"Hahahaha, that coward really left the battle. Looks like the reputation of the young master of the Lu family as an incompetent was true," one of the men in the monkey mask said, laughing as they watched Lu Zhen and Little Lily leaving in the distance.

"Be careful, Number 3. Although that brat has left, this young miss of the Jiang family is not easy to deal with," another masked man warned.

Although they were initially stunned by Lu Zhen's departure, they couldn't help but feel relieved. Despite their bloodthirsty nature, they were not stupid. They knew that if anything had happened to Lu Zhen, the Lu family would pursue them relentlessly until they were eradicated.

Moreover, their own backer had a similar background to the Lu family, which meant they couldn't rely on them for support. If the situation turned sour, they would likely be used as sacrificial lambs to bear the brunt of the Lu family's anger. Thus, they were cautious about their actions, especially when it came to dealing with the formidable Lu family.

As for the matter of Lu Zhen tricking them or calling for backup, they didn't consider these possibilities. After all, they believed that Lu Zhen hadn't practised martial arts; he was recognized as trash throughout the city for a reason, despite the huge influence of the Lu family.

As for any potential backup, they dismissed the idea, confident that they could deal with Jiang Xue swiftly before any reinforcements could arrive. The element of surprise and their swift assassination skills were their best allies. Little did they know that underestimating Lu Zhen was their demise.

Meanwhile, Jiang Xue knew that she had refused the marriage, and it would be shameless of her to hope Lu Zhen would risk his life to save her. So, logically, she understood his decision. However, deep inside, she couldn't help feeling a tinge of disappointment.

Ignoring her inner feelings, she focused on how to defend against the five attackers until backup arrived as she swiftly took out her whip.

After all, despite being a martial genius who reached the martial trainee realm at the age of 18, she was up against five assassins who were also in the martial trainee realm. It would be a challenging battle, but it was still not hopeless.

"Silent death strike," a masked man muttered in his head as he sneakily attacked Jiang Xue from behind.

The strike was executed with utter silence, requiring minimal movement, and the sword was barely visible to the untrained eye.

However, Jiang Xue's instincts kicked in, and she instantly felt the chilling presence behind her. Without a second thought, she swung the whip in her hand, using it to strike her behind her in a powerful sweep without looking.

"Ice whip."

In a swift transformation, the whip turned icy cold, but the strange thing was that it remained elastic despite its coldness.

The cold whip met the almost invisible blade. A loud crack rang out as the whip clashed with the blade, and although the whip had a slight crack on it, the sword was successfully pushed back by Jiang Xue's skillful defense.

At the same moment, four knives were thrown at Jiang Xue from four different directions, catching her off guard.

The knives were on the verge of piercing Jiang Xue, but just in the nick of time, the barrier appeared again, firmly blocking the knives' momentum and protecting her from harm.

The assassins grew increasingly annoyed by the appearance of the barrier, realizing that their first attempt would have succeeded if not for this unexpected hindrance.

Jiang Xue's heart raced as she bit her lip, feeling the weight of the situation. In a desperate attempt to maintain her composure, she tightly gripped a bracelet in her hand hidden under her sleeve. Upon closer inspection, one could notice a slight crack on it, barely noticeable, but it seemed to hold a hidden significance for her.

"Humph, I don't believe this barrier will last forever. Let's all attack together," one of the assassins declared, his frustration evident in his voice.

In a synchronized assault, the five assassins launched their attacks simultaneously, leaving Jiang Xue with little room to dodge. The barrier appeared once again, hindering their attempts, but the assassins remained undeterred. They attacked relentlessly, throwing knives, bombs, and poisons at the barrier, determined to break through and reach their target.

As the barrage of attacks continued, the barrier made ripples but stood firm, withstanding all the assaults thrown at it by the assassins.

However, Jiang Xue's anxiety grew with each passing moment as she felt the bracelet hidden under her sleeve cracking more and more. The once barely noticeable crack had widened, causing her heart to race with worry.

At that very moment, the assassin positioned at the far end of the ambush felt an eerie chill crawling up his spine, causing the hair on the back of his neck to stand on end. Reacting swiftly, he turned around, his senses heightened to detect any lurking danger. With a precise motion, he swung his sword in a defensive arc.

As the assassin turned around, a simple saber swing greeted his eyes, and he swiftly brought his sword to meet the attack. Initially, relief washed over him as he believed he had successfully defended against the strike.

Yet, when their weapons collided, an overwhelming force descended upon him, filling him with horror. Despite pushing with all his might, the sabre remained steady and unmoving, as if he were a mere bug. He couldn't even budge the saber in the slightest direction.

In the face of this terrifying strength, the assassin's mind raced with countless possibilities, but he was granted no time for further contemplation.

In the blink of an eye, the saber slashed through his sword as if it were mere paper, leaving the assassin utterly defenseless.

With horror-struck eyes, the assassin witnessed the unstoppable momentum of the saber. The blade swiftly and cleanly sliced through his head from the upper part, leaving no chance for escape. The deadly path of the saber continued, mercilessly cutting through the assassin's body, cleaving him into two halves with chilling precision.

The blood of the assassin splashed onto the man holding the saber, revealing Lu Zhen with an emotionless face.

Although the fight might have looked long, it happened in a split second, leaving the other assassins to not be able to react in time.

They could only watch helplessly as their comrade died right in front of them split in half.