Be a proper Taoist priest in The Condor Heroes

Chapter 72 Assassination

As dusk completely enveloped Gucheng, lanterns on the eaves of the streets and alleys lit up one after another, their dim yellow light filtering through the thin mist and casting long shadows on the bluestone pavement.

The daytime hustle and bustle gradually fades away, leaving only the soft sound of the evening breeze rustling through the streets and alleys, mixed with the occasional laughter from distant taverns, making this city both lively and tranquil.

In the secluded inn, the wooden floorboards creaked softly underfoot. The second-floor guest rooms were simply furnished with two wooden beds, a square table, and two wooden chairs. Clean bedding was piled in the corner. Although there was no luxurious decoration, the tranquility made it perfect for a short rest.

Su Yan did not rush to settle in. First, he tested the sturdiness of the door latch, and then focused his mind to sense the atmosphere inside and outside the inn. Downstairs, the innkeeper was fiddling with an abacus, and the waiter was tidying up the tables and chairs. Their routines were regular and there was nothing unusual. There was a faint aura in the next room. It was weak but deliberately concealed, without any aggression. It was as if a seriously injured person was deliberately hiding their whereabouts.

He turned to Su Ye and gave her some instructions.

"Be vigilant at night, keep doors and windows locked, and do not make any sudden movements if you hear any unusual noises; wait until I notice."

After saying this, he sat cross-legged on the bed, closed his eyes, and circulated his internal energy, the thick and long flow of energy coursing through his meridians.

As night deepened and the third watch of the night arrived, the entire inn fell into complete silence. The chirping of insects outside the window gradually subsided, and only the moonlight shone through the window, casting dappled shadows on the ground, making the night even more profound.

Just as Su Yan was circulating his internal energy to his dantian, transforming it into a thick mass of energy that slowly settled, several extremely subtle strange noises suddenly came from the next room. First, there was the rustling sound of fabric rubbing together, followed by a suppressed groan, and then a short, crisp sound of weapons clashing. The sounds were as light as falling leaves brushing past, and if it weren't for his top-level perception far surpassing that of ordinary people, he would definitely have been unable to detect them.

Su Yan frowned slightly, instantly waking up from his meditation state. His aura suddenly tightened, and the internal energy in his meridians flowed unconsciously, ready to deal with any unexpected events.

Just as he was about to get up to investigate, a sharp sword cry suddenly pierced the deathly silence of the night, as piercing as tearing silk!

next second.

With a crisp "crack", the hard wooden wall suddenly shattered and cracked. Amidst the flying wood chips, a long sword gleaming with a cold, dark light broke through the wall and pierced through the wall. The tip of the sword, carrying a fierce wind, was aimed straight at his vital heart!

Suddenly, in a flash, Su Yan flipped to the left to avoid the sword's edge, and with a swift movement of his right hand, he firmly shielded Su Ye, who had already woken up and looked bewildered, behind him.

With his left hand, he drew the Qingfeng Sword from his waist. A flash of cold light illuminated half of the guest room, and a chilling sword intent spread out, freezing the surrounding air.

His gaze was icy cold, his mind racing.

This sword energy was condensed and powerful, reaching a second-rate level, and was definitely not something that ordinary bandits could unleash.

Before I could think further, the fighting next door grew more intense. The clanging of weapons clashing and the dull thuds of fists colliding were intertwined, along with a man's low, desperate breathing, which revealed a sense of utter desperation.

Without further hesitation, Su Yan lightly touched the ground with her toes and rushed out of the room like a gust of wind, smashing open the half-closed wooden door next door and bursting into the center of the melee.

The scene inside was gruesome and horrific, with a strong, nauseating stench of blood.

Four masked men in black, wielding sharp long knives, moved with ruthless and cunning skills. Their blades were heavy and powerful, each strike aimed at the throat and ribs, clearly indicating they were specially trained assassins, determined to kill without mercy. The four men surrounded a man, trapping him in a corner. Their movements were orderly and coordinated, their attacks advancing like a tidal wave.

The man being attacked was dressed in tattered clothes, his body covered with wounds of varying depths, blood soaking through his clothes and forming dark pools on the ground. Most horrifying of all was his face; the skin on his cheeks was torn open, and scars crisscrossed, clearly indicating that he had been deliberately disfigured with fire or strong acid, making his original appearance unrecognizable.

His eyes, however, were bloodshot and fixed on the man in black before him, filled with unyielding grief and despair. Even though he was severely injured, he still gripped a broken dagger tightly, desperately resisting with his last bit of strength, refusing to give up and wait for death.

Su Yan glanced around and instantly grasped the situation.

The four men in black were all second-rate experts, and their combined strength was considerable; even ordinary first-rate masters would likely struggle to handle them. However, against his top-tier cultivation, their power was ultimately insufficient.

He had no intention of prolonging the fight. With a flick of his wrist, his Qingfeng sword flashed out several sharp, cold streaks. His swordplay abandoned all fancy moves, focusing only on precision and efficiency. Each strike was aimed directly at the black-clad man's vitals and weaknesses.

The sword light flashed and fell, moving as fast as fireflies, so fast that it was impossible to keep up with the eye.

The first sword strike precisely targeted the wrist tendon of the man in black on the left, causing him to release his grip in pain, and the long sword clattered to the ground. The second sword slashed horizontally, the blade grazing the neck of the man in black on the right, and a spurt of blood gushed out. The third sword thrust straight into the dantian of the two men in front, the internal force bursting through the sword tip, instantly shattering their internal organs.

Within a few breaths, the four men in black were struck one after another, seriously injured and collapsing to the ground, completely losing their ability to resist. Blood was everywhere in the room, and the murderous aura gradually dissipated, leaving only a strong smell of blood in the air.

After quickly eliminating all the assassins, Su Yan sheathed his sword, the bloodstains on the blade dripping down the tip and spreading dark red spots on the ground.

The room fell silent instantly, with only the faint breathing of the disfigured man echoing in the air, sounding exceptionally clear.

He slowly stepped forward, his gaze falling on the man's broken body. The idle chatter of tea drinkers in the marketplace during the day involuntarily surfaced in his mind: Chai Xiu was heartless and ungrateful, betraying the Liu family's young master who had treated her with such devotion. After the two turned against each other, she followed the example of the Little Dragon Girl in the Ancient Tomb and set up a martial arts contest to find a husband, seeking another powerful backer.

Gucheng is not a large city, yet it has attracted such a ruthless assassination attempt. The tragic situation of the man before him vaguely matches the rumors about the young master of the Liu family.

Although there was no concrete evidence, Su Yan's intuition told him that this person was most likely Liu Jingyuan, the one everyone in Gucheng was talking about.

Su Yan has always acted rationally and calmly, and dislikes meddling in other people's business.

But the person before him was covered in blood and on the verge of death. If he were to turn away and leave him here to die, it would be contrary to his original intention of cultivating the Dao, and would be a disservice to his own cultivation.

He briefly weighed the pros and cons before deciding whether to advance or retreat, but ultimately sighed, unable to ignore the tragic scene before him.

"Bring me elixirs and wound medicine."

Su Yan said in a deep voice.

Su Ye quickly stepped forward, took out the healing pills and wound medicine she carried with her from her bag, carefully avoided the man's wounds, and put the warm pills into his mouth. She then used a clean cloth dipped in water to gently wipe the bloodstains from the corners of his mouth, her movements gentle yet efficient.

Su Yan squatted down, circulating a wisp of gentle Quanzhen internal energy, slowly channeling it into the man's meridians to help him neutralize the medicinal effects, stabilize his collapsing internal energy, and protect his nearly severed meridians.

Under the combined effects of the medicine and his internal energy, the man, who had been barely breathing, gradually regained his composure. After a long while, he struggled to open his cloudy eyes, his gaze fixed on the unfamiliar young man who had saved him, his expression extremely complex.

There is gratitude for surviving a desperate situation, vigilance when in danger, and numbness and sorrow from the loss of family and the deep-seated hatred.

His chapped lips moved with difficulty, and a hoarse sound came from his throat. It took all his strength to utter a few words intermittently.

"Please—please, young master—save me—"

These few words of plea for help exhausted all the strength he had left.

As soon as he finished speaking, he subconsciously reached out his blood-stained hand, trying to grasp at the only lifeline in front of him. But the moment he touched Su Yan's sleeve, his hand fell limply, his head lolled to the side, and he fell into a coma. Although his breathing was still weak, it had become much more stable.

Su Yan frowned, his suspicions now confirmed.

The ability to mobilize four second-rate assassins to silence someone is something no ordinary family could do. Considering the four second-rate martial artists he sensed near the arena during the day, which correspond perfectly to the situation, there must be a powerful force behind this. And Chai Xiu's role in this is probably more than just the ruthless and heartless person rumored in the streets.

He stood up and bent down to examine the bodies of the men in black one by one.

Aside from his weapon and a few taels of silver, the man in black had no other special items on him, but the inside of his cuffs was sewn with extremely fine black silk thread, woven into a subtle snake-like pattern, clearly indicating that he belonged to a secret organization.

Such elite assassins are rare even in the martial arts world. It's truly alarming that such ruthless schemes and treacherous undercurrents are hidden in a small valley city.

Don't stay here for long.

Su Yan knew that since the other side could send out the first batch of assassins, there might be a second and a third batch. If they continued to stay here, there would inevitably be more variables.

He looked at Su Ye beside him and whispered his instructions.

"You can rest assured, I'll keep watch over you."

Su Ye nodded, knowing she couldn't help much, tightened her grip on the long sword at her waist, and lay down on the bed fully clothed.

Su Yan walked to a wooden chair in the corner of the room and sat down. He closed his eyes and focused his mind, his aura becoming as still and unwavering as a mountain. He was on guard against the hidden dangers around him while quietly waiting for Liu Jingyuan to wake up.