Chapter 99: The Soul-Stripping Assassin

The Capital City.
As China’s most prosperous and vibrant capital, it boasts the fastest news flow and the greatest number of strong individuals and opportunities. Its resources are the dream of every player.
Surrounded by eight major sects and countless smaller factions, it is also the headquarters of the most powerful imperial force—the Six Gates Sect.
Additionally!
There are the most powerful Eastern and Western Factories, branches of the imperial forces.
Though they are commanded by sarcastic eunuchs, which is frustrating and awkward to talk about, the Eastern and Western Factories are led by the veteran eunuch Liu Jin—a master who possesses the supreme martial arts treasure, the “Sunflower Manual.” Their martial arts techniques, drawn from various sects, are undoubtedly advanced, even surpassing those of top experts from other sects, attracting many players.
As for the Imperial Guards—players who wear special uniforms and carry embroidered knives from the start— they are another notable sight in the capital. Although their martial arts skills aren’t outstanding, they can use the various heavy criminals in the imperial prison as a quiet training ground without much effort, making them a faction with considerable privileges within the imperial court.
The streets of the capital are filled with beggars in tattered clothes, asking for alms with bamboo poles. There are countless men and women, yet no one looks down on them!
For they are disciples of thethe Beggar’s Gang—the largest and most cohesive super sect in the entire “Jianghu”!
Everyone practices the Crazy Rod Technique diligently!
Everyone aspires to the carefree life of the beggars in “Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils,” eating meat in large amounts and drinking heavily. Though poor, they are happy—because they gain something every day, a reality that people in the outside world cannot understand or appreciate.
Besides thethe Beggar’s Gang!
Another super sect also stands right under the capital’s nose…
The Ming Sect!
At this moment…
Three people stood atop Jiulong Mountain outside Beijing, one in front and two behind. They gazed into the distance, solemnly admiring the towering and solid city walls of Beijing—a city steeped in thousands of years of Chinese cultural heritage.
“As expected of a country that accounts for a quarter of the world’s population. The waves behind drive on those before… Each mountain is taller than the last…” The middle-aged man at the front looked at the distant city walls with deep affection, uttering heartfelt sighs. Clearly, he wasn’t there to enjoy the scenery.
“…”
The two behind exchanged glances, remaining silent, the atmosphere tense.
“Hahaha!!”

The middle-aged man at the head laughed heartily, then snapped open the folding fan in his hand. “How ridiculous!” he said self-mockingly. Turning around, he walked away while fanning himself and chanting, “The master of the mighty ‘Wind and Rain Tower’—with over a hundred disciples at the Creation Realm and five thousand followers! So what does that matter? After three months of scheming, they couldn’t even take control of the capital city… Yesterday, they still mocked the Mountain Gate for being wiped out by a single swordsman. Hmph, now they’re easily killed by an unknown swordsman from the desert…” He closed the fan firmly and declared resolutely, “Rather than continue as this worthless master, it’s better to disband!”
The expressions of the two men behind him changed drastically.
“Master!”
“Brother!!”
They hurriedly chased after the disheartened middle-aged man:
“Brother! You weren’t like this before!” The man on the left was clearly a typical northern man, with thick brows, big eyes, and a loud voice. “Is it just some desert swordsman? Is it really necessary to be so disappointed and undervalue yourself? Think about it! Which sect hasn’t grown stronger through storms and setbacks?”
“The young master is right!”
The man on the right had an elegant demeanor and a delicate appearance. Hearing this, he stepped forward, his wise eyes fixed on the middle-aged man. “Yesterday, the main hall was destroyed… Wind, Rain, and the others were indeed deeply hurt, and the brothers were furious. But, Master… everyone hasn’t given up!”
“Sigh…”
The middle-aged man sighed deeply, seemingly unwilling to listen.
No wonder!
In the capital city, if asked about the most powerful sect, everyone would point to the “Wind and Rain Tower” located in the noble mansions! It was the first to establish a sect, the first to have more than ten masters at the Creation Realm, and the first to set up branch halls around the city gates to provide shelter for its disciples and facilitate communication. The master of the Wind and Rain Tower, “Lou Yu,” with his remarkable skills and vision, gathered famous masters from the capital city, gradually turning the “Wind and Rain Tower” into the top-ranked sect in terms of both economy and strength in the city.
Such achievements!
For a time, many believed that the Wind and Rain Tower would surely become the first super gang to expand beyond the capital city and dominate the entire region…
Yet!
In this mission…
The otherwise outstanding Wind and Rain Tower faced a huge crisis.
A swordsman from the Desert Kingdom, accompanied by thirteen burly men from the frontier, escorted the caravans of the Turkic Kingdom all the way from the desert to a hundred miles outside the capital city.
The desert swordsman was known as “Marquis of the North,” but his alias in the martial world was “Soul-Stealer.”
Along the thousand-mile journey from the Desert Kingdom to the capital city, no less than a thousand players died at the hands of Marquis of the North and his men!

The closer they got to the capital, the more people and troops they encountered along the way, and they were in constant combat almost all the time…
But!
Dingbei Marquis was fearless. With a mere two-foot-long broken sword, he slew dozens of experts at the Creation Realm, including several leaders from the Wind and Rain Tower…
Several shipmasters, along with over ten tower leaders and more than thirty Creation Realm experts, blocked Dingbei Marquis’s path again halfway there.
And that’s how it all began!
More than thirty Creation Realm experts—such a lineup was considered a truly formidable fighting force in the entire martial world…
Even if Dingbei Marquis and his group had all reached the Creation Realm, it would still be impossible for each of them to fight against three opponents.
As a result!
Apart from the initial one-sided battle, out of the thirteen riders who followed Dingbei Marquis southward, eight died… After fierce struggles, they all perished!!
In contrast, the Wind and Rain Tower lost only three lives…
Yet!
All four Creation Realm experts on Dingbei Marquis’s side died!
Realizing all his companions had been killed, Dingbei Marquis went completely berserk. He charged into the crowd, his broken sword unleashing astonishing power. Through a tactic of mutual destruction, he managed, despite his injuries, to wipe out all the remaining experts from the Wind and Rain Tower.
Furthermore…
Dingbei Marquis resolutely abandoned the convoy he was supposed to protect and charged alone into the capital. He went straight to the Wind and Rain Tower’s headquarters, cut down the flag outside, and took on the tower’s leader alone.
Even though Lou Yu was present at the headquarters, surrounded by over a dozen experts and hundreds of disciples, nothing could stop Dingbei Marquis, wielding his broken sword tied with a golden chain…
With just one man and one sword, he turned the Wind and Rain Tower’s headquarters into a hell on earth, destroying not only Lou Yu himself but also the entire headquarters.
The incident involving the Wind and Rain Tower quickly spread like wildfire online!
It became another major event that shook the martial world, following the “Mountain Gate” incident.
Dingbei Marquis, the “Soul-Stealing Knight,” also became as famous as “Swift Sword” Xiao San!
Although the Wind and Rain Tower could be rebuilt…
Lou Yu realized through this incident the difference between true experts and ordinary ones.
Interrupting their attempts to persuade him, Lou Yu said in an unyielding tone, “There’s no need for you to persuade me anymore… From now on, I’ll leave the management of the Wind and Rain Tower to you two.”
“What about you?”
“The martial world is for the strong. A sect cannot do without true experts!” With that, Lou Yu left gracefully.