45: Tang Clan, you are already seeking death!

He stood up, walked to the window, and looked in the direction of Donglai Inn.

He called Shangguan Xueer, gave her a few instructions, and Shangguan Xueer nodded after listening, then continued to tinker with her medicinal herbs.

"Don't worry, although my current skill is far inferior to Hua Manlou's, I can still distinguish most poisons."

"Ximen Chuixue is a great expert in medicine; you should find some time to ask him for guidance. His skill is no less than Hua Manlou's."

"Understood! You go do your thing!"

Time flowed, night deepened, and the lights of the capital city lit up one by one. Inside Listening to the Waves Garden, the stream gurgled, making it even more serene.

"Li Zhong." Lu Jiuyuan's voice was not loud, but it clearly reached outside the door.

The steward, Li Zhong, immediately pushed the door open and bowed, saying, "Master, what are your orders?"

Lu Jiuyuan's voice was calm and emotionless. "I need to go out. Everything in the Garden remains as usual; strengthen security, especially paying attention to food and water sources."

"Yes, Master." A glint flashed in Li Zhong's eyes; without any extra questions, he immediately turned to make arrangements.

As someone carefully selected from the inner palace, he knew well what to ask and what not to ask.

Lu Jiuyuan picked up the Guhong Sword and quietly left Listening to the Waves Garden.

The night was the best cover.

Lu Jiuyuan's figure merged into the flow of people and carriages in the capital, like a drop of water joining the sea.

He appeared to be walking normally, but in reality, he was astonishingly fast. In a few turns, he had already left the bustling main street and headed towards Donglai Inn.

Donglai Inn was a famous old establishment in the capital. It wasn't top-tier luxury but excelled in cleanliness and comfort. Merchants came and went frequently, creating a mixed crowd.

The people from the Tang Sect chose to stay here, which was convenient for their actions and not too conspicuous.

Lu Jiuyuan circled to the alley behind the inn, and using the cover of shadows, he silently climbed the outer wall of the second floor like a gecko.

He already knew the location of Room A-2 by heart.

He licked his finger and gently pressed it on the paper covering the window, silently making a small hole.

His gaze peered inside.

An oil lamp was lit in the room, and the light was somewhat dim.

Two men in dark, tight-fitting clothes were sitting around a table. On the table were several small porcelain bottles of various colors, paper packets, and some oddly shaped metal parts.

One of them was older, about twenty, with a stern face and sharp, eagle-like eyes. His fingers were long and slender. This was Tang Tianzong, the head of the Tang Sect's Three Prodigies!

The Tang Sect's number one Genius, the top master among the younger generation, with the highest strength at a very young age within the Tang Sect.

The other man was slightly older, with a similar appearance; he was his cousin, Tang Tianyou.

"Azong, this 'Seven-Step Soul Severing Powder' is colorless and odorless, dissolving instantly in water. Just one spoonful mixed into the water tank.

Tomorrow morning, after they have their tea and meals.

Even if that Sword Devil's swordsmanship is extraordinary, if he is poisoned, his Internal Energy will dissipate, his internal organs will burn, and even immortals won't be able to save him!"

Tang Tianzong said nothing; he just wore deerskin gloves and picked up a perforated object, resembling a honeycomb lotus, carefully inspecting its mechanism.

That was one of the Tang Sect's famous hidden weapons, the Thousand-Leaf Red Lotus. It was often buried underground or placed in a box. Once triggered, it would fire 180 poisoned needles in all directions. The poison was virulent, killing all humans and animals within a three-zhang radius.

"We cannot be careless. The name Sword Devil is not for show; martial artists who reach their level have extremely keen senses.

We rest in the first half of the night and work when sleep is deepest in the second half, administering poison and burying hidden weapons. We absolutely cannot confront him directly; we must ensure foolproof success."

"Azong is right. Azhu, Big Brother, and the others were too careless!

What's with direct confrontation? What we are best at is using poison and hidden weapons. Assassination is what we excel at."

Lu Jiuyuan's eyes turned cold, and Killing Intent, like a tangible cold current, instantly spread, seemingly freezing the air outside the window by a few degrees.

Inside the room, Tang Tianzong suddenly looked up, his eyes blazing with sharp light: "Who?!"

As an elite of the Tang Sect, his perception of Killing Intent was also extremely keen!

Almost simultaneously, he threw the Thousand-Leaf Red Lotus in his hand like lightning!

"Chi chi chi—!"

Hundreds of fine, hair-thin needles, shimmering with a faint blue toxic glow, shot out from the lotus platform!

Their speed was astonishing, covering all directions—up, down, left, right, front, and back—leaving no blind spots and almost completely sealing off all space for evasion!

He struck first to gain the upper hand!

However, outside the window, there was nothing!

The moment the Thousand-Leaf Red Lotus flew out, Lu Jiuyuan's figure had vanished like a ghost!

All the poisoned needles embedded themselves in the walls and floor, making a dense "thud-thud" sound.

"Not good!" Tang Tianzong knew something was wrong and shouted sharply:

"Retreat!"

He slapped the table with a backhand, sending the bottles and jars on it flying, while simultaneously retreating rapidly.

Tang Tianyou reacted a beat slower, but he also immediately grabbed two butterfly darts from his deerskin pouch at his waist, protecting his front.

Unfortunately, it was too late.

"Bang!"

With a loud crash, the room's door shattered into countless pieces as if struck by a battering ram! Amidst the flying wood splinters, a blue figure, like lightning tearing through the night, burst in with overwhelming force!

It was Lu Jiuyuan!

Sword light!

A cold, pure, and incredibly fast sword light suddenly illuminated the room!

There were no complex Moves, only a straight, piercing thrust imbued with unparalleled Killing Intent!

Its target was directly Tang Tianzong!

This sword was so fast it surpassed Tang Tianzong's reaction limit!

He had just slapped away the clutter on the table and was still retreating. His body trembled; darts in his sleeve and crossbow bolts on his back were about to be deployed when that deadly cold glint was already before his eyes!

His pupils suddenly contracted! The shadow of death instantly enveloped him!

"Little brother!"

Tang Tianyou's eyes were bloodshot; he roared and shot the butterfly darts in his hand towards Lu Jiuyuan's back.

At the same time, his other hand fiercely grabbed at a leather pouch at his waist!

Besiege Wei to rescue Zhao!

Lu Jiuyuan seemed oblivious to the butterfly darts behind him; his forward-thrusting sword strike did not pause in the slightest, becoming even faster by three points!

"Puff!"

A soft sound, like a hot knife cutting into solidified butter.

All of Tang Tianzong's movements ceased abruptly.

He lowered his head in disbelief, looking at his chest.

There, a silver-gleaming, four-edged sword tip had passed through, its cold blade precisely piercing his heart, cutting off all his life force.

"Ugh..." He made a strange gurgling sound in his throat, the sharpness in his eyes rapidly replaced by a deathly gray, and his body slumped softly.

"Puff puff puff puff!"

At the same time, all the butterfly darts thrown by Tang Tianyou embedded themselves in Tang Tianzong's body. Lu Jiuyuan was hiding behind Tang Tianzong.

His body shot out again, gripping the Guhong Sword in a backhand, leaving a trail of blood, and charged towards Tang Tianyou.

Tang Tianyou's hand had just touched the leather pouch at his waist—it contained some of the Tang Sect's most potent poisonous sands!

However, facing Lu Jiuyuan's emotionless eyes, which looked at him as if he were already dead, his entire body's blood seemed to freeze!

An indescribable fear instantly gripped him; his fingers stiffened, and even the courage to open the pouch vanished under that gaze!

"Don't... don't kill me! I won't seek revenge... don't kill me!" Tang Tianyou's voice trembled, incoherent, wanting only to grasp at the last straw.

Lu Jiuyuan's lips curled into a cold arc, without the slightest hesitation. The sword light flashed again!

It was still that utterly simple thrust! Swift as lightning, it aimed directly for the throat!

Tang Tianyou's last sight was that infinitely magnified, death-representing cold star.

"Puff!"

The sword tip precisely pierced Tang Tianyou's throat, severing his windpipe and carotid artery.

All his pleas and fear froze on his face; his body convulsed as he fell, and blood instantly stained the ground.