C12 Assassination

"Heh heh."

An eerie and chilling laugh suddenly pierced the silence.

Following that, a menacing voice spoke, "The esteemed eldest son of the Su Family is not so useless after all; he's actually sensed my presence."

"Who are you?"

Su Ling instinctively stepped back, his gaze fixed on the shadowy figure shrouded in a black robe, as he demanded sharply.

"My identity is irrelevant. What matters is that your life is about to end."

The figure's eyes, the only part visible through the robe, grew icier.

"Kill me? You're dreaming. Remember, this is the Su Family's territory. If you dare to strike, you won't leave here alive!"

Su Ling struggled to maintain his composure, his voice resonating with authority.

"Do you really think you can survive until help arrives with your mere Fourth Level of Body Refinement?"

The cloaked figure let out a mocking laugh, dripping with scorn.

"Fourth Level of Body Refinement?"

It was then that Su Ling realized, although his power had ascended to the Sixth Level, he had previously mastered a technique to conceal his true level. He was currently using that very technique to mask his actual power.

"Enough talk. Your life is now claimed by the Corpse Sect!"

The moment the cold declaration was made, the figure vanished as if it were never there.

"This is bad!"

Feeling an overwhelming force bearing down on him, Su Ling's face contorted with alarm as he hastily retreated. The adversary before him was likely at the Martial Essence Stage, far surpassing Su Ling's own abilities. At his current level, Su Ling stood no chance.

But there was no time for further thought. As the figure lunged, a horrifying palm strike followed, aiming straight for Su Ling.

"Profound Heaven Sword Art, Desolate Netherworld!"

Acting on instinct, Su Ling's right palm vibrated violently, unleashing a fearsome torrent of Mystical Qi from his Sea of Qi.

Channeling all his Mystical Qi into his palm, Su Ling's eyes blazed with lethal intent as he met the oncoming strike head-on.

The Desolate Netherworld, a mysterious and unfathomable sword move, was executed without a sword in hand but with one in spirit. His inner Mystical Qi morphed into a blade of Qi, tearing through the air and clashing with the formidable palm strike.

"Boom!"

An explosion deafened the surroundings.

Reeling from the blast, Su Ling staggered backward a dozen steps before he managed to steady himself.

Surprise flickered in the eyes of the figure in black, who clearly hadn't anticipated Su Ling's formidable strength. Despite being at the Fourth Level of Body Refinement, Su Ling had forced a Martial Essence Stage expert to retreat three paces.

"Tsk tsk, truly astonishing. A mere fourth-level Body Refinement practitioner dares to clash with me and even pushes me back three steps. It's no wonder Zhang Jin feared you so much that he wanted you dead. Clearly, you cannot be spared; you'd only bring endless trouble in the future."

The Phantom King had underestimated Su Ling's prowess. Before his arrival, Zhang Jin had dismissed Su Ling as worthless. Yet now, it was clear that Su Ling was far from a weakling; he was a formidable warrior of the Body Refinement Stage.

Although Su Ling appeared to be at the mere Fourth Level of the Body Refinement Stage, the palm strike he unleashed rivaled the power of someone at the Seventh Level, and it nearly matched the Eighth Level.

The Phantom King had a fleeting doubt—if he weren't a Martial Essence Stage warrior, but rather at the Eighth or Ninth Level of the Body Refinement Stage, Su Ling's strike could have seriously injured him. This only fueled the Phantom King's resolve to eliminate Su Ling.

A talent like Su Ling must not be spared!

Otherwise, given time, Su Ling would surely seek vengeance.

"You must die!"

The Phantom King bellowed, his aura razor-sharp as he launched a frenzied assault on Su Ling.

In that moment, the Phantom King played his trump card. As an early-stage Martial Essence Stage warrior, he had been pushed back by a mere Fourth Level Body Refinement Stage opponent. Should word get out, he would never live it down within the Corpse Sect.

To kill Su Ling and sever his head was the Phantom King's only means to erase his disgrace!

"So powerful!"

As Su Ling braced for the Phantom King's all-out strike, his blood boiled and his heart thundered in his chest.

Despite being the preeminent warrior of the Nine Heavens Ten Realms in his past life, with a temperament both mature and composed, Su Ling was still shaken. His actual cultivation was only at the Sixth Level of the Body Refinement Stage, leaving him no chance against the Phantom King.

Previously, Hades had been strong enough to fend off the Phantom King's ordinary attacks. But now, facing a full-powered, fury-driven strike laced with lethal intent, Su Ling knew he couldn't withstand it.

Yet, Su Ling was not one to resign himself to fate. Victory might be impossible, but he would fight with everything he had!

"Hades!"

In that instant, the Mystical Qi within Su Ling's Sea of Qi ignited, erupting and focusing into his palm.

Though outmatched by the Phantom King, Su Ling's resolve was unyielding as he thrust his right palm forward. The formidable Mystical Qi transformed into piercing sword qi, surging toward the Phantom King.

"Hmph, I only exerted a fraction of my strength before, and you were lucky to block it. Now, I'm unleashing my full power, enough to obliterate you. Die! You wretched cur, I'll see you perish in my miasma of death."

The Phantom King became a blur, his speed reaching its zenith, his malevolent aura trailing him as he bore down on Su Ling.

"I will have your life!"

The Phantom King's roar was thunderous as all his Mystical Qi and sinister energy exploded forth, coalescing into a colossal palm print that descended upon Su Ling's crown.

"Shatter!"

With the looming palm print bearing down on him, Su Ling roared defiantly, his eyes blazing with a fierce glint. He locked his gaze on the oncoming threat, his right palm swirling with sword qi, and he struck out.

"Boom! Boom!"

The Phantom King's dreadful force cascaded down, relentlessly bearing down on Su Ling. Despite marshaling all his defenses and the turbulent Mystical Qi within him clashing violently, Su Ling was still brutally hurled away by the Phantom King's strike.

"Thud!"

Su Ling crashed to the ground, his chest churning violently as blood surged to his throat. He spat out crimson, his complexion instantly turning deathly pale.

"You're nothing but a lowly Fourth Level of Body Refinement, a mere insect. I intend to kill you, you mongrel. How could you possibly survive?"

The Phantom King let out a cold laugh, yet a trickle of blood stained the corner of his mouth. In their recent clash, the Mystical Qi within Su Ling had formed into a blade of sword qi, wounding him. He was loath to acknowledge his injury, but the blood on his lips told the undeniable truth.