The night sky was dark, adorned only by the pale glow of the moon. A gentle breeze swept through the air, carrying an invisible tension.Inside a hidden chamber near the border, a white-haired man sat cross-legged, his eyes closed as if deep in thought. The silence in the room was so profound that the steady rhythm of his breathing was the only sound to be heard.Suddenly, a shadow flickered in the corner of the room. A man in a black robe appeared soundlessly, kneeling before the white-haired elder."Reporting in. All preparations are complete. Our people have successfully infiltrated the outer circle of Zhi Hao’s group without raising suspicion."The elder slowly opened his sharp eyes and gazed at his subordinate. "Good. Ensure that they do not act recklessly. We must uncover how he obtained the Heaven-Shattering Codex before taking any further steps."The black-robed man bowed his head. "Understood, Elder Qian."Elder Qian let out a slow breath. "Zhi Hao... could it be that you are

The sharp sound of swords slicing through the air echoed in the dark forest. The man in the purple robe felt a chilling presence as Black 4's blade neared his neck.However, just before the sword could strike, the robed man's body suddenly dissolved into shadows and vanished.Srak!Black 4’s blade sliced through nothing but empty air."Shadow techniques as well?!"Before he could react, a whisper came from behind him."You're fast, but I'm far more accustomed to the darkness."Black 4 immediately leaped forward, dodging a counterattack that nearly pierced his back. He twisted midair, landed on a tree trunk, and propelled himself back to the ground in a defensive stance.From within the shadows, the robed figure emerged once more, his eyes gleaming with intrigue."You're more interesting than I expected. I thought Shadow Fang only had ordinary assassins, but it seems I was mistaken."Black 4 remained silent, his eyes scanning for an opening.The man smirked. "Unfortunately, I don't hav

Night descended with a tense silence. The air felt heavier than usual, as if carrying an ominous premonition lurking within the darkness.Standing on his balcony, Zhi Hao gazed at the dimly shining moon. His sharp eyes reflected the swirling thoughts in his mind.Black 3 appeared behind him, speaking in a low voice. "They've made their move."Zhi Hao nodded slowly. "As expected. After today's incident in the arena, they can no longer afford to wait."Black 3 handed him a small piece of paper. "A message from Ling Xue. She has traced the individuals targeting the Heaven-Shattering Codex. They’ve entered the city in small groups, scattering to avoid drawing attention."Zhi Hao read the message and then folded it back. "They're careful, but they've overlooked one thing."Black 3 raised an eyebrow. "What's that?"Elsewhere, in a secluded inn at the city's outskirts, a group of figures sat around a wooden table. The flickering lantern light cast shifting shadows on the walls.At the center

Black 4 dropped to one knee, his sword embedded in the ground as his only support. His breaths were ragged, wounds multiplying across his body. Blood dripped onto the earth, mixing with dust and scattered leaves.Around him, enemies still stood. Some were wounded, some had fallen, but those remaining still far outnumbered what he could handle in his current state.The man in the purple robe stepped forward, his face filled with satisfaction. “Enough. You’ve lasted longer than I expected. But this is the end.”He raised his hand, giving the final signal. Several men prepared to lunge, their weapons gleaming under the moonlight.Black 4 exhaled. Was this really the end?But before the attack could land—WHOOSH!A shadow streaked through the air. A flash of silver sliced through the darkness, and in an instant—SLASH!Two men fell silently, blood spraying from their wounds.The purple-robed man’s eyes widened. “What—?”The figure landed in front of Black 4, standing tall with an aura tha

Silence.Xuan Ji, Rin, and Tie Shan stood in a triangular formation, surrounding Zhi Hao from three directions. Even though they had just witnessed their Dark Hand Technique being shattered effortlessly, they were not fools who would retreat without a fight."Let's finish this together!" Xuan Ji shouted.Without hesitation, the three of them charged at once.BOOM!Tie Shan swung his giant sword from the front, creating a shockwave that shattered the ground around him.At the same time, Rin moved like a shadow, circling to Zhi Hao's left with incredible speed, her dagger aimed at his vital points.Meanwhile, Xuan Ji stayed at the back, forming a complex seal with his hands before unleashing the Deadly Shadow Technique—a dark energy attack capable of paralyzing an opponent instantly.Their coordination was flawless.There was no escape.But Zhi Hao simply stood still.Until—WHOOSH!In a fraction of a second before their attacks landed, Zhi Hao vanished.Tie Shan's eyes widened. “What—?