Xiao Li's Authenticity

Clang—

Clang—

The sound of metal striking echoed from the wooden hut as a young man swung a forging hammer, rhythmically shaping a farming tool on the anvil, sparks flying with each strike. His muscles were well-defined, glistening with sweat, his entire body bathed in the fiery glow of the furnace.

"Brother Li, my sickle’s bent—could you straighten it for me?"

In the middle of his work, an old farmer walked in, holding the tool.

Taking the sickle and gripping the hammer, Li Mo felt a sudden wave of confusion before remembering.

"I’ve crossed over..."

"I’ve become the blacksmith’s apprentice in Dawang Village. Before my master passed, he left the forge to me."

"Dawang Village sits on the edge of Human City, far from safe. Occasionally, calamities from beyond the walls slip past the defenses—that’s how my master died."

"Luckily, my forging talent is exceptional. The moment I hold a hammer, it’s like I was born to wield one. Without a blacksmith, the village would be in trouble."

Li Mo had mostly forgotten his past.

At least, the parts tied to the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.

Something felt off, though. If this was a soul transmigration, why did he look exactly like his past self? But if it was a physical crossing, why were his memories blank?

The only similarity was how unremarkable he’d been in both lives.

Well, except for his forging talent...

At least he had this skill to keep him fed. Otherwise, a transmigrator like him starving to death would be downright pathetic.

...

"Huh?"

Watching the so-called "Wife-Blessing Little Tyrant" and "Liqun Swordmaster" toiling away in the blacksmith’s shop, the entire Imperial Capital fell into stunned silence—along with a sea of question marks.

"After witnessing three Celestial Trials, I’ve never seen anyone born in Human City..."

"The way he manifested is just too crude."

"Isn’t Young Master Li the top of the Hidden Dragon rankings? With his talent, even if he’s not on par with the Cold Fairy, he shouldn’t be worse off than Jiang Yu."

"Could something have gone wrong along the way?"

Had these people ever played games, they might’ve described the sight of Li Mo appearing in Human City with one word—NPC.

No power, no status, not even wealth left.

"Does this mean the Celestial Trial has nothing to do with Li Mo anymore?"

Fresh from the Hundred Flowers Grand Festival, the beauties beneath the ornate canopy gazed at the sky, their expressions a mix of shock, disappointment, and bewilderment.

Tu Yan raised an eyebrow, suddenly finding him far less dazzling than before.

In fact, it was almost... disappointing.

The Rivers and Mountains Scroll was a Dao artifact of heavenly fate, reflecting all living beings across the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths—this was common knowledge.

No one within its domain could escape its gaze.

So... was this Li Mo’s truest form?

Tu Yan found it hard to believe.

But if asked whether she trusted the Dao artifact or Li Mo, she’d choose the former without hesitation.

From now on, she decided, there was no point wasting time on him. Clearly, Li Mo had only risen to prominence because of the Cold Fairy—a case of "one man’s success lifting his whole household."

As for the Hidden Dragon rankings? Probably just Ying Bing stepping aside for him.

"That dog emperor wouldn’t rig the results, would he?"

Shang Wu puffed her cheeks, hands on her hips. "If he can’t rule properly, I’ll reluctantly take over for him."

"Exactly!"

A voice, both familiar and unfamiliar, suddenly rang in her ears.

Shang Wu turned to see an old acquaintance—Shang Qinqing.

"Well, if it isn’t Little Azure Phoenix! Your feathers grew back—no more bald spots?" That was Shang Wu’s idea of a greeting.

"It’s been thousands of years—of course they grew back."

Shang Qinqing huffed, long accustomed to her antics and choosing not to engage.

Besides, they were allies now.

"Little Ying is in Celestial City, Little Li’s in Human City... I was hoping they’d forget their pasts so I could enjoy some fresh drama. Now they can’t even meet—how am I supposed to get my fix?"

"Right, right! Let’s team up, Little Azure Phoenix! I’ll make you a prince, equal in rank to the emperor."

"And you?"

"I’ll be the Grand Imperial Emperor."

"??"

The surrounding crowd stared at them in shock, quietly edging away as if they’d heard nothing—some things were too treasonous to even acknowledge.

Only Qin Yuzhi dared step closer:

"Don’t panic yet. If Ying Bing left Celestial City, she might be heading straight for Li Mo."

"I’ve always found that boy peculiar. Ending up in Human City isn’t entirely surprising. Shang Wu, you know your disciple best—have some faith."

"Oh, I have faith."

Shang Wu nodded solemnly, then took a few guilty gulps of wine.

Hearing there might still be drama to enjoy, the Shang clan leader settled down.

But just then—

The Rivers and Mountains Scroll shifted again.

On the horizon, several massive figures emerged, each the size of a small house, unmistakably heading for the village.

They were hard to describe—the leader had a serpentine lower body covered in azure scales, humanoid arms capable of wielding weapons, and a head that blended human and serpent features, complete with fangs and sharp fins protruding from its skull.

They weren’t quite demonic beasts—their intelligence seemed lacking, more like wild beasts piloting monstrous bodies.

To the warriors of the Imperial Capital, these creatures were laughably weak, not worth a second glance. But for a remote village on Human City’s border? They spelled annihilation.

The strongest fighter in this village was barely at the Qi-Blood Realm.

"Talk about bad luck. Starting in Human City means he’s just an ordinary person."

"At this rate, he won’t even get a chance to grasp the Celestial Trial—might get taken out by random mobs first."

The crowd buzzed anew.

Some had been holding out hope for Li Mo’s late-game rise.

But if the Hidden Dragon champion entered the trial with such a disadvantage—or worse, got eliminated immediately—it’d be beyond farcical.

One thing was certain, though.

This wasn’t the outside world. Right now, Li Mo was just a common blacksmith in Human City.

Huang Donglai searched Li Mo’s figure frantically but found no trace of the satchel he’d gifted him. Even the ever-calm strategist felt a pang of urgency.

Glancing around, he saw the same worry etched on Zhong Zhenyue’s, Xiao Qin’s, and Murong Xiao’s faces.

...

Boom!

Several houses crumbled as roars and screams drowned out the clanging of metal.

Li Mo’s hammer froze mid-swing. The farmer beside him paled.

The farmer’s granddaughter, playing outside moments ago, now sat paralyzed with fear on the ground.

One of the horrors—the half-human, half-serpent one—was already upon them.

"Brother Li, I’m too old to run. You go on ahead."

The farmer pulled his granddaughter inside, eyes pleading.

He likely hoped the young, strong blacksmith would take the girl with him, but with lives at stake, who’d willingly shoulder such a burden? He couldn’t bring himself to ask.

"Both of you stay here."

At Li Mo’s words, the farmer’s face fell.

Just as he sighed in resignation, the young man stepped outside—then turned back.

"I’ll lure it away. Wait for your chance to flee."

"Thank you!"

"I’m off."

Li Mo himself was baffled by his own decision.

Why had he acted so swiftly? He didn’t know. Only that a voice in his heart drowned out all other noise, all hesitation.

That voice whispered:

He’d always excelled at overcoming the strong as the weak.

"Running away with the child is no better than luring the monster away. I can move faster alone."

Li Mo found himself an excuse, gripping his forging hammer as he stepped out the door.