Li Shangtian, executing his first mission, was too nervous—his legs kept trembling uncontrollably.

Especially watching that group of fierce and menacing Hunting Group members descending from the mountain path, his nervousness and anxiety grew even more intense.

The result… he was exposed.

Viper, hiding nearby, roared inwardly.

What kind of person have I trained? He exposed himself before even entering the ambush circle!

The leader looked at Li Shangtian, his tone cold and severe: “Kill him.”

Swish swish swish!

As soon as the words fell, the Hunting Group members had already swung their arms, various hidden weapons trailing streaks of light as they shot forth.

Li Shangtian, already nervous, instantly turned pale, his mind going completely blank. All his escape skills flew up to the heavens.

He just stood there stupidly on the tree, completely forgetting to dodge.

“Swish!”

Viper leaped from another tree and kicked the trembling Li Shangtian down with one foot.

“Thud! Thud!”

Over a dozen hidden weapons instantly pierced into his body, and he fell to the ground with a savage expression on his face.

Li Shangtian, who stumbled down, finally came to his senses.

But seeing Viper fall in front of him, his back full of hidden weapons, blood spurting out, he said in terror, “Sn… Snake… Brother Snake…”

This was truly a pig teammate!

Viper endured the intense pain and roared, “Go! Now!”

This shout was like a wake-up call, instantly rousing the bewildered Li Shangtian.

Just as he was about to stand up, the deputy leader strode over, a pitch-black whip appearing in his hand.

“Daring to hide on my Black Eagle Hall’s territory—you’ve grown tired of living!”

“Crack!”

The long whip struck down, hitting Viper directly on the back.

His clothes shredded, revealing deep crimson whip marks, making his expression immediately turn savage.

“Go… go quickly!”

Viper roared painfully, as if using his last bit of strength.

On the road to Huaying Commandery, he’d joked about not being dragged down by this kid. Now it seemed his mouth must have been blessed!

Watching Brother Snake’s agonized appearance and the continuously spurting blood, Li Shangtian clenched his fists tightly, his fingernails digging into his flesh.

“Listen well, you little brats. As an assassin, no matter what dangerous situation you fall into, you must maintain absolute calm.”

“If your companion encounters danger, the first thing to do is ensure your own safety. Don’t rashly rush to rescue them—that will only plunge you both into irredeemable disaster.”

“I’ll emphasize again: the assassin’s code is that once your whereabouts are exposed, you must escape at the first opportunity without any hesitation!”

The words Viper had once taught him and the others constantly echoed in his ears, calming his terrified state of mind.

Can’t panic, can’t lose control!

What he could do right now was escape quickly!

Li Shangtian’s legs stopped trembling. He stood up with a “swish,” and all the assassin skills that had flown to the ninth heaven returned to his body, allowing him to execute the Ghost Stride Step.

“Swish!”

His legs moved like a phantom!

However, Li Shangtian didn’t follow the assassin’s code.

He didn’t flee backward but instead rushed forward with great strides. Just as the deputy leader swung his whip, he scooped up Viper.

“Crack!”

The long whip struck, but hit nothing.

Li Shangtian, holding Viper, galloped away like an unbridled wild horse.

On the road, tears streaming down like rain, he cried loudly, “Brother Snake, I was wrong! Brother Snake, don’t you die!”

Because he ran so fast and didn’t care about Brother Snake’s injuries, the jostling caused blood to spray wildly. Finally, Viper’s eyes rolled back and he passed out.

“Don’t let him escape!” the leader shouted.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh!

Over a dozen Hunting Group members frantically shot hidden weapons from their hands.

Li Shangtian, only at Second-Rank Wutu, seemed to have ignited his inner cosmos. While running madly, he displayed various stylish movements that made one’s scalp tingle.

Hidden weapons flew past him again and again, either embedding in trees or bouncing off stones.

“Damn bastard!”

A member executed a movement technique, overtaking him on a curve to cut him off, his sharp sword glowing with spiritual power.

“Die!”

When Li Shangtian was forced toward him, he raised his hand to slash down.

“Bang—”

A streak of light shot from the side, directly piercing through the temple position, blood spraying several meters and splashing on Li Shangtian’s face as he happened to run past.

A bit hot, a bit scorching.

“Ahh!”

Li Shangtian cried out in alarm, igniting his cosmos a second time and fleeing frantically.

This was really hard on Viper who was being carried—he’d already passed out, yet was still being jostled so much he kept spurting blood.

If he were awake, he’d definitely say, “I… can still be resuscitated!”

“Little Seven!”

Witnessing his subordinate’s head being pierced through, the leader and deputy leader roared in fury.

“Bang!”

Right at this moment, a subordinate beside him had his head pierced through and fell straight to the ground.

“Whoosh!”

“Whoosh!”

“Whoosh!”

Li Luoqiu in the distance stood in a tree, fired three more consecutive shots, killing three more targets.

With shooting talent no less than Xiao Zueji’s, combined with an eight-times scope and silencer, she was incredibly smooth at ambushing people!

“Big Brother!”

The deputy leader exclaimed in shock, “What kind of hidden weapon is this!”

Though the leader was furious, he still ordered, “There are people in the shadows—everyone be careful!”

Rustle rustle rustle!

Dozens of black shadows emerged from both sides, like phantoms.

Jun Changxiao’s plan was to ambush them when they came down the mountain and reached the entrance, but Li Shangtian’s premature exposure forced them to unfold the total annihilation plan on the mountain path!

“Whoosh! Whoosh!”

Xiao Zueji on the other side continuously pulled the trigger. Only faint sounds of wind breaking could be heard as Hunting Group members were killed one after another.

Against high-level fierce beasts, the 88-style sniper rifle had limited power, but against a group of Wutu practitioners, whoever it pointed at died.

As Xiao Zueji and Li Luoqiu continued their killing spree, the Hunting Group members’ mental states immediately fell into chaos.

After all, these elusive hidden weapons that killed with every strike were truly terrifying!

“Retreat!”

The leader sensed something was wrong and decisively gave the order.

However, when he turned around, he saw sitting on the stone steps of the mountain path they’d come from a powerfully built man.

This person had both hands resting on his thighs, ten fingers interlaced, supporting his chin. His black hair drifted in the wind, revealing a cold and severe face.

Beside him lay a sword. Though unsheathed, it emanated a chilling aura.

Who?

Ye Xingchen.

He sat quietly on the stone steps, his entire being radiating the momentum of one man guarding the pass against ten thousand.

“Clang! Clang!”

The sound of unsheathing came from below the mountain as Iron Bones Sect disciples led by Li Qingyang brought out their weapons and charged up.

Their retreat was blocked by Ye Xingchen, both sides had Drizzle Hall members, and enemies charged from behind.

The Hunting Group members were surrounded in an extremely short time.

“Draw weapons!” the leader said in a deep voice.

“Swish! Swish!”

His subordinates brought out their blades one after another, their bodies radiating fierce energy like wild beasts.

Apart from the few members who’d been suddenly ambushed and killed earlier—which was somewhat frightening—what kind of scene hadn’t the Hunting Group witnessed?

“Second, take men and charge up, kill that pretentious bastard. The rest follow me to block those coming from behind.”

“Yes!”

The deputy leader organized over twenty subordinates and quickly rushed toward the stone steps.

His subordinates took the lead, infusing spiritual power into their weapons, which flashed with dazzling white light.

“A bunch of trash.”

Ye Xingchen’s eyes filled with intense disdain. When those people were about to close in, his right hand grasped the Cold Edge Sword and his left hand drew it.

“Clang—”

Cold light flashed, a training sword light flickered.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

How many sword strikes Ye Xingchen executed in one breath was difficult to capture with the naked eye!

But when the sword light dissipated, the twenty-plus Hunting Group members who’d charged forward all stood frozen in place in striking poses!

“Step.”

“Step.”

Ye Xingchen walked down step by step through the gaps between them, looking down at the deputy leader whose strength was First-Rank Wushi, his voice cold and severe: “Do you know what it feels like to die?”