Soul Emperor Martial God Chapter 5: Poison Dagger Wuhun

As night fell, Xiao Yi ceased his cultivation practice.

Gazing out the window, the sky was adorned with a multitude of stars and the moon, seemingly identical to those of his past life on Earth.

The celestial bodies were as they always were, yet his soul was fundamentally changed.

Perhaps, there was another difference. A small smile touched Xiao Yi's lips as Yiyi opened the door, a tray of food in her hands.

"Master, it's time for dinner," Yiyi said, her voice soft and sweet.

"Mm," Xiao Yi acknowledged with a nod.

Despite a full day of dedicated cultivation, the Qi in his body had strengthened, but he had yet to break through the third level of the Mortal Realm.

The path of martial arts cultivation was arduous indeed.

Individuals possessing poor innate talent might never attain the Day After Tomorrow Realm.

Even within the vast Xiao family, numerous adults remained stagnant in the Mortal Realm.

Upon achieving the breakthrough to the Day After Tomorrow Realm, one would automatically be elevated to the rank of family deacon, granted significant influence within the clan, second only to that of the Elders.

The position of deacon was a coveted one, held by a mere few dozen individuals in the entire Xiao family.

Had it not been for the three Body Tempering Pills acquired today, Xiao Yi would have required considerably more time to advance to the second level of the Mortal Realm.

Though he possessed a rare purple martial spirit, the ambient spiritual energy of the world was exceedingly thin, making direct absorption far less efficient than the rapid power surge from medicinal pills.

"If only I had more Body Tempering Pills," Xiao Yi mused to himself.

Of course, this was merely a fleeting thought. The Body Tempering Pill, while only a first-grade item, carried a substantial cost of twelve taels of silver.

For an ordinary family of three, their monthly living expenses might not even reach fifty taels.

Even for the scions of prominent families like the Xiao clan, the monthly expenditure for such necessities typically amounted to twenty-two taels.

In essence, with his personal funds, he could scarce afford two Body Tempering Pills within a single month.

"At this rate, it will take at least four to five days to break through to the third level of the Mortal Realm," Xiao Yi lamented, a hint of distress clouding his features.

If any other Xiao family disciple were privy to his thoughts, they would undoubtedly brand him as outrageously ungrateful and perverted.

It was common knowledge that even for a Xiao family member, achieving a breakthrough within the Mortal Realm typically demanded several months, if not longer.

Even Xiao Ruohan, a prodigy celebrated throughout the Xiao family, who wielded a formidable Huang-rank martial spirit, had required a full month to ascend from the second to the third level of the Mortal Realm.

Martial spirits were the paramount determinant of a cultivator's future, primarily dictating the speed at which they absorbed the spiritual essence from the heavens and the earth, thereby influencing their cultivation pace.

The higher the grade of the martial spirit, the more accelerated the cultivation speed.

"Yiyi, what are you doing?" Xiao Yi inquired suddenly, noticing Yiyi about to withdraw and eat separately.

"Master, I was going back to the kitchen to eat," Yiyi replied timidly.

Previously, Xiao Yi had strictly forbidden Yiyi from sharing his table, and she was relegated to consuming only the meager leftovers from the kitchen, often leaving her perpetually hungry.

"Sit down and eat with me," Xiao Yi commanded.

"But, Master, you said that I look ugly and that eating with you would ruin your mood, so..."

"I told you to sit down, sit down! Stop with the nonsense," Xiao Yi rebuked.

Yiyi cautiously sat, her face etched with palpable anxiety.

"Take some vegetables to eat," Xiao Yi instructed, observing Yiyi solely consuming plain rice.

"Okay," Yiyi responded with a fearful glance at Xiao Yi. Noticing he wasn't looking, she cautiously complied.

"And put some meat in there too," Xiao Yi exclaimed, nearly exasperated. Yiyi truly had only taken vegetables.

While Yiyi might appear simple, she was far from dull-witted.

Indeed, in her childhood, Yiyi had been exceptionally bright and endearing.

However, in Xiao Yi's presence, she invariably adopted an attitude of extreme caution.

Abruptly, Xiao Yi set down his bowls and chopsticks, fixing Yiyi with a piercing gaze. "You have ten seconds to finish the rest of the food," he declared.

"Ah?" Yiyi was momentarily stunned. Without a second thought, she began eating voraciously.

Ten seconds later, her bowl was empty of rice, though a considerable amount of food remained on the table.

"I don't need the rest. Pack it up and return to the kitchen," Xiao Yi's tone shifted to one of absolute command.

"Yes," Yiyi mumbled indistinctly around a large mouthful of rice, unable to swallow completely, before quickly clearing the dishes.

A tinge of sadness accompanied her as she departed.

"Was I driven away by the Young Master? Did I upset his mood? He didn't eat much... will he be hungry tonight?" Despite her sorrow, Yiyi's immediate concern was for Xiao Yi's well-being regarding food and sustenance.

....

Within the room, Xiao Yi suddenly stood and stretched his limbs.

"This is the first time I've met a fellow practitioner in this world, yet your methods are so brutal." Xiao Yi sneered, a mocking grin on his face.

"Come out now. You've been watching from the roof for so long, haven't you grown tired?" Xiao Yi seemed to be talking to himself.

With a swift movement, a figure descended from the rooftop. He was a middle-aged man, clad in a dark robe, a hideous scar marring his face, and an aura of murderous intent radiating from him.

"You found me?" the middle-aged man inquired, surprise and suspicion evident in his voice.

Instead of answering, Xiao Yi posed a direct question: "Who are you?"

The middle-aged man let out a cold chuckle. "You're merely a double-layered Mortal Realm trash. I'll tell you, out of compassion, so you know who you're dying by the hand of. My name is Yang Fu."

"Yang Fu?" The name sparked a flicker of recognition in Xiao Yi's memory.

Yang Fu, infamously known as the "Poison Dagger," a ninth-tier warrior of the Mortal Realm, and a notorious assassin within Ziyun City.

His movements were elusive, his techniques deadly. For the right price, he would eliminate anyone for his employer.

"So, it's the Poison Dagger. Your concealment skills are actually quite renowned for a killer, tsk," Xiao Yi remarked with disdain.

To Xiao Yi, once a king in the world of assassins, Yang Fu's methods of stealth were utterly crude and unsophisticated.

In fact, from the moment Yang Fu had positioned himself on the roof, Xiao Yi had already detected his presence. He had then concocted an excuse to send Yiyi away.

In his past life, Xiao Yi could have dispatched this common assassin with a mere flick of his wrist. However, his current situation presented a more complex challenge.

"Who hired you?" Xiao Yi demanded.

"Why should the soon-to-be-dead concern themselves with such details?" Yang Fu retorted with a sneer.

"If you won't tell me, I can deduce it. Few have the motive to end my life. Among the renowned assassins, only Xiao Ruohan could afford to employ someone of your caliber," Xiao Yi stated.

Yang Fu's brow furrowed, a hint of surprise touching his features. "It seems the famous waste of the Xiao family is not as simple as he appears."

Though he didn't explicitly confirm it, his reaction was an implicit admission.

"However, that changes nothing. I'm paid to eliminate threats. Since I've accepted the payment, you won't live to see tomorrow's sun," Yang Fu declared, advancing towards Xiao Yi with deliberate steps.

He preferred to avoid unnecessary complications. After all, this was the territory of the Xiao family, one of the three most prominent clans in Ziyun City.

Xiao Yi slowly raised his gaze, observing Yang Fu's steady advance without a trace of fear.

A significant gulf existed between a second-layer Mortal Realm cultivator and a ninth-layer warrior.

At the second layer of the Mortal Realm, the minute amount of Qi within the body could, at best, grant a warrior the strength equivalent to lifting a hundred kilograms.

In contrast, this opponent stood at the precipice of the Acquired realm, capable of effortlessly wielding thousands of kilograms of force or more.

Anyone else in this situation would be paralyzed with fear.

But Xiao Yi, having weathered countless storms, remained unperturbed.

Direct confrontation was impossible; strategy was key. He believed that with his Xingyi Wujue techniques and combat experience, coupled with a few tricks, he could preserve his life and buy himself some time.

If he could create enough commotion, the innate elders within the family would surely detect it and arrive swiftly.

"Hmph!" Xiao Yi grunted, adopting a combat stance.

"Hah!" Yang Fu scoffed, a black dagger suddenly appearing in his grasp.

This was his martial spirit, the "Poison Dagger," a Huang-tier artifact.

Warriors possessing weapon spirits could channel their true Qi to temporarily manifest a projection of the spirit, allowing them to wield immense combat power for various purposes.

"Yang Fu, this is the Xiao Family's territory. I am the Young Patriarch. Do you not fear the Xiao family's retribution if you kill me?" Xiao Yi interrogated coldly, probing for any weakness in Yang Fu's resolve.

"Retribution? Hah! You children of powerful clans are born under the family's protection, blessed with abundant cultivation resources, and progress at an astonishing rate."

"Meanwhile, ordinary martial artists like myself toil relentlessly, risking life and limb, just to acquire the means for cultivation."

"Otherwise, with my Huang-rank martial soul, I would have long since broken through to the Acquired or even Innate realm, rather than still being stuck in the ninth layer."

"Hmph, your life commands a high price. With this reward, I can purchase more potent pills, and I'll soon break through to the post-heaven realm. Once that happens, you'll be no match for me then."

Yang Fu's heart had long been consumed by a twisted bitterness, brimming with animosity and hostility towards scions of families like Xiao Yi's.

"Fear not, my Poison Dagger is imbued with potent toxins. A mere scratch is enough to ensure a swift demise, sparing you prolonged suffering," Yang Fu declared with a grim smile.Approaching Xiao Yi within a meter, he had always been confident; dispatching a dual mortal realm cultivator was a simple task for him.

"Go to hell!" Yang Fu's dagger plunged viciously towards Xiao Yi.

Xiao Yi's eyes flashed, his body contorting in an unusual manner. He could have easily evaded the assassination attempt.

This was the serpentine movement, one of the five unique techniques of Xingyi Quan.