Bai Li Changqing was carefully weaving a small bird.
"Done," he said, handing it to a young boy.
"Thank you, Brother Bai Li!" The boy beamed.
Watching the group of children happily playing with their woven animals at the door, a slight smile appeared on Bai Li Changqing's usually stoic face.
"I never expected you to have such a skill," Ye Yaar commented with a small smile.
"I used to entertain myself like this when I had nothing to do as a kid," Bai Li Changqing replied.
"By the way, it's about time. Shall we leave now?" Bai Li Changqing asked, remembering something important.
"Yes, we can leave around noon," Ye Yaar nodded.
...
"Goodbye, Sister Ye! Goodbye, Brother Bai Li!" the children called out as Bai Li Changqing and Ye Yaar prepared to leave the village.
"Promise you'll come back and visit us!" the children shouted, their reluctance clear.
As they walked away, Bai Li Changqing felt something unfamiliar stir in his heart—an emotion he had never experienced before.
The two soon left the village and headed towards Moonlight City. Although the city wasn't too far, the journey required them to navigate several mountain roads, which made it a bit more tedious.
"Are you really confident you can kill him?" Ye Yaar asked that night as they stopped at a tavern for rest, nibbling on some food as she spoke.
"Yes," Bai Li Changqing answered seriously. "I'll kill him for sure."
From Ye Yaar's description, Bai Li Changqing had learned that the target, the Marquis of Changbo, was a Martial King. He was heavily guarded by a number of peak Martial Kings, but that posed little threat to Bai Li Changqing. Over the past few weeks, his strength had grown significantly. He was already at the threshold of becoming a Martial Saint.
With his sword, Jiemie, once he crossed that threshold, his power would be unmatched.
"Have you heard? That demon sword has appeared in our Canglong Empire."
"I heard the Marquis Ye Liechang was assassinated!"
A group of martial artists at the tavern were discussing the recent events as they ate and drank.
"Ye Liechang deserved to die," Ye Yaar muttered coldly when she overheard their conversation.
"Was he an evil man?" Bai Li Changqing asked, curious.
He had only focused on Ye Liechang's strength and the security around him. Whether his target was good or bad didn't matter to Bai Li Changqing. He killed whoever he was ordered to kill.
"Yes, he was as wicked as they come," Ye Yaar said with a nod.
She suddenly paused, then glanced at Bai Li Changqing, her expression playful. "You didn't... kill him, did you?"
"I did," Bai Li Changqing replied calmly.
Ye Yaar's eyes widened in surprise. "You're joking, right?"
"No," he said flatly.
"You're stronger than I thought," Ye Yaar said with a hint of admiration. Despite traveling with Bai Li Changqing for a while, she had never seen him demonstrate his abilities. He spent most of his time meditating or training.
"We'll reach Moonlight City tomorrow. I should start preparing," Bai Li Changqing said, finishing his drink before heading back to his room.
He sat cross-legged on the floor and resumed his meditation, focusing on breaking through to the Martial Saint level.
"He's close to breaking through," Ye Fan muttered as he observed the situation. "The next target must be pretty strong. This should be another big harvest of evolution points. I wonder how long it'll take to turn Jiemie into an SSS-ranked weapon."
...
Early the next morning, Bai Li Changqing and Ye Yaar set out once again, and by the afternoon, they reached the gates of Moonlight City.
The city was massive, and its gates were heavily guarded by elite soldiers.
Bai Li Changqing walked quietly, scanning the surroundings. The level of defense in this city far exceeded that of Blue Moon City. This assassination wouldn't be easy.
But this was only a prelude. His ultimate goal was to infiltrate the imperial capital and assassinate the princess of the Canglong Empire. This mission would serve as a warm-up.
"The Marquis of Changbo has an elite force under his command," Ye Yaar explained as they walked through the bustling streets. "They say he has dozens of Martial Kings in his service."
"Mm," Bai Li Changqing responded, his expression unchanged.
"Dozens of Martial Kings? That's like killing chickens to Bai Li now," Ye Fan remarked sarcastically.
"And I've heard rumors that the Marquis is preparing for rebellion. No one knows how many elite warriors he's gathered. Be careful. If you can't assassinate him, it's better to retreat," Ye Yaar cautioned as she noticed the heavily armed soldiers patrolling the streets—many of whom were ninth-rank martial artists.
This city's martial strength was extraordinary.
"It won't be a problem," Bai Li Changqing replied confidently.
After finding a place to stay, Bai Li Changqing waited for nightfall. He dressed in black, donned a bamboo hat, and covered his face with a black veil before slipping silently through the window.
The streets were dark and quiet, with only the faint sound of a night watchman calling out, "Be careful of fire."
Bai Li Changqing leaped onto a rooftop and sprinted across the city's rooftops, moving like a shadow.
"Be careful," Ye Yaar whispered from the window, watching him disappear into the night.
...
Before long, Bai Li Changqing arrived at the Marquis's estate.
"So many guards," Bai Li Changqing thought as he crouched in the shadows, observing the heavily fortified residence. Many of the guards stationed at the main entrance were Martial Kings—a rarity for mere gatekeepers.
This wouldn't be an easy mission.
But tonight wasn't for the assassination itself. He was only here to survey the area.
With a thought, his body transformed into a dark mist, allowing him to drift silently into the air. His keen eyes scanned the entire layout of the estate from above.
"Who's there!?" A loud voice suddenly boomed from below.