Li Chen, now empty-handed, stared at the group of assassins. But unlike before, there was no trace of fear on his face—only a smug smile curling on his lips.
When Yu Qingci had earlier told him
"These assassins... they aren't the real ones."
he hadn't thought much of it. But now, a single moment of clarity struck him—and he instantly understood what needed to be done.
He formed a series of hand seals, his gaze locking onto the cluster of assassins ahead.
The moment the final seal was completed, a strange energy pulsed outward like a ripple across a still lake.
Several assassins halted abruptly, confusion flickering across their faces. They glanced at one another, their instincts screaming that something was wrong.
Then it hit them.
Their spiritual energy had vanished—dissipated into thin air. The strength in their bodies faltered, and they could no longer move with the agility they once had.
An oppressive sense of death loomed over them like a chopper on the head of pig head.
Before they could react, Li Chen charged like a tiger descending upon its prey.
His fists struck with deadly precision, slamming into the chests of two assassins. The sound of bones crunching beneath his blows echoed through the trees.
They died instantly, horror frozen in their lifeless eyes.
The others, witnessing their comrades' sudden deaths, were thrown into disarray.
But Li Chen gave them no time to regroup.
He summoned a blade from his storage ring—the very one he had seized from the assassins back in Liang Village.
Though his blade technique lacked the elegance of his swordsmanship, it was more than enough to silence these petty killers.
In a matter of moments, every stunned assassin fell under his swift and brutal assault.
He turned, panting slightly, and rushed to Yu Qingci's side.
Yu Qingci, who had long prepared herself for death, stood in place—completely stunned. Her mind refused to believe what her eyes were seeing. It all felt like a final, comforting illusion before passing into the next life.
She still thought she had died, and this was her final wish manifesting before her.
Li Chen grabbed her by both shoulders and said firmly, "Cici, listen carefully. Only strike the ones whose eyes look stunned or shocked. Just those. I'll handle the rest."
His tone was urgent. "Act quickly—we don't have much time."
Yu Qingci blinked as if waking from a dream. "I understand, husband," she said, her voice steadying.
Li Chen formed another set of hand seals, his eyes scanning the incoming wave of assassins.
Just like before, those struck by the technique felt their spiritual energy vanish. Their movements turned sluggish, their bodies dulled by confusion and fear.
Yu Qingci reacted immediately. Drawing her bow, she loosed arrow after arrow, taking down the stunned enemies with precision.
Together, they became a devastating rhythm—Li Chen binding, Yu Qingci executing. The deadly harmony between them reduced the number of enemies with startling speed.
But despite their success, the change wasn't dramatic. Dozens still remained.
There were still too many pseudo-assassins in the dark.
Eventually, the real assassins were all dealt with—but the fake ones kept emerging. No matter what method they used, the imposters seemed endless.
Frustration mounted.
"They just keep coming…" Yu Qingci muttered.
Li Chen shouted, "Cici, don't attack them. Just dodge their strikes—don't kill them when they come close."
She glanced at him, confused. "But—"
"The real ones are gone. The rest… they're shadows. Killing them is meaningless."
Though skeptical, Yu Qingci obeyed. The two began weaving through the battlefield like phantoms, dodging attacks with calm, precise movements.
Without the real assassins to guide the battle, the fakes became disoriented. They moved aimlessly and stumbled, unable to adapt. The chaos thinned, like a storm beginning to settle.
Yu Qingci asked breathlessly, "Husband, how did you do it? What secret method was that?"
Li Chen gave her a knowing smile but said nothing.
In truth, only moments before, Li Chen had come close to death. Dropping his sword, he had nearly given in to despair. Fear had consumed him—not of pain, but of true, eternal death.
And in that dark moment, he had cried out in his mind:
System… System…
Then, gritting his teeth: "You fucking bastard…"
Ding!
<
Host, are you calling me?
>
Li Chen didn't have time to argue with the bodiless shit.
"Can you help me with these assassins?!"
Ding!
<
Host, of course—
>
Before the system could finish, Li Chen's eyes lit up again.
"Then help me deal with them!" he shouted.
But the system coldly responded:
<
Host, what I meant was… of course not.
This system is bound by rules. I cannot directly interfere in the host's battles.
However, I can help by providing rewards that assist the host indirectly.
>
Li Chen growled. "No help again, huh?"
"Fine. Then give me something—quickly!"
<
Host, I have already distributed all rewards tied to your completed tasks.
To gain more, fulfill your duties as the family head.
>
Li Chen cursed. "You worthless shit! If I die here, I'll come back just to kill you again bastard!"
Before he could yell more, the system's presence vanished.
His heart pounded. Fear returned.
But then, a thought struck him like a flash of divine light.
Rewards…
"Yes the reward.....I've received rewards before…" he muttered.
The Mysterious-Grade Binding Technique.
A technique capable of binding anyone up to a full major realm above him—strong enough to bind a third-level Nascent Soul cultivator. That was enough for now.
Although the technique was meant to bind one person, he didn't hesitate.
He performed the hand seals again. To his surprise, the technique affected more than one assassin—but the strength of each was greatly reduced.
Even so, it was enough to disrupt and disable.
With the real assassins bound and executed, the battlefield finally settled.
---
Now, back to the present.
After a long silence, the leader of the assassins—who had been sitting lazily on a pine branch—descended, approaching the dome slowly.
"Haah… they should've turned into poor little souls by now," he sighed.
"What a tragedy." He wiped away fake tears. "May their souls find peace in the arms of the Thousand-Eyed Vulture."
He strode forward and punched the dome's outer wall. The barrier cracked, then shattered like fragile glass.
But his smug expression froze.
Inside, Li Chen and Yu Qingci stood—alive and alert—staring at him with unflinching eyes.
The scar-faced assassin blinked, then smiled as he stepped closer.
"Ah, still alive? That's good. Very good. You know… sometimes, killing someone with your own hands brings a certain… satisfaction."
He paused, eyes narrowing.
"It's subjective, of course. The fear. The despair. The helplessness. You never truly understand it until you feel it by yourself."
His footsteps were light, yet each one echoed like thunder.
"But don't worry. I'll make sure you both… experience it all."