I manage female characters in all the heavens.

The figure appeared so abruptly, as if it had appeared out of thin air, or as if it had always been there, but he hadn't seen it before.

Jiang Biehe's pupils suddenly contracted!

He instinctively took two steps back, adopting a defensive stance, his eyes fixed on the figure.

It was a figure shrouded in a black robe, tall and slender, whose gender was indistinguishable.

Even his face was hidden under the wide hood, with only the outline of an iron mask vaguely visible—a silver iron mask without any expression, gleaming with a cold metallic luster in the dim light.

The appearance of the masked man made the air in the entire cave seem to freeze.

Jiang Biehe stared intently at the other person, his heart pounding like a drum, cold sweat pouring down his forehead.

He couldn't see the other person's face, sense their presence, or even determine whether they were male or female.

But that feeling—

The feeling of being looked down upon from the heavens by an invisible eye, and having his heart gripped tightly by an invisible giant hand, almost suffocated him.

The man in the iron mask did not speak, but stood there quietly, like a mountain, no, like a towering peak that pierces the heavens and earth, exuding an unshakable and omnipresent majesty.

Jiang Biehe swallowed hard and tentatively took a step back towards the cave entrance.

The masked man still didn't move.

He gritted his teeth and took another step.

With this step, he stepped out of the cave and stood in the twilight, increasing the distance between himself and the masked man to two zhang (approximately 6.6 meters).

Just then—

The man in the iron mask fixed his gaze on him.

It was a gaze, not a physical attack. There was no fluctuation of true energy, and it wasn't even a look. The moment that "gaze" landed on Jiang Biehe, his brain exploded with a "buzz"!

He felt as if he were falling!

The earth beneath my feet vanished, the surrounding mountains and forests vanished, the sky vanished, everything vanished!

All that remained was endless darkness and an unending feeling of falling!

And at the end of that darkness, a black sun is slowly rising!

That wasn't the real sun, but rather the embodiment of an overwhelming sense of oppression.

It exudes a cold, deathly, and boundless demonic aura, as if it wants to swallow the entire world and turn it into nothingness.

Jiang Biehe was as insignificant as a speck of dust in the face of that black sun.

No, it's not even dust.

He felt as if he had returned to infancy, naked and exposed to the biting cold wind, so vulnerable that he couldn't even muster the thought of resistance.

He knew that it was the Iron Mask's intention.

Only by reaching the highest level of martial arts can one condense such intent and power.

Masters who can condense their intent are extremely rare in the entire martial arts world. What he is most familiar with is the "Frosty Intent" of Yaoyue, the Grand Master of Yihua Palace, which is cold enough to freeze a person's consciousness.

But at this moment, he felt that even the momentum of the moon-inviting man was like a firefly compared to the bright moon, insignificant in front of this iron-masked man!

He had never felt that kind of oppressive feeling that was so intense and pervasive in every corner of his soul before.

He had never even considered that this terrifying, oppressive force did not come from the vast天地 (heaven and earth), but from a single person.

The oppressive aura emanating from the masked man before me was dark, tyrannical, and destructive, like a demon crawling out of the depths of hell, about to drag the entire world into the abyss!

He could even feel himself being swallowed up by that black sun.

Flesh and blood were peeled away bit by bit by darkness, bones were silently dissolved, and the soul was twisted, shattered, and annihilated under that terrifying demonic power.

He struggled desperately, trying to break free from that terrifying hallucination.

But he couldn't do it.

His legs were trembling, his heart was pounding, his breathing became rapid and erratic, and large drops of cold sweat rolled down his forehead, soaking his clothes.

He even had an urge to kneel down and beg for mercy.

This is inhuman!

Jiang Biehe gritted his teeth, forced himself to stand firm, and used all his strength to circulate his inner energy, trying to resist the terrifying force that was omnipresent.

But under the oppressive power of that black sun, his skill was extinguished in an instant, like a candle flame in a downpour!

"Puff-"

His legs gave way, and he collapsed to the ground, drenched in sweat and panting heavily.

God knows, he only had to be looked at by the man in the iron mask to have such a terrifying feeling!

The Man in the Iron Mask didn't move a finger or utter a single word from beginning to end.

He was already completely routed.

Jiang Biehe collapsed to the ground, trembling all over, his face as pale as paper, as if he had just been pulled out of the water.

He finally understood that he was nothing more than an ant in front of this man in the iron mask.

Even ants can at least struggle a little.

He didn't even have the right to struggle.

Just then, the man in the iron mask finally moved.

He slowly raised his right hand, extended a finger, and gently pointed it in the direction of Jiang Biehe.

Jiang Biehe tensed up, thinking he was about to die, and instinctively tried to dodge backward.

But the oppressive feeling surged even more violently, fixing him firmly in place, so that he couldn't even blink!

It’s over.

Jiang Biehe closed his eyes in despair.

However, the expected death did not occur.

That finger ultimately did not touch him.

Instead, it struck a stone beside him, which instantly and silently turned into dust.

Immediately afterwards, a thin booklet flew out from the sleeve of the Iron Mask's robe and landed on the ground in front of Jiang Biehe.

The booklet's cover was dark black, without any text or patterns, but the material alone gave Jiang Biehe a burning sensation.

The man in the iron mask finally spoke.

His voice was hoarse and deep, like two pieces of metal rubbing together, or as if it came from a very distant place, carrying a strange echo:

"Jiang Biehe".

Jiang Biehe trembled and hurriedly nodded, "It is...it is I..."

“Very good.” The Iron Mask’s voice was completely flat. “I know everything you’ve done.”

Jiang Biehe's heart tightened.

Those things—what were they?

Does it refer to his renowned reputation as a chivalrous hero of Jiangnan, or to his shady dealings?

The man in the iron mask continued, "In order to climb the ranks, you did not hesitate to betray your master, betray your friends, kill your colleagues, collude with mountain bandits to rob caravans, sell women to brothels, kill to cover up the crime, and so on."

Jiang Biehe was even more terrified and panicked. The other party knew everything about him, even the fact that he had betrayed Jiang Feng back then!

Who exactly is the other party?!

“But you don’t need to be nervous.” The masked man changed the subject, his tone still calm. “I’m not here to kill you.”

Jiang Biehe was stunned. They weren't here to kill him?

“A person like you,” the man in the iron mask tilted his head slightly, as if sizing him up, “is ruthless in achieving his goals, willing to give up everything, including dignity, family, and reputation.”

"I admire you; you're a talented person."

Appreciation? Talent?!

Jiang Biehe could hardly believe his ears.

He had just thought he was going to die, but now the other person was telling him—that they admired him?

“I need a capable person to do something for me,” the Iron Mask continued. “This task requires someone ruthless enough, intelligent enough, and without any moral bottom line to accomplish, and you are the perfect match.”

"Do you want to do something great, something earth-shattering?"

Jiang Biehe's initial despair and panic were quickly replaced by another emotion—the will to survive.

And... ambition.

Such a terrifyingly skilled expert took the initiative to come to my door, saying he wanted to give him a chance to make a name for himself?

This is like a windfall!

How could he possibly bounce back from such a predicament?

Upon hearing this, Jiang Biehe didn't bother to consider whether it was true or not. He quickly kowtowed to express his gratitude, stating that he was willing to follow his lord for all eternity and dedicate himself to the cause until his dying breath.

Whatever the masked man's purpose was, since he had said that, he obviously didn't intend to kill him now; at least his life was spared.

Moreover, it's not shameful to be a subordinate of such a terrifyingly powerful person. Over the years, he has served as a dog for Yaoyue and Liu happy and gained a lot of benefits. Now, he can even say that it's a good thing to have a stronger master.

This new master is clearly no good, and his strength is astonishing, far surpassing the likes of Liu happy. With a new master as his backer, he no longer needs to pretend to be a benevolent and unparalleled hero. He can still wield immense power by simply being himself and letting loose!

"My lord, please give your orders!" Jiang Biehe hurriedly cupped his hands, his tone even carrying a hint of urgency, "I, Jiang, am willing to serve you like a dog or a horse!"

The masked man didn't speak, but simply pointed to the secret manual on the ground.

Jiang Biehe was taken aback, bent down to pick up the booklet, and opened it to take a look—

The Heart Sutra under the Blazing Sun

This was an internal energy cultivation method he had heard of before, a closely guarded secret of the Emei sect, and an advanced technique of the Three Yang Heart Sutra that he practiced.

He had once considered this martial art, but the Emei Sect had been passed down for hundreds of years and possessed immense strength and resources, making it impossible for him to compete with them. He had no choice but to give up.

And now, this divine skill has appeared in my hands so easily?

After glancing through the opening outline, he realized that the profundity of this technique far surpassed any martial art he had ever learned before!