Chapter 5: Not Satisfied? Then Come Fight!

Not just Zi Yuan.

Even the disciples of Longtan Peak were all staring at Li Mu in astonishment, then their bodies shivered.

Li Mu smoothed his cuffs and walked slowly, step by step toward the blood‑spitting Qin Zhixiang.

His posture was composed, his smile unchanged.

"I didn't hear that clearly just now."

"Who did you just call a waste?"

"Please say it again!"

"Uh…"

"Aaaah!"

Li Mu was smiling at this moment.

But that smile in Qin Zhixiang's eyes was more devilish than a devil!

Qin Zhixiang, as if he had seen some hellish demon, ignored the pain in his body and scrambled backward toward Qin Siwu with both hands and feet.

Qin Zhixiang racked his brain trying to understand!

He himself was a proud first‑grade Refining Qi Realm!

Since childhood he had received meticulous cultivation and instruction from his great‑grandfather Qin Siwu, and over the years had consumed countless Heavenly Treasures, spirit pills and miraculous medicines!

Yet he was clearly already at the Heavenly Fool opening!

But when facing a mere mortal who came up from the secular world, he couldn't even survive a single round against that person.

When Li Mu instantly killed Qin Zhixiang.

The once noisy, bustling main hall became dead silent, as if an invisible hand had pressed a mute button.

Just a moment ago, the locals in the hall, with flushed faces and thick necks, were about to question Li Mu's strength, claiming he had passed the Personal Disciple assessment through a backdoor.

Now they seemed suddenly choked, stunned into open‑mouth amazement!

If we say.

The Dao‑realization Monument assessment was handled solely by Zi Yuan, leaving room for possible favoritism and cheating.

But just now, Li Mu trampled the first‑grade Refining Qi Realm Qin Zhixiang to the ground!

In front of absolute combat power, there could be no falseness!

"Wocao, wocao, wocao!"

"What's going on?"

"Third‑grade Refining Qi Realm!"

"Li Mu just smashed Qin Zhixiang's first dream with both feet!"

"Who just said that this is just an ordinary person from the secular world!"

"You call that an ordinary person?"

"How about a regular punch?"

"This fellow Daoist is awesome!"

"Deeply hidden!"

"Who says that us coming from the secular world can't surpass those from the cultivation world?"

"..."

In the Ziyang Sect, ranks are strict and hierarchy clear!

Even mortals from the secular world who have passed the trial of crossing a single‑plank bridge under a thousand troops eventually reach the cultivation world!

There they become the lowest‑status, most inconspicuous characters in the cultivation world!

Let alone someone like Qin Zhixiang, a 'Fourth‑generation Immortal', even any native of the cultivation world could ride on a mortal's neck and defecate.

Now!

Li Mu, as a mere mortal, brutally trampled the 'Fourth‑generation Immortal' Qin Zhixiang beneath his feet!

How could this not stir the mortals who also came from the secular world!

It was as if the pent‑up frustration that had accumulated in their chests over the years vanished instantly under Li Mu's two feet!

All stood perfectly upright!

Listening to the sounds coming from the main hall

Beside them, Zi Yuan's cute face was full of shock!

No wonder.

I kept warning Li Mu in the hall that the disciples of Xuan Yue Feng might target him next.

At that time, seeing Li Mu completely indifferent, Zi Yuan naively thought the other side was short‑sighted!

He considered himself a frog at the bottom of a well, believing his outstanding talent in the secular world made him disregard the geniuses of the Ziyang Sect.

Little did he know!

Li Mu's disregard for the Ziyang Sect's geniuses is not an adjective, but merely a statement...

Simply and objectively stating a fact.

That's all!

Just.

While shocked, everyone's gaze turned to Qin Siwu!

Everyone knows the Ziyang Sect!

Qin Siwu has always been a vindictive, narrow‑minded man.

Li Mu's recent action not only struck Qin Zhixiang's face but also utterly disgraced the elder Qin Siwu of Xuan Yue Feng!

It looks like Li Mu's days at the Ziyang Sect won't be any better!

Just as everyone was still anxiously wondering how Qin Siwu would strike back later.

Who would have thought…

"Ha ha ha…"

"Good!"

To everyone's surprise, Qin Siwu suddenly uttered the word "Good".

He strode up to Li Mu, then with a flick of his right hand produced a delicate Jade Bottle in his palm, and said politely.

"It is because I, the old man, have not been strict enough!"

"This Jade Bottle contains one hundred Qi‑blood pills, as atonement for the earlier matter."

"I hope, Li Mu, my young friend, you won't take it to heart!"

"Cultivation Path!"

"Method, Wealth, Companion, Earth, Vessel!"

"These five are all indispensable!"

"Only a fool would turn down such a benefit that comes to you voluntarily."

He was just toying with the Jade Bottle in his hand.

Although Li Mu felt pleased, he also grew somewhat worried.

"Cutting the grass without removing the roots, the spring wind makes it grow again!"

Since Li Mu decided to strike against Qin Zhixiang, he had already planned it in his mind beforehand.

That is, by severely humiliating Qin Zhixiang to enrage Qin Siwu behind him, forcing him to act against me!

When the time comes.

Li Mu can then kill by proxy, using the Ziyang Sect sect master to suppress him!

By then, even if Qin Siwu doesn't die, he'll have to shed a layer of skin!

But Li Mu has already set this whole trap!

Qin Zhixiang was trampled underfoot, shamelessly humiliated before all the peak elders in the main hall and the newly inducted disciples!

As a result, Qin Siwu not only didn't bite the hook, but actually drew out another hundred Qi‑blood pills to use as compensation.

This move was flawless.

From this narrow view, one can see a fragment!

That old fox Qin Siwu is definitely harder to deal with than I expected!

And…

Li Mu then looked at the disciples of Xuan Yue Feng.

Each of their gazes at him was as if they were looking at the murderer of their fathers, as if they wanted to devour him alive.

Next.

My days at the Ziyang Sect are unlikely to be peaceful!

Qin Siwu and Qin Zhixiang, this grandfather‑grandson pair probably both want to kill me!

I must think of a way to deal with them in advance!

"Li Mu!"

"Let me have a look at this Jade Bottle!"

Just as Zi Yuan began to speak, Qin Siwu beside him let out a heavy, cold snort.

"Ziyuan Zhenren!"

"Although, old man, we have never gotten along in daily life, it is not to the point of making a junior like you suffer!"

"If Li Mu truly is a heavenly pride, he has the bearing of a demon hero!"

"He can, at the turning of the eras, have fate repay him, and protect our Ziyang Sect."

"Then on his cultivation path, I will discard past grudges and give him my full support!"

Seeing that Qin Siwu had taken his words this far, Zi Yuan opened his mouth, but ultimately gave up the thought of continuing the inspection.

Seated at the head, the Ziyang Sect sect master, upon seeing this scene, was in high spirits and immediately ordered wine and dishes to be served.

With Li Mu's splendid achievements, the mortals of the Ziyang Sect who were selected from the secular world after rigorous trials were each as jubilant as during the New Year.

The banquet was filled with continuous laughter and chatter!

In contrast to the secular side, these natives of the cultivation world, led by Qin Zhixiang, each wore a gloomy expression, having no desire even to lift their chopsticks at the delicious dishes before them.

Regarding the two completely opposite atmospheres among the four peaks of the Ziyang Sect.

Li Mu regarded this as nothing out of the ordinary!

Thinking back to his previous life, even a football team's locker room could be divided into several clearly distinct factions, like needle tips against wheat awns.

Let alone the cultivation world versus the secular world!

If everyone were "you good, I good, all good"!

That harmonious scene would be called abnormal!

After three rounds of wine and five courses of dishes!

When the banquet was halfway through, many ordinary people who had come up from the secular world voluntarily offered a toast to Li Mu.

To this, Li Mu naturally did not turn away any guests.

After the welcome banquet.

Li Mu had thought that the Ziyang Sect sect master would summon him and promptly grant him some Heavenly Treasure, spiritual pills, or other fine items.

Who would have thought…

Li Mu waited and waited, only to end up waiting in vain!

The Ziyang Sect Sect Master symbolically encouraged himself, saying he looked forward to his performance on the Outer Peak, then dispersed his Dharma manifestation.

But thinking about it, it makes sense.

My current situation is like that of the thousands of scholars in my past life who succeeded in the palace examination and went to appear before the saint.

Given the Sect Master's position, being able to manifest a Dharma image to encourage himself is a first‑ever unprecedented occurrence.

I guess after tonight, whether anyone will remember me at all is still up in the air.

Seeing there's no profit to be had here, Li Mu naturally lost interest in staying and was whisked away by Zi Yuan, who led a sword‑flight toward Longtan Peak.

"Creek…"

Watching Li Mu's figure fade into the distance.

Qin Zhixiang, who had been watching this side all along, was so angry that he squeezed his wine goblet until it warped, his hatred no longer hidden on his face.

Qin Zhixiang originally intended to make a proper appearance before the Sect Master.

By stepping on the Enlightenment Stele and instantly attaining enlightenment, Li Mu immediately secured his place as the top Personal Disciple of this generation of the Ziyang Sect.

But originally, it should have been his stage to shine.

Yet Zi Yuan somehow pulled the green‑horn Li Mu out of some corner of the mortal world!

Not only did he shatter his first dream with three punches!

My Tai Ye Ye, for this, even produced a hundred Qi‑Blood Pills to pacify the situation!

That means I voluntarily put my face forward for Li Mu to strike!

After the strike, I still have to smile and present gifts?

"Tai Ye Ye!"

"This time in the main hall, the one who should have shone brilliantly should have been me!"

"Never expected!"

"In the end, Li Mu the mortal stole the spotlight!"

On the way back, Qin Zhixiang complained bitterly to Qin Siwu.

"The more he shows off, the quicker he'll die!"

"Now, after Li Mu caused such a ruckus in the main hall,"

"Even the people of Longtan Peak probably won't let him off!"

Qin Siwu shook his head lightly, saying ominously,

"The saying goes,"

"Cutting off someone's livelihood is like killing their parents!"

"Longtan Peak, being the most resource‑poor of the Ziyang Sect's four peaks, has always been wolves with little meat."

"Li Mu's joining is equivalent to biting a hefty piece of meat off the other Personal Disciples on the Outer Peak."

"Those Personal Disciples will surely see Li Mu as a thorn in the eye, a splinter in the flesh!"

Qin Zhixiang, his face masked with frost, gritted his teeth and said, "Tai Ye Ye!"

"Just this isn't enough; we need to think of another way."

"This mortal Li Mu, coming from the mortal world, has already reached the Third Grade Refining Qi Realm without any resources."

"Just this alone proves this youngster is a prodigy!"

"For a prodigy like this, we must snuff him out in the cradle!"

"We must never let him grow!"

"If he truly gains the Sect Master's favor, our days will be hard."

"Hmph!"

"Do I need you to remind me of that?"

Qin Siwu chuckled darkly.

"Does Li Mu really think my stuff is that easy to obtain?"

"Hmm?"

Qin Zhixiang's face lit with delight, pressing on repeatedly.

"Tai Ye Ye, could those Qi‑Blood Pills…"

Qin Siwu gave no reply, merely glancing at him lightly and saying,

"I've recently felt something in my heart; I'm about to close off for a secluded breakthrough into the Second Grade Foundation Establishment Realm."

"No one may disturb me!"

After uttering that, Qin Siwu drifted away.

Watching Tai Ye Ye's departing back, Qin Zhixiang quickly understood and burst into hearty laughter.

It was as if the pent‑up gloom that had lingered in his heart vanished completely at that moment!