Junior sister, keep forbear for a while, I almost become invincible as soon!

"She dodged it! Unbelievably, she was actually able to anticipate the Chong Tower assailant's killing intention."

"No, someone is helping her."

"You mean...?"

A few brief exchanges later, no one dared to speak further.

Lao Huang had returned. So, could it be that Chen Pingping was hidden in the shadows? Was it he who had struck just now?

All was silent between Heaven and Earth; the gentle breeze was mute. Every grain of sand and speck of dust seemed to freeze in place. No one made a sound.

Princess Zi Ji and Lao Huang both stopped in their tracks.

The lurking assassin hesitated. He had sensed a dangerous fluctuation in the air at that very instant. His instincts as an assassin told him that the task was too difficult to carry out; if he forced a move, he would likely fall... And yet, the opportunity before him was indeed a good one. He had waited two years.

「In the city, atop a tall building.」

Murong Hua and Prince Qi were gathered together, watching the battle unfold.

After a long while, Prince Qi broke the silence, "He is too cautious."

HA-HA!

Murong Hua replied, "Earth Level assassins have always been cautious."

"So, cautious for two years," Prince Qi said with disdain. "If it were me, that Zi Ji would have died eight or ten times already."

The words were harsh. But Murong Hua did not object; who could argue with his patron, Prince Qi? Moreover, Prince Qi was the only one among the five princes to have received a fiefdom, and he had amassed untold treasures over the years. To say he was ostentatious was by no means an exaggeration.

Chong Tower assassins were classified into five levels: Yellow, Profound, Earth, Heaven, and God. In the past hundred years, no matter what task Chong Tower undertook or what kind of target they were to eliminate, an Earth Level assassin had never been deployed. This was because an Earth Level assassin corresponded to a powerhouse at the King Tao level. They could easily assassinate a King Tao. Such targets usually commanded a high price, which ordinary people could scarcely afford. Besides, there were very few King Tao among potential targets. They were exceedingly rare, almost unseen, so naturally, no one would target them. For this reason, assassins above the Earth Level hardly ever made an appearance. In people's minds, Profound Level assassins had become the highest rank of existence within Chong Tower.

But this time...

Among the observers, an old man's pupils suddenly constricted. He stared fixedly at the Void as if he remembered something, exclaiming, "It's an Earth Level assassin!"

"What?"

The crowd was astonished.

"Isn't the highest rank the Profound Level?"

"No, there are more. Above the Profound Level is Earth Level, and then Heaven Level... It's said that Heaven Level assassins can shake a Sage."

Everyone was shocked, finding it hard to believe. To think that for Princess Zi Ji, Chong Tower would actually deploy an Earth Level assassin—and crucially, he still hadn't succeeded. It was too terrifying.

BANG!

From the left, ripples appeared in the Void, spreading like waves and expanding outward in circles. Seen from high above, it resembled a recently blossomed bud. Quite beautiful! But no one admired it. Everyone held their breath, knowing what this meant: the Earth Level assassin was about to make a move. It was rumored that an assassin of this rank could easily take down a King Tao. Truly fearsome.

The budding flower exploded, the spreading ripples forming killing intention, striking at Princess Zi Ji from different directions. She stood resolute, her breathing halted. Lao Huang also paused for a moment; for a short time, he couldn't pinpoint the assassin's location. The spot where the bud had appeared in the Void was like a mirror, and it was unclear from which direction it was reflecting into this space.

"It's here!"

"Such incredible killing intention!"

"One that could easily assassinate a being of the King Tao level..."

"Princess Zi Ji is likely..."

"Shh, don't talk!"

The killing intention struck, fast as bolts of lightning. Even if Chen Pingping were concealed in the shadows, he would probably be unable to stop it; there were too many attacks.

But in the next moment, Princess Zi Ji and Lao Huang disappeared from where they stood.

It was that scene again. Back in Chaoge City, when several of them had been surrounded, they too had vanished on the spot. Many speculated it was because of the Yuan World in Zi Ji's possession. But hadn't Princess Zi Ji only just obtained the Yuan World at that time? How could she have used it so proficiently?

The killing strike missed its mark.

WHOOSH!

Above the Void, a sword shadow quickly condensed. The Earth Level assassin attacked again. This time, he didn't hide his position, because he had found an excellent opportunity. Princess Zi Ji used the Yuan World to conceal herself; frankly, it was just like opening the gate of the Yuan World and stepping out. If she entered from here, she would naturally exit from here as well. If he could destroy that gate, Princess Zi Ji would be trapped in the Yuan World forever.

But Guang Xiaoyu was nearby, ever vigilant, tracking his position. Before the hefty sword shadow could fall, Guang Xiaoyu had already made her move.

The Sword of Vegetation.

She stepped out from the shadows, slender and graceful, her long hair cascading over her shoulders, her dress fluttering as she moved. At first glance, she resembled a fairy from the Nine Heavens, yet she also seemed like a War Goddess. The Sword Qi emanating from her was overwhelmingly intense, Divine Radiance bursting forth in swirling layers. She stared into the Void, and the Sword of Vegetation hovering above her head rapidly condensed, imbued with power, Sword Qi, and Sword Intent...

"I've been waiting for you for two years," Guang Xiaoyu said with a grin.

"It's not Chen Pingping..."

"So it's her."

"Has she broken through to the Divine King level?"

"At this realm, she can't possibly be a match for an Earth Level assassin. She will die..."

「Within the tower.」

Prince Qi curled his lips, smiling coldly. "I've heard that this woman once obliterated the Bai Family. I wonder if it's true."

Murong Hua, standing beside him, frowned slightly, a sense of unease stirring in his heart. He knew Guang Xiaoyu's true identity: a Demon cultivator. What was her actual realm? And her true combat strength? These were things he had no way of knowing.

When Guang Xiaoyu had moved against the Bai Family in the past, he had even used a Secret Technique to broadcast the scene, hoping to expose her identity. However, she was too strong. In the King Tao realm, she had slaughtered so fiercely that no one from the Bai Family dared to utter a word.

If Chen Pingping had been the one to return, it would have been manageable; his realm could be discerned. But Guang Xiaoyu was different. Her realm couldn't be seen. A fog obscured everything before and behind her.

The Sword of Vegetation struck upward, intersecting with the assassin's sword shadow. The Void thundered loudly, deafening...

The assassin frowned.

Guang Xiaoyu advanced step by step, her face cold. "Though Heaven and Earth are vast, I have only this one sword. But this sword of mine spans one hundred eighty thousand miles—can you withstand it?"

Her words were calm, yet they echoed under the sky, lingering long after.

A single sword. A wooden sword. Held aloft in her hand, it was without sheen or brilliance.

Under the gaze of all, it struck towards the Void, aimed at the assassin's position. The sword's power erupted suddenly, like a surging tsunami, like an erupting volcano, momentarily binding Heaven and Earth, dimming the sun and moon.

It grew larger and larger—ten miles, a hundred miles, a thousand miles.

The cultivators were astounded.

The Empress standing on the city walls, as well as the princes hidden in the darkness, all rose to their feet, staring intently at that one sword strike.

Murong Hua suddenly stood up, his gaze profound.