After four years

"You think that's all for a flurry of attacks a top assassin can perform? All that was merely the tip of the iceberg of what I'm about to do." The assassin said coldly as a familiar killing intent loomed over Nightin, the disciples around him spreading out while getting into a defensive formation.

"Sect master, hang in there, I'll go call for backup right now." One of the disciples called out as he left the scene, suppressing his voice while making it sound as calm as possible so that he won't distract Nightin who was currently focused on the battle.

Swoosh

Suddenly, the four clones appeared from different angles this time, each aiming for his vitals with the sharp point of their dagger thirsting for rich nourishment, blood.

Just who is the owner of this familiar killing intent?

Nightin thought again before using his samsara sword to do a whirlwind slash around him, covering all areas around him while deflecting all four attacks by controlling the speed of his turn. It was something that only a cultivator would pay attention to during the Martial Apprentice realm in which their body still needs the foundation building.

One's reflexes and control of their body may be improved as their cultivation increases, but there would always be a difference between one who has been putting in effort into such minor training. Talents aren't just born to be at the peak, their existence is to build the ladder in which countless geniuses will compete and even though talent still plays a key role, effort and the determination to build up the strongest foundation that decides their future.

Making use of this chance, he turned his defense into an offensive stance and stabbed his sword towards the empty space ahead of him, anticipating the assassin to be lurking there in stealth.

"Not bad, but have you underestimated the strength of a true assassin to swap positions with my clones?" The voice came from the east, then the west, then suddenly from above as weight pressured down from above without any warning.

"Not bad, but you can never deceive my eyes as long as you still need to connect those trails of energy together, unless you're able to reach the realm of infusing those clones into your body and mind, making them part of you."

"Don't worry sect master, no one else can defeat me if I truly intend to use all eight clones, as for what you had just mentioned, it would take me at most five years to reach that realm and in just ten years, I'll be capable of merging them into my soul and using sixteen clones around ninety percent of my strength." The voice of a young man came from behind, full of sunshine with an amiable tone.

"You are Aiden?" Nightin asked out of surprise, keeping his sword and defenses away.

"Yes sect master, during that battle where the demon beasts invaded the kingdom, I stumbled upon a mysterious scroll and picked it up, recorded on the scroll was nothing but a cultivation method meant for assassins that don't live to kill, but to serve and protect, only spilling blood when needed for their master."

"Oh, but where were you all this time?"

"I was injured at that point of time and thus took up residence in a mortal village, it was also then that I learnt the importance of hardwork. How those mortals put in so much effort just to grow their crops despite rain and shine just to sustain their normal life, letting their sons and daughters live in peace for the rest of their lives is the best they can do."

"At that point of time, I witnessed the farmers and villages giving in to those cultivators, but I made my move at that one point of time against a Martial Emperor and I was only at the Martial Lord realm then, but it's also the turning point of my life where I did something impossible."

"What is it?"

"I killed a Martial Emperor as a Martial Lord in one move, my dagger piercing through his heart as I shredded it before the villages before leaving, it was ruthless, but it was the only choice I had then." When Aiden explained, he sighed and said "I'm ready to become the assassination elder of the sect officially this time, but I won't be putting up any open recruitment and if possible, I would like to have that mountain which the stone trails lead to."

"What plans do you have in mind?" Hearing that Aiden had other plans in mind, Nightin asked for more details.

"If one wants to become an assassin worth my coaching, then the bare minimum they must be able to do is locate where the assassination hall is through the slight codes that might be laying anywhere around the sect. If there's no one in the sect that can even locate where the assassin hall is, then you can only blame it on your disciples who lack the talent." Aiden said confidently, his stand strong and aggressive.

"Don't you think that the requirements you've just set are way too high? You're definitely at the peak even when compared to all those geniuses, how do you expect my disciples to meet the requirements of someone comparable to me?" Nightin asked, wanting to get to the bottom of this matter, wanting to know just what is the reason behind Aiden setting such a high criteria requirement.

"Sect master, let's save this story of mine for another time. Right now, all I want is to find that one person who is qualified to inherit my legacy, but that decision will only come ten years down the road when I've created my own assassination path. I'm not going to restrict myself to what's known, I'll make the unknown the known."

"Very well, I trust you and will thus be entrusting you with the full authority and permissions to do as you deem fit, just remember that whatever you do shouldn't harm the foundation of my sect."

"Of course." Right when Aiden spoke, he vanished while the other disciples were left rooted to the spot, unsure of how they're supposed to react right now.

Looking at his dumbfounded disciples, Nightin shook his head before warning them to forget about everything they just saw. As for the other disciple who had left to call for backup, Nightin sent a telepathy message asking him to come back.

"Sect master, it isn't possible for me to forget what I've just seen, but I can pretend that nothing has happened." One of the disciples said, he had thick black hair that was spiky, his stature was average and even though his looks didn't stand out, his eyes were covered by mist.

"You stand out."

"Yes sect master."

"What's your name?"

"The name is Ryze, the last bloodline of the dusk wolves."

"You aren't human?"

"I'm not."

The other disciples stood aside and allowed the conversation to take place, it wasn't because they wanted to see how things were going to unfold, but because of the kindness deep down within their hearts. This is also the reason why Nightin didn't try to hide the conversation.

"What's your cultivation at right now?"

"I'm at the second transcendent gate of the Martial Emperor realm. Nineteen years old."

"Very well, from now on, you'll be the leader of the seven paladins."

"Do any of you hold objections?" Nightin then turned his attention towards his other potential paladins, he still needed their approval to make decisions concerning the paladin hall and them after all. It was mutual respect.

"Sect master, all of us are still in the Martial King realm, getting a Martial Emperor who is around our age isn't a disgrace, but an honour."

"Very well, you guys can report to the paladin hall to the northwest of here first, I have some other matters to discuss with the elders."

After Nightin left, the disciples looked at each other, dumbfounded once again as they started to think about when their sect had another elder besides the mysterious man from just now and elder Isabella.