Endless Cards in Hand . . .
Chen Yuanfeng only stepped ahead to test Feng Zhiling. He knew that the moment he felt something was wrong, he should immediately sway the sword in his hand and flee away quickly. It would be better to observe from a distance before taking any other moves.
Suddenly, Cha Eun Xiao coughed out once again and spat out blood. And then another one.
His fingers seemed to be shaking. He let out a deep sigh. "Fine…"
Even though he didn't say more than a single word, the desperation in it was still hard to miss.
Chen Yuanfeng felt happy about it, so he stepped ahead further. With the current distance between them, he could even touch Cha Eun Xiao's body. However, he was still cautious enough to slightly kick on Cha Eun Xiao's leg first. Cha Eun Xiao moaned and said in anger, "Prick! You better kill me right now. Don't you think it is obscene to humiliate a superior cultivator like this?"
Chen Yuanfeng felt calm. He was sure that this extreme superior cultivator truly had no power to even move a bit.
He used his foot to move all those needles and knives away. With a smile on his face, he spoke with a treacherous tone, "Feng Monarch, what are you talking about? I just touched your leg. I didn't take off your pants anyway. You are taking it too serious now. How can I kill you now?"
Cha Eun Xiao snorted weakly and uttered, "You better end my life now! You know what I'll do!"
Chen Yuanfeng erupted into hearty laughter, a sense of relief flooding over him. He confidently strode closer to Cha Eun Xiao and crouched down to peer into his eyes. In a casual tone, he replied, "I have no intention of—"
At that very moment, Cha Eun Xiao abruptly widened his eyes and let out a resounding shout, "Pah!"
A fierce and chilling glint shot forth from his mouth with lightning-like speed.
This was the final move he had held in reserve to safeguard his life.
Clasped between his teeth was a concealed needle.
Despite his immobile body and his limbs in a state of ruin, as long as he could still draw breath, he possessed the means to eliminate his adversary with this concealed weapon.
Chen Yuanfeng, who had been in the process of lowering himself to speak, never got the chance to complete his sentence. The needle had pierced his throat with swift precision!
A red dot appeared at the entry point of the needle, rapidly expanding.
With a resounding clang, the sword he held dropped to the floor.
Chen Yuanfeng's countenance froze in bewilderment.
He couldn't fathom the sequence of events or comprehend how it had transpired.
Clutching his throat, he emitted strange, choked sounds. His eyes were wide with disbelief, and his visage was a mix of surprise and terror as his body grew limp and slumped to the ground.
He had never anticipated that Cha Eun Xiao had saved the last needle for this very moment. This last move had proved fatal, catching Chen Yuanfeng entirely off guard.
It was a reasonable strategy. In this life, Cha Eun Xiao always had a contingency plan at the ready in case things went awry. This backup plan had become the decisive factor in this encounter.
Though utterly exhausted, Cha Eun Xiao managed to summon the strength to stand, albeit unsteadily. He gathered the needles and knives, clutching them in his hands as he lacked the energy to re-conceal them. Retrieving the needle from Chen Yuanfeng's lifeless body, he spoke with a hint of levity, "You never know; I always keep an ace up my sleeve... Unfortunately for you, you had none."
The immediate danger had dissipated. Despite feeling on the verge of collapsing, he forced himself to exit the area. It was no longer a safe haven, and even moving a mere hundred meters away would be preferable to remaining there.
With the risk of more individuals arriving soon, lingering was out of the question.
As Cha Eun Xiao departed, several minutes elapsed before the arrival of two individuals at the same location. The faint sounds of their footsteps echoed.
"The noise came from this direction," one of them remarked. "It wasn't distinct, but it seems to have emanated from around here."
"It's quite a secluded spot," the other noted.
"Indeed, an ideal place for foul play," the first one concurred.
"Let's investigate further," the second individual suggested. "There might be something valuable left behind."
"There's blood here," the first one observed, bending down to examine the ground. "A fierce battle took place."
"Is this... Nan Tianxing?" the second individual exclaimed in disbelief.
"Oh my! It really is him," the first one confirmed.
The two newcomers happened to be disciples from the Sunlight Sect. They stared in astonishment at the lifeless body of Nan Tianxing before them. While Nan Tianxing might not have been the most powerful cultivator in the world, he was known for his cunning and was considered an important figure within the Sunlight Sect.
The fact that he had met his demise in this peculiar location was shocking news.
The two disciples were left utterly dumbfounded and unable to speak. It was only after a brief period of time that they noticed another corpse nearby.
"There's another one," one of them remarked.
"What's this? Chen Yuanfeng?" the other exclaimed.
"Yes, it's him. How did he end up here? Wasn't he sent by our Second Primary Master on an errand? How could he have died here?"
"Perhaps he stumbled upon this place by accident and met his end here."
"That's a possibility."
Both disciples took in a sharp breath.
At that very moment, a sudden flurry of movement punctuated the silence.
Dozens of figures swiftly descended upon the scene.
They wore various styles of clothing, representing different sects. It was evident they hailed from various martial backgrounds, including the Starlight Sect, Sunlight Sect, and other factions, as well as the eight noble clans.
Each of these arrivals moved swiftly and displayed remarkable prowess as superior cultivators. Their expressions darkened as they surveyed the grim tableau before them.