The wind rustled the leaves, causing them to flutter and eventually fall from the branches.
A gust of cool air swept in through the open window, drying the blood that had spilled from the man who lay sprawled on the grounds, his body trembling uncontrollably.
When he attempted to kill earlier, Lucian punched upward with such force that his right hand bones shattered completely, bursting the skin and causing blood to gush out.
Lucian had also cracked his left hand, causing his bone to tear open his skin.
His shoulders were a gruesome sight, riddled with dozens of tiny puncture wounds, each no wider than a hair.
Both of his legs were twisted in different angles, making it impossible for him to move.
More blood slowly oozed from these holes, pooling beneath him in a crimson puddle, only to be slowly dry.
Lucian didnât damage any vital areas, only targeting the manâs less important parts. Each insertion of the needle sent waves of excruciating pain through the assassinâs body without causing life-threatening injuries.
The agony was beyond anything the man had ever experienced, yet due to his strong vitality, he remained conscious, unable to fall into unconsciousness.
After lucianâs torturous interrogation, he had completely lost his previous ruthlessness and decisiveness.
His eyes now held only fear and desperation. His body trembled uncontrollably, occasionally twitching as residual pain coursed through his nervous system.
As Lucian used a chair to sit in front of the man, he asked, his voice lacking any emotions,
âNow, tell me who sent you.â
The assassin had already had his mask removed by Lucian, revealing his face. It was a young man in his early 20s with black hair. His face was one that could easily be lost in a crowd.
âIf you answered me truthfully Iâll let you go.â
Lucian added.
Although the man knew that Lucianâs promise was likely a lie, the unbearable pain and fear clouding his mind left him with no choice but to comply. His survival instinct overrode his judgement.
Lucian had already pulled out the panties form his mouth, so he spoke, his voice hoarse and barely above a whisper,
âItâs s-senior Xander who sent me⊠ngh⊠to k-kill you!â
He swallowed hard, tasting blood as he said. Earlier when Lucian forced the panties into his mouth, few of his teeth had also broken.
âXander??â
Lucianâs eyes widened slightly, a flicker of surprise passing through his crimson eyes.
It was unexpected, to say the least.
He had previously thought it might be his dear brother Julius or perhaps his so-called uncle Marcus who wanted to kill him early.
But he hadnât considered that it would be the very person who was supposed to guide them out of this place the day after tomorrow.
A cool breeze swept through the room, causing the leaves outside to flutter like restless spirits. The candlelight flickered, casting dancing shadows on the walls.
Lucianâs snow-white hair swayed gently, framing his face that now had a contemplating expression.
âWhy did he want to kill me?â
Lucian asked, his voice calmed.
The man didnât hesitate to answer, his voice stammering in rush,
âI-I donât k-know⊠he only told me to kill you, nothing elseâŠâ
Sweat beaded on his brow, mixing with the tears and blood that stained his face.
âWhatâs your Cultivation Realm?â
Lucian asked. He didnât continue with the previous topic, as the young man kept insisting that he didnât know the reason.
Lucian could more or less guess the reason behind, but he wasnât sure if it was Marcus who ordered Xander to kill him, or if it was Xanderâs own decision!
The assassin swallowed hard, wincing as the motion sent a wave of pain through his brusied and battered body.
â8th stage of the B-body Strengthening!â
He spoke out slowly.
Lucianâs eyebrows rose slightly, a flicker of surprise passing across his face before it settled back into its usual expression.
âThen why did he send you? Didnât he guess that my strength could improve?â
Lucianâs voice was calm, curious.
Seeing the manâs horrified expression, Lucian didnât press further. Perhaps he thought he was still the same, only able to kill mid-stage Body Strengthening Realm cultivators. That must be why he sent this man at the 8th stage, thinking he would be enough to kill Lucian.
A faint smirk played on Lucianâs lips as he pondered this. The candlelight flickered, casting dancing shadows across his face, making his crimson eyes seem to glow.
Lucian didnât continue to ask this question, instead he asked the most important question that had been bothering him, halting this breakthrough,
âHey, why canât I break through to the 9th stage?â
The bloodied young manâs pupils contracted. Even with his panic-stricken mind, he couldnât help but wonder how, despite being at the same stage, the disparity between them could be so vast.
It was as if they were from two completely different world!
The assassinâs brow furrowed, confusion momentarily overriding his pain and fear.
âW-what? You⊠youâre also at the 8th stage?â
He stammered with disbelief.
Previously he thought this man before him mightâve already reached 9th stage. And that was why he could easily defeat him.
Lucianâs eyes narrowed, a dangerous glint flashing in their crimson depths. ÆrÄewebnoŃ”Ńl.cÏm
âAnswer the question,â
He said, his voice menacing.
The assassin swallowed hard, his throat constricting painfully as he gulped down a mixture of blood, saliva, teeth and the juices.
The metallic taste barely hit his mind as he struggled to form a coherent response.
âN-ninth stage,â
He said, his voice hoarse and trembling,
âis called Meridian Awakening. Youâll need a cultivation technique to break through from the 8th stage to reach the peak of Body StrengtheningâŠâ
He paused, coughing weakly, speckles of blood staining his lips.
Lucian suddenly stood up, his eyes seemed to be blazing with an intense fire.
In a flash, he was at the assassinâs side, his hands gripping the manâs broken shoulders.
âUghhâŠ!!!â
The sudden movement sent shockwaves of pain through the assassinâs body, eliciting a pitiful whimper.
âTell me how can I get a cultivation technique?â
Lucian asked, his voice trembling with barely contained excitement. Even though now Lucian had an idea of how to get a technique, he still asked.
The assassinâs eyes widened in fear at Lucianâs sudden outburst. He could feel the young manâs fingers digging into his shattered bones, sending jolts of pain through his entire body.
The pain was excruciating, yet he dared not cry out.
Lucianâs mind raced, pieces of the puzzle finally falling into place.
The stagnation he had felt at the peak of the 8th stage â something was missing â it all made sense now.
He needed a cultivation technique, a guiding to channel his energy and break through to the next realm.
âYou need to become a disciple of the sect to get a c-cultivation technique,â
The man replied stammeringly.
As soon as Lucian got his answer, he swiftly swiped the needle across the manâs neck.
Whoosh!!
Puchi!!!
A thin red line appeared on the manâs neck, quickly blossoming into a crimson flower. The assassinâs eyes widened in shock and horror.
âYo..uâŠ!!!â
he gurgled, his broken hands instinctively clutching at his throat.
But it was useless. The wound had already cut open his artery, life was pouring out of him with each passing second.
Lucian stood, watching indifferently as the light faded from the assassinâs eyes,
âJust as I promised, I let you go, but to hell!â
The manâs body twitched and convulsed, his broken legs kicking weakly against the floor.
As the assassinâs life ended, the door to the room creaked open.
Eloise slowly stepped inside, her eyes widening as at gruesome scene before her.
The flickering candlelight cast eerie shadows across the blood-splattered floor.
Eloiseâs gaze darted from the assassin to Lucian, who stood over the body with an eerily calm expression.
His snow-white hair gleamed in the dim light, a stark contrast to the crimson stains on his hands and clothes.
Even she has killed before, but she felt her breath catch in her throat as she watched Lucianâs face. There was no flicker of emotion as he observed the manâs final moments.
She still couldnât believe how much Lucian had changed. For a moment, she even thought that her nephew mightâve been possessed.
Lucian turned around, his crimson eyes meeting Eloiseâs shocked gaze.
A small smile played on his lips, a stark contrast to the gruesome scene behind him.
Seeing Lucian, Eloise soon recovered, her lips curled into a seductive and mischievous smile. To her this Lucian was more sexy, she even felt her pussy wetting at his manly appearance.
âAunt, you came at the perfect time,â
He said calmly, his voice smooth as silk,
âCall your death guards to clean this mess. Normal guards wonât do.â
As he approached, Eloise could smell the metallic scent of blood clinging to him.
He walked to her, and before she could ask anything, he kissed her lips.
Eloiseâs eyes widened at the sudden kiss, but she didnât pull away.
Smooooch~~
Instead, she leaned in, hugging Lucianâs blood-stained body.
When they finally parted, her cheeks were flushed, and her breath came in short, quick gasps.














