Chapter 36: Assassination

"In the end, it is nothing more than something that cannot be brought into the light. Had it been within my own sect, the patriarch would have long since cast it out."

The middle-aged martial artist nodded. "Those four paper beauties are not much different from the one combined; if the four were together, they would be far superior to that single one."

The magistrate’s son looked thoughtful. "I say the single one is better. After all, whether in terms of being lifelike or the combined essence, it is superior."

The Taoist priest’s mouth twitched, and he distanced himself from the pair.

The sword-carrying youth who had been with them was nowhere to be seen, but a new young man had appeared in his place. This man, still immersed in the "old immortal's" performance, could not help but exclaim in admiration, "To possess such a wondrous art—if it were in my hands, I would surely live a life of wealth and glory. What a pity, what a pity..."

Jie Peiling listened while walking back toward the direction he had come. He sought the truth. That combined paper beauty had given him a very peculiar feeling, as if he had seen it somewhere before, and the recollection was far from pleasant. It was no longer mere hostility coming from the creature; it was pure, unadulterated intent to kill.

Frowning at the thought, he realized this matter had to be resolved quickly. Although he did not know when he had provoked the woman formed from the talisman, since she displayed such lethal intent, there was no choice but to kill or be killed.

The first step was to find the old immortal. Jie Peiling sensed that this matter was not as simple as it appeared. That talisman was more than it seemed; in the deepest sense, it either served some other function or was part of a deeper scheme. Jie Peiling did not believe the old immortal would display his peerless craft in public without any ulterior motive.

He had kept his senses locked on the old immortal’s position. The man had left in a hurry, likely because he realized something had gone wrong with the woman in the talisman.

Just then, Jie Peiling suddenly looked up. A man in black was sitting on a wall, idly tossing a stone in his hand. Seeing him approach, the man sneered, "Who are you? Sometimes, meddling in others' business can cost you your life."

Jie Peiling asked, "And who are you?"

The man in black faltered. "You don't even know who we are, yet you helped those people in Douyuan Prefecture oppose us?"

Jie Peiling replied, "So, that woman in plain clothes is one of yours? And the fact that the City God of this prefecture is trapped, and the dual gods of civil and martial arts have fallen into corruption—that was all your doing as well?"

The man in black fell silent for a moment, looking at him as if he were an idiot. "Since you already know, then leave. Leave Douyuan Prefecture, no matter where you go."

Jie Peiling asked, "Why are you doing this? What about the people of this city?"

The man in black sneered, "What do they have to do with me? On the path of cultivation, everything that happens to them is necessary. Doing this is actually a form of help—dying early means reincarnating early. Who knows, perhaps in their next life they will be born as the son of an elder in some cultivation sect? In a way, I am helping them."

"Enough talk. From the moment you laid hands on that woman in plain clothes, it was fated that we would not be on the same path. Were it not for the fact that you are also a cultivator, the mere act of ruining our most vital scheme would be enough to cost you your life."

Before Jie Peiling could speak, the dark shadow on the wall lunged forward instantly.

Jie Peiling had no time to draw his long sword. He once again utilized the "Seven-Star Steps" to evade. In an instant, points of light appeared within the alleyway, connecting into a long, glowing line. He teleported between each star point, and as he dodged an attack, he said, "Let's fight outside."

Ignoring the man in black, Jie Peiling vaulted over the wall and vanished from the alley. The man in black pursued him, and upon reaching an open square, he found Jie Peiling beckoning him with a wave, showing absolutely no regard for him.

The man in black narrowed his eyes. "My cultivation level is higher than yours. You may use your weapon; consider it a concession from me."

Jie Peiling replied, "Is it not because your spiritual energy has dissipated to the point where you can no longer sustain the use of one that you say this?"

As he spoke, the man in black’s inner force erupted like a bursting barrel, and the sound of air being torn apart reached them immediately. Before the fight, the man in black had looked down on Jie Peiling, but now that the battle had officially begun, he was not hesitant in the slightest, acting nothing like the nonchalant figure he had portrayed.

With less than five zhang between them, the man in black suddenly lunged forward, reaching Jie Peiling in a flash.

"It seems not only is your spiritual energy in trouble, but your very foundation of body and realm is incredibly flimsy!"

Jie Peiling did not draw his sword. Like his opponent, he fought with his fists. As the wind of the punch reached his brow, he did not dodge. Instead, he assumed a stance, his entire body standing as straight as a pine tree.

As the soles of Jie Peiling's feet pushed off the ground, the entire space seemed to tremble, with dense ripples spreading outward from him as the center. Jie Peiling used both hands simultaneously. As they collided, he first swatted away the man’s right hand with his left, then grabbed the arm that was actually delivering the strike. At the same time, he leaned in with his left elbow.

The man in black kicked out violently to block the elbow, immediately retracting his offensive stance and leaping forward, using the momentum of Jie Peiling's attack to create distance between them. That kick was far more sinister than the punch, aimed entirely at destroying Jie Peiling's foundation. Fortunately, the man had realized the danger and abandoned the attack.

Had that strike landed, even a martial artist with robust blood and energy would have suffered greatly. If not for the "Celestial Immortal Method," which heightened his sensory perception, Jie Peiling might have been crippled by that kick.

Seeing Jie Peiling retreat, the man in black pressed the attack, kicking out once more. But this time, he did not succeed. Jie Peiling was confident in his perception, believing he could react to every shift in the man's attacks, so he successfully countered this leg strike.

Jie Peiling was fast—faster, at least, than the man in black. He caught the leg in one motion and, with a surge of strength, threw him horizontally through the air.

The man in black grunted in pain. In mid-air, he hurriedly shifted into another stance. Letting the throw carry him, he twisted his body and landed his feet against a wall.

Jie Peiling did not stop. He pursued the flying figure relentlessly. This was merely their first exchange, both relying only on their fist intent and stance, saving their true strength for a final, decisive blow without squandering it on excessive techniques.