The courtyard shimred with golden light as I stood among the black and gold robed figures surrounding . My disguise was gone now, shredded by their attacks and my own unleashed power. The night air humd with tension as my opponents reassessed the threat before them.
"That technique..." one of them muttered, eyes wide with disbelief. "Only sword masters use the Nine Slashes of the Azure Heaven. But you're fighting with your fists?"
I didn't answer. Words were wasted energy against these Guild assassins.
Another assassin, taller than the rest, stepped forward. Black gold light surrounded his fist as he launched himself toward . "Die, imposter!"
His attack was ant to crush my skull. Instead of dodging, I t his fist with my own. The impact sent shockwaves through the courtyard, cracking the stone beneath our feet. The assassin's eyes widened in shock when his fist didn't penetrate my defense.
"Impossible," he hissed, jumping back. "No sword cultivator has physical strength like this."
I flexed my fingers, the golden light of my Saintly Body Skill pulsing beneath my skin. "You're right about that."
The leader of the group raised his hand, signaling the others. "Eight formations, now! Don't underestimate him!"
They moved in unison, circling with practiced precision. Their black and gold robes fluttered as they began channeling energy into their weapons and artifacts.
"Wait," another assassin said, studying my face more carefully. "Could it be? Doesn't he look like—"
"Liam Knight?" The leader's voice was sharp with suspicion. "Impossible. Our intelligence confird his death weeks ago."
I smiled coldly. Their confusion gave the opening I needed. With a burst of speed, I activated the Shrinking Ground Into An Inch technique, appearing instantly before the nearest assassin.
"What the—" was all he managed before my fist connected with his chest.
The impact should have shattered his ribcage, but I felt resistance as my knuckles struck sothing solid beneath his robe. My blow sent him flying backward into a stone pillar, which cracked from the impact, but the assassin himself rose shakily to his feet.
"The Black Gold Stone armor," he gasped, touching his chest. "It saved ."
So they were protected. The Veridia City Martial Guild spared no expense equipping their elite killers. But even the strongest armor had its breaking point.
"Seven against one," the leader called out, his voice steady despite the growing uncertainty in his eyes. "Execute Formation Delta!"
They moved with frightening coordination, each taking strategic positions around . One assassin—a woman with razor-sharp fingernails—began a strange chanting that made my head throb painfully.
"Supre Divine Chant," she intoned, her voice penetrating directly into my mind.
My vision blurred as the Divine Sense Attack hit . This wasn't physical—it attacked the consciousness itself. I staggered, fighting to maintain focus as the other six assassins launched their combined assault.
"Heaven Extinguish Thunder!" shouted one, hurling what looked like black lightning directly at my chest. Sourceddirectlyfrom*.
"Piercing Void Strike!" Another thrust his palm forward, sending an invisible force that distorted the air itself.
The attacks hit simultaneously. Pain exploded through my body as the combined techniques ripped through my defenses. Blood sprayed from my mouth as I was thrown backward, crashing through a stone wall.
I lay in the rubble, every nerve ending screaming in agony. These weren't ordinary Guild mbers—they were elites, each wielding techniques that could kill most cultivators instantly. And there were seven of them.
"Bring his head," the leader commanded. "President Barnett will want confirmation."
I heard their footsteps approaching through the dust and debris. My body was failing , injuries too severe to ignore. But I couldn't die here. Isabelle was still captive sowhere in the Guild's headquarters. I'd promised to save her.
Deep within , sothing ancient stirred. The techniques my father had left —the true inheritance beyond just the sword forms everyone knew about. The golden light that had dimd began to pulse more strongly.
"He's still alive," one assassin said with surprise as they reached .
"Not for long," replied another, raising his blade.
The sword ca down in a perfect arc aid at my neck. In that mont, I made my choice.
"Saintly Body Skill—First Seal Release!"
Golden light erupted from every pore of my body, stopping the blade inches from my skin. The assassin's eyes widened in shock as his weapon cracked under the pressure of my energy.
"What kind of technique is this?" he gasped as I rose to my feet.
My wounds began closing visibly, the golden light healing damaged tissue and strengthening my body beyond normal human limits. I felt power coursing through my veins—raw, ancient power that few in this era could comprehend.
"This is impossible," the leader hissed. "No one but a Martial Saint could—"
I didn't let him finish. With speed that left afterimages, I appeared before the closest assassin. He barely had ti to raise his defenses before my fist connected with his spine.
"Absolute Beginning Sacred Fist!"
The impact shattered his Black Gold Stone armor and the spine beneath it. He collapsed without a sound, his body broken beyond repair.
The others attacked in desperation, unleashing their most powerful techniques. Black energy, poisoned weapons, and corrupting artifacts all converged on at once.
I t their onslaught head-on, my golden-shrouded fists breaking through their defenses one by one. An assassin tried to flee, but I caught him with the Shrinking Ground Into An Inch technique, appearing directly in his path.
His face contorted with terror as I grabbed his throat. "Please," he begged. "I was just following orders."
"So am I," I replied coldly, before smashing my fist into his face.
The Black Gold Stone armor covering his head absorbed much of the impact, preventing his skull from shattering completely. Blood poured from his nose and mouth as he slumped to the ground, unconscious but alive.
I turned to face the remaining assassins, who had regrouped and were watching with new caution in their eyes.
"Retreat and regroup!" the leader commanded. "Notify headquarters imdiately!"
"Running?" I asked, the golden light around my body pulsing with each heartbeat. "I thought you ca to take my head."
The female assassin who had used the Divine Sense Attack earlier stepped forward. "You may have surprise on your side now, but the Guild never fails its missions. There are thousands more like us."
"Then thousands will fall," I replied, gathering energy for another attack.
She launched herself at , fingers extended like claws aid for my eyes. I caught her wrist mid-strike, the bones cracking in my grip. With my other hand, I delivered a precise blow to her temple, rendering her unconscious.
The leader watched his team falling one by one, his composure finally breaking. "What are you?!"
I didn't answer, advancing steadily toward him. He backed away, unleashing a barrage of energy attacks that dissipated against my golden aura.
In desperation, he pulled a small black object from his robe—another piece of Black Gold Stone. "Stay back! One touch of this in its raw form will corrupt your cultivation permanently!"
I smiled coldly and continued walking forward. When he hurled the stone at , I caught it mid-air. The corruptive energy sizzled against my palm but couldn't penetrate the golden light protecting .
The leader's face drained of color as I crushed the stone to powder. "This isn't possible. You're just a failed sword master. The reports said—"
My fist connected with his chest before he could finish, shattering the Black Gold Stone armor beneath his robe. The impact sent him flying backward into a wall, where he slumped to the ground, blood trickling from his mouth.
I stood over him, golden light illuminating his terrified face. "Tell President Barnett that Liam Knight is coming for what's mine."
He spat blood, glaring up at with hatred. "Your woman is already being processed. By the ti you reach the inner sanctum, there will be nothing left of her but an empty shell."
Rage erupted within . I grabbed him by the throat, lifting him off the ground. "Where is she?!"
"You'll never reach her," he laughed weakly. "The Guild has existed for centuries. We are everywhere, we are eternal."
I slamd my fist into his face, the golden energy of my Saintly Body Skill amplifying the blow. His head snapped back, but the Black Gold Stone helt protecting his skull prevented it from shattering completely.
I dropped his unconscious form to the ground, looking at the broken and defeated assassins scattered around . "As expected from a black and gold robe of the Veridia City Martial Guild, this punch couldn't even shatter your head!"
The courtyard fell silent as I stood alone among my fallen enemies. My golden light illuminated the destruction around us—broken stone, shattered weapons, and the unconscious forms of elite Guild assassins.
I knew this was just the beginning. The Guild would send more—much more. They'd throw everything they had at now that my true abilities were exposed. But it didn't matter. Nothing would stop from reaching Isabelle.
I looked up at the night sky, where the Guild's floating eye artifact still hovered, transmitting everything back to headquarters. Good. Let them see what was coming for them. Let them prepare their defenses and gather their forces.
It wouldn't be enough.
I took a deep breath, allowing the golden light to recede slightly—not disappearing, but conserving energy for the battles ahead. The Saintly Body Skill had saved tonight, but it demanded a price. I could already feel the strain on my ridians from releasing the first seal.
As I turned toward the direction of the Guild headquarters, a distant alarm began to sound. They were mobilizing. The real war was about to begin.
"I'm coming, Isabelle," I whispered into the night. "Hold on just a little longer."
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