Mad Sword Slayer, Assassination

【Hidden Dragon Ranking, 85th Place: Zhong Zhenyue】

【Martial Arts: Observing the Divine Five Apertures. Trained since childhood in the Seven Killers Formation-Shattering Spear Technique, achieving mastery by the age of 22. All his martial skills excel in battlefield slaughter.】

【Achievements: Escaped from the sixth-tier calamity beast, the Malevolent Peacock. Fought the half-step sixth-tier calamity beast, the Purple-Scaled Bull, to a narrow defeat. With assistance, fled from the Heavenly Demoness. Comprehended a top-tier supreme martial art at the Yunzhou Martial Arts Summit. Exceptionally strong in direct combat. With diligent tempering of his mind, he may one day inherit his father, the Southern Suppressing King's mantle.】

【Title: Eight-Armed Young Flood Dragon】

"Young Marquis Zhong has risen two spots on the ranking. It seems he gained much from the Martial Arts Summit."

"I know about his escape from the Heavenly Demoness."

"Oh? Did one of the top five prodigies from the Hidden Dragon Ranking intervene?"

"You haven’t heard? Sword Immortal Li single-handedly slaughtered eight thousand Rain Pavilion assassins with a single stroke!"

"Eight thousand?!"

"Even fiction wouldn’t dare write something so outrageous."

"Lady Ying also stepped in. That demoness was beaten so badly by their combined assault—she could only flee in panic!"

"Did you all attend Lady Ying’s lecture at the Hengyun Sword City?"

"Yes. Truly, she’s as beautiful as a celestial being, unlike any mortal."

The shores of Yulong Lake buzzed with chatter.

Though Zhong Zhenyue was the one who made the ranking, the conversation had somehow veered off course.

......

Inside a tavern.

"Zhong Zhenyue managed to escape from an Inner Scenery expert..."

Little Li pondered.

Right now, if he went all out, channeling the power of the world, he could hold his own against an Inner Scenery expert—even without Senior Brother Xiaobao or that Battle Soul Talisman.

Of course, it depended on what divine manifestation the Inner Scenery expert had observed.

Upper-tier manifestations shouldn’t be a problem.

But he also had to consider that the World Seed couldn’t sustain its power for long...

"You and Little Bing'er repelled the sixth-ranked on the Hidden Dragon Ranking?"

Qian Bufan’s eyes widened.

"That’s what the ranking says. It shouldn’t be false..."

Xue Jing glanced at Li Mo, then at Ying Bing, his expression dazed.

"Old Xue, pull yourself together. We’re supposed to be the elders here."

"Old Qian, stop shaking. You’ve spilled boiling water all over your pants."

Yin Mianmian wasn’t an Inner Scenery expert—she only had eight apertures opened in her divine observation.

But every top-ten prodigy on the Hidden Dragon Ranking had a proven record of slaying Inner Scenery experts.

"Yin Mianmian sought the Sword Scar. Back then, she only had three apertures opened."

Ying Bing said softly.

If she faced Yin Mianmian now, and the latter still only had three apertures, Ying Bing was confident she could finish her off.

"That’s still impressive."

Xue Jing took a deep breath and turned to his disciple’s disciple.

"How did you two coordinate that day?"

"Huh?"

Li Mo glanced at his beautiful master and answered seriously:

"I used my master’s signature technique—devastatingly powerful. Once unleashed, it gave the ice block the opening to seize the advantage and exploit the enemy’s weakness."

Qian Bufan and Xue Jing were puzzled.

Shang Wu’s signature technique?

"Right, ice block?"

"...Mn. That’s how it happened."

"See? Told you."

Li Mo laughed heartily.

"Hmph, as expected of my disciple. I didn’t teach you for nothing."

Shang Wu raised her hand for a high-five with her precious disciple.

She was delighted—even though she had no idea which of her techniques Li Mo had actually used.

Ying Bing watched them, the corner of her lips curling helplessly.

Really...

Soon, new words emerged on the Dragon Gate.

【Hidden Dragon Ranking, 83rd Place: Xu Yi】

【Martial Arts: Observing the Divine Eight Apertures. Mastery of the One-Line Sword Technique, proficiency in the Phantom Splitting Movement Technique, and observation of the Hidden Specter’s divine manifestation.】

【Achievements: Champion of the Yunzhou Endless Trials. Assassinated Luo Wubing, a ninth-aperture expert known as the Roaring River Tiger. Successfully killed a wealthy Yunzhou merchant under the protection of two half-step Outer Scenery experts. His swordsmanship is peerless, but due to issues with his divine observation, he suffers from memory lapses and is utterly profit-driven.】

【Title: Mad Sword Butcher, Money-Hungry King of Hell】

"The Butcher from Rain Pavilion..."

Li Mo held out his teacup as the waiter poured a thin, precise stream from a long-spouted pot.

"Impressive."

Jiang Chulong clapped lightly.

"I’ve long heard Rain Pavilion is profit-obsessed, but to what extent?"

The elders of Hengyun Sword City had warned them.

After failing to secure the Strange Stone, Rain Pavilion wouldn’t let things slide.

Senior Brother Ouyang was proof enough.

Li Mo was also considering how to deal with them.

"I’ve heard a thing or two."

After Li Mo revealed the truth, Ouyang had gathered intel on Rain Pavilion:

"Take Xu Yi, for example."

"The merchant Zou Gong originally hired him to kill Luo Wubing."

"But after killing Luo Wubing, Xu Yi turned around and killed Zou Gong as well."

"Turns out, Luo Wubing tried to buy his own life, but Xu Yi refused. So Luo Wubing offered to pay for the killer’s life instead."

"In the end, both employer and target died, and Xu Yi collected payment from both sides."

Ouyang recounted with a grave expression.

"What kind of person does that?"

Li Mo frowned.

"That’s just terrible business ethics."

But then, the waiter suddenly chimed in:

"Rumors in the martial world are often far from the truth."

"Oh? You’ve heard another version?"

Li Mo watched the waiter’s pouring motion, his eyes narrowing.

The waiter retracted the teapot and smiled.

"Alternatively, Xu Yi’s divine observation went awry, causing mental instability."

"He often forgets his own identity—sometimes even mixing up his employers and targets."

"So after mistakenly killing his employer, he went after the target too."

The waiter spoke vividly, as if he’d witnessed it firsthand.

"Hah... That’s an interesting take."

Ouyang nodded in realization.

"Of course. Because I saw it myself."

The waiter extended the teapot again.

"Were you following Luo Wubing or Zou Gong?"

"Neither. I am Xu Yi."

The teapot’s sharp spout suddenly cut through the air.

The stream of water transformed into a blurred shadow, devoid of killing intent or malice.

The spout was aimed squarely at Li Mo’s shoulder.

Yet—

He thought his sneak attack would catch them off guard, but someone was faster.

His sword had barely left its sheath when a hand grabbed the back of his collar, lifting him like a kitten.

Just as she was about to finish him off, Li Mo called out:

"Master, wait!"

Little Li shot Ouyang a look.

Ouyang promptly lunged forward with a rope.

And so, the 83rd-ranked assassin of Rain Pavilion was swiftly tied up in a tortoise-shell bind.

The elders glared at him with hostility.

Shang Wu crossed her arms and scoffed:

"Trying to hide your killing intent from me? The divine manifestation you observed is somewhat intriguing..."

"Who sent you?"

Li Mo noticed the sword strike lacked lethal intent.

"Boss, why tie me up like this?"

Xu Yi now looked panicked, as if someone else had wielded the blade.

"He really is mentally unstable."

Li Mo saw no deceit in his fear.

A wisp of cool moonlight emerged, casting a serene glow over him.

It was clear to the naked eye—the waiter's trembling figure steadied, and a murderous glint surfaced in his eyes.

At this moment,

he was truly the Mad Butcher of Swords.

Interesting. Only under specific circumstances would his sanity return; the rest of the time, he was a completely different person.

No wonder I hadn’t sensed any killing intent from him earlier. It took activating my Heavenly Fate Divine Eye to confirm it.

"Speak. What’s going on?"

Li Mo pointed at Shang Wu beside him and sighed,

"If you don’t talk, I’ll hand you over to our master."

"I—"

Xu Yi was about to muster some defiance when he felt a gaze boring into him, predatory and ruthless.

The sheer bloodlust in it was enough to give him nightmares tonight.

"I’ll talk."