C24 Yinggui

Niu Li's voice took on an even more eerie tone, especially with a machete clutched in a severed hand hovering above his head, which only heightened the horror.

"Big brother, it's really exhausting to use Mental Energy to control things," complained the Elf, the first to express dissatisfaction.

A mysterious smile played across Niu Li's face. With a casual gesture, the machete floating above was flicked aside, clattering onto the carpet below. The severed hand twitched twice more, adding to the macabre scene.

The gamblers collectively gulped, convinced that Niu Li was the true source of terror, and they remained frozen in place.

Miss Long, however, had a gleam in her eyes, her heart pounding with excitement.

"I've retrieved his hand for you," Niu Li said to Miss Long with a playful wink.

"You've earned my affection," Miss Long thought, her anger subsiding significantly. As a scion of a great family, she was no stranger to death and wasn't particularly moved by Young Master Yun's cries of pain.

"However, it seems we have someone with ill intentions among us. I've heard he's a formidable assassin on the Assassin Leaderboard," Niu Li said, effortlessly drawing Miss Long into his arms with an air of authority.

Miss Long merely rolled her eyes but made no attempt to resist, comfortably nestling against Niu Li's chest.

"To think I mistook a supreme master for a mere pretty boy," Yinggui said with a hint of self-deprecation, yet his gaze on Niu Li was devoid of fear, instead brimming with a desire to battle.

"Big brother, this old guy wants to make a move on you—take him out," the Elf inside the ring piped up before Niu Li had even noticed.

Niu Li's eyebrows quivered imperceptibly as he looked at Yinggui with a hint of amusement. "Planning a sneak attack, are you?"

Yinggui's face betrayed a flicker of surprise, his eyes growing colder and his posture tensing in anticipation.

With a smirk of contempt, Niu Li said, "I have no desire to kill you, but take my advice: don't harbor any ill intentions toward me. Otherwise, the moment you come near, I can split you into two, leaving nothing but a corpse."

"Death doesn't frighten me; it's the thrill of combat I crave," Yinggui said, his eyes alight with excitement as his breath quickened. "You're strong, inscrutable, but I'm eager for a fight!"

Niu Li kept a poker face, though inside he was cursing up a storm.

"Brother, take him down. I'll lend you my magic power," the Elf chimed in, her cheeks flushing in agreement with Yinggui.

"Diaochan, are you really an elf? You're nothing like the elves of legend!" Niu Li couldn't contain his curiosity any longer.

The Elf's gesturing hands came to an abrupt halt before she replied, puzzled, "Don't you know? I carry the bloodlines of three different elves, with the berserker elf's being the most dominant. That's why battle is in my blood."

"Berserker elves!" Niu Li had never even heard of such a type!

"Let's see if you've truly transcended the Acquired qualities and reached the Innate Stage!" Yinggui declared, his voice tinged with exhilaration.

"Innate Stage!"

The revelation sent a wave of shock through the crowd. Miss Loong, Loong Qi, Loong Ba, and Tang Qiu all wore expressions of utter astonishment.

The Innate Stage was a marvel; the world hadn't seen such a pinnacle of mastery in centuries.

Could Niu Li truly be an Innate master?

Yet, recalling the machete suspended in mid-air, if Niu Li hadn't reached the Innate level, allowing his Inner Qi to emanate freely, how else could he have wielded such control?

Still, Niu Li's youth was baffling. Even centuries ago, only those who had endured decades of rigorous cultivation were rumored to achieve the Innate Stage. In today's world, where the Spirit of Heaven and Earth was scarce and cultivation techniques incomplete, the Innate Stage had become the stuff of legends.

"Can it be true?" Miss Loong's eyes were misty as she gazed at Niu Li's face, finding his youthful yet steadfast visage strangely captivating.

"Innate?" Niu Li caught Yinggui's words and the crowd's reactions, his face betraying a hint of scorn. "Innate means nothing to me. If you're itching for a fight, bring it on. I'll make sure you die without ever finding out if I'm at the Innate Stage or not." With that, he gently pushed Miss Loong aside, ensuring her safety from the impending clash.

"Your move," Yinggui declared, lifting his hands as two ghost nails gleamed ominously in the distance.

"Go to hell," Niu Li snapped back, frustration edging his voice. He had never encountered someone so infuriatingly obstinate. With his hands raised, he recited the incantation for Wind Blade, the Elf lending him its full support. The Wind Blades, a shimmering light green, whirled rapidly at his command.

Yinggui's eyes narrowed as he observed the deft Wind Blades dancing on Niu Li's palms. Was this the natural Inner Qi? He realized that at the Innate Stage, a person's Inner Qi was not only capable of launching attacks but also bore a distinct color, possibly linked to the individual's body attributes.

"We don't have to fight to the death. Just catch my Six Paths Blade, and I'll spare you today," Niu Li boasted, his arrogance returning. He was low on magic power; the six Wind Blades had already consumed half of it. The rest he needed to reserve for any unforeseen circumstances.

"Fine," Yinggui responded, and in a blink, he vanished, as if he had never been there at all, leaving everyone in the hall stunned.

Yet, Niu Li only smirked with contempt.

Such stealth techniques, though uncommon, couldn't escape the Elf's potent Mental Energy detection. Almost immediately after Yinggui's disappearance, Niu Li, guided by the Elf, unleashed another swiftly spinning Wind Blade.

A faint noise pierced the air, followed by the clatter of a ghost nail hitting the floor. Yinggui's form flickered into view, then vanished just as quickly, true to his ghostly moniker.

Inside, Yinggui was reeling with shock. Niu Li could actually see him. His once-prized stealth technique seemed utterly ineffective.

Unperturbed by Yinggui's second disappearance, Niu Li allowed himself a slight smile. He sent another Wind Blade spinning into a white wall. This time, Yinggui didn't reappear, and a collective gasp filled the hall. Had Niu Li lost sight of him? But moments later, a piece of clothing began to drift down from above.

The crowd was astounded. Niu Li's mastery of the Innate Stage was all but confirmed. Yinggui, ranked fifth on the Assassin Leaderboard, had been toyed with like a mere child. Only someone at the Innate Stage could wield such formidable power!

"Damn it, the Life-Reaping Three Series!"

Yinggui, lurking in the shadows, was seething with rage. His two attempts at ambush had failed, and he found himself overpowered. Abandoning the idea of another stealth attack, he resolved to confront his adversary directly.

Three beams of red light streaked in a straight line—a hidden weapon technique that was truly fearsome. An ordinary person might parry the first strike, only to be hit by the second. And even those with swift reflexes were likely to succumb to the third.

In the wake of Yinggui's assault, everyone in the hall contemplated their response. Yet, their complexions turned ashen as they realized that, short of evading with even greater speed, they had no means of defense.

Niu Li's brows knitted together, then relaxed abruptly. A smile played on his lips as he extended his hand. A Wind Blade whirled on his palm, swiftly coalescing into a Wind element, its verdant hue slightly more intense.