Under the Soul State, the analytical power of the Mountain and River Martial Soul was fully engaged.
Every move of the Ninja Clan’s invisible assassin was under Ling Xiao’s scrutiny.
This included the instantaneous changes in muscles and bones, the flow of true essence.
Even the direction of the next potential attack target.
Everything was within Ling Xiao’s grasp.
He kept closing in on the invisible assassin but refrained from attacking, waiting for the moment the opponent struck.
That was when the opponent was at their strongest—and also when their vulnerabilities were most exposed.
Marshal Lin, your disciple is truly remarkable!
Anyone with a bit of discernment could see that Ling Xiao was like a sparrow.
And the invisible assassin was the praying mantis.
The praying mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the sparrow behind!
Though Ling Xiao revealed no trace of his aura, standing there, he was like an ordinary yet razor-sharp sword—once unsheathed, it would surely draw blood.
Whoosh!
The invisible assassin finally locked onto his next target.
Though his earlier sneak attack on General September had failed, it had caused a significant impact, putting General September, who had previously held the upper hand, at a disadvantage in the subsequent fight.
So this time, his target remained the Ninth Layer powerhouses.
General January?
Ling Xiao noticed the invisible assassin accelerating toward General January. If this attack landed, General January, even if he didn’t die, would be gravely injured.
One could imagine how disastrous a sudden strike would be for General January, who was already battling a Ninth Layer peak demonic beast.
Whoosh—!
In that instant, Ling Xiao also transformed into a fleeting shadow, shooting forward.
Lin Ze and the others instantly tensed up.
They didn’t dare make a sound, fearing it might alert the invisible assassin to Ling Xiao’s presence.
This scene made many martial artists, who were fighting less intense battles, nervous as they stole glances at Ling Xiao’s situation.
Splurch—!
Ah—!
The Drifting Snow Sword pierced the invisible assassin’s head, drawing a spurt of blood.
The invisible assassin let out a startled cry, his figure rapidly retreating.
Blood?
And a scream?
He actually landed a hit—amazing!
Even Eighth Layer peak Martial Masters struggled to comprehend how Ling Xiao had injured the invisible assassin.
Even if he could completely conceal his aura, the opponent was constantly moving at high speed, only pausing briefly when attacking.
That fleeting opportunity was nearly impossible to seize.
None of them could grasp it, so how had Ling Xiao, a mere Seventh Layer Martial Vein Martial Master, done it?
What a pity!
Ling Xiao retreated almost simultaneously with the invisible assassin, his figure vanishing swiftly.
The opponent hadn’t even noticed who had attacked.
But Ling Xiao wasn’t entirely satisfied with this strike.
The opponent was, after all, an early Ninth Layer Martial Vein Martial Master. Even as an assassin, his defence was far beyond that of an ordinary martial artist.
Though Ling Xiao hadn’t used a powerful martial skill to ensure the hit, the sword had only broken the skin—far too tough.
The Drifting Snow Sword was a fine-grade treasure, after all.
But drawing blood proved there was still effect.
If one sword wasn’t enough, then thirteen swords!
A cold smile crept onto Ling Xiao’s lips.
He knew he couldn’t kill the invisible assassin, but his goal wasn’t to slay him—it was to enrage him.
Then, make the assassin shift his target to Ling Xiao.
Marshal Lin, are you reassured now? Ling Xiao said with a smile, returning to Lin Ze’s side.
You little rascal. Fine, be careful next. I’ll set up an ambush nearby. Lure that guy over, and I’ll take him out! Lin Ze said.
For some reason, Lin Ze felt an inexplicable trust in Ling Xiao, even more than in the Twelve Tiger Guards.
Marshal Lin, your plan is good for dealing with demonic beasts or mechanical beasts, but it’s not ideal for a cunning Ninja Clan martial artist, Ling Xiao said with a smile. I have a better idea—here’s how it goes!
Will it really work? Lin Ze frowned after hearing Ling Xiao’s plan.
Trust me, it’ll definitely work! Ling Xiao nodded.
Alright then, we’ll do it your way, Lin Ze agreed.
He had considered that if he set up an ambush, it would likely arouse suspicion. After all, a Ninth Layer peak Martial Master suddenly disappearing would make anyone cautious.
The next moment, Ling Xiao repeated his tactic.
As the invisible assassin launched another sneak attack, Ling Xiao struck again.
This time, however, the opponent was clearly on guard.
You little brat, it was you! The Ninja Clan’s invisible assassin spotted Ling Xiao, his fury practically setting him ablaze.
To think he’d been injured by a Seventh Layer Martial Vein Martial Master—if word got out, he’d be utterly humiliated.
He cautiously glanced at Lin Ze’s position.
Seeing Lin Ze still sitting there, cross-legged and recovering from his injuries, he relaxed.
This shouldn’t be a trap. The kid got cocky after landing one sneak attack and came back for a second.
Fine, since you love sneaking attacks, I’ll let you die by one.
The invisible assassin sneered coldly.
He lightly deflected Ling Xiao’s attack, preparing to counter.
But suddenly, he sensed something was off.
This Seventh Layer Martial Vein Martial Master’s attack was far stronger than he’d imagined, forcing even him to be cautious.
And after one sword strike, another followed.
More terrifyingly, each successive strike seemed to stack the damage, multiplying the attack power several times.
You damned kid, are you courting death?!
Thirteen swords in total!
A mere Seventh Layer Martial Vein Martial Master’s attacks had left him unable to counter for a moment—how humiliating.
Though uninjured, he was furious.
He abruptly thrust his dagger, aiming to kill this overconfident kid on the spot.
Boom!
The young martial artist before him shattered, dissolving into green smoke.
A clone?
A martial soul clone, no less?
Could this kid be a disciple of one of the twelve hidden sects?
The invisible assassin’s heart skipped a beat.
But in that brief moment of hesitation, Ling Xiao unleashed his strongest move.
Flying Snow—!
And a far more refined and powerful Flying Snow!
Stronger than the one he’d used against Ming Tian.
Splurch!
This time, the invisible assassin didn’t escape with a minor injury.
His leg was pierced.
A deep, bone-revealing wound.
You think you’re fast?
Then I’ll wound your leg!
Marshal Lin, it’s your turn!
Cloud Dragon Divine Step!
Having injured the invisible assassin, Ling Xiao didn’t linger. He used his mortal movement technique and fled.
The invisible assassin hadn’t even processed what happened when a massive blade appeared before him.
Lin Ze was a Ninth Layer peak powerhouse.
Even across hundreds of metres, he could close the distance in an instant.
He absolutely had the ability to instantly kill the invisible assassin, but he couldn’t see him.
Now, however, Ling Xiao had infused his Heavenly Dragon true essence into the invisible assassin’s body through the Drifting Snow Sword.
Even while invisible, that trace of Heavenly Dragon true essence still revealed the assassin’s position.
Of course, the invisible assassin didn’t understand this.
Nor did he comprehend why Ling Xiao kept attacking despite knowing he couldn’t kill him.
All he saw now was a flash of cold light.
