Chapter 164 - 163: Fellow Disciples

With a muffled THUD, the Soft Sword pierced straight through Poisonous Scorpion’s chest.

Night Rose showed no mercy; this was what she had learned from all her years in the Celestial Ranking. An assassin either didn’t strike at all, or struck to kill. A mission had to be completed in the simplest, most ruthless way possible. It was true that these men were her fellow disciples, but in an assassin’s heart, there was no room for sentiment.

With a backhand flick, Night Rose withdrew her Soft Sword from Poisonous Scorpion’s chest. Blood sprayed from the wound. He glared at her, his face full of indignant reluctance. His body swayed a few times before collapsing lifelessly to the ground.

The others barely reacted to his death. They merely cast a cold glance at his body before resuming their assault on Night Rose. This was the disparity in their strength. Although Poisonous Scorpion was also a top ten assassin on the Celestial Ranking and had made quite a name for himself in the Huaxia Assassin Realm, he was still far inferior to Night Rose, who ranked third.

"Hawk, take them and leave. If you do, I will spare your lives," Night Rose warned sternly while dodging their attacks.

Even if all seven of them joined forces, Night Rose was confident she would survive today. However, looking at these faces she had spent day and night with, she still couldn’t bear to kill them all.

"Kill!" Hawk didn’t bother responding to her words. With a loud roar, a cold gleam flashed in his hand, and the group charged at her once more.

The cramped space of the villa could hardly accommodate so many people, making it difficult to fight at full capacity. Night Rose simply smashed through the window, luring them out into the garden. Hawk moved swiftly beneath the moonlight, his eyes incredibly sharp. He used the garden’s shrubs for cover, waiting for the perfect moment to deal Night Rose a fatal blow.

The others gripped their weapons, flanking her from both sides. They moved with immense speed, radiating a thick murderous intent as their feet trampled the grass with a constant RUSTLE. The moonlight reflected off their weapons, casting a pale, icy gleam.

Night Rose flicked her wrist, a bloodthirsty smile tugging at the corners of her lips. It had been a long time since she had felt her blood boil like this. She arched her back slightly, pushed off hard with her feet, and launched herself like a cannonball to meet them head-on.

CLANG!

Following a crisp ring of metal, two intersecting silhouettes quickly parted. Jiu’s military knife grazed past Night Rose’s neck, severing another lock of her dark hair. Night Rose’s Soft Sword, however, now bore a trace of crimson. Just like Poisonous Scorpion, it only took a single move to extinguish Jiu’s life.

With two dead in rapid succession, the remaining assassins began to panic. They froze for a brief second or two, then braced themselves and charged at Night Rose again. When they accepted this mission, they had already anticipated the outcome. Between them and Night Rose, only one side would walk away alive.

SMACK!

Night Rose forcefully snapped her Soft Sword like a whip, flinging the fresh, uncoagulated blood straight into Hawk’s face. Hawk hadn’t expected her to use such an underhanded trick. Caught off guard, his eyes were instantly smeared with blood. Horrified, he hastily retreated. The blood in his eyes severely impaired his vision.

Seizing the opportunity, Night Rose struck rapidly. She first slashed Hawk’s arm with her Soft Sword, then landed a heavy punch squarely on the bridge of his nose. With a crisp CRACK, Hawk’s nose caved in, sending a torrent of blood gushing out. Before he could even attempt a counterattack, Night Rose delivered a brutal kick that sent him flying. He slammed into a large tree with a heavy THUD, shaking a pile of leaves loose from the branches.

"What are you all staring at?! Attack, hurry!" Hawk roared, enduring the agonizing pain. He propped his hands on the ground, swiftly flipped back to his feet, and scolded the others into launching another coordinated offensive.

Night Rose’s eyes flickered, but she didn’t retreat a single inch. Pushing off her toes, she leaped from the ground, her Soft Sword dancing so fast it became a blur of afterimages. The others fought with increasing ferocity, their techniques growing more and more ruthless.

CLANG, CLANG, CLANG.

The collision of weapons rang out in a rapid series of sharp strikes. Although Night Rose was fighting one against five, she didn’t seem to be struggling at all. In fact, Hawk’s side was growing weaker, gradually losing ground. With every move and every stance, Night Rose fought harder. Her Soft Sword was mere inches away from piercing Hawk’s chest when it happened.

Dozens of cold glints shot in from all directions, tearing through the air with countless piercing shrieks. Night Rose’s pupils contracted as she rapidly leaped backward. Dozens of sharp arrows embedded themselves in the ground where she had just been standing.

It was a close call. These arrows were coated in highly lethal poison; even a tiny scratch would kill a person in an instant.

Before Night Rose could even catch her breath, an intense sense of crisis loomed overhead. The newcomer was incredibly fast, descending with the WHOOSH of rushing wind. Night Rose, who had previously looked relaxed, instantly paled upon sensing the newcomer’s aura. She grabbed Poisonous Spider’s corpse from the ground and hurled it toward the attacker, then exploded backward. She hoped to use the body as a momentary shield to block the incoming strike.

A long spear pierced straight through Poisonous Spider’s stomach, violently tearing the corpse apart as a figure darted out from within it. Amidst the mist of blood, Night Rose gripped her Soft Sword and thrust it at him.

CLING!

The Soft Sword clashed against the spear, showering sparks into the air.

"Too slow," a deep male voice reached Night Rose’s ears. With a flick of his long spear, he inexplicably knocked the Soft Sword right out of her hand.

Night Rose’s pupils shrank violently as she bounded three steps backward. Moonlight poured down from above. A gentle breeze swept past, carrying the thick stench of blood mixed with the scent of grass and soil. Night Rose stared at the tall, slender man in a long black robe before her, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes.

"Master!" Upon seeing the newcomer, Hawk and the others respectfully retreated to the side and bowed deeply to the man. They stood opposite Night Rose, staring at her with indifferent expressions.

The man looked at Night Rose expressionlessly, his deep eyes devoid of any emotional fluctuation.

"Ling’er, your heart wavered," he said softly, meeting her gaze.

Night Rose’s body trembled violently. She bit her lower lip hard, remaining silent for a long time before she finally looked up at the man. "Master, I’m sorry."

Indeed, the man standing before her was Night Rose’s master—Situ Kong. At the same time, he was also the master of Hawk and the others, and the second-ranked assassin on the Celestial Ranking.

"Ling’er, come back with me. I will plead for mercy on your behalf." When Situ Kong called Night Rose by her nickname, a trace of tenderness entered his tone.

Night Rose was Situ Kong’s proudest disciple, and also the person he cherished the most. When she was three years old, Situ Kong had brought her from an orphanage back to the Celestial Ranking, naming her Situ Ling’er. He not only taught her Martial Arts personally but also treated her exactly like his own flesh-and-blood daughter.