The Luo Wang headquarters—A bleak, shattered ruin steeped in darkness, filled with invisible killing intent at every corner.
There stood a man clad in Qin military armor, face hidden behind a cold iron mask. A black longsword hung at his waist, exuding an aura so strange it seemed capable of blotting out the sun. His gaze was sharp as a blade as he looked up toward the heavens, his lips curving into a cold, cruel smile.
"So it's Black-and-White Xuanjian, huh? You defected back then… and after all these years, you still show yourself in the Ming Dynasty's territory."
"Now that you've received a reward from the Golden Ranking, you'll be even harder to deal with."
"But since you dared to betray Luo Wang… you'll die all the same!"
This man was none other than Yan Ri—the foremost of the Eight Swords of the King of Yue, the most mysterious killer in all of Luo Wang.
At this moment, his icy eyes gleamed faintly with a blood-red light.
The sword at his waist quivered, humming with a metallic growl.
A chilling gale swept across the ruins, and even the falling leaves froze midair as a surge of true energy burst forth, spreading in all directions like a storm.
When it came to Black-and-White Xuanjian, even Yan Ri felt deep apprehension.
The man was one of the top-ranked Heaven-Class assassins among the Eight Swords of Yue—a warrior of unmatched strength and an unrivaled swordmaster, capable of fusing both yin and yang—softness and ferocity—into one seamless style.Whether fighting with a single sword or dual blades, his swordsmanship had reached a level of divine perfection.
A one-on-one duel against him offered Yan Ri no certainty of victory.
"Hmph! So your twin swords made it onto the Divine Weapon Ranking. But my blade is in no way inferior—perhaps even greater."
"Once I claim the Golden Ranking's reward, the gap between us will only widen."
Yan Ri's eyes gleamed with cold light. He silenced the sword's vibration at his waist and spoke with unshakable confidence.
In his gaze burned both anticipation and hunger.
"Now that Black-and-White Xuanjian and Jingni have both defected, Lord Zhao Gao's Six Sword Slaves may have taken shape—but such killing weapons aren't meant for ordinary top experts."
"I wonder… when will Que Xie, that assassin of the Emperor's own bloodline, finally make his debut?"
"The Luo Wang of today… with my strength alone, it's still not enough."
Yan Ri sighed softly, his tone heavy with complexity.
Two Heaven-Class assassins of Luo Wang had defected one after another—a devastating loss of power.
In recent times, even Yan Ri himself felt stretched thin.
If not for the newly trained killers under him, he might have been forced to personally enter the field already.
"Hmph! Jingni! Black-and-White Xuanjian! You dare betray Luo Wang? You'll meet no good end."
"One day, I'll take back your lives myself—and prove to the world that Luo Wang's authority cannot be challenged."
"The Golden Ranking has descended… I wonder where my sword, Yan Ri, will stand among the divine weapons!"
"I only hope the reward will be generous enough to let my cultivation reach its next transformation."
His eyes were deep, his tone brimming with expectation.
Clad in Qin armor, his face completely hidden behind iron, even his voice was altered through secret techniques, concealing his identity completely.
Mystery—that word defined his very existence.
He was truly the foremost of the Eight Swords of Yue—Yan Ri, worthy of his title.
The Ming Dynasty.A secluded mountain forest, deep and silent.
Suddenly, sword qi erupted in a frenzy—black as ink, swallowing the air itself. Its domineering force tore through the forest, slicing every tree clean in half.
Blood spattered the earth. Screams echoed through the air. The scene resembled a vision of hell.
After a long moment—
A man emerged slowly from the shadows.
He was tall and broad-shouldered, wearing deep-blue robes and tight bindings at his wrists and legs. His entire presence radiated lethal precision.
Flecks of fresh blood still clung to him, giving him a demonic edge.
A blue headband with a crimson tie held back his dark hair, a few loose strands fluttering freely in the wind alongside the ribbon. A black belt at his waist completed the image of a graceful, untamed swordsman.
This was none other than the former Luo Wang Heaven-Class assassin—Black-and-White Xuanjian.
"What a nuisance," he said with irritation. "Even after joining the Ming Emperor's service, these Luo Wang lapdogs still manage to track me down."
"Fifty Earth-Class assassins, twelve of the Kill-Class elite—and even several Absolute-Class killers! They even brought three city-breaking crossbows… Yan Ri, you've outdone yourself."
His sharp gaze darkened with annoyance.
Such a formation could annihilate even a grandmaster if they weren't careful.
Still—it proved how formidable Luo Wang's intelligence network had become.
With Emperor Ying Zheng's full backing, Luo Wang's reach now stretched wider and deeper than ever before.
"Still," he muttered with a smirk, "after taking the ten Nascent Soul Pills the Ming Emperor rewarded me, my cultivation has advanced immensely."
"Once I complete this mission, I'll earn five more."
"I wonder where His Majesty even obtained such pills… there seems to be no shortage of them."
"When I've gathered enough, perhaps I can attempt to break into an even higher realm."
A faint smile played on his lips.
Each Nascent Soul Pill he took boosted his strength by months of cultivation.
Not as miraculous as the rarest elixirs—but their sheer quantity made them priceless.
Now, Black-and-White Xuanjian was certain—he had the power to kill Yan Ri.
But Luo Wang was no longer what it once was. With the Qin Emperor's vast resources behind it, that deadly organization had become even more terrifying.
Even a single "Six Sword Slave" was enough to make him wary.
And within Luo Wang's headquarters lurked countless other assassins.
Charging in head-on was suicide.
He could only wait—wait for Yan Ri to be alone, to strike when the moment was perfect.
Yet Yan Ri's movements were as elusive as mist—even Zhao Gao himself often couldn't track him.
The man's martial techniques were designed to obscure and conceal, making him almost impossible to find.
But the day would come.
"Soon enough," Black-and-White Xuanjian whispered, eyes narrowing, "I'll storm your den myself. The grudge between us… will finally end."
With that, his figure flickered—and vanished into thin air.
Only a trace of black mist remained, radiating a cold, razor-sharp aura.
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