Because she didn't know the full story, Yang Xi was deeply confused.
Why were the Seven Kill Society members so terrified just from hearing the name Yang Cheng?
Even if Yang Cheng was the Crown Prince of Great Zhou, these people weren't Great Zhou officials. There shouldn't be any reason for them to be that scared.
Ding!
[Host has unexpectedly encountered his sister, Yang Xi, in the Wasteland Realm.]
[This is the first meeting between host and Yang Xi in the past 511 years. It is also the first time Yang Xi has seen the host.]
[Yang Xi is now a famed divine constable in the Tanghe Empire of the Tanghe Realm, and a powerful Refining God cultivator.]
[515 years ago, Yang Xi's mother was sent to the Cold Palace by the host's mother, Yun Liyue. Yang Xi was forced to flee the palace and could no longer survive in Great Zhou, ultimately exiling herself overseas.]
[Over 400 years ago, the host was expelled from Fengtian City, and his mother was later also confined to the Cold Palace by Yang Xiu. Even then, Yang Xi never took revenge on the host or his mother.]
[The reason is that despite her hatred toward the host's mother, Yang Xi has lived her life as a divine constable with a strong sense of justice. Arbitrary revenge goes against her principles, and she disdains such actions.]
[A figure like Yang Xi is a true pillar of the nation. Now that host has finally met her, this chance must not be missed.]
[Host must persuade Yang Xi to leave the Tanghe Empire and stay in Great Zhou to serve the dynasty.]
[Yang Xi has been serving the Tanghe Empire for over 400 years, while all she received in Great Zhou was suffering. Given her loyalty, righteousness, and stubbornness, this mission's difficulty is sky-high. Host is granted a 30-year time limit.]
[Mission reward: Supreme Dual Pupils unlocks Second Stage.]
Yang Cheng's heart stirred.
This mission was seriously tempting.
He'd already experienced the power of the Supreme Dual Pupils.
Without that ability, there was no way he could've landed the final kill on that god so easily.
And that was just the First Stage—how terrifying would the Second Stage be?
'Not good. In my past life, around this time, Consort Xian couldn't endure the Cold Palace anymore and committed suicide.'
Yang Cheng's heart clenched. 'Even if my mother didn't kill her, Yang Xi would definitely pin it on her. Even if she wouldn't take revenge out of principle, there'd still be a knot in her heart. She'd never be loyal to Great Zhou again.'
Immediately, he found Xu Qingxue and whispered a few words in her ear.
He asked her to send a message via carrier pigeon to his mother—absolutely do not let Consort Xian commit suicide.
After Xu Qingxue left, he relaxed.
He'd deal with the system task later. Right now, he had to figure out what was going on with these assassins.
"Now, explain what exactly you people were doing today. Who gave you the mission?"
Yang Cheng asked.
In the eyes of most people, Seven Kill Society assassins were all suicide warriors who'd kill themselves if their missions failed.
But right now, these assassins were acting like terrified quails.
Actually, they only committed suicide after failure because their families were being watched by the Seven Kill Society.
If they leaked any mission info, their families would suffer.
But, there were exceptions.
Inside the Seven Kill Society, there existed an "Unassailable List."
This list contained individuals that the society was absolutely forbidden from assassinating.
If they encountered someone on the list, failure was acceptable. The assassins were allowed to preserve their lives.
Yang Cheng was on that list.
Right away, the hook-nosed man said, "Your Highness Yang, it's true we took on a job. Someone offered 100,000 top-grade spirit stones to have us assassinate Lady Chu."
Chu Xianyin's eyes widened, then she let out a bitter laugh. "Didn't think I was worth that much."
"Keep going," Yang Cheng said.
The hook-nosed man hesitated for a moment, then spoke truthfully, "It was Princess Nangong Wan of the Great Zhao Empire."
Chu Xianyin's expression froze in disbelief.
Before coming to Great Zhou, she had actually gone to the Great Zhao Empire first.
That was because the Great Zhao Empire had also suffered heavy casualties.
She had gone there to soothe the wounded soldiers with her music.
Back then, she'd even been warmly received by Nangong Wan. The princess had acted like she really admired her zither skills, practically wanting to become best friends.
And yet, Nangong Wan had secretly turned around and hired the Seven Kill Society to assassinate her?
"Why would Nangong Wan want to assassinate Lady Chu?" Yang Cheng asked.
"Lady Chu has immense reputation across many nations. If she were to die at the Western Pass, and the Great Zhao people manipulated things a little from the shadows, it'd be easy to stir up internal chaos at the pass," said the hook-nosed man.
"Hmph."
Yang Cheng let out a cold snort.
Suddenly, without any warning, a figure shot out from the chaotic crowd.
Sword in hand, the assassin lunged straight at Yang Cheng's back.
Yang Cheng had just dealt with the Seven Kill Society's ambush and was now casually speaking with their members. It should've been the moment when his guard was at its lowest.
The attacker had clearly picked this timing with great precision.
"Your Highness!"
"Watch out—!"
Chu Xianyin and Yang Xi both cried out at the same time.
But Yang Cheng's expression showed not a trace of panic.
"A trash like you dares to strike?"
In a flash, he turned and moved faster than the eye could follow. His hand left an afterimage as it shot out and tightly grabbed the assassin's wrist.
"You…"
The assassin was stunned. He couldn't comprehend how Yang Cheng had reacted so fast.
He had hidden himself flawlessly. How had the target sensed him so easily?
Crack!
Yang Cheng applied a bit of pressure and snapped the assassin's wrist.
Just as he reached out to seize the attacker's arm, the man's wrist twisted and warped like a tentacle, slipping right through his fingers.
Swish!
In the next instant, the assassin turned into a blur and shot away.
"That's the Formless Divine Ability?"
Yang Cheng was surprised. He hadn't expected the assassin to possess such a skill.
"A ninth-layer Martial Sovereign assassin who also has the Formless Divine Ability—there's likely no such person in the Wasteland Realm."
Yang Cheng's eyes narrowed. With a casual wave of his sleeve, he sealed the true energy of the Seven Kill Society assassins.
Then he turned to Yang Xi and said, "They're yours to deal with."
With that, his figure vanished from where he stood.
To the others watching, he seemed to step once and reappear over a hundred zhang away, as if by teleportation. It was absolutely mind-blowing.
Yang Xi's expression was complicated.
This younger brother of hers… had shocked her far too much today.
His strength had completely exceeded her imagination.
Then she turned to Chu Xianyin and asked, "Lady Chu, is the Crown Prince really that famous? I don't mean the kind of fame that comes from status."
"I understand," Chu Xianyin smiled, her voice full of respect. "Not long ago, the Crown Prince killed Su Lingchen at Old Yin Mountain. Of course these Seven Kill Society people fear him."
Yang Xi froze. "He killed Su Lingchen? Which Su Lingchen?"
"The one who, seventeen years ago, crushed all of our Wasteland Realm's young geniuses, and who later became a peak Martial Sovereign," Chu Xianyin replied.
Yang Xi's eyes widened. "My little brother… The Crown Prince actually managed to kill a peak Martial Sovereign? Lady Chu, you're not just messing with me, are you?"
Chu Xianyin chuckled softly. "Constable Yang, if you don't believe me, these assassins can vouch for it."