Great Li Martial God

”A deception? Deceiving whom?”

Li Musheng furrowed his brow, and his gaze carried a faint edge of warning as he looked at the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master.

The face beneath the bronze mask was entirely expressionless, and the Pavilion Master said, ”The deception I speak of is not about the Hidden Kill Order itself, but about each successive Pavilion Master.”

As he said this, he looked at Li Musheng, whose expression had shifted somewhat, and explained, ”In truth, by the time each new Hidden Kill Pavilion Master is named as a successor, the choice has already been decided in advance.”

At those words, Li Musheng’s gaze shifted, and he narrowed his eyes, ”You mean to say that the Hidden Kill Order, which has stirred up so much blood and chaos throughout the martial world, is real enough, but in practice it is only going through the motions.”

The Hidden Kill Pavilion Master gave a nod, ”That is correct. In truth, before any reigning Pavilion Master releases the Hidden Kill Order into the martial world, they have already selected the person they have in mind.”

”No matter how much killing the Hidden Kill Order causes in the martial world, no matter how many hands it passes through, in the end it always finds its way to the person the Pavilion Master has chosen, and that person will then complete the three assassination attempts and become the next Pavilion Master.”

As he said this, the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master gently closed his eyes, ”I was the person chosen by the previous Pavilion Master, and so the Hidden Kill Order wound through many hands and eventually came to me by what appeared to be coincidence.”

”No matter how many martial world experts competed for it along the way, in the end only I took the Pavilion Master’s seat.”

At those words, Li Musheng gave the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master a skeptical look and said, ”I take your meaning. But what I find puzzling is this: what unremarkable quality in you made the previous Pavilion Master, faced with the entire martial world, pass over everyone else and choose you specifically?”As he said this, he furrowed his brow again, ”You also do not appear particularly striking in appearance.”

At those words, the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master’s expression went briefly still, and he gave Li Musheng an odd look, then shook his head, ”The Hidden Kill Pavilion Master does have a recognized criterion for choosing a successor, but it has nothing to do with looks.”

”Not looks? Then what?” Li Musheng asked.

The Hidden Kill Pavilion Master was quiet for a moment, then let out a sigh, ”Destiny.”

”When each successive Hidden Kill Pavilion Master selects a successor, they share a common understanding: the person chosen must have the destiny of the White Tiger Malevolent Star.”

At that point, the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master’s expression became inscrutable, and without waiting for Li Musheng to ask, he continued of his own accord, ”The reason I was chosen is that my destiny is precisely the White Tiger Malevolent Star.”

”People born with this destiny are exceedingly rare in the world, and every one of them is a lone and baleful star by fate, doomed for those closest to them to perish, and destined to live out their days in solitary suffering.”

”And this is also the defining characteristic of every Hidden Kill Pavilion Master. Every Pavilion Master throughout history has been someone without family or ties, a lone and cursed soul with nothing to hold them to the world.”

”It is also precisely because of this that the Pavilion has never been drawn into the affairs of any worldly faction through a Pavilion Master’s personal attachments, and has endured and been passed down for over a thousand years without falling.”

Having heard the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master out, Li Musheng’s already furrowed brow creased even deeper.

”What is this about? From what you are saying, are you telling me I also have this White Tiger Malevolent Star destiny?”

Li Musheng was somewhat at a loss. The conversation had been reasonably normal, and now it had suddenly veered into something metaphysical.

But at that moment, the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master’s gaze behind the bronze mask rested on Li Musheng, and he shook his head slowly, ”You do not have the White Tiger Malevolent Star destiny. Because... you are not the person I chose.”

At those words, Li Musheng’s gaze shifted, and a look of dawning understanding crossed his face, ”You are saying that I have taken the place of the person you selected, and so in truth, I am different from all the previous Pavilion Masters.”

”Correct.”

The Hidden Kill Pavilion Master gave a slow nod, then looked at Li Musheng for a long moment and said, ”I had originally considered intervening, keeping the Hidden Kill Order within a controllable range. But unfortunately, your martial cultivation far exceeded my expectations.”

”And so in the end I chose to let things take their natural course, gave up any thought of interfering with the Hidden Kill Order, and allowed you to claim the Pavilion Master’s seat through your own strength.”

At those words, Li Musheng narrowed his eyes and glanced at the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master, ”By that reasoning, should I be thanking you?”

The Hidden Kill Pavilion Master shook his head, ”There is no need. With the Hidden Kill Order in your hands, I was not entirely confident I could take it back.”

”More importantly...”

As he said this, the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master paused, then said in a low voice, ”I want to change a rule that the Hidden Kill Pavilion has carried for over a thousand years. I do not want more people in this world to experience that kind of suffering the way I did.”

As he spoke, he raised his head and looked up at the sky, saying slowly, ”I will never forget that my master, who was like a father and teacher to me, was innocent. The junior sister I loved most in my life was also innocent...”

Li Musheng said nothing, standing with his arms crossed.

The head of this assassination organization had been talking and had somehow suddenly turned melancholy.

But before long the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master withdrew his gaze and returned to his earlier expressionless composure, saying, ”The reason I have said all of this, beyond wanting you to know the truth, is also to tell you that I am breaking the Hidden Kill Pavilion’s thousand-year rule, and I hope that you, as my successor, will not disappoint me.”

”Even if you cannot make the Hidden Kill Pavilion flourish, do not let it be destroyed in your hands.”

At those words, Li Musheng said nothing, then shook his head, ”You are putting this all too solemnly. I cannot take on a responsibility that heavy.”

”You should keep the person with the Lone Star destiny you chose. When I no longer have use for the Hidden Kill Pavilion in the future, I will return it to you.”

As far as Li Musheng was concerned, he only wanted to make use of the Hidden Kill Pavilion to help him find the Tianqi Secret Treasury keys and other things across the five nations. He had no interest whatsoever in actually running an assassination organization.

Taking on a burden like this for no reason was something he absolutely would not do.

At those words, the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master furrowed his brow and studied Li Musheng for a moment, finding that the man did not appear to be lying.

The face beneath the bronze mask was silent for a long while, and in the end let out a quiet sigh, ”The Hidden Kill Order determines who becomes Pavilion Master. That is the Pavilion’s rule, and I have no way to change it. If you do not wish to be Pavilion Master in the future, then cast the Hidden Kill Order back into the martial world and let it choose.”

With that, he appeared to have little more desire to speak with Li Musheng, and prepared to turn and leave.

This Great Li Eighth Prince was someone he could not necessarily beat in a fight, and appealing to his emotions and reasoning had gotten nowhere either. The man was impervious on every front.

Frankly, he was at a loss as to what to do with him for the moment.

But at that point, Li Musheng called out and stopped him, ”You are leaving just like that? You have not said how this Pavilion Master position is supposed to be handed over.”

At those words, the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master’s eyelid gave a sharp twitch, and he said without turning around, ”To formally take over the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master’s seat and truly command the Pavilion, you will need to make a trip to White Emperor City. There, someone will handle the handover of all Pavilion affairs with you.”

With that said, the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master wasted no more time, stepped forward, and began gradually fading from sight, on the verge of vanishing from the lane entirely.

But at that moment, Li Musheng shifted and suddenly appeared directly in front of the Pavilion Master, blocking his path, ”No need to rush. I have one last question.”

As he spoke, Li Musheng produced the copper ring that had been around the big black cat’s neck, ”I want to know everything about this Hidden Kill Order. Surely you are not unaware of its details?”

At those words, the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master’s gaze settled on the copper ring in Li Musheng’s hand, and his eyes narrowed slightly. He then looked at Li Musheng and asked, ”Can you tell me why you are interested in it?”

”Because a cat reacts to this Hidden Kill Order and glows gold.”

Li Musheng made no attempt to conceal anything and explained in a completely calm tone.

”A cat?”

The Hidden Kill Pavilion Master immediately furrowed his brow, and an unusual look crossed his eyes. His gaze then settled on the copper ring, ”This Hidden Kill Order does indeed have a remarkable origin and is no ordinary object. Every successive Pavilion Master who held the White Tiger Malevolent Star destiny would share a kind of inexplicable resonance with it, and this is also one of the reasons why a person of that destiny has always been chosen as successor.”

As he said this, the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master then shook his head, ”As for you saying the Hidden Kill Order reacts to a cat and produces a golden glow, that is something I have never seen.”

At those words, Li Musheng raised an eyebrow and looked at the copper ring in his hand, saying in a thoughtful tone, ”So the White Tiger Malevolent Star destiny has this particular characteristic as well.”

Then he looked at the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master and asked, ”Could you tell me more specifically about the origins of the Hidden Kill Order, and about this so-called White Tiger Malevolent Star destiny?”

The Hidden Kill Pavilion Master did not refuse, and explained, ”The Hidden Kill Order comes from White Emperor City, and is said to be a relic left behind by the ancient primordial beast White Tiger. Legend has it that the primordial White Tiger presided over slaughter, which resonates with the Hidden Kill Pavilion’s own path of killing, and so the Hidden Kill Order became one of the Pavilion’s supreme treasures.”

”However, all of this comes from the Pavilion’s ancient records, and given how distant in time those records are, the truth cannot be verified. What has been confirmed beyond doubt through the testimony of countless successive Pavilion Masters is the strange connection between the Hidden Kill Order and those who hold the White Tiger Malevolent Star destiny.”

As he said this, the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master paused, then continued, ”As for the White Tiger Malevolent Star destiny itself, beyond the Lone Star characteristics I mentioned before, there is one other most important natural gift: from birth, those with this destiny are perfectly suited for cultivating the killing path.”

”When these individuals study the Hidden Kill Pavilion’s secret techniques for killing, they possess a comprehension and rate of advancement that far surpasses ordinary people. Every Hidden Kill Pavilion Master has been able to use this destiny to reach the pinnacle of the killing path in an extremely short time without fail.”

At those words, Li Musheng’s expression remained as it always was, but his mind was far from still.

He had already come into contact with Qilin Blood, Azure Dragon True Qi, and the Vermilion Bird Bone. And now from the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master’s words he was hearing of the primordial beast White Tiger.

By his count, he had already touched on things connected to four ancient divine and primordial beasts.

And apart from the Hidden Kill Order, which had so far produced no effect on him, the other three had each brought him unexpected gains in cultivation, even for someone like himself who had reached what seemed like the limit of martial advancement.

This was in fact one of the most clearly effective paths Li Musheng had found so far in his pursuit of martial transcendence.

And so learning now about something connected to the primordial White Tiger, his mood was genuinely not bad.

After all, there might well be something hidden within this that was like the Azure Dragon True Qi, capable of offering him further improvement.

With that thought, Li Musheng looked at the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master with a pleased expression and said, ”From what you just said, it sounds as though White Emperor City has some connection to the ancient primordial beast White Tiger.”

The Hidden Kill Pavilion Master could see that Li Musheng seemed quite interested in this, and gave a nod, ”According to legend, White Emperor City is the dwelling place of the ancient primordial beast White Tiger. The name White Emperor is also how people throughout the world have addressed and revered the beast.”

As he said this, the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master then shook his head, ”Though all of this is only legend. Whether a primordial beast like the White Tiger truly exists in this world is something no one has ever been able to verify.”

At those words, Li Musheng rubbed his chin.

In his view, what could not currently be verified was simply whether the divine beasts such as the Fire Qilin, the Azure Dragon, and the Vermilion Bird were still alive in the world. But the things these divine beasts had left behind, things like the Qilin Blood, were very real and tangible treasures.

”It looks as though White Emperor City is a place I will have to visit,” Li Musheng thought to himself. Whether it was to formally take over the Hidden Kill Pavilion there, or to seek out treasures connected to the primordial White Tiger, White Emperor City was somewhere he could not avoid for the time being.

”All right. You may go now.”

At that, Li Musheng waved a hand and stepped aside from where he had been blocking the Pavilion Master’s path.

Now that he had gotten the answers he wanted, he had no reason to detain the man further.

Seeing this, the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master gave Li Musheng a long and searching look. He had read through every piece of intelligence the Pavilion had gathered on Li Musheng, and naturally knew the man was intensely interested in these intangible and seemingly mythical things.

And right now, from Li Musheng’s questions about the Hidden Kill Order, it was entirely confirmed.

”Then we will meet again in White Emperor City.”

The Hidden Kill Pavilion Master gave a nod, asked nothing further throughout, and departed directly.

Even so, a measure of relief had settled within him as he went.

This showed that Li Musheng was a person with desires. As long as those desires could be carefully managed, many things might yet be workable.

Li Musheng watched the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master’s retreating figure, looked down at the copper ring in his hand, then shifted his gaze in the direction the two figures of Emperor Yuanwu had gone.

”So that is what Emperor Yuanwu looks like. Nothing remarkable. Not even half as handsome as me.”

Li Musheng rubbed his chin and put away the copper ring.

Though this had been his first encounter with the Great Li Emperor, it had produced no particular feeling in him.

The one thing he shared with the Hidden Kill Pavilion Master’s assessment was that this Great Li Emperor seemed somewhat unusual, and did not appear to be a simple man.

Even so, he had no intention of looking into the matter more deeply, and did not particularly care why Emperor Yuanwu had clearly already emerged from seclusion yet was keeping it from everyone.

He withdrew his gaze, then shifted his figure and headed back toward the Tianjin Guards headquarters.

Now that the Hidden Kill Pavilion matter had come to a conclusion, his focus going forward would be on the pursuit of martial transcendence.