The Sudden Assassination—Definitely the Work of the Spirit Hall!

On the official road in the suburbs of East Sea City, a caravan was moving forward.

"This operation must succeed. Failure is not an option."

The leader of the group, a stern-faced captain, issued his command with a tone of authority.

If Ye Tian were present, he would be astonished.

The reason was simple: the leader was none other than Gao Yao, a subordinate of Yu Tianheng.

Previously, at the Butterfly Farm, Ye Tian had refused Yu Tianheng's request and delayed the promotion of potato cultivation.

This enraged Yu Tianheng, who swore to deal with Ye Tian in secret.

After returning to the clan, Gao Yao volunteered to lead the assassination mission, seeing it as his only chance at redemption.

He understood the stakes—seven million gold soul coins was no trivial amount.

If the money couldn't be recovered, it wouldn't just be his life at risk; even his family would suffer.

Determined to succeed, Gao Yao gathered five elite warriors from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and hired a renowned assassin named Nightingale, whose martial soul, Shadow, allowed her to kill unseen.

Nightingale was a Soul Douluo-level expert.

Approaching Nightingale, who wore a black silk outfit, Gao Yao lowered his voice and reminded her:

"Master Nightingale, when the time comes, you can kill those around Ye Tian, but be careful not to kill him."

Yu Tianheng had emphasized that Ye Tian was more valuable alive.

If they were going to assassinate him, it wasn't just about stopping the potato cultivation. They also intended to seize all his wealth to compensate for Ye Tian's affront to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.

Nightingale, veiled in black, flashed a mischievous smile, licking her pale, smooth hands.

"You didn't mention leaving him alive when you hired me."

Her words sent a chill down Gao Yao's spine.

"I'm telling you now. Is that acceptable?"

"Of course, but it'll cost extra."

Nightingale's narrowed eyes gleamed menacingly as she stared at Gao Yao.

Her gaze made Gao Yao shiver; this woman was terrifying.

"I agree!" he quickly replied.

Rumors had it that Nightingale had survived the Slaughter City—a place that left only the ruthless alive. Beneath her stunning beauty lay a cold-blooded killer.

"Very well. I'll do as you ask."

Nightingale smiled seductively.

Gao Yao nodded profusely. "Alright, let's head to Ye Tian's villa!"

At the Villa

Outside the villa, Ye Tian and his companions were bidding farewell to Qian Renxue.

Although Qian Renxue had planned to leave the East Sea shore the day before, she had stayed an extra day, excited by Ye Tian's agreement to help her.

However, with Ning Fengzhi urging her departure, Qian Renxue had no choice but to leave.

"Goodbye, Ye Tian. It's a pity I can't attend your wedding," Qian Renxue said softly.

"Next time for sure," Ye Tian replied with a smile, secretly eager for her to leave to avoid further complications.

"Hmm," Qian Renxue nodded, then asked curiously, "What do you mean by 'next time'?"

Ye Tian silently muttered to himself, Next time I get married, of course.

But outwardly, he maintained his smile. "I meant next time there's a happy occasion."

"I see," Qian Renxue said with a hint of envy. "Perhaps next time, you'll be celebrating the birth of your child."

"Perhaps," Ye Tian replied vaguely.

"Your Highness, it's getting late. If you don't leave now, you'll reach the next post station by nightfall," Ning Fengzhi reminded her.

"Understood, Teacher." Qian Renxue nodded and, before leaving, planted a seed of doubt in Ning Fengzhi's mind:

"Teacher, when investigating this case, pay attention to the Star Luo Empire. I have a feeling they're involved in this assassination attempt."

Ning Fengzhi chuckled dismissively. "Understood."

However, he inwardly scoffed. The Star Luo Empire wouldn't be so foolish. The Spirit Hall must be behind this.

After planting her suspicion, Qian Renxue smiled faintly and boarded her carriage.

"Farewell, Teacher, Rongrong, and Sword Douluo."

She waved one last time as the carriage departed.

Just as the carriage moved away, Sword Douluo suddenly stepped forward to shield Ning Fengzhi.

"Be careful, Sect Master!" he shouted.

At that moment, the sharp whistle of arrows filled the air.

Countless steel arrows rained down like a storm.

The force of the arrows was immense, shattering rocks upon impact. One arrow struck the horse pulling Qian Renxue's carriage, causing it to rear wildly and fling the driver to the ground.

Caught off guard by the sudden attack, Ye Tian hesitated. He had withdrawn most of his sentries to avoid alerting Ning Fengzhi and Sword Douluo, leaving a gap in his defenses.

As the villa's rooftop snipers signaled for permission to act, Ye Tian gestured for them to hold back.

With Ning Fengzhi and Sword Douluo present, there shouldn't be any major problems.

Calming himself, Ye Tian overheard Ning Fengzhi's command:

"Sword Douluo, protect the Crown Prince! This attack targets him!"

This confirmed Ning Fengzhi's suspicions—only the Spirit Hall had the motive and resources to orchestrate such an elaborate assassination attempt.

He vowed to thwart their plans at all costs.

(End of Chapter)

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