Master Voidwhisper and Master Bloodmoon's suspicions made Wei Liang's next moves more dangerous. He could not simply eliminate another master without arousing further investigation. Subtlety was required.
Three days after Master Soulrender's "accident," Wei Liang received an unexpected summons. Elder Voidwalker wanted to see him in the Astral Tower's highest chambers.
The elder's office existed in seven dimensions simultaneously. Bookshelves extended into impossible directions filled with texts that rewrote themselves as he watched. Elder Voidwalker sat behind a desk carved from crystallized time.
"Student Wei Liang," the elder began. "Your progress has been remarkable. Master Soulrender spoke highly of your potential before his unfortunate demise."
"I was honored to learn from him," Wei Liang replied carefully.
"Indeed. Which is why I have a special assignment for you." Elder Voidwalker gestured to a scroll floating in mid-air. "The Academy has received reports of spatial anomalies in the Void Wastes. We need someone to investigate."
Wei Liang read the mission details. The Void Wastes were a dangerous region between dimensions where reality became unstable. Strange creatures emerged from the cracks in space-time. Most students who entered never returned.
"This seems like a task for a master, not a student," Wei Liang observed.
"Normally, yes. But all our masters are occupied with critical research. You demonstrated exceptional combat abilities in the tournament. Consider this an opportunity to prove yourself worthy of advanced training."
The elder's offer contained an implicit threat. Refuse, and face suspicion about Master Soulrender's death. Accept, and risk death in the Void Wastes. But Wei Liang saw a third option - use this mission to target another master.
"I accept the assignment," he said. "When do I depart?"
"Immediately. Master Voidwhisper will accompany you as backup support. Her stealth abilities should keep you both safe from the worst dangers."
Perfect. Master Voidwhisper was exactly who Wei Liang wanted to eliminate next. Her assassination techniques would be invaluable additions to his arsenal. And her death in the dangerous Void Wastes would appear completely natural.
They departed the Academy within the hour. Master Voidwhisper created a dimensional tunnel that bypassed normal space-time. They emerged in a landscape of shifting colors and impossible geometry.
The Void Wastes stretched endlessly in all directions. Gravity flowed like liquid. Time moved in spirals rather than straight lines. Creatures that existed in quantum superposition phased in and out of reality.
"Stay close," Master Voidwhisper warned. "The spatial distortions here can separate us permanently. I have seen entire expeditions lost when team members took different paths through the same doorway."
They moved deeper into the wastes following readings from a dimensional compass. The anomalies grew stronger as they traveled. Reality became increasingly unstable. At times, Wei Liang could see multiple versions of himself walking different paths through probability space.
After six hours of travel, they found the source of the disturbances. A massive crater had been torn in the fabric of reality itself. Through the hole, other dimensions were visible - worlds of pure energy, realms of living mathematics, universes where thought became substance.
"Fascinating," Master Voidwhisper breathed. "This is not a natural phenomenon. Something deliberately carved this wound in space-time."
She began taking measurements with crystalline instruments. Wei Liang studied her movements carefully. The master's attention was completely focused on her research. She had forgotten to maintain her usual paranoid vigilance.
"Master," Wei Liang said quietly. "I think I see something moving in the dimensional rift."
Voidwhisper leaned forward to peer into the swirling chaos. "Where? I don't see any—"
Wei Liang's spear erupted from the shadows behind her. The iron point pierced her heart with surgical precision. Master Voidwhisper gasped and spun around, her eyes wide with shock.
"You," she whispered. "Soulrender wasn't an accident."
"No," Wei Liang confirmed. "It wasn't."
He activated the Iron Blood Manual's absorption technique. Master Voidwhisper's divine essence flowed into his cultivation base like liquid starlight. Her assassination techniques and stealth abilities became part of his expanding arsenal.
The second divine death triggered another transformation. Wei Liang's consciousness expanded to perceive multiple dimensions simultaneously. His physical form became partially incorporeal, able to phase through solid matter at will.
But the power influx also attracted unwanted attention. Something massive stirred in the dimensional rift. An entity that fed on divine essence had sensed the death of a minor god.
A tentacle the size of a mountain emerged from the hole in reality. It was composed of crystallized hunger given form. Behind it came more tentacles, then a body that defied description. This was a Void Devourer - an ancient being that consumed entire dimensions.
The creature's attention focused on Wei Liang. It could sense the concentrated divine essence within his transformed body. To the Devourer, he was a particularly appetizing morsel.
Wei Liang realized he had made a critical error. The Void Wastes were hunting grounds for entities that preyed on gods. Master Voidwhisper's death had essentially rung a dinner bell for cosmic predators.
More Void Devourers were emerging from cracks in space-time. Their combined hunger created gravitational distortions that pulled at Wei Liang's divine essence. He needed to escape before they could drain his accumulated power.
He activated Master Voidwhisper's stealth techniques combined with his own dimensional manipulation abilities. His form became invisible to normal perception while simultaneously existing in seven different dimensional phases.
The Void Devourers thrashed in confusion as their prey vanished. Their tentacles swept through empty space, finding nothing to grasp. Wei Liang slipped away through a dimensional fold while they searched for him.
He emerged back at the Academy twelve hours later. The mission report was simple - Master Voidwhisper had been consumed by Void Devourers while investigating the dimensional anomalies. Her sacrifice had provided valuable data about the threat level.
Elder Voidwalker accepted the report without question. The Void Wastes were known to be lethal even for masters. Losing expedition members was unfortunate but not unexpected.
"You showed great courage returning with this intelligence," the elder praised. "Master Voidwhisper's sacrifice will not be forgotten."
Wei Liang bowed respectfully while hiding his satisfaction. Two divine deaths completed, one remaining. The Iron Blood Manual's fifth stage was nearly within his grasp.
But finding the third target would be more challenging. The remaining masters were now more cautious after two colleagues had died in quick succession. They traveled in pairs and maintained constant vigilance.
Wei Liang needed a different approach. Instead of hunting masters directly, he would create a situation where they came to him.