancy to handle you."
The young man's blood ran cold at the revelation. D-D-Divine Insight Eyes? Just how many hidden abilities does this monster have?
He shook his head, forcing himself not to look back. It doesn't matter. I can't let myself get distracted—I have to keep running!
Yang Lie sighed theatrically, his voice carrying a mock disappointment. "You're no fun. Here I am, explaining one of my treasured abilities, and you're too busy running to even appreciate it."
The young man gritted his teeth, refusing to falter.
"Fine, have it your way," Yang Lie said, his tone suddenly darkening. "Since you won't stop and listen, I'll make you disappear from this world. Perhaps then, you can admire my abilities from the netherworld."