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Chapter 171 - Assassination

The main hall featured two entrances. The Secondary and the Third Leader usually made their appearance through the main entrance, while the Grand Leader reserved the side entrance for his exclusive use, a privilege no one dared to infringe upon.

Liu Wuxie, concealed in the shadows, didn’t let his hidden position hinder his scrutiny of the Grand Leader. The man who entered was slender, exuding an air of elegance rather than the expected roughness of a bandit. Clad in a white robe with a neatly trimmed beard, he was escorted by two guards to his throne.

Upon turning around, Liu Wuxie got a clear view of his visage. The man had a fair complexion, appeared to be in his forties, and his prominent temples indicated his expertise.

That’s the Scarlet Dragon Association’s Grand Leader, Thunderbolt Hand Qian Kun?! Liu Wuxie thought to himself. He had long investigated the identity of the Grand Leader.

The entrance of Qian Kun brought silence to the main hall. It was clear from the respect shown by even Ye Xiao and Lu Huangzhong, who rose to greet him, that Qian Kun held a significant position within the Scarlet Dragon Association.

“Big Brother!” Ye Xiao and Lu Huangzhong stood up to greet Qian Kun, while the group leaders trembled in fear, not daring to speak, and simply bowed.

“Second Brother and Third Brother, you two must have been waiting!” Qian Kun smiled when he saw his sworn brothers. He signaled for them to sit and turned to the group leaders, saying, “Everyone can be more casual today.”

With a wave of his hand, he eased the tension among the group leaders who waited for Qian Kun to seat himself before they resumed their places.

“I wish Big Brother longevity and prosperity!” Ye Xiao stood up and performed a cupping gesture with one hand. He retrieved a porcelain bottle from his side and presented it to Qian Kun.

“Thank you. You’re thoughtful, Second Brother!” Qian Kun received the gift with a trace of a smile.

“Big Brother, Second Brother has put a lot of effort into this Earth Origin Pill!” Lu Huangzhong stood up and flattered.

The Earth Origin Pill was a top-tier fourth-grade pill, a rarity in the market. Since it couldn’t be purchased, it begs the question: how did Ye Xiao acquire it?

“If Wu Village had been more diplomatic, I wouldn’t have had to annihilate them before they surrendered this Earth Origin Pill.” Ye Xiao licked his lips. He had resorted to extreme measures, such as wiping out an entire village, for the Earth Origin Pill.

Liu Wuxie remembered hearing at the inn yesterday about a village a hundred miles away that had been massacred. The reason was unclear, but it was likely Ye Xiao’s doing.

The founder of Wu Village was an alchemist. He had concocted an Earth Origin Pill, which the village had preserved until now. They intended to use it if a gifted descendant emerged; only a few were privy to this. They were unsure how this information had leaked and reached the Scarlet Dragon Association.

After waiting for over a century, their village had finally birthed a prodigy with extraordinary talent, who had reached the Marrow Cleansing Realm at a tender age. However, the news had leaked out before they could use the Earth Origin Pill to solidify his foundation.

The Scarlet Dragon Association had spies dispersed across villages within a hundred-mile radius. When the prodigy was on the verge of using the Earth Origin Pill, Ye Xiao, leading a troop, had descended upon the village. In a single night, the village was obliterated, with five hundred and seventy lives lost.

“Thanks for your gift, Second Brother!” Qian Kun smiled, accepting the Earth Origin Pill. With this pill, he could reach the third level of the Marrow Cleansing Realm, increasing his strength significantly.

“May Big Brother swiftly achieve a breakthrough and guide our Scarlet Dragon Association to rule over hundreds of miles!” Lu Huangzhong made a fist salute. The other group leaders joined in, wishing their grand leader a successful enhancement in his strength.

Numerous forces in the vicinity posed a threat to the Scarlet Dragon Association. However, if Qian Kun could reach the third level of the Marrow Cleansing Realm, they would have the power to eliminate these forces.

“Big Brother, I’ve carefully chosen these gifts for you. I assure you, you’ll be pleased!” Lu Huangzhong said, gesturing towards the group of women. They were young with decent looks and well-proportioned figures.

Qian Kun glanced at the women and smiled. Over the years, most of the women who were captured were brought to him. It was rumored that he practiced a potent cultivation technique that required the assistance of many women.

“Third Brother, you’re always so thoughtful!” Qian Kun responded with a smile, stroking his beard.

The two leaders returned to their seats. The next event was the presentation of gifts by the group leaders, which included a variety of unusual and rare items.

Liu Wuxie was inwardly shocked as he stood in the darkness. He didn’t expect these people to offer so many previous items. They must’ve accumulated a mountain of wealth over the years. If he could take them all away, wouldn’t he be rich?

“Don’t be so reserved and eat!” Qian Kun waved his hand, and the atmosphere in the hall instantly became lively.

“Just having wine and no women isn\'t enough. Bring a few women over to serve Big Brother,” Lu Huangzhong said after downing a few cups. He instructed the guards to bring a few women over to serve them.

The two guards walked towards the group of women and picked out a few with good looks. The women struggled when the guards grabbed them, but their resistance was futile.

Lu Huangzhong and Ye Xiao embraced one each while the two with the best looks were presented to Qian Kun.

“No! Please, no!” Lu Huangzhong’s hand reached into the woman’s clothes, and the woman struggled with tears rolling down his cheeks. But there was nothing she could do about it because suicide remained an unattainable luxury.

A slap struck the woman’s face, causing her to expel a mouthful of blood and lose consciousness.

“Third Brother, you’re still so rough with women.” Qian Kun glanced at the two women. The face of the woman on the left turned pale; she was terrified that she couldn’t speak.

There was an uncanny aura about the woman on the right. Despite her face being smeared with blood, her beauty was undeniable and could be recognized by anyone at a single glance.

“Serve me wine!” Qian Kun ordered the two women to pour wine for him.

The woman on the left didn’t dare to move, but the woman on the right lifted the wine bottle. She drew a dagger from her underarm when she leaned over, and her action was well-concealed.

Only Liu Wuxie, with his Ghost Eye, was able to detect this. As the hall was filled with the merriment of the celebration, no one else noticed her actions.

As the woman served wine to Qian Kun, she swiftly drew a dagger with her left hand. The entire sequence unfolded in a split second, with only a glint of cold light visible before the dagger made contact with Qian Kun’s chest.

However, instead of blood, a metallic sound echoed through the room. Qian Kun had been wearing an inner armor beneath his clothes, rendering him impervious to common weapons. He felt the impact but was unharmed.

Caught off guard by the assassination attempt, Qian Kun retaliated by thrusting his palm towards the woman. A potent shockwave erupted from his palm, sending furniture flying and reducing it to dust.

The woman was strong and faced Qian Kun’s palm head-on. At the same time, a sword hidden in the corner of the main hall flew into her hand.

“It’s her!” Liu Wuxie narrowed his eyes. This was the same woman he had battled the previous day.

The main hall became chaotic, and no one knew what was happening.

“Big Brother, are you alright?” Lu Huangzhong rushed over, anxiety etched on his face. He had brought this woman here and would be held accountable if anything happened to Qian Kun.

“I’m fine!” Qian Kun reassured him, though his face was dark with fury. The woman who had tried to assassinate him was formidable. His palm strike, capable of killing any ordinary cultivator in the Marrow Cleansing Realm, had left her unscathed. He bellowed, “Who are you?”

It was rare for women in villages to reach the Marrow Cleansing Realm, and this woman’s strength indicated that she was far from ordinary.

Ye Xiao’s gaze was locked onto the woman, a murderous intent radiating from him. The other group leaders also drew their weapons, encircling the woman.

“The one who will kill you all!” The woman soared into the sky and stabbed Qian Kun. The Scarlet Dragon Association would fall apart if she killed the three leaders.

“Capture her! I want her alive!” Qian Kun said. He wanted to know who had sent her to kill him.

The group leaders, armed and ready, surged forward. Their attacks were calculated, aimed at capturing rather than killing the woman. Despite their intent, they were no pushovers, each one a formidable cultivator in the Spirit Cleansing Realm.

“Die!” The woman charged into the crowd with her sword. In a mere moment, dozens of group leaders were flung aside, their blood staining the feast laid out on the tables.

A terrifying shockwave swept out from the woman as the number of corpses in the main hall began to increase.

“You’re courting death!” Ye Xiao retaliated, directing a palm strike at the woman.

“I’ll kill you first before killing everyone else here!” The woman retorted, abandoning her assault on the group leaders. She swung her sword, releasing a sword aura aimed at Ye Xiao’s right arm.

“You must be tired of living to dare intrude on our Scarlet Dragon Association!” Ye Xiao scoffed. A strange substance, not quite a glove, covered his palm. His hand clashed with the woman’s sword, sending sparks flying. Yet, his palm remained unscathed, startling the woman into retracting her sword.

However, the sword refused to budge, no matter how hard the woman tugged. It was firmly gripped in Ye Xiao’s hand, causing the woman’s expression to change. She was a second-level cultivator in the Marrow Cleansing Realm, while Ye Xiao was at the first level. Despite the one-level difference, she was outmatched in combat prowess.

Liu Wuxie stayed put, observing the unfolding chaos as a valuable opportunity. Even within the Imperial Academy, this woman would be considered an elite, capable of holding her own against those of higher cultivation levels.

However, the three leaders of the Scarlet Dragon Association proved to be stronger than others at their cultivation level.

The woman’s combat style was straightforward and honorable. However, she was no match for Ye Xiao when it came to underhanded tactics. Seizing this opportunity, Ye Xiao launched a surprise attack.

“Don’t bother struggling and surrender!” Ye Xiao taunted, his laughter echoing ominously in the hall. An iron hook shot out from his empty left arm, aimed directly at the woman’s chest. The hook’s unpredictable trajectory posed a lethal threat, forcing the woman to abandon her longsword and dodge the incoming hook.

But even as she evaded the hook, she launched herself towards Qian Kun, her original target. Seeing this, Lu Huangzhong stepped forward, eager to prove his loyalty by capturing the woman.

However, Qian Kun intervened, stopping Lu Huangzhong in his tracks. “You’re not her opponent!” he declared, stepping in front of the woman and thrusting his palm forward.