1055 Assassin?

"Haaa... I hope he shows up soon..."

Back in the Iron Sky Kingdom, Yi Min quietly whispered this to herself as she stared down at her communication talisman before putting it away and focusing her attention back on the three Soul Ascension Realm Experts outside.

Even if she had managed to gain the help of another Soul Ascension Realm Expert, it would still be some time before he showed up. Not to mention, even when he did show up, they still had to figure out a way to deal with the three Soul Ascension Realm Experts outside.

After all, Xuan Hao did not have any experience with her formation and would not know how to control it properly. Although it was tempting to try and teach him, it might also end up with Xuan Hao accidentally doing something wrong when trying to take over control of the formation from her. Resulting in the formation breaking in the process…

The main problem was not so much the two people who had reached the First Tribulation of the Soul Ascension Realm. Instead, it was the cardinal who had surpassed the First Tribulation of the Soul Ascension Realm and should be comparable to someone in the Second Tribulation of the Soul Ascension Realm.

Even with Xuan Hao's help, she didn't know how they would be able to deal with someone that powerful. For now, all she could do was try her best to hold back the three Soul Ascension Realm Experts while waiting for Xuan Hao to show up…

Unknown to Yi Min, Xuan Hao had arrived only a few seconds after he had finished his conversation with her and was currently observing the three Soul Ascension Realm Experts who were trying their best to break through the massive formation covering the Iron Sky Kingdom.

Although he had yet to comprehend the long distance teleportation, with the use of the Drifting Cloud Steps short distance teleportation, his speed was already close to the Earth Immortal Realm. Maybe even surpassing some slower Earth Immortal Realm Experts.

…

So, those three are the Soul Ascension Realm Experts Yi Min mentioned? But… Who is that person?

Glancing over the three Soul Ascension Realm Experts for a few seconds, Xuan Hao soon turned to look towards a small forest located a few dozen kilometers away from the place where the three were trying to break through Yi Min's formation.

At the edge of the small forest, a thin figure covered in a robe with a small dark colored lotus embroidered into it that obscured any identifiable features was quietly observing the three Soul Ascension Realm Experts.

If not for the fact that the other party had at least reached the Fourth Stage of the Soul Ascension Realm and might be even stronger than that, he would have already dealt with the three Soul Ascension Realm Experts.

Although doing this would undoubtedly put the Star Shattering Sect against the religion that the cardinal belonging to, Xuan Hao didn't really care too much about this considering how bad the relationship between sects and religions already was in the first place.

Not to mention, he doubted that they would be able to just send over someone in the Earth Immortal Realm. Even if they did, he should have been able to break through to the Late Stage of the Dao Domain Lord Realm by the time they showed up…

Whoosh~

Hm? Is that person planning to do something?

Feeling a divine sense originating from the thin figure sweeping over towards him all of a sudden, Xuan Hao wasted no time in hiding himself before observing the divine sense as it silently enveloped the three Soul Ascension Realm Experts.

Of course, it was impossible for the thin figure to hide the divine sense from the three. All of them had reached the Soul Ascension Realm and the cardinal had even reached a realm comparable to the Second Tribulation of the Soul Ascension Realm-

Whoosh-!

Because of this, the three wasted no time in stopping their attack and retreating from Yi Min's formation while cautiously looking in the direction that the divine sense had originated from.

"Might I ask who this senior is…?" Spotting the thin figure hidden at the edge of the small forest only a few seconds later, the cardinal cautiously asked this while ready to defend against any attack that the other party might throw at him.

Given that they had only just noticed the person after the other party blatantly used their divine sense to examine them, it was obvious that the person was stronger than them… And not just a bit stronger…

"…"

Unfortunately for the cardinal and the other two Soul Ascension Realm Experts, the thin figure remained silent without saying a single word.

Swish~

"Aaaaah!"

Instead, the sound of something piercing through the air was all they heard followed by one of the Soul Ascension Realm Experts letting out an ear-piercing scream, causing the other two to look over and discover that his arm had been cut off from the base.

Not only that, but they discovered that a purple liquid had covered the place where the arm had been cut and was rapidly spreading to the rest of the body at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"Poison… Y-You are an assassin!? And the mark on your robe… Someone from the Shadow Lotus Sect!? Why is someone from the Shadow Lotus Sect here- Unless… The main church did something to offend you and you are taking revenge on the less protected branches…" Having recognized the identity of the thin figure and figured out the reason why someone like that would appear, the cardinal could not help showing a panicked expression on his face as he said this out loud.

Swish-!

Giving the cardinal no time to react, the assassin from the Shadow Lotus Sect leaped forward before appearing directly in front of the panicked cardinal.

Crack~

However, before the assassin had the chance to kill the cardinal, the cardinal managed to shatter a small crystal that had been caried in a necklace around his neck-

RUMBLE-!

Following this, a terrifying aura erupted from the cardinal as his panicked expression disappeared, being replaced by one filled with one of indifference.

Whoosh-!

Seeing this scene, the assassin who had been just about to pierce through the head of cardinal abruptly turned around and escaped in the opposite direction of the cardinal.

"A mere mortal dares attack one of my servants? And now you even try to run away? How bold!"

As the indifferent cardinal saw this scene, a voice that didn't sound like him at all came out from his mouth-

"Die."

Boom!

And following only a single word, the assassin who had already run over a hundred kilometers during the short period of time, turned into a ball of fire that violently exploded.

Bang!

This… Just the remnant power is this strong!?

Feeling the remnant power contained in the shockwave as it hit him, Xuan Hao could not help frowning as he turned to look at the cardinal who had already returned to his former panicked expression.

The power in the shockwave alone was more than enough to make things difficult for someone in the Soul Ascension Realm, let alone the strength of the explosion itself. Even with his current strength, he doubted that he would have been able to survive it.

But… What on earth was that? Did the cardinal get possessed by someone just now?

Filled with question while at the same time also feeling far more cautious about attacking the cardinal after what he had just witnessed, Xuan Hao decided to continue observing the three until he figured out what had just happened and if the cardinal could do it again.

…

"Wha-what was that just now?! How did you get so strong all of a sudden!? I thought for sure we were dead…" As things calmed down and the dust settled, the Soul Ascension Realm Expert who didn't have his arm cut off could not help asking this as he turned towards the cardinal.

"I used a special tool that allows my god to descend for a short moment. Although the duration and power that can be used depends on the quality… And the one I have is the worst quality. Only capable of using a single weakened attack…" Shaking his head as he said this, the cardinal showed a painful expression on his face as he looked down at the shattered necklace in his hand.

The small crystal that allowed his god to descend was his final trump card and also the reason why he had dared to leave the safety of the capital city during the current dangerous time. Now that he no longer had it, he wanted nothing more than to return to the capital as fast as possible.

"Ahm! Don't think too much about it, let's get rid of this formation first so we can leave!"

Whoosh~!

Boom-boom-boom!

Having not used any of his strength to deal with the assassin. The cardinal did not waste any time before continuing his attack on the formation again.