C6 Assassination in the Middle of the Night

Ye Xiao refrained from interrupting the intimate conversation between his father and another. With soft footsteps, he retreated to his own quarters and lay on his bed, where the image of Ye Pingnan lingered in his thoughts. Though only in his forties, his father's frame was slightly stooped, his hair peppered with gray. Whenever his gaze met Ye Xiao's, it was filled with a mix of reluctance and affection.

"From this moment forth, you are my father," Ye Xiao resolved within himself. A crackling sensation, as if something inside him had shattered, brought an unexplainable lightness to his heart.

"Brother, is this your fixation?" Ye Xiao murmured, gazing at the ceiling, his eyes hazy with emotion.

Ever since his arrival in this world, Ye Xiao had maintained a constant vigilance, even in his sleep. But now, as his obsession crumbled, he couldn't help but succumb to a sense of ease.

Outside his door, a shadow loomed, cloaked in black, with a long sword in hand that gleamed faintly. Ye Xiao, lost in a daze inside, remained utterly unaware.

The door eased open silently, the moonlight spilling in, reaching all the way to Ye Xiao's bedside.

Startled by the moonlight, Ye Xiao snapped to alertness, his body drenched in cold sweat. He was astonished that he had been so relaxed, he hadn't detected someone's entrance.

Who could it be? Was it the same person who had been assisting him with his meridian cultivation at night?

Footsteps approached, the intruder drawing nearer to Ye Xiao.

A tightness gripped Ye Xiao's chest as a familiar sensation washed over him—killing intent. This was not the same visitor as before. This person came with the intent to kill.

"Qian Yuan Sword, Qian Yuan Sword!" Ye Xiao called out inwardly. Despite his rapid progress, at only the sixth level of Provener, any Master-level adversary would leave him defenseless. The enigmatic Qian Yuan Sword was his sole source of confidence.

"What's the commotion? Don't you know your elder needs his rest?" The Qian Yuan Sword's voice emerged, tinged with indolence.

"It's a matter of life and death, elder! Come to my aid!" Ye Xiao's spirit lightened upon hearing the Qian Yuan Sword's voice.

"Oh? Someone's out to kill you, is that it?" The Qian Yuan Sword quipped.

"What's this person's strength?" Ye Xiao inquired.

"Primitive ninth level, just a notch above you!"

Ye Xiao's heart eased with a sense of relief. He was only at the sixth level of the Primitive, but he still had enough strength to put up a fight.

Should he stand and fight, or should he call for help?

Ye Xiao hesitated. If he chose to fight, his cultivation technique, though not as strong, should keep him from worrying too much. If he called for help, either his father or Master Teng, both nearby his small courtyard, would surely be able to take down the intruder.

Yet, both options would give the assailant ample time to react—enough time to either commit suicide or escape. If that happened, the trail would go cold. As the King of Assassins, with his pride and arrogance, such an outcome was unacceptable.

He pondered his next move and consulted with his Qian Yuan sword.

The intruder was overly cautious, even hesitant. They took three to four minutes to cross the few steps from the door to Ye Xiao's bedside.

Standing by Ye Xiao's bed, the assailant raised the long sword, but hesitated to strike. The hand holding the blade even trembled slightly.

Ye Xiao, though unable to open his eyes, could guess the killer's appearance based on his experience. Was there an underlying story?

A sigh unexpectedly escaped the lips of the attacker.

Ye Xiao was taken aback! This was no assassin—no true killer would make such a basic mistake. But if not an assassin, why attempt to kill him?

After the sigh, the man seemed to steel himself, plunging the long sword down with force. However, it wasn't aimed at Ye Xiao's heart, but at his right rib.

Ye Xiao was now convinced there was a reason behind the attack. The assailant, though merely at the ninth level of the Primitive, would not mistake a non-lethal strike for a fatal blow. A stab to the right rib might severely wound him, but it wouldn't threaten his life.

Once the attacker had struck, he paid no heed to Ye Xiao's condition, nor did he wonder why Ye Xiao remained silent. He quickly leapt out the back window and vanished into the darkness.

Ye Xiao, previously lying on the bed, leapt up and effortlessly trailed the man. To the Qian Yuan Sword, such a minor wound was negligible. The bleeding ceased within moments, not hindering Ye Xiao's pursuit in the least.

The man he followed ran wildly, oblivious to any pursuit. For Ye Xiao, a supreme assassin, tracking him was a breeze.

About a quarter of an hour later, the man entered a residence. Ye Xiao deftly climbed onto the roof and lay flat to eavesdrop.

"Is your mission accomplished?" came a voice, distinct from the assassin's.

"Done. When do I get my family back?" The assassin's tone was deep, tinged with anger.

"Easy now! Once Ye Pingnan is dead, not only will you get your family back, but the second master will also give you a generous reward," another voice replied.

"You people have no honor!" The assassin was seething.

"Trust me, I keep my promises. Enough chatter, or I'll make sure to 'take care' of your wife and son," a sinister voice threatened.

"You!" The assassin was livid with rage.

"Relax, your family is safe with us. As soon as Ye Pingnan is dead, they'll be returned to you," a voice said with a hint of arrogance.

The assassin, filled with anger yet powerless, turned and left the room.

"Qian Yuan Sword, how strong are those two inside?" Ye Xiao asked, his eyes glinting with a murderous intent. He would show no mercy to those who sought his life.

"Forget it. One's a Master Level 9, the other a Master Level 3. You wouldn't stand a chance," the Qian Yuan Sword responded nonchalantly.

Ye Xiao hesitated. "Qian Yuan Sword, is there any way you can take them out now?"

"Not a chance! At my prime, a mere glance would have been enough to end them. But now, I'm sealed. Unless you find what I need, they're out of your reach," the sword retorted.

Ye Xiao fell silent, without even a hint of where to find the five items the Qian Yuan Sword required.

After listening a while longer to the silent room, Ye Xiao had no choice but to follow the path of his would-be assassin.

Before long, the silhouette of the assassin entered Ye Xiao's line of sight, still completely off guard.

To Ye Xiao's astonishment, the figure was making a beeline for the Ye Residence.

Could it be?

In a turn of events both anticipated and surprising, the figure made its way back to the Ye Residence.

Moving with ease, the shadow eventually vanished into one of the rooms.

Ye Xiao had been at the residence for several months. Although he spent little time there, the staff was small, and he had come to know them well.

The area before him was where several of the Ye Family's old servants resided.

After a moment's hesitation, Ye Xiao chose not to follow. He slipped away quietly back to his own modest quarters.

Lying in bed, he reflected on the day's events. Though he was the one targeted, the true mark was his father.

Memories flooded back: his mother's years-long coma, the unexplained deaths of his two brothers, and the Ye Family's years of decline.

He might be the sole beacon of hope for his father to cling to. Outsiders might see him as worthless, but in his father's eyes, he was undoubtedly vital.

If any harm befell him, it would be the final burden his father could not bear. The already precarious Ye Family would surely crumble.

While Ye Xiao couldn't confirm the identity of the assailant, he was certain it was one of their own old servants.

This was one of the few quandaries that weighed on Ye Xiao.