"Be careful..." Qin Yuting, worthy of her peak Martial Master status, instinctively felt the threat of the cold light and moved closer to Ye Jingyu, as if intending to shield him from the dart shooting out of the darkness...

But she was, after all, only a Martial Master, and several meters away from Ye Jingyu; how could she possibly reach him in time...

Faced with this sudden assault, Ye Jingyu’s expression remained utterly blank. He simply extended two fingers, and the cold light instantly dissipated. On closer inspection, one could see that between his two fingers now rested a small, blue dart...

It was only then that Qin Yuting remembered that the youth before her was no longer the pampered young master who struggled against a mere ordinary Martial Warrior a year ago, but an absolute powerhouse capable of single-handedly defeating the top genius of the younger generation, Huangfu Buyue...

What was she, in comparison to him?

"Thank you for the warning, Senior Sister..." Ye Jingyu glanced at Qin Yuting, discerning that her concern was genuine, and spoke lightly, though his eyes were fixed on the direction from which the dart had come...

Hearing Ye Jingyu's indifferent tone, Qin Yuting managed a wry smile. By the time her warning had even reached him, the dart was already at his brow. Had he not reacted with lightning agility, he would have perished on the spot...

Was this his sarcasm toward her?

Ye Jingyu paid no mind to Qin Yuting’s thoughts. He coldly scrutinized the pitch-black shadow, sensing that the assailant had not retreated, but remained lurking in the darkness, seemingly still searching for an opportunity to strike him down...

Sent by Qin Yan? The thought crossed Ye Jingyu's mind, but he immediately dismissed the conjecture. He had only entered the palace to meet the Emperor today regarding the marriage proposal for his daughter; how could Qin Yan possibly attempt an assassination now?

Ye Jingyu understood that Qin Yan was surely plotting some colossal scheme, but he wouldn't resort to such crude tactics to kill him...

The last time, Qin Yan had dispatched an assassin powerful enough to threaten him, and he wouldn't stoop to such petty games again...

If not him, then who? The Eldest Young Master? The Second Young Master? The Seventh Young Master? While monitoring the surrounding movements, Ye Jingyu analyzed the current situation in his mind...

It could be said that his ascent, while granting him immense power, had also amassed him countless enemies. Anyone in the capital, save perhaps the Third Young Master, perhaps even the Sovereign in the royal palace, likely wished him dead...

Sensing the strangeness in the air, Qin Yuting said no more, slowly drawing the short sword hidden beneath her robes. Her face, reminiscent of pear blossoms, turned toward the inky shadow...

The scene fell into absolute silence. The mysterious expert hidden in the gloom made no move, and neither did Ye Jingyu or Qin Yuting. They simply stood there, motionless...

"I'll give you one chance: step out and name your master, and I will spare your life..." Ye Jingyu suddenly spoke with a cold, almost ludicrous arrogance. Even Qin Yuting found the demand absurd; what assassin would willingly reveal their principal?

Yet, Qin Yuting certainly didn't laugh, and the killer in the shadows was not foolish enough to emerge or respond to Ye Jingyu. Silence reigned in the blackness...

"Since you refuse to come out, don't blame me for being impolite..." Seeing that there was still no reaction, Ye Jingyu allowed a cold smirk to touch his lips...

The darkness remained undisturbed... as if the person had long since vanished...

"Die!" Ye Jingyu suddenly roared, an iron seal the size of a fist appearing in his hand seemingly out of nowhere. He hurled it directly toward the shadow...

In an instant, a black light descended from the sky, and the iron seal immediately swelled, growing to span several zhang wide under Qin Yuting’s astonished gaze, slamming down with immense force...

"Ah!" Feeling the colossal pressure descending from above, the hidden figure in the shadow could no longer hold back and tried to dart aside. But the Zhentian Yin was a Profound-grade Soul Tool, a rare artifact capable of slaying a Martial Saint. Could this person truly withstand it?

A scream ripped through the air as the figure, just launching upward, was struck by the Zhentian Yin, crashing back down. The seal continued its descent, smashing their head to pulp, then crushing the entire body into a mire of raw flesh and bloody fragments scattered across the ground...

The black iron seal transformed into a streak of dark light and returned to Ye Jingyu's palm, completely devoid of any trace of blood...

However, Ye Jingyu felt a dizzying sensation. While the Zhentian Yin was powerful, it drained too much Soul Force. This initial test had instantly consumed one-fifth of his Soul Power...

Truly worthy of being a Profound-grade Soul Tool; only a Soul Immortal could wield it with ease...

Though slightly uncomfortable, the terrifying might of the Zhentian Yin utterly stunned Qin Yuting. Judging by the hidden figure's subtle evasive maneuver, he had been at least a peak Innate realm expert. Yet, facing this Soul Tool, he hadn't even had a chance to resist before being pulverized into mush. Soul Masters were indeed the most fearsome beings... But where did he acquire such a potent Soul Tool?

This question was not confined to Qin Yuting’s mind. In the darkness, several other figures swiftly broke cover and fled in various directions. Faced with an existence capable of instantly killing an Innate expert, they dared not engage further. The priority now was to report Ye Jingyu's current strength to their master...

"Since you've come, stay behind..." Ye Jingyu, now at Level Five, possessed a sensory perception countless times greater than before. He instantly discerned at least three people fleeing toward three different directions...

He cast the Zhentian Yin again, and a black light flashed, slamming toward the fastest runner. In almost an instant, the Soul Tool arrived above the man’s head, whistling through the air...

All four had been Innate realm experts. They had come together, assuming Ye Jingyu was at most at the Innate realm, expecting an easy kill. They never imagined he could so effortlessly dispatch one of their own, only realizing then that he was already a Soul Master of the Soul Condensation realm...

If he were an ordinary Soul Condensation Soul Master, the four of them might have had a chance to win by sacrificing their lives. But seeing him summon such a terrifying Soul Tool, they knew that even joining forces offered no hope of victory. Without hesitation, they began retreating desperately...

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