An Jiu slowly exhaled, bending down to pick up her Tang sword. She wiped it clean on the clothes of a nearby corpse.

If she had a sniper rifle or a silencer, her job would be much easier. Though the Dragon-Subduing Bow’s arrows surpassed ordinary bows in speed and power, sixth- and seventh-tier martial artists could still dodge them—unless she added her mental energy to the shot.

When An Jiu gradually expanded her mental energy, the impact on her meridians was minimal. However, the force of a concentrated attack was tens of times stronger. While she could now better control her mental energy, she couldn’t guarantee flawless execution. Thus, she decided not to use it to kill unless necessary.

The other group also consisted of three people: one eighth-tier, one fifth-tier, and one fourth-tier fighter.

An Jiu fired her crossbow and nimbly leaped onto a ginkgo tree.

In the pitch-black rainy night, An Jiu’s figure blended into the darkness like ink on an inkstone, making her nearly indistinguishable.

Even with her excellent eyesight, An Jiu couldn’t see her targets clearly in these conditions. She closed her eyes, eliminating visual distractions and sharpening her mental perception.

Gradually, An Jiu felt as if she were sinking into a deep sea—surrounded by deathly silence, without sound or light, barely sensing her existence.

The three approaching figures to her left front drew nearer. Their intrusion rippled through this dead sea like a pebble thrown into still water.

An Jiu’s grip on her Tang sword tightened.

At this moment, An Jiu’s world contained nothing but the three prey who had entered her territory.

She crouched, every muscle in her body taut.

They were here!

As the three cautiously approached the tree, the eighth-tier expert heard a faint whisper of wind from above. He instinctively raised his sword to block, but the darkness obscured everything. When they tried to use their mental energy, they found they couldn’t sense anything at all!

While they hesitated, two muffled groans sounded nearby.

The eighth-tier martial artist’s heart raced. With no time to think, he swung his sword based on instinct alone. Drawing on his extensive assassination experience, he managed to barely parry An Jiu’s ferocious attack.

Clang! Their blades locked for a breath before they separated.

In that fleeting moment, the eighth-tier martial artist glimpsed a pair of cold, dark eyes reflected in his opponent’s shadowy blade. A chill ran down his spine—he felt as if Death itself stood behind him, ready to crush him with the slightest touch.

Acutely sensing the danger, the eighth-tier martial artist immediately retreated.

Yet An Jiu’s sword pursued him like a relentless parasite, moving even faster than his retreat!

A faint glimmer of light reflected off the curtain of rain. Realizing escape was impossible, the eighth-tier martial artist steeled himself. With one hand, he wielded his sword in defense; with the other, he grasped the signal flare at his waist.

An Jiu swiftly swung her umbrella. Sharp blades sprang from its ribs, spinning to shred the rain-filled air.

The eighth-tier martial artist felt a gust of wind. Unable to see clearly, he sensed it was more than a single sword strike could block and hastily retreated.

Just as his opponent’s attack seemed to slow, unable to reach him, a sudden chill pierced his back. A sharp blade penetrated his chest, and something cold and wet gripped his neck. The eighth-tier martial artist heard the sickening crack of his neck before realizing it was a hand!

With his last bit of consciousness and strength, he completed one final action—pulling the pin on his signal flare.

With a piercing shriek, a bright orb grazed the eighth-tier martial artist’s body and shot skyward, instantly charring half his body. The orb exploded above the forest, blossoming into a crimson flower.