A thick, bitter silence filled the council hall of the Hunter Assassin Clan.
The air reeked of rage and humiliation.
Two assassins—both elites, trained in stealth, infiltration, and assassination from birth—had died without a trace. No message. No resistance. No return. Just... gone.
Elder Bai, a pale-skinned Nascent Soul expert, slammed his fist on the stone table, cracking it down the middle.
"This is the third time our forces have disappeared at Shadow Mountain! TWO elites! Gone like flies!"
He spat the words like venom.
Another elder, robed in ink-black silk, eyes narrowed behind a silver mask, whispered coldly, "This Xuan Long is no ordinary cultivator. I fear... we underestimated the monster we poked."
The Clan Head's eyes flared red under the moonlight filtering through the great window. "Then we adapt."
He waved his hand.
"Deploy twenty Core Formation-level assassins. Disguise them. Have them scatter near the Shadow Mountain perimeter. Their mission is not to kill—just observe. Stay hidden, live like beggars if they must, but bring me intelligence."
A young assassin bowed low. "Yes, Patriarch."
Three Nights Later
Shadow Mountain — Border Forest
The air was still.
The disguised assassins crept through the underbrush in groups of twos and threes, wrapped in worn-out traveler's robes, pretending to be beggars and pill sellers.
Just as the first one stepped over the boundary line where Shadow Mountain's domain began, the temperature suddenly plunged.
A sharp snap echoed.
A red glow blinked from the shadows.
PUPPET STRIKE.
From the trees and stones, dozens of blood puppets emerged—ghastly, humanoid creatures dripping in dark mist. Their eyes burned crimson, and their movements were mechanical... yet impossibly fast.
"Formation—!"
One assassin barely got the word out before his throat was pierced by a claw.
In mere seconds, five Nascent Soul puppets appeared. Their presence was suffocating. Their aura drowned the entire forest.
Boom.
Crash.
Screams turned into choked gasps.
One by one, all twenty assassins were torn apart like paper dolls.
Blood soaked into the mountain soil.
Then silence again.
From above, Hei Mo stood atop a high branch, arms crossed, his demonic tail flicking with irritation. Beside him, his subordinate—a demonic wolfman cloaked in black—snorted.
"Idiots. Coming into the Master's mountain uninvited... they deserved worse."
Hei Mo's golden eyes flashed. "Even thinking of harming Master Xuan Long is treason against Heaven itself."
Back in the Assassin Clan Main Hall
A long, eerie silence passed as the elders read the latest report.
Dead. All twenty. No survivors.
The third elder punched a hole in the wall.
"We've lost over fifty elite assassins this month! Shadow Mountain is eating our people alive!"
One elder, Elder Yin, stepped forward with an idea.
"What if... we don't go to the mountain?"
The clan looked at him.
"Send five of our assassins into the Hua Sect. Disguise them as disciples. When the Hua Sect delivers their spiritual stones and medicinal goods to Shadow Mountain... we'll be waiting. Our assassins can blend in and gather intelligence from within."
The Patriarch narrowed his eyes. "Risky... but clever."
He nodded.
"Approved."
Hua Sect — Outer Region
The next morning, five new disciples arrived, claiming they were transfers from an allied sect. They blended in seamlessly. Their identities flawless. Their mannerisms perfect.
For days, they observed.
They watched as Hua Sect disciples worked tirelessly, collecting herbs, refining pills, and preparing crates of spiritual stones.
The disguised assassins noted the growing morale.
"Our sect... thanks to Senior Xuan Long... we've risen from rank 20 to rank 10 in the city!" one disciple boasted.
Another nodded. "His discounted pills shook the entire market. Forty percent off! How is that even possible? We're making massive sales."
The assassins whispered among themselves.
"Forty percent discount? That's impossible. They must be cutting corners."
"Or... he has a secret."
Teleportation Hall — Shadow Mountain
That evening, the assassins joined a transport team. They carried boxes of spiritual stones and pills to deliver to their "savior"—the mysterious Xuan Long.
Upon arrival at the massive gates of Shadow Mountain, they were struck by the sheer majesty of the place.
It wasn't a sect.
It was a fortress.
Cultivators trained in silence. Blood puppets patrolled. Massive formations pulsed in the air.
They stepped into the grand hall.
On a vast obsidian throne, Xuan Long sat lazily, chin resting on his palm, his white robes fluttering despite no wind. His violet eyes shone with ancient, unreadable power.
The assassins bowed.
"My lord, we bring—"
But then they paused.
Xuan Long's eyes had narrowed.
Ding!
[Loyalty Detected: -10]
"Warning: These individuals wish to kill you and steal information."
In an instant, his gaze sharpened like a blade.
Before anyone could react, he waved his hand lazily.
Boom—boom—boom—boom—boom!
Five heads exploded like melons.
Blood splattered on the polished marble.
Hua Sect disciples screamed and staggered back.
"W-we didn't know, senior! Please—!"
Xuan Long raised a hand gently.
"You are innocent. These... were assassins sent by those who envy our strength."
His voice echoed through the hall like thunder, yet carried a gentle grace.
He stood slowly. "Go. Search your sect. Ensure no more rats have slipped through."
"Yes, Senior Xuan Long!"
Hua Sect — Core Hall
When Huang Liang, the sect leader of Hua Sect, heard the news, her face turned pale.
She slammed her hand on the jade desk. "Assassins... within our disciples?!"
She turned to her inner council.
"If we don't act now, Senior Xuan Long might withdraw his support. That cannot happen!"
"We agree!"
Huang Liang rose, voice commanding. "Initiate complete sect inspection. No disciple, elder, or servant is exempt. I want every corner searched."
"Yes, Leader!"
Within hours, the sect was in a frenzy of checking identity tokens, soul signatures, and loyalty spells.
Though no more assassins were found... they did find spies—disciples paid off by other sects, trying to uncover the secrets behind Hua Sect's sudden rise.
"What are you doing here?!" an elder shouted.
"W-we just wanted to know... how can you afford 40% discounts—" the spy stammered.
Another elder struck him down with a single palm.
Elder Wu growled, "You dare question the will of Shadow Mountain?"
"From today onward," Huang Liang declared, "Every week, mandatory sect-wide scans will be performed. Double the guards at the gates. We are no longer a weak sect. Envy surrounds us like wolves."
The elders bowed. "Yes, Leader."
Back at Shadow Mountain
That night, Xuan Long relaxed on his throne, sipping immortal tea.
Hei Mo entered with Mu Chen and Lin Qian.
"Master," Mu Chen smirked. "Even assassins want to know your marketing secrets."
Hei Mo laughed. "You're starting to ruin the economy, master."
Xuan Long chuckled softly. "Let them try. The mountain protects its own."