Chapter 44: Striking Again

Heavenly Profound Continent—on this land, the Great Ascension Realm was the peak of cultivation.

However, old monsters at the Great Ascension Realm usually hid from the world, pursuing the Dao, which led to the reality that the most formidable forces in the open were those at the Tribulation Stage.

Even on the vast Heavenly Profound Continent, Tribulation Stage experts were as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns.

Every move of such beings attracted the world’s attention.

In his previous life, Long Shengtian was a mighty Tribulation Stage cultivator, and naturally, he understood the terror of this realm.

He never imagined that in this tiny Fengcheng, there would actually be a Tribulation Stage powerhouse—one he had never even heard of in his previous life!

“This… Senior, I remember that I never offended you, did I?”

Long Shengtian spoke with difficulty.

Wang Yan’er didn’t spare Long Shengtian a glance.

She hurriedly checked Qin Mu’s body, her beautiful eyes filled with worry.

Only after confirming he wasn’t injured did she breathe a sigh of relief.

“Yan’er Aunt, why are you here?”

Qin Mu looked at the tall, elegant woman who had suddenly appeared before him, and at the same time, pressed down the slender hand still wandering across his body.

Wang Yan’er scolded lightly,

“If Mu’er gets bullied and I ignore it, if your Aunt Lu finds out, she’ll pick a fight with me for sure.”

Then she turned to Long Shengtian, curiosity flickering in her eyes.

“Your cultivation is clearly at the Qi Refining stage, but your divine sense rivals that of the Nascent Soul Realm. Moreover, it looks like your divine sense suffered severe damage not long ago.”

With just one glance, the secrets of Long Shengtian were nearly laid bare.

Now, sweat poured down his back—this Tribulation Stage powerhouse even seemed to know Qin Mu!

Damn it! Why does this brat always have women helping him?

First, it was the Dao Sect Leader’s daughter, then Qin Mengyu, and now a Tribulation Stage expert! Each time, they’re stronger than before!

Long Shengtian was completely broken.

Why didn’t he have such peach blossom luck?

“Senior, please wait! I have a Supreme Treasure! Please spare me!”

Long Shengtian struggled to open his Storage Pouch, and a white pearl rolled out.

“What is this?”

Qin Mu stepped forward and picked it up.

It felt cool and smooth, as if water flowed within—a beautiful object.

“You!”

Long Shengtian was furious at the sight of his treasure in Qin Mu’s hand.

Seeing Long Shengtian’s murderous glare, Qin Mu said,

“What? It seems Brother Long is quite angry with me!”

As the words fell, the pressure around Long Shengtian grew heavier.

“Ugh!”

A trickle of blood ran from the corner of Long Shengtian’s mouth.

Qin Mu ran over to Wang Yan’er with the pearl.

“Yan’er Aunt, what is this?”

Wang Yan’er glanced at it and immediately recognized it.

“Soul Nurturing Pearl. It’s a great supplement for divine sense. Mu’er, you keep it. It’s of no use to me.”

“Hehe, in that case, I won’t be polite.”

Qin Mu grinned, stuffed it into his Storage Pouch, and patted it contentedly.

Seeing Qin Mu’s adorable look, Wang Yan’er couldn’t help but rub his head, eyes narrowing in a smile.

At that moment, Long Shengtian, taking advantage of the Tribulation Stage powerhouse’s distraction, crushed a jade token.

A formation flickered to life.

Qin Mu noticed Long Shengtian trying to flee and shouted anxiously.

“Yan’er Aunt, he’s running!”

“Don’t worry, Mu’er. He can’t escape.”

Wang Yan’er raised a finger.

A terrifying surge of divine sense shot toward Long Shengtian.

Bang!

It sounded like a bubble bursting.

Long Shengtian’s eyes instantly lost all light.

Thud—

His body collapsed bonelessly to the floor.

***

Seven Star Sect, Sect Master Peak.

Boom!

A massive wave of Spirit Energy spread out.

The disciples felt the surge, and the True Qi in their bodies stirred restlessly.

“Again? Is the Sect Master in a bad mood these days?”

“Nonsense! At the Sect Master’s level, the heart is as calm as still water. I think something big is about to happen!”

“Oh? Do you know something, Senior Brother?”

“Uh… It’s said that the will of heaven mustn’t be leaked. I can’t say, I can’t say!”

“Tch! I thought the Sect Master was jealous or something!”

“Hiss! Impossible! Not just in the Eastern Region, but across the entire Heavenly Profound Continent, the chances of any man catching the Sect Master’s eye are zero!”

“Exactly! Use your brain when you talk. The Sect Master reached the Tribulation Stage in less than a thousand years. Across the entire Heavenly Profound Continent, that’s genius!”

“I think it’s more likely…”

***

Long Shengtian was dead.

Qin Mu couldn’t be happier—he wished he could light firecrackers to celebrate.

Revenge accomplished. Satisfying!

Wang Yan’er looked at the lifeless body before her, feeling a strange sense of unease.

A moment ago, she had sensed an odd fluctuation.

But seeing how happy Mu’er was, Wang Yan’er didn’t dwell on it.

By now, the people inside the Illusory Moon Pavilion had long since fled.

After all, Wang Yan’er’s Tribulation Stage aura was no joke.

Even though she restrained it somewhat, it was still terrifying.

Wang Yan’er’s gaze swept the room and landed on a trembling waiter cowering in the corner.

“Today’s damages, put them on my tab.”

With a casual wave, thousands of Ling Stones piled onto the table.

Then she pulled Qin Mu out of the Illusory Moon Pavilion.

After she left, the Illusory Moon Pavilion Master, who had been watching the whole time, finally breathed a sigh of relief.

As a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator, he understood the terror of the woman from before.

At least an Out-of-Body Realm—an existence he could never provoke.

Wang Yan’er brought Qin Mu back to the Star Plucking Tower’s residence.

She went upstairs alone, saying she had matters to attend to, and told Qin Mu to stay put and not wander around.

So, Qin Mu obediently stayed downstairs, reading out of boredom.

Naturally, it wasn’t some Liu Bei novel, but a record of Star Plucking Tower assassination missions, personally found by Xu Jing.

Qin Mu had said he wanted to see something interesting.

Originally, these were classified documents that shouldn’t be shared.

But this young man was different—the Tower Master’s Little Pretty Boy!

Qin Mu flipped through the Reward Orders.

The amounts were surprisingly large.

The smallest were worth hundreds of Ling Stones, and some even tens of thousands.

And this was just one Division.

There were countless Divisions across the Heavenly Profound Continent—the profits added up to an enormous sum.

“Young Master, are you interested in these?”

Xu Jing asked with a smile.

Qin Mu shook his head.

“Just curious, that’s all. By the way, are all these assassination targets?”

Xu Jing chuckled.

“In theory, yes.”

“In theory?”

“Yes. Look, Young Master.”

Xu Jing took out a list with an assassination target worth nearly a hundred thousand Ling Stones.

“This target is at the Nascent Soul Realm, but the best assassins we have here are also at the Nascent Soul Realm—just a bit weaker than the target. To succeed would be incredibly difficult.”

“Huh?”

Qin Mu was puzzled.

“If that’s the case, why accept the mission?”

“Hehe, Young Master, you don’t understand.”

Xu Jing explained.

“If we don’t take the mission, another Division will. If they succeed, the credit goes to them, and we get nothing. Rather than that, I’d rather have it here and suffer as I watch them struggle to complete it—it’s worse than failing the mission myself!”

Qin Mu: “……”