Chapter 76

Deep into the night, a bone-chilling wind howled.

Inside the house, Lin Xun sat cross-legged in meditation. After ten days of arduous cultivation, aided by various spiritual medicines, his cultivation had reached the pinnacle of the True Martial Fifth Level. The spiritual energy within his body was as pure as transparent liquid, harboring an immense and terrifying power.

Although the four spiritual energy vortices on the heart meridian could continuously refine the quality of spiritual energy, this also brought a problem: the amount of spiritual energy in his body would become relatively scarce after constant refinement.

Therefore, for Lin Xun to reach the pinnacle of his cultivation, he needed more spiritual energy and effort than his peers.

Fortunately, the spoils of war delivered every other day contained a large number of spiritual medicines that helped refine his cultivation, so he didn't have to worry about this issue.

"Almost ready to advance..."

Lin Xun concluded his cultivation, feeling the changes in his body's energy flow, and knew that he was just one step away from the True Martial Sixth Level.

This progress was not only due to his diligent cultivation but also because of his increasingly powerful physical cultivation!

The True Martial Nine Levels were originally a process of refining the body and nurturing spiritual energy. The refinement and enhancement of the body were not independent but would nourish the internal cultivation.

Similarly, the improvement of internal cultivation could also enhance the physical body.

For example, at the True Martial Fifth Level "Bone Washing," the enhancement of physical strength could also temper the tendons and bones, unblocking the marrow, thus allowing the internal cultivation to improve smoothly.

Similarly, the improvement of internal cultivation would unlock and develop more potential in the physical body, breaking through the bottleneck in physical strength.

In short, physical cultivation was external, and spiritual energy was internal, both coexisting within the same body, complementing each other, and neither could be missing.

Descendants of major clans often cultivated a physical body cultivation technique alongside their spiritual energy cultivation to strengthen their foundation and aid their cultivation, achieving two goals at once.

Although Lin Xun did not have a physical cultivation technique, entering the "Spiritual Pattern Battle Realm — Thousand Waves of the Sea" every three days for trials had immeasurable benefits for his physical body.

Naturally, this greatly promoted his cultivation of spiritual energy.

Suddenly, Lin Xun was startled awake.

He saw Xia Zhi, who had been sleeping in bed, open her eyes and whisper, "Someone is sneaking into our courtyard."

Lin Xun's heart tightened, and he quickly got up and hid.

It was already deep into the night, and the area around the 49th courtyard was silent, with only the occasional barking of stray dogs and meowing of stray cats.

"How many?" Lin Xun asked in a low voice, his senses expanding, but he did not detect any enemy presence, indicating that the intruders were either skilled in stealth or had not yet approached.

"Three." Xia Zhi got up, dressed neatly, and walked to the bed, already holding her twelve-foot-long white bone spear.

This white bone spear was very special, emitting a faint, cold starlight in the darkness, appearing mysterious and deadly.

Lin Xun had carefully examined it and was certain it was a spiritual artifact, but he could not see the spiritual patterns on the spear.

According to Xia Zhi, she had always had this spear with her since she could remember, and she did not know its origin. When not in use, the spear would instantly disappear at her will.

This made it even more mysterious, and Lin Xun could not imagine what kind of spiritual artifact could have such a wondrous ability, making it a rare sight in the world.

"I'll go check."

Before Lin Xun could stop her, Xia Zhi pushed open the door and silently disappeared into the darkness, her presence completely vanishing.

Lin Xun frowned, took a deep breath, and, like a sensitive cat, swiftly followed her out of the room, hiding in the darkness of the courtyard.

...

Outside the courtyard.

"Come on, guys, it's just a True Martial Fifth Level kid. No need to be so cautious, right?" A man with a long, narrow face and a carefree demeanor said with a light laugh.

"Du Xiao, why don't you go alone?"

In the dark alley, a woman stood, wearing a tight black leather skirt, her long, white, and shapely legs straight and alluring, her slim waist contrasting with her almost bursting chest, and her full, red lips standing out even in the darkness.

Beside the woman stood an old man with a worried expression, his hands behind his back, occasionally glancing at the sky, looking unremarkable.

The man called Du Xiao chuckled, "I'm not interested in kids; I only like women like you." He licked his lips, his eyes filled with intense greed.

"Is that so? Want to play now?" The woman smiled seductively, deliberately pushing out her full, white chest, but her eyes were cold and stern.

"Hmm, I don't want to die. Who doesn't know that once you get into Black Widow's bed, you won't see the next day's sun?"

Du Xiao shook his head, then shamelessly glanced at the woman's chest, saying with a dreamy look, "Ah, it's been a few days, and your chest seems even bigger than before. Looks like you've seduced a few more young men."

"Scared to even touch me, are you a man?" The Black Widow said with disdain, not getting angry.

"Do you think I'm not?" Du Xiao's face darkened.

"Are you done fooling around?"

The old man spoke, his voice harsh and dry, but with an undeniable authority, "If this target were easy to deal with, we wouldn't have been asked to act together."

Both of them were startled. The old man never spoke lightly, and if he said this, it must mean the mission was not easy.

"Let's go!"

The old man's figure flashed, like an old bat, gliding through the air and silently landing on the courtyard wall, then disappearing.

His lightness skills were truly formidable, landing without a sound, clearly honed over many years.

The Black Widow waved her hand, and a whip shot out, wrapping around the eaves. She then sprang up, flying into the courtyard.

Du Xiao, despite his carefree demeanor, was extremely cautious when he moved. His hands, like a gecko, quietly climbed the wall, appearing slow but vanishing in a blink.

The courtyard was pitch black, the cold wind howling, making the old locust tree in the yard rustle. The atmosphere was eerily silent and chilling.

At some point, even the barking of stray dogs and meowing of stray cats had stopped, as if sensing the danger in the darkness and fleeing.

The three entered the courtyard, forming a triangular formation as they moved forward. All three were experienced in combat and had been through various assassination missions, but as soon as they entered this dark courtyard, they all felt a sense of unease.

It was as if someone was watching them in the darkness.

"Something's not right. My soul perception can detect a five-meter radius, and I can confirm the target is not in the room."

The Black Widow suddenly whispered, her voice barely audible but clear to the other two, "In other words, I haven't locked onto the target's position."

Her expression turned serious. Assassination required striking unexpectedly, but if she couldn't even lock onto the target, the situation was serious.

"Is the intel wrong?" Du Xiao's eyes flashed with a cold, sharp light.

"No, the source is reliable. The target has been here for the past ten days and hasn't left," the old man said, his face dark, a hint of doubt in his eyes. "I think the target has already detected us and avoided our detection."

"Hmm?" Du Xiao's heart trembled, and at the same time, the Black Widow suddenly stopped without warning.

Swoosh!

A piercing sound broke the cold wind.

"Be careful!"

The old man's face changed, and he quickly summoned his full strength, grabbing a bronze shield to block in front of him.

The other two reacted quickly, drawing their weapons to defend themselves.

Bang!

A thunderous impact echoed, almost deafening. The bronze shield in the old man's hand shattered like paper, sending him flying backward.

At this moment, the old man's ruthlessness was evident. His figure suddenly darted, like a startled bat, gliding to the side to avoid the attack.

The Black Widow and Du Xiao also realized the danger. One of them swung her whip, wrapping it around a branch of the old locust tree, and her figure shot back like a rainbow. The other rolled on the ground, dashing away.

Boom!

A white bone spear pierced the ground where the three had been standing, creating a large crater.

The three were shocked. How could a True Martial Fifth Level youth have such power?

Trap!

They had been tricked!

The same thought flashed through their minds. The force of the attack was terrifying, and such strength was chilling.

Retreat!

The three, who had worked together for years, had a默契 (默契 means默契, but in this context, it means默契). They decisively abandoned the mission and dashed out.

The dark courtyard, the chilling wind, now seemed sinister and terrifying to them, the bone-chilling cold spreading uncontrollably in their hearts.

The darkness was filled with endless danger, a well-laid trap!

Bang!

Suddenly, a scream echoed, and the old man's body was thrown back like a cannonball, crashing through the wall and falling silent.

"Run!"

Du Xiao was terrified, but at that moment, a pale green blade appeared in the darkness, glaringly obvious.

"Indeed, it's a trap, and not just the target alone!"

Du Xiao roared, a long, thin spear appearing in his hand, which he swung fiercely.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

In the darkness, the sounds of collision echoed, and sparks flew in the courtyard.

Du Xiao was trapped!

Without turning back, the Black Widow knew Du Xiao was in grave danger. She couldn't afford to stay; the old man was already dead, and Du Xiao was about to follow. She had to escape!

As long as she could escape this sinister and terrifying courtyard, the Black Widow believed she could find a way to survive.

Whoosh!

Her figure swung in the air and flew out, her heart slightly relieved.

This mission was the most dangerous in years. They hadn't even seen their opponent's shadow, and such a trap made her shudder.

"Your companions are left behind, and you're leaving?"

Suddenly, a calm voice echoed in the darkness, sounding ethereal and distant.

The Black Widow's heart sank to the bottom.

---

ps: Thank you, Black Eyes Cold Heart, for your support. The second update is at noon. Brothers and sisters, it's the last day of the month, and I'm starting with 10 updates! I only ask for votes, please join me in this final battle!

Also, I'm announcing a new group. Anyone with a纵横 (Zongheng) account can join. Group number: 543601412