In the darkness of the night, the Dantai tribe was ablaze with fire, the sounds of battle thundering through the sky.

The warriors of the Dantai tribe were locked in fierce combat with several assassins whose origins were unknown, while the men, women, and children of the Dantai clan, along with the disciples of the Confucian School, were all scrambling to put out the fires, creating a scene of utter chaos.

The din of battle and the clashing of weapons were everywhere, with the chaotic fluctuations of Genuine Qi serving to distract and prevent the Confucian School’s experts from noticing the unusual activity in the distance.

“Something’s wrong, Brother Li might be in danger, hurry!”

Upon realizing that something was amiss, Bai Wangyu immediately called over Wen Xiuru and rushed back in haste.

Unexpectedly, at that moment, several masked assassins appeared, blocking their path.

Bai Wangyu and Wen Xiuru, upon seeing this, drew their swords to meet the enemy, striking mercilessly, seeking only to break through quickly.

The sound of swords clashing echoed through the night, the assassins were extraordinarily skilled, and even the two most outstanding disciples of the Confucian School struggled to break free.

“Master Instructor.”

In the midst of the chaos, Li Qingshan and Chen Qiao’er stepped forward, surveying the situation with grave voices, “Something seems off.”

“Indeed, it does.”

Fa Ru nodded, his gaze sweeping over the surroundings, his expression growing tense. The sounds of battle were everywhere, and it seemed as though someone was attempting to assassinate the Great Sovereign of Dantai and the Celestial Maiden. However, he had a nagging feeling that something was not right.

If he were an assassin, he would never choose this time to strike at the Great Sovereign of Dantai and the Celestial Maiden. Everyone knew that the many experts of his Confucian School were present at the Dantai clan, along with the clan’s own powerful warriors. The Dantai tribe was at its strongest, and even a Great Cultivator of the Five Realms might not succeed.

The timing of the assassin’s attack was unwise.

“Bai Wangyu and Wen Xiuru are actually engaging with the assassins.”

At that moment, Chen Qiao’er noticed Bai Wangyu and Wen Xiuru locked in a fierce battle with several assassins in the distance.

“Should we go help?” Li Qingshan suggested.

“No need, Bai Wangyu and Wen Xiuru can handle it.”

Yao Guihai laughed, “With their strength, dealing with a few petty thieves is no problem. Besides, this is a good opportunity for them to gain some experience.”

Li Qingshan nodded, “That makes sense.”

“How strange.”

Suddenly, Chen Qiao’er’s expression darkened, “Where is Li Ziye? I haven’t seen him, and he’s usually inseparable from Bai Wangyu.”

“Right, where did that kid go?” Li Qingshan looked around, puzzled.

“He’s probably still in his tent,” Yao Guihai replied nonchalantly.

Meanwhile, Bai Wangyu and Wen Xiuru were struggling against the combined efforts of several assassins, repeatedly failing to break free.

The assassins seemed to know their intentions well, aiming only to delay them rather than engage in direct combat.

Bai Wangyu and Wen Xiuru fought more desperately as time went on, but the assassins were strong, and it was difficult to escape.

At that moment, from a distance, Li Qingshan approached, his ancient sword unsheathed, and with a single slash, he sent a surge of righteous energy that blasted several assassins away.

“Instructor Qingshan!”

Bai Wangyu, upon seeing the newcomer, showed relief.

“Where is Li Ziye? I haven’t seen him, and Master Instructor Fa Ru is worried, so he sent me to check,” Li Qingshan said.

Hearing Instructor Qingshan’s words, Bai Wangyu’s expression changed, and without further ado, he hurried towards the direction of the tents.

“Instructor, what’s happening?”

Li Qingshan looked at Wen Xiuru, confused.

“Instructor Li might be in danger!”

Wen Xiuru replied and immediately rushed off after Bai Wangyu.

“The Li family kid?”

Li Qingshan frowned. It was Li Ziye’s first time in the Desert North; what danger could there be?

Just as Bai Wangyu and Wen Xiuru finally managed to break free, inside a torn tent in the distance, Li Ziye was covered in blood, his injuries worsening.

The assassin before him had all three Divine Hidden Techniques roaring within, his formidable cultivation fully displayed, no longer concealed.

And beneath the black cloth covering his face was a familiar visage—it was Dantai Zhen, who had already crossed swords with Li Ziye earlier that day.

Having fought earlier, Dantai Zhen had some understanding of the characteristics of the Divine Hidden Technique, and he focused on close combat, launching relentless attacks to prevent the young man from utilizing his speed advantage.

The absolute gap in cultivation made this already unfair fight even more perilous.

“Zzzt.”

The curved blade slashed across, adding a fresh wound to Li Ziye’s body.

A gap of one major realm was insurmountable, and the Dantai clan did not wish to offend the Confucian School too deeply at this time. Using Dantai Zhen, a third realm martial artist, was sufficient yet not overly deliberate, creating the illusion of an accidental assassination.

“Divine Hidden Technique, a single sword strike as if from the void.”

With the situation against him, Li Ziye endured a slash and forcefully executed the Divine Hidden Technique. Amidst the splattering blood, his sword swung with the speed of lightning.

“Boom!”

Sword and blade collided, the air reverberated, and Li Ziye’s right hand sprayed blood as he staggered back several steps.

The droplets of crimson were a stark portrayal of the disparity in cultivation. As time rapidly slipped away, the meticulously planned assassination was nearing its end.

With only moments left in the two-hour window, Dantai Zhen was unwilling to delay any further. His Genuine Qi surged around him, and suddenly, under the night sky, a crescent moon appeared out of nowhere, the curved blade shining like the moon, illuminating the darkness.

Ahead, Li Ziye felt the approach of death and showed a bitter, self-mocking smile.

He hadn’t expected to die here, at the hands of an unknown, faceless adversary.

It wasn’t worth it.

“Divine Hidden Technique.”

Even with death imminent, Li Ziye refused to simply accept his fate. Enduring his injuries, he stepped forward, his Genuine Qi erupting in full force.

“Fourth Realm’s Ultimate Smokescreen!”

For the first time since mastering the technique, Li Ziye gathered his full power. Inside his chest, the Divine Hidden Technique thundered, and silver light dazzled.

“What’s this?”

From afar, at that moment, Master Instructor Fa Ru, Chen Qiao’er, and others all felt the sudden surge of Genuine Qi in the distance, their expressions turning grave.

“Not good.”

Fa Ru and Chen Qiao’er reacted, immediately rushing towards the source of the Genuine Qi disturbance.

“Brother Li!”

On the battlefield, Bai Wangyu and Wen Xiuru, who had sensed the anomaly earlier, finally arrived and saw the scene before them, their expressions changing drastically.

Just as they were about to intervene, shadows hidden in the night emerged, blocking their way once again.

“Get out of the way!”

Unable to contain his fury, Bai Wangyu charged forward, his mind consumed by one thought: to save Li Ziye, regardless of the blades that met him.

But it was already too late.

Under the cover of night, the sound of a violent collision rang out, and two formidable forces clashed. In an instant, blood sprayed across the sky, staining the dark night red.

“Ugh!”

Dantai Zhen grunted, his mouth bleeding despite his superior cultivation, unable to withstand the astonishing force.

The Divine Hidden Technique, once used to defy the heavens, now displayed its stunning brilliance.

A second realm warrior severely injuring a third realm warrior was almost unimaginable.

In shock, Dantai Zhen looked at the young man before him with a newfound respect.

Perhaps in a year or two, this youth would surpass him.

But it was all too late.

The task given to him by the Celestial Maiden was complete.

Ten paces away, a pool of blood was a shocking sight, and the figure drenched in red staggered back, his sword planted in the ground to halt his retreat.

Even in death, he refused to fall.

Surrounded by assassins, Bai Wangyu saw the scene before him, his eyes nearly splitting with rage, his hairband snapping, his black hair wildly dancing, his Genuine Qi shooting into the night sky.

“You all deserve to die!”