180: Evolution comes first!

Golden Mask's words were like a bucket of ice water poured over the Silver-Masked Assassin's head, instantly snapping him back to reality.

It was true.

They had long since lost any way to retreat.

"But, Director..."

The Silver-Masked Assassin was still somewhat hesitant.

"That Li Qing's strength is too terrifying. The people we sent couldn't even take a single blow from him. Now we have to kill his future wife right under his nose... This, this is simply an impossible mission!"

"Who says it's impossible?"

A grim arc curled at the corner of Golden Mask's mouth.

"In this world, there is no one who cannot be killed."

"There is only a price that isn't high enough."

He walked to the black stone platform in the center of the hall and pressed his hand against it.

Buzz!

A blood-red light screen emerged once again.

He looked at the names flickering on the light screen.

Those were the top, most terrifying killing machines in the "Shadow Kill" organization!

"Pass down my orders!"

Golden Mask's voice echoed through the hall.

"Upgrade the mission once again!"

[Mission Target: Princess Changle, Xia Ningshuang]

[Mission Rank: Heaven-Grade Low Grade!]

[Mission Requirements: Assassinate her on her wedding night at all costs! And successfully frame her husband, Li Qing!]

[Mission Bounty: One hundred thousand taels of gold! Five thousand Spirit Stones! One Medium Grade Earth Rank Cultivation Technique! Additionally, the successful candidate may take the 'Qilin Token' to the Great General of the State and make one request!]

Hiss!

When he saw the brand-new mission bounty, the Silver-Masked Assassin below felt as if his breathing had stopped!

A Heaven-Grade mission!

This was a Heaven-Grade mission capable of assassinating a Divine Power Realm king!

The bounty was so generous it reached an outrageous level!

He could almost foresee that once this mission was released, all the legendary "Platinum Assassins" lurking within the Great Xia Dynasty, those who were as elusive as divine dragons...

Even those few Kings of Assassins would likely go crazy for it!

"Still not enough!"

Golden Mask seemed to feel that this wasn't enough.

After all, he had gained two conditions; he wouldn't lose either way!

He modified the mission once more.

[Additional Bounty: The one who successfully completes the mission can directly inherit the position of Director of the Shadow Kill Capital Branch!]

Boom!

These words were like a clap of thunder, exploding completely in the Silver-Masked Assassin's mind!

The position of Director!

The Director was actually putting his own position up as a stake!

He looked at Golden Mask's tall and crazed silhouette, and not a trace of doubt or hesitation remained in his heart.

Only boundless awe and fanaticism were left!

"Go."

Having finished modifying the mission, Golden Mask waved his hand.

"Spread this news."

"When the time comes, someone will naturally take it up!"

"Yes! Director!"

The Silver-Masked Assassin bowed respectfully, then his figure flickered and, with endless fanaticism, merged into the shadows.

Silence returned to the hall once again.

Golden Mask slowly walked back to the throne and sat down.

He looked at the two names enveloped in blood-red light on the screen, and a cold, crazed arc curled at the corner of his mouth beneath the mask.

He truly deserved to obtain this heaven-shattering merit!

...Guanhai Garden.

The night was as dark as ink, and the sea breeze blew gently.

Li Qing stood alone at the edge of the cliff in the backyard, hands behind his back, gazing calmly at the East Sea, which was as black as an abyss.

In the days following the Martial Selection, the clamor of the capital seemed isolated from him.

He could clearly feel that the faint, prying gazes around the manor had decreased significantly.

Presumably, whether it was the Emperor, the Crown Prince, or those factions wanting to curry favor with him, they had all given this newly appointed Prince Consort enough respect and space.

But Li Qing knew this was just the calm before the storm.

That woman, Xia Qingyue.

He remembered the venomous look in her eyes at Lingxi Garden very clearly.

With her temperament, she would never let things rest like this.

A week later would be the day of his wedding to the Seventh Princess, Xia Ningshuang.

Who knew what kind of trouble that crazy woman would stir up at the wedding.

"Strength."

"In the end, it's still because my strength isn't enough."

Li Qing murmured to himself.

His current strength might already be invincible among the younger generation.

But before those true old monsters, such as that Rank 6 Thunder Dragon, it was still not enough.

He needed even greater power!

A kind of absolute power, sufficient to crush all schemes and plots, and enough to truly gain a firm foothold in this man-eating capital!

And the source of this power lay beneath this very sea.

His Clone!

It was time to let it undergo another transformation!

Li Qing took a deep breath, turned back into the manor, and entered a secret underground cultivation room he had prepared long ago.

This place was specially built by people he hired using the money he extorted from Liu Xing, designed to isolate all aura and prying eyes.

He sat cross-legged, and with a thought.

Clatter!

Piles of rare treasures emitting startling energy fluctuations poured out from his Storage Pouch, instantly filling the entire cultivation room.

There were the rewards for being the Champion of the Martial Selection.

There were the congratulatory gifts from Crown Prince Xia Yuan.

And the compensation extorted from Liu Xing, Minister of Personnel.

Medicinal Pills, precious herbs, Heaven And Earth Treasures... a dazzling array, glowing with radiant light. The thick medicinal fragrance and Spiritual Qi filled the entire secret room!

Li Qing's gaze finally landed on the mountain of Spirit Stones shimmering with a faint glow.

He counted them carefully.

One thousand pieces obtained from Liu Xing.

Three thousand pieces sent by Crown Prince Xia Yuan.

Plus the one thousand pieces from the Martial Selection Champion's reward, as well as his previous miscellaneous savings.

In total, five thousand two hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones!

This was a huge sum of money that would make any Spirit Transformation Realm expert's eyes turn red with envy!

But for Li Qing, it was still not enough.

Remembering something, he poured out another pile of items from another Storage Pouch.

These were the relics left by the five Gold-Medal Assassins of the "Shadow Kill" organization whom he had exploded with a single punch.

After a bit of searching.

It was another full thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones!

"As expected of Gold-Medal Assassins, they're quite wealthy."

Li Qing nodded with satisfaction.

Six thousand two hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones!

Plus this large pile of Medicinal Pills and precious herbs!

It should be enough, right?

Li Qing's heart was filled with burning anticipation.

He no longer hesitated, slowly closing his eyes and completely sinking his mind into that massive body beneath the East Sea.

"Roar!"

Deep beneath the sea, that terrifying beast, over fifteen meters long and silently licking its wounds, suddenly snapped open its golden vertical pupils!

A long-lost thought, filled with longing and hunger, exploded in its mind!

Time to eat!

With a thought from Li Qing, the talent [Four Seas Return to One] was activated!

Inside the secret room, all the Medicinal Pills and precious herbs were lifted by an invisible force, turning into a multi-colored torrent that silently pierced through the floor and the rock layers, accurately feeding toward the coordinates beneath the East Sea!

He was going to begin his evolution!