From Sword to Slaughter: Evolution

"Who are you?" Tian You, the Desert Bandit King, demanded, staring at Ren Xing with narrowed eyes.

As he scanned the area, he realized that over a hundred of his men had been killed in such a short time. This man in front of him had to be a warrior above the seventh tier! Moreover, Tian You could clearly sense an eerie, demonic aura emanating from Ren Xing's body, and the strange sword in his hand exuded an overwhelming killing intent.

The malevolence was almost suffocating.

"I'm the one who's here to kill you all," Ren Xing replied with a twisted smile as he slowly approached.

[Seventh-tier Martial Skill: Explosive Flame Slash]!

Seeing Ren Xing draw near, Tian You's expression shifted. Without hesitation, he channeled all his source energy into his blade and swung it down from above.

Whoosh!

A torrent of blazing flames surged forward!

"Heh." Ren Xing didn't even bother to dodge. As the flames rushed toward him, dark energy began to radiate from his body, forming a solidified barrier of source energy.

This was the power of the Heavenly Demon Nine Chapters, the technique Ren Xing had been cultivating!

Boom!

The fiery slash exploded on impact, leaving deep craters in the ground around Ren Xing. Yet, he remained unharmed, his entire body shielded by the dense, black energy.

Tian You's eyes widened in shock. His strongest martial skill hadn't even scratched Ren Xing!

"Materialized source energy... black source energy," Tian You murmured in disbelief.

"Tian You, your head is mine," Ren Xing declared as he charged forward, sword in hand.

Damn it! Tian You's face paled, and he quickly gathered all his strength. His source energy surged, and a powerful gust of wind swirled around his body.

"Even seventh-tier warriors can't stand against Ren Xing now," Ye Fan muttered to himself. "Killing a seventh-tier warrior will net us 7,000 evolution points—definitely worth it."

In an instant, Ren Xing's Soul Cleaver was about to slash down on Tian You!

Clang!

Tian You reacted just in time, using his blade to block the strike. The clash of weapons sent a deafening sound through the air, and the force of the impact pushed Tian You back several steps.

A quick glance revealed a dent in his weapon—the result of Ren Xing's single blow!

"What kind of sword is this...?" Tian You thought, his eyes wide with fear.

Never had he seen a weapon so sharp that it could damage his own blade with one strike!

"I surrender! Take all the money and valuables. They're yours!" Tian You quickly offered, his earlier ferocity replaced by fear.

"No need. I already told you, I want only one thing," Ren Xing grinned darkly. "Your head!"

Before Tian You could react, Ren Xing vanished from sight.

By the time Tian You realized what was happening, Ren Xing was already behind him.

Swish!

With a flash of the sword, Tian You's head fell to the ground.

[Killed seventh-tier warrior, gained 7,000 evolution points]

[Absorbed seventh-tier warrior's blood energy, gained 7 energy points]

And just like that, the Desert Bandit King was dead.

"A seventh-tier warrior," Ren Xing said, his voice dripping with disdain. A little more than a month ago, a seventh-tier warrior was beyond his reach. But now, killing one was as easy as swatting a fly.

The thrill of this newfound power was intoxicating.

Ren Xing turned and began walking away.

"The City Lord is coming out!" Huang Conghui, who had been watching from afar, exclaimed in excitement when he saw Ren Xing approaching. Beside him, Tiger Brother also noticed Ren Xing carrying the Desert Bandit King's head.

He really wiped out the entire gang of desert bandits! Tiger Brother was filled with awe. He had heard stories about these bandits terrorizing the local merchants, but now, under Ren Xing's sword, they were all dead.

"Ah Hu," Ren Xing called out as he approached Tiger Brother.

"City Lord," Tiger Brother responded immediately, sensing an even more oppressive aura coming from Ren Xing than before.

"You will now take charge of guarding Sand Desolation City," Ren Xing announced with a smirk.

"City Lord, do you mean...?" Tiger Brother asked, unsure of Ren Xing's intention.

"We won't act like the bandits did, but from now on, any travelers passing through this area will pay a toll," Ren Xing said calmly.

He intended to claim every territory around him.

"I'll become the Commander soon," Ren Xing thought to himself with glee.

Meanwhile, in Qing City, the mood was quite different.

"Damn that man!" City Lord Zhong Qiangwen roared in fury.

The Heaven Valley Mountain Range had been completely seized by Ren Xing and his group. The Lion Mercenary Group, which secretly worked under Zhong's control, had held the region for him.

But everything had changed since the appearance of the ancient ruins. The Lion Mercenary Group had been wiped out!

"Star City's Ren Xing..." Zhong gritted his teeth in frustration.

"Don't worry, City Lord. We'll kill him soon," a voice interrupted calmly.

It was Xiao Feng, the eighth-tier warrior from before.

"How many warriors have you contacted?" Zhong asked, regaining some composure as he looked toward Xiao Feng.

For the past few weeks, Xiao Feng had been spreading the word about Ren Xing's sword, attracting attention from high-level warriors. Now, some of the most powerful were on their way to Qing City.

After all, this was a sword that could slice through even A-grade weapons with ease.

Not just eighth- or ninth-tier warriors, even Martial Masters and Martial Kings might be interested!

"At least ten ninth-tier warriors are coming," Xiao Feng replied, sipping his tea with a sly grin. He had been cautious in his planning. After the events at the ancient ruins, it was clear that Ren Xing had obtained some kind of powerful inheritance. Bringing only eighth-tier warriors wouldn't be enough—he had invited ninth-tier warriors, just to be safe.

And the warriors, hearing about the sword, were all eager to see it for themselves.

"Excellent. Star City's Ren Xing, your days are numbered," Zhong laughed maniacally.