Chapter 41 - Sword Intent Perfection

He divided the one million Mastery points into two portions and added 900,000 to the Sword Intent. The remaining 100,000 went to the Basilisk’s Touch.

After the attributes were refreshed,

Sword Intent: Genesis

Basilisk’s Touch: Beginner’s Level

His purifying spiritual force increased again, and his Martial Arts Evolution was 220 years away from breaking through.

“Yama Group on the Northern Boulevard?” Xiao Ran mused with narrowed eyes.

A gust of night wind blew and in a blink of an eye, there was no more sign of him.

At the Scholar Provisions Shop,

Malevolent Earth aroused himself from his meditation. Earlier on, his eyelid was twitching violently, as if something ominous was about to happen.

At his level of evolution, just as wind would naturally blow through an empty cave, everything happened for a reason.

“What’s going on? Is someone planning to attack this place?” Malevolent Earth hazarded a guess.

Dismissing the unease with a shake of his head,

he rejected this idea. This stronghold was very well-hidden. Other than the higher-ups in the organization, no one else knew about it. Until now, he had been the one managing this place.

However his eyelid was still twitching, and it was getting worse.

After muttering to himself for a while,

Malevolent Earth made up his mind. “Just in case, it’s better to get out of here first.”

He had just emerged from the chamber and stepped out of the room,

when he spied an ugly woman standing outside the door. She was Hellfire Granny. She was also the employer who paid a big sum of money for this operation for them to take action and obtain the ‘Celestial Varg Guards’ manual.

Now, she had found her way here.

Malevolent Earth’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “How did you manage to find this place?”

“I’d said this before. There’s nothing I can’t do if I want to,” said Hellfire Granny in a hoarse voice.

“It’s not a good idea to talk out here. Come inside and talk!” Malevolent Earth said.

Stepping aside, he waited for her to enter the room before closing the door.

In the living room,

Malevolent Earth poured a cup of tea and offered it to Hellfire Granny. She didn’t accept it. “Don’t worry. We may be assassins, but we have principles. We won’t attack our employers, much less put poison in our tea.”

Hellfire Granny replied in a scornful manner, “Do you think I’ll believe you?”

He decided to change the subject.

Malevolent Earth said, “The ‘Celestial Varg Guards’ manual is already a done deal. Go back and wait for our news. I’ll bring that thing to you tomorrow.”

“A while back, you were not planning to make your escape, were you?”

Malevolent Earth was speechless. He had not even succeeded in leaving before he was stopped by his employer. He felt terribly embarrassed.

“Nonsense! I was just about to personally take action to retrieve the ‘Celestial Varg Guards’ manual.”

“I’ll go with you.”

“You don’t trust me?”

Hellfire Granny looked at him with derision. “Are you Yama people trustworthy?”

“All right! I agree to your request.” Malevolent Earth conceded.

After they left the room,

the two of them were about to leave and rush towards Xiao Ran’s courtyard dwelling when a shadowy figure emerged from the darkness.

It was Xiao Ran.

“Where are the two of you going?”

“Is he with you?” Malevolent Earth regarded her with a look of displeasure.

Hellfire Granny was dumbfounded. “I didn’t even know such a person existed.”

Both their expressions changed at the same time. They took a step forward and in a whirlwind of raucous turbulence, re-appeared beside Xiao Ran, sealing off his escape route.

Malevolent Earth asked in an icy tone, “Who are you?”

“Aren’t you looking for me?” Xiao Ran asked.

“Make yourself clear.”

“Let me jog your memory then. Earlier on, a woman named Green Dragnet and three Grand Masters barged into my house with a group of people.”

Malevolent Earth’s face froze. “You’re still alive and well, and you even found your way here. Are they all dead?”

“Yes.” Xiao Ran nodded affirmatively.

“You’re Xiao Ran! The information I have stated that you’re only a Connate Realm Martial Arts Warrior! Could it be that they lied to me?”

“Who are they?”

“You don’t need to know,” Malevolent Earth retorted in an icy tone.

The eyes of Hellfire Granny lit up. “The ‘Celestial Varg Guards’ training manual is with him?”

“Previously, I was skeptical, but now I’m ninety percent sure he knows about this manual,” Malevolent Earth said in a serious voice.

“Your people are all trash! You can’t even handle such a small matter. And now I still have to take matters into my own hands. After this matter is over and done with, you have to refund me half of the payment.” The enraged Hellfire Granny launched into a tirade.

She looked at Xiao Ran.

“Hand over the ‘Celestial Varg Guards’ training manual now!”

The overwhelming power of a Profound Realm Level 1 aura erupted without any warning.

Boom…

Violent tremors rippled through heaven and earth. Starting from the location of the Hellfire Granny, the night sky changed color. A huge aura emanated from her and enveloped the entire courtyard, blanketing the whole area and bearing down on all things in a cataclysmic heavenly power.

“Who would have thought that an insignificant ‘Celestial Varg Guards’ training manual could attract two Profound Realm experts. Looks like this matter has very big implications,” Xiao Ran mused out loud.

He unleashed his Immense Righteous Energy in a sudden gush.

The righteous and saintly power blazed like a mid-day afternoon sun. It transformed into a huge beam of golden light, soaring into the clouds in a flash.

The chilling Yin aura that Hellfire Granny had directed towards him was instantly destroyed by the Immense Righteous Energy.

“W-Which academy are you from, you monster?” The facial expression of Hellfire Granny changed drastically.

Malevolent Earth appeared very ill at ease too. He retreated backwards furtively without alerting anyone.

Xiao Ran peered at him and said, “I did not say you can leave. You’d better stay where you are.”

Malevolent Earth stopped in his tracks. Hellfire Granny became incensed and shouted angrily, “Don’t you Yama guys have any shame?”

“Don’t talk nonsense!” Malevolent Earth strenuously denied their accusation.

“Since we, the Yama Group, have accepted this commission, even if it is as difficult as ascending to heaven, we will complete it even at a huge cost to us.”

“Stop talking such useless garbage and attack together! Take him down. We can’t let him go back for reinforcements,” said Hellfire Granny.

“All right!” The Malevolent Earth concurred with her suggestion.

Both Profound Realm Level 1 experts launched their attacks at the same time.

They all practiced demonic martial arts. Thick, dense demonic energy surged and billowed outwards, covering the sky and blocking out the sun. A terrifying force rose up.

As it stirred up the surrounding spiritual energy, heaven and earth underwent ominous changes.

“Netherworld Sword Technique!” Malevolent Earth roared out.

Utilizing 100% of his powers, a sword materialized in his hand. The sword energy condensed and solidified, turning the sword blade into a manifestation of the Netherworld. It was as if he was not holding a sword but a churning, roiling embodiment of the Netherworld. As the Netherworld manifestation seethed and swirled, it emanated a terrifying aura of death, and ruthlessly slashed towards Xiao Ran’s neck.

Hellfire Granny was not far behind. If she held back under such circumstances, she would only end up dying faster.

“Heavenly Yin Netherflames!”

Endless Netherflames ignited from her body and shot skywards for hundreds of feet in a towering inferno. It converged into a set of huge flaming claws that charged at Xiao Ran in a wild grab for his head.

As the two of them launched their attacks, the surrounding buildings became collateral damage and were instantly destroyed by the force.

In the midst of the chaotic storm, Xiao Ran remained as calm as a millpond.

“Perfect! I can use you guys to test the power of the Sword Intent’s Genesis level.”

Swish!

Sword energy burst forth, far surpassing the earlier Immense Righteous Energy. As soon as it appeared, a sword domain formed within a thousand feet, imbued with dense sharp sword energy.

There were thousands of them, resembling a thick, dense horizontal forest comprising shafts of sword energy.

Every shaft of sword energy could easily annihilate a Grand Master.

Thousands of sword energy then fused into one, becoming an incredible force that eclipsed ancient times. It plunged down from the heavens and split into two, before slicing wildly through the atmosphere towards the two of them.

The Netherflames Giant Claw didn’t even last a breath before it was completely destroyed by this supreme sword energy.

Hellfire Granny’s face turned ashen-white instantly. “F*ck you, Malevolent Earth!”

Malevolent Earth fared even worse.

The Netherworld Sword Technique could not even unleash half of its power in front of the Sword Intent that had reached Genesis level. Its sword energy was destroyed as soon as the Sword Intent slashed over. When he heard her words, he became very indignant and rebutted her. “It’s all because of you, you stupid pig! If not for you, I wouldn’t have gotten into trouble with this old freak from some academy!”

The Sword Intent’s energy plummeted down.

“No…”

As they stared in hopeless despair, the sword energy sliced them cleanly in half.

A terrifying abyss was left on the ground. The residual sword energy lingered for a long time.