"Shen Lang, don't waste your energy. You can't defeat my shadow, so just accept your death."
Seeing Shen Lang surrounded by lightning, the female assassin was startled, but then a triumphant expression appeared on her face. "No matter what tricks you have, you will inevitably die."
"Is that so?"
Hearing the female assassin's words, Shen Lang smiled and said, "This so-called Shadow Assassination Technique is indeed troublesome for me. However, if I can't kill the shadow, can't I still kill you?"
With that, Shen Lang drew a flying knife from his waist and said to the female assassin, "How fast is your shadow? Can it catch my flying knife?"
This was the first of nine flying knives, the one engraved with the words "Bàiwáng" (Demise). Shen Lang held the flying knife and shot it directly at the female assassin.
"What?"
The moment the flying knife was shot, the female assassin felt enveloped by a terrifying killing intent. Her face instantly turned extremely ugly. In the blink of an eye, the flying knife reached her throat but suddenly stopped.
"Swish, swish, swish—"
While the female assassin was wondering what Shen Lang intended to do, Shen Lang controlled the flying knife with his left hand. Suddenly, three golden needles appeared in his right hand. As Shen Lang raised his right hand, the three golden needles shot out, accurately hitting the female assassin's arm, chest, and lower abdomen, instantly pinning her in place.
As the female assassin was immobilized, the black shadow also dispersed, and the dagger fell to the ground.
"Just as I suspected, this black shadow is actually a phantom technique. As long as your mind is unsettled, the illusion will break."
Shen Lang picked up the dagger from the ground and walked towards the female assassin step by step. After retrieving the flying knife and putting it back into its sheath, Shen Lang held the dagger against the female assassin's fair and tender face and smiled, "Allow me to introduce myself, shall I?"
"Shen Lang, you want to know my origins to find the person behind me?"
The female assassin saw through Shen Lang's intentions at a glance and said angrily, "Don't waste your time. I will never betray the person behind me. If you want to kill me, kill me. I won't say a word."
"Good, your loyalty is admirable. I respect you," Shen Lang said. "Since you are so loyal and brave, it seems you are of no use alive. In that case, don't blame me for being ruthless and merciless."
"Kill me if you want. If I flinch, I'll take your surname," the female assassin gritted her teeth and said angrily.
"No, you are not worthy of my surname, and I don't like others taking my surname. However, I can certainly fulfill the promise of 'kill me if you want'."
Shen Lang looked at the female assassin, who was ready to die, and smiled, "For stubborn people like you, I will kill you. But before I do, I want you to know what true torment is."
The blade of Shen Lang's dagger was against the female assassin's face. He smiled, "What a beautiful face. It's a pity it will soon become hideous. What a shame."
"Shen Lang, you beast! Kill me if you want, don't humiliate me."
Hearing that Shen Lang intended to disfigure her, the female assassin's face changed dramatically. "If you are still a hero, give me a quick death, okay?"
"No, that is not possible," Shen Lang said with a sinister smile. "For someone who tries to assassinate me, they should die in the most painful way possible. Why should I let them die quickly?"
"Since you won't reveal the person behind you, I'll have to use my methods. I will treat your face like an apple and peel it off slice by slice with my dagger until only the core remains. Just imagine, what a terrifying sight your face will become then?"
"You..."
Hearing Shen Lang's words, even the female assassin, who had a firm will and was prepared to die, had a difficult expression. Her eyes were filled with fear. "You are the 'Child of the Nation' hero who fights alone against the martial artists of Yang Nation. You cannot do such a depraved thing."
"Knowing I am the 'Child of the Nation' hero and still trying to assassinate me, isn't that depraved?" Shen Lang scoffed at the female assassin's words. "I've given you a chance, but you didn't take it. In that case, don't blame me for being cruel."
Saying this, Shen Lang swiftly brought the dagger down towards the female assassin's face. The female assassin screamed in terror. However, two seconds later, she realized her face was unharmed. Puzzled, she looked at Shen Lang and saw a strand of black hair hanging from the dagger. It was her own hair.
"Don't be nervous, don't be nervous. That slash was just to test the sharpness of the blade. I haven't truly started yet. The real action begins now."
Shen Lang gently blew, and the strand of black hair was instantly cut by the sharp dagger. It was so sharp it could cut hair.
With this demonstration, the female assassin's psychological defenses were shattered. She said to Shen Lang, "I... I am from Hei Bing Tai. I am an assassin from Hei Bing Tai. My name is Yue Ru Gou."
"Yue Ru Gou?"
Shen Lang muttered, "I once knew a Hei Bing Tai assassin named Qing Cheng Yue. Now there's another Yue Ru Gou. Why does Hei Bing Tai have a vendetta against the moon?"
"You know Qing Cheng Yue?"
Hearing Shen Lang's words, Yue Ru Gou's eyes widened. "When did you meet my sister?"
"Oh, Qing Cheng Yue is your sister? What a coincidence?"
Shen Lang looked at Yue Ru Gou and said, "Qi Tuo Jiang and Kong Wu Dao had her tell Tian Yang Sheng about my villa's situation, then had Tian Yang Sheng lead an attack. Afterward, fearing I would trace back to them, they ordered Qing Cheng Yue to be silenced. Fortunately, Qing Cheng Yue faked her death and escaped. She is now in Nan Ling and is doing well."
"What?"
Hearing Shen Lang's words, Yue Ru Gou's eyes widened. "You're talking nonsense! How could Young Master Kong and the others silence their own people? You're trying to sow discord."
"Sow discord? Do I need to do that?" Shen Lang looked at Yue Ru Gou, speechless. "I didn't know who sent you before, but now I do. You can go."
Shen Lang withdrew his three golden needles and said to Yue Ru Gou, "Go back and tell Kong Wu Dao and Qi Tuo Jiang that I have arrived in Long Du. To reciprocate their gift, I will also prepare a gift for them, which I hope they will accept."
"Bang—"
As soon as he finished speaking, and before Yue Ru Gou could reply, Shen Lang struck her with his palm, sending her flying more than ten meters. Yue Ru Gou, enduring the pain, managed to stand up with difficulty and fled in a sorry state.
"Why didn't you kill her?"
Wang Yu Yan was somewhat surprised to see Shen Lang's rare act of leniency and asked.
Shen Lang smiled and replied, "It's a repayment for Qing Cheng Yue's great kindness in timely notifying me to save someone last time."