The Cyan Mountain Sword Sect almost never used the Nine Fire Lotus, so hardly anyone fought over it.

Chu Nan then instructed, "Zheng Yao, wait for me a bit. I'll be right back."

Zheng Yao nodded. Without the silk gloves, she couldn't help.

Step by step, he approached the Nine Fire Lotus. Chu Nan's heart beat slightly faster. The closer he got, the more cautious he needed to be. If he was hit by the suddenly erupting magma, it would be a severe injury, if not death.

Soon, he arrived at the edge of the magma pool, the Nine Fire Lotus within easy reach.

With his hand wearing the silk gloves, he gently grasped a lotus flower, then immediately placed it into a separate storage ring.

The process went smoothly. In the blink of an eye, Chu Nan consecutively collected four lotuses.

Not sure how many lotuses it would take to ensure Gu Nianxue's cold poison was cured, Chu Nan decided to pluck them all.

In a blink, only one Nine Fire Lotus was left in the magma pool. Chu Nan sighed with relief and was just about to continue picking when suddenly he heard Zheng Yao shout, "Chu Nan, run!"

Chu Nan's pupils contracted. Though he didn't know what was happening, he immediately withdrew after picking the flower.

Swish!

A cold light exploded with boundless killing intent, brushing past Chu Nan's throat.

Retreating more than ten steps, Chu Nan touched his throat's wound, his heart pounding. If it weren't for Zheng Yao's warning, and if he had been a second slower, this slash would have decapitated him!

If it weren't for his cultivation of the Desolate Profound Transformation, which made his physical body far surpass others of his realm, even with Zheng Yao's warning, this long-prepared ambush could still have taken Chu Nan's head!

"Who is it!" Anger flashed in Chu Nan's eyes. He didn't expect someone to ambush him at the Nine Fire Lotus's growing ground.

Splash!

The magma of the pool churned, and a person jumped out, clad in a black robe engulfed in flames.

He flung off the robe, revealing his true appearance—it was Jia Yu!

Jia Yu had learned from Lu Chi that Chu Nan's target was the Nine Fire Lotus, so he had been waiting on the sixteenth level.

Seeing Chu Nan enter the sixteenth level, he used his fireproof spirit martial to dive into the magma.

As his spirit martial was about to be melted by the magma, he acted decisively, aiming to kill, but failed due to Zheng Yao's intervention.

Zheng Yao privately felt fortunate. Having seen Jia Yu take action many times, she sensed his presence when he was about to strike, allowing her to warn Chu Nan.

"Heh heh heh, didn't expect you to escape even this." Jia Yu licked his dagger with his tongue, his face showing a sinister expression. "However, the third time won't happen. Today, I, Jia Yu, will take your life!"

Chu Nan's face turned grim. No wonder he hadn't seen Jia Yu all along; he had been waiting here.

He asked, "I have no personal grudge with you. Who sent you to kill me!"

Jia Yu replied, "I'm an assassin; I can't disclose my employer's identity voluntarily."

Even if he didn't say, Chu Nan knew who it was: "It's Chu Han, right."

"You know it well. Every grievance has its source—don't blame me on the way to the afterlife!"

With a swift move, Jia Yu sank into the shadows on the ground, rushing towards Chu Nan at incredible speed.

"Coward hiding your head and showing only your tail!" Chu Nan shouted angrily, stepping into the Roaming Dragon Shocking Wind Step to evade Jia Yu's pursuit.

Slash!

A cold light flashed by as Chu Nan once again dodged the attack, then lifted his sword to slash at Jia Yu. However, Jia Yu's body technique was extremely strong, easily dodging again.

Thus, Chu Nan and Jia Yu used their body techniques to fiercely pull away from each other around the volcano, neither able to gain the upper hand in a short time.

Chu Nan was secretly amazed that Jia Yu could chase after the speed of his top-grade yellow-rank martial skill, the Roaming Dragon Shocking Wind Step.

Jia Yu was even more shocked. Since stepping into the Martial Dao, he had unmatched confidence in his body technique, confident he could escape anyone, even Jiang Yixing.

Yet, he couldn't handle Chu Nan, who was a whole realm lower than himself!

After more than twenty rounds, Jia Yu revealed his form with a grim face, saying, "Only knowing how to run—what kind of man is that."

Chu Nan instantly retorted coldly, "Hiding head and tail—you have no right to speak of me!"

Jia Yu seethed with anger inside. He knew that if this continued, he would never kill Chu Nan.

"Originally, I planned to give you a swift death with one strike. Since you refuse, don't blame me for being merciless!"

Buzz buzz!

The dagger flashed with cold light and began to transform.

Under Chu Nan's surprised gaze, the small dagger turned into a black scythe as tall as a person!

As a qualified assassin, staying hidden without revealing one's identity and achieving a one-hit kill is paramount.

Openly dueling with the assassination target is a shame for an assassin.

By Jia Yu's nature, reaching this point should have meant giving up, but unfortunately, Chu Han's reward was too tempting.

As long as he killed Chu Nan within the Haotian Tower, Chu Han would give him a supreme-grade spirit martial and an ancient secret scripture of the King of Slaughter.

Treasures are enticing, especially for an assassin. The ancient King of Slaughters' secret scripture is an irresistible temptation—a lifetime's worth of experience from a top assassin!

"Shadow Flying Banner!" Jia Yu shouted, vigorously swinging the scythe. The scythe traced phantom shadows that turned into black spirit blades, charging at Chu Nan at high speed.

Chu Nan remained grave, immediately using the Desolate Profound Transformation before Jia Yu's assault.

He did not know how strong Jia Yu, ranked second on the True Transmission List, was, so he went all out from the start!

Under the Desolate Profound Transformation, Chu Nan's prowess was even more formidable. A swipe of the Willow Branch Sword on the black spirit blade made a crack, shattering the spirit blade, dispersing it into the air.

"Cyan Mountain Jinghong Sword!" With extreme speed in martial skills, when perfected, the sword Qi turns into threads, virtually invisible!

Jia Yu's pupils contracted. He didn't expect Chu Nan to so easily deflect his attack. What was most terrifying was how that seemingly ordinary willow branch felt like a precious sharp blade!

"Shock Lian Ghost Slayer!" The scythe spun rapidly, turning into a fan, directly hurled by Jia Yu, stirring up endless gales dispelling the volcano's hot waves!

Bang!

The sword Qi and scythe collided, generating endless black mist.

Fixing his gaze on the front, Chu Nan was about to finish the fight with the Heaven-Shocking Thunder Spear when he noticed his shadow suddenly moved on its own.

"Not good!" Chu Nan hastily retreated.

Jia Yu leaped out of the shadow. Unbeknownst to Chu Nan, Jia Yu had taken the opportunity while his attention was drawn to the black mist to approach stealthily.

This time, Jia Yu did not use weapons. Instead, with a grand wave, he enveloped Chu Nan in a cloud of yellow smoke.

Although Chu Nan quickly burst out from the yellow smoke, he still inhaled a bit.

Within just two breaths, he felt his spiritual power stagnate, and his body weakened.

Recalling the scythe, Jia Yu laughed sinisterly, "Chu Nan, you didn't really think I was going to meet you head-on, did you."

"I'm an assassin. When I was at the ninth level of the Martial Dao, I could still hide in a latrine to kill a Spirit Pill Realm martial artist, so why would I confront head-on."

"Now you've inhaled my Spirit-Transforming Powder. Within an incense stick's time, you won't be able to use spiritual power, and you'll be at my mercy, hahahahaha~"

"Fool who overstimates his abilities, meeting me, Jia Yu, means there's only one outcome—death!" Jia Yu grinned viciously and was utterly delighted.

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