The raindrops pattered against the brim of his bamboo hat as Jun Xie hurried out of the side door of the Jun family residence and began to stroll down the main street. The usually bustling pedestrians were completely gone, driven away by the sudden deluge, though the shops lining the street were now crammed with people seeking shelter. Occasional bursts of laughter or curses drifted out from the doorways.

The surrounding clamor seemed to merge with the downpour, creating a single, vast soundscape. Jun Xie walked alone in the deluge, watching the rain form a massive curtain descending from the heavens, each drop hitting his hat with a pa-pa sound. Deep within his heart, Jun Xie felt an overwhelming sense of his own insignificance and solitude.

What did it matter if he had once been the strongest assassin in the world in his past life? So what if he had gained an immense opportunity to transcend death and cross over into another realm? Even possessing the mysterious and unfathomable treasure, the Hongjun Pagoda, and having the chance to cultivate the arcane "Heaven-Opening Creation Technique"—what was the point?

He remained nothing more than a speck of dust between heaven and earth—tiny, alone, and isolated...

"I see no ancient sages before me, nor any successors after; contemplating the vast, unending sweep of heaven and earth, I am overcome with sorrow and shed tears alone." Jun Xie shook his head with a bitter smile, thinking this poem was truly written for him. Stranded in this foreign world, he was indeed without precedent or successor! A true descendant of Yan and Huang, in this other world, there was genuinely only him.

The rain grew thicker, splattering water from the ground as a hazy mist rose. The entire world seemed to suddenly lose its reality, becoming indistinct and blurred. Even the sound of the pouring rain around him seemed to vanish... Jun Xie suddenly felt as if his surroundings were a dream, as if all people and all events had ceased to exist. In the vast emptiness of the world, only he walked alone amidst the sweeping wind and rain...

Jun Xie suddenly felt like a ghost, or perhaps he was sleepwalking. His feet pressed heavily into the water, and the sound of his steps seemed impossibly distant. This feeling of being a rootless duckweed caused even the once cold-blooded assassin to feel a pang of fragility and powerlessness.

The scene ahead suddenly darkened, making him realize he had unconsciously stepped off the main street and into a narrow alley. Through the curtain of rain, a tavern sign—like a stiff, dried fish—hung vertically, propped out at an angle by a bamboo pole, emanating wafts of wine aroma.

What soothes sorrow? Only Du Kang!

Only wine to drown his troubles! Jun Xie hesitated for a moment before stepping into the establishment.

The small shop was nearly empty, with only four or five tables, all unoccupied. Given the torrential rain, the business was naturally bleak, especially for such a secluded little place. Only in the far corner sat one other person, also wearing a bamboo hat that obscured their face, sitting quietly, silently pouring and drinking alone. It seemed like self-amusement, yet it looked even more like profound loneliness.

Jun Xie casually ordered two small side dishes and a jar of wine, then also sat silently in a corner, occupying a table by himself, pouring and drinking as if no one else were present.

Heavy rain, a small shop, one man.

This cup is to those I killed in my past life! My apologies, you are destined to never have a chance for revenge. He downed it in one gulp!

This cup is to those I am about to kill in this life. My apologies, you are destined to meet your end by my hand! Cheers!

This cup is for my Master and junior sisters. May your assassinations be successful, may you retire early, find peace and joy, and live out your remaining years safely.

This cup is for...

Jun Xie drank cup after cup, heedless of anyone around him. Though seemingly silent, he poured all his emotions, all his sighs, all his loneliness into each draught of wine. As the scalding liquid hit his stomach, he thought: From this day forward, in this world, I am Jun Mo Xie! Jun Xie was merely the number one assassin of a distant memory!

The wine in the small shop was naturally unremarkable, perhaps even thin as water. For Jun Xie, accustomed to top-grade spirits, it was somewhat difficult to swallow! But Jun Xie didn't care about the quality of the wine at that moment. In truth, even if celestial nectar from Yaochi were offered, he wouldn't be able to taste much flavor. The only tastes he perceived were bitterness, sourness, and melancholy...

In this unfamiliar land, weakness and indulgence—only this once!

From now on, it will be the path of the Evil Lord, the path of iron and blood! From now on, I will use the mountains of bones and the seas of blood of this foreign world to forge the peerless reputation of this Evil Lord!

Evil Lord of another world—only Mo Xie shall reign!

Another cup was swallowed, yet Jun Xie still felt no trace of intoxication, only continuously pouring, pouring, pouring the wine down...

What Jun Xie did not realize was that his strange behavior was jarringly out of place with everything around him. It seemed as if, in the vast expanse of heaven and earth, he formed his own distinct entity, utterly isolated from the cosmos and the sweeping storm. That profound solitude, the detachment of calmly observing the winds and clouds, the transcendent loneliness—all these qualities merged perfectly within him.

Only in this moment was Jun Xie still Jun Xie, the mysterious paramount assassin, and not the Mo Xie of this current life!

The only other patron in the corner, who had merely glanced sideways at Jun Xie upon his entry, was now staring intently. Seeing him drink freely, ignoring others, displaying such elegant desolation and an otherworldly bearing that was far from ordinary, the patron became intensely curious.

Jun Xie had lost count of how many cups he had consumed. Almost mechanically, he raised the glass again, about to drain it, when he suddenly heard a voice from nearby: "Your capacity for wine is impressive, brother. With the wind and rain so fierce, it is just the two of us here. Since fate has brought us together, might we share a drink?"

Jun Xie looked up. The nearby guest had removed his bamboo hat, revealing a square, imposing face that commanded respect even without anger; yet his eyes were gentle as water, and he was smiling at Jun Xie.

Jun Xie laughed heartily, reached up, and removed his own hat, hanging it casually behind him. He smiled, "Autumn wind and autumn rain sadden the heart. Meeting in this small tavern is fate; sharing a drink is certainly fine! Please!"

The man was momentarily startled by how young Jun Xie was, then smiled, "In that case, politeness dictates I accept." He signaled the waiter for a few more dishes and two more jars of wine, then carried his cup over and sat down opposite Jun Xie. He asked with a smile, "In the Capital, truly remarkable young talents like you are rare. May I ask which esteemed family you hail from, young brother?"

"Hailing from an esteemed family?" Jun Xie let out a scoff, disdainfully: "Floating weeds in the world are nameless; wandering through the mortal realm, do not ask! In your eyes, must one be from a noble lineage to possess exceptional grace?"

"Oh? Heh heh, I have indeed spoken out of turn. I shall penalize myself with a drink!" The middle-aged man raised his cup and drank it all down with a graceful motion. Jun Xie observed his features and knew at once that this person was certainly no common figure. Just looking at the imposing aura of wealth radiating from his brow, the effortless ease in his every gesture, the way he commanded the space—and sensing the probing mental energies of several guards or bodyguards hovering just outside the shop—Jun Xie realized this man was someone long accustomed to a high position. Seeing him openly admit fault to a stranger, even humorously punishing himself, Jun Xie's opinion of him improved slightly. He felt that sharing a table with such a person wouldn't really degrade him.

"May I inquire as to your honorable name, young brother?" After downing the cup, the man looked at Jun Xie and asked. Jun Xie's calm and elegant demeanor had made the man extremely curious about his identity.