Chapter 49: This Assassin Talks Too Much

"We are not short-sighted people," the serpent continued to writhe, gradually transforming into a figure clad in black, swathed from head to toe in dark cloth like a mummy, leaving only the eyes exposed. "I almost forgot to introduce myself. I am Viper, a special envoy from the Bounty Hunters' Guild. You are in a fair amount of trouble right now. Besides us, the martial arts world and the police are after you as well."

Xiao Kaitian shrugged. "And what does any of this have to do with you?"

"Of course it concerns me, because some of these developments were set in motion by me," Viper replied, a look of delight in his eyes. "Xiao Kaitian, don’t you realize that you are already cornered in this island nation?"

Cornered? Xiao Kaitian almost laughed. He stroked his chin—at most, this was just a bit troublesome. Hardly what he would call a desperate situation. If anything could be called desperate, it was being trapped in this dimensional space.

"But we can help you. The martial artists are too rigid, but we bounty hunters are different. What do you say? Consider joining us. The Guild has hardly any rules. You could extricate yourself from this mess right away."

"Not interested," Xiao Kaitian rejected him outright. Why should he become a killer? He was someone of status. "If you’re finished, then let’s get on with it."

Viper’s combat strength was formidable—263, much higher than Xiao Kaitian’s current level.

Viper’s gaze turned cold, tinged with disappointment and regret. "What a shame. I suspect you still have more resources on you. It’s a waste to kill you."

"The feeling is mutual." Xiao Kaitian shifted his stance and struck first. Viper’s combat prowess surpassed his own; by the standards of this world, Viper was at the peak of the Profound Realm, while he himself was only at its initial stage—a considerable gap. He wanted to test exactly how wide that gap was.

Almost simultaneously, Viper moved as well. As an assassin, he aimed for a single lethal strike. His movements were unlike those of martial artists—no flashy techniques, just pure killing arts.

Their silhouettes intertwined. The air exploded with swirling eddies, each accompanied by fine, nearly invisible threads of blood spinning away.

Xiao Kaitian’s left shoulder, under his suit, split open, revealing a wound. He landed on his feet, his expression contemplative. This was the first time he had been injured since arriving in this world.

"Profound Realm, initial stage," Viper chuckled, evidently pleased with the outcome. "For a scion of a noble family, that’s not bad. What a pity, though."

"I daresay you didn’t even see what weapon I used." He spread his hands to show they were empty. "That’s the difference between us—it’s not just about cultivation level."

"Still, your combat sense is sharp. Otherwise, that last strike would have severed your neck." He gave his assessment, stepping slowly around Xiao Kaitian, waiting for the next opportunity to attack.

The opponent was strong—perhaps not as formidable head-on as Hojo Tsuna, but his unpredictable methods of killing made him even more dangerous. Xiao Kaitian quickly assessed the situation; relying solely on his special skill, ‘Insight,’ might not be enough to kill Viper.

"So, I’ll ask one last time—will you reconsider my offer?" Viper halted, hands clasped, eyeing Xiao Kaitian.

Xiao Kaitian gave no answer. He lifted his gaze, locked eyes with Viper, and calmly took his first step forward.

"Manifestation boundary, breakthrough."

As the three divine sources of light dimmed, a crimson glow spread from their core through Xiao Kaitian’s entire body.

"Unlocking the shackles of cultivation!"

The red light finally condensed in his eyes. When he moved, traces of red glimmered in his pupils—his other special ability, ‘Breaker.’ For a limited time, the power of the divine sources coursed through him, boosting his strength at the cost of consuming all three divine sources.

A flicker of surprise flashed in Viper’s eyes. He was about to speak when Xiao Kaitian appeared before him like a flash of lightning. Reflexively, Viper slashed out.

His weapon was a blade so thin it was nearly invisible in normal light, the stroke itself as swift as lightning.

But Xiao Kaitian vanished—what stood before Viper was only an afterimage.

"Damn!" Viper’s heart lurched in alarm. Before he could turn, a fist landed squarely on his back with tremendous force. His body twisted violently in midair, slammed into the ground, then bounced up to crash against the side of a car, shattering all its windows in an instant.

Blood spurted from his mouth. His body, twisted by the blow, slowly straightened as he grinned savagely. "You used a secret technique to boost your power all at once, but..."

"As the saying goes, softness overcomes hardness. No matter how strong your fists, they can’t withstand my grappling skills. When your secret technique ends, the backlash will hit you—you’ll have no way out then."

Xiao Kaitian was speechless. This assassin certainly liked to talk—a bit too much, really.

"As you wish." Xiao Kaitian tapped his toes and closed in again. With a cold laugh, Viper transformed into a massive serpent, twisting and winding himself around Xiao Kaitian’s arm.

"You’re not the only one with secret techniques. Watch me—" But before Viper could finish, a force crashed down on him, slamming him into the ground and leaving a sizable crater.

No matter how skilled his grappling, the sheer force of that impact nearly shattered all his bones. Pain made his vision swim with gold stars.

Xiao Kaitian stepped lightly over him, landing by the scattered shards of glass. With a sweep of his right leg, several pieces of glass swirled into the air.

Viper struggled shakily to his feet, the black wrappings around his body torn in places. He glanced back and saw his own fragmented, distorted reflection in the shards.

Suddenly realizing what was about to happen, he hurriedly raised his right hand. "Xiao Kaitian, wait—I am a special envoy of the Bounty Hunters’ Guild, you can’t—"

"Divine source, go!" Xiao Kaitian punched the air. Ordinarily, he could not unleash the divine source externally, but with ‘Breaker,’ he could, just once, focus all his power into a single blow. Energy mixed with the glass shards, transforming them into streaks of light. Under the sunlight, they sparkled like a rainbow, piercing through Viper’s body and embedding themselves in the wall beyond.

Disbelief filled Viper’s eyes. He had never truly believed Xiao Kaitian would dare strike him down. A guttural protest bubbled from his throat as he collapsed straight to the ground.

From the moment Xiao Kaitian demonstrated his strength before Viper, he had never intended to let him go—especially with the events at the company today, in which Viper had played a part. Eliminating him now was mere convenience.

As for the Bounty Hunters’ Guild, Xiao Kaitian gave it no thought. The enmity between them had long passed the point of reconciliation; whether he killed Viper or not, the outcome would be the same.

The red light faded from his eyes. He brushed the dust from his clothes. "This body is still far too weak."