178: Winter Solstice Proving Immortality

Beside the Yan River.

Xu Hui and Liu Dong looked exhausted, yet they kept forcing themselves to continue running.

They had previously thought they had shaken off that assassin, but they hadn't expected the other party to keep catching up from time to time, nearly closing the distance several times.

"Huh, the river level has dropped quite a bit."

A glimmer of hope flashed in Xu Hui's eyes; this meant they were close to finding Xu Le.

The pursuing figure appeared once again.

"Run!"

Liu Dong grabbed Xu Hui's arm and used Savage Charge with all his might, looking like a crazed bull, nearly pulling Xu Hui along like a kite.

The scenery flew by beneath their feet. Xu Hui's right arm was in pain from being grabbed so tightly, but her heart relaxed.

It was like the many times before; the assassin couldn't catch up.

Suddenly, Liu Dong froze in place.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" Xu Hui was anxious, her hands already preparing a Spell, ready to cast it the moment the assassin appeared.

Liu Dong's voice was cold: "Mission aborted, there's a big job."

?

Xu Hui was stunned, and then she watched her own shadow wiggle left and right, break free, and transform into a person.

"You, you, you..."

"Shut up!" the person snapped, then complained impatiently, "What big job is so important? We were one step away from killing that legendary Genius... Ah, no, I mean, we were one step away from avenging Little Four and Little Five."

"Liu Dong" sneered: "Is the entire Ninth District important enough?"

"Yes, yes, yes! That dog Emperor is really willing to pay a high price. Even if it meant killing you, Boss, I would still give it a shot!"

The shadow became incoherent with excitement, momentarily flustered, and the look in its eyes toward "Liu Dong" changed.

"Liu Dong" was used to this and didn't care, saying indifferently: "Kill the world's number one expert, Liu Rufeng."

"Just him? A piece of trash who isn't even a Demi-god, and he's worth us two taking action?"

"We also need Old Three; we've been ordered to have the three of us, Heavens Punishment, Earths Punishment, and Mans Punishment, strike simultaneously."

Xu Hui's eyes were filled with terror. Only then did she notice that Liu Dong's eyes were equally desperate; clearly, his entire body had been controlled by someone.

"Should we just kill these two?" Earths Punishment said indifferently, as if he weren't about to crush two living lives, but two small ants.

Heavens Punishment said in a flat tone: "Obey and live, disobey and die. Choose for yourselves."

...

December 21st.

Winter Solstice.

Yang Qi rises, the Dao of the sovereign lengthens.

The sun reaches the Tropic of Capricorn and begins its return north.

There have always been many activities to celebrate the Winter Solstice, and some giant cities even treat this day as the New Year.

However, this day is remembered by everyone not just because it is the Winter Solstice, but because the Sword Saint is proving his Dao and ascending to immortality today.

And it is being broadcast live across the country.

The fate of humanity hangs on this day; everyone has put down their work, watching this moment that is about to go down in history.

Chen Tai is an F-rank farmer, but in his heart, he harbors a dream of becoming a Sword Immortal. He opened the live stream on his phone early and cast it to his television.

While still operating his phone, his heart had already drawn a sword and slain tens of thousands of demons.

The camera zoomed out very far.

Liu Rufeng stood on a high platform with only an altar table in front of him, on which sat a basin of water, a white towel, an incense burner, and a stick of incense.

"What is this? Engaging in feudal superstition?"

Astonishment flashed in his heart, but he still watched attentively.

Liu Rufeng's eyes were calm, like autumn water, as he placed his fair, slender hands into the basin of water and began to wash them.

His movements were very slow, as if he were performing the most delicate surgery in the world, every point and inch handled with extreme precision.

"This, I can't hold it together anymore!"

"Shouldn't he draw a sword, shatter the Void Realm for ten thousand miles, ascend to immortality, and then have some demons jump out only to be slain by a single sword strike?"

There were tens of millions of people with the same thoughts as Chen Tai, but everyone kept their eyes wide open, unable to bear looking away for even a second.

Today decides whether humanity can stand tall!

...

Emperor watched the live stream with a puzzled expression and couldn't help but complain: "Grandstanding, he is courting death!"

He was still a bit uneasy and asked in a low voice: "Did you see anything?"

A sharp voice replied: "I don't understand. It's somewhat similar to the ancient practice of burning incense and bathing; it's not about praying to gods or Buddhas, but rather calming the mind."

"Just calming the mind? How flashy. Wouldn't finding a few women achieve that easily?"

"..." The sharp voice went dead silent.

"Are those three top assassins in position?"

The sharp voice replied again: "They have reached the designated positions, but the traitor Liu had anticipated this and withdrew all the Sharp Blade members to guard around himself."

"Heh, it just adds to the slaughter. If he really anticipated it, he should have just offered his neck to be slaughtered."

"Your Majesty is wise. The assassins from the alliance of Aristocratic Families will surely break the Sharp Blade easily. The three great assassins are all Demi-god rank; once they enter, it will definitely be an instant kill."

"Hahaha, foolish Mortal, they deserve to die!"

Hearty laughter rang out in the great hall, as if a great cause had already been accomplished.

...

156 "Sharp Blade" members, except for Xu Le, were all deployed around the high platform.

Not only the Sharp Blade, but other universities also sent many people to observe.

Even if the Three Excellencies and Nine Ministers of the imperial court did not attend in person, they sent their heirs, attaching great importance to this ascension ceremony.

He Wu looked at Liu Rufeng on the high platform, his fat face revealing a gaze like a hawk.

He wanted to engrave every step of Liu Rufeng into his mind. If it succeeded, he would replicate it and lead Blue Star University to glory.

...

Xu Le stood in the Fallen Zone outside the First District; the monsters around him had already been cleared out once by him.

Now, his experience points had exceeded 2 billion, but he was still at the 90th-level Peak.

The grey mark behind it was like a curse; these past few days, he had never understood it.

He had wanted to go directly to the scene to observe, but he was afraid that his identity would cause a commotion and ruin Old Man Liu's ascension ceremony.

Old Man Liu had treated him well, so he restrained himself and stood in the Fallen Zone watching the live stream.

All his contracted beasts guarded him on the side and did not go out to slay monsters; he was afraid that the pop-ups of experience points would distract him from watching the live stream with full attention.

...

In a residential house around the high platform.

Earths Punishment curled his lip: "The dog Emperor is really a piece of work, making us assassinate him directly on the scene and not even allowing us to intentionally disrupt the live stream camera."

Mans Punishment echoed: "The dog Emperor is a real pervert, he just wants to make us the target of public criticism."

Heavens Punishment's voice was indifferent: "What, regretting it?"

The two said in unison: "No, we need more money!"

"Really?" Heavens Punishment was displeased.

The two gave awkward smiles and said no more. In the entire Ninth District, let alone live-streaming the assassination of Liu Rufeng, even if they were ordered to assassinate Liu Rufeng while completely naked, they would have to do it.

"Time is up, let's move!"

Heavens Punishment waved his hand, and the two followed.

In front of the three of them were thousands of figures in black, densely packed, all of whom were level 80 or above.

Rather than an assassination, it was more like a charge!