Chapter 59: Kill One to Warn a Hundred

Li Mu raised his eyebrows slightly, yet he did not strike again.

After all.

We are still in the assessment site of the Four Peaks Grand Competition, and the rules explicitly state that, in principle, comrades may not be slaughtered!

So, whether it was Li Mu killing Qin Zhixiang at the Ziyang Daochang…

…or killing the cultivator squad led by Shao Wenqiang in the mountain ravine, it's the same.

Including just now, he killed Wu Feiyang and Lin Zehong himself!

Those people above.

At least on the surface, all of them were forced to act only when their own safety was threatened.

No matter how Xuan Yue Feng's people claim otherwise, this is still self‑defense!

But now, Xuan Yue Feng disciples have already lost their fighting spirit.

While they are single‑mindedly thinking only of escape, I will drive them out and annihilate them.

Not only the robe‑wearing elder who taught me the Five Thunder Jade Scripture, even the five great inner‑peak elders would probably strike at me.

Not to mention, those from Xuan Yue Feng who bear murderous intent toward me have already been recorded by the Heaven Dao Treasure Scroll!

If I were to kill them all.

Who will bear the negative consequences afterward?

Who will pay the price!

A loss‑making venture like this, draining the pond to catch fish, Li Mu has no interest in undertaking.

He sat cross‑legged, quietly waiting five minutes for the Heaven Dao Treasure Scroll's cooldown to finish.

Li Mu revived at full health once more!

And during Li Mu's breathing adjustment period!

Not a single sound emanated from the venue; the silence was such that even the clink of a needle falling to the ground could be heard clearly!

All gazes were either shocked, fearful, admiring, or envious.

Without exception!

All converged on that blood‑clad youth who would reverse the situation, killing the enemy in an extremely brutal yet wildly heroic manner!

Seeing Li Mu rise slowly.

The Longtan Peak disciples, one by one, surged forward like fervent pilgrims, a tide of believers.

Yang Yuanwu gazed at the nearly frenzied Longtan Peak disciples rushing forward and shook his head.

On his usually haughty face, which always regarded himself as superior and thought no Outer Peak disciple of Ziyang Sect could compare…

At this moment, an especially unsightly smile appeared.

"This Li Mu!"

"He's far more terrifying than the old Zi Yuan…"

Prior to this generation, Longtan Peak produced a peerless demon named Zi Yuan.

He once rode alone, single‑handed, leading Longtan Peak to seize the Four Peaks Grand Competition Champion.

Since then.

In every subsequent Four Peaks Grand Competition, Longtan Peak has not produced another talent as astonishingly beautiful and demonic as Zi Yuan, constantly suppressed by Xuan Yue Feng!

Yet after a generation, Longtan Peak produced Li Mu!

This Li Mu's methods are far more ruthless, his conduct far more domineering—thousands, even ten‑thousands of times more brutal than the old Zi Yuan.

At least…

Zi Yuan back then would not go to lethal extremes, but Li Mu…

As long as you don't provoke him!

If you dare to provoke me, I'll cut anyone I meet, kill any opponent!

That truly leaves no way of survival for anyone!

Thinking of this place.

Yang Yuanwu looked at the Xuan Yue Feng disciple who, frightened, had discarded his helmet and armor, clutching his head and fleeing like a mouse, and sighed.

After this battle.

Xuan Yue Feng disciples are probably thoroughly terrified now; from now on, seeing Longtan Peak disciples will likely give them a psychological scar.

Li Mu nodded at the surrounding Longtan Peak disciples.

Then, he gently asked the still‑bandaged Yao Mengzhen on his arm and the heavily wounded Qiu Ning Shui.

"Have you gathered enough identity plaques for the tower duel?"

"Do you need my help!"

When first entering the Outer Peak, unfamiliar with the surroundings.

Senior sisters Yao Mengzhen and Qiu Ning Shui have already helped Li Mu a great deal, either through literary or martial means.

With so many Outer Peak disciples present, it's no problem for me to casually snatch a few dozen identity plaques for them.

Qiu Ning Shui opened her mouth, about to say something.

Yao Mengzhen beside her grabbed her first.

"No!"

The cold‑skinned white‑haired girl gently shook her head, her tone resolute.

"Junior brother Li Mu has already done enough!"

"Snatching those plaques is a trivial matter we can handle ourselves."

"Fine then."

Li Mu knowingly nodded, "Farewell!"

He finished speaking.

Li Mu, unhurried and calm, walked toward the tower!

In that earlier battle, the disciples of Purple Cover Peak and Little Heaven Peak had been watching the whole time!

Kill one to warn a hundred!

With Lin Zehong's previous mishap as a lesson.

As long as they aren't courting death, they would never trouble Yao Mengzhen, Qiu Ning Shui and other Longtan Peak disciples.

So Li Mu really had nothing to worry about.

Just as Li Mu had thought.

The road to the tower was clear; no disciple dared to block him, at most many Demon Soldiers appeared!

Even with the Heavenly Dao Blessing's aid, the gains were few.

It could only be better than nothing!

With the path unobstructed, Li Mu reached the top of the tower.

The blood‑clad youth brushed his black hair lightly, his black pupils bright, leaning on the railing and gazing afar.

The sky at this moment was turning a pale white, the distant horizon faintly letting through a warm golden sunlight, this warm light flowing across the sky, nurturing.

As if a red sun would burst from the horizon in the next second!

And below the tower.

The other Outer Peak disciples of the Ziyang Sect were locked in combat, the battle escalating endlessly toward a white‑hot climax.

After a hard struggle to reach this point, everyone had toiled for four years; no one was willing to give up now, all were desperately fighting for the final rankings of the Four Peaks Grand Competition.

Whether it's Yang Yuanwu or Zhao Ruifeng.

Each of them is very sensible; none of the clueless ones would think otherwise, they voluntarily rushed to the tower top to vie with Li Mu for the first throne!

Li Mu stood alone on the tower top, watching the Yunshan Secret Realm's clouds rise and fall, enjoying this rare tranquil moment.

It felt somewhat like stealing a half‑day of leisure from fleeting life.

Time passed slowly; after a day‑and‑night of relentless fighting, the final rankings of the tower battle finally settled.

Suddenly, a massive purple formation began to rotate in the sky above the entire Yunshan Secret Realm, instantly covering all the disciples inside.

"……"

Heaven Peak Ridge, Ziyang Daochang.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh…"

Several piercing sounds came from all directions, finally converging on the Ziyang Daochang.

It turned out to be the Outer Peak elders of Xuan Yue Feng, Longtan Peak, Purple Cover Peak, and Little Heaven Peak!

Immediately after, several terrifying auras of Foundation Establishment Realm also flew in on swords, revealed to be the Inner Peak disciples of the Ziyang Sect.

Leading the way was a graceful, slender figure of a woman.

The woman wore a purple long dress, draped with a light white veil.

She seemed enveloped in a faint celestial mist, her face exquisitely beautiful, her gaze hazy and profound.

It was none other than Ziyuan Zhenren, who had once recruited Li Mu into the Ziyang Sect's Longtan Peak!

With Zi Yuan's appearance, many present were stunned by her exquisite looks and ethereal aura.

Many Outer Peak people couldn't help but think.

This woman must be a Nine‑Heaven Celestial who fell from the heavens to the mortal world!

Otherwise, how could she lack any trace of mortal world's warmth?

Beside Zi Yuan stood a young man in a black Dao robe, with a square‑shaped face, exuding a dignified, domineering aura!

Moreover, the faint aura of authority emanating from the young man was comparable to Zi Yuan's, and he too had reached the Foundation Establishment Realm!

Among the Inner Peak disciples present, there was a subtle trend of reverence toward Zi Yuan and this young man.

At this moment.

Zi Yuan, noticing the approaching black‑robed youth, slightly furrowed her willow‑like brows, and without a word expressed disdain, saying, "Lin Zecheng, why are you sticking around like a lingering ghost?"

"I'm a lingering ghost?"

"Hehe…"

Lin Zecheng shook his head with a smile and said, "Zi Yuan, today is the final day of the Four Peaks Grand Competition."

"I'm here, of course, to welcome my good junior brother!"

"Given Ze Hong's talent and aptitude, entering the Inner Peak is a sure thing; the only variable is the contest with Yang Yuanwu and Zhao Ruifeng for the first throne."

Seeing Zi Yuan ignore him the whole time, Lin Zehong pursed his lips, then as if recalling something, abruptly changed the subject.

"Oh, right!"

"Zi Yuan, the youth named Li Mu you brought from the mortal world also entered this Four Peaks Grand Competition."

"Moreover, I heard he not only offended Ze Cheng but also offended every Outer Peak disciple of Xuan Yue Feng."

"Zi Yuan, you say…"

Saying that, Lin Zecheng looked at Zi Yuan, a teasing smile curling his mouth, and asked, "You say, can Li Mu survive the encirclement of the entire Xuan Yue Feng and walk out of the Yunshan Secret Realm alive?"

Upon hearing "Li Mu," Zi Yuan's flawless celestial face finally changed; her usually calm demeanor now carried a hint of icy coldness and lethal aura.

In the past month, Zi Yuan had rarely been inside the Ziyang Sect.

Instead, after receiving a sect mission, she went alone to Qingzhou to hunt the Demon Race, making a final push for the upcoming Demon Hero assessment.

But when Zi Yuan returned to the sect to submit the mission, she only then realized.

In the month she was away, that youth named Li Mu had somehow forged such a remarkable reputation among the Outer Peaks!

At the martial arts conference, a single Slash instantly killed Zhao Jianfei, the 13th seat of the Fengyun Ranking!

Later, at Ziyang Daochang, when faced with Qin Zhixiang, who issued a death threat against him, he directly Slash his head!

Thus, he became the public enemy of the Xuan Yue Feng disciples led by Lin Zehong, and over a hundred people prepared in Yunshan Secret Realm to launch endless encirclement and pursuit against Li Mu!

When Zi Yuan just learned the news, she was both shocked and anxious!

As the Heaven's Pride Girl who, before the age of one, had led Longtan Peak to win the championship, no one knows the cruelty of the Four Peaks Grand Competition better than Zi Yuan!

However, this matter has already become settled.

Even though Zi Yuan is burning with impatience, she can do nothing, let alone forcibly intervene in the Four Peaks Grand Competition.

Therefore, during these three days, Zi Yuan is restless every day!

Li Mu is the disciple she personally selected, and Zi Yuan holds great expectations for this worldly boy!

In any case, she does not want to see Li Mu, a rising new star of the cultivation world, ultimately fall in the Four Peaks Grand Competition.

However, Zi Yuan has not spoken yet.

It is Qin Siwu who steps forward, his tone icy, murderous intent fully revealed, saying: "Hmph!"

"Lin Zecheng!"

"Your brother has publicly declared several times that he wants to kill Li Mu."

"Others may not know your brother's strength, but as the elder brother, don't you know?"

"From the moment Li Mu stepped into Yunshan Secret Realm, he was already a dead man!"

"And angering all Outer Peak disciples of Xuan Yue Feng only speeds up Li Mu's death."

"Hehehe…"

Aside from the sullen Sun Qingwu, the two Outer Peak elders of Xiao Tian Peak and Zi Gai Peak couldn't help laughing upon hearing it.

The incident that occurred three days ago at Ziyang Daochang is well understood by all of them.

In their view, since Li Mu entered the Ziyang Sect, he has shown extraordinary talent.

Given time, if he diligently cultivates within the Ziyang Sect, he might indeed make a name in the Qian Kun Realm and achieve something.

What a pity!

Li Mu, though gifted, is overly sharp and shows no restraint, making enemies everywhere.

Now it's good!

Not only has he offended Lin Zehong, but he also faces endless pursuit by over a hundred Xuan Yue Feng disciples!

In this Four Peaks Grand Competition, Li Mu is essentially doomed to die ten times over!

Listening to their mocking and scornful laughter, Zi Yuan's ethereally beautiful face was covered with a layer of frost, and her plain hand involuntarily tightened slightly.

Lin Zecheng has always paid attention to Zi Yuan's facial changes, observing that within the Inner Peak she has always been a peerless and isolated, never showing any favor to anyone, a lofty celestial being.

At this moment, she even shows such angry, uneasy side.

This makes Lin Zecheng's teasing smile at the corner of his mouth deepen, enjoying this sense of achievement.

Then he looks at Qin Siwu and the two Outer Peak elders of Zi Gai Peak and Xiao Tian Peak, smiling, and says: "Everyone, there is still some time before the Teleportation Array finishes opening."

"How about, while the Outer Peak disciples haven't emerged yet, we each add a bit of flair and wager a round?"

"For example, is Li Mu alive or dead?"