205: Chapter 205 Breakup: From Now On, No More Shadow Assassins in the World

Falling Phoenix Slope, the setting sun was as red as blood.

The fierce wind swept across the sky full of yellow sand, letting out a howl like the crying of ghosts and the howling of wolves, as if singing a final elegy for the lives that had just passed away.

The originally flat Gobi Desert had now become riddled with holes.

The ground was covered with crisscrossing ravines, scars left behind after the devastating power of the Saint level had run rampant.

More than a dozen corpses dressed in black robes and wearing malevolent ghost masks lay scattered in pools of blood. Every single corpse had been killed with a single blow; the thin, thread-like bloodstain at their throats spoke of the ruthlessness and precision of the one who had struck.

That was the handiwork of "Shadow Kill."

And at this moment, this top-tier assassin who made countless cultivators tremble with fear was kneeling on one knee atop a sand dune.

"Huff... Huff..."

Mo Han panted heavily, her chest heaving violently, making a raspy sound like a broken bellows. Blood slid down her pale cheeks and dripped onto the scorching gravel, instantly evaporating into a wisp of red mist.

The Imperial Weapon dagger in her hand was driven deep into the center of Reaper Venerable's brow, buried up to the hilt.

That leader of this hunting operation, ranked tenth on the Heavenly Court's Tian Sha List, was currently staring with clouded eyes wide open at the sky. It seemed that even in death, he could not believe he would actually die at the hands of a traitor he had regarded as a "discarded pawn."

"It's... it's over."

Mo Han's fingers trembled slightly as she tried to pull out the dagger, only to find that her arm was so numb she had almost lost all sensation.

In order to end the battle in the shortest time possible and prevent these people from having any chance to disturb the Young Master behind her, she had almost completely abandoned her defense. With a suicidal, life-for-life frenzy, she had forcibly torn through the encirclement of these Saint assassins.

At this time, thirty percent of the meridians in her body were broken, her spiritual sea was exhausted, and there were at least a dozen deep wounds across her body that exposed the bone.

The pain was piercing.

But at this moment, the corners of Mo Han's mouth very stiffly and slowly curved into an arc.

She turned her head and looked at the luxurious carriage behind her, which remained unscathed, without even a speck of dust on it.

Young Master... is fine.

Once this was confirmed, Mo Han's tense nerves instantly relaxed. Endless fatigue surged in like a tide, the scene before her began to blur, and her body fell backward uncontrollably.

A faint scent of ambergris mixed with a man's unique aura instantly enveloped her.

A pair of warm, powerful hands caught her steadily the moment she fell.

"Silly girl."

That familiar voice rang in her ear, carrying a hint of reproach, but even more so, an unmaskable heartache. "Who told you to push yourself so hard? Didn't I say to call me if you couldn't win?"

Mo Han struggled to open her heavy eyelids. In her vision, Xu Chen's incomparably handsome face was right before her.

The Young Master, who usually wore a cynical smile, now had his brows furrowed tightly. In those eyes that were always lazy, there was actually a surge of heart-palpitating violence and killing intent.

"Young... Young Master."

Mo Han opened her mouth, her voice incredibly hoarse. "This subordinate... did not bring shame to the Xu Family."

"Shame my ass!"

Xu Chen couldn't help but curse, picking her up in a horizontal carry, completely disregarding how the blood on her body stained his priceless white cloud-silk robe.

He looked down at the girl in his arms, covered in wounds, and his heart felt as if it were being pricked by needles.

Was this the assassin who only knew how to execute orders and had no emotions?

No.

The one in his arms right now was just a silly girl who didn't hesitate to burn out her own life to protect him.

"Does it hurt?"

Xu Chen reached out, his fingertips trembling as they brushed over a wound on her cheek that was still seeping blood. His voice was so gentle it was as if he feared he might shatter something.

"No... it doesn't hurt."

Mo Han instinctively wanted to shake her head, but it pulled at her wounds. She gasped in pain, her small face turning pale instantly.

"Stubborn."

Xu Chen gave a cold snort and directly pulled a jade bottle from his storage ring, pouring out a pill that radiated a dense medicinal fragrance.

That was a Nine Revolutions Soul-Returning Pill, a holy medicine that could bring the dead back to life and regrow flesh on bone. In the outside world, it was enough to make Saints fight to the death to snatch it. Yet Xu Chen stuffed it directly into Mo Han's mouth as if he were feeding her a candy drop.

"Hold it in your mouth, don't swallow yet."

The pill melted upon entering her mouth, and a majestic yet gentle medicinal power instantly flowed through her limbs and bones, repairing her damaged meridians and physical body.

Mo Han felt her body grow warm, and the sensation of pain rapidly receded.

She looked at Xu Chen, and in those dead-fish eyes that were usually as calm as an ancient well, a layer of mist gradually welled up.

In her years as an assassin, she had been injured countless times. Every time, the people in the organization would only coldly throw her a bottle of low-grade golden sore ointment and tell her: "If you're not dead, continue the mission."

No one had ever asked her if it hurt.

And no one had ever used such a precious pill to treat a "tool."

"Young Master..."

Mo Han sniffled, forcing back her tears. She reached out with a trembling hand and handed the dagger she had just pulled out to Xu Chen.

"This..."

Xu Chen looked down.

It was a pitch-black dagger that had once been Mo Han's sharpest fang and her only partner as "Shadow Kill."

But now, this Imperial-level dagger was covered in serrated nicks along the blade, and the tip in particular had snapped off a small section. It had clearly been completely ruined in the fierce battle just now.

"It's broken."

Mo Han's voice was a bit low, carrying a hint of helplessness and grievance, like a child who had broken a beloved toy.

She looked at Xu Chen, her clear eyes filled with seriousness:

"Young Master... compensate me."

As soon as those four words came out, the whistling wind around them seemed to go still for a moment.

Xu Chen was stunned.

He looked at the blood-covered girl in his arms who was solemnly asking for "compensation." He froze for a moment, then his chest vibrated as he let out a hearty, unrestrained laugh.

"Hahahahaha!"

Xu Chen laughed until tears almost came out.

This was the real Mo Han.

Even if she was seriously injured, even if she had just experienced a life-and-death struggle, her peculiar way of thinking remained unchanged.

"Fine! I'll compensate you!"

Xu Chen took the broken dagger and, without even glancing at it, tossed it backward.

Swoosh—

That murderous weapon, which had once been stained with countless bloodstains, drew a parabola in the air and finally fell silently into the vast yellow sand, buried by the wind and sand.

"This kind of scrap metal is fine to be broken. It should have been thrown away long ago."

Xu Chen withdrew his gaze and looked back at Mo Han. The smile in his eyes gradually turned into an extremely solemn promise:

"Something that only makes you bleed and get hurt is not worthy of you."

"From today on, you are no longer the Heavenly Court's blade."

"You are Mo Han."

"You are my, Xu Chen's... family."

"Family..."

Mo Han murmured to herself, chewing on these two words that were extremely foreign to her.

"That's right."

Xu Chen lowered his head, his forehead gently resting against hers. His warm breath fanned across her face, causing her heart to skip a beat.

"After we return, this Young Master will take you to the family treasury. Whether it's an extreme dao imperial weapon or some rare treasure of heaven and earth, as long as you like it, take whatever you want."

"If it's not in the treasury, I'll take you to go snatch it."

"We'll snatch from the Heavenly Court, snatch from the Soul Hall."

"In short..."

The corner of Xu Chen's mouth curved into an extremely domineering arc:

"The person I've set my sights on must use the best."

Mo Han stared blankly at him.

At this moment, she felt that her heart, which had been frozen for many years, had completely melted.

It wasn't because of those so-called treasures, but because of the man before her.

He gave her dignity, gave her a home, and now... gave her a brand new world.

"Young Master..."

Mo Han reached out both hands and, for the first time, proactively and tightly wrapped them around Xu Chen's neck.

She buried her head deep into Xu Chen's chest, greedily breathing in his scent, her voice choking with emotion: "Mo Han... obeys."

"All right, don't start crying."

Xu Chen felt the wetness on his chest and patted her back helplessly, then carried her and turned toward the carriage.

"Let's go, let's go home."

"Young Master."

"Hmm?"

"That... just now, that Reaper Venerable said that I betrayed the organization and will be hunted down relentlessly until death."

Mo Han's muffled voice came from his chest, carrying a hint of worry.

Xu Chen's footsteps paused.

He turned his head and took one last look at the sand dune that buried Reaper Venerable. The gentleness in his eyes vanished instantly, replaced by a chilling Imperial Might.

"Relentlessly until death?"

Xu Chen sneered, his voice as cold as ice:

"That's just as well."

"Since they want to fight to the death, I will grant their wish."

"Mo Han, remember this."

Xu Chen lowered his head and looked at the girl in his arms, saying word by word:

"In this world, only I can bully you."

"As for others..."

"If one comes, I'll kill one."

"If a whole nest comes, I'll exterminate the whole nest!"

"Even if they poke a hole in the heavens, this Young Master will cover for you!"

Rumble—!

As if in response to Xu Chen's oath, a sudden bolt of thunder streaked across the originally clear sky.

The nine flood dragons let out a world-shaking long cry, pulling the luxurious carriage into the sky, turning into a golden stream of light that sped toward the direction of the Xu Family.

Xu Chen looked at Mo Han's hand, which was still tightly clutching his sleeve even in her sleep. The corner of his mouth curled up slightly, revealing a meaningful smile.

"Compensate you?"

"Fine, this Young Master will compensate you with myself."

"I'm just afraid your small body... won't be able to handle it."