The Ethereal Domains

Chapter 776: Assassination Attempt and Assassinating!

Assassination Attempt and Assassinating! . . .

A swift and stealthy dark light streaked through the night, seeming to harness the entirety of the darkness around it. It was a killing blow, a strike with fatal intent.

Cha Eun Xiao's instincts tingled with unease, prompting him to immediately drop to the ground. He understood that if he had attempted to flee upon first detecting the ominous glimmer, he would now be a lifeless corpse.

The dark light sliced past, narrowly missing his head with a hair's breadth. It was a lightning-fast concealed attack, honed with the sole purpose of ending Cha Eun Xiao's life.

In an instant, a thunderous roar heralded the furious charge of Xiao Mufei. His sword, a whirlwind of lethal radiance, blazed a trail as he surged into the forest. A series of explosive noises echoed through the woods, marking the battle that raged out of sight.

Amid the clash of blades and cries of combatants, an exclamation rang out briefly before the silence returned.

Xiao Mufei returned from the skirmish, his demeanor suffused with murderous intent. He clutched a severed head in his grip, hurling it to the ground where it tumbled, revealing the unmistakable expression of terror etched onto Ma Dingding's face.

"That's Ma Dingding from the Saint Sunlight Sect, isn't it?" Fang Dalong's voice trembled with anger. "I recognize him. He's an assassin and one of them. His weapon is the Soul Hunter Sword. They concealed their presence in the battle, and indeed, it was the Saint Sunlight Sect."

Xiao Mufei's features grew colder as he spoke. "Well done, Dalong. Safeguard this head; it's crucial evidence. The Saint Sunlight Sect's actions are disgraceful. They've violated their pledge by sending assassins after us. We will address this matter with them in due course."

He paused before continuing, "The assailants in black utilized a starry array of lights, indicative of the Saint Starlight Sect. Ma Dingding hails from the Saint Sunlight Sect. Two sects working in tandem… Truly, the ties between brother sects are remarkable."

Inwardly, he remained stunned.

The two consecutive attacks were executed with precision. The Coldstars served as a diversion, while the genuine fatal strike was delivered by Ma Dingding. Their objective had been to eliminate Cha Eun Xiao.

Though Ma Dingding was far weaker than Xiao Mufei, he possessed formidable skills for swift and silent assassination. While he may not have bested Xiao Mufei in a head-on confrontation, evading capture was well within his capabilities. The fact that he hesitated and failed to escape swiftly was unexpected.

Cha Eun Xiao had been perilously close to meeting his end, and he was acutely aware of this fact.

He reached up to touch his head, securing a strand of hair in his hand. The attack had not been lethal, but it had severed a section of his hair. Glancing at the dagger, radiating a malevolent blue aura, he could discern the telltale traces of poison.

Had the attack struck him, even without the poison, the sheer force and sharpness of a strike from a Dream Origin Stage cultivator could have spelled his demise.

With clenched teeth, Cha Eun Xiao muttered, "Saint Sunlight Sect!"

[This affront will not be forgotten!]

[They will rue the day they crossed me!]

Cha Eun Xiao and the others followed Xiao Mufei, their relentless journey through the Dark Pine Forest continuing day and night at their maximum speed. Already, they had covered a staggering two thousand miles during their frenzied flight.

The group faced three more attacks during this arduous trek, but Xiao Mufei, undeterred, didn't allow the assailants a chance to execute their sinister plans. He confronted them head-on, vanquishing them swiftly. The toll was heavy on both sides, with over fifty more of Cha Eun Xiao's companions succumbing in the battles, while the enemies left behind dozens of lifeless forms.

As they neared the exit of the Dark Pine Forest, it seemed that the enemies had finally relented.

Upon leaving the forest behind and encountering the desolate hills and distant columns of cooking smoke, the surviving group felt as though they had transitioned to an entirely different existence.

Only one hundred and seventy-three of them remained, a stark contrast to the one hundred and ninety comrades interred in the heart of the Dark Pine Forest. The initial thirty had perished at the jaws of the serpents, while the remaining lives had been extinguished by assassins.

Xiao Mufei's countenance had been shrouded in darkness throughout their journey. The losses were staggering, the most significant Cold Moon Palace had suffered since the demise of Xiao Monarch.

"There's a village up ahead. It might not have inns, but there is a common eating house," Xiao Mufei indicated the direction. "Send a couple of men to inform the establishment. Let them know that more than one hundred and seventy of us will require sustenance. Tell them to prepare."

A village common house, unaccustomed to feeding such a multitude, would require advance notice to serve them adequately.

Two disciples promptly relayed the message and rushed to the public house, while the rest moved at a leisurely pace, the slowest progress they had ever made. Their collective goal was to reach the village and partake of a meal as soon as possible.

Xiao Mufei cast a knowing smile in their direction. "You clever ones. You'd rather linger here and walk at a snail's pace than face an empty table, am I right?"

Cha Eun Xiao echoed the sentiment with a smile. It was a matter of common sense. Regardless of the fatigue that came with the long journey, they preferred to keep moving toward a destination rather than remaining idle. This was particularly true, considering the sheer number of travelers. If they reached the common house and found no place to sit, the disappointment would be palpable.

Though their steps were unhurried and the journey covered a little over a dozen miles, it consumed three hours. It was a relaxed stroll, an uncharacteristic departure from the rigors they had endured. Yet, they were not forgetting the trials and tribulations they had faced, the brothers they had lost; they simply chose not to discuss those harrowing memories for the time being.