"Everyone has their own secrets, and I am no exception," Bai Li Changqing spoke calmly.
"Hmm," Ye Yaar was momentarily stunned before a soft smile appeared on her face.
"Please, don't take my daughter away…"
At that moment, a commotion broke out at the entrance of the inn.
"Let's go check it out."
Hearing the noise, Ye Yaar frowned and quickly got up to leave. Bai Li Changqing, though uninterested at first, hesitated briefly before following her outside.
As they reached the entrance, they saw several soldiers from the Marquis's estate forcibly dragging away a beautiful young woman.
"The Marquis wants her as a concubine. This is a great honor for you—don't be ungrateful!" one of the soldiers barked at the girl's mother, who was crying and pleading.
With a kick, he sent the woman tumbling back, her frail body crashing to the ground as she coughed up blood.
Seeing this, Ye Yaar rushed over and helped the woman up.
"Humph, let's go!" The soldier cast a disdainful glance at them before continuing to drag the girl away.
Using a special technique, Ye Yaar quickly revived the woman.
"My daughter…" The woman wept as she sat on the ground, her face twisted in grief.
Ye Yaar stood silently, watching the heartbreaking scene unfold. She stood up, clearly wanting to help but knowing she lacked the power to stop it. The Marquis's estate was filled with powerful warriors—there was nothing she could do.
"Damn it…" Nearby, a few onlookers were grumbling angrily, but none dared to intervene. In this city, the Marquis ruled like an emperor, and his power was absolute.
"Don't worry. He won't be pleased with himself for much longer," Bai Li Changqing murmured to Ye Yaar.
…
Meanwhile, on a distant mountain, Atum roared in frustration.
"Damn it! Where is that sword? Where did it go?!"
Beside him, Malchi's face was grim. Even after their exhaustive search, they hadn't found anything.
"We should let it go for now. The Moonshine City conference is about to start—we need to be there," Malchi said solemnly.
"Hmph, fine. Let's go." Despite his frustration, Atum nodded in agreement, and the two departed.
…
In the following days, Bai Li Changqing noticed that security in Moonshine City had become significantly tighter. More and more warriors and dignitaries were arriving from other cities, though he wasn't sure why.
While contemplating this, he found himself deep in the forest outside Moonshine City, fighting beasts.
Roar!
A massive beast lunged at him, furious after seeing its companion slain by Bai Li Changqing. Its roar echoed through the forest.
Without a hint of emotion, Bai Li Changqing swung his sword, slicing the beast clean in half.
Blue blood splattered everywhere, but it was quickly absorbed by Jiemie.
[Killed Ninth-Grade Beast, Gained 9,000 Evolution Points]
[Absorbed Ninth-Grade Beast Blood, Gained 9 Energy Points]
[Absorbed Ninth-Grade Beast Blood, Gained 9 Energy Points]
…
The system's notifications appeared once more.
"Still just a Ninth-Grade beast," Bai Li Changqing muttered, retrieving the beast core from the creature's remains. He felt a bit disappointed. The highest level of beasts he had encountered in the forest so far was only Ninth-Grade.
Over the past few days, Bai Li Changqing had been hunting beasts in the forest to quickly increase his strength. Not only did killing them make him stronger, but their beast cores were also valuable resources.
"Anyway, I'm close," Bai Li Changqing thought. He could feel his power reaching the threshold of breaking through to the Martial Saint realm. Just one final push, and he would ascend.
Recently, with the influx of warriors into Moonshine City, it was clear that something significant was about to happen. He knew he needed to assassinate the Marquis as soon as possible.
"Another Ninth-Grade beast down?" A voice called from behind.
"Yeah," Bai Li Changqing nodded.
Turning around, he saw Ye Yaar approaching with a small basket strapped to her back, filled with valuable herbs she had gathered from the forest.
"Let's head back," she said as she came up to him.
Bai Li Changqing nodded, sheathing Jiemie. As they walked, a slight unease crept into him. "Still not enough evolution points," Ye Fan grumbled internally. Despite Bai Li Changqing's efforts in slaying beasts, the quality of the beasts in the area just wasn't high enough.
As they passed through a bamboo grove, Ye Yaar paused, noticing something unusual.
"The bamboo is flowering," she said, surprised. Bai Li Changqing, curious, also took a closer look. It was his first time seeing bamboo in bloom.
"When bamboo flowers, it means it's nearing the end of its life," Ye Yaar explained with a tinge of sadness. "Once it blooms, it withers and dies."
"One bloom in a lifetime, and no regrets even in death," Ye Yaar continued softly, almost to herself. "I hope I too can one day shine brightly, even if it means death."
Her words left Bai Li Changqing puzzled, though he didn't dwell on them for long. His life was all about assassination. He never worried about when he might die.
"Tomorrow night, the mission will be complete," Bai Li Changqing said suddenly.
Ye Yaar hesitated before replying, "There are a lot of powerful warriors from other cities gathering here for a meeting. Security will be tight."
"The more chaotic it gets, the easier it will be to act," Bai Li Changqing responded, his eyes narrowing.
"Do you have a plan?" Ye Yaar asked.
"Yeah."
…
The next evening, Bai Li Changqing donned his black assassin's outfit, along with his signature conical hat and face mask. He was ready to move.
Meanwhile, Ye Yaar stood in a dark alley, carefully scanning her surroundings. In her hand, she held several small black spheres.
Taking a deep breath, she threw one of the spheres towards the city gate.
Boom!
The moment it hit, the sphere exploded with a deafening sound, shattering the silence of the night.