Aggressive Signal
I infect the remaining assassin with the second virus and kill him after I get what I need.
As I expected, the assassins were sent by all of the sect patriarchs that promised them a reward of one gold coin.
Those bastards still don't get the message I sent in the competition. It's absurd how ignorant they are, I should send another signal.
Let's see...the Eight Trigrams sect in the west of Tiansu, I have some grudge with their elder and they are generally more arrogant and strong-willed.
Hmm...
------------------
"Wow...when will our patrol end?" Says an outer disciple of the Eight Trigrams sect.
"2 more hours, hang in there."
The disciple clicks his tongue in annoyance upon hearing that.
"What's the point of this patrol? Even if we do find something, we will probably be killed and silenced because of how weak we are."
"Just do it, it's the best method of gathering contribution points without doing much."
...
Two disciples are patrolling the parameters of the Eight Trigrams sect in the middle of the night.
"Hmm?"
"What?"
...
"Something was...?...No, nothing." Both disciples walk past the bush.
The Eight Trigrams sect is on a mountain where Qi is in abundance with one big array erected over the sect.
An array is crafted or erected from a set of Qi writings from an ancient language. It can be compared to pseudo-coding where there are no set-in-stone styles that every programmer must follow.
The array is an alarm, notifying the sect if an intruder is present. However, there is a weakness, the style of choreography can be easily decrypted, allowing me to edit the array. By overwriting the dissertation, I change it into a noise barrier.
Now than...
The two patrolling disciples instantly met death as their heads is separated from their bodies by a disc.
Using Qi ignite is too blatant. They can deduce that I'm the perpetrator since I'm the only core enemy of the sects and I will be linked to the previous explosive cases.
Leaning against the wall, I close my eyes and attempt to detect Qi fluctuation, allowing me to locate the presence of sleeping outer and inner disciples. I shouldn't attempt searching for the Core disciples, elders, and patriarch, I am no match for them.
...
I've located every disciple, now...
Every disciple, if working, unexpectedly sees their body from a third-person view.
!!!!!!
All of the outer and inner disciples were beheaded by a mysterious blackish-blue disc.
I smirk.
Jumping over the wall, I walk into a dormitory. The rolling heads collide against my feet and I kick them away.
After gathering all the headless corpses, I stick Azrim into the pile of gore and write a message on the wall.
"This is my final warning."
Although it is difficult to write a perfect intelligible message using a sword, they should get my warning.
"AHHHH!!" A woman shouts nearby.
Ah right, I didn't kill the servants here. It's time I leave.
When I am at a location I deem safe enough, I call for Zhu Li.
...
Mu Kai shows up instead.
?
"Where is Zhu Li?"
...
"He was detained and his cultivation base was abolished. He failed in an assassination targeting Yao Chang."
What? Hm...did Yao Chang strengthen his security?
"Well, it's fine. Do you know any assassin organisations? I want to request an assassination...no I want to place a bounty." I ask.
"Yes, the town governed by the Chaos sect is notorious for being a lawless land. Thus, criminal activity and assassination bounty seekers visit the town for the treasure of their life." Mu Kai says.
"I see..." I glimpse in the direction of the smell of smoke. A resting Foundation Establishment Cultivator sleeping against a tree.
... It's not enough. Simply sending this message cannot ignite continuous fear, I need each of them to live on constant alert. Bounty is the best way.
"Mu Kai, what's the town you mentioned?" I ask.
---------------------
"I-Impossible...w-what happened here...?" The elder says.
The sacred ground of the Eight Trigrams sect has turned into a blood bath hell.
The Patriarch trembles and walks around lost at the sight. "I...h...." With his voice stuck in his throat, he walks to a dormitory.
Blood seeps out from under the door.
The Patriarch quickly kicks open the door and drops to his knees. "No..." He mumbles when a head on the floor looks familiar.
Wang Ji's fortune struck gold and coincidentally killed the Patriarch's grandson who joined his sect for protection.
"W-Who did I offend...?" The Patriarch mumbles when he notices the message on the wall.
!!
A core disciple who saw the grotesque scene runs to a corner to puke.
"P-Patriarch..." The elder says but the Patriarch ignores him.
This interesting event circulates all around Tiansu as the ex-servants of the sect tell the story during gatherings. Why ex-servants?
The only survivor of the inner and outer disciples are the ones who went on missions out of the sect. As a result, the Patriarch disappeared the day after and the sects crumbled into chaos without a leader.
Blood sect took notice of that faster than anyone and swoop in to eliminate the sect, killing off the remnants. The only survivor is one elder, the one who offended Wang Ji.
...
In addition, every sect except the top 2 and Heavenly Divine Dragon experienced mysterious outbreaks of disciple death from various rogue and organisation assassins.
That triggered a call of meeting for every sect patriarch and elders in cahoots.
"It's definitely Wang Ji!" Says the ex-elder of the Eight Trigrams sect.
...
Everyone knows that.
But what can they do? They aren't even sure what happened, Wang Ji seems to have a mysterious extensive influence and relationships. Many experts are doing things that completely benefit Wang Ji alone.
It's weird. It doesn't make sense. How can people in the Murim be so selfless against Wang Ji?
...
"I'm sorry, I will be leaving the alliance." Says the envoy from the Murim Alliance.
The Murim Alliance is a coalition between righteous and mostly neutral sects. It is a temporary truce that can break at any time. The envoy is from a sect in Wenhua and further risk of offending Wang Ji may lead to an all-out war between Tiansu and Wenhua.
Before Wang Ji's sudden appearance, the envoy was confident that the majority of Tiansu is not a threat except the Jade emperor and that all-out war will be disadvantageous for Tiansu. However, adding Wang Ji into the picture confuses everything. Heck, people in Wenhua might even turn against one another because of Wang Ji.
It is not worth the risk. Luckily Wang Ji does not know that the envoy is included in the "sect alliance of Tiansu" and decided not to risk offending Wang Ji.
Nobody objected to the envoy's decision except...
"How dare you! Coward! You are backing off after everything?!" Says the Patriarch of the Chaos sect. He still has a deep grudge against Wang Ji for humiliating his sect.
The Chaos sect is a lawless neutral group full of prideful lunatics, how can someone expect the Patriarch to be sane?
...
"I will be leaving as well." Says the Patriarch of Mountain Fist.
Many Patriarchs and elders follow suit, leaving only the ex-elder and the Patriarch of the Chaos sect.
"SPINELESS GEEZERS!" He screams and punches the table into many pieces.
...
"Tch." With a click of a tongue, the Patriarch of the Chaos sect left the room.
On the other end of Tiansu at Hanlong, Chunhua returns to Mei Li's residence.
...
"Where is...Xie Mo?" Chunhua says outside Mei Li's room.
Mei Li is in her bed, refusing to let anyone in and answer calls.
...
"Who is it?" Chunhua says, releasing killing intent.
"Wang Ji." Mei Li says from within.
!!
"I see... Don't worry. I will get back at that bastard." Chunhua says. "I got the evidence I need, I will be reporting back now. Goodbye.
...
Without waiting for a reply, Chunhua quickly left, clenching her fist. She has not fallen for Xie Mo but owes him a debt.
"I will kill that bastard," Chunhua mumbles.
Mei Li feels pathetic when comparing herself to Chunhua, the level of guts between both maidens is heaven and earth with Mei Li chained down.
It inspired Mei Li to ponder her next move.
...
"Evil..."
Evil is a vague word to describe the Murim. But Mei Li realise how important status and power are.
...
She walks out of the room and embraces the elderly sitting on a rocking chair.
"M-Mei Li?! What's wrong?" The elderly says in shock. "You haven't left your room in days."
"Grandma, I want to take part in the Huang throne competition." Says Mei Li.
!!!!!!!
...
The elderly sigh. "It's that young man, isn't it? The one who brought Xie Mo away and killed him."
"I won't deny it." Says Mei Li
"It will be difficult. Your siblings are treacherous scheming bastards."
"I will face them."
...
The elderly smile. "Looks like the child is starting to grow."