After fifteen years of cultivation, he finally reached the pinnacle of the first rank!

Chapter 317 Fate
"A scam? Who are they trying to fool?"

Li Musheng frowned, his gaze carrying a hint of threat as he looked at the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master.

At this moment, the Hidden Killer Pavilion Master's face beneath the bronze mask appeared utterly indifferent as he said:
"The scam I'm referring to isn't the Hidden Kill Order, but rather the leadership of each Hidden Kill Pavilion."

As he spoke, he looked at Li Musheng, whose expression seemed somewhat strange, and explained:

"In fact, every leader of the Hidden Assassins Pavilion is already a pre-selected candidate when he becomes the successor."

Upon hearing this, Li Musheng's eyes flickered, and he narrowed them, saying:
"You mean to say that the Hidden Kill Order that stirred up bloodshed in the martial arts world is indeed real, but in reality it was just a formality."

The Hidden Kill Pavilion Master nodded and said:
"That's right. In fact, before the successive leaders of the Hidden Killing Pavilion decided to release the Hidden Killing Order into the martial world, they had already chosen their own candidates."

"No matter how much bloodshed the Hidden Kill Order causes in the martial world, or how many people it passes through, it will eventually fall into the hands of the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master's chosen person, who will then complete three assassination missions and successfully become the successor to the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master."

As he spoke, the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master gently closed his eyes and said:
"I was chosen by the previous Pavilion Master, so the Hidden Killing Order eventually ended up in my hands by chance."

"That Hidden Killing Order was fought over by countless martial arts masters, but in the end, only I became the master of the Hidden Killing Pavilion."

Upon hearing this, Li Musheng looked at the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master with suspicion and said:
“I understand what you mean. However, what I’m more puzzled about is whether you have some unknown strengths. There are so many people in the martial arts world, so why did the previous leader choose you instead of someone else?”

As he spoke, he frowned again and said:

"You don't seem to be very good-looking at all!"

Upon hearing this, the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master's expression froze for a moment. He gave Li Musheng a strange look, then shook his head and said:

"There is indeed a generally accepted criterion for selecting the leader of the Hidden Kill Pavilion, but it is not based on whether the person is handsome or not?"

"Not looking at appearance? Then what do we look at?" Li Musheng asked.

The Hidden Kill Pavilion Master remained silent for a moment, then sighed:
"Let's look at your destiny!"

"When each successive leader of the Hidden Killing Pavilion was choosing a successor, they all shared a common understanding: the chosen person must have the 'White Tiger Fierce Destiny'."

At this point, the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master's expression became inscrutable. Before Li Musheng could ask any questions, he began to explain on his own:
"The reason I was chosen is because my destiny is the White Tiger Fierce Fate."

"People with this destiny are extremely rare in the world, and each one of them is destined to be a solitary star, with their relatives and friends dying and them living a lonely and miserable life."

"And this is also the characteristic of every leader of the Hidden Killing Pavilion. All the leaders of the pavilion are solitary and ruthless people who have no relatives or friends and no attachments in the world."

"It is also because of this that the Hidden Killing Pavilion has been able to avoid getting involved in any worldly disputes due to the Pavilion Master's personal feelings, and has remained undefeated for thousands of years, continuing to this day."

After hearing what the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master said, Li Musheng's already furrowed brows furrowed even more deeply.

"What's going on? From what you're saying, does that mean I'm also one of those cursed, lonely stars with the White Tiger destiny?"

Li Musheng was speechless. What was originally a normal conversation suddenly turned into a metaphysical discussion.

At this moment, the Hidden Killer Pavilion Master, his gaze fixed on Li Musheng beneath his bronze mask, shook his head and said:

“You are not destined for the White Tiger, because… you are not the one I chose.”

Upon hearing this, Li Musheng's eyes flickered, and then a look of realization dawned on his face. He said:

"You mean, I've taken the position from the person you chose, so I'm actually different from all of you past leaders of the Hidden Assassins Pavilion?"

"Yes."

The Hidden Kill Pavilion Master nodded slightly, then gave Li Musheng a deep look and said:
“I originally wanted to correct this matter and keep the Hidden Kill Order under control, but unfortunately, your martial arts skills far exceed my expectations.”

"Therefore, I ultimately chose to let nature take its course and give up interfering in the matter of the Hidden Kill Order, allowing you to obtain the position of Hidden Kill Pavilion Master based on your own strength."

Upon hearing this, Li Musheng narrowed his eyes slightly, glanced at the Hidden Killing Pavilion Master before him, and said:
"So, I should thank you?"

The Hidden Kill Pavilion Master shook his head and said:
"No need. The Hidden Kill Order is in your hands, and I'm not entirely confident I can take it away."

"more importantly……"

At this point, the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master paused, then said in a deep voice:

"I want to change the rules of the game that the Hidden Killer Pavilion has been passing down for thousands of years. I don't want more people in this world to experience the kind of human suffering I have."

As he spoke, he looked up at the sky and slowly said:

"I will always remember that my master, who was like a father to me, was innocent, and my beloved junior sister was also innocent..."

Li Musheng remained silent, standing there with his arms crossed.

Why did the leader of the assassin organization in front of me suddenly become sentimental as he was talking?
However, the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master quickly withdrew his gaze, regaining his previous indifferent expression, and turned back to say:
"The reason I've said so much is not only to let you know the truth, but also to tell you that I have broken the thousand-year-old rules of the Hidden Killing Pavilion, and I hope that you, as my successor, will not disappoint me."

Even if you can't make the Hidden Kill Pavilion great, don't let it be destroyed in your hands.

Upon hearing this, Li Musheng remained silent, then shook his head and said:

"You're making this sound so serious; I can't possibly bear such a heavy responsibility."

"You should keep the person you chose as your 'lone star' until I no longer need the Hidden Kill Pavilion, then I'll return them to you."

For Li Musheng, all he wanted was to get something for free, to use the Hidden Killer Pavilion to help him find the key to the Apocalypse Treasure in the five kingdoms of the world, and he had no interest in running an assassin organization.
He definitely wouldn't do something that would just create an unnecessary burden.

Upon hearing this, the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master frowned, stared at Li Musheng for a while, and saw that he did not seem to be lying.

His face, hidden beneath the bronze mask, remained silent for a long time before finally sighing and saying:
"The Hidden Kill Order determines the leader of the Hidden Kill Pavilion. This is the rule of the pavilion, and I cannot change it. If you do not want to be the leader of the Hidden Kill Pavilion in the future, then throw the Hidden Kill Order into the world and let the Hidden Kill Order choose."

Having said that, he seemed to have lost interest in talking to Li Musheng and turned to leave.

Li Musheng, the eighth prince of Dali, was someone he couldn't necessarily defeat even by fighting. He tried to reason with him and appeal to his emotions, but the other party remained unmoved.

To be honest, he didn't know what to do with the other party for the time being.

However, at this moment, Li Musheng suddenly called out to the other party, saying:
"He's just leaving like that? He hasn't even said how the position of Pavilion Master will be handed over?"

Upon hearing this, the Hidden Killer Pavilion Master's eye twitched slightly beneath his bronze mask, and he said with his back to Li Musheng:

"If you want to truly take over the position of the Hidden Killer Pavilion Master and control the Hidden Killer Pavilion, you need to go to 'White Emperor City'. There, someone will hand over all the affairs of the pavilion to you."

Having said that, the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master immediately stopped, taking a step forward and gradually concealing his figure, about to disappear into the alley. However, at that moment, Li Musheng moved, suddenly appearing in front of the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master, blocking his path, and said:
"Don't leave yet, I have one last question."

As he spoke, Li Musheng took out the brass ring that had been around the big black cat's neck and said:

"I need to know everything about this Hidden Kill Order. I'm sure you know something about it, don't you?"

Upon hearing this, the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master's gaze fell on the copper ring in Li Musheng's hand, then he narrowed his eyes slightly and looked at Li Musheng before him, saying:
"Could you tell me why you're interested in this?"

"Because there is a cat that reacts to this assassination order and emits golden light."

Li Musheng didn't hide anything and explained calmly.

"a cat?"

The Hidden Kill Pavilion Master frowned immediately, a strange look appearing in his eyes. He then looked at the copper ring and said:

"This Hidden Killing Order is indeed of extraordinary origin and is not an ordinary item. All previous Pavilion Masters who possess the White Tiger Fierce Fate Destiny will have a mysterious connection with it, which is one of the reasons why people with this destiny are chosen to succeed as Pavilion Masters."

As he spoke, the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master shook his head again and said:

"As for your point about the Hidden Kill Order reacting with a cat and glowing, I've never seen that before."

Upon hearing this, Li Musheng raised an eyebrow, looked at the bronze ring in his hand, and said thoughtfully:
"So the White Tiger Fierce Fate has such special characteristics."

Immediately, he looked at the Hidden Killing Pavilion Master and asked:

"Could you elaborate on the origins of the Hidden Killing Order, and the so-called White Tiger Ferocious Fate?"

The leader of the Hidden Kill Pavilion did not refuse and explained:

"The Hidden Kill Token comes from Baidi City. It is said to be a relic left behind by the ancient ferocious beast, the White Tiger. Legend has it that the ancient ferocious beast, the White Tiger, was in charge of killing, which is in line with the killing philosophy of the Hidden Kill Pavilion. Therefore, the Hidden Kill Token has become a treasure of the Hidden Kill Pavilion."

"However, these situations are all recorded in the ancient books in the pavilion. Due to the long time that has passed, it is impossible to verify their authenticity. Of course, the strange connection between the Hidden Killing Order and people with the White Tiger Fierce Fate has been verified by countless successive pavilion masters and is undoubtedly confirmed."

After a pause, the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master continued:

"As for the White Tiger Fierce Star Destiny, in addition to the characteristics of the Heavenly Fiend Lone Star that I mentioned before, there is another most important talent: being born with a natural affinity for cultivating the Way of Slaughter."

"When cultivating the Hidden Killing Pavilion's secret killing techniques, such people possess comprehension and progress far exceeding that of ordinary people. Every Hidden Killing Pavilion Master can reach the pinnacle of the killing path in a very short time without any surprises, thanks to this destiny."

Upon hearing this, Li Musheng remained calm, but his heart was far from at peace.

Previously, he had come into contact with Qilin blood, Azure Dragon true energy, and Vermilion Bird bone, and now he was hearing about the ancient ferocious beast White Tiger from the Hidden Killing Pavilion Master.

All told, he has already come into contact with four kinds of ancient mythical beasts and ferocious beasts.

Moreover, apart from the Hidden Kill Order having no immediate effect on him, the other three items all provided unexpected improvements for someone like him who had reached a dead end in martial arts.

This is also one of the most effective and important paths that Li Musheng has taken in his pursuit of transcendence in martial arts.

Therefore, when he learned about the situation related to the ancient ferocious beast, the White Tiger, he was actually in a good mood.

After all, there might be something like Azure Dragon True Qi hidden within it, something that could enhance him.

Thinking of this, Li Musheng looked at the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master with a delighted expression and said:
"From what you just said, it seems that Baidi City is connected with the ancient ferocious beast, the White Tiger."

The Hidden Kill Pavilion Master noticed that Li Musheng seemed very interested in this matter and nodded, saying:

"Legend has it that Baidi City was the dwelling place of the ancient ferocious beast Baihu. The name Baidi is also the respectful title given to the ferocious beast Baihu by the world."

As he spoke, the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master shook his head again and said:
"However, these are all just rumors. Whether ancient ferocious beasts like the White Tiger really exist in this world is something that no one can prove to this day."

Upon hearing this, Li Musheng stroked his chin.

In his view, what cannot be confirmed now is whether the divine beasts Fire Qilin, Azure Dragon, and Vermilion Bird are truly alive, while the things left behind by those divine beasts, such as Qilin blood, are real treasures.

"It seems we have no choice but to make a trip to Baidi City."

Li Musheng thought to himself that whether he was going to Baidi City to take charge of the Hidden Kill Pavilion or to search for treasures related to the ancient ferocious beast, the White Tiger, he couldn't avoid Baidi City for the time being.

"Alright, you can leave now."

At this moment, Li Musheng waved his hand, clearing the way for the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master.

After getting the answer he wanted, he didn't try to keep the other person any longer.

Seeing this, the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master gave Li Musheng a deep look. He had reviewed all the intelligence collected about Li Musheng in the pavilion and naturally knew that the other party was extremely interested in these ethereal things.

And now, judging from Li Musheng's inquiry into the Hidden Kill Order, this has been completely confirmed.

"Then we'll meet again in Baidi City."

The Hidden Kill Pavilion Master nodded, and without asking any further questions, left directly.

However, he felt a slight sense of relief at this moment.

This shows that Li Musheng is also a person with desires. If he can properly grasp this weakness of the other party, many things may be easier to handle.

Li Musheng watched the disappearing figure of the Hidden Killing Pavilion Master, glanced at the bronze ring in his hand, and then turned his gaze to the direction where Emperor Yuanwu and the other man had left.

"So this is what Emperor Yuanwu looked like. He wasn't all that great. He wasn't even half as handsome as me."

Li Musheng stroked his chin and put away the copper ring in his hand.

Although it was his first time meeting the emperor of Dali, he didn't feel anything about it.

The only view he shared with the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master was that this Emperor of Dali seemed to have some issues and was not a simple person.

However, he had no intention of delving into the matter, nor did he care why Emperor Yuanwu had concealed this fact from everyone, even though he had already emerged from seclusion.

He withdrew his gaze, then moved and headed towards the headquarters of the Tianjin Guard.

Now that the matter of the Hidden Killing Pavilion has come to an end, his focus will shift to pursuing the transcendence of martial arts.

(End of this chapter)