But the two of them were a step too slow. They only managed to catch a glimpse of a dark figure flashing over the wall of Chen Cheng’s courtyard before it vanished.

Zhuang Fu’s heart leaped in alarm. As he rushed toward the courtyard, he shouted, "Chen Cheng, be careful! There’s an assassin!"

Chen Cheng was Mr. Zheng’s closed-door disciple; he absolutely could not be allowed to come to harm.

Zhuang Fu shouted in the hope that Chen Cheng would have enough time to hide. If he could just hold out for ten or so breaths until he and his wife arrived, his life would be saved.

Meanwhile, as Bing Cui leaped onto the courtyard wall, the main residence’s door suddenly flew open, and a figure holding a saber charged out.

Bing Cui had tailed Chen Cheng a few times and recognized his build. Overjoyed, he flashed forward and pounced toward Chen Cheng.

The scissors in his hand slashed out at extreme speed, generating a fierce and murderous Saber Momentum. They moved like two cunning, intersecting wires, sharp to the extreme.

Double-Twist Scissor Momentum!

Within three feet, it would wring off a man’s head, separating body from skull. There were never any exceptions!

To unleash his signature Saber Momentum upon first sight—vicious and decisive, Bing Cui was truly worthy of his title, the Yama of Death.

Under this shearing attack, even a Perfect Martial Artist of the Muscle Strengthening Realm would find it difficult to survive!

Let alone Chen Cheng, a mere Small Success Martial Artist of the Muscle Strengthening Realm?

A flash of delight crossed Bing Cui’s eyes. He was already imagining the sight of Chen Cheng’s head being twisted off by his scissors, his body and head separated.

At the same time, he began calculating how to escape the pursuit of the two instructors from the Zheng Martial Arts Hall after killing Chen Cheng.

But before he even got within three feet of Chen Cheng, Bing Cui suddenly felt a heavy pressure descend upon him, and his body froze mid-air.

Immediately after, he felt a faint breeze. Then, his vision suddenly began to spin, and in the distance, he could only see a figure holding a saber, standing tall and proud.

The saber-wielding figure grew larger and taller as Bing Cui felt himself getting shorter, as if he had already fallen to the ground.

’Is... is this the view I’m seeing because my head has been cut off and has fallen to the ground?’

At this realization, Bing Cui was horrified. His eyes widened, filled with shock, terror, regret, and disbelief. All these emotions flooded his mind before suddenly vanishing into nothingness.

The Wind and Rain Tower’s Bing-class assassin, Bing Cui, the Yama of Death—the man who specialized in twisting off heads with his Scissors Ruler—had finally been beheaded himself!

He who beheads others will himself be beheaded! But even in death, Bing Cui never knew how he died.

Just like the people he assassinated, many of whom never even knew a person named Bing Cui existed in this world.

"Wind and Rain Tower, Bing Cui." Under the bright moonlight, the words on the Blood-Colored Jade Token in his hand were faintly visible. Chen Cheng frowned slightly.

The moment Night Owl Xiao Guzi gave its first warning, Chen Cheng had sensed the disturbance. He had dressed, grabbed his long saber, and secretly stood guard.

What happened next was simple: he had killed the Wind and Rain Tower assassin before him with a single slash.

The Zhuang Fu couple vaulted over the courtyard wall one after the other, only to see Chen Cheng standing in the yard, lost in thought.

Beside him was a headless corpse!

"Chen Cheng, are you alright?!"

Zhuang Fu’s face was pale with shock. Even after inspecting the Bing Cui Corpse, he was still shaken.

Just moments ago, he had witnessed the assassin’s body technique and speed. His Martial Arts Power was clearly above that of a Perfect Martial Artist of the Muscle Strengthening Realm.

That’s why his heart had leaped into his throat, terrified that Chen Cheng might come to harm.

But the final result was that the assassin had been beheaded by Chen Cheng in a single strike.

An assassin with the strength of Muscle Strengthening Realm Perfection, a specialist in stealthy kills, had been beheaded by Chen Cheng in a single strike!

And it wasn’t after a desperate life-or-death struggle, either. He had been killed so casually. Zhuang Fu hadn’t even had time to see how Chen Cheng killed the assassin!

It was simply too incredible!

If just a moment ago Zhuang Fu’s heart was in his throat with worry for Chen Cheng’s safety, now he was utterly stunned.

Just what level had Chen Cheng’s Martial Arts Power reached?

Zhuang Fu had only felt this sensation twice in his entire life. The first time was when he had encountered Mr. Zheng.

And the second time was now, facing this calm and composed young man, Chen Cheng!

Aunt Du felt the same as Zhuang Fu. Her gaze toward Chen Cheng now held a hint of reverence—the natural awe one feels for the truly powerful!

But mostly, she felt disbelief. After all, she had clearly witnessed the scene of Chen Cheng joining the Zheng Martial Arts Hall.

Back then, Chen Cheng had probably only been a Skin Grinding Realm Martial Artist who passed the assessment and entered the Double Courtyard by lifting a weight of several hundred jin.

How much time had passed since then? Yet Chen Cheng had already grown into such a terrifying existence.

"I’m fine," Chen Cheng said with a slight nod. He then asked, "You both rushed here. Did something happen at the Zheng Martial Arts Hall?"

Zhuang Fu snapped back to his senses and quickly recounted how Liu Huang had been murdered by an intruder, how he and his wife had discovered the body, and how they had rushed here afterward.

"I see. Could I trouble you two to patrol the area again and see if the assassin had any accomplices?" Chen Cheng said politely.

"Yes." The Zhuang Fu couple bowed respectfully and hurried away.

"Brother Cheng," Mu Xiaowan said, emerging from the main residence with a short sword in hand. Seeing the corpse on the ground, a look of worry appeared on her face.

Chen Cheng walked over, put his arm around her shoulder, and said softly, "It’s alright. The Jianghu is all about fighting and killing. You’ll get used to it."

"I know," Mu Xiaowan said, letting out a chuckle at his words. Her tense mood eased considerably.

Having traveled all the way with Chen Cheng from Locust Tree Lane in the Ruyi District to the Inner City Zheng Martial Arts Hall, she was no longer the same fragile, naive little girl who knew nothing.

If not for those experiences, she probably wouldn’t be cultivating the Martial Dao so diligently now under her master, Gongsun Rou.

"Mm," Chen Cheng hummed, pulling her into a tight hug. He then began to search the Bing Cui Corpse, finding a brocade bag and tucking it into his own robes.