The courtyard had grown quiet again, save for the faint rustle of the night wind through the plum blossoms. Li Tian reclined lazily with Li Xue nestled against him, her head resting on his chest as her breathing evened out. For the first ti in years, she felt at peace, as though all the burdens she carried had vanished.
But Li Tian’s eyes never fully closed. His instincts were too sharp, honed through years of betrayal and bloodshed in his past life. The faintest ripple of killing intent brushed against his senses, so subtle most cultivators wouldn’t have noticed.
His lips curved into a dangerous smile. So, soone dares to spy on ?
Without warning, he tightened his embrace around Li Xue. "Stay here," he whispered softly in her ear. Before she could respond, his figure blurred, vanishing into the shadows of the courtyard.
The watcher, cloaked in black, froze as Li Tian appeared behind him like a phantom. "Enjoying the view?" Li Tian’s voice was low, cold, and mocking.
The figure spun, blade flashing with a streak of killing intent aid straight for Li Tian’s throat. But Li Tian tilted his head slightly, the edge of the blade slicing nothing but air. His hand shot forward, fingers clamping around the assassin’s wrist like an iron vice.
"Sloppy," Li Tian sneered. With a twist, he snapped the man’s wrist, forcing the blade to clatter to the ground. The assassin hissed in pain but recovered quickly, retreating several steps.
Now that the moonlight revealed his face, Li Tian’s eyes narrowed. "You’re not just so wandering killer. You’re from the Shadow Pavilion."
The assassin’s eyes widened briefly but quickly narrowed in return. "You shouldn’t know that na, boy."
Li Tian chuckled darkly. "I know far more than you think." He stepped forward, his aura surging. The night air grew heavy, suffused with killing intent that pressed against the assassin like a mountain.
[ System Alert! ][ Hidden Quest Generated: Eliminate the Shadow Pavilion Assassin ][ Reward: Phantom Step Technique – An advanced movent skill allowing the user to vanish and reappear within ten steps. ]
Li Tian’s grin widened. Perfect.
The assassin gritted his teeth and lunged again, his movents faster, sharper. Two more daggers appeared in his hands, flickering like venomous fangs. He moved with the deadly precision of soone who had killed hundreds before.
But Li Tian was already in motion. His foot slid forward, his body blurring. The assassin’s daggers cut through afterimages.
"Too slow," Li Tian whispered. His palm struck the assassin’s chest, the force sending him crashing into a nearby tree with a sickening crack. Blood spurted from his mouth, but still, he pushed himself to his feet.
"You... you’re a monster," the assassin spat, glaring with equal parts hatred and fear.
Li Tian advanced leisurely, like a predator closing in on its prey. "Monster? No. I’m simply soone you shouldn’t have crossed."
The assassin roared and unleashed his full power. Dark energy swirled around him, forming shadowy blades that lashed out like serpents. The ground split as they slashed through stone and wood, carving deep scars into the courtyard.
Li Tian raised a single hand, his expression calm. His qi surged, forming a blazing aura that shattered the shadow blades on contact. He stepped forward once more, and with a flick of his wrist, he struck the assassin’s neck with pinpoint precision.
The man collapsed instantly, his body limp, eyes frozen wide in disbelief.
[ Quest Completed! ][ Reward Unlocked: Phantom Step Technique Acquired. ]
A rush of information flooded Li Tian’s mind. His body tingled as the new technique integrated seamlessly with his movent skills. He took a step forward, and in an instant, his body flickered, reappearing several feet away as though he had never moved.
"Not bad," he murmured, testing the new ability. The possibilities thrilled him. Assassins, spies, enemies—it didn’t matter. None would be able to escape him now.
Returning to the courtyard, he found Li Xue still awake, eyes wide with worry. "Tian-ge! What happened? I sensed killing intent!"
Li Tian crouched beside her, brushing his fingers gently against her cheek. "Nothing you need to worry about. Just a rat that thought it could crawl into my ho."
She bit her lip, but her gaze softened when he smiled at her. "You’re safe, and that’s all that matters," he added.
But deep inside, Li Tian’s thoughts were sharp. The Shadow Pavilion’s appearance wasn’t a coincidence. Soone had sent this assassin. Soone within the Li family—or perhaps beyond—wanted him dead.
His smirk returned, colder this ti. "If they want to play this ga, then I’ll make sure they regret ever moving against ."
Above, the moonlight dimd as clouds passed, casting the courtyard in shadows once more. The night was quiet, but the undercurrents of danger had only just begun.
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