As night fell, Great Desert City blazed with lights and was bustling with noise. The brothels, gambling dens, and other entertainment places everywhere were thriving—this was a hallmark of Great Desert City.

Great Desert City itself was a lawless zone, a place where fish and dragons mingled together, and such chaotic places were always the most prosperous when it came to entertainment.

Lately, Great Desert City had practically become a city that never slept, simply because too many Martial World People had gathered here. After all, it was time for the Martial Arts Convention. All the factions were present, and most people of the Martial World lived with their heads in their hands, ready to lose them at any moment. People like that usually had one habit: money came fast and was spent faster.

Besides, everyone knew that what came next was a battle of life and death—whether one could live through it was already uncertain. Therefore, even many famous martial heroes didn’t mind relaxing for a moment. Even the elders from many prestigious sects deliberately loosened their grip on their disciples at this time.

A city that never sleeps—bustling, lively, and loud.

In a massive gambling den, gamblers were packed tightly together, men and women of all classes, some standing, some sitting, crammed around dozens of large tables, eyes nervously fixed on the dice cups or pai gow tiles. The scents of cosmetics and liquor swirled together, filling the air with a wild, intoxicating ambition.

The waves of people coming and going made for a truly lively scene.

But what no one knew was that within this gambling den, there was a hidden chamber, where several people were gathered, the atmosphere tense and stifling, with demonic qi swirling coldly in the air.

If anyone from the Righteous Dao barged in here, they’d probably be scared out of their wits.

There were a dozen or so people here, and every one of them was a Demon Dao Grandmaster with a fearsome reputation.

A dozen Demon Dao Grandmasters gathering in Great Desert City at this moment—unless one saw it with their own eyes, nobody would believe it if it was merely rumored. Yet, these very people brazenly appeared right under the noses of the Righteous Dao coalition.

Inside the dark chamber,

The Demon Dao Grandmasters sat together, and none spoke. The atmosphere was suffocating, the candlelight flickering gloomily, heightening the shadows in the room.

After a long while,

The door to the secret room was pushed open, and in walked a man in a black robe, wearing a ghost-faced mask. Only a pair of emotionless eyes could be seen beneath the mask. He gazed over the assembly and spoke in a hoarse voice:

"Everyone, tonight’s the night we act!"

An old man dressed in gaudy colors let out a weird laugh and said, "Finally, we can make our move. I’ve been waiting long enough. Heh, heh—tell me, if all those so-called geniuses of the Righteous Dao died one by one, would those self-righteous hypocrites die of regret? I can’t wait to see the look on their faces when that happens!"

The Demon Dao Grandmasters reacted in their own ways,

but all were rubbing their hands, eager to try.

The mask-wearing Ghost Fang said, "Remember, kill with a single blow, no lingering in battle. If you can’t kill, withdraw immediately. Each of you has your escape route set—if you linger and get killed, bear the consequences yourselves!"

"Enough, Ghost Fang," an old man playing with a golden snake in his hand muttered in a low voice, "Those Supreme Grandmasters—can you keep them busy?"

Ghost Fang cocked his head slightly and said coldly, "Are you doubting the Saint Masters?"

The snake-wielding elder snorted and said, "Don’t talk nonsense. Each must do their part. If they can’t keep Yunxi’s Supreme Grandmasters occupied, it’ll be hard for our assassinations to succeed."

Ghost Fang replied coldly, "Just do your part. Tonight is a rare chance. Because days ago, that Gu Zhan from Beidou Bang killed a Grandmaster from the Fifth Realm, stirring up all the young geniuses in Yunxi. Plenty are out and about now, so assassination is a lot easier.

Also, inform your underlings: kill if you can, but do not force it if you can’t. Our true aim isn’t just to slay the geniuses, but to break Yunxi Martial World’s morale. All of you, get prepared. Remember, when you see a massive explosion in the city, retreat immediately. That means time’s up."

"Understood, understood!"

The snake-wielding elder grinned and said, "I suppose we should thank that Gu Zhan—he’s made things a lot easier for us. So, to express my gratitude, I’ll try to give him a death that isn’t too painful."

A white-haired old woman sneered, "Xiao Xiangzi, don’t mess up and lose your life in the gutter. Your Five Poison Sect only has you as a Grandmaster—if you get killed by Gu Zhan, the Five Poison Sect will be finished."

The snake-playing Xiao Xiangzi scoffed and said, "If anyone gets my poison, not even Mo Jingzhou could survive, let alone him!"

"Then go poison Mo Jingzhou, will you?"

"Old hag, isn’t your Joyful Sect best at seducing men with fresh-faced women? Why don’t you try seducing Sword One from Sword King City?"

"You old bastard, you..."

"Enough," Ghost Fang let out a cold snort, cutting off their bickering. "Hurry up and get ready. If you delay, you can answer to the Saint Masters yourselves!"

With that, Ghost Fang looked toward Xiao Xiangzi and said, "You really do need to be careful—this Gu Zhan is an unpredictable upstart. We don’t have complete intel on him."

"No matter," Xiao Xiangzi said in a deep voice, "I’m only poisoning him, not fighting him face-to-face!"

...

Inside Gu Zhan’s residence, squads of Embroidered Uniform Guards patrolled to and fro, with sentries every three steps and posts every five, forming an exceptionally tight defense.