Behind his mask, Ming Li was sweating nonstop. His eyes stayed focused, but he wasn't sure how long he could act.

"Answer my question!" The voice lashed out.

Ming Li was startled and immediately responded "Yes Elder, this junior would willingly die for the guild!"

The voices then stopped, however the oppressive energy directed at Ming Li was still present. After three breaths, another voice said:

"If so, absorb this." From the dark, a small bottle flew towards Ming Li.

When Ming Li opened the bottle, his body trembled, he instantly knew that the substance inside the bottle was dangerous, however he had no choice but to absorb it.

Again, he glanced at darkness, but he could only sense the presence of three strong seekers which made him feel stiff from fear. After thinking of the consequence of not doing as the elders commands, he made his resolve. "Since I have no way to escape these oldies, I'll have to play along." He thought.

Sizzle..

Ming Li absorbed the substance then his skin started to burn. All of his senses started to weaken, and something inside his core formed. A seal slowly materialized inside of him. He felt that it was a control type seal. If the seal completely formed, he realized that he would die if he betrayed the guild!

He gritted his teeth and endured the pain of his core being sealed. Hopelessness filled his heart, fighting back against the seal felt meaningless. Everything around him became hazy, as he grasped for breath.

When he was about to give up resistance, his core erupted with demonic energy. The demonic energy inside of him raged as if it does not wished to be suppressed.

After he felt this, he realized that the seal was meant to control natural energy, not demonic energy!

The elders didn't notice the thing happening inside Ming Li's body. They were sure that anyone who absorbed the substance would definitely have the seal in their core. Everyone who was a core member of the guild have consumed the substance, which allowed them to gain complete control over the guild.

The seal will kill anyone who did anything to betray the guild, even the elders have consumed this to gain complete trust of the guild. Being a group of random people thrown in together with different beliefs, they needed this seal to create a strong foundation with unwavering loyalty to the guild itself. Their trust to the substance was enough to make them careless in observing its effects.

Demonic energy rushed through him wildly tearing every part of the seal. The explosive nature of demonic energy made it impossible to be controlled by the seal. On the outside, Ming Li seemed to be suffering from being sealed, but in reality he was pained from his own demonic energy going on a berserk inside his own body.

After a while, he stood up slightly panting and bowed to the elders. A smile appeared on the elders face when they said "You are now officially part of the Mao Group, your standing would be higher than ordinary members, since your loyalty would be eternal."

Ming Li strongly kneeled in front of the elders and said "Thank you Elders! I am proud to be bestowed of such honor!"

"You are dismissed." When he heard the voice, the presence of the three seeker in the darkness completely faded away.

Ming Li stood up and went out the place, he was escorted back to his place by the same man who escorted him earlier and was left alone without a word.

Ming Li felt baffled by what happened. However, he was sure that the elders had some suspicions in him, which made them decide to seal, and gain complete control over him.

With them believing that Ming Li has been completely sealed and would eternally be loyal to the guild, Ming Li smiled maliciously and said "Now I can kill more of you idiots!"

...

Ming Li continued his assassination of the guild members. Months passed, and his kill count easily reached hundreds. Since there were hundreds of thousands of guild members in the Black Spider Guild, a loss of a mere hundred insignificant weak members would not cause much of a commotion.

His hands were now filled with blood, He had long since gotten used to killing, which in fact, made him extremely efficient in assassination. Most of his targets didn't even know how they died, and people who luckily noticed Ming Li also died without being able to fight back. His strength also steadily reached the fifth level which made his tasks easier.

Each time he gained a level, he noticed his body becoming significantly stronger. Unlike in the beginners realm where only a slight increase in physical capability was evident, and the boost in strength was more about the control of natural energy.

In the body tempering realm, his body was the main focus of his growth. Being in the fifth level made it impossible for people in the beginners realm to kill him. His control of natural energy also increased with every increase in level, however, it wasn't as much as compared to the physical enhancement of his body.

One day, when he was about to kill someone on the first level of body tempering realm, a strong energy suddenly rose from behind him which made his attack miss.

When he glanced around, He saw a seeker with round eyes and huge built who was at the sixth level of the body tempering realm. He felt a sense of crisis since it was the first time he was discovered in such a way. Without thinking much, he immediately rushed again towards the man at the first level of the beginners realm. When the seeker with huge built saw Ming Li's actions, his face flickered. He never thought that Ming Li would again decisively attack the weaker target instead of running away.

The man with huge built waved his hands, then a twenty meter lightning dragon flew towards Ming Li when he was about to reach the weaker seeker. Ming Li gritted his teeth and crushed two crystal leaves to block the lightning dragon, which materialized a giant sand attack that come flying from his palm directly colliding with enemy's attack, making it dissolve into nothingness.

On the instant of collision, the seeker with huge build was pushed back a few steps, however on the other hand, Ming Li continued rushing towards his target. "Torment", the two seeker heard Ming Li said a single word, then the seeker at the first level of body tempering realm suddenly screamed in intense pain. Ming Li did not stop his attacks and lifted up his arms then decapitated the seekers head, before the stronger seeker could even react.

"So there was really someone killing members of the guild, However you are too weak to be doing this. You shall die by my hands." The man said with furious tone.

Ming Li looked at him calmly and recognized the man, He was named Tu Biming. In the guild, he was popular for being righteous and would end conflict by helping weaker guild members. He was good natured, however his loyalty towards the guild was unwavering.

No words were heard from Ming Li, Instead his energy surged madly as his concealed strength exploded without restrain. Tu Biming eyes went wide when he saw Ming Li rise from the 2nd level until 5th level. He was extremely confident earlier to beat Ming Li, however when he saw that they were only one level apart, he started to be more vigilant and carefully backed of several steps.

On the other hand, Ming Li strode forward overbearingly, Despite their levels being different. Ming Li's oppressive killing intent made Tu Biming suffocated. Ming Li have already killed hundreds in just a few months. This made his aura extremely dark, coupled with his demonic energy, Tu Biming felt as if he was being stabbed by invisible needles just from Ming Li's aura alone.

Tu Biming gritted his teeth and decided to attack Ming Li first. Being on the a higher level made him confident enough to fight with Ming Li head on. He pulled out a one handed axe then made a horizontal slash towards Ming Li. A sound of thunder rang out from his slash then lightning crackled along with the attack.

The attack was larger than the previous lightning dragon, It contained no shape, however, it ferociously swept everything on its path. Ming Li was shocked on Tu Biming's art, and this was his first time battling someone on the sixth level of body tempering realm. He gritted his teeth and used both of his hands to employ the sun's wave. A visible red wave materialized in front of Ming Li moving towards the lightning attack.

When Tu Biming saw Ming Li's attack, his eyes went wide as he shouted "Why are you using Sun's wave!? are you from the Golden Phoenix Order!?"

While shouting, he made another wide slash, creating a larger lightning wave. Ming Li's pupils constricted when he saw the attack, however he did not back down and also waved his hands several times creating another set of heat wave.

Also, he crushed several crystal leaves directing the attack towards Tu Biming. When the various attacks collided a thunderous boom echoed out. The trees were uprooted and the wind turned into a gale of force which shot out from the collision.

Ming Li was swept backwards several meters with blood oozing from his mouth. On the other hand Tu Biming also seemed injured from the attack and was heavily panting.

"Golden Phoenix Order!? I have never heard of that" Ming Li said while wiping the blood on his mouth.

"It seems you are really not from the Golden Phoenix Order, since you also used Crystal Leaves, I do not know how to got your hands on those arts, however I will make you confess after I beat you to pulp."

Ming Li was also confused of what Tu Biming was saying, however he had no time to analyze Tu Biming's words, since the possibility of them being found out fighting was high, if the battle last longer.

Even with both of them injured, Ming Li leapt forward towards Tu Biming without a hint of fear. He was like a wild beast that would do anything to kill his prey. Ming Li opened his palm and casted torment. A sphere of symbols flew towards Tu Biming at amazing speed. Tu Biming coldly snorted and waved his axe, three lightning dragon materialized beside him. With another wave of his axe, these lightning dragon flew towards Ming Li with unprecedent speed. One of the lightning dragon changed its path towards the sphere of symbols, however upon collision the sphere of symbols only scattered and continued towards Tu Biming.

Tu Biming have seen the attack in a brief moment, but he was not entirely sure of what the symbols could do, so he was extremely cautious towards it. He leaped at his side trying to avoid the symbols. While Tu Buming was about to dodge the symbol, Ming Li moved his hands then unleashed a ray of sun's wave. The wave directly collided with the two dragon melting everything on it's path. The two dragon disappeared along with the heat wave which left a huge crater in the ground. However, a blast of energy from a crystal leaf stopped Tu Biming's movement allowing the sphere of symbols to slightly touch him.

The sphere of symbols etched itself on Tu Biming's body, where he felt extreme pain. He tried to wave off the remaining symbols floating towards him, however he failed to do so.

Ming Li dashed forward and seized the opportunity. He crushed several crystal leaves and directed it towards Tu Biming, which caused Tu Biming to be severely injured. Tu Bimming kneeled on the ground while breathing gritting his teeth trying to withstand the extreme pain.

Ming Li approached Tu Biming and said "You are strong, however not strong enough." Then he lifted up his hand preparing to kill Tu Biming.

When his hands was slashing towards Tu Biming's neck, Tu Biming shouted "The Golden Phoenix Order will kill you!" then his hands come in contact with Tu Biming's neck completely decapitating Tu Biming's head.