linfengchun

Capítulo 2

That's incredibly stupid.

But it's worth it.

Even though he was in so much pain that he felt like he was about to faint, even though that sword almost severed his arm, it was still worth it.

He laughed, then coughed lightly, his voice barely audible.

"We are still alive."

"Alive," came the equally weak voice.

It took him a full month to recover from his injury.

For half a month, he lay on the bed, completely motionless.

The physician said that a sword was only half an inch away from his heart.

The treatment I received while recovering from my injuries was vastly different from before, and the medicines were much more effective. I could clearly sense that the servants were behaving with great respect, even a hint of awe.

"It seems I'll be meeting the Pope in a few days." The young man's lips curved slightly as he examined the newly delivered clothes. Having shared a room to recover from their injuries, and having gone through life-and-death situations together, they had become as familiar as brothers.

He glanced at it; the material and feel of the new clothes were completely different from the rough clothes he had worn before.

"So what if we see each other?"

Even if you officially join the Assassination Group.

"The Assassination Group?" He was slightly surprised. "There are trials too?"

"You don't know anything?" The boy smiled, his eyes bright, and tilted his head to explain to him.

Within the Demonic Sect, the supreme authority rests solely with the Sect Leader. He is followed by two Envoys: the Left Envoy, in charge of wisdom and overseeing sect affairs; and the Right Envoy, in charge of punishment and enforcing sect laws and regulations. The hierarchy is clear, the laws are strict, and any violation of the rules is met with ruthlessness.

Secondly, there are the three elders: Elder Kui is in charge of assassin training and oversees the War Slave Camp and the Sharpening Camp; Elder Jing is in charge of the tribute exchanges between the thirty-six kingdoms of the Western Regions; and Elder Xiao is in charge of internal affairs and assists the Left Envoy in managing the believers.

Secondly, there is the Seven Killings.

The Assassination Group is a collective term for young assassins who have passed numerous trials. Seven Killers are the elite of the Assassination Group. They only deploy when it comes to assassinating a monarch or high-ranking official, reporting directly to the Right Envoy, their status second only to the three elders. If the Assassination Group is a sword, then Seven Killers is its invincible edge.

"Seven Kills..." he thought slowly, "Seven people?"

“That’s right, there have always been seven of them, all seasoned veterans. I’ve heard there’s no one they can’t kill. They’re only replaced when someone dies, and the Assassination Squad is the same.” The boy rested his hands under his head, a look of longing on his face. “We lost quite a few recently, which is why we had this opportunity.”

The selection process is extremely ruthless, and the number of people who have fallen behind each assassin is probably countless.

He stared at the roof, lost in thought.

"How old are you?" The boy looked at his face and suddenly changed the subject.

"fifteen."

"So you're like me..." The boy was taken aback. "I thought you were younger than me. Are all people from the Central Plains like you?"

He carefully examined the boy's face; his features were well-defined, with thick eyebrows, bright eyes, and a complexion like wheat.

"Which country in the Western Regions are you from?" The corners of his eyes seemed to have a slight Han Chinese appearance, making it difficult to tell at first glance.

"I'm a refugee, I don't know which country I'm from," the boy chuckled, his expression ambiguous. "I'm rather curious, how did you get here? It's thousands of miles from the Central Plains."

He was silent for a moment. "I was captured."

"Who's going to arrest you?"

"I don't know." Recalling the man's ghostly movements, his face darkened... The difference in strength was too great; even without being poisoned, he wouldn't have escaped. There's always someone better; only after being subdued did he realize how ignorant he had been.

With his internal energy currently restricted, less than a third of what it used to be, he was utterly helpless.

We can only wait and see when an opportunity arises...

"You want to escape?"

He was startled; the boy before him had a cunning look in his eyes, as if he had seen through his thoughts.

"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone." Perhaps amused by his wary expression, the young man chuckled. "But I advise you to give up on that idea. The defenses here are much tighter than you can imagine. There's only one way to leave the sect; without an imperial decree, even the best skills are useless."

"You don't want to leave?" he asked, somewhat puzzled.

"Me?" The boy made a face. "It's the same wherever I go. I've already come this far, why run away? I'll try my best to climb up."

There are no people who can return to their hometowns?

But he was different. His home was in the Central Plains. His sudden disappearance would surely trouble his strict father, not to mention his gentle and loving mother, his close siblings... and that graceful young girl he had only met once... the picturesque Jiangnan region, shrouded in mist and rain...

He suddenly lost his composure.

The Pope gazed silently at the two boys kneeling side by side with His Highness.

The morning sun shines on his upright figure, his heroic spirit drawing attention, like a newly honed blade.

"Very good, indeed a fine talent. Elder Kui, you have put in a lot of effort." The high and mighty man nodded and smiled, seemingly quite satisfied.

"Thank you, Your Majesty. This is my duty." The burly man from the Western Regions bowed and asked for instructions. "These two were quite outstanding in combat. I request that Your Majesty bestow names upon them as is customary."

He bestowed a name upon the person.

From a meaningless number to having one's own name, one needs to prove one's strength with sweat and blood before being qualified to obtain it.

The king on the throne pondered for a moment.

"From today onwards, you are given the name Jiuwei and are to join the Assassination Group." His eyes turned to another person.

"And you... a person from the Central Plains?" He could no longer remember who he had ordered to be captured.

“Reporting to the King, he was one of the slaves the King captured from the Central Plains two years ago.”

“There aren’t many people from the Central Plains who can reach this level.” The king smiled thoughtfully, resting his chin on his hand as he scrutinized the situation for a while. “Go and summon Jia Ye.”

The hall fell silent for a moment, without a sound.

The subtle glances exchanged by his companions revealed deep concern.

His palms were damp with sweat.

It may not have been long, but it felt incredibly long, with every minute like torture.

He didn't look up, afraid that his gaze would betray his thoughts, and stared intently at the jade floor beneath his knees.

“Gaya pays respects to the King.”

A strange voice rang out, clear and cool like spring water rinsing over jade, pleasant to the ear and slightly chilly. Someone was kneeling to one side, and all that could be heard was the rustling of clothes.

"Jia Ye, you did a great job on the last mission. I've been thinking about what reward to give you."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, but I dare not accept such praise."

"Rewarding merit is a matter of course, so how can I not dare to?" He chuckled lightly. "Among the Seven Killers, you are the only one without subordinates. This person is a newly promoted assassin this year. How about he become your shadow guard?"

"Gaya respectfully obeys the King's arrangements."

“Since that’s the case, from this day forward, I will name him Shuying. His life is yours.” He paused for a moment and then continued, “I know you have never liked people from the Central Plains, but Elder Kui’s admonition was quite arduous. Punish him as you see fit, but don’t kill him as easily as you did the last one.”

"Thank you for your guidance, Your Holiness. I will know what I'm doing."

“Your child has always been well-behaved, so I trust him completely. Go now and teach him proper manners.”

"yes."

He looked up and a white robe came into view, shimmering in the sunlight, inexplicably reminding him of the first melting snow in Jiangnan.

Her black hair cascaded down her shoulders, her starry eyes were like water, her delicate cheeks were so smooth they seemed to break at a touch, and her small figure was so frail that she appeared as if she could be shattered at any moment. Sensing the gaze, she turned her head away, seemingly suppressing her impatience.

He froze in shock.

Even the collapse of Mount Tianshan probably wouldn't have surprised him so much.

One of the Seven Killers, a battle-hardened elite of the Demonic Sect.

It turned out to be... a little girl who was about thirteen years old.

Special Shadow

Her slender figure walked slowly.

I stepped across the winding bridge with its drooping branches, and walked through the nine-turn corridor, a faint fragrance wafting in the air. Distant mountains appeared and disappeared, and from somewhere came the song of a young girl; the bloody massacre of the previous month seemed like a distant memory.

After walking along the □ for a while, I finally stepped into a slightly closed round door.

Upon entering, he thought he had stepped into a sea of flowers.

The flowers, in a riot of colors and forms, stretched out in a boundless expanse of vibrant bloom, each one more alluring than the last, their springtime beauty almost bursting through the low walls. At the edge of this sea of flowers stood a delicate little building, its front adorned with snow-white pear blossoms, their dark tiles contrasting beautifully against the backdrop of the blue sky.

A mountain breeze blew by, scattering fallen petals. A few even landed on the girl's hair. Her hair was as black as ink, and the petals were as white as snow, creating a striking contrast of black and white that was quite beautiful.

“From today onwards, you will live here.” The slender hand gestured towards the room.

He glanced at it, and the clear voice rang in his ears again.

"The rule here is to speak less and make fewer mistakes, and to be cautious in your words and actions. If you need anything, just tell your subordinates. If you need anything, ask them for it yourself. I'll give you three days to learn what the Shadow Guards are supposed to do. If you really don't understand something, you can ask me, but I usually don't have much patience." She turned around, her dark eyes as deep as an icy pool. "So you'd better learn quickly."

Being lectured by a young girl is hardly a pleasant experience. He nodded silently.

"Three days from now, I will teach you the assassination techniques you already know. It will be very tough, so take these few days to rest well." After saying that, she started climbing the steps, but stopped halfway up.

"The second floor is where I live. No one may enter without permission. If you need anything, please send a message downstairs."

"What should I call you?"

She didn't turn around; her black hair was slightly askew.

"You can call me by my name. From now on, I am your master. Shuying."

He searched the courtyard thoroughly; it was surprisingly large, with only a handful of people. The servants quickly cleaned his room, and when he opened the window, the bright spring sunshine made everything feel pleasant and peaceful. The silk quilt was soft, the table and desk were bright, and a vase of peach blossoms was placed on the desk.

I walked to the table and poured myself a cup of tea. The slightly hot aroma of the tea wafted up, and after taking a sip, the fragrance lingered on my palate. It was actually a top-quality Junshan Silver Needle tea. I swirled the teacup around; it was as clear as ice, as lustrous and warm as jade. At a glance, I could tell it was a Yue ware masterpiece, round like the moon and light as a cloud.

In the deep mountains beyond the Great Wall, every drink and every vessel is exquisitely crafted. This is only one of the Seven Killers. One can imagine how luxurious it would be if it were the King of the Sect or the Left and Right Envoys.

A soft cough came from the doorway. After receiving permission, the servant respectfully stepped forward and quickly took his measurements to prepare for making clothes. While busy, the servant also asked him questions, which made him feel a little uncomfortable.

Before long, a pretty maid with long, drooping hair entered carrying a fruit platter, her face beaming with a sweet smile and deep dimples.