Chapter 43

Feng Yin stood in the night breeze, carefully deliberating over this mission.

There were still risks. This Ma Sanqian was a bronze-level mission, and not a low one at that. Although his own strength had greatly improved, and completing iron-level missions was as easy as turning over his hand, he had never undertaken a bronze-level mission before and had no reference point to compare it to. Rushing into it would be very risky.

What if he couldn't match up?

Once he was no longer the opponent's match, no matter how many lucky encounters or golden fingers he had, they would be of no use.

Once things went wrong, everything would be over!

Although he had these thoughts and hesitations, he still moved stealthily in that direction.

"I'll go over first to check out his strength, get a sense of it, and then decide on the next steps," Feng Yin consoled himself.

In fact, he knew very well that this was a risky move, betting his life on it.

But he couldn't control the thought that "if I kill him, I can advance to bronze."

From iron to gold, there were three levels in between: bronze, silver, and gold.

And the time left for advancement was only four months.

If he followed the usual steps, it would be impossible to achieve.

For Feng Yin, if he missed this year, it would be too late.

The cultivation speed of the Spirit Transformation Classic... was simply too fast.

He had always been constantly refining his combat skills, growing, and solidifying his strength and combat power. Over time, his attack rhythm, force application, and combat methods would form a deeply ingrained habit.

Even now, it was already a bit late.

He had already experienced a long decade as a killer.

Ten years, how long that was, constantly doing missions, constantly practicing martial arts...

Days of effort and habits formed naturally, more than just words.

This time, thanks to the Spirit Transformation Classic, he had undergone several transformations, washing and refining his body, making his physical condition, strength, and flexibility reach their peak.

At this moment, receiving proper and systematic training was just right. Missing this period would mean missing the best opportunity.

Based on this understanding, even though he knew the danger ahead and didn't want to take risks, he still had to take the risk.

"This is the disadvantage of not being a professional," Feng Yin finally truly understood.

In his previous life, why did people always emphasize being a professional?

Because in any industry, professionals have a natural advantage. While outsiders might succeed and become famous in certain periods or through opportunities, such success stories are few, and in many aspects, they are still weaker than professionals.

For example, resources and connections.

Teachers, classmates, and the influence of the school... are things outsiders don't have.

In martial arts cultivation, this gap is even more significant and obvious.

In other industries, not knowing the proper methods might just mean a disadvantage, but in martial arts, it could cost you your life.

With the same rank, the same accumulation, and the same body, the correct posture and force application can deliver a punch with 1,500 pounds of force, while incorrect methods might only deliver 1,200 pounds or even less.

If these two people engage in a life-or-death battle... even if they are at the same cultivation level, the difference in combat power is so great that the non-professional is bound to lose.

Not to mention the more systematic and exquisite techniques, hidden moves, and even the ultimate killing moves that concentrate all one's cultivation into a single strike...

The outcome of the battle is almost certain.

In novels, the protagonist can always turn the tide and counter-kill, but in reality, there is only one protagonist per lifetime, and others must follow the above rules. It's extremely difficult to surpass with outsider methods.

"Gold, gold! Gold!"

Sighing in the wind, Feng Yin's figure moved like a faint shadow, quietly sliding through the night sky.

...

Ma Sanqian, who had taken over someone else's nest, had already been forced to leave his newly occupied warm little home after repeated attacks.

That cozy little house had already become a killing ground for the Jun Tian assassins.

From the roof to the walls, the holes were like the top-tier panoramic windows of a four-sided transparent house.

As assassins arrived one after another, even though Ma Sanqian had won repeatedly, he was already on edge.

Originally, when he was a lone bandit, he was already on the Jun Tian ranking list. He thought of this method to avoid the killing intent, but he never expected that after hiding here, the Jun Tian assassins would intensify their efforts and mark him as a red target.

Ma Sanqian was in tears, unable to cry.

He really couldn't understand how the Jun Tian assassins knew the details of his actions, which were so secretive and convoluted.

This question not only puzzled Ma Sanqian but also the Jun Tian assassins.

How the Jun Tian assassins obtained information about their targets has always been a mystery, unsolved to this day.

However, if you did something that violated the laws of heaven, you would definitely be on the list! No one could escape this.

In recent days, Ma Sanqian had changed his identity several times, and his appearance had been disguised countless times. He had changed clothes more than thirty or forty times during his escape.

But each time, he was quickly and accurately targeted.

If it weren't for the bronze-level assassins' inferior strength and combat experience, he would have been killed long ago.

"Thud!"

A bronze-level assassin was hit on the top of the head by Ma Sanqian and fell, his body swaying.

Ma Sanqian's back also had a new knife wound, blood streaming down, but he dared not stop, rushing forward with all his might.

Two more flashes of light appeared, and two more Jun Tian bronze-level assassins appeared.

With two clangs, Ma Sanqian attacked with all his strength, throwing two flying knives. The two assassins, struck in the throat, fell like wooden stakes from the walls.

Before their bodies hit the ground, Ma Sanqian had already rushed dozens of yards away.

He raised his alertness to the highest level and fled with all his might.

The ones in front should be about done... now he had three more chasing him relentlessly, like a bone-deep sore.

No matter what, he couldn't shake them off.

"What a damn bad luck!"

Relying on his rich experience and unique movements, Ma Sanqian continued to escape, but his sense of danger grew stronger.

His cultivation was at the peak of the eighth level of innate, and due to repeated attacks, he could break through to the seventh level at any time, with guaranteed success.

But now he had no intention of breaking through.

Because once he broke through to the seventh level, the next assassins to come after him would not be bronze-level but silver-level.

That would be a real death sentence.

With his current strength, he could still handle bronze-level assassins, but against silver-level assassins, he would only hasten his own defeat and death.

He fled towards the outskirts of Yuezhou City; now Ma Sanqian had figured it out. The idea of hiding in plain sight was a joke under the surveillance of the Jun Tian assassins.

Since that was the case, he might as well choose some remote and desolate places where assassins wouldn't want to go, perhaps finding a glimmer of hope...

Swoosh, swoosh...

His clothes flapped in the wind, making a sound like a blade cutting through the air.

Ma Sanqian rushed through a small alley at top speed, like a whirlwind, advancing forward.

Suddenly, a bright blade of light rose from above, chopping down.

"Ma Sanqian! Give me your life!"

Another bronze-level assassin joined the battle.

Ma Sanqian sneered, his iron whip rising to the sky, counterattacking. With a clang, a large spark burst in the dark night.

The attacker grunted, rolling back the way he came, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

Blood sprayed in the air, forming a flower, and the smell of scorched flesh suddenly became intense.

Ma Sanqian knew that if he followed up with another strike, the bronze-level assassin would surely die, but he didn't dare to do so.

Because that slight delay had already caused several dark weapons to shoot from three directions behind him.

Ma Sanqian's body swayed, barely avoiding the dark weapons, but two assassins were now even closer.

Suddenly, a long whip, like a snake, darted through the dark night, aiming for his neck.

Ma Sanqian didn't dare to hesitate, using all his skills to force back two assassins with two moves, and then forcing back the assassin who returned from above, spitting out a mouthful of blood, and speeding away.

Feng Yin was now hiding in a large tree not far away.

He had seen the entire series of attacks.

He didn't know until he saw it, but now he felt cold sweat pouring down his body.

His back was icy cold.

Ma Sanqian's cultivation level was roughly on par with his, but in terms of combat experience, especially in escape and counterattack, and the decisiveness and ruthlessness of his actions, he was far superior to Feng Yin.

His techniques were exquisite, his movements superb, and his ability to adapt and change was something Feng Yin couldn't match.

Feng Yin was immensely relieved.

He was glad he didn't get overconfident because of his 100% mission completion rate and rush in without thinking.

This decision was truly correct.

Otherwise, he would almost certainly be dead by now...

"Clear-headedness is indeed my greatest advantage."

...

[Today, I accidentally wrote 10,000 words in the afternoon. If I update two chapters today, the plot won't be complete, which wouldn't be fair. So, there will be another update today. At 6:00 PM.]