Chapter 58

"Senior Sister Shangguan, why aren't you with Zhong Wen?" Lin Zhiyun saw Shangguan Junyi alone in the courtyard and was somewhat surprised.

"Palace Master, didn't Zhong Wen go to your place?" Shangguan Junyi stared at Lin Zhiyun with wide eyes.

"I haven't seen him all afternoon." Lin Zhiyun looked puzzled.

The two women stared at each other, wide-eyed, and after a moment, they both exclaimed, "Oh no!"

The two Tianlun experts had agreed to take turns protecting Zhong Wen, but they had lost track of him.

"He might have gone to deal with the assassin on his own," Nangong Ling, who was behind Lin Zhiyun, speculated. "If there were Tianlun experts around, the assassin wouldn't easily show up. He must think that only by going alone can he lure the assassin out."

"This fool, what is he thinking? Tianlun experts are not so easy to deal with," Shangguan Junyi said anxiously.

"Zhong Wen is not a rash person; how could he make such a low-level mistake?" Lin Zhiyun was puzzled.

"It seems that Senior Cold holds a very important place in his heart," Nangong Ling said slowly. "Master, this is a man, even the smartest and most rational man can sometimes become childish and impulsive for the woman he loves."

"He's really a fool," Lin Zhiyun sighed, but she couldn't help feeling a bit moved. "I was negligent. Sister Shangguan, let's split up and look for him. If something happens to Zhong Wen, Junior Sister Wufeng will be heartbroken."

"Master, if I were Zhong Wen, to lure out the assassin, I would put myself in a situation where no one could protect me," Nangong Ling thought quickly and had already guessed Zhong Wen's intentions. "The place on the back mountain should be the most ideal spot."

"Do you mean that cliff?" Lin Zhiyun's face changed. "If we find him there, it might be very difficult to save him."

"We can only hurry over and hope it's not too late," Nangong Ling sighed. "I might not be right, but just in case, please have Elder Shangguan search in the direction of Fufeng City."

"No problem." Shangguan Junyi nodded, seemingly without any reservations towards Nangong Ling.

We have to find Zhong Wen and give him a good talking to this time!

Lin Zhiyun was both worried and angry, determined to make Zhong Wen deeply reflect.

Just as they stepped out of the gate, a deafening explosion echoed from the direction of the back mountain.

"Oh no!" The three of them changed their expressions and rushed towards the sound.

Behind a pillar in the corridor, Leng Wufeng's beautiful and pale face appeared, her flawless skin already soaked with tears...

***

Zhong Wen swayed and made his way to the cliff on the back mountain, leaned against the cliff, and sat down cross-legged.

This cliff was very narrow, barely able to accommodate one person, with no other paths. Behind him was a bottomless abyss, shrouded in mist, exuding a mysterious and terrifying aura.

In such a position, even if someone wanted to track and protect him, it would be impossible to hide. Once someone blocked the narrow path leading to the cliff, he would be in a situation where he couldn't escape.

"I know you're there. Can we talk now?" Zhong Wen sat quietly for a moment and then spoke.

The surroundings were silent, and the rustling of leaves in the breeze could be heard clearly.

No one responded to him.

"I've heard that assassins who practice the Wanjin Tower's technique mostly don't live past twenty-five and need to rely on drugs to maintain their lives, and their cultivation cannot break through to Tianlun." Zhong Wen was not discouraged and spoke to himself. "I wonder how you broke through to the Tianlun realm? Have you managed to free yourself from the control of the drugs?"

The air seemed to become a bit heavier.

"To be honest, I am a physician and once cured an assassin from the Wanjin Tower, freeing him from his constraints and restoring his freedom." Zhong Wen seemed unaware and continued, "As a Tianlun expert, you would be treated as a distinguished guest wherever you go. Why hide in the darkness and be a secretive assassin? Let me treat you and help you break free from the Wanjin Tower. You can join a major sect or a powerful family and live a carefree life. Isn't that better?"

A gentle breeze blew, and a black figure appeared on the only path leading to the cliff.

The black-clad figure was tall and slender, with a face hidden by a black hood, holding a long sword, and enveloped in a black mist, making it hard to see clearly.

"What do you think of my proposal?" Zhong Wen looked at the black-clad figure with a smile, showing no fear.

"You cured an assassin from the Wanjin Tower?" The black-clad figure's voice was low and hoarse.

"Absolutely true. When I examined his pulse, I found that his meridians were riddled with holes, and his vitality was almost completely depleted." Zhong Wen described the exact condition of Leng Wufeng at the time. "If he hadn't met a medical expert like me, he would have died within a few hours."

"Indeed, what you described is the aftereffect of the Wujing technique." The black-clad figure took a step forward, now less than three meters from Zhong Wen. "Speaking of which, the girl who blocked a sword for you looks familiar. She seems to be Feng's disciple."

Zhong Wen felt an overwhelming aura enveloping him, making it impossible to move, and even breathing became difficult, causing him to be startled.

This is the true strength of a Tianlun expert?

Zhong Wen was used to being around Lin Zhiyun, Shangguan Junyi, and Shen Dachui, and he didn't particularly fear Tianlun experts, not realizing that the three of them had no ill intentions towards him and thus didn't display the intimidating aura of a Tianlun expert.

Now, facing the black-clad figure, he finally understood why ordinary cultivators couldn't overwhelm a Tianlun expert with numbers.

In front of a serious Tianlun expert, cultivators below Tianlun couldn't even manage to make a move!

"Since the girl is still alive, it means Feng lied to the organization." The black-clad figure said coldly. "When I return, I will personally deal with the traitor."

As he spoke, he took another step forward, now less than two meters from Zhong Wen.

"Are you really not considering my proposal?" Zhong Wen continued to plead. "Since you recognized Wufeng, you should also see that her health is very good, with no signs of the Wujing technique's effects. This proves that what I said is true."

"You are a naive young man." The black-clad figure's voice carried a hint of mockery as he slowly raised his sword. "I was going to kill you just for the mission, but now, even without the mission, I cannot let you go. Your existence threatens the foundation of the Wanjin Tower."

Zhong Wen felt as if a thousand pounds were pressing down on him, unable to lift even a finger, and could only watch helplessly as the black-clad figure's sword approached.

At this point, they were only about a meter apart. Just as the sword was about to touch Zhong Wen's forehead, his eyes met the emotionless gaze of the black-clad figure.

"As a Tianlun expert, you are willing to hide in the darkness and loyally serve the Wanjin Tower. It seems you are not an ordinary assassin." Zhong Wen sighed. "What is your relationship with the leader of the Wanjin Tower?"

At the moment their eyes met, the black-clad figure felt a strange light in Zhong Wen's eyes, and his aura relaxed. He couldn't help but answer truthfully: "He is my brother..."

With Zhong Wen's Dili level cultivation, the Soul Capture Technique could not affect a Tianlun expert for long. In just a breath, the black-clad figure broke free from the mental control, realized he had been tricked, and became furious: "You are asking for death!"

However, the momentary relaxation of his aura caused the overwhelming pressure on Zhong Wen to disappear for a brief moment. Seizing this small opening, Zhong Wen decisively raised his right hand, and a "Divine Fire Gun" appeared in his hand.

By the time the black-clad figure regained his senses, a black metal tube was pointing at his chest, and the other end was firmly held by Zhong Wen.

This black tube didn't seem particularly special, but the black-clad figure felt a huge threat deep in his soul.

His sixth sense was always accurate, which was why he had succeeded in so many assassinations.

Without any hesitation, the black-clad figure retreated.

However, almost at the same time, Zhong Wen pressed the trigger, giving the black-clad figure no chance to react.

A bright light burst from the black tube, almost blinding the black-clad figure.

The intense light instantly engulfed the black-clad figure, and a deafening explosion echoed from the cliff, startling the birds in the forest.