Chapter 119: One Missed Strike, Immediate Full Withdrawal

By the late hours in the harbor city, a layer of mist began to gather, casting a gray haze over the streets. The neon lights on either side flickered with a dreamlike quality.

At a crossroads, the light suddenly seemed to warp, and a figure appeared before Xiao Kaitian. It was a tall woman dressed entirely in black tight-fitting clothing, blending seamlessly into the shadows of the night. Without any movement, she fixed a cold gaze on him.

“A killer,” Xiao Kaitian muttered, pulling out a red Marlboro and lighting it. Her combat power registered at 414—a formidable opponent.

Killers differed from martial cultivators in their skills and techniques; their attacks were purely for assassination. Martial cultivators, by contrast, were not solely focused on killing. Thus, killers of the same level generally excelled in assassination techniques beyond those of martial cultivators.

The light in his field of vision twisted again, and the woman’s figure vanished suddenly. Xiao Kaitian immediately heightened his alertness. Behind him came the sharp sound of something slicing through the air. He twisted his body just in time as a thin blade grazed past, ripping a tear in his suit.

“So fast.” His first thought: “Is this a spatial transfer technique?” If so, such an ability was almost unimaginable in this dimensional world.

He swiftly retreated, trying to track her movements, but she had already disappeared into the air once more. Another brief distortion of light, and she appeared to his right.

“Smack!” Their fists collided—this time a solid strike. Both leapt back, neither gaining the upper hand.

In terms of raw combat power, the woman held the advantage. Xiao Kaitian relied on the purity of his divine source power and the vast experience accumulated over countless years, which kept him from being overwhelmed.

“Who are you? Sent by the Bounty Hunter Guild?” Xiao Kaitian asked. As their figures crossed, he realized she was foreign, not of the East.

“White Fox,” the woman said lightly, landing softly while maintaining her combat stance. “Just here on a contract. You’re a martial cultivator, but I must apologize—it’s strictly business.”

“Fair enough.” Xiao Kaitian appreciated her professional attitude. There was no personal grudge between them, only adherence to the rules of this world. White Fox was here to kill for a contract; he simply wanted to survive. With a flick of his finger, he sent a burning cigarette butt flying toward her.

“Clack!” A faint sound as the cigarette butt seemed to strike an invisible wall, sparks flying. The light warped again, and White Fox melted into the night.

“So that’s it,” Xiao Kaitian realized her technique: “An illusion created by mirrored glass refraction, combined with island ninja arts.” He turned to face White Fox, their palms colliding briefly before they each stepped back.

“Your combat instinct is sharp,” White Fox said, bending her body as she retreated rapidly, maintaining the killer’s distinctive attack pattern—always ready to disengage. “A mid-stage Earth Realm martial cultivator, though your vigor feels different.”

“Close enough,” Xiao Kaitian replied, raising his right hand and slashing downward. A blade of divine wind shot out. White Fox’s expression shifted slightly, then she vanished once more into the thick fog.

A crackling sound of shattering glass echoed. The scene around Xiao Kaitian fractured like broken shards—White Fox had covered the area with mirrors, and what he saw was all an illusion she crafted.

“Impressive tactics!” White Fox’s voice came from the darkness, followed by the faint sound of footsteps crushing glass, gradually fading away. Clearly, having her technique exposed left her no desire to continue the fight; she chose to withdraw.

Xiao Kaitian did not pursue. White Fox’s mid-battle retreat made it unlikely she would trouble him again soon. She was a cautious killer—one strike missed, and she retreated immediately.

His only trouble with bounty hunters was the Kanto branch of the island nation. He guessed this assassin was hired by them. Xiao Kaitian pressed his lips together, thinking it was time to have a serious talk with the Bounty Hunter Guild; otherwise, the assassinations would never end.

Reflecting on it, he had many enemies. His relationship with the martial world was strained, and he had just killed several members of the Songshan Sect. More trouble was undoubtedly coming.

He scanned the quiet, mist-shrouded streets—no one in sight. He exhaled a warm breath, relieved to have dealt with his tail. It seemed the harbor city was far from safe.

Leaving Temple Street, the market outside was bustling with people. It was not far from the Peninsula Hotel, so Xiao Kaitian followed the subway line toward Victoria Harbor.

Overall, the auction was not in vain; he had obtained a jade pendant infused with spiritual power and a Cold Flame Stone. He planned to transfer some of the stone’s spiritual energy to the pendant and then teach Zhao Qixi the Divine Source Nine Transformations. Once she wore the pendant, she could gradually absorb spiritual energy.

Of course, in his view, the precise term was the four-dimensional force—“spiritual power” was merely what the martial cultivators in this world called the four-dimensional force.

Luo Yanxin had revealed that a high-ranking official from the harbor city government wanted to collaborate with him. For the Qingtang Tianxia project, this was a godsend. Once the highway connecting the two cities opened, Qingtang Tianxia would become a key hub from the coastal capital to the harbor city, instantly elevating the commercial status of the entire real estate development.

Chen Jingming’s trailer was nearly complete. Once it premiered, Xiao Kaitian would head to Shangjing and reach an agreement with the military. With funding secured, all projects could be revitalized.

By comparison, his current struggles within the entertainment world were mere trifles.

With his own territory and defense forces, he would be fearless against martial organizations or bounty hunters. Once the matters with the Xiao family in Shangjing and his parents were settled, he could formally consider advancing to the next dimension.

If Bai Kou successfully cultivated the Phoenix Heaven Technique, she too could enter the next dimension. The only complication was Zhao Qixi—whether she could master his Divine Source Nine Transformations or if another cultivation method would be needed.

Xiao Kaitian strolled the streets of the harbor city, the dazzling neon lights casting a glow upon him, as if lending a touch of vitality. He smiled broadly. It had been over half a year since arriving in this world.

From initial resistance and bitterness, he had come to appreciate the experience—viewing the universe from the perspective of a lower-dimensional being offered a wholly different sensation, revealing a mesmerizing palette of mysteries.

The unknown world was the most enchanting. Leaning against the railing at Victoria Harbor, he gazed up at the scattered stars in the night sky.

“Wait for me,” he whispered.