Chapter 372

Chapter 372: The Killer

The attacks of the two Foundation Establishment cultivators were extremely sharp, and they came prepared, being very powerful.

When they sensed it was tough to reduce the other side’s strength, without hesitation they chose to eliminate the target person first.

Moreover, they were unlike Qi Chuan; they had no plan to keep anyone alive, so their assaults were particularly fierce.

Everything happened instantly; as Long Yunshuang was injured, another Foundation Establishment cultivator attacked from the side, that silver treasured sword glowing in the darkness, its cold glints like a death god’s summons.

At that moment, Long Yunshuang was already too slow to evade.

Boom—

Just as the sword thrust at her head, a talisman suddenly exploded in mid-air.

Endless green willow branches swayed from the void, vivid green and hard as if alive, charging straight toward the ambushing Foundation Establishment cultivator.

The opponent didn’t expect anyone to react so fast and had to redirect their attack toward the willow branches.

A terrifying force erupted in the air, and that talisman slowed the enemy’s assault.

Long Yunshuang also caught a chance to recover.

She gripped the seven-colored spiritual umbrella and flung it forcefully at the first assassin.

The dazzling seven-colored light burst with fearsome power, scattering even the thick darkness in its path.

The foe had to fall back, concealing themselves once more in the shadows.

At that instant, Zhou Luo reached Long Yunshuang’s side, holding the Fu Yao magic sword and scanning the surroundings.

It had been him who reacted fastest earlier, summoning a Second Level symbol to delay the enemy; otherwise, Long Yunshuang might have died from that ambush.

It couldn’t be helped, due to the contract in place.

He couldn’t just stand by, watching her get killed there.

And since he controlled multiple Second Level skills, his mental strength was stronger than the others present.

So when the enemy launched their first attack on Song Zhan, he had already noticed it.

That was why he summoned the talisman so swiftly to block their strike.

As for Song Zhan and Shangguan Qianxue nearby, they were only temporary allies.

Once aware the attacks targeted them both, Song Zhan acted quickly, sending a mental voice: "Junior Sister, this is a good chance, let’s leave first."

Shangguan Qianxue frowned slightly, glanced at Zhou Luo mid-air, pressed her lips, hesitated briefly, then nodded.

This mission here was ordered by their master, concerning their future treatment as elders.

So to establish a firm footing in the Immortal Sect, they had to secure that spiritual artifact.

Compared to Zhou Luo himself, her prospects were plainly more important.

So Shangguan Qianxue followed Song Zhan without delay as they left the area.

Faced with the pair’s exit, Zhou Luo and Long Yunshuang remained silent.

Their stares both turned to the dense skies, along with the occasional Gu insect strikes.

Whizz—

Suddenly, another sharp whistling sound cut through the darkness. The vanished assassin abruptly reappeared, gripping a black dagger that sliced through the air, aiming straight for the snow-white nape of Long Yunshuang’s neck.

Zhou Luo’s eyebrow arched in a swift reaction as he raised his Fu Yao magic sword.

Clang!

The two magical artifacts collided, unleashing a crisp metallic ring amplified by immense magical power. A full-force clash resolved in the instant their blades met.

The assassin flickered away once again.

"Your mental strength is so powerful?"

Long Yunshuang tilted her head, a trace of doubt flickering within her as she looked at the man beside her.

The opponent’s aura had been exquisitely concealed; even she hadn’t reacted until the dagger had appeared a mere inch in front of her.

Under normal circumstances, she could have responded, but the earlier battle had depleted her reserves, and her mind had suffered damage.

She had nearly been pierced by the dagger.

Zhou Luo, however, had clearly perceived the direction of the attack long before and thus was able to react.

This made Long Yunshuang realize that his mental strength far surpassed her prior estimation.

“I am a second level Pill Master,” Zhou Luo stated calmly, offering no further explanation.

Bolstered by mastery in multiple disciplines and his prior tempering within the Immortal Sect, his mental strength exceeded that of cultivators at his realm, rivaling even late-stage Foundation Establishment practitioners.

Naturally, he was capable of reacting promptly to the ambush launched by these two assassins.

A flash passed through Long Yunshuang’s beautiful eyes as she recalled her seven-colored spiritual umbrella, shielding them overhead. “They came for me,” she murmured quietly.

The previous attacks had all made it clear: their target was her.

This angered Long Yunshuang, as she had a rough idea why they were targeting her.

“So we need to leave,” Zhou Luo said, his gaze fixed on the direction Song Zhan had departed.

Though a formation master himself, he was still inferior to Song Zhan, a Second Level Formation Master.

For now, the two assassins hadn’t gained an advantage in their brief skirmish, likely meaning they wouldn’t act again immediately.

That was the nature of an assassin.

They sought a single, decisive strike. If they sensed their target was formidable, they would withdraw, retreating into the shadows to wait until their prey let down their guard.

Long Yunshuang looked towards the churning mist in the darkness and the relentless attacks of the formation before nodding in agreement.

The two stood very close; Zhou Luo could even catch the unique, delicate fragrance unique to her – a floral scent reminiscent of either bellflowers or roses, undeniably pleasant.

The two vanished assassins indeed made no further move.

Yet, they must have possessed considerable familiarity with formations themselves, hence their bold choice to strike within one.

Time flowed steadily on. Song Zhan and Shangguan Qianxue seemed to have truly fled.

When they tried to follow the pair’s trail through the gloom, they found no trace.

Battling the formation’s persistent attacks, they trod upon damp earth within the darkness.

Luckily, Song Zhan had previously shared the route, so their general direction remained correct.

But Zhou Luo understood this was only the broad layout; the specifics had surely been altered.

Though a First Level Formation Master and inferior to Song Zhan, he could extrapolate the general flow by comparing the described route with the reality of the formation.

Whenever they approached critical junctures, Zhou Luo skillfully avoided the pitfalls laid by the other, choosing instead a more stable path.

Though the formation’s attacks persisted, working together, they managed without issue.

Deep in the shadows, the two assassins encountered each other once more. Exchanging a silent glance, neither spoke. They simply continued their patient pursuit.

A true assassin is always the most patient hunter.

Given the allotted time, they would even wait until the final minute to strike.

To them, lurking in the shadows inherently placed them in a position of advantage.

Moreover, they hailed from the Assassin Tower, the largest killer organization in Huoyun Country.

Their strength, cultivation realm, physical prowess – all vastly surpassed that of common assassins.

Having failed their first ambush, they felt no urgency. They merely continued their vigil, waiting patiently for the next opportunity.