How could this be? The assassins were shocked, but years of training kept them from showing it. Instead, they cautiously and meticulously observed their surroundings.
"Who exactly sent you to kill me?" The warm, gentle voice sounded like a ghostly specter in their ears, filling them with dread.
They were all at the same cultivation level—how could they be completely unable to detect his presence?
Nonsense. She had a space that could hold living beings; how could she let them sense her?
In that critical moment, Ye Lanshan had hidden herself inside the space. Of course, she knew this wasn't a permanent solution, but she only wanted to use this method to confuse their minds and throw them into disarray.
"Needle Break."
As assassins, their combat techniques weren't flashy or awe-inspiring. Instead, they were sinister and covert, like hidden weapons—impossible to detect until they struck, leaving their victims to fall in stunned disbelief.
But how could Ye Lanshan be an ordinary person? Such a concealed mystical technique couldn't escape her ears.
To the assassins, it seemed she had no way to avoid this attack. Even if she knew it was coming, it was useless; she could only obediently perish under the technique.
Yet Ye Lanshan merely let out a soft laugh. The faint moonlight spilled over her, casting a radiant glow on her already ethereal, immortal-like features.
The assassins couldn't help but feel a pang of regret—there was likely no one this beautiful in the entire world.
But in the next second, their mouths fell open in shock. It wasn't that Ye Lanshan had vanished again; she had actually dodged the attack.
"Since you enjoy assassination so much, I'll play along with you." Her calm tone sent chills down their spines. At that moment, they realized they had provoked someone extraordinary—someone they could never kill.
But as assassins, they had to eliminate her at all costs, even if she were an immortal, indestructible deity. That was the first rule of being an assassin.
In the pitch-black night, Ye Lanshan seemed more like an assassin than they did. Using the darkness as cover, she picked them off one by one, leaving only one alive.
"Now, can you tell me who wants me dead?" Ye Lanshan stood behind him, speaking slowly, but her voice carried an even greater intimidation.
Yet the assassin ahead seemed not to hear her. A stream of dark blood trickled from his lips, and he fell stiffly to the ground.
"Indeed, interrogating an assassin is a foolish move." Ye Lanshan chuckled bitterly. With a flick of her finger, a flame shot out, incinerating all the bodies into nothing. This entire scene was witnessed by Cang Shu, who had been about to cultivate that night. He watched excitedly, silently vowing to become as strong as his master.
A bloodthirsty urge rose within him, unstoppable. Only a sea of blood could quench this craving.
Ah, another sunny day. Birds chirped noisily in the trees, waking the drunken Yun Di. He sat up with a headache, staring at the chaotic mess of bottles and cups on the table, falling silent.
With a creak, the door opened. Sunlight poured in like a waterfall, forcing Yun Di to shield his eyes. It took him a while to adjust. When he finally looked up, he saw a figure standing against the light. The ethereal, flowing aura and immortal-like presence drew him in, but he knew he could never measure up.
Such self-doubt, such defeatism—he had no drive at all, not even matching the low-level Cang Shu.
"Are you planning to stay like this forever?" Ye Lanshan's eyes flickered with complexity. After all, she truly considered Yun Di a friend.
"This state of yours won't pain your enemies; it will only worry those who care about you." Ye Lanshan closed the door and sat down on the other side.
"I'm truly useless. I can't even avenge myself; I need you to help me." Yun Di reached for more wine, only to find every jar empty.
"Don't worry, I'll make sure you get to kill your enemy with your own hands. But for now, your priority is to cultivate and grow stronger. Otherwise, even if your enemy is right in front of you, you won't be able to kill him." With that, Ye Lanshan turned and walked out, knowing Yun Di would come to his senses.
"Master, can you teach me the art of killing?" Cang Shu's voice carried a mix of nervousness and barely concealed excitement.
"The art of killing? Are you sure you want to learn it? I remember you turning pale with fear when someone died in front of you, even if you weren't the one who killed them. Are you certain?" Ye Lanshan gazed at him calmly. Indeed, he wasn't as pure and simple as he appeared.
Panic flickered across Cang Shu's face, afraid his secret had been exposed. But Ye Lanshan's eyes held only serenity. Yes, his master was a ruthless killer herself; even if she discovered his secret, what did it matter?
Cang Shu clenched his fists tightly and said firmly, "Yes, I want to learn."
"Alright. Starting today, you'll run a full lap around this Medicine Valley, and you're not allowed to use any mystical energy or spiritual power."
"Yes." Cang Shu's eyes lit up, and he immediately began preparing to run.
Ye Lanshan followed him with effortless grace. While Cang Shu was drenched in sweat, she moved as leisurely as if taking a stroll.
"Thud." Cang Shu finally reached the entrance, collapsing forward, unable to hold on any longer.
Ye Lanshan didn't give him time to rest. She pulled him inside, but she knew everything had to be gradual, so she used her spiritual power to ease the fatigue in his body.
"So, is the bloodthirsty urge a bit weaker now?" Ye Lanshan asked casually, as if it were nothing. But Cang Shu paused. So, he knew.
"How did you figure it out?" Cang Shu lifted his head. He thought his act had been flawless, like a normal child—except for today's request. Was it just because of that?
"You were never normal from the start. Which orphan who has tasted the coldness of the world since childhood, which child with such strong willpower to endure a strange flame entering his body, would be afraid of seeing someone who bullied him die in front of him?"
Cang Shu retorted, "A normal child would be scared seeing someone die in front of them, wouldn't they?"
"You're right. A normal child would indeed be afraid. But are you a normal child? Besides, the bloodthirsty killing intent you released yesterday was hardly concealed. And today's words only confirmed my suspicions."
Ye Lanshan spoke calmly, her steady gaze telling him that all his disguises were useless before his master.
Cang Shu felt a bit convinced, but he wasn't worried. His master didn't see him as a monster. He had only pretended because he feared she would despise him as a killer. Since she had no objections, he no longer needed to hide.
"Alright, stop overthinking." Ye Lanshan patted his head, but her mind drifted far away. Master, can you see this? I've become a master myself now.
"Shan Luo, could you call Yun Di for me?" He Mu Xiang's face was haggard, clearly having not slept well. Standing at the door, she looked much gentler, no longer the cold, furious person from yesterday.