Chapter 145: Who Are You?

Three days later, the assessment in the Lost Forest reached its final stages.

Li Jiansan and his group had navigated over a dozen battles of varying intensity. Their opponents were all disciples from the Imperial City, and regardless of their strength, they were effortlessly defeated by Li Jiansan. Sweeping through the forest, Li Jiansan’s group had become so notorious that their name was known to all. Now, whenever the Imperial City students heard the word "Death God," they trembled with fear. Because Li Jiansan specifically targeted the arrogant and overbearing disciples from the Imperial City, he had gained significant popularity; in just a few days, nearly a thousand people had joined his ranks. It is worth noting that even Sun Yiqiu, the most renowned among the newcomers, only commanded a few hundred men, yet Li Jiansan’s team had swelled to nearly a thousand. Now, very few dared to provoke them in the Lost Forest.

Zhang Dabao looked at Li Jiansan with great excitement and said, "Brother Li, we have truly wreaked havoc these past few days and seized many essence cores. Our reputation in this Lost Forest is resounding." The thought of those internal disciples scurrying away in terror at the mention of their name brought him immense satisfaction.

Zixuan agreed, "Now, whenever others see our team, they flee from a great distance away." She looked at the calm young man before her. Even now, she could not fathom how someone of her own age could be so decisive and ruthless in battle.

Li Jiansan paused, looked at the group, and remarked, "There should be fewer than two thousand people left in the Lost Forest now."

"That’s right. Besides our team of nearly a thousand, Sun Yiqiu’s hundred-odd men, and some scattered stragglers, there are only about fifteen hundred left," Xu Yan estimated.

Zixuan exclaimed in surprise, "When we started, there were nearly ten thousand students. To think that fewer than two thousand remain—this elimination is happening too fast."

Zhang Dabao chuckled, "Don't look at it that way. Most of those eliminated were trash. Those cowards were either blasted away by Brother Li, scared off, or picked off by Sun Yiqiu’s team. Sun Yiqiu is truly hateful; whoever they target is stripped of everything. Moreover, he kills at will, never giving anyone a chance to concede. To him, other disciples are nothing but ants—worse than ants—to be slaughtered on a whim." Zhang Dabao looked indignant. "Don't let me run into them, or they'll see what happens!"

Zixuan snorted at his words.

"What's with that tone? I’m telling you, everyone left now is an elite, like us, like your Uncle Zhang!" Zhang Dabao said, his chubby face held high.

Li Jiansan said coolly, "The pace of elimination will likely accelerate now, as the next phase of slaughter is about to begin." The assessment was ending, and everyone was restless, waiting for someone to light the fuse that would trigger a final, chaotic confrontation.

"What!" the group gasped.

Li Jiansan continued, "Sun Yiqiu’s team surely houses many experts aiming for the Grade A class. With the end of the assessment in sight, they will no longer hold back. This means a decisive battle is coming, and I suspect we are their primary target. Since our team is the largest, we are their best prospect for looting."

Guided by Li Jiansan’s analysis, the others finally understood. Because Li Jiansan had been hunting internal disciples, Sun Yiqiu would inevitably seek them out for the final showdown.

"Let’s keep moving," Li Jiansan said, and they continued forward.

"Wang Er, collect all the essence cores from them. If they resist, kill them!"

They had not gone far when dozens of figures surrounded them. The strangers scanned Li Jiansan’s group, their lecherous eyes landing on Zixuan. Li Jiansan’s team, small in number and seemingly low in cultivation, had easily attracted unwanted attention. As the assessment neared its end, almost everyone had turned to raiding, making Li Jiansan’s group a prime target.

Li Jiansan was slightly stunned; they had been the ones doing the hunting, yet there were still fools who dared to challenge them. Zhang Dabao and the others sneered, wondering how these dimwits had survived this long. If they knew they were facing the feared 'Revenge Alliance' that had terrified the Imperial City disciples, their expressions would surely be priceless.

It was evident from their aura that this group were all at the Martial Spirit level, the elite of this tournament. Their leader was even at the second level of the Foundation Establishment stage. But to Li Jiansan, they were nothing. Even Foundation Establishment elders could not withstand a single strike from his sword, let alone this man.

"Haha, you delicate little beauty, why are you hanging out with these losers? Come over to my side, and I'll protect you," the leader said, leering at Zixuan’s legs.

Zhang Dabao and the others stepped back, watching the leader with malicious glee.

"Losers?" Li Jiansan frowned slightly. Seeing the reaction of the group, the leader realized, "So, you’re the one in charge." He laughed arrogantly, "In that case, kid, hand over the girl, and if I'm in a good mood, I might spare your life."

Li Jiansan remained silent, holding up two fingers.

"Shhh!"

With a flick of his fingers, a sharp sword aura condensed in the void. A beam of light flashed, swallowing the heavens.

"Ah..."

The leader had no time to react. A white light descended, and his arm was severed. Blood sprayed across the earth.

"I specialize in killing the insufferably arrogant. You dare act wantonly before me?"

As Li Jiansan’s cold voice fell, a gloomy voice came from the leader’s group: "Damn you, you severed Brother Li’s arm, and you dare to be arrogant?"

*Slap!*

Upon hearing Li Jiansan’s declaration, the man with the severed arm stood frozen. He rushed over to his subordinate, delivered a heavy slap, and ignored his confusion, turning to Li Jiansan with trepidation. "Who... who exactly are you?"

Zhang Dabao watched the show, "You don't even know who we are, yet you dared to provoke us. Are you looking to die?"

As the words left Zhang Dabao's lips, the leader’s arrogant face turned panicked. He stared at Li Jiansan, cold sweat pouring down his forehead. *How could this be? He is the Death God!*

The man stood as if petrified. The name "Death God" was a symbol of doom in the Lost Forest. To such people, his own group was nothing but scrap that could be crushed with a single finger. Countless geniuses had died at their hands; what were they compared to those? He wished he could slap himself—why had he been blinded by lust?

"Shall I let my Brother Li finish you off?"

"I... I had eyes but failed to recognize a master. I deserve to die for offending you." The man’s forehead was drenched in sweat, not daring to meet Li Jiansan’s eyes.

"I have taken your arm today. Hand over your essence cores and get out with your men." Li Jiansan turned away, no longer interested.

The man, relieved of a death sentence, tremblingly handed over his cores. As Li Jiansan’s group left, the subordinate asked curiously, "Boss, who was that? He was so arrogant, and his cultivation was no higher than mine. We might not have lost..."

The man, still reeling from his fear, kicked his subordinate hard. "Damn it, if you want to die, don't drag me with you! If he hadn't decided to spare you, you’d already be a corpse for that remark."

"Is he really that strong?" the subordinate asked, still skeptical.

"Of course he is! He is the Death God! Do you know how many geniuses died at his hands in this assessment? Do you really think you're stronger than those internal disciples?"

The group fell into stunned silence.

The next day.

"Today is the final day of the Lost Forest assessment. All students are to gather at the center of the forest for the final showdown."

As the majestic voice echoed through the sky, the students in the Lost Forest began to stir.