The first round of combat allowed Xia Tian to gauge his opponent's strength. His rival's power and speed were not inferior to his own. Although Xia Tian hadn't yet unleashed his full strength, he could tell that this opponent's abilities went far beyond what he had just displayed.
Becoming a second-level killer within Liusha represented a fundamental transformation. The difference between a second-level and a third-level killer was immense.
"Huh!" The second-level killer looked slightly shocked when his first attack failed to kill Xia Tian.
"You managed to block my strike. It seems you must be the one who killed those level-three assassins." The man tightened his grip on the Qingyun Dagger. When he noticed the same weapon in Xia Tian's hand, he immediately realized that Shadow had been slain by him.
The Qingyun Dagger was custom-made by Liusha. Not everyone could possess one; generally, only assassins ranked level two or higher were qualified to wield it. Shadow's possession of the dagger had been an exception due to special circumstances.
"That's right. Those people deserved to die." Xia Tian would never allow anyone to harm his woman. Even though Zeng Rou had denied any relationship between them, in his heart, she was already his.
"You must die today. If I let you live, you'll only become a future threat." The second-level killer didn't want to give Xia Tian the chance to grow stronger—after all, he was that man's son.
"So, my father's death is also connected to your Liusha," Xia Tian said coldly. He had never known how his father had died.
"You don't need to know that. You're nothing like your father. In front of him, I was just an ant who couldn't even lift my head. But before me, you're nothing more than a corpse that's still breathing."
The second-level killer wasted no more words. He lunged forward, his Qingyun Dagger drawing a swift, gleaming arc through the air.
Xia Tian had to admit this opponent's strength was extraordinary. If his own power hadn't recently broken through another level, he would likely have been killed already.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
After several fierce exchanges, both fighters retreated simultaneously.
"I didn't expect you to be hiding such strength. According to our intel, you were just an ordinary person, yet you're clearly at the early Yellow Level." The killer's grip on his dagger tightened.
"Early Yellow Level?" Xia Tian repeated, realizing this was a classification within the martial arts world. However, he didn't yet understand the precise divisions.
"I'm also at the early Yellow Level," the killer continued coldly, "but you're not the first master of that rank I've killed."
A cunning gleam flashed in his eyes as he flung two meteor darts with both hands.
With his X-Ray Eyes activated, Xia Tian immediately saw the darts' true trajectory—they weren't aimed directly at him but off to his sides. The real danger wasn't the darts themselves, but the nearly invisible wire connecting them. The line was so thin that without his X-Ray Eyes, he would never have noticed it.
Xia Tian quickly crouched to avoid the line. It sliced cleanly through a small tree behind him, cutting it neatly in half.
"Impossible!" the killer exclaimed. That technique was his trump card, yet Xia Tian had completely evaded it.
"Tell me how my father died," Xia Tian said coldly. "Answer me, and I'll let you live." His tone hardened as his aura changed dramatically.
Until now, Xia Tian had always concealed his cultivation. The Tianxing Jue technique allowed him to mask his true level, hiding it by one rank.
"You… you're at the late Yellow Level? That's impossible!" The killer stared in disbelief. He couldn't accept that Xia Tian had already reached such a level.
Escape!
That was his only thought. Facing someone at the late Yellow Level was beyond his ability.
He turned to flee, but Xia Tian instantly accelerated with Manyun Fairy Steps, appearing right in front of him. The killer reacted swiftly, thrusting his dagger toward Xia Tian's chest.
Just as the blade was about to strike, Xia Tian caught it between two fingers.
Slash!
In the next instant, Xia Tian's Qingyun Dagger cut across the man's throat. The blade was razor-sharp, and the killer collapsed into a pool of blood.
Xia Tian didn't bother disposing of the body. He simply took the man's dagger and the hidden mechanism in his shoes before leaving.
"Hey, Cousin Rou, it's done. You won't have any more trouble. I'm heading home, so I won't come back with you."
After hanging up, Xia Tian began the long walk toward his old house. It was nearly afternoon—he couldn't keep his master waiting.
Two hours later, he finally reached home. After a quick meal, he began training again.
"Get up. Continue yesterday's practice."
Yin Nie's instruction was simple: he would stand still while Xia Tian attacked. If Xia Tian could make him move even half a step, he would pass.
"Alright."
Xia Tian immediately began, moving swiftly with the Manyun Fairy Steps. He deliberately concealed his full strength, keeping his cultivation masked at the first level. He knew his master was not training him in internal energy but in technique. Even if his internal power had improved greatly, it could never yet match Yin Nie's. If his master noticed his sudden progress, he might raise the difficulty even further.
So Xia Tian used only the first level of Tianxing Jue, attacking with Lingxi Yizhi and Manyun Fairy Steps from all directions.
As always, Yin Nie held the famous sword Yuanhong in his right hand, calmly parrying Xia Tian's relentless attacks with his left.
Xia Tian's stamina seemed endless. His assault grew faster and more varied as he fought, subconsciously refining his movements.
Experience was the greatest teacher. Although Xia Tian's cultivation advanced quickly, he still lacked real combat experience.
The spar lasted three hours before Yin Nie left. Xia Tian did not rest. He continued practicing, knowing that even though he hadn't yet succeeded, he had gained valuable insight.
"Mr. Xue, bring Gao Fei to my house," Xia Tian said over the phone. Gao Fei had already pledged to follow him, and Xia Tian intended to train him personally. How much Gao Fei could learn would depend on his own talent. As the saying went: the master leads you to the door, but cultivation depends on yourself.
Gao Fei's ruthlessness was his defining trait, and Xia Tian was eager to see what kind of future he might carve for himself.
Although Xia Tian had exhausted most of his strength, a steady stream of energy flowed from his dantian, quickly restoring his stamina. Before long, he resumed his training.
An hour later, Mr. Xue arrived with Gao Fei.
"Pick him up early tomorrow morning," Mr. Xue said before departing.
Xia Tian nodded and watched as the car disappeared down the road.