assassination attempt

Li Tian had returned three days ago, grateful that he had left before all the chaos began. As he sat in his cultivation room, he suddenly sensed something amiss—a dense aura of killing intent filled the air.

Leaving the room, Li Tian already suspected that this was a home invasion, but what made it unique was that the killing intent was directed at him.

"This is no ordinary thief," he thought to himself. "Since you're already here, why bother hiding?" he spoke, scanning his surroundings.

Thanks to his new innate ability, his vision had become extraordinary. While he couldn't see through illusions and falsehoods, he could detect subtle changes in the environment. He noticed a flickering shadow, and without hesitation, he unleashed a powerful punch towards it. There was no technique involved, just raw power. The force behind the punch could instantly kill a cultivator at the first level of the foundation realm.

A figure emerged from the shadow and retaliated with a punch of its own towards Li Tian.

Boom! The impact resulted in a massive explosion, shattering everything in the immediate vicinity.

The noise echoed through the district, capturing the attention of everyone nearby.

"Dark Shadow?" Li Tian asked, more as a confirmation than a question. The way the disguised figure moved indicated that it was an assassin, and to his knowledge, there was only one group known for such tactics.

Dark Shadow, the infamous underworld organization in the new cultivation civilization, was feared by all. No one dared to become their enemy, as long as the price was right, they would carry out any assassination. Only one person had survived an encounter with them.

"Yes," the figure replied, its voice and shape making it impossible for Li Tian to determine if it was a man or a woman. The figure was shrouded in black smoke that clung to its body.

Without uttering another word, the assassin launched another attack on Li Tian, wielding a dagger that gleamed coldly in the darkness, sending chills down one's spine.

All of this happened within a split second. Li Tian didn't take any chances and immediately transformed. He reached out towards the incoming knife, employing the Dragon Claw technique. There was a collision in the air, accompanied by a resounding ching sound, but it didn't stop the dagger. However, due to the decreased power, it only managed to graze a few scales on Li Tian's body.

Using the Rising Waves-Departing Winds technique, Li Tian swiftly moved backward, drawing his Extermination Saber in the process. He unleashed a flurry of saber beams, aiming to keep the assassin at bay. He had already sensed the assassin's aura and knew that they were at the core realm.

Aware that he couldn't defeat the assassin, Li Tian's best strategy was to buy time. The commotion caused by the fight would undoubtedly attract the attention of the authorities, and help would soon arrive.

At that moment, the assassin, who had been attempting to execute Li Tian discreetly, realized it was too late. He fully released his aura, suffocating the atmosphere. The difference between the foundation realm and the core realm was unimaginable.

As the assassin made a move, darkness seemed to envelop the room. The surrounding space appeared to obey his command as it combined with the pressure, attempting to bind Li Tian.

Sensing the impending restriction, Li Tian unleashed his aura with ferocity, launching an attack in front of him. He could sense the danger behind him, knowing the assassin was closing in.

But despite his efforts, he couldn't break free from the surrounding darkness. Without hesitation, he turned around and poured all his Qi into the Extermination Saber, slashing in the direction he sensed the assassin's presence.

A saber beam, surpassing his current level, shot forth—a culmination of all the strength he could muster at that moment.

The red beam cut through the darkness, colliding with the assassin and catching them off guard.

The assassin defended but, due to the hasty nature of their defense, it wasn't strong enough, leaving a gash on their hand.

The impact pushed the assassin back a few steps, but they quickly regained their balance. The killing intent in their eyes seemed to intensify.

Suddenly, within Li Tian's field of vision, the assassin disappeared. He heard a clanging sound beside him and turned to see the tip of a dagger pointed towards him. However, it had been halted.

Between Li Tian and the dark figure stood a man with a bald head—Captain Ironblood—his saber shining with a red glow. The aura he emitted pushed back the darkness. His arrival caused the assassin to jump backward, and their figure began to dissipate.

Captain Ironblood vanished from Li Tian's sight, only to reappear in the sky. Light bloomed from his saber as it flew towards a certain direction. A scream echoed through the air as a hand fell to the ground.

Though the assassin had managed to escape, they had lost their hand

Li Tian, having depleted his Qi, sat on the ground, catching his breath. He watched as Captain Ironblood flew towards him, concern evident on his face.

"Are you okay?" the captain asked, his voice filled with astonishment at Li Tian's display of power.

"I'm fine now. Thank you for saving me," Li Tian replied gratefully, acknowledging the captain's intervention.

Captain Ironblood waved it off nonchalantly. "I underestimated you, kid. You're stronger than I thought."

Li Tian smiled humbly. "I still have a long way to go. If you hadn't arrived, I would have been done for."

"Don't worry. I'll report this incident to the higher-ups. Your security needs to be improved," the captain assured him.

Li Tian nodded, acknowledging the need for enhanced protection. He was aware of the enemies he had made and knew that this attack wouldn't be their last attempt.

Shi Ruo returned with help, and following the captain's suggestion, they sought refuge in a military base. Li Tian found himself in a room, recovering from his injuries and replenishing his Qi.

"I made the right decision joining the military. Otherwise, I would have lost my life tonight. The captain only intervened because it involved his subordinate. Otherwise, he wouldn't have bothered," Li Tian thought to himself.

"Now, I need to focus on advancing my cultivation level. The danger is escalating rapidly."

Li Tian made a firm resolution. He was determined to seek revenge against the three clans who had caused him so much trouble. He knew he had to grow stronger to stand a chance against them.

Days turned into months, and Li Tian rarely left the safety of the military base, emerging only for work. This frustrated the clans, as they couldn't harm him while he remained within the base's protective confines.

Meanwhile, tension mounted as reports surfaced of a looming beast tide. Demonic beasts, under the leadership of a powerful rank 5 silverback titanoape, were gathering in alarming numbers. This unusual occurrence sent shivers down everyone's spines, as no one knew what had triggered this extraordinary event.