57: assassination

[The weather is nice today; it's the season for eating watermelon.]

The assistant nearby received the message and quickly ran to Ghost Executioner's side.

That was a code; "watermelon" was Xu Le's code name.

"The season for eating watermelon" referred to the perfect time to ambush Xu Le.

"My Lord, that damn Xu Le has finally left the school gates."

"Good!"

A flash of joy crossed Ghost Executioner's eyes. Staying hidden in the First District all these days had almost driven him mad with boredom.

Especially since Xu Le never went out, which gave him quite a headache.

He had the skills to slay a Dragon, but the Dragon wouldn't leave its lair.

He hurriedly led his men to the outskirts of the Demon Slaying Academy and began setting up the ambush.

Over the past few days, he had already scouted the area around the Demon Slaying Academy thoroughly and picked out five suitable ambush locations.

Based on the direction Xu Le was heading, he chose Ambush Point No. 3.

Everyone moved very fast. In just five minutes, using the surrounding greenery as cover, they finished setting up the concealment Formation.

Ghost Executioner nodded in satisfaction, looking toward the Ninth District, already imagining how to spend the 10 billion Credits.

A tall and handsome figure appeared before him... at the South City Flower and Bird Market.

As Xu Le was carefully picking out a Raven, a vigorous voice rang out.

"Are you picking a pet, young friend?"

Xu Le turned around and saw a lean, white-haired old man with sharp, piercing eyes that seemed capable of piercing through glass.

There was a faint darkness around his eye sockets, and his eyeballs were bloodshot, hiding deep fatigue.

This was an old man who looked spirited yet very exhausted.

Xu Le was a bit surprised, but respecting the elderly and loving the young was a traditional virtue. As long as the man didn't provoke him, Xu Le would be an excellent successor of traditional culture.

"Something like that."

The old man was a bit unhappy: "If it is, it is; if it isn't, it isn't. What does 'something like that' mean?"

Being lectured for no reason~

Xu Le casually agreed: "Right, it is."

The old man shook his head: "No, your eyelids are lowered and your tone is casual; you're clearly just being perfunctory."

Xu Le: "...Then it isn't."

The old man was displeased: "Now you're being even more perfunctory!"

Xu Le: "..."

Forget it, he didn't need to be a successor of traditional culture anymore.

"Boss, how much for this Raven?"

The old man didn't get angry, watching Xu Le negotiate the price with the shopkeeper.

It had to be said that the Ravens at the Flower and Bird Market were very cheap. For only 300 Credits, he picked the one with the brightest feathers and the sharpest eyes.

The shopkeeper even generously threw in two bags of bird food; though small, they would last for three to five days.

Seeing Xu Le leave, the old man followed: "You're a student of the Demon Slaying Academy, right?"

Xu Le looked at his clothes, then at the name tag pinned to his chest, and answered affirmatively: "Yes."

The old man: "..."

"Actually, I'm also from the Demon Slaying Academy."

A teacher?

Xu Le thought that was probably impossible.

The teachers at the Demon Slaying Academy seemed to be busy with something in the shadows, often being quite elusive.

Only the teachers of public classes would talk about familiar combat techniques.

He cast a Divine Eye on him.

A white light flashed, and only a single name popped up.

[Name] Liu Rufeng

Xu Le was a bit shocked. Ever since he obtained the Divine Eye, he could easily see the attribute information of anyone or any monster.

Even the Level 93 Lord of the Ninth District couldn't hide from it, yet this person only showed a name.

Excluding the Rank factor—since the highest human level was currently only Level 99 and couldn't undergo a qualitative change in strength—

Then it must be some legendary treasure that hides information.

Liu Rufeng was puzzled by Xu Le's reaction and put his hands behind his back: "What, don't I look like it?"

"You do. Is there something you need, Teacher?"

Xu Le didn't believe this old man, who was likely a teacher at the Demon Slaying Academy, was just chatting with him, so he asked directly.

Liu Rufeng spoke plainly: "I've seen your videos online. You're young and strong, but your words are even bolder."

Is he here to teach me not to be arrogant?

Just as Xu Le was thinking this, he heard Liu Rufeng continue: "If a young person isn't spirited, can they even be called young? I was young once too."

"However, I wouldn't go off playing with flowers and birds like a fool right after slapping someone's face and tasting a bit of success."

"Isn't that just waiting for them to come back and slap you?"

So, the old man was afraid he'd indulge in pleasure and forget to improve his strength.

But in this era, who indulges in pleasure by playing with birds?

Liu Rufeng smiled and extended his right hand: "What do you think?"

Xu Le nodded: "I think what you think is very right."

Liu Rufeng still held out his right hand, his eyes fixed on the birdcage.

Xu Le moved the birdcage to his left hand, staying a bit further away from the old man.

This wasn't for play; it was his contracted beast.

Liu Rufeng shook his head: "Truly a hopeless case. Pleasure is only momentary satisfaction, but it leads to permanent emptiness afterward..."

Xu Le: "..."

Liu Rufeng: "A Raven's happiness lies in the sky. If you love it, you should give it freedom. If you were a Raven, trapped in a tiny birdcage..."

Xu Le: "..."

Liu Rufeng: "Love isn't about hurting; it's about fulfilling..."

Xu Le: "..."

What kind of NTR-style quotes are these?

Liu Rufeng kept nagging all the way, telling various stories about "not working hard while young and regretting it when old," and even lectured him on the correct values for pet owners, acting exactly like a dean of students.

If people had past lives, Xu Le suspected his past life's surname was Chen.

Wait, something's not right!

Xu Le suddenly stopped. He felt the noise of the world instantly recede, and the vivid images lost their color, becoming deathly silent.

An ambush!

Is the target me, or the old man beside me?

He immediately cast out Mind Link.

In the empty air around them, eight connection points appeared.

There were actually eight people in the ambush!

Liu Rufeng also noticed the anomaly. His hair and beard bristled in sudden rage, which then turned into a hint of joy.

"Young friend, someone is trying to assassinate you. How about I save your life, and in return, you promise me that from now on, you won't indulge in pleasure?"

"I wasn't indulging in pleasure to begin with!"

As Xu Le spoke, he threw a Mental Shock at the nearest Mind Link point.

A terrifying red number rose up. That person's Divine Soul was instantly shattered; their figure appeared, and their aura vanished completely.

With another wave of his hand, an oversized Earth Spike erupted from the ground in the distance, impaling a black figure like a fly pinned to a stake.

"It's a deal then!"

Seeing Xu Le easily kill two assassins, Liu Rufeng didn't wait for his agreement and charged out like a whirlwind.

A brilliant sword light erupted.

The soaring Sword Intent pierced through the Formation and shot into the clouds, competing with the intensity of the sun.

Five sprays of bright red blood erupted, followed by five corpses falling to the ground, staining it crimson.

With just one strike, a pentakill!

"Huh, one got away."

Liu Rufeng moved again.

Ghost Executioner's face contorted as his ten fingers moved in unison. Ten transparent threads appeared silently behind Liu Rufeng, only to be shredded by a flourish of his sword in the next second.

He cursed inwardly and didn't dare to stay, immediately using a secret technique to vanish from the spot.

"Who dares to make a move outside the Demon Slaying Academy?"

Several figures rushed out of the gate, leaping over thirty meters in a single bound.

Others were also sprinting at high speed toward the scene.

Before the leaping figures could land, Liu Rufeng used his movement technique again... and kicked those falling figures.

Slap, slap, slap, slap, slap.

The five people had no way to dodge and were all kicked in the buttocks.

They stood up in anger, but after seeing Liu Rufeng's face, they were startled. Covering their buttocks, they were filled with shame: "Principal."

Liu Rufeng's expression was grim: "You didn't even notice someone setting up a Formation at our doorstep. Blind!"

"You can't fly, yet you dare to jump around recklessly. You never learn. Stupid! Everyone, write a ten-thousand-word self-reflection when you get back."

The five were horrified: "Huh?"

Xu Le chuckled inwardly; one of them was Gu Shaoqiang.

Liu Rufeng turned around and pointed at Xu Le: "Whose student is this kid? He refuses to change despite repeated warnings; he must be punished even more!"

Xu Le: Good grief, he's not even pretending anymore; he's laying his cards on the table and using his status to pressure me, isn't he?