Chapter 87: Afraid It

Seeing Li Mu now scanning him with that "You okay?" look, Wu Zhengyong was startled and realized he hadn't made his words clear earlier.

Hi!

Li Mu, where have you been off to, kid?

This Inner Disciple assessment, of course you can't go alone!

Saying that, Wu Zhengyong led Li Mu straight to the training hall where a man in a blue, sturdy outfit sat motionless on the ground, and introduced him.

Come, Li Mu!

Here, let me give you a brief introduction first!

This is Song Haolin, ranked sixteenth on the Ziyang Sect Inner Peak Wind‑and‑Cloud Ranking, Senior Brother Song!

Now, Senior Brother Song, your cultivation is at the Seventh‑rank peak of the Concentration Realm, already entering the third barrier of the Concentration Realm: a Great‑Freedom cultivator!

Moreover, he, like you, focuses on blade art, and has also attained the Second Layer of Blade Intent: Horn.

His strength, even if placed among the Inner Peak where masters are as numerous as clouds and geniuses everywhere…

Except for Personal Disciple Zi Yuan, senior sister, few can outdo him.

While saying that, Wu Zhengyong leaned close to Li Mu's ear and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear.

Also, Li Mu, don't say the steward won't support you!

Leaving other matters aside, that lizard Demon Race you just smashed with a single punch.

Song Haolin captured it himself!

Moreover, besides overseeing the assessment of your Named Disciples, he also handles the Outer Disciple assessment!

For you, that's a heaven‑sent chance to leap straight to the top.

Ordinary Named Disciples who wish to become Inner Disciples must endure countless hardships and perils,

First, a strict requirement is to complete at least twenty‑five Outer Disciple missions, which is the only way to earn a chance to join the Inner Disciple assessment.

So, I'll just slot you into a team, letting you join Song Haolin's squad directly!

If he has no objections, this will be a free pick‑up of an Inner Disciple opportunity for you.

How does that sound?

You're such a good steward, Wu!

Saying that, Wu Zhengyong nudged Li Mu's arm with his elbow, occasionally winking at him, all of which was clearly self‑praise.

Meanwhile, nearby, Qian Wenyi and many disciples from Longtan Peak gathered around Wu Zhengyong, all casting envious glances at Li Mu.

Opportunities like this, a leap to the top, turning a Named Disciple into an Inner Disciple in an instant.

For anyone else, it would be a rare boon that even a lantern‑carrying fool couldn't find.

Within the Ziyang Sect, a sect that worships the law of the jungle and survival of the fittest, the disparities in treatment, privileges, and many other aspects between disciples are as vast as a heavenly trench, a massive chasm.

However, for someone like Li Mu, a precious chance to go straight from Named Disciple to Inner Disciple.

That's akin to a carp leaping over the Dragon Gate!

Onlookers, envious, almost had saliva streaming from their eyes, wishing they could instantly take Li Mu's place.

But for Qian Wenyi and the surrounding crowd casting those envious, jealous, hateful looks at him,

Li Mu, the person concerned, merely rolled his eyes helplessly, his heart full of resentment.

Yes, yes…

Steward Wu, you're incredibly kind!

You directly, amid laughter and chatter, hand‑in‑hand led me to the very enemy who wants to kill me.

With such great kindness, tell me, how should I repay you…

Looking at Wu Zhengyong, who had already gone up to chat with the Inner Disciple named Song Haolin.

All this was meant to persuade Song Haolin to let him join their Outer Disciple assessment squad.

After his words showed earnest pleading, Li Mu merely shrugged helplessly.

However.

Li Mu, through Wu Zhengyong's remarks, managed to consider all the unreasonable issues he encountered during previous assessments.

No wonder…

Before him, with so many participants, the golden formation used to imprison the lizard Demon Race never malfunctioned.

But when it came to him, the formation inexplicably failed, giving the lizard a chance to break free and strike him.

Moreover, rather than the lizard seizing a good opportunity, it happened to attack while he had his back turned.

If anything, Song Haolin, though appearing detached and aloof,

was actually silently observing everything from the shadows.

Like a cold, poisonous snake lurking in the shadows, always waiting for a chance to deliver a fatal strike, making his death seem like a reasonable accident.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that if he hadn't entered the Forbidden Realm last night—the Ninth Forbidden—and gained a terrifying corporeal strength comparable to the peak of the Tenth‑rank Concentration Realm,

today's calamity would have been almost certainly fatal.

However, another problem now stands before him.

Namely, whether to join this assessment of Inner Peak Outer Disciples or not.

Li Mu stroked his chin, watching Song Haolin still negotiating.

Attempting to persuade the other side so that Wu Zhengyong could slot him into a team for this assessment, he fell into thought.

First,

If he goes, this Outer Disciple assessment for Li Mu will be fraught with murderous intent and turbulent undercurrents all the way.

But if he stubbornly chooses not to go,

will Song Haolin temporarily abandon his plan to kill him?

Li Mu thought carefully, then shook his head.

This answer is undoubtedly negative!

Never mind the rest!

Since Song Haolin dares, in the Named Disciple assessment, to openly act as a murderer before Wu Zhengyong and the other three Inner Peak officials, hoping to cause my death by accident.

That shows Song Haolin has already resolved to kill me!

Clearly, he wants to eliminate me and then feel satisfied!

He even dares, in front of the four sect officials and hundreds of Named Disciples in the arena, to strike at me.

Li Mu does not think that if he skips this Outer Disciple assessment, Song Haolin will be hesitant and choose not to kill him.

That would be a huge joke!

Moreover.

An opportunity like this—rising swiftly from Named Disciple to Inner Disciple in one leap—is, for anyone, a massive temptation and a significant chance.

If I were to persist in refusing under such lucrative circumstances,

then not only Song Haolin, but everyone would know there's something wrong!

Later, Song Haolin might resort to even more aggressive measures, trying by any means to eliminate me.

Not to mention.

In this world, there's a principle of a thousand days of being a thief, but no principle of a thousand days of preventing thieves.

Especially, having Li Mu guard a cultivator already at the peak of Seventh‑tier Concentration Realm is nothing but courting death!

So, after much deliberation…

Li Mu, during this time, contemplated countless ways to respond in his mind.

But after thinking it over, the best choice is definitely to feign ignorance and play along.

I will first pretend to know nothing, insert myself into the situation, and join this Outer Disciple assessment.

After all, it's not just me and Song Haolin traveling together; many Outer Disciples are also taking part in the assessment.

Even if Song Haolin is crazy, he couldn't directly murder me in front of so many fellow disciples.

And I can use this information gap to see if there's a chance to kill Song Haolin!

After all!

For Li Mu, no matter when, the dead are always the least threatening!

Rather than doing nothing and foolishly staying inside Ziyang Sect waiting for Song Haolin to come kill him,

it's better to take the initiative, use this Outer Disciple assessment to find a chance to kill Song Haolin and eliminate future trouble!

"If I decide to throw myself into the situation, I must reach First‑tier Concentration Realm before descending to subdue demons."

"That way, my combat power will be maximally enhanced, not to mention."

"At the same time, I'll hold a crucial card that multiplies Heavenly Dao Blessing ten‑thousandfold!"

"As long as I have this card, even in the most dangerous situations, I'll have a chance to turn the tide!"

Thinking this, Li Mu couldn't help but clench the Jade Bottle in his pocket that contains a Concentration Pill.

From deep within his eyes, a cold, invisible flash of light flickered unnoticed.

"…"

At that moment, Wu Zhengyong seemed to have already discussed with Song Haolin.

He waved toward Li Mu, signaling him to come over.

Li Mu nodded, his expression unchanged, and walked calmly toward Song Haolin.

As he drew nearer, Li Mu carefully observed the aura around Song Haolin!

Within a ten‑meter radius around him, an intense, sharp, invisible blade qi roared incessantly, its momentum overwhelming!

This is the second layer of Blade Intent: the Rhinoceros?

Truly extraordinary, even a long sword unsheathed can give a cultivator a tremendous sense of pressure!

"Alright!"

"Song Haolin, I'm handing over our Longtan Peak's most outstanding prodigy disciple of this year to you."

"When you descend this time to subdue demons, you must take good care of him."

Wu Zhengyong pushed Li Mu forward, repeatedly urging Song Haolin with countless admonitions.

"Hum…"

"These days, even stray cats and dogs are called prodigies?"

"To put it bluntly!"

"He's just a Ten Grade Lian Qi Realm brat, his hair not even fully grown, yet he dares to dream of soaring to the heavens."

As Wu Zhengyong finished speaking, a young man holding a long sword beside him sneered disdainfully.

"Indeed!"

"Being able to enter the Forbidden Realm is indeed commendable."

"But his cultivation is far too weak; I truly can't understand."

"You, a Refining Qi Realm cultivator, following our Concentration Realm masters down to subdue demons, what kind of demon are you hunting?"

"I think you, kid, are probably just going down to get gilded…?"

"It's truly incomprehensible why Senior Brother Wu would consent to let you, a burden, join our assessment team."

"When the time comes, if we truly encounter that great demon,"

"perhaps, while dealing with that great demon, we'll also have to pull away to protect you, the laggard!"

Clearly, the Outer Disciples present are all quite displeased with Li Mu being force‑fed by Wu Zhengyong into their squad as a "gilded" guy.

When they saw Li Mu walking toward them, they offered no courtesy at all, openly hurling insults—truly leaving Li Mu no face.

"Enough!"

"We're all from the same sect; we ought to help each other righteously!"

"We haven't even descended the mountain yet, and already we're arguing, causing internal strife."

"If we truly encounter that great demon, how can we cope with just your petty sowing of discord?"

Suddenly, Song Haolin, who had remained silent up to now, spoke up.

His words were full of reprimand, and his face wore a lofty, righteous expression—as if the words "light" and "justice" were carved onto it.

As Song Haolin's scolding rang out, the two Outer Disciples who had just been snide and covertly pestering Li Mu shrank their necks in fear, daring not even a breath.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk…"

"Still talking about righteous help?"

"Perhaps it's that the senior brother sees the junior brother and thrusts a knife from behind!"

Li Mu shook his head, pulling a disdainful sneer.

You, that little brat, tried to kill me, and you still put on a front with me here?

After reprimanding those two troublemaking Outer Disciples, Song Haolin stepped forward, patted Li Mu's shoulder, and showed a kindly, friendly smile as he said.

"Li Mu, Deputy Wu has already briefed me on your situation."

"For a pillar of talent like you in the sect, I, as your senior brother, must support you both out of duty and reason."

"Rest assured!"

"For this descent to subdue the demon, you needn't worry about anything; leave everything to me, senior brother."

"As for the rest?"

"Three days later at noon, we'll gather at the Inner Peak Dojo!"