Starting Reward – A Three Thousand Assassin Network - Chapter 37

Chapter 37 – Eve of Darkness

Quickly, the golden dragon fish finished the bait Ye Chen had thrown down but still felt unsatisfied. Immediately, it spat out a water arrow towards Ye Chen.

Seeing this, Ye Chen’s eyes narrowed, and before the water arrow could reach him, it condensed into ice in mid-air.

However, it didn’t end there. The ice crystals spread from the water arrow and extended into the lake, periodically forming thick layers of ice on the surface.

Sensing the danger, the golden dragon fish swiftly swam towards the distance, reaching ten zhang away in an instant. Although the golden dragon fish was incredibly fast, the spread of the ice was even faster.

“Plunk!” The golden dragon fish leaped out of the water to avoid it, but …

Crack, crack!

As it just emerged from the water, its tail still touching the surface, it got frozen by the ice. Through the ice crystals, one could see its eyes seemingly filled with a terrified expression.

Ye Chen gestured lightly, and with a “crack,” the ice around the golden dragon fish shattered. It was then pulled by an invisible force towards him.

“Whether you understand my words or not! But you must know, only what is given to you qualifies for use. Do not demand what is not given, much less harbor any dissatisfaction. Otherwise, I will make you understand who the true king here is!”

Finishing his words, Ye Chen casually waved his hand, and the ice-bound golden dragon fish was slammed viciously onto the icy surface of the lake.

It was like a stone skipping across the road continuously.

The ice crystals on the golden dragon fish shattered under immense force, and fresh red blood flowed continuously from its body, dripping onto the ice, drawing a long trail of blood.

Even the fish scales that were almost impervious to the Celestial Realm attacks were shedding off in pieces. The pain wracking its body made it repeatedly slap against the ice surface, intensifying the fear in its fishy eyes.

“Hmph, consider this a mild lesson for you. Don’t make the same mistake again in the future!”

As the words fell, the frigid air over the entire lake instantly dissipated, and the hardened ice melted away.

Witnessing this, the golden dragon fish leaped back into the water, swimming towards the center of the lake.

The scene returned to its previous state, as if nothing had ever happened.

Meanwhile, Li Sushang, beside Ye Chen, was quite curious about his strength.

…

Time flew by, and nearing dusk, Tian Yan returned.

Beside her were seven figures, including Yan Yan and the other six sword slaves.

Receiving Tian Yan’s urgent message, the seven hurriedly rushed here.

“Young Master!” Yan Yan, the six sword slaves, all bowed in respect.

Ye Chen waved his hand and looked at the seven, saying, “Tonight, there will be an extremely important mission! I believe Tian Yan has already informed you.”

Yan Yan nodded, “Indeed, on our way here, she has informed us about the mission.”

“But I must reiterate, the two Transcendent Realm assassins of the Rakshasa Hall must die!” Ye Chen’s expression turned extremely serious.

“They’ve hidden for twenty years without anyone knowing if they have other means. So, ensure nothing goes wrong. This mission will be carried out by all seven of you together. Be extremely cautious. As soon as those two Hall Masters are killed, retreat immediately.”

Indeed, once the Rakshasa Hall loses the two of them, it would be like a paper tiger without teeth, ready to be overthrown at any time.

Upon hearing this, Yan Yan and the six sword slaves nodded consecutively in agreement.

“Alright, everything that needed to be said has been said. Go swiftly and return swiftly. I’ll arrange a celebration feast here for your triumphant return.”

This statement made the seven look at each other, joy reflecting in their eyes. For the celebration feast, they naturally knew what it implied. It meant resources. With resources, their strengths would be elevated once more.

After a while, the seven leaped and disappeared from the Lou Shen Residence.

“Young Master, are you worried?” Tian Yan caught something from Ye Chen’s earlier words.

Ye Chen didn’t hide it and slowly said, “Indeed, the Rakshasa Hall is an extremely powerful force! You all understand the assassin organizations better than I do. Without substantial resources, how could they have developed to this extent?”

“No need to think about it; the mastermind behind the Rakshasa Hall must be from the Great Xia Royal Family.”

“Whether it’s the Emperor Xia or Xia Cangyun, it’s hard to tell.”

“Is there a difference between the two?” Tian Yan was a bit puzzled. Both of them were from the royal family, belonging to the same faction.

Ye Chen stood in the corridor, watching the setting sun about to fall in the west, but the surrounding clouds, illuminated by the twilight, looked like blazing fires.

“The biggest difference between the Emperor and Xia Cangyun is their age. The former is like the scorching sun, having a long time to plan, but Xia Cangyun …”

At this point, Ye Chen pointed to the setting sun and continued, “He’s like that setting sun, and the fiery clouds around it are like the foundation he cultivated. How strong is the foundation built over three hundred years? Nobody knows, not even Emperor Xia.”

“If the Rakshasa Hall is truly cultivated by Xia Cangyun in secret, then the hidden foundation is far beyond what we understand. You see, this sunset is so beautiful, casting the most beautiful twilight. It’s not as dazzling, but it’s the eve before the darkness arrives. The most beautiful things in the world are often the most dangerous. To avoid this danger, the fewer people involved in this mission, the better! Destroy them directly with the force of thunder, giving them no chance to react!”

At this moment, Tian Yan suddenly understood, “So, the reason why the Young Master personally directed all seven of them to execute the mission together!”

“Indeed, the Rakshasa Hall, others may survive, but those two Hall Masters must die. Their existence has always threatened Liangzhou!” Ye Chen’s eyes narrowed.

Then he changed the topic, “Today, Grandpa came. Using the excuse of bringing fish for me, but actually, he came to observe. Surely, he has some guesses about the Network in his mind. Moreover, you weren’t here today, which made him more convinced of his guesses.”

Tian Yan was slightly surprised, “I once thought that Elder Ye might guess my identity through the Network, but I didn’t expect it to happen so soon!”

“Yeah! Your strength displayed by the river that day had already made Elder Ye suspicious. Combined with the current network, it wasn’t hard to guess.” Ye Chen sighed.

“Elder Ye has secluded himself in the Ye Family for decades, his perseverance and wisdom far surpass ordinary people. It’s precisely because of his existence that the royal family felt threatened, leading to the subsequent series of events. Sometimes, being too outstanding is also a kind of crime!”

At this point, Ye Chen’s lips curled slightly, his face filled with satisfaction.

“Uh … Young Master is indeed outstanding, far beyond the comparison of those ordinary folks!” Tian Yan seized the opportunity to flatter him.

“Haha, you know me well, Tian Yan!” Ye Chen burst into laughter, not at all modest.