Chapter 54: Reputation
"My target is a core formation practitioner from the upper realms." A man with a scar across his left eye says. "They are paying that much to kill an ant?"
"Don't underestimate him. Details about Wang Ji are the most sought by information brokers." Says a woman beside the man. The woman has thick make-up and is the lady of a brothel, the person where the man visits for his work.
"But in the end, a core formation is a core formation."
His name is unknown to the Murim but they call him Vanish. It is due to how he works. Vanish has a very expensive service, one that is higher than regular Golden Soul assassins, yet many people commission Vanish due to his flawless performance. Every kill committed by him leaves no traces, even the body cannot be found. Thus, as if the person just "vanished".
Vanish ties up his brown shoulder-length hair and wears a mask.
"He is going to Huoshan? This will be easy and quick."
Upon reaching Huoshan, Vanish scouts the entire region through Qi fluctuations.
"Found him..."
Vanish waited for the right time when Wang Ji is near and attacked the offspring of the serpent. That angered the serpent immensely and causes her to attack every single human on sight.
While Wang Ji struggles with the serpent, Vanish sits back and conceals his presence while smoking a pipe. With this, his death will be widely known as a foolish one and Vanish's job is done.
"..."
Vanish sighs.
"He looks young. This will be my last job."
Vanish has a family now. Bloodshed is a thing he has to leave behind for his family.
However, when the serpent dived at Wang Ji, a mysterious monster appears from what seemed to be a crack in thin air.
?!!!
Vanish widens his eye as he stares at the monster who easily overwhelmed the Serpent.
"W-What is that? I-I need to-"
He can't move. Vanish's body won't listen to what he says, constantly trembling in fear as his eyes are glued to the monster.
Death.
That is the only thing that can describe that malicious being. Among the countless star in the darkness on its skin are cries of growls and pain.
Vanish shakes his head and attempts to snap out of it but to no avail. Echoes of cries of his victims and people he betrayed rang countless times through his mind.
"I...I need to get out of here." Says Vanish who backs off until he steps into a pile of liquid.
?!!
"Liquid in Huoshan?" Vanish mumbles.
The liquid is black like the monster.
Before Vanish could react, a black spike pierces through his torso easily which was refined several times from cultivation.
!!
"Ack..."
"This is crazy." Vanish thought.
"They want me to kill him? Someone who can summon an abyss god?... Haha...is this Karma?"
Vanish spits out blood as he drops limp on the floor. The monster slowly engulfs Vanish from his legs, he can feel them corroding away instantly.
But the only thing that went through Vanish's mind was his family he had no choice but to leave behind.
"I'm sorry..." He softly mumbles.
3 days later, news of Vanish's disappearance spread. Many thought that Vanish decided to retire quietly until a group of cultivators found Vanish's necklace in the mountains at Huoshan.
"He died?" The lady of the brothel exclaims. "...His last commission was to assassinate Wang Ji. How can this be?"
?!
Once news of that spreads, Wang Ji's reputation skyrocketed and many have started to see Wang Ji as a threat.
Even the lady of the brothel, named Jing Qigang, started her investigation of Wang Ji. Unbeknown to Wang Ji, his existence has created a large impact on the Murim.
Naturally, the information reached the ears of the Patriarch and elders in Tiansu.
*SLAM*
"Damn it!! OUR MONEY!!! THAT USELESS FUCK! DYING TO A CORE FORMATION WHEN HE IS IN THE GOLDEN SOUL REALM! SUCH DISGRACE!" The elder of the Eight Trigrams sect says.
"How are you going to compensate us?!" Says the Patriarch of the Mountain Fist sect.
Veins erect on the face of the man from the Murim alliance. "Every single one of us agreed and now you are solely blaming me for this?"
They click their tongue.
"Now then, think about it. Wang Ji cannot possibly defeat a Golden Soul, he was lucky." Says the Murim Alliance envoy. "We cannot afford to wait anymore. We need to kill Wang Ji at the sect competition."
!!!
"Kill? In front of everyone?"
"Of course. We will create a situation where he will have to fight no matter what. We will receive criticism from people but what can they do about it?" He smirks. "They will forget about it in a few months or so. With our influence, we can easily brainwash and control the entire situation."
The patriarch of the Eight Shield sect sighs. "How befitting for a member of the Murim Alliance." He blurts out.
The envoy smirks at the Patriarch. "People think the Murim alliance exist for the majority, for justice. Yes, we do that, but our main priority is profit. How are we any different from the demonic sect? Truth be told, we aren't. Hahaha!!"
All of them smile and nod in approval. Killing Wang Ji is the only thing they can think of currently.
On the other side of Tiansu, a remote small city built on a mountain named Hanlong holds a residence where a princess of another country experience life as a commoner. She is Huang Mei Li.
Her residence is high up on the mountain, slightly further from the buzzing city.
Xie Mo has brought Chunhua to Mei Li for help. Although slightly jealous, Mei Li agreed to take in the both of them for now.
As a result, Xie Mo can finally rest and start cultivating.
Xie Mo sighs as he calls for the elder serving Mei Li. Mei Li is guarded by three experts in the Nascent soul Realm, one of which is this old lady that shows up in front of Xie Mo in his room.
"Brat! I am not your servant." The old lady nags.
"I just want to ask something." Says Xie Mo. "Have you heard of any news about Wang Ji?"
"Wang Ji? Oh, that young master from the upper realms? Many said that he has achieved the peak of Core Formation and agitated the Eight Trigrams sect." She says.
...
Xie Mo gazes at the floor.
Wang Ji is an insuperable obstacle. Even with Ji Qiang's spiritual roots, he wasn't able to cultivate as fast as Wang Ji.
A wall that cannot be crossed. A place not even geniuses in the upper realms can reach. Wang Ji is impossible to defeat for Xie Mo.
Xie Mo's arrogance is nowhere to be seen. Instead, only dejection awaits.
He begins to think about the consequences of his actions and trembles in fear.
"I..."
It's a new feeling to Xie Mo.
I should lay low. Xie Mo thought.
For the first time in his life, Xie Mo decided to live in seclusion. Every single people is out for his head. His reputation has been tarnished to the point of no return.
The only solution is hiding.
...
He begins to think about his luxurious life back in the upper realms. His countless achievements shook the entire continent and every enemy that defied him was slain.
Outside Huang Mei Li's residence is Shao Hui. Two martial experts at the Nascent Soul stand behind him.
He nods to the martial artists who return it. They walk to the gate and knock on it.
The elderly woman opens the gate and gazes at the three tall men.
"Hello, may I know if Xie Mo is in here?" Shao Hui says.
!
"No, why would we let a man into a residence of women?" The elderly say.
"Really...?" Shao Hui throws a glance at the martial artists beside him.
They nod.
"If so, why is there someone in the Foundation Establishment realm here?"
!!
...
It is a wide known fact that Huang Mei Li is in the Core formation while she is guarded by 3 Nascent Souls.
"It is me. Why?" Chunhua says as she slides the door open.
...
Shao Hui glares at her. He focuses on the feeling of the crystal in his hand and notices its vibration, it is a material that reacts to unusual Qi fluctuations. Chunhua is limiting the Qi in her meridians to lower and hide her cultivation realm.
Shao Hui has confirmed Xie Mo's presence. "Understood." He says before he leaves.
The elderly and Chunhua stare at Shao Hui's back in confusion.
-------------------------
I climb up the ruined volcano of the serpent's chamber. Good, the Qi over here is abundant in nature because of the beast King.
System, infect the fire herb growing on the volcano.
--------------
Manual evolution detected.
0.001%
Rewards:
-Qi Immunity 4(Golden Soul)
-Heat-Immunity
--------------
Phew, alright, I should leave before anyone sees me. That commotion must have attracted attention. I left for my sect immediately.
The day after I reached Nielong is the first day of the Sect competition.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone