With Ope Ope no Mi in Hunter x Hunter

"Four top-tier experts, huh? Even the current Gai Nie might not be able to handle this lineup. In fact, even the future Sword Saint Gai Nie would struggle against such a formidable group. But those who have yet to appear—whose side are they on?" Daniel Davis pondered as his enhanced senses detected the hidden presences around them. There was no escaping his perception.

"The Zhu family from the Agriculturalist School, huh? I wonder if one of these two is Yanluo." The Qin soldier disguise was too easy to fake, so it couldn't be relied upon to identify them. What's more, neither of these individuals seemed to be carrying the distinctive Yanluo Sword. However, identifying the Zhu family was straightforward. Their unique skills and physique were unmatched in all of the Central Plains.

"I never expected the Guigu disciple Gai Nie to choose to become Ying Zheng's bodyguard. To think that the once-formidable Guigu duo, who foiled the Qin's schemes in alliance with Prince Xinling, would come to this... It's truly a reminder of the unpredictability of fate." After a brief standoff, one of the armored men stepped forward and spoke slowly, trying to sow discord between Ying Zheng and Gai Nie. He referred to the incident when the Guigu duo clashed with the Black-White Xuan Jian, particularly during the Weiyong affair in Wei.

However, Gai Nie's expression remained calm and unperturbed by the provocation, as if he hadn't heard anything at all. Ying Zheng's demeanor was equally unchanged. The bond between Ying Zheng and Gai Nie was far too strong to be shaken by mere words.

Just as the man prepared to continue his taunts, Daniel abruptly interrupted.

"What a joke. You're an assassin, and yet you talk so much. Do you think this is a debate among the Hundred Schools of Thought? Either start fighting or get lost. All this babbling—are you even a man?" Daniel's mocking words silenced everyone momentarily. But he paid no mind to their thoughts, instead raising his head to gaze at the mountaintop.

"You, hiding up there, come out now. Or do I need to invite you out myself?" Daniel said as he flicked his fingers, sending four copper coins flying in four different directions.

In response, eight figures emerged from the shadows—four landed near the assassins, while the other four descended towards Ying Zheng.

"Xinghun... So the Yin-Yang School has finally shown themselves." Daniel immediately recognized Xinghun among the four who landed near Ying Zheng. Xinghun was too distinctive to mistake, even more so than the Zhu family.

Dressed in purple robes, with eerie purple markings on his youthful face, there was no doubt that this was Xinghun. Alongside him was a young woman with long purple hair and a veil over her eyes, likely Luna. The other two, wearing masks similar to those previously worn by Ying Zheng, were likely the enigmatic Xiangjun and Xiangfu, two of the five grand elders of the Yin-Yang School—possibly Shun and Ehuang Nuying.

"So this is the reason Ying Zheng dared to travel alone to Korea to meet Han Fei," Daniel mused. With four top experts from the Yin-Yang School and Gai Nie, the enemy's eight top-tier assassins stood no chance of killing Ying Zheng.

"My lord." Luna took a few steps forward after landing, giving Daniel a quick glance before bowing slightly to Ying Zheng.

Ying Zheng nodded lightly without speaking.

"The two chief protectors of the Yin-Yang School and their two most mysterious elders... I never expected to encounter all of you here. Very well, let's begin!" Taking Daniel's earlier comment to heart, the assassins wasted no time. The speaker rushed at Gai Nie with his sword before he even finished his sentence, and the others quickly followed suit. Simultaneously, Gai Nie and the Yin-Yang School experts moved to intercept them, shifting the battlefield away from Ying Zheng's carriage.

"Condense energy into a blade." Xinghun was the first to strike, gathering powerful energy into his palms and forming a purple energy blade. As he unleashed a sweeping half-moon-shaped sword wave, it encompassed all eight assassins within its attack range.

Although the energy blade was quickly shattered, it succeeded in halting the assassins' advance.

In that instant, both sides clashed. Xiangjun and Xiangfu used their coordinated techniques to engage five of the enemy's top experts, preventing them from splitting off to attack Ying Zheng. Meanwhile, the remaining three were engaged by Gai Nie, Xinghun, and Luna.

The chaotic battlefield soon took its toll on the canyon's rocky terrain. Sword energy and raw power wreaked havoc, sending shards of stone flying against the Pyongyang Heavy Armored Soldiers' shield wall, which echoed with the sounds of clashing metal.

"Is this Bailu Qishuang?" Daniel murmured as he noticed the drop in temperature and the frost forming around Xiangjun and Xiangfu's battle. This Yin-Yang technique was well-known to him.

The two's combined assault left the five assassins with no opportunity to divert their attention to Ying Zheng. In fact, as time passed, the five began to falter. Fighting against an ice-based ability was a long and grueling ordeal. As the cold infiltrated their bodies, their physical capabilities inevitably declined.

Even a slight decline could spell doom in a battle between equals.

The five major techniques of the Yin-Yang School could be combined in various ways. Later, during the battle against Gai Nie, Xiaoyaozi, and Tianming, the Yin-Yang School's techniques were similarly combined. Even Xinghun's Condensed Energy Blade could be integrated into these combinations.

Xinghun's battle against the Zhu family was a contest of raw energy, and in this area, Xinghun was slightly weaker. However, even so, it wouldn't be easy for the Zhu family member to overcome him quickly.

Luna, on the other hand, was slightly on the defensive, while Gai Nie's fight with his opponent remained evenly matched. Among the Guigu disciples, Gai Nie had always been stronger than Wei Zhuang.

"Is the Great Celestial Priestess not here? And who exactly is the current Celestial Priestess?" Watching the ongoing battles, Daniel couldn't help but think of the mysterious and popular Celestial Priestess, who had gained significant attention in the era before his own.

"It's all about who can finish off their opponent first and then assist their allies," Daniel thought. Ying Zheng's side had a slight advantage due to his own presence, which still exerted pressure on the enemy even though he had yet to make a move.

As time passed, Daniel suddenly looked up, spotting a shadowy figure leaping into view. With his enhanced senses, nothing within the vicinity could escape his notice, though the newcomer seemed unaware of this.

"Sheng Qi, and the Giant Que Sword," Daniel identified the figure and weapon immediately. The enemy's plan was meticulous—drawing away Ying Zheng's protectors and sending Sheng Qi in as the final assassin. It was a well-thought-out strategy.

The Giant Que Sword was immensely heavy, wielded only by those with superhuman strength. Once swung, it could easily cleave through mountains and stone, earning it the reputation of being the world's supreme blade.

With the power of the Giant Que Sword, Sheng Qi could indeed slice Ying Zheng's carriage clean in two.

Sheng Qi's sudden appearance sent a jolt of fear through Li Si, but Ying Zheng remained calm, his expression serene as the shadow drew closer.

This calmness drew the attention of the Yin-Yang School members. They didn't know the extent of Daniel's abilities, but they recognized the difficulty of confronting Sheng Qi's devastating downward strike head-on. It was a move they would rather avoid if possible.

"Sorry, Sheng Qi." With this thought, Daniel suddenly jumped up and punched the Giant Que Sword as it descended. The sight left everyone momentarily stunned, causing them to hesitate in their battles.

Clang!

The sound of metal clashing echoed throughout the canyon. To the astonishment of all, Daniel's punch not only stopped the downward swing of the Giant Que Sword but also sent it flying back upward. The force of the impact caused Sheng Qi to lose his grip on the sword, and in the next moment, Daniel's fist smashed into Sheng Qi's chest.

The sheer force of the blow sent Sheng Qi hurtling through the air like an arrow, crashing into a nearby mountainside. The impact shattered rocks and created a cloud of dust, obscuring Sheng Qi's condition.

But Daniel didn't stop there. He extended his right hand, catching the falling Giant Que Sword by the blade and redirecting its trajectory. With a flick of his wrist, he hurled the sword back towards the mountainside where Sheng Qi had landed.

Boom!

Another thunderous crash resounded as the Giant Que Sword pierced through the dust cloud and embedded itself in Sheng Qi's chest, pinning him to the mountainside. With that, one of the future heirs of the Green Dragon Plan was eliminated ahead of schedule.

"Alright, it's getting late. If we delay any longer, we won't make it to Hangu Pass by nightfall. I'll handle the rest of them now." After dealing with Sheng Qi, Daniel landed back on the ground, calmly sheathing the Giant Que Sword and summoning the Black-White Xuan Jian to his side. As he separated the two swords, he slowly advanced toward the now-paused battlefield, the swords dragging along the ground and sparking as they moved.

The earlier scene of Daniel taking down Sheng Qi had left everyone too shocked to continue fighting.

"You heard the man. Stand down," Ying Zheng ordered

 as Xinghun began to speak. Despite his dissatisfaction, Xinghun had no choice but to comply. Luna, on the other hand, watched Daniel with keen interest, recalling the words of Donghuang Taiyi before their departure: "The stars have shifted."

"Today, none of you will leave here alive."

"We'll see if you have the skill to make that happen."

"You will find out soon enough." Without further words, Daniel crossed the Black-White Xuan Jian and slashed forward, unleashing a massive cross-shaped sword energy wave that enveloped all eight opponents.

The assassins instinctively unleashed their strongest techniques to counter Daniel's attack, but it was futile. Their defenses shattered instantly against the overwhelming power of the cross-shaped sword energy. The difference in strength was too great. Even without integrating internal energy into his attacks, Daniel's physical prowess and mastery of Nen were more than enough to overpower them.

Boom!

The sword energy tore through the assassins, continuing into the mountainside behind them, carving a massive cross-shaped gash tens of meters wide into the rock. The cataclysmic scene made Xinghun's eyebrows twitch, his expression turning serious.

"A bit overkill, but I didn't expect anyone to survive that. Quick reflexes, I'll give them that." Daniel sensed that three of his opponents were still alive. He decided to wait for the dust to clear before finishing them off.

"Thousand Faces!" Suddenly, a loud shout came from within the dust cloud, followed by a horde of short, stocky figures charging at Daniel.

"I forgot about this technique," Daniel thought, momentarily surprised by the sudden appearance of so many Zhu family members. He had indeed overlooked this move.

"Using this to escape? Unfortunately for you, I'm your opponent." Although he didn't possess the insight of Tian Yan, Daniel's expertise in "Gyo" allowed him to perceive the aura strings connecting the doppelgangers to the real body.

After locating the central figure, Daniel flicked his left hand, sending the Black Sword flying towards the origin of the strings. The sword cut through the horde of Zhu family doppelgangers with ease, continuing until a distant grunt confirmed its target. Instantly, all the doppelgangers froze in place before dissipating.

"What an interesting technique. If not for its significant drawbacks, it would be hard to ignore." Daniel shook his head as he watched the Zhu family doppelgangers vanish. Compared to his own Eikan no Kata, Thousand Faces had too many weaknesses.

With a flick of his fingers, Daniel recalled the Black Sword, which returned to him along with the body of its victim—one of the Zhu family.

"The other two seem to have escaped." Sensing two distant auras moving away, Daniel hesitated briefly before deciding not to pursue them. It didn't matter who they were; their presence was irrelevant.

"Who are you, really?" Hanging from the Black Sword, the Zhu family member glared coldly at Daniel. The assassination had failed, and it was all because of Daniel's unexpected intervention.

"Who I am doesn't matter to a dead man." With that, Daniel flicked the Black Sword, sending the Zhu family member's body flying to the side.

"My lord, the matter is settled." After retrieving the Black-White Xuan Jian, Daniel calmly approached Ying Zheng and reported.

"What a terrifying individual..." Elsewhere, deep within the Qinling Mountains, a strange figure moved through the rugged terrain as if it were flat ground.

Soon, the figure reached a mountain peak and leaped into the air. Moments later, a peculiar flying machine emerged from below the peak, taking off into the sky. If Daniel had seen this flying machine, he would have recognized it as the Mohist's mechanical Zhuque.

"Daozhi, you look like you've had quite a scare. What happened?" The Zhuque's pilot was a handsome young man with a carefree demeanor, sipping wine as he spoke.

"A monster... A truly terrifying monster." Daozhi took a deep breath and drank his wine slowly, still shaken by the experience.

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Coming up with chapter titles is the hardest part...

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