"Blood Skull?" Martial Heaven's pupils contracted.
The students exchanged glances. Those who knew the implications of this name couldn't suppress the cold sweat trickling down their spines.
"Could it be that Blood Skull - one of the three great dark forces of Central Province?"
"Rumors say the Blood Skull employs vile methods and is utterly ruthless. Once targeted by them, you're like a bone-embedded maggot - impossible to shake off unless they achieve their goal."
"My God, why would the Blood Skull come after us?"
The students collapsed into panic. Across the continent, mere mention of the three great dark forces struck terror into all hearts!
"Martial Heaven, we meet again!"
A sinister chuckle echoed as a gaunt old man emerged from his cloak, revealing eerie green eyes that glimmered with malice.
Martial Heaven's face stiffened into a mask. He snorted coldly, "I never expected the prestigious Blood Skull would send you for an assassination. It's been too long, Demonic Crow Godking!"
The moment "Godking" was uttered, despair flooded the students' hearts.
This sinister old man before them - could he truly be a Godking realm expert?
The Demonic Crow Godking burst into laughter. "When facing the Combat Star, we mustn't take it lightly."
Martial Heaven asked gravely, "Who issued this mission?"
The Demonic Crow Godking cackled. "You think I'd reveal that? Remember when you were merely a Combat Zongshi? In just a few years, you've grown to such heights."
Martial Heaven drew a deep breath. "The academy's headmaster once struck you down from a thousand miles away, nearly crushing you with a single palm strike. I never expected you to recover so quickly. It seems your Blood Skull refuses to mend fences and remains determined to oppose our Celestial Academy?"
As the past surfaced, the Demonic Crow Godking's eyes glinted with a sinister green light. He replied warily, "My Blood Skull merely executes client requests. We harbor no desire to clash with the Celestial Academy."
"Then why obstruct our academy's flying ship?" Martial Heaven demanded.
The students felt a glimmer of hope. Even if this Blood Skull proved vicious and powerful, it wouldn't dare confront the Celestial Academy directly!
Qin Yang furrowed his brow. The Celestial Academy's reputation is truly that formidable?
"Of course, because the person I wish to kill is on your flying ship," the Demonic Crow Godking said with a sinister chuckle. "The Blood Skull doesn't want to openly clash with the Celestial Academy. I can refrain from acting personally and send only my subordinates to pursue. But in return, you mustn't interfere either!"
"Impossible!" Martial Heaven rejected outright.
Even the weakest of the Demonic Crow Godking's subordinates could crush his students. This was essentially forcing him to surrender without a fight.
"You want to kill my students? Over my dead body!" Martial Heaven's words rang with finality.
The Demonic Crow Godking glared at Martial Heaven, this mission giving him a headache. A direct confrontation would mean exterminating everyone on the ship.
And the Celestial Academy's wrath? The Blood Skull couldn't possibly endure it.
But making Martial Heaven yield? The Demonic Crow Godking knew his stubborn nature - that was equally impossible.
"How about this?" the Demonic Crow Godking proposed. "I'll send a Zongshi-level subordinate to make a single strike. If he survives by chance, the Blood Skull will abandon the mission immediately."
"Oh?" Martial Heaven's eyebrow twitched.
As the notoriously unreliable Blood Skull, they had broken their word more than once. Though they would never betray their employer by revealing their name, abandoning missions was a common occurrence.
In truth, the Blood Skull hadn't originally intended to take this job, but the tempting reward had convinced them to give it a try.
"Who do you want to kill?" Martial Heaven relaxed, fearing it might be a descendant of the Qin family—Qin Yang perhaps? If it was Qin Yang, even ten Zongshi Realm experts attacking him with full force might not stand a chance...
The Demonic Crow Godking's heart swelled with delight. "So you agree?"
Without further ado, the Demonic Crow Godking declared, "The one we seek to kill is Qu Qingge."
"Qu Qingge?" Martial Heaven's expression froze, completely unprepared for this revelation.
"Qu Qingge? I vaguely remember him. Isn't he the person ranked at number one hundred?"
The students began whispering among themselves.
"This guy never interacted with anyone. So reserved and quiet. How could he provoke the Blood Skull's wrath?"
"They always called him the lucky one. I heard he only managed to squeeze into the top hundred at the very last moment."
Some people grumbled, "He brought trouble on himself and now drags us all down..."
In the crowd, a bookish-looking youth clenched his fists, then relaxed them. His face showed a mixture of resignation and confusion, his heart filled with both misunderstanding and defiance.
"Come out, Blood Seven!" the Demonic Crow Godking commanded.
A middle-aged man in a crimson robe stained with blood suddenly appeared, leaping onto the deck of Celestial Academy's flying ship.
All students recoiled in horror, even Qu Qingge taking two steps back. Remembering he shouldn't involve his classmates, he gritted his teeth and stopped.
Qin Yang stood firm, shielding Lou Mengyu behind him as he glared at Blood Seven with undisguised disgust. "You reek of blood. Absolutely revolting!" he said, wrinkling his nose.
Blood Seven's eyes flashed with anger. "You little brat! Just wait - your blood will be staining these robes too!"
The implication hung heavy in the air - this robe was truly soaked in blood!
Everyone felt their stomachs churn, nearly vomiting up their breakfast.
"Blood Seven? The tenth Warrior Grandmaster? It's actually him?" Martial Heaven blurted out.
The Warrior Grandmasters represented the ten strongest combatants among the Zongshi Realm experts on the continent. The mere title alone was enough to strike fear across the entire land.
Qu Qingge's face filled with despair. If facing an ordinary Zongshi Realm cultivator, his Qi Sea Realm strength might have spared him. But against a Warrior Grandmaster... he had no hope of survival!
"Haha, did you think I'd make such promises lightly? Would I risk my reputation without absolute certainty?" The Demonic Crow Godking laughed triumphantly.
Now he could avoid offending Celestial Academy while completing his mission - a perfect double win!
"This is your promise!" the Demonic Crow Godking declared.
Martial Heaven's eyes glinted, and he smiled. "True, it was my promise."
Qu Qingge sighed inwardly. He harbored no resentment toward Martial Heaven; after all, their opponent was a Divine King realm cultivator. If preserving his own life meant sacrificing Martial Heaven and all his classmates, he'd rather die!
Just as he was about to step forward in resignation, Martial Heaven spoke:
"Um... Qu Qingge, have Lou Mengyu keep her distance from you."
The students froze, including Qu Qingge. His position was already the farthest from Lou Mengyu...
Qin Yang glanced around. Lou Mengyu isn't behind me? Qu Qingge? Who's that? Me?
He looked at Martial Heaven in confusion, only to receive a conspiratorial wink in return!
Qin Yang rolled his eyes but didn't protest. He was more than willing to help - after all, this Qu Qingge person was still his classmate.
Neither Qu Qingge's death nor Martial Heaven's desperate battle were outcomes Qin Yang desired.
Clearing his throat, Qin Yang asked, "One move, right?"