In the next moment, black light shattered the Confucian scholar's eyes, pierced his mind, and drowned his will. The spirit talisman, poised to strike, finally landed on his severed arm, but the mana surging into it, ready to activate its power, abruptly dissipated.
The talisman flickered faintly, failing to activate.
Splurt.
A crimson streak of blood erupted from the back of the middle-aged Confucian scholar's head.
His body remained motionless for a full breath before crashing to the ground with a resounding thud.
This was the third dagger, unleashed using the Li Fire Sword Manual—a hidden move prepared long ago.
Han Yi didn't pause his assault. He turned and pointed.
The Blood God Sect cultivator, clutching his damaged Blood Soul Banner and having retreated over ten meters, now widened his eyes in utter terror. Without hesitation, he whirled around and fled.
Dead. He's dead.
Shi Heng was dead. Shi Heng, one of the most formidable Eighth Layer Qi Refining senior brothers, capable of slaying even ordinary Ninth Layer Qi Refining cultivators, had fallen in an instant. The tables had turned in the blink of an eye.
What had initially appeared to be a purely defensive stance by the Profound Pill Sect disciple had resulted in Senior Brother Shi Heng's immediate demise upon their first clash.
Terrifying. Utterly terrifying.
The cultivator suddenly recalled the Profound Pill Sect disciple in Heavenfall City. In less than two breaths, that Qi Refining Sixth Layer cultivator had slaughtered two Qi Refining Seventh Layer cultivators from the Blood God Sect. The nightmarish terror he had felt then was identical to the fear gripping him now.
Hopefully, this expert won't pursue me, just like in Heavenfall City, he thought, clinging to a sliver of hope.
The thought vanished as a searing pain exploded in his neck. The pain was as swift as it was intense, and with it, his consciousness dissolved.
Under the cloak of night, a dark flash pulsed through the mountain forest. His head soared skyward, while his headless body sprinted wildly for another dozen meters before slamming into a massive tree with a sickening crack. Blood and flesh splattered outward as the tree shuddered violently. Only after ten breaths did the tremors gradually subside, leaving the forest once more bathed in eerie silence.
Han Yi stood motionless, his grave expression gradually softening. With a casual wave of his hand, the four daggers returned to him in quick succession, hovering in mid-air.
He examined the two daggers that had served as his primary weapons. Their pitch-black surfaces remained flawless, untouched by damage. A wave of relief washed over him.
No wonder these are Mid-Grade Magic Artifacts crafted by a master craftsman. Their durability alone rivals that of ordinary High-Grade Magic Artifacts. This set was worth every penny.
Next, Han Yi sheathed his four daggers.
He hadn't just launched two daggers earlier. He had gone all out, unleashing every dagger he could currently control to the fullest extent of his abilities.
However, instead of concentrating his attack, he had dispersed his strikes.
Two daggers advanced in tandem, directly targeting the Middle-Aged Confucian Scholar. A third dagger had been secretly positioned earlier, waiting in the shadows. As the Confucian Scholar's attention was fully drawn to the initial assault and his face twisted in shock, the third dagger pierced through his eye, exited the back of his skull, and delivered the fatal blow.
The fourth dagger had already landed near the first cultivator when Han Yi released the three Spirit Void blasts to destroy the Blood Soul Banner. But with his entire focus on the Confucian Scholar, he hadn't activated this final move yet.
If the Confucian Scholar had managed to evade the initial attack, Han Yi would have immediately redirected the fourth dagger toward him without hesitation.
In the end, the third dagger claimed the Confucian Scholar's life, while the fourth effortlessly dispatched the first cultivator, who had foolishly turned to flee, exposing his back to Han Yi.
With that, the Second Kill concluded.
After securing his daggers, Han Yi cautiously surveyed the surroundings, confirming there were no signs of life. Then, he swiftly began clearing the battlefield.
First, Han Yi collected the storage pouches from the three slain cultivators. He then retrieved the damaged Blood Soul Banner and the magic artifact that had reverted to its folded fan form due to the loss of mana support, stowing them away in his own storage pouch. After stripping the inner armor—whether intact or destroyed—from the bodies, he double-checked the area to ensure nothing was left behind before swiftly departing.
Half an hour later, three figures appeared at the scene. Their brows furrowed at the gruesome carnage before them. "Junior Brother Shi, Junior Brother Zhou, and Junior Brother Liang... all three at the Eighth Layer of Qi Refinement," one of them said. "Even I might struggle against Junior Brother Shi, despite his cultivation level."
"It must be the Ninth Layer Qi Refinement disciples from the Profound Pill Sect, the ones ranked highly and sent to the Jade Capital Mountain Holy Land," another analyzed. "Only they possess such lethal power."
The young man who examined the scene spoke with a glint of predatory excitement in his eyes—not anger at the deaths of his Blood God Sect juniors, but the thrill of the hunt.
The Profound Pill Sect disciples bound for Jade Capital Mountain Holy Land were the primary targets of their operation. Capturing one here filled him with anticipation.
"Senior Brother Han, shall I handle this?" the analyst asked, licking his lips as he turned to the youth standing in the center, seeking permission.
Han Xuxiao, the Blood God Son of the Blood God Sect, a young man with a serene demeanor, felt a flicker of doubt cross his face, and his eyebrow twitched.
"Something's not right."
"Zhou Dan died first, followed by Shi Heng. Liang Yiyang fled but was killed. All three suffered fatal head wounds, likely from hidden weapons launched with incredible speed. The attacker probably wields the Sword Control Technique or a similar object manipulation art."
"Moreover, this technique is remarkably potent."
"Shi Heng's Silver Scale Fan wasn't an ordinary High-Grade Magic Artifact. Knowing his personality, he would have detonated it if he realized he couldn't win. Yet there's no sign of shattered artifact fragments here."
"This person killed Shi Heng in an instant, then effortlessly eliminated Liang Yiyang as he fled."
"The disparity in their strength must be significant."
"There's another crucial point. We have detailed files, including portraits, on all the Profound Pill Sect disciples. Shi Heng would have recognized them instantly. Judging by the scene, he must have been confident when he attacked, yet something went wrong."
"This suggests the attacker isn't on our list—someone hidden even deeper."
As he spoke, a spark of predatory interest flickered in Han Xuxiao's eyes, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared. Five years ago, he would have relentlessly pursued this individual, intent on killing them.
Now, he was no longer a lone wanderer, but a leader responsible for the overall situation, unable to leave his post easily.
He shook his head slightly, calculating the time. "Enough. Let's go. This person is no pushover; we'll encounter them sooner or later. We must prioritize the greater good and avoid unnecessary complications. Let's stick to the plan."
The young man beside him, his eyes gleaming with fierce intent, looked regretful but remained silent.
The three figures flickered and vanished from the spot.
Meanwhile, after Han Yi slipped into the darkness, he found a hollow at the base of a colossal tree. He settled inside, closed his eyes, and focused his mind. His breathing, initially unsteady, gradually calmed. As his breath slowed, his heartbeat followed suit, until it was barely perceptible.
The Turtle Breath Technique.
Over the past few years, Han Yi had refined the Turtle Breath Technique to perfected purity. With his current cultivation, he was confident that anyone below the Foundation Establishment Stage couldn't detect him unless they were standing right in front of him.
Though the Turtle Breath Technique concealed his presence, it didn't completely block his divine sense. Han Yi maintained awareness of his surroundings.
I refuse to believe my luck could be this bad again, he thought.
Back in Heavenfall City, his Turtle Breath Technique had been compromised once before. He couldn't fathom it happening again. If it did, it would be nothing short of ghostly.