The night grew darker.
The wind outside Chen Fan's bamboo hut turned icy, carrying a suffocating pressure that made the surrounding bamboo leaves rustle nonstop.
A pressure far more terrifying than the previous assassin.
This was the aura of a Golden Core realm cultivator.
The assassin Elder Lei had hired finally arrived.
Chen Fan put down the scroll in his hand, his eyes calm as ever.
He'd sensed this terrifying aura long before it approached.
Golden Core realm.
A whole realm above Foundation Establishment, a powerhouse that most outer sect disciples could only look up to.
But Chen Fan's face didn't show a single trace of fear.
To him, realm differences were just numbers.
His Chaos Root and Eternal Supreme Insight had long given him strength far beyond his mid-Foundation Establishment cultivation.
A mere early Golden Core assassin was no threat at all.
Outside the hut, the black-cloaked Golden Core assassin stood silently.
His entire body was wrapped in a thick black fog, hiding his face and all his features.
A deadly, cold Golden Core aura spread outward, pressing down on the entire outer sect area.
The patrolling guards knelt on the ground, trembling, unable to move under the pressure.
They didn't dare to make a sound, let alone go to check the situation.
This assassin was more ruthless and powerful than any cultivator they'd ever seen.
The assassin stared at the bamboo hut, a cold sneer in his eyes.
"A lowly handyman, even if he has some hidden tricks, is just an ant in front of Golden Core."
"Elder Lei paid a fortune for this mission. I'll finish it quickly, and leave no trace."
He didn't hold back.
He raised his hand, and a black spiritual blade condensed in his palm, glowing with a deadly light.
The blade carried the full power of early Golden Core, enough to split the bamboo hut into pieces in an instant.
And kill Chen Fan along with it.
"Die."
The assassin whispered coldly, and the black blade shot toward the hut, cutting through the air with a sharp howl.
The blade's power locked onto Chen Fan's position, leaving no room for dodge.
He thought this strike would end the mission in an instant.
But inside the hut, Chen Fan just moved slightly.
He activated Eternal Shadow Steps to its extreme.
His body turned into a wisp of smoke, completely disappearing from the spot.
Boom!
The black blade hit the bamboo hut directly, blowing half of it to pieces.
Wood splinters flew everywhere, and the candlelight inside went out instantly.
The assassin frowned slightly.
He didn't expect Chen Fan to dodge his strike.
But he didn't care.
A Foundation Establishment ant could dodge once, but not twice.
He stepped forward, stepping into the ruined hut, his Golden Core aura pressing down harder.
"Hidden tricks won't save you."
"Come out and die."
His voice echoed through the ruins, cold and ruthless.
In the darkness, a calm voice sounded.
"You're the one who should die."
Chen Fan stood quietly in the corner of the ruins, his figure straight.
He looked at the assassin, his eyes cold and clear.
The assassin was stunned for a moment, then laughed loudly in disdain.
"A Foundation Establishment brat dares to talk to a Golden Core like this? You're courting death!"
He raised his hand again, preparing to strike with all his power, determined to crush Chen Fan into pulp.
But before he could move.
Chen Fan made his move.
He didn't use any fancy moves.
He just stretched out his hand, and a wisp of invisible, supreme sword intent burst out.
This sword intent was far more powerful than the one used against the previous assassin.
It was condensed to the extreme, containing the power of heaven and earth that Chen Fan had comprehended.
Even a Golden Core cultivator couldn't detect it until it was too late.
Whoosh!
The sword intent shot toward the assassin's dantian silently.
The assassin's face changed drastically.
He felt a deadly crisis approaching, but it was too late to dodge.
Ping!
The sword intent hit his dantian directly.
The Golden Core inside his body trembled violently, and his spiritual energy was instantly disrupted.
His Golden Core aura vanished in an instant.
"Ah—!"
The assassin let out a scream of terror and pain, falling to his knees on the ground.
His cultivation base was crippled in an instant.
From a high-spirited Golden Core powerhouse, he became a useless cripple in just one move.
He stared at Chen Fan, his eyes filled with endless fear and disbelief.
"How is this possible… you're just Foundation Establishment…"
He couldn't understand.
How could a Foundation Establishment cultivator cripple a Golden Core with one move?
This defied all common sense of the cultivation world.
Chen Fan walked toward him slowly, his tone calm.
"You took the mission to kill me. You have to pay the price."
He didn't kill the assassin, just like before.
But the assassin's Golden Core was shattered, and he would never be able to cultivate again for the rest of his life.
This was a fate worse than death for a cultivator.
The assassin collapsed to the ground, his eyes hollow, completely desperate.
At the same time, high atop the sacred peak.
The Supreme Elder watched the scene with a faint smile on his face.
"As expected, he's already strong enough to fight beyond his realm."
"Even a Golden Core is no match for him. This child's future is limitless."
He didn't make a move, because he knew Chen Fan didn't need his protection.
This was just a small test for Chen Fan.
Meanwhile, in his room inside the inner sect.
Elder Lei waited anxiously, his hands shaking.
He'd been waiting for the news of Chen Fan's death.
But a quarter of an hour passed, then half an hour.
There was no news at all.
A bad feeling rose in his heart.
Suddenly, a weak voice came from outside the door.
It was his subordinate, his face pale as death.
"E-Elder… the Golden Core assassin… he failed."
"His Golden Core was crippled, and he's been captured by Elder Mu's men."
Boom!
Elder Lei's mind went blank, and he fell back onto his chair.
His eyes were hollow, and his face was full of despair.
He'd spent all his wealth, hired a Golden Core assassin, and still failed.
Chen Fan was like an unbreakable wall, blocking all his revenge.
He knew he had no way to deal with Chen Fan anymore.
And Elder Mu would soon bring the assassin to confront him.
He was finished.
Outside the ruined bamboo hut.
Elder Mu rushed over with the guards, his face full of shock when he saw the crippled Golden Core assassin on the ground.
He looked at Chen Fan, completely stunned.
"You… you defeated a Golden Core assassin?"
Chen Fan nodded slightly.
"He was too weak."
Elder Mu stood there, unable to speak for a long time.
He knew Chen Fan was strong, but he never imagined he was strong enough to defeat a Golden Core cultivator.
This handyman was a true hidden immortal.
Chen Fan looked at the ruined hut, his expression unchanged.
"I need a new place to stay."
Elder Mu quickly came back to his senses, nodding repeatedly.
"I'll arrange the best courtyard in the outer sect for you right away! No one will dare to disturb you again!"
But none of them knew.
The crippled Golden Core assassin had a secret mark on him.
A mark belonging to the Blood Moon Tower's high-level leaders.
The failure of this mission would soon alert the entire Blood Moon Tower.
A more terrifying storm was about to descend on Azure Cloud Sect.
And Chen Fan's peaceful life was about to be completely disrupted.