Starforce Warriors-Chapter 901: Myriad Immortals Conference (3)

Xue Qing could no longer hold back. He raised his voice and cried out, “Mas—Master Li, all sixteen Immortal Sects have gathered within Mount Myriad Saints. One hundred and thirty-four sect leaders, protectors, and elders have assembled, and countless formations have been laid. This entire Myriad Immortals Conference has been orchestrated with one purpose: to eliminate you completely. The moment you set foot on Nine-Tendon Peak, there will be no turning back!”

Once, Li Xiaofei had crippled Xue Qing’s cultivation, and he had hated him with every fiber of his being. But later, after following Li Xiaofei, listening to his teachings, and starting over from the beginning, Xue Qing found himself progressing at an unbelievable pace.

Especially after Li Xiaofei personally passed on to him a sword technique called Ten Thousand Swords Return, his cultivation had advanced so quickly that he now stood shoulder to shoulder with Lu Jiansheng, their senior brother.

Even someone like Xue Qing, who never considered himself a good man, could not forget such grace. After all, even villains had their own sense of pride. So he laid the full extent of the Immortal Sects’ preparations bare.

Li Xiaofei let out a quiet sigh.

“You six came here without orders to block my path, didn’t you?” He asked calmly. “Are you not afraid that word will leak out and the sects will punish you?”

“We would rather face punishment,” Xue Qing replied firmly, “than stand by and watch you walk into an ambush. Master Li, as long as the green hills remain, there will always be firewood to burn. Please, turn back. This is your last chance to retreat.”

Jianling, her voice crisp and trembling with emotion, spoke through misted eyes. “Please...”

Like Xue Qing, her hatred for Li Xiaofei in the beginning had transformed into deep respect and admiration. She had almost called him Master more than once, but each time, she had stopped herself, guilt clouding her face.

At this moment, for the six of them, even saying the word ‘Master’ felt like a luxury too great to claim.

Li Xiaofei said nothing more. He raised a hand and gently pointed forward. Six streaks of golden sword light shot out, striking each of the six kneeling disciples.

Their bodies froze, immobilized, unable to move. The long-haired horse snorted and walked slowly but resolutely past them. Zhao Kuangren offered the six a respectful clasp of his hands and followed.

Li Yiyun and the others no longer glared at Lu Jiansheng and his companions. As they passed, they too clasped their hands in salute and quietly walked by with swords at their sides, unspeaking but resolute.

***

The great procession of ten thousand moved in perfect order. Ten thousand bows. Ten thousand moments of silence. Lu Jiansheng and the others remained frozen in place, hearts burning with anxiety, yet unable to move a muscle.

They all understood clearly, Li Xiaofei’s strike had not been a punishment. It had been to save them. The sword qi had sealed their bodies, rendering them immobile. This way, even if the Immortal Sects discovered their actions later, they would assume the six had tried to block Li Xiaofei but were overpowered. Having done their best, they would be spared retribution.

But they had only considered this surface-level interpretation. They hadn’t yet realized the deeper truth. As the sea of people disappeared down the winding mountain path, Lu Jiansheng suddenly felt the sword qi sealed within his limbs and bones begin to circulate rapidly.

The qi was warm and gentle. It flowed through his twelve meridians, expanding, purifying, and washing away filth from every channel and acupoint. This... was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Their very physiques and talents were being transformed by this sword qi, as they were lifted to levels they could never have imagined.

“Master...” Tears finally streamed down the faces of Lu Jiansheng and the others.

Such a true immortal... Such a saint...

Why, in this entire cultivation world, is there no place that can accept him?

***

Nine-Tendon Peak.

It resembled a massive sword with nine blades, stabbed upright into the earth. Its summit was broad and spacious enough to host nearly a thousand people.

The Myriad Saints Immortal Sect had clearly cultivated the area with care. There were mountain springs, pavilions, ancient pines, and a training ground. But now, only one man stood at the center of that training ground.

An Wanshan, Chief of the Discipline Hall, awaited. Titled the Sword Immortal of Ten Thousand Blades, An Wanshan ranked among the top five in strength within the Myriad Saints Immortal Sect. As the one who oversaw justice, he held immense strength and authority.

A formidable aura radiated from him. Unlike their last meeting, this time, An Wanshan was fully armored and wielding a divine weapon. The energy surging from his form was far stronger than before. He had grown even more powerful with the home-ground advantage.

“Master Li, we meet again,” An Wanshan said coolly, his voice emotionless. “To reach Heaven Drum Mountain, you must cross ten peaks. Each peak holds a challenge, a dueling platform. You must defeat the guardian of each stage before you can step onto the Immortal Bridge.”

“A dueling platform?” Li Xiaofei raised an eyebrow, slightly frowning. “You really think ten platforms can stop me? The tide has already turned. Why go through the trouble of setting up childish games like these?”

An Wanshan said nothing more. He slowly tilted his sword forward, pointing it diagonally at the ground.

“Please.” With that simple word, he extended his hand in a gesture of challenge.

Li Xiaofei merely shook his head and urged the long-haired horse forward with a light tap.

“Watch closely!” An Wanshan shouted. “This is the strongest sword technique of my Myriad Saints Immortal Sect, do not take it lightly!”

As he spoke, the sword in his hand erupted with a force far beyond its natural limits. The sword qi surged and roared, as though it was connected to the mountain itself, drawing power from the leyline deep beneath the peak.

The sheer might of this strike rivaled a full-powered blow from a Transcendence Realm Saint back on Earth. But Li Xiaofei lifted a single finger.

Flick.

The sword shattered and the technique collapsed. An Wanshan reeled as if he had been struck by a sledgehammer, a stream of blood shooting from his mouth as he staggered backward.

Yet he did not stop. He bit down, spat several streaks of blood essence onto his blade, and launched another strike. The sword art resumed. One move. Then another. A third. In total, he unleashed eight sword forms. Each one was exquisite, and each strike grew stronger than the last.

But for Li Xiaofei, there was no difference between the strikes. He handled them all with ease. When the eighth move ended, An Wanshan was pale and staggering backward, his energy nearly depleted. With a heavy breath, he stepped aside and yielded the path.

The long-haired horse trotted forward with steady clops, snorting as it passed An Wanshan’s side. It even gave him a curious glance, as if to ask, “Why would someone with such ordinary strength insist on blocking the road and seeking death?”

“Master Li... tread carefully ahead,” An Wanshan’s voice rang out behind him. “All ten checkpoints hold a top-tier expert from the major Immortal Sects. They don’t aim to defeat you outright... only to observe your techniques and uncover your weaknesses.

“This... this is all I can do.”

His words floated gently to Li Xiaofei’s ears.

Li Xiaofei nodded slightly. Without a word, he rode on, mounted atop the long-haired horse.