Killer Appears

Ling Xi looked at the smug gray-robed elder. A hint of a perfectly timed, seemingly dependent and fragile smile appeared on her usually cold face as she spoke:

Senior possesses vast magical powers and shakes the four directions with your prestige. From now on, the safety of the few of us will have to rely entirely on you, Senior.

Her voice was crisp, carrying a trace of relief and the rejoicing of having found a backer.

Hearing this, the gray-robed elder became even more exceptionally proud. He stroked his beard and laughed aloud, the vigilance in his heart relaxing by another few degrees.

Hahaha! Easy to say! Easy to say! Rest assured, little girl, follow this old man, and I guarantee no one will dare to touch a single hair on your heads! Quickly, bring out the secret token!

He urged again, already somewhat impatient.

In the distance, Phantom Shadow took in this entire scene.

Combining this with Ling Xi's profound glance from just moments ago, he instantly understood her entire scheme!

So that's how it is! Phantom Shadow sneered in his heart, a flash of realization and deeper amusement passing through his eyes.

What a fine borrowing a knife to kill! What a fine diverting the disaster!

This little girl wants to push this greedy old fool completely to the front, using him as a shield against my Netherworld Palace and a vanguard thug!

Such decisive calculation! To be able to utilize every available factor and come up with a counter-strategy in such a short time... this woman cannot be underestimated!

Having figured all this out, Phantom Shadow was not angry; instead, his evaluation of Ling Xi rose by a few notches.

This game of chess was becoming increasingly interesting.

Since you want to borrow a knife to kill...

The corners of Phantom Shadow's mouth beneath the mask curled up into a cold arc of cruel amusement. Then this seat shall grant your wish!

This seat will accept this knife! It just so happens that I can use this old ghost's head to add the most colorful stroke to my Netherworld Palace's setback this time!

His cold divine sense transmitted into the minds of the four peak King Realm assassins behind him:

I will deal with that gray-robed elder. You go and assassinate those four. Strike ruthlessly and make a grand scene. You must ensure this grand play is sung with a bang!

Yes! Four streams of cold killing intent quietly condensed in the shadows.

His mind made up, Phantom Shadow no longer hesitated.

He extended his right index finger. At the fingertip, a drop of blood—crimson with a dark golden luster, containing boundless Saint King essence—slowly seeped out.

Flicking his finger, the blood drop silently merged into the shadows ahead.

The next moment, the shadow violently squirmed and expanded as if possessing life, rapidly outlining a humanoid silhouette.

In the blink of an eye, a figure identical in appearance and aura to Phantom Shadow's true body condensed into form.

It was none other than Phantom Shadow's Holy Blood Avatar!

This avatar not only possessed a portion of Phantom Shadow's main body's combat awareness and experience, but its aura was also perfectly simulated and suppressed at the peak Quasi-Saint realm, incredibly solid and full of flesh and blood.

Its eyes were as sharp as a falcon's, and its whole body exuded a tyrannical coercion on par with that of the gray-robed elder. Furthermore, due to its assassin nature, it carried a bit more fierce killing intent.

No matter who looked at it, this was a living, terrifyingly powerful top-tier assassin of the Netherworld Palace. It was absolutely impossible to tell that it was an avatar!

A cold light identical to the main body flashed across the avatar's eyes. With a movement of its body, it merged into the night, stealthily moving toward the valley like a ghost.

At the same time, the four peak King Realm assassins behind Phantom Shadow scattered silently like hounds receiving a command, flanking from different directions.

In the valley, the gray-robed elder was still waiting for Ling Xi to hand over the Seven Stars Sub-Token, already becoming somewhat impatient.

Suddenly, a terrifying killing intent carrying naked destructive intent struck abruptly like several invisible sharp blades.

The intensity of this killing intent made the gray-robed elder's hairs stand on end instantly, his expression changing drastically!

He whipped his head around, only to see five figures attacking like grim reapers stepping out of hell!

The leading person, covered in a gray robe, had a cold and stern face and hollow, deathly still eyes. It was exactly Phantom Shadow's Holy Blood Avatar!

The peak Quasi-Saint aura exuding from his body was incomparably fierce! The four people behind him, although only at the peak of the King Realm, had condensed killing intent and tacit cooperation, clearly being top-tier assassins who had long experienced the battlefield!

Netherworld Palace!

The gray-robed elder cried out in alarm, both shocked and angry in his heart.

He hadn't expected Netherworld Palace assassins to appear here, and with such a powerful lineup!

A peak Quasi-Saint assassin, plus four peak Kings! This was absolutely the top assassination lineup of the Netherworld Palace!

Just at the moment this killing intent descended and tensions reached a breaking point, Ling Xi's voice rang out at the perfect time, carrying just the right amount of panic, as she urgently said to the gray-robed elder:

Careful, there are assassins! Please, Senior, keep your promise and protect us!

The gray-robed elder's hairs instantly stood on end. The intense sense of crisis made his scalp tingle, and he could no longer care about his face.

He hurriedly waved his hands at the leading Phantom Shadow avatar, explaining at lightning speed: A misunderstanding! Fellow Daoists of the Netherworld Palace, this is absolutely a massive misunderstanding! This old man is Venerable Xuanyin, and I am complete strangers with these few little friends before me. We have no connection whatsoever!

I just happened to be passing by this place; I have absolutely nothing to do with them! This old man will absolutely not interfere with the grievances between you. I will leave right now! I will leave right now...

As he spoke, he tried to slowly back away, showing his intention of not wanting to fight, only wanting to quickly escape this place of trouble.

However, the response he received was the Phantom Shadow avatar's hoarse, cold sneer filled with disdain and killing intent, its voice like rubbing coarse sandpaper:

A misunderstanding? I saw with my own eyes that you blocked in front of them. Die!!!

Before the words fully fell, not giving the gray-robed elder any chance to explain further, the Phantom Shadow avatar violently launched an attack!

His figure blurred, tearing through space like a ghost, appearing directly in front of Venerable Xuanyin. The pair of nether ghost claws in his hands, wrapped in the aura of death, let out an ear-piercing shriek as they aimed straight for the opponent's heart!

The offensive was ruthless and decisive, completely without half a bit of hesitation or room for reasoning!

You! Unreasonable!

Venerable Xuanyin was both shocked and furious, his lungs ready to explode from anger! He hadn't expected the people of the Netherworld Palace to be so overbearing and vicious, not even giving a chance to explain before directly going for the kill!

In his haste, he could only roar furiously, violently striking out with both palms wrapped in boundless profound yin energy!

For a time, energy rumbled and exploded within the valley, sword qi tore through the sky, and claw shadows were bizarre and tricky!

Venerable Xuanyin was completely plunged into a bitter struggle!

He felt so aggrieved he wanted to vomit blood. He clearly just wanted to pick up a bargain, so how did he inexplicably become someone else's meat shield, and even have to be beaten to death by a madman?

At the same time, the other four peak King Realm assassins shot toward Ling Xi's group of four like four arrows released from a bowstring!

Protect Fatty Wang!

Xiao Ruobai shouted explosively, his Nine Heavens Dragon Soul Halberd fiercely meeting one of the assassins.

Fang Hanyu's Absolute Beginning Sword left its sheath, unfurling a Primal Chaos Sword Domain, instantly intercepting another person.

Ling Xi's jade hands formed hand seals, the clear light barrier reappearing. While protecting Fatty Wang, she cleverly diverted the offensive of the other two assassins to the side.

The battlefield was instantly split into two!

On the main battlefield, Venerable Xuanyin was both shocked and furious!

The Phantom Shadow avatar wore an expression as cold as iron, unleashing an offensive like a violent storm. Its Netherworld Ghost Claws carried a soul-tearing shriek, with every single strike aimed to kill.

"Bastards! You push me too far!" Venerable Xuanyin was thoroughly enraged by the assault. His Xuanyin Qi fully erupted, clashing fiercely with the avatar.