130: The one in charge is the one with the golden mask!

That wall swung open with a sound, revealing a hidden compartment concealed behind it.

Inside the compartment, there were neither gold, silver, jewels, nor divine Secret Manuals.

There was only a map, drawn on animal hide, that looked quite old.

Li Qing picked up the map, unfolded it, and his eyes instantly took on a playful gleam.

It was a detailed map of the Royal Capital.

And on this map, besides this 'Chen Family Dye Workshop' in Locust Tree Alley, five other locations were marked with red cinnabar.

These five locations were distributed across various districts of the Royal Capital; some were in bustling downtown areas, others in remote Slums, seemingly unrelated.

But Li Qing knew that these were likely the other contact points, or even higher-level bases, of 'Shadow Kill' in the Royal Capital!

"What a... generous gift."

Li Qing carefully stored the map away.

It seemed the interest from this venture was even richer than he had imagined.

He glanced at this now-empty base and, without lingering any longer, turned and left this subterranean world filled with bloodshed and conspiracy.

When he returned to the surface, the sky outside was completely dark.

In Locust Tree Alley, scattered lights twinkled like stars.

At the foot of the Royal Capital's Imperial City, within a seemingly unremarkable mansion belonging to an immensely wealthy merchant.

This mansion covered an extremely vast area, with pavilions, towers, carved beams, and painted rafters, displaying utter extravagance.

However, no one knew that deep beneath this mansion lay a massive space resembling an underground palace.

This was the true core base of the 'Shadow Kill' organization in the Royal Capital.

Unlike the crude relay station in Locust Tree Alley, this place was heavily guarded, filled with intricate mechanisms, and populated everywhere by black-clad assassins with icy auras and numb eyes.

They were like a group of ghosts living in the darkness, silently flitting through every corner of the palace, carrying out their respective missions.

Deep within the palace lay a spacious main hall.

Upon the throne in the hall sat a tall, imposing man.

He wore a black and gold robe, and on his face was a mask forged from pure gold, revealing only a pair of deep, cold eyes.

He was the highest-ranking Chief Steward of the 'Shadow Kill' organization's Royal Capital branch, codename 'Golden Mask'.

His cultivation at the Peak Spirit Transformation Realm exuded a terrifying, heart-palpitating pressure.

At this moment, his fingertips were rhythmically tapping the armrest of the throne. The atmosphere in the hall was so oppressive it felt suffocating.

Before him, an assassin also wearing a mask, but a silver one, knelt on one knee, his body trembling slightly.

"Speak."

Golden Mask finally spoke, his voice hoarse and devoid of any emotion.

"Reporting to the Chief Steward," the Silver-Masked Assassin's voice was filled with reverence.

"The case on Vermilion Bird Avenue has been investigated."

He retrieved a thick dossier from his robes and presented it with both hands.

A black-clad attendant silently descended the steps, took the dossier, and respectfully handed it to Golden Mask.

Golden Mask did not open it immediately, merely gazing quietly at the Silver-Masked Assassin kneeling below.

"The three-person squad, Blood Blade, Wild Ox, and Poison Scorpion, was completely annihilated."

"Along with thirty-four peripheral support personnel, none survived."

"Is that so?"

Golden Mask's voice remained calm, but a terrifying glint of cold light flashed in his eyes behind the mask.

In its century of existence, 'Shadow Kill' had never suffered such heavy losses.

A single mission had cost three Silver-Medal Assassins of the Meridian Opening Realm, one of whom was at the Peak of the Meridian Unblocking Realm!

The loss of personnel was irrelevant.

The main issue was that the mission had failed!

It was the most severe provocation against the 'Shadow Kill' gold-lettered signboard!

He slowly opened the dossier in his hand and began to read it carefully.

The dossier detailed the City Guard's investigation results of the Vermilion Bird Avenue bloodbath, as well as all the clues 'Shadow Kill's' own intelligence agents risked their lives to collect from the scene.

An imprint of that terrifying footprint half a foot deep and over three meters in diameter found at the scene.

Analysis of the corpse remnants of Wild Ox, who was pulverized into a bloody mist by a single punch.

Detailed autopsy reports of the dozen-plus peripheral members whose bones and Meridians were shattered by the force of a single kick.

And most importantly, the analysis regarding that 'Seven Star Soul Locking Array'.

"The Seven Star Soul Locking Array, personally laid by Poison Scorpion, used seven shops as Formation nodes, channeling earth vein Qi, sufficient to trap and kill a strong Early Stage Spirit Transformation Realm expert."

"However, based on traces at the scene, the Formation was forcibly torn apart from the inside out by an irresistible, terrifying force that erupted from its center the moment it activated, causing its complete collapse."

"The Formation's light barrier couldn't hold for even a single breath."

Reading this analysis in the dossier, Golden Mask's tapping finger on the armrest abruptly stopped.

A single kick, shattering the 'Seven Star Soul Locking Array'?

Even with his Peak Spirit Transformation Realm cultivation, achieving this would require him to exert his full power, and it certainly wouldn't be done with such ease and nonchalance.

Suspected to be the work of Li Qing?

Impossible!

How could someone so talented have remained unknown until now?

And from commoner origins?

A delicate flower blooming from barren soil??

He continued reading.

At the end of the dossier was the final conclusion drawn by 'Shadow Kill's' intelligence analysis department after synthesizing all the clues.

[Target: Li Qing.]

[Strength Assessment: Far exceeds intelligence rating. Based on the pure, extreme physical strength displayed and the feat of shattering the 'Seven Star Soul Locking Array' with a single kick, it is judged that his true strength is likely not at the Condensing Essence Realm, but rather... a Spirit Transformation Realm expert specializing in physical cultivation!]

[Recommendation: Immediately terminate the original assassination plan. Elevate the mission Rank from 'Mysterious-Grade High Grade' to 'Earth-Grade'! Re-evaluate the assassination strategy!]

Spirit Transformation Realm!

Seeing these three words, Golden Mask's pupils constricted sharply.

A fifteen-year-old at the Spirit Transformation Realm?

How could that be possible!

In the entire history of the Great Xia Dynasty, such prodigious figures could be counted on one hand!

Many youths nurtured by great families and Sects only reach the Peak of the Meridian Unblocking Realm at this age!

"Is the intelligence confirmed?"

Golden Mask looked up, a trace of doubt in his voice.

"Reporting, Chief Steward, this is the most probable conclusion reached by several dozen top analysts in the analysis department after combining all the clues," the Silver-Masked Assassin replied solemnly.

"They believe that ordinary Innate Divine Strength could never achieve such a terrifying level."

"The only explanation is that he has concealed his true Realm; he is a Body Refining Cultivator, a Spirit Transformation Realm expert specializing in physical cultivation!"

This explanation sounded absurd, but it was currently the only one that made sense.

Golden Mask's fingers slowly resumed their tapping.

The hall fell into a deathly silence.

After a long while, he finally let out a cold laugh.

"Hah, Spirit Transformation Realm?"

"Interesting, truly interesting."

"Then that lofty Grand Princess has really found me a fine task."