Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Among the two Blood Skull Gang assassins who were sent to the Jade Emperor Heaven to kill Duan Ling Tian, one of them was Leng Ye, the assassin who had been lying in wait for Duan Ling Tian outside of the Simplicity Celestial Sect’s estate. At that time, Duan Ling Tian had successfully escaped using a Wind Shadow Escape Talisman. He had always considered his failure to kill Duan Ling Tian outside of the Simplicity Celestial Sect’s estate a huge disgrace; he felt humiliated. The humiliation he felt was further amplified when he had gone to kill Duan Ling Tian in the Jade Emperor but failed his mission again. Duan Ling Tian had escaped right under his nose twice!
This time, in order to ensure the success of the mission, apart from sending Leng Ye and the Nine Palaces Celestial King who had also gone to the Jade Emperor Heaven with him, the Blood Skull Gang also sent one of their elite assassins. This elite was none other than Situ Yu, the strongest assassins below those at the stage of a Celestial Lord in the Blood Skull Gang.
Situ Yu, the assassin from the Blood Skull Gang, was moderately well-known in the upper realm of the Southern Heaven Ancient Realm since he had comprehended all nine profundities from the law of wind. He had even comprehended one profundity to the initial stage.
“Zhang Zhen Hai? He’s the one who has comprehended all the profundities from the law of metal and has also comprehended the Light and Shadow Profundity to the initial stage, right?”
Leng Ye and the Nine Palaces Celestial King next to him exchanged a quick look and saw the shock in each other’s eyes.
Zhang Zhen Hai was famous. Although the number of profundities he had comprehended and the number of profundities he had comprehended to the initial stage were similar to Situ Yu, he was undoubtedly stronger than Situ Yu. After all, Situ Yu was only human while Zhang Zhen Hai had many mysterious and amazing techniques available to him because of his identity as a Phantom Fox. Most importantly, he had defeated Situ Yu before in the upper realm of the Southern Heaven Ancient Realm.
Zhang Zhen Hai replied to Situ Yu, “I’m here with our branch leader.” As soon as he finished speaking, he moved a few steps back and bowed as though he had sensed something.
In the next moment, a figure appeared out of thin air in front of Zhang Zhen Hai like a ghost. It was none other than Zhang Dong Nan, the Branch Leader of the Phantom Fox Clan.
Whoosh!
As soon as Zhang Dong Nan appeared, another figure appeared behind him, next to Zhang Zhen Hai.
“Zhang Yun Ting?!” Situ Yu exclaimed in shock, and his eyes widened when he saw the old man who had just arrived.
“Zhang Yun Ting?” Similarly, the eyes of the two men standing behind Situ Yu widened as well when they saw the old men standing next to Zhang Zhen Hai.
Zhang Yun Ting’s strength was on par with Zhang Zhen Hai, and he was equally as famous in the upper realm. Moreover, he was also a Phantom Fox like Zhang Zhen Hai.
“Didn’t Zhang Zhen Hai say he came with his branch leader? The other old man is Zhang Yun Ting…”
“Then, this young man standing in front of them must be…”
Leng Ye and the Nine Palaces Celestial King exchanged a look as they communicated through Voice Transmission.
Meanwhile, Situ Yu who was standing in front of the two assassins respectfully greeted the white-haired young man, “Blood Skull Gang’s Situ Yu greets Lord Dong Nan.” As soon as he saw the young man, he knew the young man was the Branch Leader of the Phantom Fox Clan.
Upon seeing this, Leng Ye and the other assassin followed suit and respectfully greeted Zhang Dong Nan, “Greetings, Lord Dong Nan.”
Faced with the Branch Leader of the Phantom Fox Clan, Leng Ye and the other assassin did not even have the qualifications to state their names.
“Situ Yu?” Zhang Dong Nan raised an eyebrow as he looked at Situ Yu curiously. “For the Blood Skull Gang to send you out, I wonder who’s your target….”
Zhang Dong Nan was aware that Situ Yu was considered one of the top assassins in the Blood Skull Gang. He also knew Situ Yu was called the Celestial King Killer in the Southern Heaven Territory. Although there were quite a few Celestial Kings who could fight with Situ Yu on equal footing, there were extremely few people who could escape his assassination. Up until now, Situ Yu had never failed to kill all his targets who were below the stage of a Celestial Lord.
“Lord Dong Nan, my target isn’t a secret,” Situ Yu replied, “It’s the Profound Nether Mansion’s Duan Ling Tian!”
“Duan Ling Tian?” Zhang Dong Nan was slightly taken aback. “I know him… However, don’t you think it’s an overkill for the Blood Skull Gang to send you out on this mission?”
The Blood Skull Gang had sent Situ Yu out to kill a young man who had not even reached 100 years and had just become a Celestial King. Zhang Dong Nan could not help but feel the Blood Skull Gang was taking the matter too seriously.
“Lord Dong Nan, you might be unaware, but previously, Leng Ye, the Nine Palaces Celestial King behind me, failed in his attempt to assassinate Duan Ling Tian. Later, the Blood Skull Gang sent the two assassins behind me to the Jade Emperor Heaven, but they failed to find him.” Based on Situ Yu’s words, it was clear he was unaware that Leng Ye and the Nine Palaces Celestial King had, in fact, encountered Duan Ling Tian in the Jade Emperor Heaven and unintentionally let him escape.
Previously, Leng Ye and his companion had concealed their encounter with Duan Ling Tian in the Jade Emperor Heaven from the Blood Skull Gang to avoid punishment. After all, it was due to their carelessness that Duan Ling Tian was able to escape.
“Hmm?” A small hint of surprise could be seen on Zhang Dong Nan’s face. “They went to the Jade Emperor Heaven to assassinate Duan Ling Tian? Is Duan Ling Tian from the Jade Emperor Heaven?”
Situ Yu shook his head as he said, “No. He was only visiting the Jade Emperor Heaven. Lord Dong Nan, you must have heard about the reincarnated Celestial Emperor who was plotting to get his hands on the Heaven Sacrificial Divine Fruits in the Jade Emperor Heaven, right?”
“You mean to say Duan Ling Tian is the reincarnated Celestial Emperor?” Zhang Dong Nan cocked an eyebrow. Indeed, he had heard this news back then, but he did not confirm its authenticity.
“No.” Situ Yu shook his head. “Duan Ling Tian went to the Jade Emperor Heaven to snatch the Heaven Sacrificial Divine Fruits from the reincarnated Celestial Emperor. That’s how became a Ten Directions Celestial Duke in such a short time and managed to comprehend the law of space.”
“So he consumed the Heaven Sacrificial Divine Fruit?” Zhang Dong Nan said in surprise, “No wonder. I was wondering how a human boy managed to accomplish so much before the age of 100. As it turns out, he had consumed the Heaven Sacrificial Divine Fruit.”
After a moment, Zhang Dong Nan seemed to recall something so he asked, “I heard the Heaven Sacrificial Divine Fruit only allows one to comprehend seven profundities of a law at most, right? How did he manage to comprehend all nine profundities from the law of space? Moreover, he has also comprehended the law of space’s Cross-Dimensional Slash Profundity to the initial stage.”
“I’m not sure. Perhaps, his innate talent and comprehension are high to begin with,” Situ Yu replied. From the beginning until now, he had been respectful and careful when he spoke to Zhang Dong Nan.
“Hm.” Zhang Dong Nan nodded slightly. Then, he looked at Situ Yu and finally asked, “Have you seen these two people near the Profound Nether Mansion’s estate recently?” As he spoke, he waved his hand and pointed at the space next to him.
Two life-like figures appeared immediately.
If Duan Ling Tian were present, he would have recognized the two men. The two men were none other than the two Phantom Foxes he had caught tailing Huan’er. He had asked the Pavilion Master of the Imperial Tutor Pavilion to kill the two men.
“I’ve seen them.” Situ Yu nodded when he saw the images of the two men. “A while back, we saw them following a white-clad woman. However, since we have no conflict of interest, we didn’t pay attention to them.”
“They’re from my Phantom Fox Clan. They’re dead and last seen near the Profound Nether Mansion’s estate. I suspect someone killed them outside of the Profound Nether Mansion’s estate.” As Zhang Dong Nan spoke, his expression was so cold that it felt as though the temperature in the surroundings had plummeted.
Upon hearing Zhang Dong Nan’s words, the expressions of the three assassins from the Blood Skull Gang changed drastically.
“Lord Dong Nan, although we saw them, we didn’t make a move against them.”
“Lord Dong Nan, we can swear we have nothing to do with their deaths.”
At this time, Leng Ye and the other assassin cried out anxiously one after another. The duo could tell Zhang Dong Nan had come looking for them because Zhang Dong Nan suspected they had something to do with the deaths of his men.
Unlike the duo who had lost their composure, Situ Yu quickly regained his senses and said honestly, “Lord Dong Nan, the Blood Skull Gang only kills when we receive a job or if someone provokes us. We don’t kill for no reason. Moreover, our Blood Skull Gang doesn’t accept jobs targeting the Phantom Fox Clan’s members.”
“Mmm, that’s what I think as well.” Zhang Dong Nan nodded lightly. The cold expression on his face disappeared as he said, “You said they were following the white-clad woman… Do you know why they were outside of the Profound Nether Mansion’s estate?” His instincts told him the two men’s deaths had something to do with the white-clad woman who was possibly a Thousand Phantoms Ice Fox.
“We really don’t know,” Situ Yu shook his head and said, “That woman only stayed outside the estate and looked at it as though she was waiting for someone…”
“It seemed like she was waiting for someone?” Zhang Dong Nan narrowed his eyes. “Does this mean she has an acquaintance in the Profound Nether Mansion?”
“Well, if she’s not waiting for someone, then I can’t think of any reason for her to be there,” Situ Yu said.
“Do you know what she looks like? Did you have a good look?” Zhang Dong Nan asked again.
“I didn’t pay much attention. Moreover, her face was concealed by a bamboo hat and a veil so I didn’t see her face. All I know is she wore a white robe, and she had an elegant bearing.” Situ Yu shook his head.
“Lord Dong Nan!” Leng Ye suddenly cried out at this moment as though he had just recalled something.
“Hmm?” Zhang Dong Nan looked at Leng Ye skeptically.
“Lord Dong Nan, I’ve read all the information regarding Duan Ling Tian that the Blood Skull Gang had collected. I remember reading that Duan Ling Tian came from the borderland of the Southern Heaven Territory. At the borderland, it’s said that he was accompanied by a white-clad woman wearing a bamboo hat and a veil.”