Chapter 038
Chapter 38: Shadow Assassinate Order
At that same moment, the masked man stomped heavily onto the high courtyard wall, leaving deep footprints in the bricks.
In an instant, he twisted his body midair, a powerful Qi bursting forth from within, swiftly propelling him toward another direction.
Sitting atop the roof ridge, Li Mu Sheng raised his gaze and lightly furrowed his brow. He reached out, intending to swat away the flying object headed his way.
Unexpectedly, an elderly man trailing closely behind suddenly burst forward, charging aggressively toward Li Mu Sheng. With a low roar, he shouted:
“Get out of my way!”
The elder had an ancient face, loose skin sagging in deep, rugged wrinkles. Yet his eyes were shadowy and sharp like a blade.
His pale, gray palms glowed with ghostly light, waves of fierce wind surging from his profound Qi. One hand reached out to grab the cloth-wrapped object, while the other struck ruthlessly toward Li Mu Sheng.
“You old pest!”
Li Mu Sheng’s expression darkened. He had simply wanted to enjoy the moonlight in peace, avoiding unnecessary trouble. Yet these intruders, blind to reason, had come attacking without a word. [Who could endure such arrogance?]
Thus, the hand that had initially moved to knock aside the flying object changed course at an impossible angle, meeting the elder’s sinister, killing palm head-on.
At that moment, the old man felt joy rising within him as his other hand almost grasped the cloth-wrapped treasure. He hardly considered the pretty-faced young man in front of him a threat. [No matter how skilled a youth might be, how could he compete against decades of disciplined cultivation?] He was certain one palm strike would easily end this confrontation.
However, in the next instant, the elder’s triumph turned swiftly to confusion. The treasure, just moments from his grasp, suddenly vanished from sight, shooting far beyond his reach.
Fury flashed across his features, believing someone had stolen from his very hands.
Yet a sharp agony suddenly tore through his arm. He glanced down in terror, realizing he was flying backward through the air, the limb that collided with Li Mu Sheng twisted grotesquely like a snapped branch.
Astonishment and unbearable pain surged through his body as his internal organs felt crushed. His pupils shrank in disbelief as he watched the young figure on the rooftop grow smaller and smaller.
Only then did he realize he had been hurled tens of meters away and showed no sign of stopping.
“…How…how could he be this powerful?”
As horror seized the elder’s heart, the increasingly distant figure suddenly vanished from sight.
The next second, a voice whispered coldly beside his ear:
“Go back where you came from.”
In a flash, the elder felt himself swept up like a leaf caught in a storm, helplessly kicked back toward the original spot like a discarded rag.
Meanwhile, the masked man had thrown away the cloth bundle and fled desperately without looking back.
Qi surged between his feet, stirring gusts of wind as he raced through narrow streets and alleys. Reaching into his robe to confirm his hidden item was safe, he glanced briefly behind him. Seeing the red-robed woman still chasing relentlessly, he smirked coldly.
“I just hope that kid can serve as a decent distraction to hold off the old fart a bit longer. Once far enough away, I’ll find an opportunity to kill this troublesome woman.”
With this thought, he swiftly ducked around another corner into a long street.
But after only running a few yards further, he abruptly froze in place.
Beneath the silvery frost of moonlight stood a young man, silent and serene, blocking his path on the otherwise deserted stone street.
The masked man stared carefully, stunned:
“How can it be you?”
Though dressed plainly, the young man possessed a striking beauty. The masked man immediately recognized him as the youth who had been sitting quietly atop the roof.
Now, facing him expressionlessly, the youth calmly extended a hand and asked:
“Where’s the treasure you promised me?”
The masked man stood frozen in disbelief, uncertain how the young man, who should have been killed instantly by the elder, now appeared in front of him.
Feeling a surge of danger, he quickly adjusted his tone, respectfully clasping his hands:
“Little brother, that bundle I threw your way earlier contains a gold bar. That’s the treasure I promised you.”
He glanced back hastily, noting the red-clad woman’s rapidly approaching figure, and hurriedly added:
“Little brother, my enemy hunts me down—I must flee. The gold bar is yours; farewell.”
Turning swiftly, he intended to change direction and escape.
Yet panic gripped him when he discovered he could not move his legs. In a blink, as if teleporting, the young man suddenly appeared at his side.
Observing the masked man’s shock, Li Mu Sheng shook his head gently and casually reached into the other’s robe, retrieving a black cloth-wrapped item:
“A man without honor stands for nothing. One must always keep his word, do you understand?”
As he prepared to unwrap the bundle to discover what could cause these martial experts to disturb his peaceful evening, a shadow darted from the alley’s darkness—a woman dressed in vivid scarlet.
Her face was alluring, her body lithe as a serpent. Surrounded by a misty, pinkish haze, she arched her back and leaped swiftly like a shrimp through water, her speed so fast that she appeared as a mere blur under the moonlight.
At the same moment, a rich, intoxicating floral fragrance spread through the air, aiming to overwhelm and enchant Li Mu Sheng.
Clang!
A sharp blade rang out clearly as the woman, her lovely features twisted into venomous malice, appeared behind Li Mu Sheng. Her black-glowing dagger sliced straight toward his neck.
Yet Li Mu Sheng didn’t spare her even a glance. Ignoring the pink, poisonous mist, he simply waved a casual hand behind him.
Before the woman could understand what had happened, an irresistible force slammed into her, instantly driving her downward.
With a thunderous crash, silence shattered on the quiet street.
Half her body plunged deep into the solid bricks, shards exploding upward in a chaotic shower. Beneath the immense impact, the once-beautiful face of the woman crumpled into a bloody mess, forever losing its seductive charm.
Unbothered, Li Mu Sheng calmly unfolded the black cloth bundle in his hands.
Revealed within was an ancient, copper-colored token, marked clearly with three archaic characters:
“Shadow Assassinate Order!”