6:The Assassin Strikes

Chapter 6: The Assassin Strikes

The cold night air crept into my room as I sat cross-legged, focusing on my breathing. After everything that had happened today, I had little time to waste.

The traitor within the Demonic Cult was real.

A member of the Silent Blades Sect's Five Shadows was coming for me.

And Xiao Rin—an assassin from that very sect—had chosen to warn me instead of finishing the job herself.

It was clear that my survival wasn't guaranteed. If I wanted to live, I had to be ready for anything.

I exhaled slowly, activating the Nano Essence Enhancement. Instantly, the Qi around me surged, flowing into my body like a raging current.

Ding!

[Qi Absorption Rate: 250% Efficiency]

[Next Breakthrough Approaching: 62%]

Good. I was growing, but not fast enough.

I needed more.

Training Before the Storm

I stood up, gripping the Hidden Blade of the Night at my waist. The blacksmith had given me this weapon, but I hadn't tested it yet. Now was the time.

Drawing the dagger, I moved into a combat stance, imagining an enemy before me.

Shadow Step!

My feet shifted in an instant, propelling me forward at an angle as if I had teleported. My blade lashed out, striking at an imaginary enemy's throat.

I pivoted, reversing my grip and slashing behind me, then rolled forward and drove the dagger into the wooden training dummy. The blade pierced straight through as if cutting silk.

Ding!

[Hidden Blade of the Night: First Use Bonus Unlocked!]

[New Passive Ability: Silent Execution – Attacks deal +30% damage when striking from stealth.]

A smirk crept onto my lips. This was perfect for an assassin's world like this.

I turned toward Han Min, who had been watching from the side, his face pale. "Brother Ye, are you… even human anymore?"

I laughed. "Why? Jealous?"

Han Min nodded furiously. "Absolutely."

Before I could respond, a knock echoed at the door.

A voice followed, one of the Demonic Cult's inner disciples. "Elder Ye, we have news."

Han Min opened the door, letting the disciple enter. The man bowed respectfully, then whispered, "We received word that an outsider entered the cult's territory tonight."

I frowned. "An outsider?"

The disciple hesitated before nodding. "No one saw their face, but the energy fluctuations suggest someone in the Earth Realm or higher."

That confirmed it.

One of the Five Shadows was already here.

The Silent Executioner

That night, I didn't sleep. I sat in my room, Hidden Blade in hand, body tense.

The attack would come soon.

And sure enough—

A soft creak. A faint rustling.

The shadows moved.

I reacted instantly, flipping off my bed and rolling forward just as a dagger stabbed through the pillow where my head had been.

My room exploded into chaos.

A masked figure stood before me, their movements unnaturally fluid, as if they weren't human. Their blade gleamed under the moonlight, dripping with a dark, poisonous sheen.

A deep voice, distorted by Qi, spoke from behind the mask. "You should have died the first time."

Ding!

[Warning: High-Level Assassin Detected!]

Opponent: Member of the Five Shadows – "Silent Executioner"

Power Level: Mid-Earth Realm

Threat Level: Extremely High

Mid-Earth Realm? A full realm above me.

This would be a true life-or-death fight.

The Fight Begins

The assassin didn't waste time. He lunged, moving twice as fast as a normal cultivator, his poisoned dagger aimed straight for my heart.

I barely dodged, twisting my body just enough for the blade to graze my ribs.

A sharp sting. My skin burned where the dagger had touched me.

Poison.

I gritted my teeth and counterattacked, slashing upward with the Hidden Blade.

CLANG!

The assassin parried effortlessly, twisting his weapon around mine and attempting to disarm me.

I reacted on instinct, using Shadow Step to vanish and reappear behind him. My dagger lashed out—

But he was already gone.

The assassin had anticipated my movement.

A hand wrapped around my throat from behind, dragging me backward toward his blade.

Shit.

I barely managed to twist my body, jamming my elbow into his ribs. He let go just enough for me to escape his grip, rolling forward.

We faced each other again.

I was fast. But he was faster.

A Desperate Gamble

I couldn't win by pure strength. He outmatched me.

But I had something he didn't.

I had a system.

Ding!

[New Temporary Skill Unlocked: Instant Reflex (Lv.1)]

Your body reacts 0.2 seconds faster to any attack.

The assassin lunged again, his dagger flashing toward my throat.

But this time, I saw it.

I moved before my mind even processed the attack.

CLANG!

My blade met his perfectly, deflecting it at just the right angle.

For the first time, the assassin hesitated.

That was my chance.

I activated Silent Execution, fading into the shadows. My body blended into the darkness, vanishing from his sight.

His head snapped around, searching. "What—?"

I struck.

My Hidden Blade sank into his side, piercing just below the ribs.

The assassin let out a choked breath, staggering backward.

"You…" he rasped.

I twisted the blade deeper. "Tell me who sent you."

He coughed blood but laughed weakly.

"You won't… make it out alive."

His body convulsed, and suddenly, a dark smoke erupted from his mouth.

Self-destruction!

I jumped back just in time. His body dissolved into ash, leaving nothing but his dagger behind.

I exhaled sharply.

That was too close.

Aftermath & A Familiar Presence

The fight was over, but my mind was racing.

Who had sent him? And why did he self-destruct instead of talking?

I picked up his black dagger, inspecting it. The hilt bore a familiar insignia.

A serpent wrapped around a dagger.

I knew that mark.

The traitor wasn't just an elder of the Demonic Cult.

They were part of a hidden faction—one that wanted me dead at all costs.

I turned toward the window.

And that's when I saw her.

Xiao Rin.

She stood on the rooftop across from me, arms folded, watching.

For how long? I had no idea.

"You didn't help," I called out.

She smirked. "You didn't need it."

I sighed. "What do you want this time?"

Xiao Rin tilted her head. "You just killed one of the Five Shadows. Do you know what that means?"

I narrowed my eyes. "That more are coming."

She smiled. "Exactly."

Then she vanished, leaving me with more questions than answers.

I clenched my fists.

The next fight was coming.

And next time, I wouldn't just survive.

I would win.

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Chapter 7 Teasers:

Ye Qing tracks down the traitor's influence.

A major Demonic Cult event forces him into the spotlight.

Xiao Rin tests Ye Qing's abilities in a different way.

Would you like a more intense investigation next or another battle soon? Let me know, and I'll write Chapter 7! 🚀🔥