Starforce Warriors

Chapter 386: Visitation

The complexity of cultivating the Six Meridian Divine Sword far surpassed that of ordinary martial arts. Li Xiaofei spent quite some time and effort carefully instructing the six men, including the bald man, with meticulous attention to detail.

When the six of them practiced, they began to feel uneasy. After all, they were supposed to be undercover agents. They had come here to stir up trouble. Yet, somehow, they were being taught such an exquisite ancient martial arts legacy by the Grandmaster of Heaven.

This... Is the Grandmaster of Heaven a fool? How could he casually pass on such a profound ancient martial arts legacy to others?

Smack.

Li Xiaofei slapped the bald man on the back of his head. "Focus! What will happen if you get distracted and lose control?"

"Yes, yes," The bald man immediately forced a smile on his face.

He then turned to the other brothers and barked, "Did you hear that? Take it seriously! Don't waste the teacher's time."

The brothers straightened up and practiced with more dedication. After spending a full three hours, they barely managed to grasp the meridian flow required to operate the Six Meridian Divine Sword. But they were still far from mastering it.

However, for the six brothers, who had reached the Golden Body Realm at such a young age, it was clear that although their families' resources had supported their progress, their talent was undeniably exceptional. While their progress wasn't even one percent of Li Xiaofei's, it was already extraordinary.

"That's all for today. Practice on your own," Li Xiaofei said as he checked the time. "If you have any questions, ask me during tomorrow's live stream."

"Teacher," The man with glasses raised his hand to ask, "are you really going to publicly teach the Six Meridian Divine Sword during the live stream?"

Li Xiaofei responded with a question, "Why not?"

The man with glasses gave a hesitant smile and said, "Such an exquisite ancient martial arts legacy has an immeasurable value. Are you really going to just reveal it to everyone and let them all practice it?"

Li Xiaofei explained, "It’s precisely because it’s so exquisite that it must be taught to the warriors of Great Xia. Only by doing so can it flourish. Only then can our Great Xia warriors have a better chance when facing the star beasts to protect our homeland and their loved ones. It’s only this way Great Xia can restore the glory of the Hundred Saints Era."

The bald man and his brothers fell silent.

Li Xiaofei continued in a serious tone, "Remember, when I said that everyone should practice and everyone should have access to the true legacy, it wasn’t just empty talk. It's a guiding principle we must uphold. We cannot afford to be selfish."

"We understand, Teacher. We will remember your teachings." The bald man replied earnestly. @@novelbin@@

The man with the blonde hair and earrings asked, "Teacher, our talent for cultivation is clearly not as good as Ren Woyou's. Why did you choose to teach us this profound sword technique instead of him?"

Li Xiaofei smiled and said, "Good question. Every lesson must be adapted to the individual. Ren Woyou has a cold personality, his sword heart is like ice, and he is meticulous in his actions. His cultivation focuses on form, and the Fifteen Swords of Death suit him well. When it’s fully mastered, that sword technique is no less lethal than the Six Meridian Divine Sword. As for you six brothers, your carefree nature makes the Six Meridian Divine Sword more suitable for you."

This explanation left the six brothers deeply convinced.

The handsome man remarked, "I’ve met many ancient martial arts teachers before and practiced many techniques. Some were renowned masters, and some passed down true legacies. But it's the first time I’ve seen a teaching philosophy as thorough as yours, Teacher."

Li Xiaofei patted the handsome man on the head., "You know how to talk. Keep it up."

The handsome man seemed to appreciate the praise.

"Alright, enough with the small talk. Focus on your cultivation and don't slack off."

Li Xiaofei had a favorable impression of these six brothers, since they reminded him of his six roommates from university five hundred years ago. He added, "The Six Meridian Divine Sword is not the end. The ancient martial arts lineage of Great Xia runs deep and is full of wonders. Once you master this technique, I can pass on even more powerful true legacies."

He prepared to end the live stream right on time.

At that moment, the bald man suddenly spoke, “Teacher.”

Li Xiaofei turned his head to look at him.

The bald man bowed deeply and said, “Thank you.”

Li Xiaofei waved his hand casually and walked away.

As they watched his departing figure, the six brothers fell into silence.

“Big Brother...” The blond man with the earring said.

“Don’t say a word,” the bald man interrupted immediately.

“I just wanted to say...”

“Don’t say anything.”

“But Big Brother...”

“I know what you’re going to say, but you’re not allowed to say it. The sweet words of the Grandmaster of Heaven won’t fool us. I already said thank you. Hmph, in our line of work, we must have professional ethics. He even paid extra. We’re definitely going to pull this off.”

“No, Big Brother, I was trying to tell you... your pants are ripped.”

“What the—! No wonder I’ve been feeling a cold draft... Why didn’t you say something earlier?!”

“You were the one who told me not to speak.”

“And now you’re talking back? Take this, my Shaoshang Sword!”

“Huh? You’re serious? Fine, eat my Shaoze Sword!”

“Second Brother, you hit me!”

“I did it on purpose.”

“Damn it, here comes my Shangyang Sword!”

***

New information had emerged from Liuhe Base City. A newly appointed Inspector named Bai Xingfeng had taken office. He was a young man with a timid appearance, and since his appointment, he had never involved himself in the affairs of the base city.

His style was quite similar to that of Teacher Li. In fact, Bai Xingfeng was indeed from the same faction as Teacher Li. Before Bai Xingfeng had assumed his role, Teacher Li had already informed Li Xiaofei about his arrival. So Li Xiaofei visited him on his first day, and the two had an enjoyable conversation.

This put Li Xiaofei at ease. With his upcoming departure for further studies, the fact that the Starry Sky Hotel was now under the control of one of his own was a great relief.

Another major development was that the female warrior goddess, Ye Liuying, had taken over as the military commander of Liuhe Base City, finally rising to the position of military leader.

With this, all three major power figures in Liuhe Base City were now allies. Even if Li Xiaofei left, he no longer had any worries. The Red Flag High School model would undoubtedly continue, and one day, it would shock the entire nation, and even the world.

As time passed, Li Xiaofei's cultivation level also increased rapidly. However, the supply of cores remained a persistent issue. So, after more than a month, despite using the Secret Time Pavilion, Li Xiaofei was still stuck in the process of advancing through the Eight Extraordinary Meridians.

Since it was a hidden realm, the speed and difficulty of advancing were far greater than with the Twelve Standard Meridians. Each advancement through a meridian required at least the energy of one grade five star beast core.

But where could he find so many five-star cores with the current market situation? Especially in a small place like Liuhe Base City. Still, Li Xiaofei wasn’t in a hurry. He focused his efforts on cultivating the Immortal Seal Technique and the Sword Harnessing Technique, both of which yielded significant progress.

"By the decree of the Great Supreme Elder... go!" said Li Xiaofei as he formed his fingers into the shape of a sword and pointed forward.

Swish!

The longsword at Li Xiaofei's waist automatically unsheathed itself, transforming into a blinding streak of light. It shot forward a hundred meters, cleanly decapitating ten star beasts in an instant.

The sword hovered in the air, vibrating with a hum, emitting radiant sword energy. It was as obedient as a child seeking praise.

The Sword Harnessing Technique allowed him to control the sword with his mind. The sword would fly with just a thought. Its power was immense, capable of killing grade five star beasts in a split second. Even against a grade six star beast...

Li Xiaofei pondered for a moment, feeling confident that this strike could deal a fatal blow to a grade six star beast, though he wasn’t entirely certain if it could completely slay one.

But there weren’t any grade six star beasts in and around Liuhe Base City except for Principal Hu.

Should I test it on Principal Hu? Forget it, that would be too harsh on her.

Li Xiaofei dismissed the idea. He had mastered the first realm of the Sword Harnessing Technique, meaning he could only control one sword. As his cultivation improved, he would be able to control two swords, then three... And eventually, ten swords or even a hundred!

However, he would need to significantly increase his inner qi cultivation to wield over a hundred swords. Any advanced combat technique, aside from skill, required a vast reserve of inner qi for support. In martial arts, external techniques and internal cultivation worked hand in hand.

Li Xiaofei ventured deeper into the wilderness as he slaughtered the surrounding star beasts. As long as he was lurking around, star beasts above grade three no longer dared to appear within a hundred-mile radius of Liuhe Base City.

Ironically, the lower-grade star beasts, which held no interest for Li Xiaofei, thrived and multiplied leisurely. This turned out to be a godsend for the various adventuring teams and hunting companies in Liuhe Base City.

The hunters of Liuhe Base City could now let loose and hunt freely without fearing the presence of high-grade star beasts. The beast carcasses flowed steadily into the city, where they were processed. Some of the beast meat could be purified for consumption, while beast bones were used to craft tools, beast hides became armor, and the Inscribed Treasure Bones of low-grade star beasts became essential materials for forging weapons.

In short, all of Liuhe Base City's industries entered a phase of rapid recovery. Everything was thriving. After surviving the life-and-death crisis of last winter, the residents of this small border city could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

“Time to go, let’s head back,” Li Xiaofei called out with a wave.

“Boss!” His top henchman, Li Junjie, eagerly pushed over a heavy-duty motorcycle.

Li Xiaofei mounted the bike and sped off, with Li Junjie chasing behind on foot.

Li Junjie’s body had undergone a significant mutation, allowing him to run like the wind. He could easily sprint for hundreds of miles without stopping, and sometimes a single leap would cover a thousand meters. He was practically a human-shaped star beast.

As soon as they returned to the city, Li Xiaofei received a call from Xiao Hongye.

“A recruitment group, made up of over a dozen schools, has arrived in the city. Three of them are from Xiajing, and they’re accepting new students. You might want to try your luck and see if you can get an admission letter.”

Sister Xiao had been tirelessly looking out for Li Xiaofei’s future.

“Got it, I’ll check it out,” Li Xiaofei replied.

After hanging up, he took Li Junjie and headed straight to where the recruitment group was stationed. When they arrived, the place was already packed with people.

With graduation approaching, students who hadn’t yet received university offers were in a panic. In desperation, they rushed to any school offering interviews or recruitment.

Among the many choices, schools located in megacities like Xiajing, Haijing, and Huajing were undoubtedly the most sought after.

Li Xiaofei's arrival caused quite a stir.

"Brother Li!"

"Senior!"

"President!"

Many students were surprised to see Li Xiaofei but greeted him warmly nonetheless. In Liuhe Base City, there was only one Brother Li, and that was Li Xiaofei.

There had been rumors circulating that Brother Li hadn’t yet secured a spot in a university, which many found hard to believe. But when they saw him here today, it seemed the rumors might be true.

Li Xiaofei nodded in response to the greetings. He followed the signs to the area where the universities from Xiajing were recruiting.

"Xiajing International Martial Arts University?"

Li Xiaofei glanced at the name of the first school. Something about the name gave off a strong knock-off vibe, but it didn’t matter to him. As long as he could catch a ride to Xiajing for college, it was good enough.

Li Xiaofei stepped forward, picked up an application form, filled it out, and handed it over politely.

"Hmm? You’re Li Xiaofei?"

The admissions officer, a middle-aged man wearing gold-rimmed glasses, glanced at the application form. His expression changed slightly, and without a word, he tore the form into pieces in a swift motion.

"You should leave. Our school can't afford to enroll someone like you."

“You’ve got a real attitude, don’t you?” Li Junjie couldn’t hold back any longer. He grabbed the middle-aged man with glasses by the collar and snarled, “Do you believe I won’t just cut you down right here?”

“Hey, hey, you... I...”

The middle-aged man, who was at the half-step Five Spirits Realm, originally intended to teach Li Junjie a lesson. However, he found that this brute’s power was extraordinary. He couldn’t break free at all even when he struggled with all his strength.

Several other university teachers quickly rushed over to intervene.

“Hall Master Li, please, show mercy!”

One of the Education Department officials, who was maintaining order, recognized Li Junjie from a distance and tried to calm things down.

“Get lost,” Li Junjie glared at them.

“Right away.” The two Education Department officials immediately smiled and walked off.

They were just there to go through the motions, after all. As for those useless university teachers daring to insult President Li? If they got beaten to death, it would serve them right.

“Let it go, it’s not worth it,” Li Xiaofei waved his hand dismissively.

Thud!

Li Junjie slammed the glasses-wearing middle-aged man down. “Consider yourself lucky, you dog. My boss doesn’t stoop to the level of trash like you.”

The middle-aged teacher’s face was filled with venomous resentment, but he didn’t dare say anything.

Where did this brute come from? A young man in his twenties from a small place like Liuhe Base City had already reached the Five Spirits Realm? At this age, with this kind of strength, he shouldn’t be so unknown.

The other teachers from Xiajing International Martial Arts University hurried to help the middle-aged man up.

One of them gave a nervous smile and said, “Li Xiaofei, it’s not that we don’t want to admit you, it’s that we can’t. There’s a ban going around in the capital, forbidding universities from accepting you. We’re just a third-tier school; we can’t afford to go against that.”

Li Xiaofei waved his hand without saying a word. He then visited two other Xiajing universities, the Yanfei Power Armor Design and Development Academy and the Ancient Martial Arts International Trade University. The admissions officers at these two schools were polite. However, they still didn’t dare to admit him.

“Li Xiaofei, I suggest you try the southern schools. I’m not exaggerating when I say that no university in the entire Xiajing region would dare to accept you... I’ve said all I can.” An elderly professor said apologetically.

“Thank you,” Li Xiaofei clasped his hands in gratitude and turned to leave.

Even schools like these couldn’t admit him. It seemed that getting into a university in Xiajing was out of the question. No matter. If university wasn’t an option, then he would go directly to the young lady and continue his cultivation while staying in Xiajing.

Li Xiaofei wasn’t discouraged. He left the recruitment area along with Li Junjie.

Not long after they walked away, an elderly, gaunt man, accompanied by a square-faced middle-aged man, suddenly appeared at the admissions site. They didn’t look like parents of students.

The old man’s eyes scanned the crowd continuously, as if he were searching for something, or someone.

"Teacher, it seems this trip will be another waste." The middle-aged man said wearily. "We can't even afford the venue fees, how are we supposed to recruit students? Even if we find the right candidate, they might not believe in us."

The elderly man’s face was weathered and lined with deep wrinkles but he replied wisely, "We didn't pay the venue fee, yet we still got in, didn't we? These are all high school graduates; there might be a hidden gem among them."

The middle-aged man sighed heavily.

They had been on the road for nearly a month now, visiting over twenty small base cities. It hadn’t been entirely fruitless, but for the most part, it felt like a wasted effort. White Deer Academy had lost its former prestige and no longer had the draw it once did. The two of them wandered around the recruitment area but came up empty-handed once again.

Just as they were about to leave, they overheard two Education Department officials animatedly recounting what had just happened. The story, especially the part where Li Junjie nearly crushed the Xiajing International Martial Arts University teacher, was told with such enthusiasm that it felt like a comedy skit.

The crowd around them burst into laughter. The elderly headmaster's ears perked up, and he stopped in his tracks.

After listening for a moment, he walked over with a smile and asked, "Young men, is everything you're saying true?"

"Of course!" One of the officials replied with a grin. "You're not from around here, are you?"

The old headmaster nodded and chuckled, "We just arrived a few days ago. That young man you mentioned, the one who almost strangled the university teacher; do you know where I could find him?"

The official responded, "Oh, you're asking about Mad Bull Li? He’s easy to find. Just head to the Cloudy Sky Gang. That young man is from the slum, but he's one of President Li's closest allies. He's a brute, but he’s a good guy. He’s just loyal and fiercely protective of President Li."

"Thank you very much."

The old headmaster clasped his hands in gratitude, asked for directions to the Cloudy Sky Gang, and turned to leave.

The square-faced middle-aged man hurried to catch up. "Teacher, are you really going to find this Mad Bull Li?"

The old man nodded and said, "The admissions officer from the international university, Tang Shunzhi, is a half-step into the Five Spirits Realm. If you want to hold him down with one hand, you'd need to be at least a full Five Spirits Realm. If this Mad Bull Li is only in his early twenties and has such cultivation in a small border city like Liuhe Base City, don’t you think he's exceptionally talented? He might be a good prospect."

The middle-aged man's eyes lit up. "He’s a bit older than usual, but if he truly is a natural Five Spirits Realm cultivator, his talent must be extraordinary. He might even possess some unique bloodline."

The old man nodded. "Exactly, that's why we should go and see."

"But he’s part of a gang." The middle-aged man remarked.

"Sometimes those raised in the wilderness or rough environments are the most loyal. If you treat them sincerely, they’ll feel a strong sense of belonging to the academy." The old man said with a knowing smile.

"That's true." The middle-aged man agreed.

They asked around and soon arrived at the Cloudy Sky Gang headquarters.

“What? Two strangers are looking for me?” Li Junjie, who was drenched in sweat while training, frowned when he heard the news. “Tell them to get lost. The boss isn’t in a good mood today, and I’m not in the mood either.”

The subordinate dutifully relayed the message to the visitors.

“They don’t want to see us?” The old headmaster chuckled softly and turned to leave.

But moments later, without anyone noticing, the two men quietly made their way inside the headquarters. They soon spotted Li Junjie, who was training like a mad bull in the practice yard.

In that instant, both the old headmaster and the middle-aged man’s eyes lit up with excitement.