Maiden Of The Splitting Moon

Chapter 394 - Silent Assassination

Leaving this little clearing, they moved only a few feet before turning around to watch. With the remains of the fire still fresh, a trail of smoke wafted up into the sky. 

"Are you sure? If it is the demons, we should go, shouldn't we?" 

Shrn Varuna was confused, not knowing what was happening.

"If it is those demons, we have to deal with them first. They're getting close and should've noticed the smoke by now", Ming Yue explained.

Just then, the grass moved as five armed demons emerged from the other side. All of them moved and surrounded the fire, watching the smoke come out. One of them knelt on the ground, studying it before looking to the others. 

"There's still a few embers left. They can't be far, this fire was snuffed only recently, very recently", he said. 

The demons looked to each other, each one with different thoughts. 

"To think that little demon was lucky enough to have found someone to help her", one of the muttered. 

"But it's only one other person and another beast, some pet probably."

"Hmph, whatever the case, they're on their way to the human's side of the lake. Whoever found the girl is most likely a human and if they traveled alone before, they must be strong."

"It doesn't matter, we must find the girl and bring her back. You know how King Hai Zhu is, a meticulous person like him hates it when something is wrong. Just kill the human and take the girl."

The one commanding this group was a demon of strange origins. He looked very human- like if not for his six bug- like eyes. Not to mention, this particular demon carried no weapons either. 

"Yes!"

Immediately, they brandished their weapons, readying themselves for a battle. These five immediately split apart to look around but none of them realized that the ones they were searching for would be so close. Worse than that, none of them saw Drifting Sky unsheathed, hidden by the grass. 

She turned to Shen Varuna who covered her mouth, trying her best not to make a sound.  Xiao Yin and Hei Yue were by the little demon, guarding her. 

Ming Yue put her finger to her mouth, motioning to stay quiet and still. 

"It will be over very quickly", she whispered. 

The little demon nodded quickly, staying put. 

Giving her one more look, Ming Yue studied the area, peeking around and taking note of the demon's positions. 

"Five in total spread out like a circle... Where should I start from?" she thought.

"The one with six eyes is the strongest without a doubt. I should deal with him last. In that case..."

Ming Yue then resheathed her sword and placed it into her spatial ring before taking out the Pearlstone Dagger instead. And then wind gathered in her hands, forming the Zephyr Claws only, they were a bit different. 

"This is a good chance to try something different."

The claws themselves were much thinner but carried an electric blue sheen. It was a different version of her usual technique, something more discreet and less visceral. They did not cut easily but they could pierce nearly anything with ease. 

"Boltwind Nails."

Just like that, she moved to her first target, a gray- skinned demon carrying a metal club.  He was the closest to her and sadly, the least attentive. As he looked around his eyes scanned the area, trying to find and tracks left by the group. 

Then he felt something like a prick on the back of his neck before the so-called "nails" discharged, sending currents through his body. Before he could even utter a sound, his body went stiff and numb as he fell down. But Ming Yue caught him before he made any noise before stabbing him into the neck with her dagger. 

It was a clean kill and above all else, it was quiet. the demon's disappearance was unnoticeable. 

Then she moved onto the next, quietly sneaking through the grass as the remaining demons continued to search the area. 

It seemed to get quieter and quieter as the demons died one by one, gently being laid down to the ground. She took her time, waiting for the right opportunity to strike. By the third, she had become much more acclimated to the situation and looked to the fourth demon, who was walking straight towards where the others were. 

"Oh no!"

She pointed the Boltwind Nails straight at him, condensing them into needles before firing off. 

This demon kept looking around before parting some grass with his saber. Hiding in front of him were Shen Varuna and the two beasts. The girl's eyes widened in shock and fear as a smile formed on his face. 

"They're he-"

Just as he spoke the needles pierced deep into his body before bursting out with lightning and burning him from the inside. He fell and died immediately as one of the needles pierced his skull and destroyed his mind. 

Making an audible thud and dying in front of the little girl, she couldn't help but whimper and nearly cry out. All of this noise caused the last demon to turn around and he noticed something. 

"Everyone's dead."

There was a look of surprise on his face as he realized this, not expecting his men to die without him even noticing. 

"But if they're dead, that means that the girl is here."

This little detail seemed to mean nothing to him. It seemed that this demon was unlike the others. 

His six eyes scanned the area before heading towards the direction where that last of his men died. His armor shuddered before opening up and revealing his back but that was not all. One by one, six spider legs emerged from behind, stretching out before taking their natural position, facing in front of him.  Each one of them was incredibly sharp, the tips were like scythes, taking a dark purple shine under the moonlight.

He was a Zhizhu Demon and he wasn't done yet, activating his bloodline as well. 

The six limbs the grew out of him become longer and the color had become an even darker shade of purple. The scythes began to drip with some sort of liquid, poison no doubt. 

Confident but careful, this spidery being watched his surroundings, stepping ever so closer to his target's location. 

"Reaping Blade."

A white dagger flew out from the tall grass, shining under the moonlight and the demon noticed it. Two of his limbs struck out to deflect the blade but as soon as he touched it, the dagger seemed to pass on some energy into him.

"Arghh!"

A single burst of lightning passed through his body, shocking him. Unfortunately, he did not notice Ming Yue's appearance until it was too late. She emerged from the shadows with Drifting Sky flashing out, she swung up cutting off two of his limbs before vanishing into the tall grass. 

Reaping Blade, a technique of complete silence and speed.

It is pure sword skill merged with stealth, perfect for assassination. It was different from Phantasmal Wind, she was more like a shadow and less like a ghost using Reaping Blade. 

But in a single breath, she was there and then she was gone. 

"Where are you?!"

As for the demon, he recovered quickly, lashing out with his other three limbs. They whipped about, cutting the grass around him to shreds as he searched for this attacker. Poison flew out, hissing as it melted the grass in seconds. 

"Come out here!" he shouted. 

Several feet away was the hidden group of three and Shen Varuna could not stay put for much longer. The Zhizhu Demon was getting dangerously close, his spidery blades were inching closer to her as they cut the grass apart. 

Unable to stay put any longer, she stood up and ran, causing movement in the grass. And the demon noticed it immediately. 

"There you are!"