You Call This a Terrifying Killing Machine

Zuo Qiuyang was dumbfounded as he stared at the Three Evils of Huai Mountain lying on the ground, their tendons severed and bones broken.

He had schemed and prepared for a long time just for these three.

First, he deliberately exposed his whereabouts to lure them into chasing him.

Until just moments ago, he had turned their trap against them, using their relentless pursuit to fuel his own killing intent. His No-Life Blade Technique had reached its peak, leaving him with no retreat.

Today, he was terrifyingly strong.

He had steeled himself for a life-or-death struggle—to avenge his master and the villagers of his hometown.

But then, out of nowhere, these three were nearly beaten to death right before his eyes.

The young man who struck them down looked even younger than him.

It was... absurdly sudden.

"Who are you?"

"Why did you attack me out of nowhere? And why was your laughter so grating?"

Li Mo crouched in front of the Three Evils of Huai Mountain, who were coughing up blood, and questioned them.

As a representative of the Qingyuan Sect sent to maintain order in Ziyang Prefecture City, he needed a reason for beating these men half to death.

"I... you—"

The scar-faced man on the ground glared with murderous intent.

Suddenly, an unexpected change occurred.

The two other outlaws—one fat, one thin—quickly placed their hands on the scarred man’s shoulders.

With their last reserves of inner energy, they channeled everything into him.

"Ha!"

The scar-faced man shattered the floor tiles beneath him and lunged forward. The three surges of inner energy twisted together through his meridians, forming a single, violent force.

Unbelievably fierce.

"Kid, you’re still too green!"

His face twisted with malice, wearing the grin of a victor.

This strike wasn’t about brute strength.

But the combined inner energy of the three of them was more than enough to shatter the opponent’s dantian.

Zuo Qiuyang had just snapped out of his daze, while Xiao Qin’s expression darkened. He wanted to intervene, but it was already too late. All he could do was watch helplessly as the palm strike descended.

With a heavy thud, the blow landed squarely on Li Mo’s dantian. The inner energy surged in violently, as if intent on crippling the young man’s martial arts.

Bang—

A loud noise echoed.

But after the sound faded, the air in the posthouse fell into dead silence.

The young man hadn’t even shifted his footing. He merely frowned.

The Three Evils of Huai Mountain froze, their sneers stiffening as terror flashed in their eyes.

What... the hell?

Was this kid even human?

The Three Evils of Huai Mountain did not die peacefully.

The foreign inner energy invading his body didn’t faze Li Mo in the slightest.

He just found it messy—crudely bundled together with no refinement.

So without a second thought, he expelled it with his own inner energy.

Sending it right back the way it came.

But that wasn’t all.

Their liquefied inner energy didn’t just return—it inexplicably ignited as it was expelled.

Pfft—

The three idiots—no, the three Evils—suddenly bloated grotesquely.

Their eyes bulged, blood gushing from all seven orifices.

They died with their eyes wide open.

The sheer vastness of his dantian was something even Li Mo found frightening. And the inner energy he cultivated came from a martial art far beyond ordinary divine techniques.

It could even set inner energy ablaze, carrying an annihilating ferocity capable of reducing all things to ashes.

This was his first time using it in battle.

Even he had to admit it was impressive.

Let alone everyone else.

Xiao Qin’s mouth hung open for a long time, unable to form words. He stood frozen in place after halting his movement.

Even the Thousand Forms Martial Venerable was utterly stunned.

"Junior Brother Li, are you alright?"

Once he regained his composure, Xiao Qin hurried over to check on him.

Though Li Mo looked completely unharmed, that had been the combined inner energy of three Jade Liquid Realm experts. Even without martial techniques amplifying it, such a violent influx would be unbearable for anyone.

Li Mo shook his head and asked,

"Were they... chosen by the Fine Rain Tower for the Endless Trial?"

"Uh, no. They were here to hunt someone down."

Xiao Qin said, glancing toward a figure not far away.

Following his gaze, Li Mo looked at the person clad in a straw raincoat.

At that moment, his system suddenly chimed in:

[Congratulations, Host. You have successfully helped ‘Zuo Qiuyang’ eliminate his enemies.]

[You have feedback awaiting collection.]

Zuo Qiuyang?

A cryptic light flickered in Li Mo’s eyes.

[Name: Zuo Qiuyang]

[Age: 19]

[Bone Structure: Nine Forms Complete]

[Realm: Inner Energy Condensation]

[Destiny: Purple with Hints of Gray]

[Evaluation: Born with nine types of martial-aptitude bones, his talent is exceptional. Taken in as a disciple by a renegade Earth Fiend assassin from the Fine Rain Tower, he is the sole survivor of Huai Mountain County. In the future, he will become a terrifying killing machine.]

[Recent Events: Accomplices dead, true culprit elusive. Currently participating in the Endless Trial, hoping to uncover clues.]

"Purple with hints of gray..."

A destiny that promised great achievements—but at a terrible cost.

A terrifying killing machine?

Sounded impressive...

"Are... you also in the Endless Trial?"

Zuo Qiuyang gripped his short blade, its killing intent seething, as he suddenly asked.

"Why do you ask?"

"If you’re participating, then I’ll withdraw right now."

"..."

This was the first time Li Mo had seen someone look so murderous while saying something so... cowardly.

Weren’t you supposed to be a terrifying killing machine?

"Is the Endless Trial something you can just quit?"

"Of course not. But I’d rather not compete against you."

Only the last few survivors would be accepted into the Fine Rain Tower.

So whether by choice or force, every participant was either a hunter—or prey—in this dark forest.

If Li Mo was among them...

There was no doubt he’d be the one to emerge victorious.

"I have no interest in the Fine Rain Tower."

"Quite the opposite."

Li Mo pulled out a waist token and grinned.

"I’m a disciple of the Qingyuan Sect."

"Same here."

Xiao Qin also produced his token, declaring himself an ally of justice.

At that moment—

"Hm? What’s going on here?"

Shang Wu stepped over the threshold of the posthouse, her eyes sweeping indifferently over the carnage.

She only frowned slightly as she studied the sole stranger present.

Gulp—

Zuo Qiuyang swallowed hard, his body tensing as if facing a mortal threat.

His blade trembled again—but not from boiling killing intent.

This time, it was fear.

While training in the No-Life Blade Technique under his deceased master, he had discovered an innate sensitivity to killing intent and malice.

Before this, the most terrifying aura of slaughter he’d ever sensed was his master’s.

Now, that title had a new owner.

The atmosphere in the posthouse grew oddly tense.

A rookie assassin not yet officially part of the Fine Rain Tower.

And four righteous enforcers from the Qingyuan Sect.

To be fair, he stood no chance against any of them. Even Xiao Qin wasn’t just talk—the Thousand Forms Martial Venerable was no mere spectator.

"You don’t need to be so tense."

"Our mission is to maintain order in the prefecture city, ensuring no one takes advantage of the chaos to harm innocents."

"As for the Endless Trial, our only wish is for it to conclude swiftly."

Li Mo reassured him.

"I understand."

Zuo Qiuyang relaxed slightly.

Then, with startling nonchalance, he picked up his half-finished bowl of noodles and squatted down to slurp them up.

Meanwhile, Li Mo walked over to the Three Evils of Huai Mountain and used his Crimson Sky Sword to sift through their belongings.

After some searching, all he found were miscellaneous odds and ends.

The letter tucked in the scar-faced man's arms caught Li Mo's attention.