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After Bai Huang ran out, Moon helplessly told Aleya and Felita:

“You two stay by sir City Lord’s side. Regardless of what we speculate, the enemy doesn’t seem to have any plans on killing anyone. This is one of the rare buffer periods for us.”

The implication behind these words was a wish for Aleya and Felita to become as strong as possible during this period of time.

I could see that the look on Moon’s face wasn’t too good, so I walked over and patted his shoulder:

“Don’t give yourself too much pressure, just do your work with confidence. Regardless of what the outcome is, I won’t blame you.”

Moon shook her head and whispered:

“I might know why an assassin is targeting us.”

His expression was complex as he looked at me and explained:

“While my reputation isn’t spread across the land, those【Secret Divisions】are just as capable as Bai Feng being able to find me at the brothel performing opera. Those Overlords with outstanding information-gathering capabilities are just as aware of my existence. That includes Felita, Fang Thirteen, and all the other relatively well-known people in the west. But now, due to all sorts of reasons, everyone served all sorts of powers and there was no way to integrate them. But now that you’ve come, you’ve gathered all of us into West-Resisting City in one go and even got Yun Hai’s Bai Huang to join. In the eyes of some certain people, your actions have already formed a threat to them.”

As Moon spoke, he patted my shoulder and jokingly said:

“But thankfully you’re relatively useless, lowering our average value.”

I deeply thought that it was true, but immediately after thinking that, I felt that something was wrong and tsukkomi-ed:

“Mm……mm?? Is this your way of praising me???”

Moon nodded heavily and responded with a grin:

“In the eyes of those people, you left Lingyun City because you weren’t able to win Li Yi; later on, your singing and dancing in women’s wear made you a laughingstock; even later on, you were driven out of Yunyang; and after after after that, you cooperated with Fang Yuan to breach Sky Star City yet still had to return the cities that you obtained. To sum it up, your reputation as a whole is basically negative. As a result, the overwhelming majority of people fundamentally don’t pay any mind to West-Resisting City and them doing so gives us an opportunity to develop and expand in secret.”

Moon tidied up the loose hairs dangling down on her temples, then calmly continued:

“But there are still some smart people in this world. Under the rule of the thirty-six Overlords of Eternal Heaven are several hundred large and small City Lords, so it’s impossible for all of them to be idiots. Occasionally, someone will drop in to look for trouble, but that’s just normal. The assassin from this time is a wake-up call for us; from now on, we cannot despise the outstanding talents in this world.”

Moon’s words were very reasonable, so I was very gratified that my internal affairs auxiliary minister’s strategic insight had grown one step further.

Even if his gaze when looking at people was still as bad as in the past.

As early as when I saw Bai Feng……no, when I saw Fang Yuan, I discovered that this world was actually quite interesting. When I stayed in Lingyun City in the past, the people I dealt with were all disappointing despotic noble heirs. While it may make one feel like they’re tyrannizing the weak when dealing with such idiots, it’s very easy for one to integrate into this circle over time and become one of the idiots.

This is also why I anxiously wanted to meet the【Yun Hai’s Phoenix】, whose reputations spread far and wide, when I arrived at West-Resisting City and officially obtained my freedom.

But, in conformance with the principle of ‘I’ll deal with whoever deals with me’, I don’t intend on letting off the influence behind the assassin.

I desire for them to understand one truth.

Peaceful coexistence is the best outcome between societies; if you don’t seek death, then you won’t die. We originally had no grievances or enmity among us, why purposefully make your own road narrower and narrower.

For the entire afternoon, Felita spent her time engrossed in reading and learn from books in the library.

I wanted to take the opportunity to give her some pointers by bringing over some snacks, but the result of me bringing over some chopped fruits ended up with her unyieldingly keeping me outside the entrance. Felita bit her lip with bright red cheeks. After quite a long while, she spoke very briefly:

“If master is by my side, I won’t be able to learn.”

“I’ll want to rub myself on master’s body, it’s like an instinct that’s deeply penetrated my blood and veins.”

“I won’t be able to resist it, my heart won’t calm down——mmgh. Now, now it’s already……”

As Felita panted for breath, she suddenly rushed over to hug me, bury her face in my chest and rubbed herself against it. Then, she deeply breathed in, ran back, and closed the door:

“So, not for the time being!”

I’ve been rejected, sigh.

I went over to find Aleya; she happened to be practicing her sword in the courtyard. But when I came over, she was in the middle of sitting cross-legged on the ground with【Roaming Dragon】still in its sheath and on the ground in front of her. Aleya was motionless, as if she had already reached the realm of man-sword unity and became a sword immortal roaming above heaven.

I walked over and stood by her side.

If other people approached Aleya at this time, Aleya would have very likely already taken out her sword and made a move. But it was different with me; after all these years of being in contact with her day and night, Aleya was already very familiar with my aura. So when I approached and went to sit in front of her, Aleya maintained her motionlessness.

I propped my face up with my hand and stared blankly at her almost-sleeping-like peaceful face.

Aleya was originally quite good-looking and I happened to like her as well, so continuously staring at her didn’t tire me out.

After approximately half an hour passed by, Aleya opened her eyes and called out:

“Young master.”

I beamingly asked her:

“What’s up, did you sense anything?”

Aleya responded:

“Mm. I was trying to comprehend the mystery of the Zen Sword.”

I inquired with confusion:

“Zen Sword? The Zen Sword that the Level 10 Grand Sword Hero by the King’s side cultivates? It’s claimed that it’s the pinnacle of comprehending the Dao, but it’s an illusory legend in the end. Depending on another’s indeterminate words and secretly learning from it will make you appear to not have practiced at all on the surface.”

Aleya looked at the sword between us and said:

“People all say that ‘for the world, for the common people, for society, the boundless earth, and every living being’ is the Sword Path’s true summit. It is also the sole way to cultivate the Zen Sword. But I think what young master says is right; the heroes in this world are too too few. We are all common people and in order to survive, we have no choice but to get rid of those people blocking our path. Therefore, I’m very curious. The Zen Sword’s ‘Zen’ is the meaning of principle. If I used young master’s principle in place of ‘Zen’ and replaced ‘saving’ with ‘killing’, then what would it ultimately turn into?”

I questioned:

“Then when you were relaxing with your eyes closed, what answer did you realize for this question?”

Aleya hung down her head and replied:

“I saw a blood-colored landscape. Crimson skies, crimson earth, and crimson rivers and lakes. The winds had the scent of blood and was sticky, making it hard for people to breath. There was only myself in that place and when I went to look under my feet, I discovered that it wasn’t soil I was stepping on, but a mountain of innumerable corpses piled on top of one another.”

I lowered my gaze:

“That is the Asura Path, the pinnacle of killing. If you truly wish to reach great heights, then this is precisely your future.”

Aleya softly whispered:

“For young master, Aleya will kill all living things between heaven and earth.”

I smiled and rubbed Aleya’s head.

On this day, Aleya’s Sword Path was still Level 5 at greater perfection realm, but her mental state had gone up a level. To use an analogy, it’s like stabilizing a foundation even further. This happens to be the outcome that Heji’s trying to reach by pressing down his realm at Level 6 Swordsman at greater perfection for so many years.

Should I say that it’s a fortuitous outcome or something fate decreed?

To paraphrase commander Li’s words——

Ai, Aleya, you’re a real ******* genius!

I patted her shoulder and said:

“Come, the assassin won’t be burning the rations and fodder today since Bai Huang and Heji have already gone to prepare. Hurry and clean up, I’ll bring you to watch the bustling scene.”