"You... you really are..." Plum Blossom Swordsman looked at the black-robed man before him, his voice trembling slightly.
It was the same familiar figure, the same familiar voice.
His nightmare, the strongest assassin in Xuanwu!
"Seven!" Plum Blossom Swordsman uttered the name with a grave expression.
The next second, a sleeve arrow shot from his right sleeve, flying straight towards Seven.
Seven, unhurried, hooked his right index finger slightly.
Ding!
A fragment split off from the Thousand Demon Daggers and shot out.
The two collided, producing a crisp metallic sound.
"What's up, asshole? Trying to sneak attack me?" Seven glanced disdainfully at Plum Blossom Swordsman, his tone scornful.
'So fast!' Plum Blossom Swordsman's pupils contracted sharply. A long, slender precious sword flew out from behind him, thrusting forward fiercely.
The Plum Blossom Sword Style was known for its unpredictability, agility, and ethereality.
Caught off guard, even Seven, the strongest Shadow Assassin of Xuanwu who had once defeated him instantly, might not be able to handle it!
"Be defeated!" Plum Blossom Swordsman's face twisted ferociously as he thrust with all his might.
However…
"Too slow. I could outrun you just by walking, old man." A lazy voice sounded by his ear.
'How could this be?!'
Plum Blossom Swordsman slowly turned his head, his eyes filled with disbelief.
What he had stabbed was merely an afterimage left by Seven.
His opponent's speed had already surpassed the speed of sound, surpassed what the naked eye could follow.
Even the sonic boom hadn't had time to sound before he had already arrived behind him.
"This move is called a hand chop." A faint smile curled on Seven's lips as he lightly raised his right hand.
Tap.
Plum Blossom Swordsman only felt the world spin before his eyes and immediately lost consciousness.
Phew.
Seeing his opponent lose the ability to fight, Seven also let out a long sigh of relief.
A drop of cold sweat trickled down his forehead.
Although he made it look easy, every step was actually walking a tightrope.
Seven, having only recovered one-tenth of his strength, wasn't particularly strong in terms of energy or stamina.
A state surpassing the speed of sound like the one just now could be maintained for ten seconds at most.
If he failed to instantly defeat Plum Blossom Swordsman within that time, he could very well fall into the opponent's rhythm and be slowly worn down.
"Heh heh, the Group Owner was right. He indeed tried to sneak attack me first thing." Seven chuckled mischievously and swiftly tied up Plum Blossom Swordsman.
His opponent wasn't weak.
If he didn't restrain him properly, he wasn't confident he could pull off another instant defeat.
The time it takes for one incense stick to burn later, Plum Blossom Swordsman felt a splash of cold water on his face and woke up.
The first thing he saw was Seven's cold face.
"I came to your manor this time not to pick a fight, but to ask about something." Seven's sharp gaze fixed directly on Plum Blossom Swordsman's face.
"What is it?" Plum Blossom Swordsman's eyes narrowed, his voice lowering.
He was a man who knew how to adapt to circumstances.
He knew when he could be tough and when he should yield.
"What happened three years ago, when I was in Xuanwu?" Seven took a deep breath and asked slowly.
"Due to certain events, I lost my memories from that period."
"You once challenged me. You should know something about my past, right?"
'So that was the reason.'
Plum Blossom Swordsman's expression turned somewhat strange.
He had long heard that the Shadow Assassin Seven's disappearance was due to some accident.
He never expected it was amnesia.
"I don't know the details of your past. What I can tell you is just some information I personally know." Plum Blossom Swordsman cleared his throat and began to recount slowly.
Three years ago was precisely when Seven's reputation was at its peak and his strength was greatest.
He joined the Assassin Organization at fourteen.
Obtained the title of one of the Seven Shadow Assassins at sixteen.
Before he was seventeen, he had successively killed five powerful figures on the 'Wanted List's' top ten.
Because of that, he became famous overnight.
Countless people in the martial world wanted to challenge Seven.
"But when I sought you out back then, it wasn't for those vain reputations. It was because of one person."
"Who?"
"Qing Feng." Plum Blossom Swordsman's gaze became distant as he recalled the past.
"At that time, Qing Feng seemed to be the only one in the organization who knew your origins. After you achieved the fame of the strongest assassin, he sought out powerful individuals everywhere, giving us reasons we couldn't refuse to challenge you."
'Reasons they couldn't refuse?'
Seven frowned and asked in a low voice, "What reasons?"
"This... Ah, in the martial world, aside from fame and profit, what else is there to seek?" Plum Blossom Swordsman's face stiffened slightly as he shook his head.
"He said you were the Assassin Organization's designated next leader. As long as we defeated you, we would gain the allegiance of the entire Assassin Organization."
Hearing Plum Blossom Swordsman's explanation, Seven immediately showed a look of disdain.
"That's obviously made up. You believed it?"
"Uh... back then, your reputation was just too immense. Plus, Qing Feng held an extremely high position in the Assassin Organization. I thought, given his status, he probably wouldn't lie." Plum Blossom Swordsman rubbed his nose, somewhat embarrassed.
"So, you challenged me because you were incited by Qing Feng? And most of the people who challenged me back then were like that?"
"Correct."
Looking at Plum Blossom Swordsman's certain expression, Seven couldn't help but fall into deep thought.
'Qing Feng.'
'This most mysterious and unfathomable existence in the original Shadow Assassin organization...'
'For what purpose did he gather experts from all directions to challenge me, one after another?'