Assassins (1)

It was late at night but Jing Ling couldn't sleep. She tossed and turned in bed and for some reason, her heart wouldn't settle down. Her unease grew as time passed so she got out of bed and headed to the training hall.

"I can't sleep. Maybe training will help me calm down."

She brought a few rusty swords with her and began to practice 'silent blade'.

Not far from her, 5 figures dressed in black from head to toe approached the back of the Jing estate.

They were the same figures that were hiding in the slums while Jing Ling was testing her potential.

As they approached the back wall, Number 1 hushed his men before sending them a signal. Immediately the five of them jumped over the wall and split into different directions. All of them poked a small hole in the window of a room and threw in a pouch powdered incense that will make one fall unconscious.

Once they made sure that everyone in the Jing estate was asleep, they headed to Jing Ling's bedroom.

Number 1 silently creaked open the door just enough for them to get through and they rushed in.

They surrounded the bed to make sure Jing Ling wouldn't have an escape route before Number 1 sent Number 4 a signal. Number 4 swiftly took out a hidden dagger and approached the bed. A few seconds later he came out from behind the drapery.

"Leader, she's not here."

"Tsk. Go and search for her now! Report back to me when you find her."

"Yes!"

Four shadows simultaneously left in separate directions.

Jing Ling was concentrated on adjusting her energy input when she sensed someone getting close to her. She had made a habit of using her mental Qi map at all times. Thus, when Number 3 was headed in her direction, she frowned.

"Everyone should be asleep. Why is someone rushing over here?"

Jing Ling quickly hid behind the door and left a small crack. As Number 3 appeared from around the corner, Jing Ling held her breath and waited for him to pass by her hiding spot before she grabbed him from behind and dug her sword into his neck.

"Who are you?"

Number 3 didn't answer and pulled out a dagger.

Jing Ling knew she needs to kill the man before he attacks or else it will be hard for her to get another chance but she has never killed anyone before.

That second of hesitation gave Number 3 enough time to deflect Jing Ling's sword and create an opening in her defenses.

"SHIT!"

Jing Ling was prepared to counter-attack but she is weaker than the assassin who is an orange martial. She unable to fully evade the dagger and it cut into her arm all the way to the bone.

"AHH!"

"The first time I get a real injury and it's this deep. What the actual fuck?!" Jing Ling thought.

The assassin didn't wait for her to recover and lunged towards her again.

Jing Ling ignored the pain in her other arm and defended against the dagger with her rusty sword.

"Clang. Clang" echoed loudly.

"Dammit, where are the patrol guards? Why hasn't anyone noticed yet?

The two continued to exchange blows with each other.

" If I don't think of something quick I'm going to be killed!" thought Jing Ling. "piercing fists takes too long to ready... that means I'm only left with silent blade."

Number 3 takes out small knives and throws them, stabbing into Jing Ling's thigh.

"Shit that hurts! But I have only successfully activated silent blade twice so far. I'm going to die if I fail to activate it..."

Slash after slash, Jing Ling is unable to avoid and her body is now riddled with wounds. Some were deeper than others but they were all bleeding, dying Jing Ling's clothes crimson red.

It has only been a few minutes but she's already beginning to feel dizzy from blood loss and her body began to shake.

"Now you're scared? Don't worry, I will make this swift."

Number 3 attacked Jing Ling again, this time aiming for her neck.

"Damn it all. Am I going to die here? No! I can't! I'm going to die trying even if I have to."

With a determined look in her eyes. Jing Ling transferred energy from her dantian into the rusty sword. A faint violet glow wrapped around the sword's edge.

"Take this!"

Jing Ling swung her sword and a purple blade headed towards Number 3 who didn't expect the attack. His body was cut into two mid-air.

Blood spurted out of the body and sprayed all over Jing Ling who collapsed onto the ground.

"...Did I just..."

She looked down at her hands that were now covered in blood.

"I... I just killed someone..."

However, before Jing Ling could sort her thoughts, she sensed 4 people approaching her. She tries to get up and hide but she wasn't fast enough and was surrounded.

"What's this? Number 3 actually lost to this little girl?!"

"He probably let his guard down."

"Shut it. Let's finish this quickly. We need to report back soon."

"Yes, Leader!"

"Are you kidding me? Two blue, one indigo, and even a violet martial cultivator?!" Jing Ling internally screamed. "Just when I finally survive one crisis, this happens?"

The four assassins all pull out their weapons, ready to attack.

"WAIT. Who are you guys? Why are you trying to kill me?"

"Poor girl. That useless Emperor of yours hasn't told you anything about us?" said Number 2.

"The Emperor?"

"Number 2, quiet. You're talking too much," said Number 1 as he charged towards Jing Ling. His men immediately did the same.

Jing Ling knew she wouldn't be able to defend against the four of them at the same time. They're much too strong compared to her.

"I guess I was never meant to live a long life. Not in this one or the last one."

Jing Ling closed her eyes, preparing herself to be killed.

"Clang!"

Instead of feeling a cold blade slice across her neck, Jing Ling felt someone grab her. She opened her eyes and found herself being held by but an unknown man. He was dressed head to toe in black except for slits that revealed his beautiful grey eyes.

He easily deflected the assassins and escaped to a safe distance.

"You... Who are you?" Jing Ling asks with a weak voice.

"I...We were sent by the... Hey! Wake up!"

Jing Ling fainted.

"Sir, we have caught their leader and the rest is dead," one of the men reported while the another carried the injured assassin.

"Nice job, we will bring him back with us. You three, stay and inspect the Jing estate. It is odd that Master Jing Jun hasn't shown up yet. Send a message to the Palace if you find anything but don't leave this place unguarded. Let's go."

"Yes, Sir!"