The task Long Xin assigned me was one hundred thousand kills; as long as I killed the required number of mutated creatures daily, the rest of the time was mine to use as I pleased. Because of this, my first round of combat each day always began with astonishing speed, striving to complete the day's quota in the shortest possible time, thereby accumulating more time for targeted training. A rough calculation showed that it generally took me about eight hours to complete the requirement of one hundred thousand kills. Consequently, I could dedicate eight hours every day to specialized strength-versus-strength training.

A week later, I could finally cleave the Black Maggot in two with a single strike without relying on my Attacking Sword Qi; this demonstrated the sheer power of my offense. Yet, I remained unsatisfied, conceiving a method to enhance my strength further: switching from wielding my blade with both hands to using just one, relying on unilateral strength to kill the Black Maggot. Two weeks after that, both my left and right hands could kill a Black Maggot one-handed. Frankly, this level of progress was somewhat surprising to me. However, Long Xin and the other three had also made significant strides. Take Long Zhan, for instance; under one-on-one conditions, he now needed only about three rounds to kill a Black Maggot. Long Xin was even more effortless; five Lightning Spells would suffice, and during this process, the Black Maggot couldn't even approach within ten meters of her before being struck down by her terrifying Lightning Spells. In contrast, the fights Long Qi and Jin Hong had with the Black Maggots were more technical and fascinating to watch. Aided by the little skeleton, they occasionally unleashed sharp Soul Talismans, like flying knives, paired with their highly corrosive Red and Green Poisons, taking only five or six seconds to dispatch a Black Maggot.

As the number of slain mutated creatures continued to rise, I distinctly felt the Qi within me undergo another transformation, a sensation strikingly similar to when I first comprehended Attacking Sword Qi. The Qi inside me began to act uncontrollably again, surging as if desperate to break free of the body. However, the intensity this time was far greater than during my time in the Skeleton Cave. The internal energy was like a rapidly spinning vortex, its immense power violently impacting my internal structure, seeming poised to burst forth at any moment. Strangely, I felt no discomfort. I knew this was the precursor to successfully mastering Assassination Sword Qi. The reason the internal energy couldn't escape its physical containment now was that the Qi’s intensity was insufficient. Once enough surging power accumulated, it would inevitably tear through the body's restraint and shoot outward—that moment would mark the completion of my Assassination Sword Qi. Hence, during the following period, I ceased focusing primarily on strength-versus-strength techniques and instead devoted my entire attention to monitoring the changes in the internal Qi fluctuations.

Finally, after another week passed, the intensity of the internal Qi could no longer be contained.

Swish!

Mid-battle, a massive white sword Qi shot forth, howling as it sped straight ahead.

Thump! Hiss!

A blurred dance of blood erupted instantly. Where the sword Qi struck, destruction followed. The astonishing energy cleanly sliced through all mutated creatures within ten meters in front of me, splitting them in half, as if an invisible giant had struck them down the middle with an impossibly huge longsword. Within the area four meters wide and ten meters long, nothing remained but a shocking, deep gash, with even the severed limbs and debris blasted to either side.

Assassination Sword Qi!!

This was it—Assassination Sword Qi! What incredible power! I had finally mastered it! Yet, before I could even begin to celebrate my cultivation success, the long-suppressed urge to kill erupted without warning. Damn it! The moment my body seized control, I knew things had taken a grim turn.

Although I had experienced this strange sensation several times in the Skeleton Cave and later found a way to control this killing intent, I wasn't overly worried about terrible consequences. But now, this murderous urge had reappeared inexplicably, and I could sense that this time it was even stronger, more terrifying, and more frenzied than before. Thus, the bizarre scene from the Skeleton Cave re-enacted itself. In that moment, I was like an irrelevant spectator, watching my body rampage through the dense mass of monsters like a berserk demon. Though I couldn't control my actions, I could feel the terrifying nature of that killing intent—it knew nothing but slaughter; it seemed slaughter was its fundamental reason for existence, and it existed solely for killing, possessing a pure, destructive impulse toward everything.

Although the dramatic change was sudden, my prior experiences afforded me a measure of calm instead of panic.

While helplessly allowing my rampaging body to act recklessly, I knew this killing intent wouldn't dissipate until the vast reserve of internal energy was largely depleted.

Simultaneously, I pondered the unknown secrets embedded within this body. Through this berserk episode, I once again felt certain that another soul, or perhaps another consciousness, resided within this body, and this consciousness would strengthen as my own power grew. Just like this time, it was noticeably stronger and more evident than the last. It seemed imperative to figure out what was happening. This peculiar feeling was like having a time bomb planted inside my body, threatening explosion at any second. Honestly, the sensation was deeply unsettling, and I worried that one day I might suffer the same fate as the body's original host, eliminated by this hidden consciousness. After all, I wasn't the true owner of this body, and I feared meeting the same end as the previous occupant. However, all these concerns would have to wait until my body settled down.

On the other side!

Boom! Swish! The instant a massive flash of white light erupted, Long Xin and the other three felt a terrifying fluctuation of battle aura energy. They all turned to look at Xing Chen in the center of the field. Not far away, the eight Eastern Guards also stared at the rampaging Xing Chen with looks of shock.

"It's Assassination Sword Qi!" Long Zhan roared excitedly.

"This guy!" Long Qi muttered, "He actually mastered Assassination Sword Qi in less than a month?"

"..." Jin Hong was struck dumb. My heavens, mastering Assassination Sword Qi in under a month—what did that even imply? If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes, Jin Hong would never have believed that Xing Chen could progress from Attacking Sword Qi to Assassination Sword Qi in such a short time. What kind of monster was this fellow?

"..." Long Xin was speechless too, but after watching for a moment, she noticed something amiss with Xing Chen's state. "Look, what's wrong with Xing Chen? He seems... off."

"Could it be another rampage!" Long Qi and Long Zhan exclaimed simultaneously. Indeed, the three remembered Xing Chen’s few outbursts in the Skeleton Cave vividly. This situation was nearly identical to what they had witnessed in the cave, except now the Attacking Sword Qi had been replaced by the far more potent and terrifying Assassination Sword Qi.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

In the center of the field, Xing Chen's phantom-like figure darted everywhere, while powerful Assassination Sword Qi rained down like a violent storm. About five minutes later, the area, once packed with dense monsters, had transformed into a horrifying field of carnage composed of piles of severed limbs and ruined bodies. Only then did the spectral figure and the storm of soaring Assassination Sword Qi cease their activity.

Hoo! Hoo!

"Damn it! I'm exhausted," I gasped. "Finally, it stopped. This body really knows how to put on a show!" Only then did Long Xin and the other three cautiously approach me.

"Xing Chen, are you alright?" Long Xin asked, her expression complex, unsure whether to offer congratulations or express concern.

"Hoo!" I panted, "I'm fine."

"In that case, we should congratulate you!" Long Qi beamed with joy. "I can't believe you mastered Assassination Sword Qi so quickly!"

"You rascal," Long Zhan said with a jealous tone. "We were standing on the same starting line, but now look—you've grasped Assassination Sword Qi so fast. Overtaking you in the future seems nearly impossible."

"..." Jin Hong stared at me for a long time with a conflicted expression before murmuring, "Are you truly still only a Novice Ranger?"

"Hehe! How should I put it?" Honestly, I didn't know how to answer Jin Hong's question, considering my current strength already matched that of an Advanced Warrior. Yet, when I obtained my Ranger certification, I hadn't even mastered Attacking Sword Qi. Later, after mastering it in the Skeleton Cave, I rushed to Mengzhong, taking on the escort mission for Sister Ziyue, but got delayed in the Woma Forest. Upon reaching Mengzhong, time constraints forced me to skip the Intermediate Ranger exam entirely and plunge straight into the Centipede Cave. Now, with my strength vastly increased to Advanced Warrior standards, I still lacked even the Intermediate Ranger certificate. It was no wonder Jin Hong posed such a complex question.

"That's enough," Long Xin interjected. "Since Xing Chen has mastered Assassination Sword Qi, he should qualify as a standard Advanced Warrior. It's time to test for the Advanced Ranger certificate."

"En," Long Qi and Long Zhan nodded slightly.

"How about it?" Long Zhan asked, scrutinizing me. "Do you feel any changes in your body? After all, you are an Advanced Warrior who has grasped Assassination Sword Qi."

"..." I paused briefly. Due to the prior rampage, most of my stamina had been depleted, and I hadn't paid much attention to how my body felt. But prompted by Long Zhan, I instinctively began assessing the changes within myself, trying to compare them to past sensations.

Calming myself, I focused on feeling the internal Qi fluctuations. It was then that I was astonished to discover that now, with my stamina recovered, I felt a completely new strength coiled within me. This power seemed alive, expanding and contracting with a slight pulse—abundant, robust, and magnitudes stronger than the Attacking Sword Qi I knew before. I couldn't precisely quantify the gap, but if I had to describe it, the power I now contained was dozens of times greater than before. Just flexing my right hand slightly made the entire limb feel as hard as iron. This feeling was truly exhilarating.

"I feel... my strength has increased many times over!" I voiced my feeling hesitantly, then looked back at Long Zhan. "I don't know if it's just my imagination, so I want to arm wrestle you again."

"Hehe!" Long Zhan looked equally eager. "Excellent! I've been wanting to test just how much your strength has grown since mastering Assassination Sword Qi."

"I want to see too!" Long Xin eagerly pulled a table out of her spatial pouch and set it up.

"Then I shall serve as the referee," Long Qi offered.

"En," Long Zhan and I nodded simultaneously.

Clang! Two disproportionately sized hands were placed on the table. However, the observant me noticed that although my arm wasn't bulky yet—in fact, it still looked quite slender compared to Long Zhan's—it was visibly thicker than last time, and I could even make out the faint outline of emerging muscle.

Muscle! Good heavens, I finally developed muscle! I was so moved! Even if it was just a slight contour now, it was still muscle! I believed that with persistent effort, I could eventually build a solid physique. But that was a later matter; the priority now was testing my strength against Long Zhan.

I took my stance, channeled strength into my right hand, and clasped Long Zhan's massive palm.

"Alright, I'll start the countdown to three!" Long Qi looked genuinely serious, taking on the air of a referee.

En! Long Zhan and I nodded, while Long Xin and Jin Hong watched us with tense expressions.

"Three—Two—One!"

Roar! Almost simultaneously, Long Zhan and I exerted force. To ensure victory, I used my full strength from the very beginning. The moment I powered up, I distinctly felt the dense, abundant Qi surge from my waist, straight through my shoulder, and finally flow down my arm into my palm.

Roar! Thump! A powerful surge of force exploded outward, and Long Zhan's mountain-like body was suddenly, inexplicably flung backward through the air.

Boom! He crashed heavily onto the ground.

"Ah!" I stared blankly at Long Zhan, who lay on the ground, dusty and disheveled, clutching his right arm in pain while staring at me with an expression of sheer terror.

"..." Long Xin, Long Qi, and Jin Hong were all horrified. They had clearly seen the whole process: the instant I exerted force, Long Zhan flew backward.

"Th-this, how is this possible!" Long Zhan muttered. "Such immense strength, it felt like someone had hurled me!"

"Heavens!" Long Xin exclaimed in shock. "Is this the strength of an Advanced Warrior?"

"It must be," Long Qi said instinctively.

"Incredible!" Jin Hong exclaimed. "With an arm as slight as Xing Chen's, he could fling a large man like Long Zhan just through a wrist lock!"

"Actually, the power comparison between Warriors isn't determined solely by physique," Long Qi explained. "It seems Xing Chen’s body is much smaller than Long Zhan’s, but Xing Chen harbors the battle aura energy capable of unleashing Assassination Sword Qi. Compared to Long Zhan, who hasn't mastered battle aura energy yet, Xing Chen’s strength level is a full tier higher—that is the difference between an Advanced Warrior and an Intermediate Warrior."

"But this strength is ridiculously high!" Jin Hong still found it hard to accept, struggling to imagine that the shorter, smaller Xing Chen, who was shorter than her, was a monster of immense strength.

"Ah! Ow, that hurts!" Long Zhan grit his teeth, clutching his arm in pain. "You wicked Xing Chen boy, you held back nothing!"

"Ah! I, I didn't mean to!" At this moment, I stared blankly at my hands, feeling the thick power flowing through my arms, utterly thrilled. But I couldn't be certain that I had actually thrown Long Zhan out with pure wrist strength alone. "How is this possible? Am I really that strong?" I instinctively looked at Long Zhan and murmured, "How about we try again?"

"Don't even think about it!" Long Zhan said fearfully, sounding annoyed. "You’re an Advanced Warrior now, you should know how to hold back a little."

"Ah!" I realized my mistake belatedly, feeling a pang of apology. "I was just afraid of losing to you, like last time when I felt immensely strong but still lost. So, I used my full power right from the start this time."

"Damn, you’re ruthless, using full strength immediately. But fine, I won't argue with you this time," Long Zhan conceded, clearly unwilling to accept defeat. "But don't get smug; when I master Assassination Sword Qi, I'll settle the score with you."

"Hehe," I managed an awkward, involuntary laugh.

"I doubt you'll get the chance," Long Xin chuckled. "By the time you master Assassination Sword Qi, Xing Chen might already have mastered Crescent Moon Blade." Long Xin paused, seeming thoughtful, "He might even have mastered Flaming Blade technique."

"Ah!" Long Zhan froze. Not only him, but Jin Hong and Long Qi also wore deeply thoughtful expressions.

"That's entirely possible," Long Qi murmured. "Back in the Skeleton Cave, Xing Chen took only three days to master Attacking Sword Skill, whereas here, he took nearly a month to master Assassination Sword Skill."

"En," Long Xin added, "Last time, Long Zhan took a full month to master Attacking Sword Skill, but Xing Chen only took three days. Furthermore, under normal circumstances, it takes an average person ten months to a year to master Assassination Sword Qi, yet Xing Chen achieved it in just one month."

"Ten times!" Jin Hong stared at me as if seeing a ghost. "Xing Chen, your cultivation speed is ten times that of a normal person!"

"..." Jin Hong's words left Long Zhan completely stunned. "Doing the math, Xing Chen's cultivation speed is unbelievably fast."

"There’s nothing strange about that," Long Qi reasoned. "Don't forget, Xing Chen’s monster-slaying speed is ten times that of the four of us combined. If converted to a single-person ratio, Xing Chen's cultivation speed should be forty times faster than normal. The fact that his progress is only ten times faster than average isn't that exaggerated, is it?" Long Qi then looked at me. "You know, cultivation progress is directly related to the number of monsters you kill, and your unique killing technique dictates that your cultivation speed should be vastly quicker than the average person. So, I imagine, if you maintain your current kill rate, you might master Crescent Moon Blade sooner than you think. After all, normal people take at least three years—thirty-six months—to master it. For you, maybe only twelve months, or even faster!"

"Ah! If that’s true, I might never get a chance at revenge in my lifetime," Long Zhan lamented in defeat.

"I think that's likely," Long Xin agreed.

"..." Jin Hong remained speechless.