Starforce Warriors

Chapter 394: Master Ancestor

The old headmaster immediately rushed to the Cemetery of the Ancestors in the back mountain. He entered the sealed abyss beneath the central solitary peak, carefully breaking through the enchantments to reach the heart of the sealed area. @@novelbin@@

“Master Ancestor.” The old headmaster prostrated himself before the massive, awakening figure. “Two hundred and fifty years... You have finally awoken. I’ve come to see you, waaaa.”

Despite his advanced age, he choked and sobbed like a small child.

“Stop crying, little monkey.” As layers of stone crust fell away from the towering figure, it revealed a youthful, muscular form. “Where is Little Changsheng? Why don’t I see him this time...”

“Master Ancestor, Changsheng is dead.” The old headmaster wept uncontrollably. “He didn’t die at the hands of the Corpse Emperor; he was murdered...”

The strongest figure of White Deer Academy, Gu Changsheng, had died fifty-six days earlier. It had been publicly announced that he died heroically battling the Corpse Emperor.

Boom!

A surge of energy, vast as the starry sea, erupted from the Master Ancestor. Dark, swirling streams of demonic flames arose within the abyss.

The Master Ancestor’s long black hair floated wildly, as if engulfed in raging black fire. He seemed like a god transformed into a demon, radiating an aura of pure destruction. It was only after a long while that the fury subsided.

“Who has inherited the power of the Guardian now that Changsheng has fallen?” The Master Ancestor asked.

The old headmaster, tears streaming down his face, replied, “The younger generation at the academy has all undergone the Guardian challenge, but they have all failed... No Guardian has emerged from this generation.”

“Please, Master Ancestor, come out of seclusion.” He pleaded, bowing his head. “Xiajing is no longer the Xiajing of old, and Great Xia is no longer the Great Xia we once knew. The Reapers have infiltrated us and have taken over from within. White Deer Academy is on the brink of ruin under my watch.”

“No.” The Master Ancestor suddenly interrupted firmly. “The Guardian is here. I can feel it. He is at White Deer Academy...”

He began moving his fingers, calculating with a solemn expression.

“It’s a newcomer...”

“A freshman.”

“Surname Li.”

“From the northwest.”

Quickly, he discerned several pieces of information.

As the old headmaster listened, a name rose in his mind. He exclaimed, “Could it be him? Master Ancestor, I did bring a naturally gifted, physically formidable young prodigy from the northwest—Liuhe Base City.”

He recounted Li Junjie’s background.

The Master Ancestor’s brows furrowed as he continued his calculations. With such detailed information, his reading should have become clearer and more precise. Yet, the flow of destiny grew murky and obscured, unlike before when it had been so straightforward. Beyond the initial four clues, nothing more could be deduced.

“Arrange for him to take the Guardian trial.“ The Master Ancestor commanded.

“Yes.” The old headmaster quickly agreed, then asked eagerly, “Master Ancestor, since you have awakened, does this mean you can now leave seclusion?”

If the Master Ancestor could leave the abyss, he would be able to sweep through all opposition. Even the powerful figures of the Star Council would have to bow before him.

“I cannot leave this abyss yet. A true Reaper King lies below this chasm. Though I sealed myself here for two hundred years, I could not completely eradicate it even with Brother Lin’s help... Little monkey, you are now the master of the academy. You must not be as weak as you were in the past. Fate chose you to lead White Deer for a reason.” The Master Ancestor said.

The old headmaster lay prostrate on the ground.

Did fate really choose me, or was it just because everyone else died?

“Although I cannot leave this place, I will remain conscious from now on. Should you face a decision you cannot make, you may come to me at any time... Go now, for the one to lead White Deer forward will always be you,” the Master Ancestor continued.

“Disciple takes his leave.” The old headmaster bowed and departed.

The Master Ancestor sat motionless. He was like a radiant star, emitting boundless energy that illuminated countless invisible carvings in the void of the abyss. He was using the power of White Deer Academy’s heavens and earth to maintain the seal on the chasm.

When he looked up, he didn’t see stone walls, but stars. From the depths of the abyss, he gazed at the vast cosmos above. He had looked up for countless years. But he still did not see those familiar figures.

“Brother Lin Beichen, Sword Snow Goddess, are you both well? The path of the expedition was littered with mountains of corpses and seas of blood. How many of the comrades who followed you on that journey still remain?”

“Taiyi is incompetent and unable to carry forward the legacy. The current state of Great Xia is dire. Traitors unable to resist the lure of power have emerged among humanity and have started bowing to their enemies. The Reaper infiltration is more terrifying than I ever imagined. By the time I realized it, even the Star Council had been compromised, with their agents wielding influence.”

“This time, with my awakening, I can already sense that the parasites hiding within Xiajing have begun to stir...But he has come. Brother Lin, as you predicted, the sacred souls within the Cemetery of the Ancestors are starting to awaken. Your prophecy is finally set in motion. I am so eager for what’s to come.”

The Master Ancestor whispered to the stars above, speaking softly to the silent, eternal expanse.

***

“Alright, the teaching of the Innate Art ends here.”

In the teaching field of the Eastern Blue-Robe House, Ding Yifeng had just concluded his detailed explanation of the essence of Innate Art. He said, “Take the time of one incense stick to rest and reflect on what you’ve learned. Next, we will begin the Weaponry course, which will be taught by Instructor Fang Baicheng. He will teach you the Sacred Martial Saber techniques.”

The students collectively sighed in relief. Ximen Piaoxue plopped down on a stone chair, clearly having absorbed little of the lesson’s essential points. In contrast, Li Xiaofei had already grasped the core insights of the technique.

“This Inner Strength technique even has a body-strengthening effect. Its power is similar to the Nine Yang Divine Art, but its potency seems to last longer. The content that Ding Yifeng taught wasn’t complete... the full version of the technique would surpass the Nine Yang Divine Art. Ding Yifeng wasn’t exaggerating; just this one technique alone is enough to place White Deer Academy at the pinnacle of ancient martial arts. If they have such a powerful technique, why can’t they produce exceptional students?”

As Li Xiaofei pondered, his gaze swept across the faces of the other students. He noticed that most of them, including Li Junjie, had expressions of confusion. It seemed they hadn’t comprehended the subtle brilliance within the Innate Art.

Many students were more excited about the upcoming weaponry course and hadn’t invested much thought into mastering the Innate Art.

Huh? What is going on? Did these freshmen not understand the true value of Inner Strength?

Soon, the weaponry course began.

Another instructor, Fang Baicheng, stepped forward with a Sacred Martial Saber in hand and declared, “Today, I will teach you a saber technique called A Journey Begins. It is a single strike, but a lethal one. Vice Principal Gu Changsheng, the strongest in our academy, once said that if someone could fully master this strike, they would possess the power to slay a Saint. This alone shows the immense power of this technique.”