Time - 452

After a night of sleep, Zhu Yi told his idea to Zhou Fan. 

"You can sense people's cultivation, right?" Zhu Yi asked.

"Indeed."

"And how far is that range?"

Zhou Fan responded. "I'm not sure. I've never tried it out."

Zhu Yi spoke. "Can you try it out right now?"

Zhou Fan nodded and began to sense the people's cultivation around him.

After a moment, he spoke. "I can sense about half a mile away."

Zhu Yi was excited. "In that case, you can help me make sure that nobody else is around when I assassinate someone."

Zhou Fan nodded. "Good idea."

Zhu Yi left his house and made his way to the rogue cultivator guild. He would use the same tactic of waiting for his target to enter and following him.

As he waited, Zhou Fan spoke. "Don't you think this is a bit conspicuous?"

Zhu Yi was confused. "Huh?"

"You're just staring at the entrance. I feel that it would be easy to pinpoint you as an assassin after a few times. At least sit in a different building."

While Zhu Yi felt it was unnecessary due to the large number of people inside at all times, he left the rogue cultivator guild and moved to a restaurant across the street. Although it was expensive, it was still a mortal restaurant. 

That meant that if night fell, Zhu Yi would have to leave and watch the entrance somewhere else. 

Zhu Yi sat in the restaurant all day, but he saw nothing. He sat in the rogue cultivator guild while night passed, and sat in the restaurant for another day.

At this point, he was wondering if he had been scammed and returned to the assassination guild.

He looked at his mission profile on the crystal pad, but the mission had been canceled. Apparently, his target had been killed during a mission.

Only now did Zhu Yi remember that the rogue cultivator guild missions were not safe either. They were just safer compared to the assassination guilds missions.

Zhu Yi found another mission with the same specification as the last one. 

3rd level Qi gathering, no sect affiliation, male.

This mission had precise information on the target's habits. Clearly, someone valued the target's death very much.

Zhu Yi waited outside the city on a specific path. According to the information, the target would pass by here soon.

The information was so specific that it made Zhu Yi worried that it was a trap. As a result, he hid himself while the time passed.

Luckily, it was not a trap. His target walked by and Zhu Yi cleanly decapitated him from behind.

As he put the head in his sack and the sack in his bag, Zhu Yi turned around and saw a figure from afar. 

For a second, Zhu Yi was worried he was caught.

The figure in the distance solemnly bowed. His eyes were bloodshot as he looked at the headless body.

Although the figure was a mortal, he gave off a feeling of pure hatred.

"Thank you." The figure mouthed before turning away and leaving.

Zhu Yi hid the body and returned to the city.

Everyone had their own story, and although Zhu Yi was interested in that mortal's, he had his own job to fulfill.

"One more mission." Zhu Yi said in excitement.

If Zhou Fan's words were right, one more Foundation Establishment realm beast core was enough to create a qualitative change in recovery.

Zhu Yi accepted another mission.

This one was easy and quickly fulfilled without issue. In a room below the assassination guild, Zhu Yi stared at a Foundation Establishment realm beast.

He excitedly stabbed and sliced at it. When everything was done, he held the beast core and Zhou Fan cleaned it with the river of cultivation.

Touching the ring with the core, it was sucked into the ring.

Zhu Yi expectantly stared at his master. Zhou Fan waited for a moment, and after a second, he felt as if his mind had entered a different state.

Only his mind and soul remained, but if he had been in his body, it would have been an out of body experience.

He instinctively felt possibilities all around him as he broke through a recovery threshold.

Using a sudden burst of energy, much like when someone broke through, Zhou Fan began to use that energy to increase Zhu Yi's talent. Suddenly, his mind moved and an idea popped up in his mind.

Zhou Fan laughed. "Haha. I almost forgot about that. I suppose it will work now. I should have thought about it earlier. Sorry Zhu Yi, your talent will not increase as much as I hoped." 

Zhou Fan used the remaining energy and activated the river of cultivation in one last burst. Then, everything receded.

Zhou Fan found himself on Zhu Yi's shoulder. Only a moment had passed.

Zhu Yi was about to speak when a warm feeling appeared inside his body.

"Master?" He asked with excitement.

"Your meridians have been upgraded to mortal rank." Zhou Fan said.

Zhu Yi's excitement suddenly lowered and dwindled out. "Well. I guess it's an upgrade."

He didn't want to be ungrateful, but he was expecting more.

Meridians went: Trash, Weak, Mortal, Great, Spirit, King, Emperor, God, Supreme God, Immortal, Immortal King, Immortal Emperor, Immortal God, Immortal Godking.

Although Zhu Yi did not know about anything above emperor rank, he was still disappointed.

Zhou Fan laughed. "Don't feel disappointed yet. It could have been higher, but I suddenly had an idea that will benefit you much more."

Zhu Yi felt excitement once again. "What did you do?"

"I gave you an affinity." Zhou Fan smiled.

Zhu Yi questioned. "An affinity? A good one I hope."

Zhou Fan could not stop himself from laughing. Zhu Yi had no idea. He wanted to play around a little more, but cut to the chase.

"I gave you an affinity to Time Qi."

Zhu Yi paused and his face became blank. He felt as if the entire world had stopped moving.