In the Demon Suppression Division: Crimson Words Nurture the Blade, Slaying Demons to Prove the Dao

The warm sunlight streamed down, making one feel relaxed and lethargic, with laziness seeping from every bone. Hu Murong was currently trapped in this drowsiness, wishing he could find a soft, large bed and drift off to sleep, his head resting on the sunlight.

However, this thought was just that—thought. She could barely move at the moment—Wei Xuanfeng was closing his eyes to regulate his breathing, and she was pressed close to his back, unable to disturb his healing while also keeping the reins steady so that the horse could follow Huang Chanchan steadily.

She hated nothing more than being a burden. Wei Xuanfeng was so badly injured that he could only move and circulate his internal energy while on horseback. Not only could she not help him, she was actually binding his hands and feet. But she dared not dismount; once she left Wei Xuanfeng's back, she would lose her protection. Those hunters could pounce from the shadows at any moment—a lesson learned at the cost of her life.

Once, she briefly left Wei Xuanfeng's sight to tidy her clothes, and just then, the enemy approached. Fortunately, the enemy bumped into Wei Xuanfeng first; if they had come for her, she would have been dead. From then on, she dared not stray far, and even when resting, she had to be close to him to feel safe. Fortunately, the two had already had the experience of being close together in Chenjia Village, so she didn't feel awkward.

She once considered abandoning archery and focusing on the swordsmanship of the Demon Suppression Division. After all, even with archery skills, she would still be a burden on the run. Wei Xuanfeng, however, persuaded her otherwise, describing the great uses of archery in the future—once she could skillfully ride on his back and shoot arrows, he could carry her while fleeing and fending off enemies head-on, and she could then seize the opportunity to launch a sneak attack. Together, they would no longer be a burden, but a powerful weapon.

Hu Murong was preoccupied with his sister and only hoped that her injuries would heal quickly so that he would have the strength to teach those relentless villains a lesson.

Huang Chanchan warily scanned both sides of the road. The dense forests on both sides were perfect for an ambush. Fortunately, she had grown up in the forest, and she could detect the slightest movement of the grass and branches.

Since the first wave of pursuit, she had proactively studied the swordsmanship of the Demon Suppression Division. Whether it was due to her exceptional talent or a particular affinity for this style of martial arts, her Body Tempering Technique progressed by leaps and bounds, reaching the threshold of the third level of the Martial Arts Realm in just one month. She also learned archery from Hu Murong, and the power of her bowstring increased daily, now rivaling that of experienced archers. She was no longer a weak woman who could only watch from the sidelines; she could now help Wei Xuanfeng in battle. Of course, if they encountered a truly formidable opponent, she still needed to stay nestled in Wei Xuanfeng's arms for safety.

But the greatest benefit didn't lie there. After acquiring the foundation of the orthodox Xuanmen sect, her eyesight and perception in the forest were almost divine; no matter how clever the disguise, it couldn't escape her eyes. Although Wei Xuanfeng's cultivation was high, he had to admit that in terms of forest insight alone, he was far inferior to her, and even felt that infrared detectors were three points less effective.

A gentle breeze rustled through the broad-leaved trees along the roadside, and Huang Chanchan vaguely recalled the bagpipes her mother used to play, their melodies so clear and gentle, she wondered when she would hear them again.

The Northern Garrison Command they were heading to was located east of Kangcheng, bordering Bailian Mountain. The journey required crossing a long mountain range, mostly covered in forest, which provided excellent cover for the three of them. They had escaped Kangcheng three days prior and entered this forest. To confuse their pursuers and shake off their tails, they took many detours, otherwise they would have arrived much sooner.

Each lost in their own thoughts, the two women rode slowly forward on the two stolen horses. Huang Chanchan suddenly noticed something unusual in the rustling of leaves ahead. Her phoenix eyes swept over the bushes, but she saw nothing. She did not stop, but silently took out her bow as she passed by and lightly released it into the woods.

The arrow pierced the air and disappeared into the shadows of the trees, followed by a muffled groan. Huang Chanchan didn't dismount to check, confident in her archery skills. The bow was a captured, strong bow, and the arrow was also stolen; now she was simply giving it to someone with equally ill intentions.

Wei Xuanfeng had not closed his senses and was immediately startled, opening his eyes to inquire.

Huang Chanchan said, "He was a petty thief who was scouting, keeping watch, or lying in wait. He has been dealt with."

Then he asked, "How is your injury?"

Wei Xuanfeng stretched his limbs and replied, "I'm about 70-80% better, it's nothing serious."

Before they escaped from Kangcheng, they were intercepted by a squad of martial artists from the "Eight Fierce Bandits," the most ferocious assassins of the Gongsun family. The squad was led by Yuan Ruhan, the "Desert Gun King," who ranked third among the eight founding members and whose cultivation had reached the peak of the Martial Arts Realm.

In a one-on-one fight, Wei Xuanfeng was absolutely confident of defeating Yuan Ruhan. Unfortunately, his opponent disregarded martial arts etiquette and scoffed at Wei Xuanfeng's challenge, which was made in the name of honor. He was a warrior willing to die for his cause, not a chivalrous江湖豪客 (jianghu haoke, a chivalrous person who values ​​face more than life). The six martial arts masters at the sixth or seventh level and the sixteen martial arts masters at the peak of the martial arts realm that he brought with him swarmed forward without any hesitation.

This battle was exceptionally arduous. Wei Xuanfeng immediately focused all his efforts on breaking through the encirclement. He was able to escape with the two women thanks to their cooperation—if Yuan Ruhan had only sent high-level martial artists to surround them, Wei Xuanfeng knew that no matter how skillful his footwork or how fast his movements, he would have had difficulty breaking through the impenetrable encirclement; even if he managed to break through, he would have exhausted most of his energy, and facing the encirclement of sixteen peak martial artists, he would definitely be overwhelmed by sheer numbers.

In the actual battle, whether it was Yuan Ruhan's miscalculation or the fact that the peak martial artists were blinded by the bounty, seeing Wei Xuanfeng and his companions as a piece of juicy meat, everyone wanted a bite. In any case, everyone pounced on them together. As a result, the encirclement was exposed, and the peak martial artists' cultivation was no match for Wei Xuanfeng's killing moves.

Wei Xuanfeng's "Crossing the River on a Reed" lightness skill was even more adept, allowing him to dart and weave through the crowd, targeting only the weakest points. Since his internal energy was projected outwards, he was a conspicuous target, forcing several high-ranking assassins to run around trying to rescue their companions, causing them to lose their composure.

The encirclement collapsed. By the time Yuan Ruhan realized what was happening, Wei Xuanfeng had already killed several men and escaped with the two women. Of course, it wasn't until two days later that they truly shook off the pursuit of the "Eight Fierce Bandits." Yuan Ruhan was no pushover either; a counter-attack nearly pierced Huang Chanchan, who was acting as a human shield. Fortunately, Wei Xuanfeng shielded her with his own body, taking a bullet to the ribs, and Huang Chanchan narrowly escaped.

Wei Xuanfeng didn't let Yuan Ruhan off easy either, giving the lone, fierce bandit a sound beating. Yuan Ruhan was bedridden for more than half a year afterward. After a month of desperate fighting, Wei Xuanfeng's cultivation level had risen to another level, making him more confident in dealing with top-tier high-level assassins. He had a chance to kill the first near-super expert, but unfortunately, reinforcements from the "Eight Fierce Bandits" arrived in time.

However, due to Yuan Ruhan's serious injury, the martial arts squad withdrew early. They knew when to stop, and although they lost some men, they hadn't fundamentally damaged the enemy. Wei Xuanfeng, by losing a powerful foe, actually benefited. If Yuan Ruhan had truly died, the "Eight Fierce Bandits" would likely have fought to the death. Facing a dozen or so reckless and ruthless warriors, Wei Xuanfeng might have been able to protect himself, but Huang Chanchan and Hu Murong would have been in grave danger.

The first month of their journey was spent in pursuit, chases, and the clash of swords. The first to arrive were wandering martial artists from various regions and guards from the Gongsun family. The official constables, seeing their formidable leader, knew they couldn't gain an advantage and mostly did their jobs half-heartedly. However, among the Gongsun family guards were several skilled fighters, and they were under orders and offered a high reward. Wei Xuanfeng used considerable cunning, exploiting their eagerness for quick success to ambush and counterattack, killing several experts before forcing them to retreat.

Half a month later, the main force of the pursuit changed to the elite assassins of the Gongsun family. These men were true experts, and Wei Xuanfeng began to disregard direction, focusing only on his desperate escape. The Gongsun family was not idle either; they contacted Gongsun Su's maternal relatives, who, upon hearing of their grandson's tragic death, immediately dispatched men. The three quickly became first-class wanted criminals in Kangcheng, constantly being watched wherever they went, and could no longer enter major towns to rest, forced to hide in the mountains and forests.

Wei Xuanfeng received even worse news from the captured Deadpool: the assassination organization had listed them as prime targets, reportedly because two of the targets were seemingly defenseless women, attracting even more hunters. Wei Xuanfeng could only lament his bad luck. Fortunately, neither Deadpool nor the assassins about to appear were, for the time being, experts above the Martial Arts Realm.

Along the way, they encountered all sorts of people and gained a general understanding of the local martial arts hierarchy. Wei Xuanfeng formulated a strategy based on the enemy situation: against the Gongsun family guards, since they were fighting to the bitter end, they would be ruthless and kill them until they were terrified; against the rabble in the towns, they would avoid them as much as possible, as killing too many would provoke public anger and be unwise; against the elite assassin squads, they would focus on wounding them and kill them as a secondary objective, both increasing their burden and showing them a deterrent effect—they were all people who lived on the edge, and there was no need to create irreconcilable feuds. The assassins were quite pragmatic; many teams withdrew voluntarily when they saw that the target was difficult to take and the chances of victory were slim. Although some who were greedy for the big reward refused to give up, the Gongsun family assassins only suffered some losses in strength, and were far from being crippled.

Leaving aside the trivialities of their escape, Fox Murong then asked, "What does it mean that a thief is hiding in the woods?"

Huang Chanchan said, "Either they are spies planted in the net, or there are people waiting for us ahead."

Fox Murong said, "But we've already left Kangcheng territory."

Wei Xuanfeng said, "The reward money doesn't recognize the territory."

Having said that, he spurred his horse to trot and added, "We'll know the answer once we get going."

After walking for a short while, a small village came into view. Wooden houses were built against the mountain and scattered in the forest clearings. Birds nested under the eaves, creating a peaceful scene. A dirt road divided the village in two. There were few pedestrians and sparse shops on both sides. Only a few children were chasing and playing.

Fox Murong whispered, "I hope there's no ambush here."

Wei Xuanfeng said, "I'm not a god, how would I know? Let's go in and take a look."

They hadn't been to a village or town in a long time, and their clothes were tattered and in dire need of supplies. Huang Chanchan and Hu Murong, being women by nature, were also eager to wash and groom themselves.

Wei Xuanfeng slowed his horse and strolled out of the woods. The children spotted them immediately and swarmed around them. Perhaps because the village rarely saw outsiders, they shouted and jumped, pointing and gesturing around the two horses.

Huang Chanchan was observant; while softly asking for directions, she subtly probed for information: "What's the name of this place?"

The children all shouted, "Kangbao Village!"

Huang Chanchan asked for the children's names, then asked, "Have any strangers visited the village recently?"

"no."

"No one's been here for ages."...

Huang Chanchan breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Wei Xuanfeng, waiting for him to make a decision.

Upon hearing the children's words, Hu Murong completely forgot his vigilance and repeatedly demanded to dismount and rest.

Wei Xuanfeng also felt that the child's words were true; since no outsiders had come, Kangbao Village should be considered safe. The scout who had just been shot might have been an informant used to track their movements, so there should still be some time to prepare. He noticed the longing written all over the two women's faces and said, "Let's rest here."

The two women immediately cheered.

The three were led into the village by the children. The streets suddenly came alive, and shopkeepers ran out of their shops carrying goods such as dried meat strips, animal hides, coarse bread, and homespun cloth.

Before Wei Xuanfeng could react, several people had already surrounded him, trying to sell his wares. Wei Xuanfeng was both amused and exasperated.

Seeing the villagers' enthusiasm, Huang Chanchan unconsciously accepted quite a few things. Wei Xuanfeng had no choice but to pay. He hadn't expected the villagers in such a remote village to be so eager to sell their wares. Perhaps, very few outsiders really did set foot here.

At this moment, a burly man dressed in coarse linen clothes squeezed through the crowd carrying a full basket of fruit and shoved the basket into Wei Xuanfeng's arms without saying a word.

Wei Xuanfeng wanted to decline, but Hu Murong said, "It's not like we're short of a few copper coins. Buy it for me to eat."

Wei Xuanfeng had no choice but to nod, indicating that he would buy it. The burly man immediately put on a big smile. Wei Xuanfeng was just thinking that this forced sale was absurd, and he had just hugged the fruit basket when he suddenly realized that there was a sinister aura behind the man's smile.

Assassin! There's an ambush!

A chill ran down his spine, and he roared, "Huang Chanchan, it's a trap!"

The fruit basket was then smashed down on the burly man's head.

At this moment, a total of six people surrounded them. Two were facing Huang Chanchan, and four were surrounding Wei Xuanfeng. There were also five children: two were pulling on the horse reins, two were tugging at Huang Chanchan's clothes, and one was tugging at Wei Xuanfeng's sleeve and talking to Hu Murong.

The fruit basket served as the signal to attack. As Wei Xuanfeng caught the basket, the burly man slid two short daggers from his sleeve and plunged them into Wei Xuanfeng's abdomen. The other five men also attacked simultaneously, their daggers aimed at Wei Xuanfeng's chest, Hu Murong's back, and Huang Chanchan's chest and abdomen. The five children, oblivious to the danger, continued to hold onto the two men!

Seeing that the assassins showed no sign of using their inner strength, Wei Xuanfeng ignored the six daggers thrusting at him and instead unleashed a barrage of punches at his two opponents on either side. The two men neither dodged nor evaded, fighting with a desperate, relentless style. Wei Xuanfeng chuckled inwardly: A clever plan, but unfortunately, they've chosen the wrong people!

The dagger touched Wei Xuanfeng's body but could not advance any further; the blade was deflected by his protective aura. Only then did the assassins realize they had kicked a hornet's nest. The assassins on both sides had no time to change their moves; each of them was punched in the chest, the sound of bones cracking clearly audible, and their bodies flew backward as if their strings had snapped.

The burly man in front dodged the fruit basket, realizing the danger, and swiftly raised his twin daggers to slash at Wei Xuanfeng's arm. The assassin behind him twisted his wrist, instead aiming for Hu Murong's legs. The child clutching Wei Xuanfeng's clothes froze, unable to react in time.

Wei Xuanfeng sneered inwardly, quickly retracting his arm to block. The burly man was overjoyed, thinking that a mere scratch would suffice—the dagger was coated with the venom of a three-striped cobra, a deadly poison that would kill on contact with blood.

With two sharp clangs, the burly man's dagger struck as if hitting an iron plate, failing to injure his opponent and instead causing his hand to go numb, the dagger flying out of his grasp. Wei Xuanfeng's wrist guards proved effective once again. Taking advantage of the burly man's open stance, Wei Xuanfeng strode forward, almost touching his face, and slammed his right knee into his abdomen. The burly man didn't even utter a sound before being thrown out like a broken sack.

The assassin's dagger was about to pierce Hu Murong's thigh when the figure suddenly moved forward, missing its target. He quickly followed up and stabbed again—a professional assassin only recognizes his target and will not give up until he achieves his goal, so even if the situation is unfavorable, he will not give up.

The child, who was clutching Wei Xuanfeng's clothes, was suddenly pulled a step and fell to the ground.

Wei Xuanfeng turned, drew his sword, and slashed horizontally in one fluid motion. The assassin seemed to have run into the blade himself; he had no time to parry, and his head flew off his neck.

Meanwhile, the two assassins who attacked Huang Chanchan thought they had victory in the bag, unaware that Huang Chanchan was no longer the frail archer she once was. As Wei Xuanfeng's fellow disciple, how could she only practice the Body Tempering Technique? Because of her outstanding archery skills, Wei Xuanfeng specially taught her close combat techniques such as fists, feet, and short blades.

At the same moment that the two assassins' daggers pierced Huang Chanchan's vital points in the chest and back, their own throats were also pierced by a short dagger.

The six attackers did not use internal energy from beginning to end. They didn't use it during the initial sneak attack to avoid detection; they didn't use it during the later assault because they simply lacked internal energy cultivation. For martial artists, lacking internal energy is equivalent to being useless. Clearly, these six were pure professional assassins, born to kill. Not cultivating internal energy was precisely to minimize the signs of an impending assassination. Martial artists often lack vigilance towards ordinary people, and the strong are more likely to underestimate the weak—this stems from arrogance, confidence, and pride. But even the strongest internal energy is useless without the means to circulate it.

These people must be the work of an assassination organization. They're certainly professional, their methods ruthless. These assassins, aside from being mentally numb, have no other skills. They can be mass-produced whenever needed—any ordinary adult, by easing their anxiety, becomes the most concealed weapon. The truly deadly element is the poisoned dagger. This highly profitable operation—it's unclear whether it's the work of the assassination organization itself, or orchestrated by another force.

Furthermore, the six men, completely disregarding their own lives, were clearly suicide squads. This raises a difficult question: how to cultivate a mindset of facing death without fear? The indifference and numbness of the four assassins just now could not be bought with money. No amount of reward could buy a calm acceptance of death.

Wei Xuanfeng didn't dwell on it for the moment, instead searching the body, hoping to find clues. Assassins usually conceal their origins, but they always need some kind of identification. Wei Xuanfeng searched very carefully, avoiding direct contact as much as possible to prevent falling victim to their trap.

Huang Chanchan comforted the children who were frightened by the sudden change. Strangely enough, the five children neither cried nor spoke, but kept moving closer to the two of them. The two who had been with Huang Chanchan didn't move, but the one who had been with Wei Xuanfeng got up and, along with the two children leading the horse, pressed themselves against Wei Xuanfeng.

Not wanting the children to see the corpse, Hu Murong hurriedly said, "Go over there, Sister Huang Chanchan has some good things to share with you."

Huang Chanchan also said softly to the children, "Don't be afraid, I'm wearing protective armor, bad guys can't hurt me."

Then, following Hu Murong's words, she said, "Come over here and stand over there. I'll give you all the fun things."

She wanted to lead the child away from the bloodshed.

Wei Xuanfeng then noticed the same tattoo on the inside of the two assassins' forearms—a strange pattern that resembled neither a word nor a picture. Just as he was about to look up and call Hu Murong to identify it, he saw the three children approaching, their eyes revealing a sense of déjà vu.

Suddenly, he was shocked—that blank, empty, lifeless look in his eyes was exactly the same as the fourth assassin's before he died!

A chill ran down his spine, and he screamed hoarsely, "Huang Chanchan, watch out for the children! They're assassins too!"

Huang Chanchan looked up in astonishment, bewildered. Instinctively, she got up to move away, but unexpectedly, she felt a sharp, stabbing pain in both arms at the same time, and the wounds quickly went numb. Knowing she had been poisoned, she slapped the child beside her away with both palms, sealed the acupoints on her arms, and collapsed to the ground, using her internal energy to expel the poison.

Seeing that Huang Chanchan had fallen for the trap, Wei Xuanfeng was about to kill her. However, he could tell that these innocent children could become cold and ruthless in an instant, something that could not be achieved through training. They were most likely controlled by some kind of evil magic, losing their autonomy at a specific moment.

Hu Murong couldn't bear it and said urgently, "Don't kill them."

Wei Xuanfeng withdrew some of his internal energy and swiftly pressed acupoints on the three children. The children suddenly became immobile and struggled desperately. The two children who had been knocked away by Huang Chanchan got up again; Huang Chanchan hadn't used her full strength after all, and they had only fallen, unharmed. They charged at Wei Xuanfeng expressionlessly. Wei Xuanfeng used the same method, immobilizing them with acupoints.

He had just breathed a sigh of relief and was about to go over to help Huang Chanchan expel the poison when the three children who had been restrained suddenly stopped struggling and collapsed. Their faces were blackened and blood was seeping from their seven orifices, clearly indicating that the poison had taken effect.

Wei Xuanfeng knew something was wrong. He turned around and grabbed the chin of a nearby child, but it was too late to grab another. The child's lips twitched, then his face turned ashen, and he died just like the previous three.

Wei Xuanfeng was furious: using children as tools for murder! He'd remembered this assassination organization. Even if these children weren't raised by them, they were still accomplices. He would settle the score with them sooner or later.

Huang Chanchan's condition was extremely dire; her pretty face had turned pale. Wei Xuanfeng didn't have time to remove the poison sac from the child's mouth, nor did he dare to break it rashly. He first dislocated the child's jaw, then examined her wrist, and sure enough, found a tiny spring needle. With a gentle press, the inch-long steel needle sprang out, its tip gleaming with a purplish-blue light, both beautiful and deadly.

Wei Xuanfeng put away the spring-loaded poison needles and ignored the child. He moved behind Huang Chanchan, placed one palm on her back, and channeled his powerful internal energy into her. Although their internal energies came from different sources, they were yin and yang, perfectly complementing each other.

With this powerful reinforcement, Huang Chanchan's poisoning spread was immediately halted. This poison was truly potent, quickly reaching her heart meridian. It should be noted that Huang Chanchan cultivated a body-tempering technique from the orthodox Xuanmen school, possessing pure internal energy and a natural resistance to poisons. Even with all her might to expel the poison, she was still attacked so quickly; if it were an ordinary person, being struck by the needle would be fatal instantly.

Wei Xuanfeng no longer focused his attention and concentrated all his energy on helping her expel the poison. Huang Chanchan frowned frequently, showing signs of pain; the process of expelling the poison was clearly extremely agonizing.

Kangbao Village had only a few dozen households, but since Wei Xuanfeng and his group entered, there had been no movement from the other villagers, not even a sound. The entire village was eerily silent. On the dirt road in the village lay ten corpses of adults and children, a gruesome sight. A child stood stiffly by the roadside, chin tilted to the side, his face contorted in pain. A man and two women stood in the middle of the road; the man was kneeling on one knee, carrying one woman on his back, his right hand pressed against the other woman's back. All three were drenched in sweat.

Unable to offer any assistance, Hu Murong could only stare wide-eyed, scanning the surroundings as a sentry. She looked around, silently praying, "Please, please, no more unexpected events!"

Unfortunately, her prayers seemed to have the opposite effect. A figure emerged from the tavern in the distance, draped in a black cloak, his head hidden by a grey cape, his face concealed in the shadows.

Unable to discern the other party's intentions, Hu Murong hurriedly reminded Wei Xuanfeng, "There are people ahead."

Wei Xuanfeng sent a wisp of his divine sense to probe, unable to distinguish friend from foe. But appearing in this desolate village at this juncture, it was most likely coming for them. However, he had no choice; Huang Chanchan was at a critical juncture in expelling the poison and couldn't do without his internal energy. He whispered four words: "Observe the situation."

As long as the opponent hasn't drawn their weapon, focus all your efforts on forcing out the poison. Hu Murong understood, keeping a close eye on the man in black robes, hoping he wouldn't get closer.

The man in black robes walked straight toward them. He stopped ten paces away from Huang Chanchan and scrutinized the three of them.

Hu Murong finally saw his face clearly, and a chill ran down her spine. The man was deathly pale, so thin that his cheekbones protruded, as if he hadn't seen the sun for years, resembling a newly unearthed skeleton. Coupled with his black attire, Hu Murong couldn't help but think of the legendary Black Flag Warriors—targets that the Demon Suppression Division and the righteous path had joined forces to eradicate, yet whose spirits lingered. She had encountered another one today, and judging from his actions, he was indeed sinister.

The man in black robes stared at Huang Chanchan for a few moments, and seeing that her face was still contorted with pain, he grinned with satisfaction. The smile was more sinister than a grimace, sending chills down Hu Murong's spine.

The man in black robes spoke up: "Save your energy. This poison is a combination of the blood poison of the Nightmare Beast, the poisonous vine lion claw poison, and the eggs of the Burning Sky Ants. It specifically targets internal energy. Only those at the Martial Master level or above can barely resist it; those below the Martial Master level have absolutely no chance of forcing it out."

While keeping an eye on the man in black robes, Wei Xuanfeng secretly pondered the situation, but showed no sign of it on his face.

The man in black robes continued, "But you're not bad either. You dragged two women here and escaped two deadly assassination attempts."

Wei Xuanfeng's heart skipped a beat; those child assassins were indeed connected to this person. But he remained calm, simply saying, "Just luck."

The man in black robes cackled, "You're quite lucky, and so are your two women. If they hadn't been wearing armor, they would have been dead long ago. My intelligence was inaccurate."

Wei Xuanfeng deduced from the other party's words that those children were indeed planted by him. But now was not the time to act; Huang Chanchan's poison had not yet been completely cleared. He suppressed his anger and slowly said, "You flatter me. It is your brilliance to think of using ordinary people as assassins."

The man in black robes scoffed, "I wouldn't bother with such trash."

The word "manufactured" made Wei Xuanfeng's heart skip a beat—indeed, these assassins were not trained.

The man in black robes said, "Taking them was just a stroke of luck. I believe only those with real skills deserve good fortune, like you."

Wei Xuanfeng, unsure of his intentions, chuckled self-deprecatingly, "Should I thank you for the compliment, or be thankful I wasn't poisoned?"

The man in black robes let out a grating laugh: "If you couldn't have dodged those two assassination attempts, I wouldn't have bothered coming out to talk to you about this."

Wei Xuanfeng vaguely guessed his intention and tentatively asked, "So what exactly are you trying to say?"

The man in black robes said, "I understand your predicament. You've been chased for a month and are probably nearing your demise."

Wei Xuanfeng said, "Not bad, at least they're alive."

The man in black sneered, "That's because the assassination organization hasn't gone all out yet. The Death Servants who were chasing you only knew how to fight head-on, which is why you managed to slip away here."

He stared at Wei Xuanfeng: "Let me tell you, kid, 100,000 taels of gold is enough to alarm the Heavenly Extreme Assassins. They haven't moved yet because they're waiting for more accurate intelligence and the best opportunity. You have nothing to rely on now!"

Wei Xuanfeng remained noncommittal: "Aren't you one?"—the meaning was clear: Aren't you also a high-level assassin? I still managed to break your plan.

The man in black robes said, "I'm just unlucky, otherwise I would have received the reward long ago. I don't believe your luck will last forever."

Wei Xuanfeng didn't believe it either. If any ordinary person on the road could suddenly turn into an assassin, it would indeed be impossible to guard against. The assassins' poisoning and spies would likely become even more insidious. He asked, "Then what should I do? You haven't wasted your breath, have you?"

The man in black robes said, "That's right. The method is simple: as long as you join our organization, your life will be safe."

Wei Xuanfeng asked, "An assassination organization?"

The man in black robes scoffed, "What are assassination organizations? I'm with the Black Flag. Once you join, the heads of the Gongsun family are at your disposal, and the assassination organization's bounty will be withdrawn."

Hu Murong's heart pounded. It really was a Black Flag warrior. The Black Flag had always been considered an evil sect, a target of joint efforts by the Demon Suppression Division and various sects to eradicate, yet they could never completely wipe them out. She had witnessed another one today; their methods were indeed ruthless.

Wei Xuanfeng asked in surprise, "Black Flag? I'm not a member of Black Flag."

The man in black robes said, "Our organization urgently needs the support of various parties. I value your abilities; you are absolutely qualified."

He couldn't help but glance at Huang Chanchan again, and only when he saw that her face was still contorted in pain did he feel completely relieved. He had genuinely been worried that Wei Xuanfeng's strange internal energy could counteract the "Dead Man's Edge" poison. However, the fact that this woman had survived until now already demonstrated that Wei Xuanfeng's internal energy was indeed unique.

According to the intelligence he possessed, Wei Xuanfeng certainly hadn't reached the Martial Grandmaster realm; otherwise, why would he be fleeing in such a sorry state? The Martial Grandmaster realm was a legendary level, capable of destroying an entire city single-handedly. While Wei Xuanfeng hadn't reached that level, his internal energy was strong enough to withstand the Dead Man's Blade, indicating limitless potential. Moreover, his internal energy was colorless, making him perfectly suited for assassination.

Wei Xuanfeng feigned helplessness: "What abilities do I have? I can't even save my own woman."

The man in black robes hurriedly said, "What is a woman?"

He glanced at Huang Chanchan again: "She is indeed a beauty, but once you join us, you can choose any beauty in the world, and even a princess of a country is within your grasp."

Wei Xuanfeng was secretly surprised. It seemed that the Black Flag had great power, and could send princesses away at will. Could it be that they had already taken control of a certain country?

Seeing that Wei Xuanfeng remained silent, and noticing that Huang Chanchan's expression suddenly turned extremely painful, the man in black said, "To tell you the truth, those who have been struck by the 'Dead Man's Edge' never survive."

Wei Xuanfeng thought to himself, "Dead Man's Edge, indeed lives up to its name."

But he said, "I have to do my best; after all, she's been with me all this time."

The man in black robes, unwilling to dwell on the topic, turned cold: "What do you think of my suggestion? I don't have that much free time."

The reason he patiently said so much was twofold: firstly, he genuinely wanted to win over Wei Xuanfeng, and secondly, he wanted to buy time to mobilize archers.

At first, he didn't know why the spies placed outside the village hadn't given any warning, only realizing it when Wei Xuanfeng and his two companions approached the village. There wasn't enough time to make thorough arrangements, and he couldn't let them into the village—his own people were hard to hide, and if the controlled villagers were exposed, everything would be lost. Helpless, he had no choice but to order the assassins present to act alone.

After failing in both assassination attempts, he realized that Wei Xuanfeng was indeed a talented individual, having seen through the child assassin's identity in their first encounter, and thus decided to recruit him. Moreover, the new batch of assassins hadn't yet arrived, and his appearance would attract their attention, buying time for his subordinates to set up their formation. Later, seeing Wei Xuanfeng expelling poison from Huang Chanchan, he was even less in a hurry to act, believing that further depleting Wei Xuanfeng's internal energy would only benefit him.

Wei Xuanfeng said unhurriedly, "This matter is of great importance. Your organization is not one that you can just come and go as you please. I need to think about it carefully."

The man in black robes hesitated: should he recruit a capable lieutenant, or accept the reward of 100,000 taels of silver, plus the rumored treasures on the three men? In the end, his desire for talent prevailed, and by this time, the last batch of archers had taken their positions.

He said, "I'll give you some time to think it over. I hope the answer satisfies me, otherwise don't blame me for turning hostile."

Wei Xuanfeng appeared to be deep in thought, but in reality, he was at the most critical juncture in expelling the poison. He was constantly multitasking, simultaneously maneuvering and circulating his internal energy. To avoid detection, he deliberately allowed the toxins to be expelled through his sweat. After speaking for so long, most of the poison had been expelled, but a trace amount had still seeped into her meridians. This poison was extremely potent; even a trace left would severely injure Huang Chanchan. Wei Xuanfeng could only repeatedly cleanse her main meridians with his internal energy.

His internal energy energies mingled with Huang Chanchan's, gradually merging due to the balance of Yin and Yang, forming an even stronger force. This force, while pursuing the remaining poison, inadvertently entered Huang Chanchan's Ren and Du meridians, unexpectedly showing signs of a breakthrough—it was about to open up her Ren and Du meridians!

All because he was distracted by his words and momentarily failed to notice, he mistook the beauty's body for his own and used his internal energy, causing a surging torrent of internal force to forcefully rush into her acupoints. Huang Chanchan no longer needed to pretend; the excruciating pain of her ruptured meridians was genuinely displayed on her face. This, in turn, deceived the man in black robes, who believed that Wei Xuanfeng was about to collapse.

Wei Xuanfeng dared not be distracted any longer. Using the excuse of contemplation, he remained silent and focused entirely on circulating his internal energy. His Taiyi internal energy was already profound, but nourished by the pure Yin energy, it became even more domineering. Before long, he successfully opened Huang Chanchan's Ren and Du meridians. Although the process was brutal, causing Huang Chanchan great suffering, it also brought her a blessing in disguise, allowing her to break through to the fourth level of the Body Tempering Technique in one fell swoop. His internal energy formed a small circulation throughout his body; the pure Yin energy, aided by the pure Yang energy, mutually generated Yin and Yang, resulting in a significant increase in his power.

At the age of twenty-five, she reached a level that others would spend decades cultivating in just one month—it was simply unbelievable. Even Wei Xuanfeng couldn't help but feel a little envious of her talent. He was unaware that Huang Chanchan had had a fortuitous encounter in her childhood, which led to her current success. Of course, without Wei Xuanfeng's full-force infusion of his inner energy, she would not have achieved this—after all, no one dared to transfer all their inner strength to another like he did; if Huang Chanchan had even the slightest disloyalty, he would have suffered a severe blow.

Another point is that Huang Chanchan is still a virgin, her vital essence undiminished, like a rough gem yet to be polished, with immense potential for growth. It is precisely because her pure Yin internal energy is so refined that she can contend with Wei Xuanfeng's extremely Yang internal energy, ultimately achieving Yin-Yang harmony. Otherwise, the domineering Taiyi internal energy would never have accepted the weaker Jade Maiden's internal energy, and her gains would have been greatly diminished.

To achieve mastery of internal martial arts, a solid foundation must be laid in youth. Once one reaches adulthood, one's vital energy has been depleted, making it difficult to reach perfection. Wei Xuanfeng accepted Huang Chanchan into the Huihai Sect precisely because of her chastity, tranquility, and lack of distractions—making her an exceptional candidate for martial arts. Otherwise, he would have only taught her martial arts techniques and not formally accepted her as a disciple. The Huihai Sect is extremely strict in selecting its disciples, with only a handful of registered disciples in each generation.

Wei Xuanfeng successfully guided the Yin-Yang mixed internal energy through the Small Heavenly Circuit, completing his great work. At this point, the internal energy had become a torrent; Huang Chanchan's meridians, only just opened, could not yet contain such a massive amount, and most of it flowed back into Wei Xuanfeng's body. Wei Xuanfeng had initially worried that forcing out the poison would deplete his internal energy, leaving him powerless to fight, but unexpectedly, due to the balance of Yin and Yang, his Taiyi internal energy not only remained intact but also merged with pure Yin energy, becoming even more powerful. His internal energy thus entered a state of balance, with Yin flowing in and Yang receding, and Yin generating, from which he also benefited greatly.

He secretly instructed Huang Chanchan to circulate her energy through twelve more microcosmic orbits to solidify her foundation and fully integrate the pure Yang internal energy. This step was crucial; otherwise, the effects of risking her life to open the Ren and Du meridians today would be greatly diminished. As long as she solidified her essence, even if she engaged in sexual activity in the future, it would not hinder her cultivation.

Wei Xuanfeng, having recovered from the "Dead Man's Edge" poison, was finally free to deal with the talkative man in black robes. He stepped in front of Huang Chanchan to protect her.

The man in black robes was greatly surprised—could Wei Xuanfeng's colorless internal energy truly neutralize the Dead Man's Blade? He wanted to take a closer look at Huang Chanchan, but Wei Xuanfeng blocked his view. However, since the woman was still alive after Wei Xuanfeng finished his work, she must be out of danger. He immediately drew his weapon, pointing it directly at Wei Xuanfeng.

Hu Murong's eyes lit up. The black-robed man's weapon itself was ordinary, but the Fire Pearl embedded in it was enormous, as big as a child's fist, even larger than the one she had seen before. She whispered urgently to Wei Xuanfeng, "Don't let him get the first move."

As an expert in archery, she was well aware of the power of various long-range techniques.

Wei Xuanfeng was mentally searching for a solution, but on the surface he smiled and said, "Mr. Black Flag, don't be in a hurry, I haven't answered yet."

The man in black robes didn't lay down his weapons, but directly demanded, "Will you join us or not?"

Wei Xuanfeng chuckled: "I'd like to know, if I refuse, how do you plan to kill me?"

The man in black robes cackled coldly, "Want to try?"

Wei Xuanfeng hurriedly waved his hand: "No, no, I just 'want' to know if you have the ability to kill me. If not, then the conditions for me to join the group will have to be discussed separately."

The man in black immediately understood: if he could kill him, he would have no other choice; if he couldn't, he would have to recruit him and offer even better terms. Hearing that Wei Xuanfeng seemed to be wavering, he confidently said, "If I hadn't made arrangements, how could I dare to show myself? You truly surprised me, managing to withstand the Dead Man's Blade. But your inner strength must be almost depleted."

Wei Xuanfeng did not deny it, but instead said, "Even if I only have 10% of my internal energy left, it will be more than enough to deal with a Black Flag."

The difference between internal energy cultivation and archery skills determines the way martial artists fight against the Black Flag—the higher the archery level, the longer the charging time; the higher the internal energy cultivation, the faster the attack. Low-level archery skills have very limited effectiveness against high-level martial artists, and martial artists often have the advantage in one-on-one combat.

The man in black robes sneered, "You really think so?"

Wei Xuanfeng said confidently, "Your reserves of Fire Pearls must be limited, right?"

The man in black robes, unwilling to reveal his true intentions, instead said, "It seems you won't learn your lesson until you're faced with death. Let me tell you, there are twelve powerful archers lying in ambush all around. With just one command, you'll all be like porcupines. The arrows are poisoned; though not as deadly as the Dead Man's Edge, they're still deadly enough."

Wei Xuanfeng looked around exaggeratedly, feigning surprise: "How come I can't see it? Are you trying to fool me?"

The man in black cursed the boy under his breath for being so slippery. He impatiently made a series of strange noises, as if as a signal, and then said, "Look carefully at the roof."

Wei Xuanfeng pretended to scan the area and indeed saw gleaming arrowheads, but the archers hadn't shown themselves. He pointed to the rooftop to the west and said rudely, "Mr. Black Flag, are you kidding me? You call that an ambush? If it's like this in other directions, I seriously doubt your archers are just for show!"

The man in black robes suppressed his rage. The fact that this man's nameless internal energy could withstand the Dead Man's Blade was incredibly significant. The Dead Man's Blade was his secret weapon, a deadly weapon specifically designed to counter martial artists. Its poison formula was extremely complex—it contained the poison of the Nightmare Beast gland, the poison of the Lion Claw Poison Vine, and the blood of the Burning Sky Ant, plus more than ten rare auxiliary ingredients. The process was incredibly difficult, resulting in a very low yield. He had spent several years producing only a small quantity. Coated onto spring needles, it became the "Dead Man's Blade." The five used for the children were already a huge expense. Now that a martial artist could withstand this poison, how could he let him go so easily?