The night in Huanggu City was outwardly peaceful, yet beneath the surface, currents churned. Outside the city walls, the hidden landscape was swept by mournful winds, scattering brittle leaves in their wake.

"Hah..." The figure in purple gasped for air upon reaching this desolate spot. All the years of arduous cultivation, the suffering endured—it had all amounted to nothing, as he had failed to strike down Jiaye with his own hand.

At that moment, a figure descended swiftly, landing directly before the man in purple. "From your appearance, it’s clear the assassination failed, Yan Shangcheng!"

"Who exactly are you? How do you know my family matters so intimately?" The night-walker pulled down his veil, his gaze sharp as he faced the newcomer. He had clashed swords with Jiaye, and his hand was still trembling violently. This was indeed Yan Shangcheng. "You wear a mask, surely you fear recognition. Have we met before?"

The other figure was cloaked deeply in black, his face hidden behind a sinister mask. "Yan Shangcheng is the youngest son of Yan Fang, a loyal servant of Huanggu City. Later, the entire Yan lineage suffered a brutal massacre; you were one of the few who escaped. For years, you infiltrated the Corpse Demon Forest's Ferocious Beast Sect, happened upon the Beast Elder who taught you the Sand Shadow Blade technique, and have survived until this day."

"Hmph! Since you know everything, then what of the truth behind those days!" Yan Shangcheng raised his blade hilt. The blade itself was formed from swirling quicksand, possessing no rigid shape in the conventional sense. He pointed it directly at the Masked Man. "Though I cannot forget your long-standing assistance, I am a man consumed by vengeance. I owe you no gratitude."

The Masked Man stood with his hands clasped behind his back, showing no inclination to quarrel with Yan Shangcheng. "Decades ago, when the Grand Sect Master Jiaye decreed the Bone Sect superiors to be ranked higher than others, it caused widespread discontent, especially among the conservative faction led by the Yan family, who strongly objected."

"So Jiaye sent assassins to attack the Yan family. In one night, the Yan compound ran red with blood; not a soul was spared," Yan Shangcheng’s emotion flared. The scenes from that night had haunted his sleep for years. Every day for the past few decades, he had driven himself to train relentlessly, hoping one day to use Jiaye’s skull as an offering to the entire Yan lineage. But Jiaye’s cultivation was formidable, and killing him would be no simple task.

"That may be one facet of it, but just remember that your enemy is Jiaye. That is what matters," the Masked Man stated, his tone profound, leaving one to wonder who lay behind that visage.

"Over these decades, you also taught me the Heavenly Bone Sword Art and its moves. However, Jiaye’s power is too immense, and he is entrenched within the Ten Thousand Guards of the Sky Ladder Pavilion. I fear opportunities will be scarce," Yan Shangcheng harbored no suspicion toward the Masked Man; whether good or ill, he had taught him much.

"Opportunities must be created by oneself. Today, with so many heroes and noble swordsmen gathered for the Heavenly Bone Artifact Appraisal Platform, perhaps what you need to do is not directly assassinate Jiaye, but rather reveal his vile deeds from the past to the world. That might bring true satisfaction to your heart." The Masked Man lightly tossed several small bone tokens onto the ground before Yan Shangcheng, remarking meaningfully, "These are the Execution Bone Tokens of Huanggu City. Only those carrying out Jiaye's secret assignments possess them. Seeing a Bone Token is like seeing the Grand Sect Master himself. I imagine you know what you must do."

"You want me to kill the martial artists participating in the gathering and then frame Jiaye for it." Yan Shangcheng was no fool; he grasped the Masked Man's scheme immediately. It was indeed vicious.

The Masked Man, lean and agile, saw that Yan Shangcheng understood his intention and turned, soaring away. "If you don't wish to arouse suspicion, you should return to the Sky Ladder Pavilion without delay."

The distance between the Sky Ladder Pavilion and this location was vast, but for Yan Shangcheng, it was a matter of moments. Only the flame of vengeance burned in his heart; he was willing to do anything that would aid his revenge.

News of the Grand Sect Master being attacked by an assassin quickly spread throughout the Sky Ladder Pavilion. Even Ye Xiu, who had been enjoying wine, rushed with Jialouluo to the outside of Jiaye's sleeping chambers, which were already thronged with guards.

"Tell everyone to withdraw; I am fine." Jiaye wore a look of worry as he dismissed the crowd, keeping only Jiayunxin, Jialouluo, and a few others. "I never expected such an incident to occur precisely during the Heavenly Bone Artifact Appraisal Platform."

Jialouluo, ever meticulous, pressed urgently, "The assassin's power was considerable; they managed to block Big Brother's Heavenly Bone Sword Art?"

Jiaye scanned the assembled figures—Jialouluo, Jiu Liansheng, and the Guard Captain Baicheng—and a trace of suspicion flickered. "Where is Jianan? Where has he gone at a time like this!"

"Big Brother! Big Brother, are you alright?" As the words fell, Jianan rushed into the hall in a flurry. He hastily explained, "I was leading patrols within the city just now. I never imagined such a thing would happen!"

"Enough. I only wish to inform everyone that they must be extremely cautious during this period!" Jiaye withheld his true thoughts. The figure in purple who dared to assassinate him possessed power far beyond the ordinary. The timing of the attack during the Appraisal Platform indicated the perpetrator was hidden within Huanggu City. "You may all leave now. Let this matter rest; we resume the Heavenly Bone Artifact Appraisal Platform tomorrow."

Jianan’s expression was tense, and he tried to stop Jiaye. "With an incident like this occurring, perhaps the Appraisal Platform should be postponed until I find this assassin?"

Jiaye shook his head, his imposing presence radiating authority. "To lose composure over a mere assassin? What do you take me, the Grand Sect Master of the Bone Sect, for? The Appraisal Platform continues!"

"Yes!" Jianan responded immediately, bowing his head. "Everything follows Big Brother's arrangements."

Ye Xiu followed the others out of Jiaye's chambers. Jiaye’s assassination reminded him of someone—Yan Shangcheng. The look in that man's eyes when he saw Jiaye in the main hall had been peculiar. After much thought, Ye Xiu deliberately questioned Jialouluo, "Third Sect Master, do you think the one who tried to assassinate the Grand Sect Master might be someone participating in the Heavenly Bone Appraisal Platform?"

Jialouluo was preoccupied with his own thoughts and couldn't judge immediately. "What benefit is there in assassinating Big Brother?"

"Doesn't the Grand Sect Master hold the final decision-making power over the Celestial Repository?" Ye Xiu analyzed things carefully. The assassin might very well have this goal.

Jialouluo slammed a hand down, suspicion hardening his features. "Kill Big Brother, defeat all rivals at the Appraisal Platform, and the Celestial Repository is secured."

Baicheng, trailing behind, agreed that Ye Xiu’s analysis held water. "The three of us arrived at the scene immediately, but there is one person who has not shown his face."

"Yan Shangcheng!" Jialouluo confirmed this realization, leading the group toward the innermost part of the pavilion. The corridor stretched long, emphasizing the hurried figures moving toward the location. The closer they got to Yan Shangcheng’s door, the more tense the atmosphere became.

"Creak..." Contrary to expectations, the door opened slowly. Yan Shangcheng stood there, holding a wine goblet. He shot a sidelong glance at the group, his voice cold. "Why are so many people looking for me? Is the Heavenly Bone Appraisal Platform shifting to the night?"

Jiu Liansheng scrutinized him closely. He appeared to have been drinking inside since their previous encounter. "I merely followed the scent of wine. Since we have a match tomorrow, why don't we drink our fill tonight?"

Yan Shangcheng did not refuse Jiu Liansheng’s invitation. He turned back into the room and poured two large cups of wine with one hand. "Since you are fated to die tomorrow anyway, you might as well drink a few extra cups now."

"Hmph, interesting. Please," Jiu Liansheng said. He knew Yan Shangcheng was formidable, but he himself was not without hope. He exchanged greetings with the others and swaggered into the room.

Jialouluo, seeing that nothing seemed amiss, let out a long breath and turned to leave. As he departed, he glanced at Ye Xiu, his meaning clear without words.

"You should return and rest early as well. I will show no mercy tomorrow," Baicheng warned Ye Xiu with grave seriousness. "No matter who you are, the Celestial Repository is already mine."

Ye Xiu yawned, letting Baicheng's words drift past his ears. He returned to his own quarters. The boundless, vanishing sword moves of the Heaven Obscuring Sword still churned in his mind. He began to wonder about the Heavenly Bone Scroll Jialouluo mentioned—what secrets did this ancient tome hold? For someone from the Bone Sect to wield the Sword of the Death God with such fluency was astonishing.

...

East wind, war drums, and the bustling square of Huanggu City. Today’s combat drew the eyes of ten thousand, especially the Celestial Repository battlefield, which would decide the fate of certain individuals.

High atop the Sky Ladder Pavilion, Jiaye, Jianan, Jialouluo, and Jiayunxin sat upright, each preoccupied with their own thoughts. All spectators fixed their gaze on the center of the arena. Even the roaring cheers of the crowd could not drown out the tension permeating the scene.

Ye Xiu stood in the center of the platform, gripping the Heaven Obscuring Sword. This was his first time awaiting a duel against a master; the feeling was charged with anticipation, yet laced with nervousness. A person facing death could still feel nervous about a fight? How absurd.

"First match: Ye Xiu versus Baicheng. Guard Captain Baicheng, please take the stage." The official’s voice served as the best alarm clock for Ye Xiu; every time he heard that shrill cry, his teeth ached from irritation.

"Whoosh..." A gust of dust blew onto the stage from some unknown source. With two heavy thuds, a massive bone coffer rushed out and settled squarely in the middle of the platform. Following it, Baicheng descended from the sky, clad in his white guard uniform, planting one foot firmly on the bone coffer, gazing down fixedly at Ye Xiu.

"Wow! It's the Bone Coffer! I heard this Baicheng is a successor of the Seven Long Bone Swords. The Seven Long Bone Swords technique was first mastered by a genius in the Bone Sect who learned to forge bone into a long sword." It seemed that not only were there ignorant onlookers in the crowd, but many also possessed some genuine martial experience.

"I assume the sword of Guard Captain Baicheng is stored inside this bone coffer," Ye Xiu raised his arm again, twirling the Heaven Obscuring Sword easily within his grasp. "Your entrance is certainly unique, Guard Captain."

"Heh heh, Brother Ye, why say more?" With that, Baicheng gracefully stepped onto the ground. He held no weapon; the mystery indeed lay within the bone coffer.

The air above the arena grew heavy. Ye Xiu could now clearly sense the murderous intent radiating from Baicheng, but then he caught sight of Abi and Qi'er at the edge of the venue and inexplicably smiled toward them.

Abi pouted and scolded Ye Xiu softly, "What kind of time is this to be sneaking smiles?"

"Maybe he's very skilled?" Qi'er had absolute faith in Ye Xiu; he was the one who had rescued her from the Four Winds Chaotic Tower.