# Chapter 310: Assassination
The middle-aged man slowly walked out from under the tree shade, gripping the sword handle, holding it with the tip pointing down, shaking it left and right. This didn't look like a swordsman at all—rather, he resembled a mischievous child holding a rattle drum. When he appeared before everyone, Ma Xuan, the pipa woman, the Smiling Face, the Flower-in-Hair Zhou Shi, and the demon cult Crow all changed expressions.
The man didn't look at these renowned top experts of the martial world. Instead, he smiled at the young man who should be a fellow traveler. "You're overthinking it. You don't have that much face. In this century of the martial world, maybe only Ding Ying is qualified. You..." He extended his free hand, wagging his finger, "still not good enough."
Under everyone's gaze, the man thrust his sword into the ground, placed his palm on the pommel, looking utterly lazy, and said cheerfully to both groups, "Don't just stand there, keep going. If you really can't kill him, I'll make my move then. Don't worry—I'll only draw my sword for that kid today. I guarantee I won't accidentally injure you."
Ma Xuan spat out a mouthful of saliva tinged with blood, grinning wantonly. "Never thought I'd get the chance to have Sword Immortal Lu backing me up. This trip to the Southern Garden capital wasn't wasted. No matter the outcome, when the martial world talks about this battle, the name 'Ma Xuan' will be unavoidable. Time to go all out!" Ma Xuan bent his back slightly, and from his shoulder down to his arm, a tattoo of a descending tiger appeared, its aura shocking.
Moreover, on his raised back was a tattoo resembling a door god—a blue-robed, long-bearded man holding a long saber, eyes closed, leaning on the blade, exuding a dense, cold aura even more startling than the descending tiger.
The Smiling Face squatting on the wall smiled even more brightly, twirling a blade of grass he had pulled from somewhere, chewing gently.
The Flower-in-Hair Zhou Shi explained softly to the Crow girl beside him, "Obviously Ma Xuan has had some serendipity too, acquired some scattered fortunes. My father said this is called the Art of Invoking Spirits. In the Sixty-Year Pact three hundred years ago, someone used this to wreak havoc beyond the frontier, chasing down two thousand prairie elite cavalry and slaughtering them all."
Seeing the pipa woman's gloomy expression, the burly man, whose aura was rising step by step, laughed loudly. "Without some new tricks, I wouldn't dare wade into this muddy water. You really think I care about that bit of gold?"
The woman said coldly, "I'm only here for the gold. This money is clean."
Ma Xuan sneered, "What, you're not actually falling for that poor scholar, are you? Scholars are all shameless. If he learns of your past, won't he regret it bitterly? He'll curse you as worse than a prostitute. He's not wronging you—is there any part of you that's clean? Get lost. When you marry that scholar, I'll definitely reward you with five hundred taels of gold, consider it a whoring fee."
Zhou Shi laughed, "Constantly calling him a paramour, turns out it's true affection."
The woman holding the pipa with false fingernails showed a moment of hesitation.
The Smiling Face suddenly spoke, "Get married? Before I came here, I chatted with a scholar surnamed Jiang. We talked pleasantly, sharing many martial world anecdotes, including some stories about the Pipa Consort's past. The scholar was probably too bookish—he only said how could there be such a shameless, wanton woman in the world, never once realizing that the Pipa Consort was the woman in his own bed. Oh well, since he's a fool, I suppose the marriage can still go through."
The woman's expression turned sorrowful, then became resolute and determined.
Chen Ping'an had been watching and listening intently, without any sign of impatience.
This was not only because he was surrounded on the street, but also because at the residence, the flying sword Fifteen seemed to have fallen into the same trap of being confined by the Well Character talisman.
That slovenly man leaning on his sword was the third "near the Dao" martial artist Chen Ping'an had encountered. The previous two were the old man with the silver lotus crown and Fan Wan'er. However, this man's martial cultivation was significantly higher than Fan Wan'er's. For now, the gap between him and the old man named Ding wasn't too large.
But even Ma Xuan had hidden tricks up his sleeve. This martial world clearly wasn't as shallow as he had imagined.
If the Sword Nurturing Gourd contained the square-inch object Fifteen instead of First Day, the situation would be better. But since things were as they were, there was no use overthinking.
Truly caught between enemies on all sides.
Zhou Shi smiled and said, "Miss Crow, I'll trouble you."
The woman in wooden clogs said helplessly, "Since Grandpa Master has spoken, I dare not slack off. But you must remember to save me."
The Flower-in-Hair nodded, "Cruelty to flowers is the first tragedy in this world. I, Zhou Shi, will never disappoint Miss Crow."
The stiff-faced Smiling Face threw away the blade of grass, stood up, stretched his limbs, and rubbed his cheeks with both hands, revealing a sincere smile that was no longer rigid. "I want to personally weigh the measure of this banished immortal."
Lu Fang called out, smiling as he reminded, "The battle is imminent, and you're still thinking about such trivial matters? A hiding Tong Qingqing, a headstrong Feng Qingbai, and a confused you—none of it really matters. Everyone has their own way of living. You're just the unluckiest, that's all. I know you've been deliberately hiding your strength; be careful not to play with fire and burn yourself."
Ma Xuan had already gathered his momentum to the highest point of his martial career, with no reason to delay any longer.
His resentment and lingering attachment to the pipa woman might not be false, but using this opportunity to build momentum and go all out—that was true.
The descending tiger tattoo seemed alive, its body trembling, bringing waves of golden light to Ma Xuan's shoulder and arm. When Ma Xuan clenched his left fist, golden light seeped through the gaps between his fingers.
One step forward, and he was instantly before Chen Ping'an, throwing a punch that stirred wind and thunder in the air.
Chen Ping'an did not retreat but advanced instead. He tilted his head, bent at the waist, leaning in with his shoulder while pressing his right hand against Ma Xuan's knee strike. In one motion, he threw Ma Xuan a distance of seven or eight zhang. Ma Xuan staggered several steps, each step digging pits into the street surface, before finally stopping himself.
The sound of pipa strings rang out. From both sides of Ma Xuan, two gleaming threads arced toward Chen Ping'an.
Ma Xuan stomped hard and charged forward again.
Chen Ping'an's figure flickered and vanished, dodging the string assassination. Besides his extremely agile movement, it was as if something had violently dragged him forward, moving at an impossibly fast speed.
Lu Fang's eyes lit up, and he laughed loudly, "Ma Xuan, watch your front."
Ma Xuan stopped abruptly, plowing two furrows into the street. He stomped heavily and crossed his arms in front of him.
Indeed, a punch struck his arm with incredible force. Ma Xuan roared angrily, and the green-robed, long-bearded Confucian general holding a saber on his back suddenly opened his eyes.
"Die!" Ma Xuan leaned back slightly, stepped forward, swung an arm, and threw a punch. His entire arm, flowing with golden light, drew a golden fan shape in the air.
In the Smiling Face's eyes, that figure in a white robe pressed down on Ma Xuan's fist with one hand, gently pushed it downward, then rose into the air, directly clearing Ma Xuan's head. He stepped on Ma Xuan's occiput and leaped toward the woman who had been sneakily attacking from behind. The pipa woman saw the danger and rapidly rolled her fingers over the strings, weaving a green spiderweb between them.
Chen Ping'an suddenly furrowed his brow. In an instant, he changed direction, abandoning the pipa woman, and darted directly to his left.
It was precisely that sinister Smiling Face.
Putting aside Lu Fang for now.
Among the two groups that had revealed themselves, Chen Ping'an was most wary of this strange man.
The Smiling Face grinned, "Everyone says to pick the softest persimmon to squeeze, but you go for the hard one." He spread his arms and fell straight forward.
The next moment, the Smiling Face's figure vanished instantly.
Chen Ping'an twisted in midair, reaching out to grab the Smiling Face, who had inexplicably appeared behind him. The latter silently kicked at the back of Chen Ping'an's head.
Chen Ping'an grasped nothing at all.
It was exactly like a Shrinking Ground Talisman.
The Smiling Face appeared again behind him, this time curling up, arms spread wide, fists aiming for Chen Ping'an's temples.
Just as Chen Ping'an was about to move.
Lu Fang's words arrived a step earlier, delivered openly to the Smiling Face, "Be careful—he's about to exert force."
The Smiling Face hesitated briefly, then abandoned the golden opportunity to smash Chen Ping'an's head with both fists. In an instant, he was standing on the bluestone street.
Chen Ping'an and the Smiling Face had roughly swapped positions—the latter now on the street, Chen Ping'an standing on the wall.
Glancing at the man leaning on his sword who had ruined his plans twice, Chen Ping'an asked, "Why don't you just make a move yourself?"
Lu Fang patted the sword pommel lightly with his palm, chuckling, "Ganging up with so many people to beat a junior—if word gets out, it won't sound good."
Chen Ping'an remained silent.
Inside the Sword Nurturing Gourd, all was deathly still, as if an originally open wine jar had been corked, no longer emitting any scent.
First Day had vanished like a clay ox sinking into the sea, cutting off all heart-mind connection with Chen Ping'an.
Not only that, but the Dharma robe Golden Li had also lost its effect.
But losing Golden Li, this protective talisman, meant Chen Ping'an had lost the ability to ignore weapons striking his body. However, there was one small advantage: without the Dharma robe's spiritual energy flowing and constraining him, it was like when Old Man Yang's True Qi Talisman had been removed—his limbs had no invisible shackles, and his punches would only be faster.
First Day missing, Fifteen trapped, Golden Li devoid of all magical power and divine abilities.
In exchange, he could now punch freely and unrestrainedly.
Punching was all about being able to release and hold back.
Chen Ping'an had actually been "holding back" all along.
Because he was truly full of doubts about this martial world, and about the so-called Top Ten of the entire Southern Garden capital.
But not understanding was one thing; some things still had to be done.
Lu Fang started directing again, "Ma Xuan, don't die on me."
Ma Xuan assumed a fist stance, both arms turning golden. As he breathed, golden specks escaped from his mouth.
The martial sage in green robes and long beard on his back, now with eyes open, looked incredibly lifelike. A snow-white ball of light lit up at the sword tip, spreading strands throughout his body. Soon, Ma Xuan's eyes glowed with a faint silver light.
Like a deity statue enshrined in a hall, the burly man grinned, "This indestructible golden body was meant to test National Teacher Zhong's number one hand in the world. Kid, you're ruthless. Come on, come on, just hammer away at me. If I even frown once, I lose..."
"Alright."
Chen Ping'an kicked off and dashed forward.
Everyone's vision created an illusion—the entire street seemed to have sunk several feet from that single kick.
A punch with no remaining restraint, the "Iron Cavalry Charge Formation" style, smashed into Ma Xuan's chest.
The image of the green-robed, long-bearded martial sage on his back shattered into pieces in an instant.
Ma Xuan's burly body crashed backward with a bang.
Chen Ping'an followed like a shadow.
Another punch landed, and Ma Xuan's body twisted into a curved bow. This time, Chen Ping'an's punch changed angle slightly, causing Ma Xuan to crash into the companion behind him.
"Lu Fang, save me!"
The pipa woman's face changed drastically. After crying out in alarm, she did not wait to die. As befitting a top-tier expert, she neither retreated nor dodged sideways. Instead, she stepped forward swiftly, trying to hide behind Ma Xuan, who possessed the indestructible golden body, thinking that guy couldn't possibly punch through Ma Xuan's physique.
If he hesitated even a little, she believed Lu Fang would draw his sword.
Chen Ping'an seemed to see through the pipa woman's thoughts. The third punch struck Ma Xuan's abdomen again.
Not only was the golden body shattered, but Ma Xuan's originally light silver eyes immediately turned bloodshot, filled with terrifying red threads.
Ma Xuan's back collided heavily with the pipa woman, who had outsmarted herself.
The collision caused the pipa strings to jangle wildly. The woman spat out a mouthful of blood, then kicked alternately in the air, stepping backward as if on empty ground.
Still too slow.
Chen Ping'an's punch pierced through the pipa in her arms, striking her abdomen with force. He swung his arm in a half-circle, and the woman, along with the broken pipa, was twisted in the air by the momentum. She then crashed violently into a wall on one side. Her voluptuous figure nearly sank into the wall, her condition unknown. The pipa fell to the ground with a clatter.
Lu Fang, in the distance, smiled faintly but still did not draw his sword.
Even though that man seemed to regard him as the real enemy.
He spoke lazily again, "Smiling Face, remember, don't be fooled by his current punching speed. He can go faster. Try to avoid close combat. Try using hidden weapons, poison, or something."
Lu Fang pretended to realize something, "Oh right, the ones he really wants to kill are Miss Crow and Young Master Zhou."
Intimidated by Chen Ping'an's boxing, the demon cult woman Crow no longer had the will to force herself into the fray, even if the old cult leader held her accountable later. It was better than ending up as miserably as Ma Xuan.
Zhou Shi had long planned to sit on the sidelines.
But with Lu Fang saying this, both were terrified.
Sure enough, Chen Ping'an made a lateral shift.
The person he faced was precisely Crow, standing in wooden clogs.
Just as she was about to react, her eyes widened in pain.
The wall behind her burst open without warning, revealing an extremely slender longsword. The assassin held the sword with both hands, moving like thunder.
The sword tip pierced through the woman's back. The assassin's hands pressed against her back as he continued forward, pushing the pitiful woman ahead.
She was like a woman with a three-foot, unsheathed sword growing from her abdomen.
The sword tip stabbed straight at Chen Ping'an.
Aiming directly at his middle hall.
The Zhongting acupoint, also called Dragon Jaw, is located on the central line of Chen Ping'an's body.
Lu Fang silently gripped his sword handle.
But soon released it.
In the nick of time, Chen Ping'an vanished.
He had used his last Square Inch Talisman.
The assassin released one hand from the sword, pressed the woman's occiput, and pushed hard forward. Her body slid off the sword blade, falling several zhang away on the ground. Her back heaved slightly—she should be vomiting blood profusely. A pool of blood soaked through the back of her clothes. She struggled, trying to turn over, but as her elbow bent slightly, she collapsed heavily onto the street.
The assassin was a young man with bare feet and rolled-up sleeves. He turned his head to look at Chen Ping'an, who was catching his breath, and smiled brightly, "I heard that if I kill you, I can get a magical treasure. So I came."
He twirled an ornate sword flower. "My name is Feng Qingbai. Sword cultivator. Being among the Top Ten is one share; with your head added, I'll make a huge profit."
Feng Qingbai added helplessly, "Too bad I couldn't kill you with one sword. I might not be a match for you in a direct confrontation. But no matter, I can coordinate with Lu Fang. He's the only one here with the potential to become a sword immortal. He's certain to return home."
Ma Xuan, who only knew half-baked Spirit Invocation and Truth Summoning, had his golden body broken.
The pipa woman was motionless, sunken into the wall. From the wall base came the intermittent sound of crumbling stones.
A famous demon cult seductress, who had secretly supported the dragon for years, lay in a pool of blood. Her wooden clogs and snow-white feet stood out sharply.
But there was still Lu Fang, the self-proclaimed sword cultivator Feng Qingbai, the Smiling Face, and the Flower-in-Hair Zhou Shi.
A withered little girl huddled on a small stool, thinking to herself, "Punch after punch, smash their dog heads, so I can strip their clothes and boots. They look like they're worth a lot of silver."
The girl looked at the tragic state of the distant woman, especially her wooden clogs, and couldn't help glancing a few more times. She thought, dressing so flashy, no wonder she died so fast.
Chen Ping'an clenched and unclenched his fists several times.
After training in boxing for so long, it was time to let loose.
---
Atop Mount Gu Niu, Southern Garden National Teacher Zhong Qiu had a solemn expression, somewhat uncertain. He asked in a deep voice, "Is this really true? Besides obtaining a new slot, killing that person also grants three fortunes? Why would that be? According to the secret histories of various countries and the confidential archives of the Reverence Tower, this has never happened before when the Sixty-Year Pact draws near. Could it be a trick by Ding Ying?"
Yu Zhenyi, who looked like an innocent child, was carefully carving a jade bamboo fan rib with a burin, stroking it gently like a lover tenderly caressing a beloved woman's skin. He did not answer Zhong Qiu's question but stared intently at the fine grain on the bamboo branch. Sweat beads formed on his forehead, which was extremely unusual for a martial artist whose martial realm had returned to simplicity and truth. As the second-greatest grandmaster after Ding Ying, Yu Zhenyi had long been immune to heat and cold. Rumor had it that in his seventies, he obtained an immortal's manual, comprehended the heavenly way for decades, and mastered sorcery and arts. Some even claimed to have seen Yu Zhenyi ride clouds and mists, mount cranes and cross phoenixes. It was around that time that Yu Zhenyi's physical appearance gradually transformed from a white-haired old man to a young adult, then a youth, and now a child.
After ten years of facing the wall in seclusion, he successfully broke through and achieved unity of heaven and man. Everyone in the world hoped that the righteous leader Yu Zhenyi could fight Ding Ying, preferably kill him, bringing peace and tranquility. The emperors would no longer need to live in fear of having their heads cut off in their sleep. Both righteous and evil grandmasters could stop living under someone else's shadow. Even the demon cult magnates wished that this eccentric old ancestor either die soon or achieve the legendary ascension feat. In short, stop lingering in the mortal world. It had been eighty years; it was time for someone else to take the number one seat.
Besides Yu Zhenyi and Zhong Qiu, who were both friends and foes, atop Mount Gu Niu was a stunningly beautiful woman in noble deep-blue ceremonial robes. The deep blue-black robe was the first ceremonial dress of the Southern Garden queen, worn only on grand occasions like court assemblies and temple visits. Since the most disciplined Southern Garden National Teacher was present, the woman could only be the Southern Garden Queen Zhou Shuzhen.
She also had a secret identity: the current head of the Reverence Tower, responsible for ranking the world's experts every twenty years.
Spring Tide Palace Zhou Fei had long coveted Queen Zhou's beauty. The Flower-in-Hair Zhou Shi had once frankly stated at White River Temple that if not for Zhong Qiu guarding the royal palace, his father Zhou Fei would have long stormed the palace to seize the queen.
Yu Zhenyi put down the jade bamboo, raised his arm to wipe the sweat from his forehead, and gently exhaled a turbid breath like curling mist, lingering around his childlike face for a long time. He first answered Zhong Qiu's question, "It should be true. But Ding Ying's thoughts are difficult to fathom. More than combining forces to kill that suddenly appearing young swordsman, Ding Ying's contingency plans are what we need to be wary of."
Yu Zhenyi emphasized, "I'm uneasy about the situation at Scholar's Lane. National Teacher Zhong, you'd better go watch it yourself."
Addressing him as "National Teacher Zhong."
It seemed the two were indeed not on good terms.
Zhong Qiu frowned, "At Scholar's Lane, there's Ding Ying overseeing the siege, and Lu Fang brought his sword. What's there to worry about?"
Yu Zhenyi shook his head, "I don't trust Ding Ying, and I don't trust Lu Fang either."
Zhong Qiu looked displeased, "Lu Fang is an upright and open man. What's not to trust? Just because he's from the same side as that swordsman?"
This widely acclaimed number one righteous man, leader of the Lake Mountain Sect, imperial tutor of the Song Lai Kingdom, the old immortal in people's eyes—he had always been like this. Although he acted openly and honorably in everything, he exuded a sense of distance and coldness from the bone. The closer one got to him, the deeper the feeling.
Yu Zhenyi said indifferently, "If you won't go, I will."
Zhong Qiu snorted coldly, not even glancing at Queen Zhou, and swooped down the mountain like a hawk.
He became a black dot, bounding a few times at the foot of the mountain, quickly moving away from Mount Gu Niu.
Queen Zhou sighed, "Even the mighty Zhong Qiu cannot ride the wind like the immortals recorded in ancient texts. What about you, Yu Zhenyi? Can you do it now?"
Yu Zhenyi remained silent.
Zhou Shuzhen smiled, "Even if not riding clouds and wind, it still looks quite elegant and free."
When she was a young girl, in the streets of another country, she had first seen Zhong Qiu and Yu Zhenyi. The former shone with sharpness, the latter had his brilliance concealed. Both had amazed her.
Yu Zhenyi stood up. He was not even as tall as the queen's chest. But when he stood, Zhou Shuzhen felt as if she had been pushed to the foot of the mountain, only able to look up at the summit where this man stood.
Yu Zhenyi asked, "The Top Ten of the world, are they confirmed?"
Zhou Shuzhen nodded, "Completely confirmed."
She couldn't help sighing, "It feels a bit like the imperial examinations for officials, just not as brutal."
Yu Zhenyi clasped his hands behind his back, gazing into the distance, looking desolate.
The deeply hidden Southern Garden queen asked a question, "Where exactly is Tong Qingqing hiding?"
Yu Zhenyi paused for a moment, "Only Ding Ying must know, I suppose."
Zhou Shuzhen turned her head to look at this lofty immortal figure, "How high exactly is Ding Ying's martial realm?"
Yu Zhenyi said something strange, "I don't know if I know."