The Black Crow Secret Unit moved forward in complete silence. At that moment, Bai An, the man who had condensed a fragment of an Ice small world and one of the four commanders of the Black Crow Secret Unit, stepped forward half a pace and spoke with respectful tone.
"My lord, what should we do with the seven hundred new assassins who were recently recruited?"
Zhang Wen slowed his steps slightly before replying calmly.
"Have all seven hundred passed the Trial of Death yet?"
Bai An shook his head gently.
"Not yet, my lord. They were recruited to replenish our strength after the unit suffered heavy losses. They have only passed the initial screening and have not entered the Trial of Death."
Zhang Wen nodded faintly.
"That is fine. I will handle it myself."
As he finished speaking, he opened his spatial ring. Light flashed from within as sets of new clothing floated out in neat order, each set flying toward one of the twenty four people.
"Go change your clothes."
His voice remained calm and steady.
"From now on, we will disguise ourselves as merchants and travel to the southern region of the Black Wind Continent. We will pass through the spatial gate in the capital of the Silver Feather Dynasty."
All twenty four acknowledged at once and dispersed to carry out the order. Their sacred auras were sealed away. Ordinary merchant robes were draped over their bodies. Everything appeared simple and unremarkable, like a normal traveling caravan with nothing worth noticing.
A short while later...
Inside the headquarters of the Black Crow Secret Unit near the spatial gate, the stench of blood filled the air. The stone floor was stained dark red, long drag marks carving a clear path of death across the ground.
A man dragged a blood soaked body out from the training hall. The sound of flesh scraping against stone echoed harshly before he released the body in the middle of the courtyard.
At that moment, slow applause sounded.
Clap. Clap.
A figure stood not far away, calm and still, his gaze fixed on the man gasping for breath on the ground.
"You are the only one among the seven hundred who survived the Trial of Death."
Zhang Wen's true body stood there, his clean white robes forming a stark contrast to the scene before him.
The young man lying on the ground was covered in wounds. Burn marks had charred his skin black. His face was twisted and scarred with both fresh and old injuries, leaving almost no trace of his former appearance.
Zhang Wen looked at him in silence.
He remembered this man well.
Zhang Yi.
He was slightly older than Zhang Wen. An ordinary man with no special physique and no powerful bloodline, but intelligent and cautious. In the past, he had handled accounting, income and expenses, and resource management for the Zhang clan. He was one of the few people Zhang Wen genuinely respected.
Zhang Wen fell silent for a moment before asking,
"Do you want to become the leader of the Zhang clan?"
The young man's body trembled. Slowly, he lifted his head in the direction of the voice. His breathing was faint, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, as a weak voice escaped his lips.
"Zhang Wen… is that you…?"
Zhang Wen nodded.
"Yes. It's me."
He stepped a little closer.
"Do you want to become the leader of the Zhang clan?"
Zhang Yi forced his lips to move.
"I want to…"
Zhang Wen continued immediately,
"But if I give you this opportunity, your life will belong to me. From this moment on, whether you live or die will depend solely on my will. Are you still willing?"
The young man fell silent for a brief moment. Then he closed his eyes, gathering the last of his strength.
"I am willing…"
The words were faint, but resolute.
At that instant, Zhang Wen raised his hand. The final drop of pure crimson liquid appeared in midair. It was a Saint-level drop, the very last one remaining.
Without hesitation, he sent it directly into Zhang Yi's body.
Sacred power erupted at once. The stench of blood was overwhelmed by a scorching aura. The body that had been on the verge of collapse began to tremble, and his pulse started beating again.
In the next instant, Zhang Yi's body flared with light. Red-gold radiance flowed through every inch of his form as sacred energy surged out of control. Waves of aura collided with the air, producing deep, rumbling vibrations.
Zhang Wen did not delay. He immediately sent Zhang Yi outside, then created a water clone to watch over him closely. Only then did he step out himself and turn to look back.
The spatial gate connecting to the Black Crow Secret Unit's hidden base began to shrink slowly. The interior space, filled with command buildings, training grounds, scripture vaults, secret manuals, and cultivation structures of various tiers, was instantly drawn back into his small inner world.
This was a special treasure resembling a small world.
It was the secret base of the Black Crow Secret Unit, obtained from the main branch of the Zhang clan in the greater world. Zhang Wen stored it away without hesitation, because from now on, he would need it.
At the same time, outside,
The power of heaven and earth churned violently. Sacred waves spread outward as Zhang Yi's body floated in midair before slowly descending to the ground.
The transformation into a Saint was complete.
The body that had nearly fallen apart was now flawless. His skin was smooth and unblemished. All burn marks and torn wounds had vanished completely. His long hair flowed naturally in the wind, and the face that had once been twisted returned to its original appearance.
His cultivation stabilized at Saint Level One.
Each drop of liquid granted a different level of power, depending on its origin. If a drop was refined from a Saint at Level One, then the one who consumed it would likewise step into that same realm. However, because Zhang Wen's drops were founded upon the Emperor Phoenix Flame Elixir, the foundation of those who consumed them became even stronger than that of the original owner of the drop.
Zhang Yi stood on the ground, sensing the power circulating through his body, a level of strength he had never imagined before. His heart pounded as excitement surged through him, yet in only a brief moment, he suppressed all of his emotions.
Then, he stepped forward and knelt respectfully before Zhang Wen's clone.
"Thank you, my lord. This opportunity… even my entire life would not be enough to repay you."
Before the water clone could respond,
Whoosh.
Zhang Wen's true body warped into place. The water clone dissipated silently. He looked at Zhang Yi with calm eyes and spoke,
"Alright. Let us go to the Zhang clan first. Now."
Before Zhang Yi could even reply, a single drop of water flowed out and enveloped both of them. Space twisted in an instant, and the two figures vanished from that place without a trace.
…..
Shortly after that.
A long night descended upon the Zhang clan. The bell summoning a council rang out loudly across the grounds, tolling again and again. Startled, all the elders rushed out of their residences and hurried toward the main assembly hall, unsure of what had occurred.
When the doors to the hall opened, everyone froze.
Seated upon the clan leader's chair was a long-haired man dressed in white. His body was perfectly still, yet the pressure he exuded caused the hearts of several elders to beat out of rhythm.
Before anyone could ask a question,
A clear voice rang out, accompanied by Saint-level pressure that surged forth and pressed down upon the entire hall, forcing everyone to swallow hard.
"Elders, please take your seats."
Zhang Yi's voice carried overwhelming pressure, firm and absolute, leaving no room for objection.