"Ah—"
Inside the room, two figures, one after the other, froze upon seeing Lin Xiao suddenly appear outside the window. Then, a piercing scream rang out.
The entire building lit up with that explosive sound, the glow of the soul tool lamps streaming through the windows, illuminating even the street outside.
Observing the changes around him, a sudden sense of unease rose in Lin Xiao's heart.
It wasn't because his presence had been discovered. Since he had chosen to stand under the soul tool lamp, being noticed was inevitable sooner or later. The real reason for his unease was that, despite the commotion here, the areas where the other Holy Spirit Cult disciples were lying in ambush remained eerily silent.
Whoever had just attacked him clearly had no reason to spare the other Holy Spirit Cult disciples. The quietness at their ambush points suggested they hadn't managed to evade the sneak attacks from the shadows as he had.
And where would those assassins, who had already succeeded, go next?
As if to confirm Lin Xiao's thoughts, no sooner had the idea crossed his mind than another pair of arms silently emerged from beneath his feet.
The glint of a dagger flashed before Lin Xiao's eyes. Instinctively, he launched himself upward, the soul tool thruster propelling his body into the air. In the next instant, dozens of multicolored beams rained down like scattered flowers from the sky.
Figures hidden in the darkness were forced to reveal themselves under this airtight barrage. They were dressed similarly to Lin Xiao, their black attire allowing them to blend seamlessly into the shadows.
These assassins were also equipped with other soul tools. Seeing Lin Xiao's attack, soul tool shields sprang up one after another, enveloping them in protective barriers.
However, Lin Xiao's attack wasn't limited to soul tool rays. Some barely noticeable dark red glimmers easily pierced through the soul tool shields, landing on their bodies.
The next moment, as Lin Xiao's second soul ring lit up, vines and branches sprouted, binding them in place.
In mere moments, the assassins who couldn't dodge in time shriveled rapidly, collapsing to the ground with a thud before rolling off the rooftop.
Their emaciated bodies hit the street, bouncing once, a stench of blood spreading as they lost all signs of life.
Having landed a successful strike, Lin Xiao had no intention of lingering.
This wasn't the core of the Ordinary Alliance's operations, so there shouldn't have been many high-level experts present. The scene unfolding before him suggested they had been prepared in advance.
Whether it was a leak of the Holy Spirit Cult's plans or some other reason, since his presence was already exposed, staying here would only draw more enemies.
With this in mind, Lin Xiao pushed off with his foot, his body shooting forward, propelled by the glow of his soul tool thruster as he sped into the distance.
Buildings on both sides blurred past, and amidst the sharp whistle of the wind in his ears, a sudden piercing screech rang out.
A milky-white soul tool shield rose around him. Lin Xiao thrust out his left arm, and with a "clang," a dark purple dagger appeared in his palm. Only then did a blurry figure emerge.
Six soul rings circled around the figure, and with a flash of light behind them, they too used a soul tool thruster, moving even faster than Lin Xiao.
Lin Xiao's expression turned cold upon seeing the figure. This person's cultivation surpassed six rings, and the soul tool they used was likely superior to his own. Escaping with the speed of his fifth-level soul tool thruster alone was impossible.
As he considered his options, a dark purple arc of light, like a crescent moon, sliced toward him. Lin Xiao's body came to an abrupt halt, and in the next instant, the crescent grazed past him, slicing open the buttons on his chest. His cloak drifted slowly to the ground.
The assassin glanced instinctively at the falling cloak, then snapped back to attention. Looking up, they were met with a vivid expanse of red.
In an instant, it was as if the chase on the rooftop had vanished, and they were standing in a sea of flowers, a faint, elegant fragrance wafting past their nose, though a chilling cold gripped their heart.
Lin Xiao lightly tapped his toes on the flower petals. Without the cloak to conceal him, his figure stood taller under the moonlight.
His second soul ring lit up, and countless branches and vines, sharp as blades, surged toward the assassin. Even if the Higanbana seeds hadn't been planted in the opponent's body, his second soul skill, Sprouting, was a powerful technique combining control and damage.
The assassin quickly snapped out of it, their soul rings flashing as their body blurred slightly. The sweeping vines struck nothing but air, and several dark figures emerged from different directions, closing in on Lin Xiao.
Each figure was identical, their dark purple daggers glinting with menace, as if every one of them could be lethal.
No, something's off.
Lin Xiao's gaze suddenly fell on the Higanbana flowers blooming in the air.
This person's martial soul, like those of the previous assassins, was related to shadows, and a shadow's movements wouldn't affect the surrounding environment.
In a flash of insight, Lin Xiao's eyes darted to the direction where the Higanbana flowers were slightly swaying. The assassin's face was now inches away, their calm eyes locked onto him.
It's over.
The assassin thrust the dagger forward, their gaze devoid of any emotion. They had seen this scene countless times—regardless of how unwilling their opponent was, another life would soon end.
The only difference this time was that the target's eyes showed little of the fear or panic typical of those facing death.
But in the next moment, their impassive expression was replaced with shock.
A roar seemed to echo in their ears, and the dagger in their hand wouldn't budge.
Looking down, they saw silver-gray light gathering on Lin Xiao's left arm, strands weaving together as if a bear had opened its massive jaws. The fingers gleamed with cold light, like sharp teeth clamping tightly onto the dark purple dagger.
"Crack—"
The assassin's dagger was clearly no ordinary soul tool, yet as Lin Xiao clenched his palm, it snapped in two.
Before the shock in the assassin's eyes could fully fade, the broken tip of the dagger vanished into thin air. A faint trace of dark purple appeared within the silver-gray light on Lin Xiao's left arm.
Soul bone skill: Metal Fusion.
The soul bone Lin Xiao had obtained from the Gold Devouring Beast possessed its most renowned ability. Within the range of his power, all metal could be devoured and repurposed.
The silver-gray barrier wasn't merely the natural glow emitted when using the soul bone—it was laced with metal particles invisible to the naked eye, protecting him like the Gold Devouring Beast's fur.
From the moment Lin Xiao absorbed the soul bone, he knew this ability was the bane of all close-combat soul tools. The assassin's dagger was no exception.
Seeing their weapon break, the assassin's soul rings flared as they attempted to shift their form again. But at such close range, the brief moment of hesitation was enough to be fatal.
Having survived countless life-and-death battles since childhood, Lin Xiao would never let such an opportunity slip. Just as the assassin was about to vanish, an eerie flower bloomed before their eyes.