Ye Kaishan's eyes glowed as space burst forth from his body. He closed his eyes, and in the next instant, the power condensed into a dimensional sphere.
Opening them again, his calm gaze fell upon the sphere, its surface shimmering in a transparent shade of blue.
Without warning, the sphere expanded, spreading outward until it enveloped the entire manor in a vast dimensional zone.
"What is this…?" one assassin muttered as the blue veil descended. All four of them grew tense, their eyes flickering with caution.
"It doesn't look harmful…" another whispered while testing it, leaping from one location to another inside the manor.
"It's some kind of trick from that boy. Don't let your guard down," the woman snapped coldly, her eyes locked on Ye Kaishan.
"Attack!" she commanded.
The four assassins launched forward at tremendous speed, their swords flashing toward Ye Kaishan like streaks of cold light.
Ye Kaishan murmured softly, "Hmm… now it's clear."
The moment their blades struck, his figure vanished. Their combined assault carved a crater into the courtyard floor where he had just stood.
"Where did he go?!" one of the men whispered anxiously, his gaze darting around.
A calm voice echoed in the still night."Inside my space zone, I can sense everything—the paths you travel, your locations, even your attacks."
Ye Kaishan stepped lightly into the courtyard, his eyes gleaming.
"There he is!" the assassins cried, scattering in all directions.
Ye Kaishan sighed, his tone unhurried. "Let's just wrap this up quickly."
His gaze sharpened with killing intent, and his figure blurred into nothingness.
"Where is he?!" The assassins spun about frantically, searching for his trace.
The woman clenched her teeth, cursing. "Damn it, where is h—"
Spurt!
Suddenly Blood sprayed like a fountain beneath the moonlight, staining the courtyard stones crimson.
"AHHHHHHHHHHH—!"
A black figure screamed in agony, collapsing as Ye Kaishan reappeared atop the roof.
"M-my hand!" the man wailed, groaning in pain as he clutched his shoulder. Blood poured freely from the severed stump, spilling across the ground.
Swish!
Without hesitation, the three remaining assassins charged toward Ye Kaishan, blades gleaming like lightning.
"Oh? Finally attacking head-on?" Ye Kaishan wondered aloud. He slashed his sword to meet them, sparks flaring as steel clashed against steel.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The courtyard rang with the sound of colliding blades. All three assassins pressed their swords against him in unison, forcing him backward.
"Tch…" Ye Kaishan exhaled sharply. "Fighting three at once really takes a toll.
If not for the qi and blood tempering my body, I'd already be done for. Still… I should thank that sword manual. Even with a shallow grasp of it, I can still hold my ground."
"Don't give him a chance to use his tricks! Attack relentlessly!" the woman roared viciously.
She flickered behind him in a burst of speed, her blade piercing through the air toward his back.
Ye Kaishan glanced over his shoulder with a faint smile.
"Wait—! Not good!" The woman's eyes widened in horror. She tried to stop her thrust, but it was already too late.
Puchi!
Her sword pierced through the chest of her own companion. Blood burst forth as the unfortunate assassin coughed violently, collapsing to the ground.
The last man trembled, his eyes wide as he stared at the corpse lying in a growing pool of blood. His breathing faltered, his expression wavering in disbelief.
"W-what just happened…?"
Ye Kaishan gave them no time to recover.
"Void Slash!"
His figure flickered high above them. With a powerful swing, he unleashed a brilliant blue arc of energy that tore across the night sky.
The woman's pupils contracted sharply, the deadly light reflected in her gaze. Sweat trickled down her forehead as her heart clenched in terror.
"W-wait—!"
BOOM!
The Void Slash slammed into the courtyard with a thunderous explosion. Soil and debris erupted outward, creating a massive crater that split the ground.
When the dust cleared, blood spilled across the shattered earth. Two assassins lay lifeless, their bodies broken beyond saving.
The lone woman staggered weakly, her body drenched in blood. One arm was severed, and her trembling legs barely kept her upright as she leaned on her sword for support.
Ye Kaishan landed gracefully at the crater's edge, his expression unreadable as he regarded her.
Not far away, the first assassin—still writhing from his severed arm—stared in sheer horror, his eyes trembling as he watched.
Who is he? The thought clawed through his mind. In this entire battle, he never once used his soul energy. Is he a cultivator… or a mortal? His injuries momentarily forgotten, he could only stare at Ye Kaishan with terror.
...
On a broken courtyard wall, Song Yan sat with her arms crossed, a relaxed smile on her lips as she observed.
"Hmm… not bad," she murmured softly. "His techniques are still crude, but thanks to that sword manual, he's learned enough to protect himself."
Her eyes turned to the crater where broken bodies lay scattered like discarded dolls, then narrowed on the sole survivor, groaning and clutching desperately at his wound.
"These assassins should be from the Eastern Continent," she said, her tone dropping to a chilling calm. "They've been collecting children… refining them with evil arts."
Her eyes hardened, a faint glint of killing intent flashing within. "They're only small cultivators, but their leader must be in Starfall City. I've already sent a message to Yunhua Tower. They'll come to rescue the children."
She sighed faintly, though her tone carried weight.
"Three are dead. The survivor will be enough for the Yunhua Empire to interrogate.
But if word spreads that we intervened, the forces behind them will know as well."
Her gaze deepened as she whispered, almost to herself, "Tomorrow we leave for the Eastern Continent. I don't want to make enemies before we even arrive."
She jumped down gracefully and strode toward Ye Kaishan.
"Are you alright?" Song Yan asked calmly as she neared him.
"I'm fine. But since you arrived, you could've lent a hand—it would've made things easier." Ye Kaishan chuckled lightly.
"There was no need for me to intervene," Song Yan replied, her tone light yet measured. "Still, you should train more. That battle was too close."
Her eyes followed Ye Kaishan's gaze to the woman who still stood upright, body slumped against the support of her sword.
"She's most likely dead."
"Yeah, she's gone." Ye Kaishan pulled his gaze back, sheathing his sword into the void. "Let's free the children first."
"Wait." Song Yan suddenly extended her hand, halting him.
"What is it?" Ye Kaishan asked with a frown.
"I've already informed the officials. We don't need to interfere any further—they should be arriving soon." Her voice remained calm, almost detached. "If we stay, it will only bring unnecessary trouble."
"Then what about him?" Ye Kaishan's eyes flickered toward the lone assassin, who trembled with cold sweat beading down his face, body frozen in place as though trapped in ice.
Song Yan spared him a glance. "There must be someone left for interrogation.
he will be handed over to the guards of the Yunhua Empire. He doesn't know who we are, nor where we come from. And since we'll be leaving for the Eastern Continent, there will be no problem."
Ye Kaishan frowned. "Wouldn't it be better to just kill him? We've already rescued the children."
"If we kill him, the empire will be left with nothing to pursue the force behind these assassins," Song Yan explained steadily.
"In desperation, they might cut off all contact with the outside continents until the culprit is found. But if this assassin remains alive, at least the empire has something in hand to hold accountable."
"…Sigh, troublesome indeed." Ye Kaishan's eyes suddenly sharpened. "Someone is coming."
"They must be the empire's guards. Let's leave—it's best if they handle the aftermath." Song Yan urged.
"Alright." Ye Kaishan channeled space laws, and in the next breath, their figures dissolved into the void.
Crack—
The heavy door of the manor burst open. A man in scholarly robes stepped into the moonlit courtyard, followed by ten female guards. The air still reeked faintly of blood and charred wood; the courtyard stones bore the scars of battle.
"Seal this place and rescue the children," he ordered crisply.
The guards scattered into action. The scholar's eyes fell upon the sole surviving assassin, who knelt motionless in the dust.
A yawning crater marred the courtyard nearby, and within it lay three lifeless bodies—one still upright, leaning stubbornly on her sword as though refusing to fall.
"These vile cultivators…" The scholar sighed, his voice heavy. "Who knows how many atrocities they've committed under the empire's very nose."
He walked toward the assassin, frowning. "Strange. He's conscious, yet not fleeing."
The moment his senses touched the man, the scholar froze."Space laws?"
He felt invisible chains binding the assassin's body, sealing not only his movement but even his voice.
"So… someone killed three assassins and left one sealed in space? If all had died, it would've been troublesome indeed." His gaze sharpened with thought.
Master warned me about two bright stars of fate appearing in the Southern Continent… and he said they wield the source of space laws. Don't tell me… was it them?
For a moment, his thoughts wandered as he lifted his gaze toward the night sky.
The moon shone silver over the broken courtyard, shadows stretching long and silent.
wonder what Master is doing now in the Western Continent. I heard he went into seclusion with his wife. I never fully understand his divinations, yet his foresight never fails to leave me in awe. He shook his head lightly.
The scholar extended his hand. With a gentle touch, the fragile mirror of space laws around the assassin shattered into nothingness.
"Haa… I'm free!" The assassin gasped, lungs heaving as he staggered upright. In desperation, he bolted toward the broken door.
"Oh? Still so energetic? Do you really think you can escape?"
The assassin's legs suddenly gave out, and he collapsed to the ground with a cry. Panic filled his eyes. "What?! Why can't I move? My legs… they're not responding!" Cold sweat dripped down his back. "An illusion?"
The scholar frowned. "Don't look at me like that. It's only an illusion—I didn't cripple you. You just can't walk."
He waved a hand. "Take him away. Send him to the Yunhua Tower."
"Yes, sir!" The guards obeyed, dragging the trembling assassin away.
Left alone in the ruined courtyard, the scholar turned his gaze upward once more. The moon hung high, pale and radiant against the dark heavens. His expression was calm, yet a trace of awe glimmered in his eyes.
"Two bright stars of fate…" he murmured softly.