Chapter 459: The Secret of the Hidden Kill Order

"The Hidden Kill Pavilion isn't the only one to have inherited the ancient savage beast White Tiger's path of killing. The White Tiger Divine Hall similarly cultivates the savage beast White Tiger's own legacy of slaughter."

The Pavilion Master kept his eyes on Li Musheng as he spoke, and seeing a clear look of puzzlement on his face, continued, "I know Your Highness must be wondering, if the Hidden Kill Pavilion and the White Tiger Divine Hall both received the same legacy from the savage beast White Tiger, why is it that the Hidden Kill Pavilion is the one bound to submit to the White Tiger Divine Hall?"

At those words, Li Musheng said nothing, simply letting the Pavilion Master continue.

"The reason for this lies in the fact that, according to what the White King passed down, the essence of the savage beast White Tiger's path of killing is captured in the phrase, 'kill to end killing, kill to suppress killing.'"

"The Hidden Kill Pavilion, as an assassin organization, cultivates the way of hidden assassination, the concealed path of killing. But what the White Tiger Divine Hall inherited is a far more powerful path, the way of open and righteous killing, which is the true essence of the savage beast White Tiger's art of slaughter."

"The White Tiger Divine Hall commands a killing power that shatters all things, one from which nothing can hide beneath its killing intent, and this happens to be precisely what suppresses and dominates the Hidden Kill Pavilion's path of hidden assassination. What's more, when the White King originally founded the Hidden Kill Pavilion and passed down its killing techniques, he deliberately transmitted only an incomplete legacy, with the intention of keeping the Hidden Kill Pavilion in check."

The Pavilion Master spoke slowly, then let out a sigh, "When all is said and done, the White Tiger Divine Hall is the true legacy the White King intended to pass down. The Hidden Kill Pavilion was merely a sharp blade the White King left behind for his descendants to wield."

"What outsiders don't know is that the Hidden Kill Pavilion has, from the very beginning, existed only because of the White Tiger Divine Hall, and it is the White Tiger Divine Hall that truly controls the Hidden Kill Pavilion. This is a fact that even I have no power to change."

At those words, Li Musheng's expression turned thoughtful. The Pavilion Master had, in effect, made it quite clear to him that the Hidden Kill Pavilion had no way of standing against the White Tiger Divine Hall, and that the Divine Hall's will was, in the end, the final word.

At this point, the Assassination Saint beside him hesitated visibly before speaking, "I hope Your Highness can understand. It isn't that we don't support Your Highness in resisting the White Tiger Divine Hall. It's simply that, even bearing the title of Assassination Saint, we are still ultimately powerless against the White Tiger Divine Hall, and there is truly nothing we can do."

Li Musheng picked up the teacup beside him and took a sip, his expression giving nothing away. After finishing what they had to say, the Pavilion Master and the Assassination Saint both fell silent, as though waiting for Li Musheng to make his decision.

Before long, Li Musheng set down his teacup, gave the Pavilion Master and the Assassination Saint a long look, and said, "What I said earlier is my position, and it isn't going to change."

"As I've said, I have little interest in the Hidden Kill Pavilion, but starting from this moment, I am the Pavilion Master of the Hidden Kill Pavilion."

With that, Li Musheng's gaze settled on the bronze-masked Pavilion Master before him, "Treat this as something to actually act on. Send word immediately, throughout the entire Hidden Kill Pavilion and the martial world at large."

At those words, the Pavilion Master and the Assassination Saint exchanged a glance, and neither showed any further intention of trying to dissuade Li Musheng, immediately agreeing to comply.

"Once this news gets out, the White Tiger Divine Hall will absolutely not let this rest. Your Highness should prepare accordingly."

The Pavilion Master offered this word of caution, his expression beneath the bronze mask impossible to read.

Li Musheng remained perfectly composed, then raised a hand and beckoned toward the courtyard outside the main hall. The large black cat, which had been perched atop the courtyard wall the entire time, immediately perked up at the gesture, its eyes lighting up, and leaped down from the wall, transforming into a black blur as it dashed toward Li Musheng.

Before long, the large black cat scampered up to Li Musheng's side, let out a soft meow, its pair of green eyes occasionally darting to study the Pavilion Master and the Assassination Saint in the hall.

Even so, the large black cat naturally understood how formidable these two old figures truly were, and had no intention of provoking either of them.

"There's no rush on the White Tiger Divine Hall matter. Now, let's discuss something I'm more interested in."

At this point, Li Musheng spoke slowly, then reached out and grabbed at the large black cat. The Hidden Kill Order, which had been worn around the cat's neck like a collar, immediately shot up and landed in Li Musheng's hand.

"Back in the Great Li imperial capital, I mentioned the situation with the Hidden Kill Order to you. Have you made any progress on that matter?"

Li Musheng turned his gaze to the Pavilion Master, who looked at the collar in Li Musheng's hand and considered for a moment before saying, "After returning from Shangyang City, I did investigate this matter. The Hidden Kill Order is extremely important and unusual to the Hidden Kill Pavilion. According to the Pavilion's records, it was passed down by the White King, and very likely originates from the burial site of the ancient savage beast White Tiger's remains."

As he said this, the Pavilion Master's gaze shifted to the large black cat beside Li Musheng, narrowing his eyes slightly, "As for what Your Highness mentioned before, about the Hidden Kill Order reacting to a cat, that is genuinely too strange a thing, and there is no clear record of anything like it within the Hidden Kill Pavilion."

"Even so, after consulting the Pavilion's ancient texts, I do have a theory about this. Would Your Highness be interested in hearing it?"

At those words, the large black cat's eyes darted about restlessly, while Li Musheng gave a nod, indicating for the Pavilion Master to continue.

The fact that the large black cat produced a golden glow in reaction to the Hidden Kill Order had genuinely piqued his curiosity and interest, but this wasn't the true purpose of his trip to White Emperor City, and he hadn't had much time to spare to investigate it further.

If the Pavilion Master before him could solve this particular mystery, that would naturally be for the best.

At this point, the Pavilion Master thought for a moment, then said, "Your Highness should still recall that I once mentioned the matter of the White Tiger Ominous Destiny. Though the Hidden Kill Order doesn't produce a glowing reaction with anyone possessing the White Tiger Ominous Destiny, there is nonetheless a certain mysterious connection between the two, one that exists beyond ordinary understanding."

"And from what I've gathered through my research, among the many who possess the White Tiger Ominous Destiny, there actually exists an extraordinarily rare and special type of destiny."

As he said this, the Pavilion Master narrowed his eyes and fixed his gaze on the large black cat, as though trying to see straight through it.

Faced with the Pavilion Master's stare, the large black cat's fur immediately bristled, and it hurriedly ducked behind Li Musheng.

The Pavilion Master withdrew his gaze from the hiding cat and spoke with a meaningful tone, "Your Highness, this cat is surely no ordinary animal. I would guess that hidden within its body is a person of divine nature."

At those words, Li Musheng gave a slight nod. That the Pavilion Master, as head of the Hidden Kill Pavilion, would know of the existence of people of divine nature didn't particularly surprise him.

At this point, seeing Li Musheng confirm his suspicion, the Pavilion Master gave the large black cat, its head still poking out from behind Li Musheng, a long look and said, "The reason this cat reacts to the Hidden Kill Order, I suspect, is that the person of divine nature hidden within it must likewise possess the White Tiger Ominous Destiny."

"And what's more, this White Tiger Ominous Destiny must be extraordinarily unusual, and quite possibly the very same type of destiny as that White King from a thousand years ago."

At those words, not only Li Musheng and the large black cat with its ears perked up, but even the Assassination Saint standing nearby showed a clear flicker of surprise.