Novel Full Chapter 938: The Faceless Assassin
Chapter 938: The Faceless Assassin
The Faceless Art can be regarded as one of the most complex and terrifying techniques in the universe.
Nobody knew its origin—only that one day, out of nowhere, a figure emerged who could take on the appearance of those he killed.
However, it was not merely about stealing appearances.
The core of the Faceless Art ran much deeper.
If it were only about imitating the appearance of those he killed, then many others could have been called faceless assassins. Countless disguise techniques exist that can mimic anyone’s appearance, even down to their birthmarks.
The Faceless Art, however, was far more complex than that.
The one whose appearance was taken would, in a sense, have their entire life seized by the Faceless assassin.
This meant their memories, mannerisms, curses, cultivation base, desires, and aversions—everything about them—would be copied.
Naturally, there was no other technique in existence besides the Faceless Art that allowed someone to assume both the appearance and the cultivation base of the one they killed.
There was simply none. Yet with the Faceless Art, everything could be replicated, even the soul imprints. It was a terrifying technique that, if not carefully used, could cause user to forget their own identity.
Living others’ lives for too long could make you forget your own.
Kent sat in a lotus posture inside the inn he had booked. His eyes were closed, his body calm, and the only sound in the room was the strange chant that flowed from his lips.
Mysterious symbols appeared on his body as he continued to chant.
The more he recited those words, the more symbols surfaced.
Kent was so deeply absorbed in his cultivation that he did not even realise when midnight arrived. Fortunately, a few minutes later, his eyes slowly opened.
A faint smile appeared on his face as he stood up. “I am ready.”
The Soul Map had expanded to its full capacity. The eighty-thousand-kilometre radius was now open to him, allowing him to observe everything within its scope.
At that moment, his gaze was fixed on fourteen individuals whose identities he intended to seize. After eliminating them, he would use their stolen identities to take the lady from the auction away and back to her world.
Well, that was his initial plan.
“The plan is to kill those below Level Six Spirit Lord. I can’t go all out in my assassin form, and since I am still considered an amateur assassin, cutting my coat too large would only bring trouble.”
Kent walked to the window, silently evaluating the assassination-type skills and techniques currently at his disposal.
“I have Shadow Smoke, which allows me to transform into smoke. Though it consumes an immense amount of energy, it will secure my escape if things go wrong.
Then there is Bone Cutter, which amplifies my attacks six hundredfold. As long as I can get within a meter of my target, I will be able to end them with a single strike.
Fortunately, the Shadow Walker skill will let me traverse through shadows quickly. Then with Shadow Aura, I can remain hidden to a certain extent—at least until the moment I strike.”
These were the only skills he possessed as an assassin, thanks to Faceless, his incarnation. Kent did not have much confidence in his ability to pull all this off, so he borrowed a skill from Jest, another of his past incarnations.
The skill is called Multiple Blade.
It is a sword skill that allows him to strike once, yet the attack appears to be double. This illusion could easily confuse his enemy.
He also planned to use the Clone Bodies to move quickly, in case a single strike was not enough to deliver a killing blow.
“Here we go.”
—
[First Target]
One of the fourteen individuals Kent intended to kill was currently hidden inside an abandoned building near one of the teleportation gates, roughly twenty thousand kilometres from the auction house.
He was a Level Four Spirit Lord.
His mission was to scan every last person entering the teleportation gate. Knowing that the lady who had bought the Soul Spirit would attempt a swift escape, they had stationed him there.
He was one of the many operatives deployed by the Vice Leader of the Blue Flame Pill Palace. With watchers positioned everywhere, he felt confident that they would eventually catch her.
The man sat in silence, his senses stretched outward, carefully scanning for any disturbance.
Naturally, he was supposed to notice the slightest ripple in his surroundings. Yet, as Kent drew near, he remained oblivious.
This was all thanks to the Shadow Aura Kent had activated. It made him blend seamlessly into the darkness, like a phantom. His steps were soundless, his presence erased.
From the small memories Kent had witnessed of his past life as the Faceless Assassin, he understood one principle clearly: when it came to the Art of Assassination, impatience was fatal.
From these memories, Kent saw how Faceless would lie in wait for months just to execute a single strike.
Kent copied him, and so he wasn’t in a rush. He knew that killing this one man would make the rest of his task far easier.
The rule was simple: kill one, assume their life, and then use their relationships and familiarity to eliminate the others with ease.
“It has already been ten hours since the auction. When will that woman finally appear?” the man muttered, his sharp gaze fixed on the teleportation gate.
He pulled out a communication crystal and infused his energy into it. “Yan, what is the update on your end?”
Thirty thousand kilometres away, a young man retrieved his own crystal and responded, “Nothing yet, Brother Yuan.”
Yuan—the man Kent was approaching—took in a cold breath. “Keep searching. The lord has already sent word to the sect. Reinforcements will arrive by morning. By then, she will no longer be able to hide.”
“Alright, Brother Yuan. But what if that old woman comes for her daughter?”
“That is not for us to concern ourselves with. The Vice leader already has plans to deal with her. Focus on your surveillance.”
After putting away the communication crystal, Yuan exhaled deeply, then pulled out a strip of dried spirit beast meat and bit into it, tearing a chunk off.
He was about to chew when his sixth sense suddenly screamed at him. Before he could even turn, a hand clamped over his mouth, and a cold voice whispered into his ear:
“Sleep tight.”
Those were the last words he ever heard before everything turned dark.
His severed head rolled across the floor as Kent calmly sheathed his dagger.
A faint smile touched his lips. “Looks like I still got it.”
With a gentle laugh, he looted the body and then got to work.
He sat cross-legged once more and resumed chanting. Strange symbols reappeared across his body, but this time they also manifested on Yuan’s corpse.
After a few minutes, the glowing symbols detached from the dead man and flew into Kent’s body. The moment the last one merged with Kent’s body, a message appeared before his eyes.
⟦Congratulations. You have successfully added a Face to your Collection⟧
⟦Current Faces: 001/999⟧
↠ Yuan Li
Kent opened his eyes and walked toward the body. With a flick of his hand, flames erupted and consumed the corpse until nothing remained.
He exhales for a few moments before activating the Faceless Art. His body began to shift.
His hair changed first, followed by his face, then his height and skin tone.
In mere moments, Kent had fully taken on the appearance of Yuan Li.
“We are in business,” he said. His voice, expression, and posture were no longer his own, but belonged entirely to the newly deceased and burnt Yuan Li.