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Qing Xuanling's heart hammered violently. She rapidly assessed her situation.
'Surrounded by three people—escape routes blocked, auras as strong as mid-stage cultivators, nearly late-stage… This is bad.'
She swallowed hard and forced herself to suppress her fear. She offered a faint smile.
"Wow—what a surprise… I thought I was just a nobody in my clan, but apparently I'm important enough to warrant assassins. I feel flattered! I suppose…"
Her hands moved swiftly as she drew her sword from her storage pouch. It wasn't top quality—but better than being unarmed.
Strangely, the figures clad entirely in black—faces concealed by hoods—didn't move an inch even as she drew her weapon. They simply stared…
Qing Xuanling's heart sank. Clearly, the assassins didn't take her seriously.
'Wait—no, that might be good! Even a rabbit can escape a lion if the lion doesn't take things seriously!'
Her anxious heart calmed—but her body, especially her hands gripping the sword, continued trembling uncontrollably. She forced a terrified expression.
"W-who are you? T-there are few people in the city b-bold enough to attack someone from the Qing cl—"
"Girl—if you're going to pretend to be a coward, you should've started from the beginning…" The assassin blocking the alley entrance sighed. "Just as the report stated—you're too inexperienced. Though undoubtedly brave and clever… Pity that won't save you today."
Qing Xuanling might have believed the assassin's pity—if he hadn't lunged at her immediately afterward!
The assassin—whom Qing Xuanling mentally labeled Assassin #1—unsheathed his sword and swung toward her. Ink-black Qi enveloped the blade, slicing through the air with lethal force.
Qing Xuanling's eyes widened. She instantly recognized her attackers.
"Ink Sword Sect!" Qing Xuanling gritted her teeth as she blocked the strike with her own sword. "Damn it—so the Ink Sword Sect was behind all this after all!"
The jet-black sharp Qi was the signature trait of the Ink Sword Sect—from which the sect derived its name, based on the unique black hue of their fundamental sword technique.
Yet Qing Xuanling remained somewhat stunned. After all, the Ink Sword Sect and Qing Clan were subordinate forces under the same power—both served the Celestial Orchid Sect!
That was why she'd always believed the Mo Clan—the Qing Clan's generational enemy—was behind the attacks!
Confusion swirled within her—but she was forced to suppress these distracting thoughts and focus on her current predicament. Otherwise, her head would soon be rolling on the ground!
Qing Xuanling took a deep breath as she narrowly dodged a black flash aimed at her neck—by a hair's breadth!
In that moment, Assassin #1's companions—Assassins #2 and #3—finally moved!
Another black flash, nearly imperceptible in the night, shot toward Qing Xuanling's heart. She gritted her teeth, twisted her body—and barely evaded the strike.
But the assassins' assault didn't cease—it intensified.
More powerful, deadlier attacks flew toward Qing Xuanling without pause—each carrying enough menace to end her life!
She barely managed to block or dodge the strikes relying on instincts honed through years of battling demonic beasts and her recent confrontation with Zi Moyan.
But even that was reaching its limit. The assassins seemed to be adapting to Qing Xuanling's rhythm—while the number of coordinated attacks among the three steadily increased!
She frowned.
'If I continue like this—death is all that awaits me! I must change the situation!'
Qing Xuanling's azure eyes blazed with killing intent—and for the first time in the battle, she enveloped her sword in sharp Qi! She clashed blades directly against Assassin #2—and shockingly, he was the one forced to retreat several steps!
The other two assassins froze at the sight. Until now, Qing Xuanling had been passively receiving their attacks—struggling to block or evade! They couldn't understand the sudden change for a moment!
Qing Xuanling seized that moment of confusion and charged Assassin #2—whose sword was still raised after clashing with hers.
She thrust her sword straight toward his heart!
Alarms blared in Assassin #2's mind—he immediately sidestepped. But it was a step too late! Qing Xuanling's sword sank deep into his shoulder!
"Argh!"
Assassin #2 roared as he tried to shake Qing Xuanling off—but she persisted! She didn't retreat—instead, she closed the distance. She shifted her sword grip to one hand and formed the other into a blade shape, enveloping it in sharp Qi!
Though it was a minor trick she'd first attempted today at the librarian's suggestion, she had already realized its potential usefulness at that time.
Especially in a situation like this!
Qing Xuanling's eyes turned icy—and she immediately plunged her hand into Assassin #2's chest!
Zassssss!
Simultaneously, a sword slash arrived from behind her!
She gritted her teeth and threw herself forward—dragging Assassin #2's body with her, his eyes already glazing over. Unfortunately, she wasn't fast enough to fully evade the attack.
A moderately deep gash appeared on her back.
She suppressed the urge to scream and rolled on the ground with Assassin #2's corpse—using it as a shield while withdrawing her sword from his shoulder and her hand from his chest.
Her hand felt unbearably hot.
Qing Xuanling couldn't help but dwell on it—realizing this was the first time she'd killed a human being with her own hands. Nausea suddenly washed over her—but fortunately, Assassin #1's roar snapped her back to reality.
"BEAST! How dare you use his body as a shield!"
Assassin #1 howled with hatred and pain, gripping his sword tightly and charging like a bull. Assassin #3 was in a similar state—but didn't bother shouting. He let the killing intent radiating from his sword speak for him.
Qing Xuanling shoved the revulsion coursing through her body to the depths after her first kill—and forced herself to smile.
"Hehe—you're far more emotional than I expected for assassins!"
She rose and swiftly fled through the gap created by Assassin #2's death in their formation. Of course, she wouldn't be so stupid as to believe she could defeat the other two assassins after killing one using surprise attacks!
If there was one thing she excelled at, it was being sensible and somewhat pragmatic! She absolutely wouldn't let arrogance cloud her judgment!
She hurried toward the alley's exit—intending to reach Qing Clan territory. Night guards were always stationed there—all at least mid-stage cultivators. They'd be sufficient to deal with these assassins.
Unfortunately, Qing Xuanling had underestimated the methods mid-stage Qi Refiners might possess.
Assassin #1's eyes reddened as he roared:
"Don't you dare run, damn rat!"
He swung his ink-black Qi-wreathed sword—launching a black crescent moon toward Qing Xuanling! Assassin #3 joined in—sending his own crescent moon her way!
Qing Xuanling only noticed the attacks—seamlessly blending with the darkness—when they were mere meters away!
Her heart lurched—and she immediately tried to dodge—but the crescents were too fast. Her leg and arm were struck!
Blood sprayed as considerably deep wounds formed. Qing Xuanling's face paled from pain as she collapsed to the ground—her complexion ashen.
She suppressed the urge to scream in agony and attempted to rise again—but a kick to her stomach sent her flying several meters forward.
"Damn trash—why didn't you just let us kill you like the simple pawn you are?!" Assassin #1 stomped on the hand Qing Xuanling had plunged into Assassin #2's chest. "He was our brother! Why did he have to die by the hands of filth like you?!"
Assassin #3 approached and kicked Qing Xuanling's wounded leg.
She held back her tears as she smiled contemptuously. "Ha—assassins questioning why someone died?! If I'm a pawn—you're just poorly trained hunting dogs! Your masters were going to abandon you anyway!"
"You!"
Assassin #1's eyes flooded with madness—and he pressed down hard on Qing Xuanling's hand beneath his foot.
Qing Xuanling's face contorted in pain—but somehow maintained composure. Her originally restless heart stilled—leaving only one thought in her mind: how to escape this precarious situation.
But no matter how she thought—she found no solution. She had no remaining techniques or abilities she could deploy in her current state. She was practically doomed—
'No—wait—I still have that! It'll depend on luck—but it's a chance!'
Qing Xuanling's Qi surged within her as she kept her eyes fixed on Assassin #1—who continued ranting about the various ways he'd torture her.
She'd long lost interest in listening. What concerned her was Assassin #3—who kept watching her intently. But she had no choice—she had to take the risk.
Qing Xuanling took a deep breath and activated a technique she was intimately familiar with. A trace of transparent flame emerged from the hand Assassin #1 was stomping on—rapidly expanding to completely envelop his leg!
Assassin #1 noticed nothing unusual at first. The Clear Flame didn't glow—it was invisible to the naked eye. Even Assassin #3—the most alert—failed to detect it.
Thus, the sudden pain completely bewildered Assassin #1.
"Arrghhh!"
Assassin #1 suddenly felt as if his leg had been thrust into a furnace—waves of terrible heat washing over it as it visibly desiccated from sudden moisture loss!
Assassin #3's eyes widened in disbelief as he rushed to aid Assassin #1—but suddenly, he felt his left leg lose support.
No—he could no longer feel anything in his left leg!
Qing Xuanling had seized the assassins' moment of confusion and discreetly grabbed her sword—swinging it toward Assassin #3's leg. Her sharp Qi cleanly severed his foot!
Qing Xuanling's eyes lit up—and she struck Assassin #1's leg, which was closer to her. He instantly lost balance and collapsed to the ground—alongside Assassin #3, who was still struggling to rise after losing a foot.
She seized the opportunity and immediately stood up. A smile spread across her pale face. She'd lost considerable blood from the wounds on her leg and arm—but her eyes remained clear.
"Hehe—I see that in the end, I'm the one left standing!" She smiled triumphantly as she placed her sword atop Assassin #1's head—ready to deliver the killing blow. "Next time—choose your target more carefully."
Assassin #1 glared at her with fury—while Assassin #3 could only watch everything with despair. The pain of having lost a foot had left him temporarily immobilized.
Qing Xuanling observed Assassin #1's furious yet fearful eyes—and steeled her heart. She brought her sword down…!
"Hehe—who would've thought we'd stumble upon a scene like this!"
A cold, venomous voice suddenly interrupted—leaving Qing Xuanling momentarily stunned.
She didn't finish off Assassin #1—and turned toward the voice's source—where two figures clad in dark green outfits that revealed not a hint of skin stood.
Qing Xuanling's expression darkened. She took a deep breath and smiled bitterly.
"Do you want to kill me too? Wouldn't that be too tragic…?"
The green-clad assassins laughed loudly.
"Sorry, girl—but yes, we're here for your head too. What a pity we arrived just after you barely managed to win a three-against-one fight! To avoid being too unfair—we'll grant you a swift death!"
Qing Xuanling's face turned ashen. Desperation began creeping in. She was exhausted and wounded—while the two new assassins were fresh and appeared to be mid-stage cultivators…
'…If I survive this—I swear I'll flay that damn spy alive!'
She wasn't foolish. It was obvious she'd been attacked today due to the spy's information leak—and she already had a good idea who it was.
But to teach the spy a lesson—she first had to defeat or escape these two assassins—who radiated a potent aura of poison…
'…I hope my cultivation improves after all this.'
Qing Xuanling smiled faintly and assumed a combat stance. She believed she'd somehow find a way out—just as she always did!