At Cloud Sect, Kenneth bore the most power. If Kane, who had an astonishing amount of talent, didn't
take over the reins of the Burning Sky Palace in the Imperial Capital, the head of the Cloud Sect would
dominate the entire Eastern Region.
The vice leader held the second highest amount of power. The elders were next in the hierarchy,
followed by the saints.
In truth, the power that a saint was granted depended a lot on his age. If their talents weren't good
enough, they would remain stuck at the Cloud Sect. The exalted Cloud Hall had no interest in admitting
those of mediocre talent.
In the past, Zen had had conflicts with the saints. At the court trial that day, it was Saint Zara who had
conducted the trial on him.
Naturally, Zen was more alert now, knowing that his opponent was Saint Zara's disciple.
Johanson didn't wear the purple robe of the personal disciple. Instead, he had donned a solid black
coat. He was dark-skinned and thin, and he stood opposite Zen like a weak child, with no apparent
momentum emanating from his person.
If the crowd didn't know that he was, in fact, Johanson, they would dismiss him as a frail student on
appearance alone. The inconspicuous boy did not look like the top disciple of Cloud Sect that he was.
Everybody had the momentum. For instance, a child had a childish momentum, a general had an
executioner's momentum, while a scholar had a civilized momentum. The momentum was on display
for everyone at any given space or time. The momentum of the ordinary, however, was not as eye-
catching as that of the warrior.
It depended on the human's blood and vitality. After cultivation, warriors usually showed signs of
bearing stronger vitality than ordinary people. They could be as tough as bulls, and thus exuded
stronger momentum.
But Johanson could restrain his momentum. Apparently, he knew the secret to conceal it.
Stepping on the competition field, Zen summoned life vitality to his body. He was not afraid of those
who appeared to be tough outwardly, but were timid inside, such as Vale. Zen could see through Vale
immediately. But this Johanson... he appeared to be a mystery.
Just as the referee declared the battle open, Johanson laughed, the voice hollow and strange. Without
another word, he began the fight.
Black life vitality spread across his body continually, flowing behind him like ribbons of broken fabric as
he moved. Floating in the air, he looked like a ghost.
As Johanson flew around Zen, the black shadows remained behind, still in mid-air. The shadows were
different from Zen's demonic phantoms which acted like silhouettes. The black shadows, on the other
hand, were similar to Johanson's own body, as if each of them was a duplicated figure of him.
'The life vitality avatar has donned the shape of his body. The cultivation method he has practiced
seems to be either of illusion or assassination, ' Zen reflected, realizing that he knew what Johanson
intended to do. The black shadows on the competition field blended in with his black coat with ease
and could act as his shield when required. Johanson wanted to bend the atmosphere of the battlefield
to his favor.
Zen fixed his attention on Johanson, not betraying his emotions. He didn't dare relax. Johanson was
certainly aware of Zen's gaze on him. His movements were languid as he arranged the black shadows.
The more black shadows on the competition field, the more chaos there would be. The scenario would
work to his advantage.
After a while, Johanson sped up. His figure disappeared from the competition field, finally escaping
Zen's attention.
'Is he hiding somewhere?' Zen frowned as he scanned the black shadows floating one after another.
He couldn't lock in on Johanson's position.
For this type of assassination attack, Zen did not have an answer. Johanson had concealed all of
himself. Zen had to plan and take the action afterward. Once Johanson attacked him, he would fight
back.
But would Johanson give him that opportunity?
Johanson floated in the air, one among the many dark shadows. He looked at Zen indifferently. He had
already targeted Zen, but didn't spread the killing intent as of yet. Hiding the intent was one of his many
talents.
Johanson also cultivated the martial arts, but unlike most warriors, he mainly practiced the
assassinating method.
Once, there had been a tribe called the Shadow Group in the Eastern Region. It was said that the
headquarters of the group was on the other side of the continent, and that the Shadow Group in the
Eastern Region was only a sub-sect.
Even as a small branch, it had made praiseworthy achievements in the history of the Eastern Region.
At least ten emperors, including three of the Burning Sky Empire were killed by the assassins of
Shadow Group.
The members of the group were specialized in assassinating. They had the confidence to kill an
opponent more powerful than them.
The Shadow Group's existence was a great threat to the Burning Sky Empire, as well as to the top
seven noble clans. No emperor or powerful man wished to live in the vicinity of killers who threatened
their very existence.
Three hundred years ago, the Burning Sky Empire joined hands with the Cloud Sect and the top seven
noble clans to slaughter the Shadow Group. The group of assassins in the Eastern Region gradually
fell apart. They hadn't been able to recover in the past three hundred years.
Johanson was born during this period in the Eastern Region, a genius of the Shadow Group.
He had the innate talent of hiding breath and soul force far beyond others of his age. These two strong
points ensured he'd go far on the road of assassination.
His aim was to get out of the Eastern Region and make his way to the Shadow Group's headquarters
on the other side of the continent, so he could compete with the young talents belonging to the same
sect and tribe as him. The Cloud Sect and the Cloud Hall served as mere springboards for his talent.
For an assassin, it was most important to gather information first. This was his first time to fight in the
All Peaks Competition. But, he had watched each round of battles keenly and made mental notes of
the varieties of strength and features of the disciples participating in the contest.
The display of strength by Zen, who was currently only at grade two of the nature level, had surprised
Johanson. It seemed that the boy had talent not inferior to his. Zen had such rare power at a lower
level. If he stepped into the Illuminating Soul Realm someday, would he defeat the powerful men sitting
at the top?
As Johanson had watched the contest while shrinking into a corner on the sidelines, his master, Saint
Zara, suddenly informed him to prepare for battle, his opponent being Zen. His master required him to
kill Zen.
"In the battlefield, you must kill Zen, but pretend it is an accident."
Johanson was the best among all geniuses. He was not jealous of any other, nor afraid to fight an
exceptional talent. Only after he had successfully fought another genius would he prove his outstanding
skills. Even before, he had wanted to be in a battle against Zen.
His master wanted him to murder Zen.
It was an accepted notion that the fist was blind. A few disciples were killed in accidents at the All
Peaks Competition every time.
However, nobody dared to kill an opponent on the competition field brazenly.
His master's proposal excited Johanson. The idea of killing a genius made him smile inwardly, and he
accepted the order calmly.
In conceit, he thought he would kill Zen in an instant.
Zen was like his prey. Johanson wanted to trap the prey, watch as he squirmed and struggled in vain,
see the fear take over his face before he died of regret. He wanted to overpower Zen completely.
The black shadows were his shadow killing array, a network of traps set up by him.
But the expression on Zen's face made Johanson unhappy. Being trapped, Zen should be fearful. At
the very least, he should show signs of panic.
But he didn't find any hint of alarm on Zen's face. On the contrary, Zen looked calm and tranquil, as if
he wasn't aware that he had been taken as prey.
It was not amusing in the least.
Johanson felt it necessary to pressurize him even more.
"Hahah..."
Johanson laughed horribly.
A depressing atmosphere could demoralize the prey and make him nervous. Chaos was the perfect
set-up to reveal one's weakness. It was a frequent way of assassins to trap their opponents thusly.
When the group attempted an assassination late hours into the night, some of them cried out with
voices like those of ghosts. The restless prey was too dumbfounded to react intelligibly and it was a
sure-shot kill within mere seconds.
As Johanson burst into peals of cold laughter, the dark shadows laughed along with him. One could not
grasp his location from the sounds.
"So you can laugh? I thought you were dumb!" Zen spoke out.
Hearing that, Johanson stopped laughing. Was Zen implying that he was an idiot? Was Zen tricking
him? Johanson grew furious immediately.
At the same time, Zen began to move. Six demonic phantoms appeared from behind him, rushing
toward Johanson swiftly.
Johanson breathed in deeply and spurred his figure to transform into a black shadow. One of the
demonic phantoms flew past his ear.
It was a narrow encounter, but it was dangerous.
Zen smiled. "What a pity. You have cultivated well enough that you're able to hide. But being irritated by
me, you've shown me where you are!"
The boy had an acute sense of perception!
He could sense where Johanson was by judging his emotional fluctuation alone...
"Nice. You have some good skills, but you can't match me," said the black shadows of Johanson, all at
the same time.
"If you think I'm not worthy of being your opponent, stop floating around me just to find opportunities.
Come out and beat me. It should be easy for you. But I know you wouldn't do it because you are a
coward. Why would I believe I can't outmatch you?" Zen retorted, still with a smile.
Hearing this, Johanson's anger almost flared up again, but he restrained it. What had happened? He
knew how to remain calm, so why was he being so capricious at this boy's clear provoking words?
'Stay calm!'
Johanson told himself as he recited the Ten Commandments for an Assassin mentally.
As a mature assassin, one must guard himself against arrogance, indiscretion, anger...
Between killing and getting killed, it was a hard psychological game to play.
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