Chapter 1337: 1329: Too Expensive

In the martial arts world, what is worth the least? Time!

Once one’s cultivation breaks through to Immortal, they almost possess an infinite lifespan. Even experiencing the Five Decays of Heaven, they can still eke out extended survival, making it difficult to die if they don’t wish to.

Quickly, four years have passed!

During these four years, the Qin Dynasty’s inner workings have been tranquil, entering orderly, stable, and rapid development, with comprehensive national power increasing exponentially.

The only regret Qin Wudao feels is that in these four years of signing in, he hasn’t received anything good, just the "Yongle Encyclopedia"!

It’s not that the "Yongle Encyclopedia" is bad; as a national treasure of Huaxia, its value is in no way inferior to the "Dao Manuscript," encompassing various aspects, deserving to be called an encyclopedia.

However, for the current Qin Dynasty, the "Yongle Encyclopedia" is somewhat redundant and cannot directly enhance the nation’s strength.

And presently, what the Qin Dynasty needs most is strength!

After all, no one knows when the strong figures of Starsea Immortal Pavilion will descend upon the Xuan Cosmos.

...

Xuan City.

In a certain cold and dark grand hall, the swordmaster sits on a chair, brow furrowed.

Before him lies an intelligence report, recording the Qin Dynasty’s army hastening towards Xuan City, due to arrive in half a month at most.

He doesn’t know the true intent of the Qin army, assuming they’re here for vengeance.

Because of this, he is fearful and anxious all day long.

He thought about running.

But as the master of the Ten Thousand Slaughter Hall’s branch, how can he flee?

With no other choice, he can only call upon his trusted aides to discuss measures for resolution.

"Do you have any plans?"

The swordmaster looks up and asks the two before him.

The pair, one man and one woman, both wear gold masks concealing their true faces, but through the masks, one can still see their cold eyes, surrounded by a chilling aura.

Gold plate assassins!

As a behemoth rivaling the Immortal Treasure Pavilion, the Ten Thousand Slaughter Hall has a strict hierarchical structure, with a five-tier assassin system beneath the Hall Master.

The levels are bronze, silver, blue, purple, and gold plate assassins.

Among them, gold plate assassins are the highest level.

To become a gold plate assassin requires not only formidable strength but completing sufficient missions.

Thus, there are very few of these assassins. In the Xuan Cosmos’s branch of the Ten Thousand Slaughter Hall, there are only two gold plate assassins, both at the Peak of the Unity Realm Stage.

"Hall Master, is the Qin Dynasty’s strength truly that terrifying? Why have we never heard of it before?"

The assassin on the left asks.

He wears a black robe, his raspy voice filled with disbelief.

He simply cannot fathom a local power in this small Xuan Cosmos capable of defeating rule domain experts.

It’s too incredible.

"It may be even more terrifying than I said!"

"Unlikely, but the old guard of the Immortal Treasure Pavilion has already fallen along with the Creation Realm figure he summoned, who was also crushed by the Qin Dynasty!" the swordmaster recalls fearfully.

After fleeing from the battlefield initially, he didn’t go far, but instead turned back halfway, witnessing the Pavilion Master’s avatar being subdued by twelve golden figures.

It was this scene that instilled fear of the Qin Dynasty within him.

The hall plunged into silence.

After a while, the female assassin spoke: "Hall Master, the Qin Dynasty comes fiercely, we should temporarily avoid the edge and then request the Ten Thousand Slaughter Hall of the Tianhe Cosmos to take action, assassinating the strong figures of the Qin Dynasty!"

Assassins requesting assassins!

This may sound incredible, but it’s standard practice for the Ten Thousand Slaughter Hall.

When a lower-level Ten Thousand Slaughter Hall assassin encounters a powerful enemy, they hire a higher-level assassin, which is called paying to avoid disaster.

"Good!"

After listening, the swordmaster thinks for a moment, then takes a token from his bosom and crushes it.

Boom!

An unusual power erupts.

Soon, a vortex appears in the starry sky, from which emerges an elder’s shadow, dressed in tattered cloth, a pipe in his mouth, smiling benignly, far from the image of an assassin.

The elder looks around once, then speaks to the swordmaster: "It’s you! What’s the matter?"

"Greetings, Hall Master Zhao!"

The swordmaster dares not be negligent, quickly stands and salutes with respect: "I want to ask you to help me kill a few people, the price is negotiable, here are their images..."

As he speaks, he uses energy to form four human figures, representing Qin Wudao, Gui Guzi, Liu Bei, and Sun Quan!

"Four years ago, did the Immortal Treasure Pavilion send Immortal Guards to a certain low-level cosmos connected to them?"

The elder glances at the four figures of Qin Wudao, thinks for a moment, and asks.

"Indeed!"

Hearing that the Immortal Treasure Pavilion dispatched its Immortal Guards, the swordmaster secretly marvels, then flashes a hint of a cold smile, as if seeing the end of the worlds.

He is thoroughly aware of the Immortal Guard’s strength.

Capable of subduing top forces of the Tianhe Cosmos, their ability to annihilate the worlds should be a cinch.

"Do you need to request additional support?" the elder asks further.

The swordmaster hesitates for a while, finally shaking his head.

The elder smiles slightly, then fades away.

After the shadow dissipates, the female assassin questions puzzlingly: "Hall Master, why not ask Pavilion Master Zhao to step in?"

The swordmaster leans back in his chair, a face of ease, saying: "Once the Immortal Treasure Pavilion takes action, the worlds are certainly no match, we’ll just watch the show!"

He then sighs heavily, lamenting: "Besides, higher-level assassins are all profiteers, very greedy! Requesting them now, won’t be without extortion!"

The female assassin listens, her expression speechless.

So you gave up because it’s too expensive!

For some reason, she felt a bit uneasy, as if a voice from the void whispered to her that the Immortal Treasure Pavilion would fail.

Her reasoning wasn’t baseless either.

Who doesn’t know the Immortal Treasure Pavilion’s renown?

Why would forces in the worlds dare provoke the Immortal Treasure Pavilion?

Is it newborn calves unafraid of tigers?

Or do they have backup plans?

The former is better, causing little fuss, but if it’s the latter, then it’s like nurturing a threat.

"Pass the order, the Ten Thousand Slaughter Hall withdraws from Xuan City, I want to witness the worlds becoming embers of history!"

The swordmaster stands up, commanding with authority.

"As you command!"

The two gold plate assassins bow respectfully.

...

Soon, half a month passes.

On this day, Bai Qi leads the expeditionary army to Xuan City, without hesitation, ordering the siege immediately, advancing like an unstoppable force, destroying the puppet defenders and occupying the entire city.

In truth, Xuan City was jointly established by the Immortal Treasure Pavilion and the Ten Thousand Slaughter Hall.

All defensive forces come from these two powers.

Now with the Immortal Treasure Pavilion’s manager fallen, and the Ten Thousand Slaughter Hall withdrawing, naturally, they cannot muster a powerful resistance.

"Issue the order, the expeditionary army is forbidden from entering the Immortal Treasure Pavilion. Violators will be executed without mercy!"

An hour later, Bai Qi arrives outside the Immortal Treasure Pavilion, seeing its members trembling on the ground, loudly commanding.

Then, he leads the First Corps to the Ten Thousand Slaughter Hall’s station, pushes open the doors, finding it empty, immediately realizing the Ten Thousand Slaughter Hall fled.

He isn’t surprised by this.

Assassins are human too.

They won’t stay to die!