Chapter 286

Chapter 286: Natural Countermeasures, Sorting Out the Gains

“How is this possible?”

The figure stared in disbelief at the gaping hole in his chest.

He hadn’t even felt the attack, so why was his heart gone?

“Fourth Brother, what’s wrong?”

his companions, sensing something was amiss, asked anxiously.

“He’s dead!”

But then, Lu Qing’s blade arrived.

With a single strike, he sliced the assassin, whose heart had been ripped out by Xiao Li, in two.

“Ah! Fourth Brother!”

The two remaining assassins watched their companion’s death and the bloody hole in his heart, their eyes bloodshot.

A chill ran down their spines.

Even now, they still had no idea who had come, and yet, their two companions were already dead on the spot.

Crucially, their deaths were so swift, without even a chance to offer any resistance, they were instantly slain.

How had Fourth Brother’s heart vanished? This person hadn’t even come near them!

The two surviving assassins felt a growing unease.

After all, they were all powerful masters of the Innate Realm!

Although they had taken shortcuts and employed trickery during their initial breakthrough, exhausting their potential

, even with this depletion, they were still truly at the peak of the Xiantian realm.

Yet, they were killed by this mysterious figure, cutting two of them down like melons and vegetables. This was simply unimaginable to the remaining two.

Even those at the peak of the Xiantian realm couldn’t do this. What kind of monster was this black-clad figure?

As the two remaining Wujian Tower assassins stared at Lu Qing in fear,

Lu Qing himself felt a sense of surprise.

He had previously found it strange that these assassins, despite being at the peak of the Xiantian realm,

had a certain airiness about them, a certain superficiality.

The facts proved that the two he had just killed didn’t display the strength expected of a peak Xiantian realm.

At most, they were slightly stronger than the assassins who had attacked the courtyard earlier, but that was still a limited improvement.

Forget about comparing themselves to their master; even the monk Xuan Nu, whom he had injured earlier that day, was far more formidable.

However, despite feeling a sense of wonder, Lu Qing remained unfazed.

He sensed a strange force coursing through the hearts of the two remaining men, and their auras surged rapidly.

“Want to unleash a life-or-death secret technique?”

Lu Qing, remembering what the Tianji Tower Master had said, immediately called out through telepathy, “Xiao Li!”

As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Li emerged from the space between the two assassins, claws slashing towards one of them’s chests.

What the hell!

This time, the two assassins, their minds strained to the limit, finally detected Xiao Li’s presence.

But it was too late.

Xiao Li’s claws, honed by the countless transformations of his own bloodline and the cultivation of the inheritance within his mind, had become unparalleled in their sharpness.

Even ordinary divine weapons could be easily destroyed.

Although the assassin was quick to react, blocking his chest with his dagger the moment he spotted Xiao Li’s presence,

all was in vain before Xiao Li’s indestructible claws.

With a flash of cold light, the killer’s divine short sword, barely able to withstand a breath, was slashed by Xiao Li’s claws and sank into his chest.

As Xiao Li ripped his heart from his body, the killer stiffened, his eyes filled with endless fear.

The next moment, Lu Qing’s blade was before him, severing his head with a single blow.

“Ah!!!!”

Another killer, still cultivating his secret technique, collapsed upon seeing another of his companions die before him.

He disregarded all thought, even though his technique was only halfway through. He summoned all his strength and lunged at Lu Qing, stabbing him with his sword.

He feared that if he didn’t strike, he would lose his chance.

However, the killer’s sword was only halfway through when he felt a sharp pain in his heart, and all his movements froze.

He looked down at his chest and, as expected, saw a large hole there.

Feeling the life force draining from his body, the killer smiled bitterly.

He knew his death was inevitable.

Without a heart, even a supremely powerful cultivator at the peak of the Xiantian realm would find it difficult to survive.

However, before he died, there was one thing he had to clarify.

Otherwise, even if he died, he would not be able to rest in peace.

The killer stared intently at the ghost mask on Lu Qing’s face: “Who are you, and why did you attack us?”

“The remnants of Wujian Tower, everyone must kill them,” Lu Qing said in a low voice.

The last killer’s eyes suddenly widened. The other party really knew their identities and came specifically for them.

He opened his mouth slightly, about to ask more questions.

But Lu Qing did not give him another chance. With a light swing of his long sword, the killer’s head flew up. His body struggled a few times and fell to the ground with a thud.

“Sure enough, there is something wrong with these people’s cultivation.”

After beheading the last killer, Lu Qing activated his supernatural power and looked at his corpse.

Soon, several notes emerged from the killer’s body.

He quickly read through them and suddenly understood.

Although these Wujian Tower assassins were all at the Great Perfection of the Innate Realm, their cultivation had been forcibly increased through the Wujian Tower’s secret methods, at the cost of consuming their potential.

They possessed only the realm, but their foundations were weak, their strength barely surpassing that of a typical Small Perfection of the Innate Realm.

Compared to a true Great Perfection of the Innate Realm achieved through diligent and practical cultivation, they were far inferior.

Truly speaking, they could only be considered “pseudo-Great Perfections of the Innate Realm.

” “However, Xuankong Mountain, you are truly quite audacious.”

Lu Qing gazed coldly at the last note that had floated from the corpse.

The note revealed that these assassins were not only sent by Xuankong Mountain,

but also hinted that Xuankong Mountain was harboring even greater evils.

Suddenly, Lu Qing’s expression shifted. “Someone’s coming! Xiao Li, let’s go!”

Immediately, his aura completely withdrew, and Xiao Li vanished.

Before leaving, however, Lu Qing quickly collected the assassins’ weapons,

though he no longer held ordinary divine weapons in high regard.

However, the materials that can be made into divine weapons are extraordinary. Perhaps he can use them in the future.

As soon as Lu Qing and Xiao Li left, a figure emitting a powerful aura appeared on the wall.

Seeing the situation below, his pupils shrank.

At this moment, several more figures with powerful auras appeared.

Seeing the collapsed house and the mess below, they were also shocked.

“Brother Fang, you are the first to arrive. What’s going on?” someone asked immediately.

“I don’t know either. I only arrived a few breaths earlier than you. When I arrived, this is what I saw.”

The figure who arrived first replied.

“It seems that masters have fought here.”

One of the figures moved his feet slightly, and he was already on the ground and began to examine the corpses.

Several other figures also leaped down.

After a brief inspection, they gazed at the bodies of the assassins, sensing the lingering aura, and began to feel a sense of alarm.

They discovered that in life, these corpses appeared no weaker than they were; at least they were masters of the Small Success stage of the Innate Realm.

But how had such powerful warriors been slain?

It took them only a short time to sense the commotion and arrive.

Judging by the still-warm bodies, they had only recently died.

To have slain four powerful warriors above the Small Success stage of the Innate Realm in such a short time,

how powerful could the person have been?

For a moment, the rushing figures trembled, their hearts trembling as they glanced around warily.

They began to regret their rash approach.

If the assassins were still nearby, wouldn’t they be in danger?

Fortunately, after a long period of vigilance, seeing nothing unusual around them, they breathed a sigh of relief.

Knowing the unknown master who had killed the four men, he must have already departed.

“Who are these people? When did so many Xiantian Realm experts arrive in the Holy City?”

Feeling safe, someone began to wonder about the identities of the deceased.

He continued to examine the scene, and suddenly, he saw one of the bodies, severed in half. A prominent tattoo on the heart of one half startled him.

Somehow, the tattoo seemed familiar.

But when he thought about it, he couldn’t place it.

The man stared at the tattoo, racking

his brain. Finally, a flash of inspiration struck him.

His eyes widened, a look of shock in them: “Isn’t this…”

…

Lu Qing didn’t know what happened after he left.

Noticing someone approaching, he took Xiao Li and left immediately.

He didn’t care whether the others would discover the identities of the assassins.

After all, Wujian Tower was widely hated, and if other forces discovered its continued existence, it would be a good thing for him.

At least after the Hanging Mountain attack, even if he wanted to use these assassins again, he would have to think twice.

Back in the courtyard, the old doctor was sitting in Lu Qing’s room.

Xiaoyan was soundly asleep in bed.

The little one slept as soundly as ever.

Even the noise made by the assassins when they came to attack her earlier failed to wake her.

“Is the matter done?”

the old doctor asked upon seeing Lu Qing and Xiaoli return.

“Yes,” Lu Qing nodded.

“Then I’ll go back to my room and rest.”

The old doctor didn’t ask Lu Qing why he suddenly left and returned to his own room.

He knew Lu Qing must have had his own reasons for leaving.

The absolute trust between master and disciple didn’t require every detail to be explained.

After the master left, Lu Qing sat cross-legged on his bed.

A lot had happened tonight, and he needed to think it through.

First and foremost was the sudden appearance of the Wujian Tower.

Lu Qing wasn’t overly wary of it.

After the recent battle, he had discovered that he and Xiaoli seemed particularly wary of the Wujian Tower.

As a force of assassins, the experts cultivated by Wujian Tower primarily specialize in assassination.

They rely on their exceptionally powerful aura concealment, allowing them to burst forth with sudden bursts of energy, instantly killing their foes. Their

true direct combat capabilities aren’t particularly impressive.

However, this so-called aura concealment is practically useless against Lu Qing’s terrifyingly powerful soul-sensing abilities and Xiao Li’s even more unbelievable and bizarre sensing abilities.

Furthermore, when it comes to aura concealment, Lu Qing, with his soul-sensing talismans, and Xiao Li, with

his innate magical powers, possess even more perfect aura concealment than Wujian Tower’s.

Consequently, Wujian Tower’s assassins

are completely crushed by Lu Qing and Xiao Li in every aspect,

and naturally pose no threat to them.

Compared to Wujian Tower, what truly intimidates Lu Qing is Xuankong Mountain.

Xuankong Mountain is even capable of dispatching Wujian Tower, a force that has disappeared for centuries.

Clearly, it’s one of the most mysterious and powerful factions in the world.

The water in this strange place is deeper than he imagined.

Who knows what kind of monsters are hidden in the secret place of Xuankong Mountain.

Now they have become mortal enemies with Xuankong Mountain, so they must be careful of the other party’s insidious methods in the future.

Unfortunately, Lu Qing did not know the true location of Xuankong Mountain.

Otherwise, he really wanted to find an opportunity to give the other party a hard blow.

In addition to Xuankong Mountain.

Another thing is his own cultivation.

Tonight’s breakthrough was really beyond Lu Qing’s expectations.

He did not expect that the breakthrough to the Xiantian realm, which he had always been most confident of, would be stuck in the end because his foundation was too strong.

Although he has cultivated true qi and his strength has reached a higher level.

However, his innate body remained uncondensed, and the zhenqi he cultivated lacked a touch of spirituality. The essence of his life remained unchanged.

The most obvious sign was that, still in the Acquired Realm, his lifespan hadn’t increased, remaining limited to a maximum of 120 years.

A true Innate Realm cultivator, on the other hand, possessed a full 300 years of lifespan.

This meant that if Lu Qing remained unable to reach the Innate Realm, even if he were as powerful as he could now, using his Acquired Body to slash the Innate,

after 120 years, under the constraints of the laws of heaven and earth, his lifespan would expire, and his body and soul would decay, ultimately leading to his death.

“The difference between the Acquired and the Innate isn’t simply a matter of strength; most importantly, it’s the difference in the very essence of life.”

After experiencing a breakthrough tonight, Lu Qing’s understanding of the difference between the Acquired and Innate Realms deepened.

“I can sense that the next time the Sound of Heaven and Earth resonates, the laws that evolve will be strong enough to withstand my breakthrough.

And that time shouldn’t be far off.”

Lu Qing sat cross-legged on his bed, his aura ethereal, sensing the changes in the surrounding heaven and earth with the mighty power of his soul.

Although he hadn’t officially broken through to the Xiantian realm, after cultivating the true qi, his physical body and spiritual power had also been enhanced to a certain extent.

If he had possessed his current strength during the day,

the Xuan Nu Bald Donkey would not have been seriously injured if he had been struck by his sword.

Lu Qing was confident that if the opponent didn’t have a stronger trump card, he could completely destroy his Vajra Dharma Body with just one sword, severing it in two!

(End of this chapter)