In a spacious study hall, Su Lingxue and Li Xuan were sitting opposite each other.
Lingxue was listening attentively as her son explained what he had learned yesterday.
As she nodded at his answer, she noticed Yu Qingci and Li Chen entering through the side hall. She gracefully rose from the jade platform and stepped toward them.
With a warm smile, Lingxue asked,
"Sister, why are you here? Weren't you helping husband practice and hone his skills?"
Yu Qingci smiled lightly but with a trace of seriousness as she stepped forward. She replied,
"Sister, there is something we want to inform you of before we set off to the Silvercloud Trade Hall."
Lingxue raised a brow, tilting her head slightly. She asked,
"What is it? Why do you two want to go to Silvercloud Trade Hall at this hour?"
Li Chen stepped forward with a calm expression, gently cutting in before Qingci could speak.
He said,
"Well, Qingci wants to visit the Hall after being absent for quite some time. She also wants to recruit some maids and servants for our courtyard—since both of you are pregnant, we'll be needing the extra help."
Lingxue chuckled softly, waving her hand as if brushing the matter away. She replied,
"Oh, you can go. But remember to return as soon as possible."
Li Chen smiled, stepping close to her and pressing a kiss to her cheek. He reassured her,
"Yes, my dear. Don't worry about us—we'll be back soon."
---
Soon after, the two departed from the study hall.
Li Chen and Yu Qingci held their entry tokens and walked toward the courtyard's edge, where a protective formation shimmered faintly in the air.
Li Chen activated the formation, and the shimmering veil opened, allowing them to exit the courtyard together.
They strolled leisurely in the direction of Moonshadow City, walking side by side under the shade of the Mirrorleaf Forest canopy. Birds chirped softly in the trees, and the breeze carried the fragrance of wild herbs.
But just as they reached the periphery of the forest, Li Chen's expression grew cold.
He felt it.
Someone was chasing them—quietly, persistently, hidden deep in the shadows.
Li Chen, always vigilant in his movements, noticed the subtle fluctuations in spiritual energy nearby.
He turned slightly, narrowing his eyes, and spoke to Yu Qingci using soul transmission.
"Qingci, someone is right behind us. Should we act directly?"
Yu Qingci's expression turned serious as she focused her senses. She responded,
"Husband, there's no need. His strength isn't worth mentioning—only at the Golden Core stage."
They continued on, calmly but alert. Qingci's sharp eyes scanned the terrain, while Li Chen kept his spiritual sense fully expanded.
Moments later, the number of pursuers increased—one shadow became three. Each of them emitted a cultivation aura that ranged from mid to peak Golden Core.
Yu Qingci's eyes narrowed, her voice low and firm. She warned,
"Husband, we need to act now—before more of them appear."
Her gaze swept the forest; a fierce killing intent began to radiate from her like a rising tide.
Without hesitation, Li Chen summoned his sword from his storage ring and dashed toward one of the shadows.
Now that he had reached the third stage of Golden Core, a few cultivators at this level were nothing but appetizers.
He slashed his sword, aiming directly at the enemy's neck.
But the shadowy figure reacted swiftly, dodging the blow with practiced agility—as if he had anticipated the attack.
Li Chen didn't flinch.
In battle, he knew that opponents weren't always simple cannon fodder.
He quickly adjusted his stance and struck again—this time unleashing a new sword technique he had recently developed. Though unnamed, its killing power was deadly enough for a Golden Core cultivator.
His blade sliced through the air, shimmering with refined qi.
The strike penetrated the assassin's skin, clean and silent.
The assassin didn't even have time to activate his protective shield.
His eyes widened in disbelief—how could a mere third-level Golden Core cultivator kill him so effortlessly?
He died with shock frozen in his pupils.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Yu Qingci had already manifested her ethereal bow. With fluid grace, she loosed two spiritual arrows simultaneously at the remaining assassins.
Her cultivation had already reached the Nascent Soul realm. The assassins barely registered her presence before the arrows struck.
They were killed instantly.
Li Chen approached the fallen bodies and collected their storage pouches and rings.
He swept his spiritual sense through the contents, retrieving a few mid-grade spirit stones, some stealth techniques, and several oddly patterned tokens.
One of the tokens stood out—it matched the ones from a previous assassination attempt.
But the others had a different design.
Li Chen's brows furrowed, his voice grim. He turned and asked,
"Wife, these tokens—are they from the Assassination Hall?"
His tone already confirmed his suspicion.
Yu Qingci studied them carefully, her expression darkening. She replied,
"Yes. These killers are from the Assassination Hall. But… I don't understand. How did they locate us here? And how did they know we would come out from Mirrorleaf Forest today, after staying hidden for so long?"
Her expression turned grim—then horrified.
She whispered,
"Husband, we need to reach our destination quickly. I fear there are more shadow killers hidden deeper in the forest, waiting to ambush us."
She tightened her grip on her bow, her instincts screaming of imminent danger.
What they didn't know was that multiple assassins had already pinpointed their location—and were rapidly closing in from all directions.
Suddenly, more shadows surged from all directions. Dozens of dark figures emerged from the canopy and surrounding brush, moving with practiced silence and murderous intent.
It was a coordinated maneuver—"Close the net, kill the bird." The classic encirclement tactic used by elite assassin guilds.
Li Chen and Yu Qingci reacted immediately, their backs pressing firmly against one another as they moved in a slow, controlled circle.
Their faces faced opposite directions, but their coordination was perfect—each trusting the other to defend the blind side.
Many of the incoming assassins were no longer mere Golden Core cultivators. Their qi signatures surged with intensity—some of them had already reached Nascent Soul Realm.
Li Chen's eyes narrowed. "They're getting bolder," he muttered.
Yu Qingci, her gaze icy and her bow fully drawn, spoke into his mind with unwavering calm:
"Husband, act decisively. Don't let any of them escape. If even one assassin slips through this assault, we might face something far more dangerous next."
Her words rang with a deadly truth. The Assassination Hall never attacked blindly. If this group failed, stronger forces would follow—perhaps even someone from the Void Realm.
Li Chen gave a slight nod. He understood her concern without needing further explanation.
Without hesitation, he launched forward toward a cluster of incoming assassins.
High above, from the shadows of a twisted tree branch, the leader of the assassins watched silently.
A cruel smirk tugged at his lips beneath his mask.
"As expected. The brat charges first. Exactly like the reports said."
The leader's smile grew wider as he slowly pulled out a glowing blue orb from his robe.
The moment it left his palm, the orb hovered in midair and released a low hum. A pulse of energy rippled outward.
In an instant, a translucent barrier dome expanded around the battlefield, engulfing all the assassins—as well as Li Chen and Yu Qingci—within its glowing blue walls.
The leader, standing just outside, remained untouched.
He chuckled darkly, eyes gleaming with anticipation.
"Now you can't slip away," he said, his voice low and dripping with amusement.
"Even if you can handle those equal to your strength… what will you do when the numbers never stop coming, my little preys?"
He drew a curved black dagger from his belt and slowly licked its blade, eyes never leaving the glowing barrier.
With cruel delight, he whispered,
"Let the hunt begin."
Deep within him a sinister laugh echoed.
"Hahaaha....."
"Blood...Blood....more Blood... I need more blood."