The night arrived quietly as Xiao Yan and his companions waited in silence. As the crescent moon slowly ascended to the horizon, faint movements were heard from a hidden mountain hollow deep within the forest.
“Old Hai, if this assassination goes smoothly, there’s no need for you to appear. If there’s any unforeseen change, your assistance will be required,” Xiao Yan turned his head and looked at Hai Bodong, speaking solemnly after their preparations with Medusa were complete.
“Hmm.” Hai Bodong nodded, his expression serious, “Be careful. I will keep a watchful eye on the situation in the city.”
Xiao Yan smiled and nodded slightly, then turned to Medusa, whispering, “Let’s go.”
Upon hearing this, Medusa, now dressed in black, nodded and her figure swiftly appeared in mid-air, gazing into the distance at the city under the shroud of night, its defenses still intact.
Worried about attracting too much attention, Xiao Yan didn’t use Dou Qi wings but instead summoned his long-unused Purple Cloud Wings. Although these single wings were slower than Dou Qi wings, they were less conspicuous in the darkness. This was an assassination, not a frontal assault on the city.
Vibrating with Purple Cloud Wings, Xiao Yan’s figure quickly took to the air. His gaze intersected with Medusa’s, and they exchanged a slight nod. The two then transformed into shadows, dashing towards the city under the cover of night.
With their speed, they soon reached a point near the city walls. A quick glance revealed that most of the Dou Wang patrols had been withdrawn. The remaining soldiers, though numerous, posed no threat to them.
They stood silently in the darkness, waiting for the brief moment when two Dou Wangs crossed paths, creating an opening. Then, they swiftly dashed into the city, merging into the shadows of a building.
“Let’s split up here. Remember, leave immediately once you’ve succeeded, and we’ll regroup at the Black Mountain Fortress,” Xiao Yan said, his voice low as he glanced at the figures occasionally flying overhead.
Hearing this, Medusa hesitated slightly. While she could easily withdraw, Xiao Yan might face danger if surrounded by many strong opponents.
“Rest assured, even though I’m not a Battle Sect, it would be difficult for most Battle Emperors to stop me if I need to escape,” sensing her hesitation, Xiao Yan smiled and whispered softly.
“Okay… be careful,” Medusa nodded, her voice soft.
“Alright,” Medusa nodded again and without further delay, her figure flashed and she disappeared into the city as a blur.
Watching Medusa vanish, Xiao Yan exhaled softly, determined his direction, and headed in the opposite direction.
In a spacious pavilion at the heart of the city, Little Healer Immortal, sitting atop the roof, suddenly opened her gray-purple eyes. She glanced in the direction where Medusa and Xiao Yan were, then murmured to herself, “I’ve done all I can. Whether you succeed or not is up to you.”
The Mullen Valley camp was located in the northwest part of the city. Even in the dead of night, the camp was brightly lit. Armed soldiers patrolled diligently, and Dou Wangs flew overhead. On the high arrow towers, keen-eyed guards kept watch, their sharp gazes scanning the surroundings. Their bows and crossbows were ready, indicating a high level of alertness.
Outside the camp in the darkness, a shadowy figure flitted by, melting a small hole in the wooden fence. The figure then slipped inside.
Although the camp was heavily guarded, the absence of a true Battle Sect meant that the defenses were not much of a hindrance to Xiao Yan. Despite being just a Battle Emperor, his acute soul perception allowed him to minimize his exposure.
Within the well-lit camp, neither the patrolling soldiers nor the aerial figures noticed the shadow rapidly approaching the center of the camp.
While Xiao Yan infiltrated the Mullen Valley camp, Medusa appeared atop a vast, luxurious hall in the deepest part of the Golden Crane Sect. Her indifferent gaze swept through the gaps in the tiles, listening to the moans and familiar lewd laughter, her eyes growing colder. The Sect Leader of the Golden Crane Sect was known for his licentiousness, and even in this situation, he sought carnal pleasure.
She gently flexed her fingers, and a dense, seven-colored energy began to condense at her fingertips…
Despite the energy condensing, Medusa didn’t immediately act. Her eyes closed, as if in meditation, while the energy grew denser. A single strike would suffice, and for an assassination, one perfect opportunity was needed.
At the center of the Mullen Valley camp, a large tent stood, and in its shadow, a black figure materialized.
Focusing on the tent, a hint of heat appeared in the air after a moment. A tiny hole appeared on the surface of the tent, revealing the interior. Inside, three elderly figures sat in a triangular formation, eyes closed, their breath intermingling, and a red energy flowed among them. It entered the body of the weakest elder, evidently the Tiger-Headed Elder injured by Xiao Yan. The others seemed to be healing him.
“This Three Beast Barren Decree is indeed profound, capable of mutual healing and quite effective. Truly, it’s the highest technique of the Mullen Valley,” Xiao Yan thought, impressed and recognizing the value of the technique.
Exhaling softly, Xiao Yan calmed his mind and began to circulate his Dou Qi. The healing ritual inside the tent lasted about ten minutes before stopping, and the three elders gradually opened their eyes.
“How is it?” Seeing the red energy enter the Tiger-Headed Elder, the other two relaxed, asking.
“I’ve recovered some, but the injury is still severe. Full recovery will require the sixth-grade pill in the valley…” the Tiger-Headed Elder said, his face dark.
“Didn’t expect that kid to have such tricks. We underestimated him,” one Mullen Elder frowned.
“This time, it was just a matter of being caught off guard. Also, the lotus of fire he used on Yaneluo must have cost him significantly. He can’t recover quickly,” the Tiger-Headed Elder’s eyes filled with resentment, “When the elite experts arrive, we will unite with the Golden Crane Sect. Even without the Poison Sect, we will drown the Flame Alliance in blood!”
The other two elders, faces grim, nodded. If they returned empty-handed from this joint attack on the Jia Ma Empire, the Mullen Valley would lose face in the future.
Just as they nodded, a sharp, earsplitting sound reverberated through the camp.
The Mullen Elders’ expressions changed, and without hesitation, they moved to protect the heavily injured Tiger-Headed Elder.
As they moved, the tent ripped, and a figure enveloped in silver light burst in, accompanied by fierce winds.
“Xiao Yan?! You really came!” The Mullen Elders’ eyes narrowed, and they shouted, unleashing their powerful Dou Qi. They punched the silver figure together, their fists colliding with a powerful force.
The figure trembled violently, and as the elders watched in shock, it dissipated.
“An afterimage?!” Drawing on their experience, the elders turned, only to see a black-robed youth standing like a ghost beside the Tiger-Headed Elder, his hand gripping the latter’s neck.
Seeing their gaze, the black-robed youth smiled, his teeth gleaming in the light, sending chills down their spines.
“Suffering the same trick twice—should I call you fools, or am I just lucky?”
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