As the date progressed, everything went far smoother than Ling Xian had anticipated.
All that remained was to wait for tonight's celestial display, and the mission would be complete.
But Su Xinyi's thoughts were diametrically opposed to Ling Xian's...
In her view, the date was far more tedious than she had imagined! Having finally secured a date with Ling, she couldn't possibly let this opportunity slip away!
As they sat side by side, she gazed at Ling with her emerald-like eyes, observing his relaxed demeanor.
Should I make a move?
Perhaps find a secluded corner where we can be alone...
Eyes meeting, bodies pressed close—
No! It's not the right time yet!
As night fell, a large crowd of couples gathered around the Star Court.
They struck various poses to express their affection: embracing, cuddling, leaning against each other...
Only Ling and Su remained silent, quietly awaiting the performance to begin.
The atmosphere was excruciatingly awkward...
Su Xinyi felt utterly mortified. She had painstakingly orchestrated this situation, yet now she hesitated to proceed.
Her cheeks flushed crimson as she tried to speak.
Ling Xian felt deeply awkward. His usual method for dealing with such situations was to erase the target's memories, thus eliminating any lingering feelings. A girl as beautiful as her was far too dazzling for the habitually low-profile Ling Xian.
Why did she choose me of all people?
Ling Xian gazed at the twilight sky, lost in thought, weighing the timing of his spell.
"I... Ling... uh..."
Hearing her stammer, Ling Xian looked at her. "?"
"I..." Before she could finish, the celestial diagram suddenly blazed to life.
The clamorous crowd fell silent instantly.
Yun Clan members stood high on the platform, one of them bearing a pair of wings. Together, they held a spirit orb swirling with blue light, channeling its energy into a searing pillar of light that shot straight into the heavens!
Boom!
The dazzling light coalesced into a single point, pierced the sky, and transformed into a fleeting star!
This was the Ancient Buddha Starlight, a secret technique passed down through generations of the Yun Clan.
At that moment, Ling Xian felt a sudden headache—a warning of imminent danger. His heart jolted with alarm—What's happening now?
Despite the pain, Ling Xian remained on high alert, his senses heightened by the danger.
He continued to watch the extraordinary spectacle unfolding before him.
The sky shimmered like a kaleidoscope, as Yun Clan members conjured a blazing phoenix...
With a deafening roar, the phoenix soared skyward, sweeping past the crowd in a breathtaking spectacle.
Nearly everyone was mesmerized by the sight, some even snapping photos.
Suddenly, Ling Xian caught a glimpse of two figures in black rapidly approaching from his peripheral vision.
Assassins...
His instincts screamed that they were after Su Xinyi. But why?
By the time Su Xinyi felt the cold metal pressing against the back of her head, it was too late.
One of the black-clad figures seized her with a single arm, while the other pressed a dagger against Ling Xian's neck.
"You... who are you? What do you want?" Su Xinyi demanded, her voice surprisingly steady despite the mortal danger.
Even Ling Xian was momentarily stunned. Any other girl would have been panicking wildly by now!
The black-clad figure replied coldly, "We're under orders to eliminate you, Miss Su. As for your... boyfriend? He's irrelevant. We're here for you alone. Don't resist, or we'll sever your head right now."
Su Xinyi gasped softly.
Ling Xian, however, remained composed. Whatever their scheme, it was utterly despicable!
The dagger, infused with True Qi, would make beheading her child's play.
Gritting her teeth, Su Xinyi pleaded, "He's just a classmate, not my boyfriend! Fine... take me, but please spare Classmate Ling. At least let him go..."
Su Xinyi had initially assumed her assailants were at least at the Golden Core Realm—such formidable assassins would be nearly impossible to escape!
"Are you with the Phantom Network?"
The black-clad figure sneered. "Not bad, girl. Still sharp even in this situation..."
The Phantom Network was a globally notorious channel for terror and assassination. Ling Xian remembered hearing their name in the news reports with his father as a child—they had once slaughtered an entire nation! The mere mention of their name struck fear into the hearts of the world. If someone put a bounty on your head, you wouldn't live to see the next day. Despite the Tianxu Government's relentless pursuit, they remained untouchable.
Hiring assassins required a massive sum, payable only in Bitcoin—a clear indication that the mastermind behind this operation wielded power rivaling even the Plum Blossom Family! (Su Xinyi's bloodline family)
But who could hate her so deeply?
Hmm... I should focus on dealing with the immediate crisis first! Su Xinyi thought to herself. If I manage to escape, I'll definitely contact my father or call the police...
Lingxian, who had just activated his telepathic ability, clearly picked up her panicked thoughts. He couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
This is only human nature, after all.
But the men in black were already prepared.
One of them pulled out a sedative injection. "This is a sedative. If you inject your so-called classmate with this, we'll let him go."
The needle couldn't even pierce his skin...
But this will buy me time. I'll pretend to be unconscious, and when the moment is right, I'll teleport to the Qionghua Headquarters to report the situation, Lingxian calculated silently.
Just as he reached for the sedative, he clearly picked up her thoughts.
Alright, as long as he's safe... I don't care if I die, as long as he lives!
Lingxian froze mid-motion.
His eyes widened a little.
The air hung heavy and silent. He withdrew his hand and lowered his head. The background screen continued to play, oblivious to the crisis unfolding within. His senses were heightened to an extreme, allowing him to hear her rapid breathing.
Was this truly the right choice?
After all, despite her extraordinary talents and immense wealth, she was still just a naive young girl...
His face darkened abruptly. At that moment, thunder began to rumble ominously across the sky.
In the next instant, the black-clad figures watched in horror as Ling Xian's aura shattered the tranquilizer darts into dust.
Fury twisted their faces. Does this high schooler want to die?! Does he think he's at the Golden Core Stage or the Transformation God Stage?! What utter nonsense!
"You little brat! Do you have a death wish?!"
Ling Xian rose to his feet, his gaze sweeping across the group like a razor-sharp blade.
One of the black-clad figures stumbled backward. "Hey! What are you waiting for?! Shoot him dead!"
The man pulled the trigger, but Ling Xian vanished from sight in the same instant.
He reappeared in a flash, delivering a crushing blow that slammed one of the men's heads into the ground, creating a deep crater beneath his feet.
The man coughed up blood and collapsed. The gunman opened fire wildly, but Ling Xian dodged the bullets with effortless ease, as if playing with a child, before snatching the weapon from his grasp.
Not a bad physique, though... Ling Xian thought expressionlessly.
If these fools truly believe such trinkets could even scratch his celestial body, they're more naive than I thought.
The man, clutching his bloodied head, struggled to his feet. "You..."
Another man helped him steady himself, but the next scene sent chills down their spines.
The gun... had turned to ashes!
"Fucking hell!" The two men roared in unison, their eyes wide with disbelief. This was a gun forged with Iron Heaven itself!
Su Xinyi was equally stunned. Ling Xian was only at the Foundation Establishment Stage—how could he... possess such terrifying power?
Ling Xian casually brushed off his clothes, his dark gaze sweeping over the two men.
Instantly, a deep, abyss-like terror washed over them.
"Who... who the hell are you?!"
The pressure emanating from this high school student was a billion times greater than any target they had ever assassinated in their lives!
It was as if a twenty-thousand-zhang-tall archangel had descended from the heavens, directly seizing their throats!
They involuntarily fell to their knees.
Ling Xian: "...?"
Even if these two died, they wouldn't reveal their client.
"What are you doing...?"
"Nothing. Just ensuring this never happens again." He gripped their heads, lifting them as easily as feathers, and projected his thoughts into their minds.
Mimicking the Yun Clan members' techniques, he pushed the Ancient Buddha Starlight Technique to an even deeper level!
The two men transformed into orbs of electric light energy, exploding skyward in a dazzling burst of color, imploding violently in mid-air. The spectacle intertwined with fireworks and phoenixes, creating a breathtaking display!
Pfft!
Scattered starlight shimmered brilliantly before gradually dissipating...
Ling Xian calmly gazed at the heavens before landing lightly on the ground. Mastering the Ancient Buddha Starlight Technique hadn't been difficult after all—just a matter of taking it one step further.
Su Xinyi stared at Ling Xian in stunned disbelief...
Classmate Ling, are you... hiding something from me?
...