Wan Jian Canglong sat before his desk lamp, his mind a tempest, unable to sleep for a long time. Suddenly, a sharp wind cut through the air, instantly extinguishing the candlelight, and an oppressive killing intent enveloped his entire being.

"Swish..." A streak of vivid purple blade light shot forward, piercing through. Canglong, caught completely off guard, found a deep gash opened on his arm.

"Ah!" The chilling aura surged closer, and a figure in black raised a curved sabre, spinning and slashing toward him.

With the cold light threatening his throat, Canglong lost his usual composure; beads of cold sweat broke out on his forehead. As the enemy rushed him, he unleashed a burst of palm force to slow the attack, then flipped over, gathering his strength to draw Jue Tian Jing Hong into his grasp.

"Clang..." The black-clad figure brought down his heavy blade onto the scabbard of Jing Hong, and a shower of sparks instantly illuminated both their faces.

"Who are you? Why attempt to assassinate me?" Canglong felt a flicker of confusion. Among the practitioners of the Three Swords Realm, those who used sabres were invariably from the Beast Clan; the Human Clan exclusively used swords. Yet, this person lacked the uncanny speed of the Beast Clan but was still as swift as lightning with his blade. Questioned by Canglong, the killing intent in the assassin's eyes intensified. He pressed his palm down, and one side of the curved sabre flipped out to reveal a second blade edge, forming a complete arc with the first.

"Die!" The black-clad man's voice was shrill, his gaze piercing. He bent low, driving the dual blades from two directions toward Canglong, the force and determination in the assault far exceeding that of a mere hired assassin.

"Hah..." Canglong was certainly no ordinary person. In the complete darkness, he desperately used the scabbard to parry the blade edge hurtling toward his throat. Then, he abruptly drew Jue Tian Jing Hong, just as the room suddenly flooded with golden light.

"Hah!" Startled by the blinding light, the black-clad man instinctively squeezed his eyes shut. Seeing his chance, Canglong swept his sword to deflect the strange blade, then sprang upward, launching a fierce downward thrust: "Wan Jian Qing Cheng."

The assassination attempt had failed, yet the attacker showed no sign of surrender. He seemed intimately familiar with the trajectory of the Wan Jian Qing Cheng sword technique, effortlessly leaping away to evade the strike. A deafening crash followed as the bookcase behind him was utterly demolished.

"There's an assassin! Protect the Great City Lord!" At this moment, the Sabre Guards and Sword Officers stationed outside the sleeping quarters heard the commotion and rushed into Wan Jian Canglong's chamber.

Wan Jian Canglong kept Jing Hong pointed forward and lunged to capture the black-clad figure. Unbeknownst to him, seeing the enemy suddenly outnumbered, the assassin made no move to retreat. Instead, he leaped onto the writing desk and hurled his strange sabre outwards. Canglong sensed an urgent whirlwind before him, forcing him to duck low during his charge just to narrowly evade the blow. His soldiers behind him clearly lacked such reaction time, and they were instantly sliced in half by the spinning blade.

"Dare to be so insolent!" Canglong roared in anger, thrusting directly toward the man's chest. To his surprise, the black-clad man stepped slightly back, drew a treasured sword from his waist, assumed a stance, and shouted: "Wan Jian Qing Cheng!"

"What!" Canglong's eyes widened in shock, his face turning ashen. Just who was this black-clad man who also knew the seventh level of the Wan Jian Jue—Wan Jian Qing Cheng—and whose mastery of the technique clearly matched his own?

"Whirrrr..." The sword light shot out like a mournful, frigid wind. Wan Jian Canglong braced against the light, showing no intention of dodging. "Thwack..." With a sickening sound, the black-clad man's sword pierced Canglong's body. Canglong gritted his teeth, gripping the man's blade, and violently lunged forward, forcing him against the wall corner.

"Who exactly are you?" Canglong had deliberately taken the blow. Enduring the pain, he swiftly reached out and tore off the assassin's face mask, revealing a visage full of hatred. "You are..."

"Wan Jian Canglong, though I cannot slay you today, one day you will die by my blade!" The black-clad man kicked Canglong, sending him stumbling back into the crowd. He vaulted onto the windowsill, then spun back to unleash another Wan Jian Qing Cheng, shattering the pursuing Sabre Guards before leaping away into the night.

"Don't chase him." Canglong clutched his chest, lost in thought. He recognized that face; it resembled the former Prime Minister of Wan Jian City, Dugu Wencheng. Could this man be a descendant? Impossible. His plans back then were so meticulous; how could anyone from the Dugu family possibly remain?

"Great City Lord, are you alright?" Just then, Zuo Wencheng arrived with the physician, ensuring Canglong was properly settled on his bed and ordering the palace guards to double the perimeter defense.

The long night in Wan Jian City appeared peaceful, yet undercurrents churned beneath the surface. Outside the city walls, Mount Yinyin was lashed by a bitter, weeping wind amidst barren branches and fallen leaves.

"Huff... huff..." The black-clad man gasped for breath as he fled into a mountain cave. He never expected that after ten years of grueling self-cultivation, suffering hardships and enduring pain, he would fail to personally execute Wan Jian Canglong.

At that moment, a silhouette descended rapidly, stopping before the panting man: "The assassination failed, Dugu Bingchen."

"Who are you? How do you know my family matters so well?" Bingchen looked coldly at the newcomer, holding his curved sabre ready. "You wear a mask—is it to prevent me from recognizing you?"

The newcomer was draped in a deep grey cloak, his face concealed behind a wild beast mask. "Dugu Bingchen, the youngest son of the former Prime Minister of Wan Jian City, Dugu Yifang. After the tragic annihilation of the Dugu lineage, you were one of the few to escape. These past ten years, you infiltrated the Desolate Forest of the Beast Clan, where you were taught the Half-Moon Sabresmanship by the Evil Sabre Elder, surviving until this day."

"Hmph! Since you know everything, what about the truth of that year!" Bingchen leveled his Half-Moon Sabre at the Beast-Faced Man. "Though Bingchen cannot forget your long-term assistance, I am a man driven by vengeance and feel no gratitude toward you."

The Beast-Faced Man stood with his hands clasped behind his back, showing no desire to fight Bingchen. "Ten years ago, the Great City Lord Wan Jian Canglong promulgated the decree elevating the Human Clan above others, drawing widespread resentment, especially from the conservative faction led by Dugu Wencheng, who vehemently opposed it."

"So Wan Jian Canglong sent men to attack the Wencheng residence, resulting in a river of blood overnight where none were spared," Bingchen’s emotions flared. That scene had haunted his dreams for years. Every day for the past decade, he had reminded himself to train diligently, to one day use Wan Jian Canglong's head to avenge his father.

"That may be one facet, but you must remember this: your enemy is Wan Jian Canglong. That is what matters," the Beast-Faced Man said in a deep tone, concealing his true identity beneath the mask.

"Sir, you have also taught me the moves of the Wan Jian Jue over these ten years, but Wan Jian Canglong's cultivation is too formidable, and he commands the myriad guards of the Sword Pavilion. I fear opportunities will be few." Bingchen had absolute trust in this masked figure; whether good or ill, the man had taught him much.

"Opportunities must be created by oneself. Today's First Martial Arts Competition of the Three Swords brings forth countless swordsmen. Perhaps what you need to do is not directly assassinate Canglong, but rather expose his vile deeds from that time to the entire world—that is what will truly satisfy your heart." The Beast-Faced Man gently tossed a small, golden token onto the ground before Bingchen, speaking meaningfully, "This is the Execution Gold Token of Wan Jian City. To see this token is to see the Great City Lord. I believe you know what to do now."

"You want me to murder the martial artists participating in the tournament and then frame Wan Jian Canglong." Bingchen was no fool; he instantly grasped the Beast-Faced Man's sinister plot. Truly ruthless.

Before dawn broke, the area outside Wan Jian Canglong's sleeping chambers was already crowded. Xuan Hu, Qing Lin, and Chen Ying were all deeply worried about their elder brother's condition.

"Tell them to leave; say that I am fine." Wan Jian Canglong had only suffered minor skin wounds, nothing to cause alarm. Yet, he had been sleepless all night. The face of Dugu Wencheng from ten years ago appeared vividly before his eyes. He admitted he had been young and ignorant then, failing to consider the impact such a decree would have on the relations between the Four Clans in the Three Swords Realm. But who could have known that at such a critical juncture, Dugu Wencheng, an elder of Wan Jian City, would be a spy for the Beast Clan while being Human? He had accepted Beast Clan gains, intending to help them steal back the Raging Sand Sword—a crime deserving of immediate execution. However, his impulsive decision had resulted in an unforgivable act across the ages.

"Brother, are you alright?" Xuan Hu forced his way through the protesting guards, filled with rage. "Let me take my men and search Wan Jian City from top to bottom! We must catch that assassin."

"Brother." Qing Lin and Chen Ying also rushed in, kneeling by Canglong's bedside.

"Ah, step back for a moment." Canglong had no choice but to dismiss his immediate attendants before speaking to the other three, "Do you know who I saw last night?"

"..." The three fell silent. Since their brother asked in this manner, the answer he was about to give would surely shock them.

"Dugu Wencheng's son." Canglong still felt a tremor remembering that strange sabre. "Though I cannot recall his name, I am certain it was him. He has grown up and returned to seek vengeance. You three must also be cautious."

"Ten years ago, we wiped out the traitorous Dugu family; surely there were no survivors?" Xuan Hu was greatly astonished and hurried to Canglong's side. "I recall the youngest son was named Dugu Bingchen—he didn't die!"

Canglong nodded; the name surfaced in his memory as well.

"Ten years ago, Dugu Yifang allied himself with the Beast Clan, yet he was the Prime Minister whom Father King trusted most. To protect Father King's honor, Brother took on countless slanders by executing his entire family, hoping to quell the unrest. But man proposes and Heaven disposes," Qing Lin remarked, having some knowledge of the affair.

Canglong sighed, forcing a bitter smile. "I thought sacrificing the entire Dugu household would restore stability. Those in the Three Swords Realm only know that I wiped out the Dugu family to enforce the new decree. Who could know of the hidden truth? And now, his descendant comes seeking revenge. What a terrible irony."

"Brother, do not worry too much. Although Little Sister was young then, I know this truth was known only to the Royal Family. Since Dugu Bingchen has managed to wound you once, that debt of patricide is somewhat settled for him. You can simply instruct Second Brother to send men to find him and execute him on the spot."

"Hmm, this man has mastered the strange sabre technique, and his cultivation in Wan Jian Jue is exceptional. I fear we must all be cautious from now on." Canglong turned away, waving the three of them out. A sense of confusion and unease settled in his heart; Dugu Bingchen's appearance might herald disaster for Wan Jian City.

...

"Brother, why are you with this fellow?" Ajiao hadn't seen Lang Taotian in several days and ran over with delight.

"Which fellow are you talking about? I don't have a name," Ye Xiu trailed behind Lang Taotian, plastering a fawning smile on his face as he looked at Ajiao.

"Come on, Brother, let's go window shopping or something, away from this big bad wolf." Ajiao deliberately teased Ye Xiu, looping her arm around Lang Taotian's and pulling him toward the marketplace.