3: Chapter 3 Deterrence

"Senior."

Su Yanzhi hurriedly spoke out.

His throat was dry and painful.

"There must be some misunderstanding here."

He did not dare to be arrogant and lowered his posture as much as possible.

"I and Martial Nephew Gu..."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Su Yanzhi wished he could slap himself.

Martial Nephew?

With a Nirvana Realm Dao Protector by his side, who did he think he was to dare call him 'Martial Nephew'?

"Pah."

Su Yanzhi spat at himself.

"Peak Master Gu."

He quickly corrected himself.

"Although Peak Master Gu and I are not well-acquainted, we have no deep-seated animosity or hatred."

He explained urgently, fearing that he would be crushed into a pulp by the old man if he delayed for even a second.

"There is no reason for me to assassinate him."

Su Yanzhi's words were true.

Before Perfected Cloud passed away, he had been on good terms with him.

The two often played chess and tasted tea together.

After Perfected Cloud's passing, although Su Yanzhi didn't openly look after Gu Sheng, he had secretly suppressed several attempts to probe Tianxuan Peak.

He had no reason to kill Gu Sheng.

Zhao Yuan, who was kneeling nearby, also spoke through gritted teeth.

"Senior, please see clearly."

Zhao Yuan's forehead was pressed against the ground.

"We sensed the aura of a powerful expert here and came specifically to investigate."

"We have absolutely no intention of harming Peak Master Gu."

Lu Weilan and Bai Jingxing also chimed in repeatedly.

The four peak masters, who were majestic and formidable outside, now looked like Utility Disciples who had made a mistake.

Gu Sheng leaned against the rock wall, quietly watching this scene.

His mind was racing.

[Void Refinement Stage Expert (Phantom State)]

[Remaining Duration: 24 minutes 12 seconds]

Time was ticking away second by second.

He couldn't afford to waste too much time here.

The more he said, the more likely he was to make a mistake.

These four peak masters were currently intimidated.

Once they came to their senses, it was not guaranteed they wouldn't notice something unusual.

Especially this phantom.

It could react based on his subconscious, but after all, it was just a phantom.

It had no physical body and no aura of a living person. Staying too long would easily give it away.

Gu Sheng lowered his eyelids to hide the emotions in his eyes; Su Yanzhi's overactive imagination had actually helped him a great deal.

A Young Master from a Hidden Great Clan.

This identity was very useful.

It was enough to make the Piaomiao Holy Land wary of taking action, and at least for a long time, no one would dare target Tianxuan Peak again.

It was enough time for him to develop.

Gu Sheng moved his fingers.

A sharp pain came from the wound on his left arm; it was truly painful, and the blood loss made him feel a bit dizzy.

Perfect.

He didn't even need to pretend.

"Cough, cough."

Gu Sheng pressed his fist against his lips and let out a series of weak coughs, which sounded exceptionally clear on the silent mountain path.

The hearts of the four peak masters instantly leapt into their throats.

They were terrified that if anything happened to this little ancestor, the old man would wipe them all out in a fit of rage.

Gu Sheng supported himself against the cold rock wall behind him.

Using a bit of friction, he shakily stood up straight.

His legs were a bit weak.

He forced himself to stay upright.

"Enough."

Gu Sheng spoke.

His voice wasn't loud.

It carried the exhaustion of someone just recovering from a long illness.

"Take me back."

He didn't look at the four peak masters kneeling on the ground.

Nor did he explain anything; no explanation was needed.

For a superior dealing with inferiors, the more they are ignored, the more unfathomable they appear.

The old man heard Gu Sheng's words.

He immediately withdrew his terrifying pressure.

The overwhelming pressure vanished instantly.

The four peak masters all breathed a sigh of relief, greedily taking in large gulps of fresh air.

Bai Jingxing even slumped directly onto the ground, his chubby face pale.

The old man turned around.

He walked to Gu Sheng's side.

He bowed slightly.

"Yes, Young Master."

The old man's attitude was extremely respectful.

It was completely devoid of the arrogance he had shown when facing the four peak masters.

This stark contrast once again severely shocked the nerves of Su Yanzhi and the others.

The old man raised his hand.

A gentle force lifted Gu Sheng.

He didn't use any Magic Treasures.

There wasn't even a trace of spiritual energy fluctuation.

The two of them simply rose into the air.

He turned back and said, "The Young Master is merciful and does not wish to create more slaughter. As for today's events, if anyone dares to leak a single word about the Young Master, or if anything similar happens again..."

"...next time, there will be no need for this Piaomiao Holy Land to exist."

Having finished speaking, he transformed into a streak of light and swept toward the direction of Tianxuan Peak.

His speed was incredibly fast.

He vanished into the clouds in the blink of an eye.

Dead silence returned to the mountain path.

There was only the rustling of wind through the leaves.

Su Yanzhi pushed himself off the ground and slowly stood up.

His knees were still trembling.

His Daoist robe was soaked with cold sweat, sticking to his back in a sticky, uncomfortable mess.

He turned to look at the other three.

Zhao Yuan's face was as dark as the bottom of a pot, and he rubbed his shoulder without saying a word.

Lu Weilan smoothed her disheveled hair, her heart still fluttering with fear.

Bai Jingxing was still sitting on the ground, taking out a handkerchief to wipe away his sweat.

"Brother Su."

Zhao Yuan was the first to break the silence.

"What do you make of this?"

Su Yanzhi gave a bitter laugh.

"What else is there to see?"

He pointed in the direction of Tianxuan Peak.

"No wonder Senior Brother Cloud refused to take a second Disciple until he died."

"It turns out he brought back such a great figure."

Zhao Yuan snorted coldly.

"That Sun Yan from Lingxu Peak has really kicked a steel plate this time."

Hearing Sun Yan's name, Su Yanzhi's attention shifted to the four bodies on the ground.

He walked over.

He kicked the top-most man in black with the tip of his toe.

No reaction.

Most of his bones were shattered.

His Meridians were completely destroyed.

Although he still had a breath left, he was completely crippled.

Su Yanzhi squatted down.

He pulled off the mask on the man's face.

A strange face.

Not someone from the Piaomiao Holy Land.

"A Loose Cultivator?"

Lu Weilan walked over and took a look.

"The technique is clean and efficient; he probably specializes in dirty work."

Su Yanzhi searched the man in black for a while.

He pulled out a Storage Pouch.

He wiped away the faint Divine Sense mark on it.

His Divine Sense probed inside and scanned the contents.

A pile of miscellaneous items.

A few bottles of healing Medicinal Pills.

And a token.

Su Yanzhi took out the token.

Neither metal nor wood, it was pitch black all over.

On it was carved an intricate totem.

Upon seeing this totem, Zhao Yuan and Lu Weilan's expressions both changed.

"Blood Shadow Pavilion."

Zhao Yuan spat out the three words through gritted teeth.

Blood Shadow Pavilion.

The largest assassin organization in the Eastern Wilderness.

As long as enough Spirit Stones are given, they would dare to kill anyone.

"To kill someone at the Qi Refinement Stage, Sun Yan actually hired a Gold-tier Assassin from the Blood Shadow Pavilion?"

Bai Jingxing finally scrambled up from the ground, leaned in for a look, and gasped.

"Wait, that's not right."

Su Yanzhi gripped the token, his brow furrowed.

"Sun Yan is only a True Disciple."

"Even if he has the Peak Master of Lingxu Peak backing him, he couldn't afford the price of hiring a Gold-tier Assassin from the Blood Shadow Pavilion."

"Besides, would a Gold-tier Assassin be necessary to kill someone at the Qi Refinement Stage?"

The four of them looked at each other.

Things were not that simple.

There was definitely someone else behind Sun Yan.

Or rather, someone was using Sun Yan's hand to probe Tianxuan Peak.

To probe Gu Sheng.

It was just that they hadn't expected...

...to probe out a Nirvana Realm Dao Protector.

"This matter must be reported to the Holy Lord immediately."

Su Yanzhi put away the token, his tone solemn.

"From now on, no one should provoke that person on Tianxuan Peak."

"The monthly routine supplies should be doubled when sent over."

"And..."

Su Yanzhi looked around at the three of them.

"What happened today must stay buried in your hearts."

"If anyone dares to leak even a hint of this, don't blame me for disregarding our ties as fellow Disciples."

Zhao Yuan and the other two nodded solemnly.

They were not fools.

In matters involving Hidden Great Clans and top-tier experts, the less one knows, the safer they are.

The four of them each transformed into streaks of light and hurriedly departed.

Only the four half-dead assassins remained on the mountain path.

Along with pools of dried blood.