Chapter 400: Ghost Blade's Favor

Long Ming was surprised when he heard what Chen Qingye did. “Assassination? Like, are you really…”

“I am an elder of the Black Sun Order. In the entire plane, our Black Sun Order ranks among the top hundred most powerful sects and families.” Chen Qingye chuckled. “So yes, I’m telling the truth.”

“Grand Dao of Darkness and assassination, you chose a very compatible pair.” Long Ming sighed. “What’s more important for an assassin than stealth?”

“But I am curious.” Long Ming looked at Chen Qingye. “Can you kill the Emperor of Wind Roc?”

Chen Qingye’s smile stiffened when he heard the question. “Uhmm, Young Master… it’s not impossible, but I certainly won’t do it.”

“Oh?” Long Ming raised his brows. “The emperor is that powerful, huh?”

“Emperor Feng is indeed powerful, yes.” Chen Qingye gave a wry smile. “But you also have to account for what stands behind him. The heritage of the Wind Roc Empire, its very foundation, was laid by a Heavenly Emperor. Across thousands of years, the empire has stood tall.”

“Given the chance, I might take on the emperor. But the Imperial Palace…” Chen Qingye sighed. “Heavens know what kind of monstrosities lurk there.”

Long Ming nodded. “Indeed. Being a successful assassin means you can kill your target and return safely. You’re an assassin, not a suicide killer.”

Suddenly, Long Ming’s eyes sparkled. “If you’re from a larger assassin order, that means your intelligence network must be vast, right?”

After all, the most crucial step in any assassination is gathering intel on the target. So assassin organizations tend to be excellent information-gathering organizations as well.

“While I can’t say we’re the best, or that we know everything under the heavens, I can assure you that, given time, I can find out almost anything.”

“That’s great.” Long Ming clapped his hands. “Then I’d like some extensive knowledge about the plane, along with a list of a few people who fall under certain criteria.”

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**[Ding! You have managed to establish your presence and gathered important information! You have gained 100,000 LP]**

*Oh, I forgot about this system. It’s really a background system,* Long Ming sighed as he opened the system shop.

[Ding! Harem King of Nine Worlds is curious about Chen Yuan’s condition]

[Ding! Constellation Hardship Lover (Not Masochist) says the Host should check the root cause of the problem]

“Nope! I will not.” Long Ming sneered. “Heaven knows what kind of ancient shit is lurking there. And can’t you see my condition?”

[Ding! Demon King of Lust is asking what the Host is going to do]

Long Ming shrugged. “What? I’m sure I have a good solution.”

Searching through the system window, Long Ming purchased an item called Aura Stone.

[Aura Stone: A simple magical treasure that can absorb and contain aura]

Long Ming closed the screen and walked back downstairs. Chen Yuan was sitting quietly on a wooden stool, kicking his legs back and forth.

Walking over with a light smile, Long Ming pulled out a blank talisman sheet and drew a simple runic chain. It was just a basic interlocking loop used in entry-level array formations. He handed the paper to the boy. “Here, little brother. Why don’t you try to break the central rune without breaking the ones on the side?”

Chen Yuan’s eyes lit up instantly. The boy took the paper, totally engrossed, his small fingers tracing the spiritual strokes with serious focus.

Watching the kid stare so intently at the runes, Long Ming felt a momentary tug in his chest. His mind drifted back to the days when he sat beside Luo Yingying, working through basic formations and rune inscriptions.

It felt like a lifetime ago. I wonder how the people back in Four Seasons Valley are doing right now, he thought, a faint trace of nostalgia lingering in his heart.

Shaking off the wandering thoughts, Long Ming reached down and placed two fingers on Chen Yuan’s shoulder. He gently circulated his spiritual qi, letting it slip quietly into the boy’s dried-out meridians.

The moment his spiritual qi approached, the black, mutated residue inside Chen Yuan reacted. It possessed a horrifying, primal instinct. Sensing the surging spiritual qi inside the body, the foreign mist twisted and tried to scatter deeper into the boy’s bone marrow to flee.

*Trying to run?* Long Ming sneered inwardly.

Without hesitation, Long Ming triggered the Eternal True Spirit Art. A sharp, invisible spiritual shock exploded directly against the fleeing black mist.

“Ah!” Chen Yuan cried out in sudden pain, stumbling sideways off the stool.

“Yuan’er!” Chen Qingye rushed forward instantly, his face pale with concern as he supported his son.

Before Chen Qingye could even ask, Long Ming pressed the cool Aura Stone firmly against Chen Yuan’s chest. The stone flashed with a dim light, instantly siphoning the stunned, fragmented trace of the black parasite right out of the boy’s pores.

“Relax, Brother Chen,” Long Ming said, slipping the Aura Stone into his sleeve. “I only needed to extract a clean sample of the ailment. Now that I have it, dealing with it will be much easier.”

Long Ming turned around and walked into his study. A brief moment later, he walked back out holding a written parchment and a dark jade pendant.

He handed both items to Chen Qingye. “Find the Life Needle again. I’m sure he can follow this exact method. It will stabilize the boy’s damaged foundation. As for this pendant, keep it tied to his body at all times. It will ensure his condition doesn’t worsen for at least a full year.”

Chen Qingye took the paper and skimmed the instructions. His eyes went wide, completely baffled by the strange combinations of herbs and methods written there.

Yet, feeling the heavy, miraculous suppression coming from the pendant, he swallowed his confusion. He bowed deeply with immense gratitude. “Thank you, Young Master Long! I will prepare the herbs immediately!”

Without wasting another second, Chen Qingye scooped up his son and hurriedly left the shop.

Long Ming watched them leave, leaning back against the counter. He knew very well why Chen Qingye had looked so baffled.

Earlier, when Long Ming inspected the captured sample in the Aura Stone, he’d confirmed his theory.

The mutated otherworldly miasma was terrified of pure tribulation lightning, exactly like the fiends he had fought back in the Heavenly Fountain Palace.

And deep inside his own divine sea, Long Ming still possessed the residual sparks of the wrathful heavenly tribulation lightning he had endured before.

Because of that, he’d written a specific prescription designed to guide Yang Lightning essence through the meridians, safely burning away the corruption without killing the boy.

As for the pendant, it was no ordinary trinket. Long Ming had spent 50,000 LP in the system shop to buy the Three Energy Sealing Pendant. A steep price, but nothing compared to the worth of a Dao Refining Realm cultivator’s favor.

*Smack!*

A loud slap broke the silence. Long Ming jumped slightly, turning to see Feng Xinye violently slapping her own thigh, her mouth wide open.

“I remember now!” Feng Xinye yelled, her pale golden eyes shining with utter disbelief. “Chen Qingye! That’s the Ghost Blade, Chen Qingye!”

Long Ming blinked. “Ghost Blade?”

“Yes! He’s an absolute maniac from the Black Sun Order!” Feng Xinye pointed dramatically toward the empty doorway. “Years ago, he snuck directly into the Sacred Lands of the Earth Tiger Tribe all by himself! He assassinated their High Shaman right under their noses and still managed to break through their perimeter! He escaped alive even after being hunted across three provinces by two terrifying Elder Demons!”

Long Ming took a slow sip of his cooled tea and chuckled softly. “Is that so? Sneaking past ancient guards and walking away from two Elder Demons… that is quite impressive indeed.”

It seemed this tattered customer was truly far more dangerous than he appeared on the surface.

[ Ding! You have managed to make a Dao Refining Realm Cultivator owe you without doing anything! Host has received a Star Platinum Grade Chest! Host has received 500,000 LP!]