Chapter 69

Lin Mansion.

Lin Nishan received the message and immediately rushed to Lin Chenyu's residence, somewhat anxiously saying, "Brother, Zhang Ruochen has already left the palace and is heading to the Martial Market Academy. Why haven't we made a move yet?"

Lin Chenyu smiled faintly and said, "What's the rush?"

"If we let him reach the Martial Market Academy, we'll never have another chance to kill him." Lin Nishan's eyes were filled with a cold chill, her hatred for Zhang Ruochen running deep.

Lin Chenyu sat in a chair, his hands clasped together, cultivating an evil technique, emitting a cold aura. With his eyes closed, he said calmly, "Nishan, even if you don't trust me, you should trust the Netherworld Gate. Don't worry! He won't reach the Martial Market Academy alive."

"The Netherworld Gate? The largest assassin organization in Yunwu County, it's said they once killed a Heaven Extreme Realm martial artist." Lin Nishan's eyes lit up. If they really managed to hire assassins from the Netherworld Gate, Zhang Ruochen would definitely be doomed.

Lin Chenyu smiled and said, "The Netherworld Gate is not just the largest assassin organization in Yunwu County; it is the first in all of the nine counties of Lingxi. This time, the two assassins sent by the Netherworld Gate have each assassinated at least one Lesser Heaven Extreme Realm martial artist. If they act together, even if Zhang Ruochen has reached the Lesser Heaven Extreme Realm, he will surely die."

"I bet we won't even have to wait until noon to receive the good news of the Ninth Prince's assassination. Then, the Empress will surely reward me generously. Ha ha!"

Lin Chenyu's eyes opened, revealing blood-red pupils, giving him a particularly sinister look.

Lin Nishan's face also showed a smile as she said, "Since they are assassins sent by the Netherworld Gate, there will be no room for failure."

...

Besides Zhang Ruochen, there were other martial artists in the capital city who would also be heading to the Martial Market Academy to take part in this year's academy examination.

If they could pass the examination and enter the Martial Market Academy, it would be like a carp leaping over the dragon gate, a direct path to the heavens, with an endless supply of cultivation resources. Just thinking about it was enough to make one feel extremely excited.

These martial artists were all very young, under thirty years old, yet their cultivation had reached the Lesser Heaven Extreme Realm. Each one was a formidable opponent. At the moment, they were all gathered at the Martial Market Arena, waiting quietly.

When Zhang Ruochen arrived, there were already over thirty young martial artists gathered at the Martial Market Arena, including both male and female martial artists.

"Everyone, look, the Ninth Prince is here!"

"Is it really the Ninth Prince? I heard he recently topped the Yellow List. Has he already broken through to the Lesser Heaven Extreme Realm?"

"Since he's here at the Martial Market Arena, he must have reached the Lesser Heaven Extreme Realm. It's incredible how fast he has progressed. He truly is a martial genius." A young woman in a purple robe, holding a jade flute, stared at Zhang Ruochen as he stepped down from his carriage, a glint in her eyes.

Across from the purple-robed woman, a gaunt man exchanged a glance with her. They both nodded slightly, their gazes turning towards Zhang Ruochen, emitting a faint aura of killing intent.

They were the two assassins sent by the Netherworld Gate, both young and having reached the Lesser Heaven Extreme Realm, truly gifted.

The purple-robed woman was named Zixi, very beautiful and well-known in the capital city. However, no one knew that she was an assassin from the Netherworld Gate.

The gaunt man was named Chen Libing, looking somewhat sickly, appearing to be around twenty-five years old.

Before reaching the Lesser Heaven Extreme Realm, he had won ten consecutive matches in the Yellow Level Arena, reaching the eighteenth position on the Yellow List.

Due to his outstanding performance in the Yellow Level Arena, he was recruited by the Martial Market Bank, becoming a captain of the guard. With a large amount of cultivation resources, his cultivation advanced rapidly, reaching the late stage of the Lesser Heaven Extreme Realm.

Those who could become Yellow List martial artists and reach the Lesser Heaven Extreme Realm were absolute top-tier experts in their realm, capable of even killing those of a higher realm.

Zixi and Chen Libing were considered genius assassins within the Netherworld Gate. Their main task this time was to infiltrate the Martial Market Academy to facilitate future assassination missions within the academy.

Assassinating the Ninth Prince was just an additional task assigned to them by their superiors.

If they succeeded, they would naturally receive a generous reward.

Assassinating the Ninth Prince without revealing their identities was also a significant challenge for them.

Liu Chengfeng immediately approached, bowing and smiling, "Ninth Prince, I apologize for my past actions."

Zhang Ruochen, seeing Liu Chengfeng's humble demeanor, was slightly surprised and said, "Brother Liu, what do you mean?"

Liu Chengfeng smiled and said, "After losing to the Ninth Prince twice in the Yellow Level Arena, I reflected deeply and decided to reform and start anew. Unexpectedly, I made a breakthrough to the Lesser Heaven Extreme Realm."

Zhang Ruochen looked carefully into Liu Chengfeng's eyes and smiled, "Congratulations, Brother Liu."

"Without the Ninth Prince's encouragement, I probably wouldn't have broken through to the Lesser Heaven Extreme Realm so quickly," Liu Chengfeng said with a smile.

The head of the Martial Market Bank, Liu Chuanshen, and several other important figures from the bank entered the Martial Market Arena, immediately drawing the attention of all the martial artists.

Liu Chuanshen walked over to Zhang Ruochen and said with a smile, "Ninth Prince, the head of the bank and the county prince were close friends in their youth. I hope you can forgive Chengfeng for any past grievances, for the sake of the head of the bank. If you both enter the Martial Market Academy, please look out for each other and support one another."

Liu Chuanshen then glared at Liu Chengfeng and said, "Chengfeng, you act too rashly and lack composure. I want you to learn from the Ninth Prince and take him as your role model."

Liu Chuanshen, being extremely shrewd, could see Zhang Ruochen's extraordinary talent, which his son could never match. If his son could interact more with Zhang Ruochen, it would bring countless benefits in the future.

Liu Chengfeng said, "Father, I will definitely learn more from the Ninth Prince."

If Liu Chengfeng truly reformed and decided to start anew, Zhang Ruochen could also put aside past grievances and not hold them against him.

Liu Chengfeng was indeed a genius, reaching the Great Perfection stage of the Yellow Extreme Realm at the age of seventeen, becoming a Yellow List martial artist, and breaking through to the Lesser Heaven Extreme Realm at twenty.

Such a genius was rare even in the entire Yunwu County.

Because Liu Chuanshen was standing next to Zhang Ruochen, Zixi and Chen Libing had no opportunity to make a move.

By noon, sixty-eight young martial artists of the Lesser Heaven Extreme Realm had gathered at the Martial Arena. All those from Yunwu County who were going to the Martial Market Academy had arrived.

"Whoosh!"

A deafening eagle's cry echoed through the sky, resounding throughout half of the capital city.

A massive blood-feathered eagle emerged from the clouds, its wings spanning over seventy meters, like a small blood-red mountain descending from the sky.

A powerful aura emanated from the blood-feathered eagle, making the Lesser Heaven Extreme Realm martial artists below feel a tremendous pressure. Some of the weaker ones even felt their legs go weak and broke out in cold sweat.

"The blood-feathered eagle is a third-stage superior beast, with combat power comparable to a Great Perfection stage Earth Extreme Realm martial artist. In terms of destructive power, it is even more terrifying than a Great Perfection stage Earth Extreme Realm martial artist," a young Lesser Heaven Extreme Realm martial artist said, trembling.

Another young female martial artist said, "I once saw a blood-feathered eagle in the outer regions of the Demon Heaven Ridge. It only spat out a mouthful of flames, and an entire town turned into ashes, with everyone burned to death."

Hearing the discussions, the noble children who had never left the capital city were all pale with fear.

Zhang Ruochen, however, remained calm, looking up to see a middle-aged man in a silver robe standing on the head of the blood-feathered eagle.

The silver-robed man stood straight, a ancient sword on his back. His aura seemed even more powerful than the blood-feathered eagle.

Liu Chuanshen, with his hands behind his back, smiled and said, "Elder Xie, it's been a long time."

The silver-robed man, standing on the head of the blood-feathered eagle, said, "Elder Liu, only a few dozen people from Yunwu County are participating in the academy examination this year? I remember last year, one hundred and three Lesser Heaven Extreme Realm martial artists from Yunwu County took the examination, but only three passed and became outer disciples of the academy."

Liu Chuanshen, the head of the Martial Market Bank in Yunwu County, was also an elder within the bank.

Liu Chuanshen smiled and said, "Elder Xie, rest assured. More people will pass the examination this year, and there might even be a pleasant surprise."

"Oh!"

Hearing Liu Chuanshen's words, Xie Nantian's heart stirred. "Has Yunwu County produced a supreme genius who can rank in the top ten of the academy examination?"

Liu Chuanshen smiled mysteriously and said, "You'll see."

Xie Nantian knew that Liu Chuanshen was a meticulous person, and Yunwu County must have produced an extraordinary genius. He had to find that genius and recruit them as a disciple in advance.

Xie Nantian's gaze swept over the sixty-eight Lesser Heaven Extreme Realm martial artists below, finally settling on Zixi, and he let out a light exclamation.

Zixi, around twenty-two years old, had already reached the Lesser Heaven Extreme Realm. Even in the outer disciples of the Martial Market Academy, she would be considered a genius.

"It seems Liu Chuanshen is referring to her."

Xie Nantian's eyes showed a smile, and he nodded slightly. "Since everyone is here, let's all get on the back of the blood-feathered eagle. We will head to the Martial Market Academy now."

The sixty-eight Lesser Heaven Extreme Realm martial artists used their techniques to leap onto the back of the blood-feathered eagle, finding places to sit.

Zhang Ruochen and Liu Chengfeng sat side by side. Suddenly, he caught a whiff of a faint fragrance.

Zhang Ruochen turned to his left and saw a purple-robed woman sitting next to him, extremely beautiful with a perfect figure, especially her high, round breasts that seemed to strain against her purple robe.

Zhang Ruochen glanced at her and then turned away.

"Whoosh!"

As everyone sat on the back of the blood-feathered eagle, it took off, quickly flying out of the capital city and heading towards the Demon Heaven Ridge.