The battlefield had no lack of outstanding cultivators who had trained for many years, yet they paled far in comparison to these nameless assassins who'd popped out of nowhere. They couldn’t help but wonder if they had cultivated in vain.
Only Zu An could tell these assassins from the Shadow Group hadn't truly reached their present level. Their cultivation had been forcefully raised by annihilation power. It would be impossible for them to further advance their cultivation. That said, he didn’t know if there was a growth system for universal deities’ disciples. If the Path of Annihilation’s deity bestowed them with more divine power, they could potentially grow faster than him.
These elite assassins stood in a formation that suppressed him.
Zhao Yuan revealed a victorious smile. “Regent, I do admire you despite our being enemies. In just a few years, you rose from a nobody in a distant city to this. It wouldn’t be far-fetched to say that your talent is unmatched in human history.”
“You know too little about human history to say that.” Zu An thought about the astounding figures he had met in his travels through spacetime. “You don’t need to flatter me. I have no compliments for you.”
Zhao Yuan’s smile stiffened, and his expression turned cold. “Do you think you are invincible? Indeed, you might be so by human standards, but that’s because you have never witnessed the glory of true deities.”
His gleeful attitude left Zu An speechless. I wonder how he’ll react if he learns that a universal deity has ‘visited’ me.
But there was no reason for him to share that with Zhao Yuan. Instead, he said, “I heard you staged this rebellion in the name of the imperial grandson. Are you holding Concubine Bai and her son hostage?”
“Hostage?” Zhao Yuan was perplexed. “I have long heard about your lustful nature, but I didn’t expect you to be thinking about Concubine Bai when you’re already at death’s door.”
The crowd frowned. Some were perplexed, as it had been a long time since they had heard from Concubine Bai. Those privy to insider knowledge wondered if she had been sentenced to death. But the majority was just astonished to hear the news.
There’s something between the regent and Concubine Bai too? The novels on the market are still too conservative!
Bi Linglong frowned. Back then, that woman was the crown prince’s concubine. To think that she’d compete with me over Ah Zu now. I guess we’re fated to be enemies.
Zhang Zitong felt indignant. These people keep slandering the regent. I would know best whether he’s lecherous or not! I dropped hints toward him so many times, but he showed no inclination to take advantage of me. He’s obviously a gentleman!
Hold on... Could it be that he’s just not attracted to me?
Her expression suddenly collapsed at that realization.
Murong Qinghe looked at the figure in the sky and shook her head. My brother-in-law would have been perfect if not for his philandering ways. Big brother Chu is more devoted, but...
“Death’s door? You’re very confident that victory is in your grasp.” Zu An chuckled.
“Does the regent not sense the anomaly in your body? This is disappointing.” Zhao Yuan shook his head in contempt.
Bi Linglong anxiously looked at Zu An, wondering if something had happened to him.
“Are you referring to the weakening in my defense, agility, and divine sense?” Zu An calmly replied. That was the effect of the formation constructed by the elite assassins.
He was in no rush to make his move. He was about to head to Dreamland, where he would encounter experts from other worlds and disciples of other universal deities. He could deal with experts from the Path of Annihilation better if he could learn more about them here.
“You seem to be probing our abilities?” Zhao Yuan saw through his thoughts and sneered. “Regent, you are bold, but you made a miscalculation. You have been afflicted with the Mark of Annihilation, which is widely feared in the myriad worlds. While you were stalling for time, we stacked the marks to the maximum, weakening you by half. Surely you don’t think you can deal with us with just half your strength?”
“The regent is weakened by half?” The crowd was stunned.
The military also had formations that could amplify ally damage and weaken enemy defense, but often, both sides would possess similar methods, so the eventual buff was usually no more than 20%. Furthermore, these formations rarely worked on experts. Military formations took time to construct, and no expert would be so dumb as to wait on the spot for the formation’s completion.
It hadn’t been long since the elite assassins encircled the regent. There shouldn’t have been enough time for them to even complete the formation!
Do they have a secret art that allows them to directly apply the effect to the regent?
“Mark of Annihilation? What an interesting ability.” Zu An merely found the inexplicable power influencing his physical state interesting.
His abnormal composure stoked Zhao Yuan’s unease. Not daring to wait anymore, he ordered, “Attack!”
The ten elite assassins abruptly vanished.
“Careful! That’s the specialty of the Shadow Group’s assassins, Void Weaving!” a few people in the crowd exclaimed.
A few of the ladies exchanged looks, as they could sense one another’s concern for Zu An, but this was no time for them to be distracted. Their attention swiftly returned to the battle in the sky.
Zu An frowned. This wasn't his first time dealing with such methods; the dark elves specialized in this too. Given his cultivation and grasp of the world’s will, he should have been able to track their movements even when he was weakened by the Mark of Annihilation and they were hiding in the void.
And yet, he couldn’t sense the elite assassins at all.
Is the annihilation power concealing their presence?
Zu An wasn’t worried. He was capable of slipping into the void too. He also vanished on the spot, entering the void’s chaotic flow. He was about to search for the elite assassins when a slender sword suddenly emerged from his blind spot to strike his vitals, almost like a venomous serpent.
But Zu An merely laughed. Hmph, I was only afraid that you’d continue hiding. Swordsmanship had little meaning to his current self.
That elite assassin suddenly found his lethal thrust reversing direction to slit his neck. It was abrupt, and he had no idea how it even happened!
But Zu An frowned right after. For some reason, his life force was dissipating.
Just then, Zhao Yuan sneered from the void, “Ah, I forgot to warn you. When they kill a person who inflicted the mark on them, someone afflicted with the Mark of Annihilation will lose a tenth of their life force. I dare you to kill them all.”