Chapter 039
Chapter 39: Conditions
“That’s all?”
Li Mu Sheng furrowed his brows and glanced down at the woman in red, her head deeply embedded in the shattered stones. His eyes then shifted to the masked man.
The masked man did not understand what Li Mu Sheng meant; his heart was still trembling from the earlier terrifying strike. Even he had to be extremely cautious when facing the woman in red. Yet, Li Mu Sheng had nearly killed her with just a casual slap. Such strength was utterly terrifying!
Seeing the masked man standing dazed and speechless, Li Mu Sheng shook his head. To avoid further trouble, he swiftly grabbed both the masked man and the half-dead woman from the ground. In one graceful leap, he vanished into the shadows of the nearby rooftops.
Before long, Li Mu Sheng silently returned to Cang Yin Yue’s courtyard. He casually tossed the two captives onto the ground.
Hearing the sound, Cang Yin Yue, who had been inspecting the unconscious old man with puzzlement, swiftly turned around. She glanced first at Li Mu Sheng, who had appeared ghost-like, and then down at the pair he had brought back.
“Hm? Isn’t this the Scarlet Rakshasa Woman?”
Cang Yin Yue gasped softly as she studied the woman in red. Although the woman’s face had been turned into a bloody mess, she recognized the poisoned black scimitar in her hand.
Li Mu Sheng showed little interest and casually asked, “Who is she exactly?”
“A wicked enchantress notorious throughout the Martial World. She practices cultivation by charming men. Countless men have died by her hand. Her favorite pastime is seducing married men, only to murder them afterward for her amusement,” explained Cang Yin Yue. She then reached out and pulled off the cloth covering the masked man’s face.
“Limping Grass Glider!”
Clearly recognizing him as well, Cang Yin Yue turned her gaze toward the old man lying unconscious nearby.
“If I’m not mistaken, this one should be Elder Death Face!”
Cang Yin Yue turned back toward Li Mu Sheng, astonishment evident in her voice. “All three are notorious criminals wanted by the Six Gates, each guilty of numerous evil deeds and countless murders. It’s barely been a moment—where on earth did you find them?”
Earlier, Cang Yin Yue had been questioning the armored guard in a secret chamber when she heard a loud noise from the courtyard. She had rushed outside immediately, only to find an unconscious old man and no sign of Li Mu Sheng. Before she could make sense of it, he had returned with two more captives, all of whom were notorious fugitives.
“They were nearby, practically delivered themselves to me. It seems they were fighting over something,” Li Mu Sheng shrugged and tossed a rusty token toward Cang Yin Yue. “I suppose it was this thing. Take a look—do you recognize it?”
Cang Yin Yue caught the token and studied it carefully under the moonlight. After a moment, she gasped sharply, her voice full of shock. “This…this is the Shadow Assassinate Order!”
Li Mu Sheng raised an eyebrow curiously. “Is this truly such a valuable treasure? It doesn’t look very special.”
Cang Yin Yue turned the token in her hands, examining it repeatedly, then shook her head. “I can’t be certain if it’s genuine or fake. If it’s real, then the entire Great Li Martial World will soon descend into chaos again.”
Seeing Li Mu Sheng’s questioning look, she continued unprompted:
“The Shadow Assassinate Order comes from the Shadow Assassinate Pavilion, an extremely secretive assassin organization in the Martial World. It’s the seal badge of the pavilion master. Legend says whoever holds this token can command all assassins in the pavilion.”
Hearing this, Li Mu Sheng chuckled softly. “Isn’t that too absurd? A mere token to command an entire organization? Who would believe such a silly rumor?”
Cang Yin Yue sighed gently. “You know only half the truth. The Shadow Assassinate Pavilion’s influence stretches across all Five Kingdoms. They dare assassinate anyone, from high-ranking nobles to ordinary commoners. Obtaining the token is only the first step. To truly command the pavilion, another condition must be met.”
“What condition?” Li Mu Sheng asked, growing more curious.
Cang Yin Yue glanced at him briefly, then slowly explained:
“The Shadow Assassinate Order reappears every few decades, usually when the previous pavilion master is nearing death. It’s released to select a new master. The second condition is the true test for the new master. Whoever holds the token must survive three assassination attempts by the pavilion’s assassins. Only then can one become the new master and command the entire pavilion.”
Li Mu Sheng eyed the brass token thoughtfully and nodded slightly. “Now, that sounds a bit more believable.”
At that moment, Cang Yin Yue suddenly hurriedly thrust the token back into Li Mu Sheng’s hands.
“What are you doing?” Li Mu Sheng asked suspiciously.
Cang Yin Yue knitted her elegant brows. “This token is trouble. I wouldn’t dare keep it. If I did, I wouldn’t even know how I’d die. You’d better return it from wherever it came.”
Li Mu Sheng studied the rusty token quietly, clearly lost in thought.
Seeing his expression, Cang Yin Yue felt a jolt of fear. “You’re not seriously considering keeping it, are you?”
Li Mu Sheng rubbed his chin and said casually, “Why not?”
With that, he slipped the token back into his robe, patting it gently.
Cang Yin Yue widened her eyes, clear as autumn waters, and stood dumbstruck. At that moment, she suddenly felt the urge to avoid Li Mu Sheng as if he were a venomous serpent and wished to chase him out of her small courtyard.
“Miss Cang, don’t just stand there. Hurry and interrogate that armored guard about the Heavenly Revelation Secret Treasury’s key,” Li Mu Sheng said nonchalantly, glancing over the three captives in the courtyard. “Since these three are infamous criminals, you can deal with them yourself. Consider them payment for tonight’s assistance. Perhaps you’ll soon receive a promotion in Six Gates.”
Cang Yin Yue gradually calmed herself, looking deeply at Li Mu Sheng.
Six Gates indeed had its own strict promotion system. Capturing notorious criminals was one way to climb ranks quickly. The three in front of her were powerful martial artists, each nearly a half-step Great Grandmaster. Normally, she would avoid them at all costs. But now, they lay helplessly before her, a remarkable opportunity for advancement.
After a brief contemplation, her voice turned serious. “They’ve all seen your face. If I hand them over to Six Gates, your identity would surely be exposed.”
A cold gleam flashed through her eyes as three swift, sharp blades flashed beneath the moonlight.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
In an instant, all three throats were cut cleanly. Cang Yin Yue’s icy voice broke the silence:
“Only the dead can keep secrets.”