Having heard the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master out, the black-haired elder was about to speak, but Emperor Yuanwu raised a hand to stop him.
His eyes, still as a deep well, rested on the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master before him, and he said slowly, "What the Pavilion Master means is that you would like this one to promise not to permit the Eighth Prince to use the Hidden Kill Pavilion for the court's purposes?"
At those words, a slight shift crossed the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master's expression beneath the bronze mask, and he gave a nod, saying, "His Majesty takes the point at once."
"I can say with confidence that barring some unforeseen circumstance, that Eighth Prince will in the future become the world's fourth Martial God. With him presiding over the Hidden Kill Pavilion, the Pavilion's future is essentially secure."
"But the condition for this is that the Hidden Kill Pavilion not be drawn into the conflicts between factions. Even should he ascend to the Martial God realm, he will not be the only Martial God in the world."
At those words, the black-haired elder furrowed his brow slightly and looked at Emperor Yuanwu beside him.
Emperor Yuanwu only thought for a moment, then said, "What makes the Pavilion Master believe this one can order the Eighth Prince, and that he will do as the Pavilion Master suggests?"
At those words, the black-haired elder looked at the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master and added as a reminder, "The Pavilion Master must have heard: the moment the Eighth Prince returned to the capital, he killed his own elder brother, and he conducts himself without the slightest restraint."
"Given the Eighth Prince's temperament, does the Pavilion Master truly believe he would listen to what His Majesty says?"
As he said this, the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master's gaze behind the bronze mask rested on Emperor Yuanwu with a meaningful look, "In my view, the Eighth Prince's actions are genuinely without restraint. But every one of them is traceable, none of them without purpose."
"Does His Majesty truly believe the Second Prince did not deserve to die? Were I in the Eighth Prince's position, I would have killed him without a moment's hesitation as well."
At those words, the black-haired elder immediately furrowed his brow.
Emperor Yuanwu said nothing. He held the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master's gaze for a moment before finally speaking, "Li Que was this one's son. This one never anticipated that he would die before his father."
He paused, then continued, "As for the Pavilion Master's meaning, this one has understood it, and will give the matter careful consideration."
"To speak honestly, this one also has no wish to see the Eighth Prince use the Hidden Kill Pavilion to interfere in court affairs."
At those words, the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master fell into a thoughtful silence, appearing not entirely satisfied with Emperor Yuanwu's answer.
Emperor Yuanwu appeared not to mind, and said, "If the Pavilion Master has no further business, this one will not keep you any longer."
With that, Emperor Yuanwu turned, accepted the black-haired elder's supporting arm, and stepped up into the waiting carriage.
The Hidden Kill Pavilion Master watched the two of them without any move to act.
Before long, as the unusual force that had enveloped the lane dissolved, Emperor Yuanwu and his companion drove away and disappeared from the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master's view.
"This Great Li emperor is rather less simple than he appears."
The Hidden Kill Pavilion Master stood where he was, the face beneath the bronze mask creasing into a frown.
As the master of an assassination organization feared across all five nations, he found himself somewhat unable to read that Emperor Yuanwu.
The Hidden Kill Pavilion Master naturally understood that none of the five nations' imperial families was remotely simple.
Otherwise, with so many top martial world figures coveting the throne in every direction, no dynasty could have stood for a hundred years.
In truth, he had never had any real thought of forcing Emperor Yuanwu to do anything, because he understood clearly how limited that would be in effect.
And it would very likely push Great Li into the position of an enemy of the Hidden Kill Pavilion, which was also not an outcome he wanted.
What was truly occupying his thoughts right now was the question of how to limit Li Musheng's authority within the Hidden Kill Pavilion, and thereby prevent the Pavilion from being dragged into the swirling conflicts of every faction under heaven.
"This is no easy matter. That prince is like a double-edged blade, with enormous advantages and enormous risks alike."
The Hidden Kill Pavilion Master gave a quiet shake of his head, withdrew his gaze from the direction Emperor Yuanwu had gone, and prepared to turn and leave.
But as he turned around, he suddenly discovered that at some unknown point, a young figure was standing directly behind him, watching him with a look of complete composure.
"You..."
The face beneath the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master's bronze mask changed sharply, and his gaze locked immediately onto Li Musheng before him.
He, the head of an assassination organization, had not noticed at any point how Li Musheng had come to be standing at his back.
"You are the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master?"
But before the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master could speak, Li Musheng was already looking him over and asking the question first.
At those words, the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master contained the shock within him, his gaze shifting, and said, "That is correct. This should be our first meeting."
He then immediately shifted his tone and asked, "How long have you been here?"
Li Musheng rubbed his chin, glanced at the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master, and said, "Naturally, I arrived at the same time you did."
At those words, the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master's expression changed immediately, "Then you heard everything we said just now?"
At those words, Li Musheng raised an eyebrow and said, "Was that not obvious? You were not exactly speaking privately. How could I not have heard?"
Then Li Musheng immediately shifted his tone, narrowing his eyes at the bronze-masked Hidden Kill Pavilion Master and saying, "Come to think of it, from what I was hearing just now, it sounds as though you are not particularly willing to hand the Hidden Kill Pavilion over to me?"
At those words, an extremely awkward expression immediately crossed the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master's face, though fortunately the bronze mask concealed it.
"You have misunderstood. The Hidden Kill Order is the rule by which the Pavilion has been passed down to this day, and I will not violate or alter it. The Hidden Kill Pavilion will certainly be placed in your hands."
The Hidden Kill Pavilion Master quickly offered an explanation, then studied Li Musheng's expression carefully.
The Great Li Eighth Prince before him had already proven at the Setting Sun Wall that his martial cultivation surpassed even the Pavilion's Kill-Saint. Even compared to himself as Pavilion Master, the man would surely be no weaker.
And what was more, Li Musheng's movement technique, ghostly and completely silent, had genuinely startled even him. Someone he could not detect at all was likely not a step behind even the Hidden Kill Pavilion's most secret assassination techniques.
And so even though he was the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master and had decades on Li Musheng in age, he did not dare hold any trace of contempt for the man right now.
On the contrary, for reasons he could not entirely identify, perhaps because Li Musheng had walked in on his private conversation with Emperor Yuanwu, or perhaps because of the pressure of the man's staggering martial talent, he found himself somewhat ill at ease in Li Musheng's presence.
At that, Li Musheng did not dwell on the matter of the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master having been privately scheming against him, and simply gave a mild nod, "My requirements for you assassins are not high. Honor your word, and that is all."
As he said this, Li Musheng looked at the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master with a thoughtful expression, "Of course, you can also rest entirely easy about handing the Hidden Kill Pavilion over to me. I am a very lazy person by nature. I have no interest in the Great Li throne, and no intention of getting involved in any martial world conflicts."
At those words, the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master's gaze shifted, studying the Eighth Prince before him.
Though he did not quite understand what "lazy by nature" meant, the two sentences that followed were certainly ones he could understand.
"Your Highness means this sincerely?"
The Hidden Kill Pavilion Master immediately asked, his eyes behind the bronze mask narrowing slightly as he watched Li Musheng's expression.
Li Musheng, for his part, glanced at the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master and raised an eyebrow.
Whether he was sincere or not, the man had no way of dealing with him regardless. Asking was a rather pointless thing to do.
But on the surface he still gave a light nod and said, "Of course. My primary purpose in wanting the Hidden Kill Pavilion is to have you help me find certain things. As for everything else in the Pavilion's affairs, I am too lazy to bother with."
The Hidden Kill Pavilion Master heard this and watched Li Musheng, his expression shifting slightly.
He could not detect any sign of deception in Li Musheng. Other than the man's gaze, which seemed to hold something faintly contemptuous toward him...
The Hidden Kill Pavilion Master fell into thoughtful silence for a moment, then his eyes sharpened, "If Your Highness is speaking truthfully, then I can hand the Hidden Kill Pavilion over to you with confidence."
As he said this, the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master let out a quiet sigh, "I have held the Pavilion for many years, and my attachment to it runs very deep. I do not wish to see it fall into decline after leaving my hands. That is why I have been so cautious about who would inherit the Pavilion Master's seat."
"I therefore hope Your Highness can understand my intent in everything I have done up to now."
At those words, Li Musheng waved a hand, "Do not worry. I do not concern myself with things like this."
The Hidden Kill Pavilion Master looked at Li Musheng for a long moment, and did not find the man arrogant. Given his level of cultivation, he genuinely had the standing to say such a thing.
Even so, looking at someone so young, the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master could not help a look of reminiscence from crossing his face, and he shook his head, saying, "When I first took the Pavilion Master's seat, my circumstances were nothing like yours."
Then, without waiting to ask whether Li Musheng was interested in hearing it, the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master spoke of his own past.
"At the time, I was merely an unremarkable disciple of a small martial sect. One day, my sect's master came back from somewhere with the Hidden Kill Order, which had been circulating through the martial world."
"I did not know what the Hidden Kill Order was. At the time I was too busy lying awake all night in delight at the news that my master intended to give his youngest female disciple to me as a wife."
"But then everything changed in a single night. The entire sect was slaughtered to the last person, the Hidden Kill Order was seized from the master's hands, and every one of my fellow disciples, including the woman I loved most, was killed."
"I had gone down the mountain the night before to prepare betrothal gifts for her, which was the only thing that saved me. And from the moment my sect was destroyed and the person I loved died, I swore I would have my revenge."
"Later, after much difficulty, I finally understood what had caused it all, and did everything I could to get the Hidden Kill Order into my hands."
"Because I knew clearly that the enemy I needed to face was too powerful. Only by obtaining the Hidden Kill Order and taking control of the Hidden Kill Pavilion would I ever be able to take revenge."
"But unfortunately, before I could avenge them, my enemy was wiped out by another martial expert who had also been competing for the Hidden Kill Order."
"And then by a twist of fate, I came across an expert who had seized the Hidden Kill Order and been gravely wounded in the process."
"That person, in his final moments, seemed to see through something. He passed his entire martial arts and cultivation method to me, and with his dying breath urged me repeatedly to throw the Hidden Kill Order off a cliff."
"But after much hesitation, I did not do it..."
...
Li Musheng endured the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master's heartfelt recollection to the end, only to find the man cut off abruptly at the very last part.
Of course, Li Musheng could naturally guess that the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master had ultimately relied on his own strength to withstand the three assassination attempts from the Hidden Kill Pavilion, and eventually claimed the Pavilion Master's seat as it now was.
But to Li Musheng, this story was nothing more than an ordinary martial world tale of treasure, competition, and revenge.
Given the chaos that pervaded the martial world at present, incidents of sect destruction driven by personal grudges, martial arts manuals, divine weapons, or some unverified treasure were too numerous to count.
What had happened to the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master was genuinely tragic. But if the intent was to earn Li Musheng's sympathy through this story, that was simply not going to happen.
After all, the man was now the head of the most feared assassination organization in the entire world, and the number of people who had died at his hands surely exceeded Li Musheng's own by an unknowable margin.
Whoever Li Musheng might feel sympathy for, it would never be a hands-stained executioner like this.
But at that moment, after finishing his final sentence, the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master's entire bearing shifted. The unease he had shown before Li Musheng was gone entirely.
A cold indifference settled over him, and his eyes reflected something like a sea of corpses and blood, a killing intent that made the skin crawl. Yet within that soul-chilling aura there seemed to lurk a thread of pain, barely perceptible.
"Does Your Highness know why, among the countless experts of the martial world, greater in number than fish crossing a river, so many of whom surpass me in both martial cultivation and the power they command..."
"Why was it that an insignificant disciple of a sect wiped out in a single night, of all people, who ultimately obtained the Hidden Kill Order and claimed the Pavilion Master's position that so many dream of?"
The Hidden Kill Pavilion Master's gaze was now utterly calm as he looked at Li Musheng, the future Pavilion Master, and suddenly asked in a cold, flat voice.
Li Musheng furrowed his brow. The two of them had not known each other before today, and this was their first meeting.
Speaking frankly, the fact that he had listened to the man's story at all was already giving him considerable face.
And now he was also supposed to answer the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master's question. Was this some kind of mandatory ritual that came with inheriting the Pavilion Master's seat?
With that thought, Li Musheng crossed his arms, gave the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master a somewhat impatient look, and seeing that the man seemed entirely serious right now, rubbed his chin and said, "Surely you are not about to say it was because your martial talent was supreme, or your luck was exceptional, or that you are a child of destiny, and that is how you ended up as Pavilion Master?"
At those words, the bronze-masked Hidden Kill Pavilion Master kept his gaze fixed on Li Musheng, then slowly shook his head, "What if I told you right now that the so-called choosing of a Pavilion Master through the Hidden Kill Order, from beginning to end, has always been nothing more than a deception? What would you make of that?"