Chapter 66: Assassin Village

On the martial arts training ground of the Lin family, a flash of dazzling light tore across the sky.

That was a sword Qi—tangible sword Qi, potent enough to practically cleave the void, leaving a deep, lingering trace in its wake.

The surrounding air was nearly frozen, and an intensely cold and biting atmosphere permeated the spatial expanse.

The sheer momentum unleashed by this single sword strike alone was enough to chill one's heart to the bone and make one's soul feel as though it were being violently ripped from the body.

"The Heart-Slaying Slash requires only one stroke, because once the sword is drawn, life is taken. A second stroke is never needed."

Lin Zhennan said, "A top-tier assassin hides in the dark, silent and invisible, merging completely with the shadows. This sword captures the mind and strips away the soul. Hao, did you see it clearly?"

Withdrawing his stance, Lin Zhennan looked at Lin Hao and found him staring blankly with his mouth slightly open, lost in a daze.

Seeing this, Lin Zhennan was rendered speechless. He marched right up and slapped Lin Hao on the head. "I told you to watch the sword, not to stare at me."

"Patriarch, to be honest, you've suddenly become so fierce that I can't quite adapt to it."

Lin Hao said.

"If you can't adapt, then slowly get used to it. Now the whole world knows you are the Young Master of the First Hall. If you don't even know the art of assassination, what kind of Young Master would you be?"

Lin Zhennan said, "Did you see that strike just now clearly? If not, I'll execute it for you once more."

With that, Lin Zhennan unleashed another sword strike. Having completed it, he held the sword in one hand, pointing it diagonally toward the sky, and struck a pose he believed to be extremely handsome.

"I know I am fast, and you might not have seen it clearly. So, I shall slash again, this time a bit slower."

Lin Zhennan said.

Before his voice had even faded, Lin Hao hurried forward and grabbed Lin Zhennan's sword-wielding hand. "I saw it clearly. No need to slash again."

Showing off once was enough; why did he have to get addicted to it?

The grandstanding was truly endless.

"Are you sure you saw it clearly?"

"Crystal clear, without a single blur."

"Good, very good. Then go and practice at your leisure. With your talent, you should be able to touch the threshold of the Heart-Slaying Slash within three days. Remember the three core elements of the Heart-Slaying Slash: speed, precision, and momentum."

Lin Zhennan instructed, "You have cultivated the Divine Movement Technique, granting you peerless speed, so speed is not an issue. Before executing the strike, lock onto your opponent firmly to deliver a fatal blow. The momentum of the swordplay is the most crucial part. The so-called crushing of others by sheer momentum is precisely this: when you swing your sword, your martial momentum must be invincible, shattering the courage in your opponent's heart."

"Patriarch, let me give it a try."

Lin Hao said. With a flick of his arm, the tattered sword materialized in his palm.

To this day, Lin Hao no longer dared to underestimate the broken sword in the slightest. With his current level of cultivation, trying to unlock the true might of the weapon was entirely impossible.

In the words of Ninth Master, he did not yet possess the qualifications to awaken the tattered sword.

However, when used purely as a blade, Lin Hao was already more than satisfied with the sheer quality of its material alone.

Wielding the sword single-handedly, he stood proudly in the center of the training ground. His loose black hair fluttered in the wind, and his eyes were sharp as blades as he fixed his gaze forward. Amidst the fluttering of his purple robes, he executed the Divine Movement Technique and slashed forward with a swift, sweeping stroke.

Bang!

This strike cleaved through the empty air, yet it produced a sound reminiscent of the sky tearing apart. A heavy wave of sword Qi, laden with a dense intent of slaughter, tore right through the darkness.

Standing nearby, Lin Zhennan was left speechless...

Lin Hao withdrew his stance, returning to normal. Turning to Lin Zhennan, he asked with a smile, "Patriarch, how was my strike?"

Lin Zhennan turned and walked away in absolute silence, as if having made some solemn resolution.

"Hey, Patriarch, don't leave yet! You haven't critiqued my swordplay! By the way, does the God-Slaying Way only consist of this single move? Teach the rest of them to me as well!"

Lin Hao chased after him from behind, while Lin Zhennan fled ahead, shouting back, "Stop trying to learn it! You are not suited for the God-Slaying Way."

Lin Zhennan sprinted all the way back to his quarters, slammed the door shut, and finally lost his composure completely.

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!"

casting all dignity to the wind, Lin Zhennan plopped straight down onto the floor. "He's not human! He's simply not human! This is too bullying! Back then, that supreme senior used primal congenital fluid to cleanse my marrow and build my foundation, raising my talent far beyond ordinary limits."

"Even so, it took me a full three months just to grasp the threshold of the Heart-Slaying Slash, and years of diligent study to achieve the might I possess today. That brat... he merely glanced at it once, and he already manifested sword momentum."

A wave of unprecedented frustration suddenly overwhelmed Lin Zhennan.

His current state of mind was identical to that of Ren Baichuan when the latter first watched Lin Hao refine pills. Even though he was a powerhouse of the Divine Origin Realm, even though he was the supreme leader of the First Hall, and even though he was a formidable expert...

That innate sense of defeat from deep within was precisely the same.

Out on the training ground, Lin Hao practiced with the tattered sword over and over again. With every single strike he unleashed, his sword momentum grew a fraction stronger. Combined with the buff from his Divine Movement Technique, he elevated the Heart-Slaying Slash to an entirely new tier.

This entire scene was witnessed by the Great Elder and the Second Elder. The two of them exchanged glances, then slapped their thighs in sheer exasperation, reacting no better than Lin Zhennan in the slightest.

"Damn it, is this what a Supreme Physique looks like?"

"Truly a physique unseen through the ages. Even a miraculous sword technique like the Heart-Slaying Slash can be mastered just by looking at it once. It's too infuriating."

The Great Elder and Second Elder sighed speechlessly. Remembering the arduous time they had spent cultivating this very same set of sword techniques, and comparing it to the youth before them...

Forget it, it was better not to think about it. The more they thought about it, the angrier they became.

Yet, for the three of them, being able to witness Lin Hao's extraordinary brilliance also filled their hearts with genuine gratification.

"The Dragon Gate Battlefield is about to open. If Ah Hao enters with his current level of cultivation, it will likely prove extremely difficult for him."

The Second Elder said.

"Take him to the Assassin Village."

The Great Elder said.

"Very well."

The Second Elder nodded. With a flash of their figures, the two elders materialized beside Lin Hao. The Second Elder grabbed Lin Hao by the shoulder, and they soared directly into the air.

"Where are we going?"

Lin Hao asked.

"You'll know once we arrive."

The Great Elder replied.

"Damn it, wait for this lord!"

Ninth Master let out a loud roar. The mule galloped wildly out of Tianbao City, a pair of glowing wings suddenly sprouting from its back as it leapt into the air and flew after them at breakneck speed.

"You stubborn mule."

The Second Elder swept his hand outward, and a powerful wave of momentum directly pressed down upon Ninth Master.

"Don't kill him, he's one of us!"

Lin Hao quickly shouted out in warning, terrified that Ninth Master might be swatted to death by a single slap from the Second Elder.

Bang!

Awooo!

Ninth Master was batted right out of the sky, crashing into the ground and leaving a deep crater. When it raised its head once more, there was not the slightest trace of Lin Hao and the others left to be seen.

"Damn it! Assassin Village, is it? You think leaving this lord behind means I won't be able to find the place? Leaving aside this tiny Cangyuan Realm, there is nowhere beneath the heavens that this lord cannot go!"

Ninth Master gnashed its teeth in fury. Shaking its slightly dizzy mule head, it flapped its wings and took flight once more.

The Assassin Village was hidden in a deeply secluded location, nestled within a massive canyon.

At the entrance of the village, an old man lay lazily upon a huge boulder, leisurely puffing on a dry tobacco pipe. Seeing figures approach, the old man sprang up from the boulder in an instant.

"Greetings, the two Hall Masters."

The old man bowed respectfully to the Great Elder and Second Elder, while simultaneously sweeping his gaze toward Lin Hao. "Greetings, Young Master."

"You recognize me?"

Lin Hao asked.

"Naturally. This old servant was also present at Ziyun Mountain."

The old man replied. "The Young Master's valor is peerless, and this old servant holds you in the utmost respect."

A wave of realization washed over Lin Hao. Many assassins from the First Hall had indeed gone to Ziyun Mountain yesterday.

Furthermore, since the First Hall was an affiliate of the Lin family, it was only natural that these people were familiar with him.

"What is this place?"

Lin Hao asked.

"The Assassin Village."

The Second Elder answered.

Lin Hao understood instantly. It seemed this Assassin Village served as a stronghold for the First Hall.

"Old Mu, go and select ten outstanding seeds. Open the primary—no, initiate the special-grade training for the Young Master."

The Great Elder commanded.

"What? Special-grade?"

Old Mu's expression shifted drastically, suspecting that his ears had deceived him.

"Indeed, special-grade. Make the arrangements immediately."

The Great Elder said.