Chapter 67: The Assassin!

“Crazy woman, hurry up and let’s go find those two to clear things up,” Xiao Yang said anxiously.

Nalan Fangya merely lifted her head slightly, unmoved and showing not the slightest intention to explain. She even picked up a grape and savored it slowly, utterly unbothered.

“Hurry up! I’m still an innocent young man, and you’re ruining my reputation!” Xiao Yang knew that if this incident reached his junior sister’s ears, he’d probably be in for trouble. If Zhou Jingpeng heard of it, his life would become a nightmare, likely with someone chasing him around with a sword every day.

“Crazy woman, hurry up!” The situation was urgent.

Nalan Fangya shot him a dismissive glance, composed as ever. “Ha! Do you really think even if we explain, they’ll believe us?”

This caught Xiao Yang off guard, but he quickly came to his senses. People were naturally gossipy; even if they claimed not to speak, secrets always got passed on to close friends, who then told their friends. By the next day, the matter would surely be all over town. Even if they found those two, the rumor would still spread.

“Then we’ll have to kill…,” a glint of murderous intent flashed in Xiao Yang’s eyes. For the sake of his future, he could only wrong those two.

Nalan Fangya’s brows knit together in displeasure as she eyed Xiao Yang. “If you dare lay a hand on them, don’t blame me for being ruthless. Besides, I’m a woman and I’m not bothered—what are you, a grown man, so afraid of?”

She felt a touch aggrieved. She, a proper maiden, wasn’t even crying foul, yet this man was acting as though he’d suffered a great loss. This made her thoroughly dissatisfied with Xiao Yang.

“What do you know, I…” He opened his mouth, but in the end, said nothing.

At that moment, the door was knocked on again.

Xiao Yang’s eyes lit up, thinking those two had returned, and he moved to open the door.

“Coming,” he called.

He opened the door—to find a masked stranger. Almost simultaneously, a cold gleam shot toward him.

“An assassin!” Xiao Yang’s brows shot up. Realizing he couldn’t dodge, he gritted his teeth and grabbed for the assassin’s dagger.

The assassin’s eyes flickered with amusement. Poisoned daggers were standard for assassins, and his was coated with a particularly deadly toxin. Even a Martial Master would bleed from every orifice and die within moments if untreated. Even a Martial Marquis would have to waste time carefully detoxifying, or risk severe illness for months.

Almost instantly, a sharp pain shot through Xiao Yang’s hand, making him frown. But he did not let go.

“Damn it!” he cursed.

With his other hand, he formed a fist and drove it toward the assassin’s face. Seeing Xiao Yang had been poisoned, the assassin wavered—there was no need to finish the job; without the antidote, Xiao Yang would be dead in seconds.

“This poison is vicious!” Xiao Yang could feel his body’s discomfort. Without any other options, he immediately purchased an antidote pill through his system.

The next moment, a thumb-sized antidote pill appeared in his hand. Though tiny, its medicinal aroma was so potent that even the assassin quivered.

“A Profound Grade Antidote Pill!” the assassin exclaimed, disbelief in his eyes, and struck again. He knew that while his poison was deadly, it was also a common one. If Xiao Yang really took a Profound Grade antidote, he’d be fine.

“Die!” the assassin snarled.

As soon as Xiao Yang swallowed the pill, he used his inner energy to break it down and circulate its effects throughout his body. Instantly, black blood oozed from his fingers as the poison was expelled.

The assassin’s dagger slashed again, about to pierce Xiao Yang, but Xiao Yang suddenly raised his head, a surge of murderous intent erupting from him.

“Wind Howl Kicks!”

Crack! Crack! In the next second, the assassin dropped to his knees as both legs were brutally broken. Xiao Yang wasn’t about to let him off so easily.

“Ninefold Force!”

He unleashed a powerful punch.

Thud! A muffled sound, followed by eight more explosive cracks. The assassin’s knees slid seven or eight yards across the floor.

“Ugh!” The assassin spat a mouthful of blood, staring at Xiao Yang in disbelief. As a Martial Master, he had been utterly powerless.

“You…” He died before he could finish his sentence.

“Damn you!” Xiao Yang looked at the corpse, anger still simmering within. Two assassins in one day—just how badly did someone want him dead?

A sense of crisis welled up inexplicably. He resolved that once he returned, he would break through to Martial Master, so he’d have more means to protect himself.

Just then, Nalan Fangya emerged from the room, startled by the sight of the dead assassin. The attack had come so suddenly that even she hadn’t had time to react. The assassin had been a Martial Master, just like her. What truly shocked her was Xiao Yang—dispatching a Martial Master in a single breath.

Chilled to the core, she recalled the speed of his assault. Even if she was prepared, she doubted she could defeat him in a direct confrontation.

“Are you alright?” she asked.

She glanced at Xiao Yang’s bleeding hand, then, after a moment’s thought, tore a strip of cloth and bandaged his wound.

The commotion had already drawn others. A burly figure hurried over, concern in his eyes.

“Young master, are you alright?” Hao Wenlong’s face was grim—he blamed himself entirely. If he had been with Xiao Yang, this wouldn’t have happened.

“I’m fine, just a minor wound,” Xiao Yang replied with a smile.

Nalan Fangya was momentarily stunned. She had seen the assassin’s blade was laced with poison, yet Xiao Yang said nothing. He must not have wanted to worry his subordinate. Instantly, her impression of him improved.

“Young master, what should we do now?” Hao Wenlong asked.

“We’re going back!” Xiao Yang didn’t hesitate. He intended to return home, break through to Martial Master, and then return to his adventures—otherwise, he wouldn’t feel safe.

“Yes, sir!” Hao Wenlong responded.

As they were about to leave, Xiao Yang remembered the young woman behind him. He turned and said, “Until fate brings us together again.”

With that, he left.

Hao Wenlong glanced once at Nalan Fangya, immediately noticing the red marks left by the rope. His expression grew peculiar.

Nalan Fangya caught this look and instinctively shrank her hand back, but the gesture only made her seem more suspicious. Hao Wenlong gave her a knowing smile and nodded, quietly impressed with Xiao Yang.

“Incredible! He won over such an aloof heiress in just a few hours. Admirable—truly admirable!”

Nalan Fangya’s face flushed as she realized what he was thinking, but she offered no explanation.

Only after Xiao Yang left did she hastily return to her office. After changing into a long-sleeved dress, she re-emerged before her staff, a glint of murderous intent in her eyes.

“Someone, come here!”

An assassination attempt within the Myriad Treasures Hall was unacceptable. Soon, the entire hall was mobilized. She would make the Assassin’s League pay a heavy price.

Of course, Xiao Yang knew nothing of this. He was already on his way back to the Fortune Gathering House, intent on raising his cultivation before making any further plans.

In his heart, he had already begun to suspect who wanted him dead. Besides that person, he couldn’t imagine who else would spend a hundred thousand taels just to take his life.