The Immortal Ascension

Chapter 80: Encountering the Enemy

This token was Sect Leader Wang's personal keepsake. Holding it allowed one to temporarily issue commands to disciples below the rank of Elder. The fat man before them was Sect Leader Wang's close confidant—rumored to be a relatively close cousin—so any verbal messages or orders from Sect Leader Wang were typically relayed through him.

Not long ago, Sect Leader Wang had hastily bestowed this token upon him, sending him here to summon Elder Li to Sunset Peak for discussions. However, after delivering the command, the fat man found the journey down from Sunset Peak and the immediate return trip too exhausting. Relying on his favored status, he stubbornly insisted on resting at Elder Li's residence before heading back.

Elder Li had no choice but to agree. Not daring to delay, he hurriedly set off for Sunset Peak with Zhang Xiuer and several other disciples.

Soon after, a major incident erupted on the mountain. The cowardly fat man naturally had no desire to return alone.

The people in the courtyard were family members of Seven Mysteries Sect members living nearby. Most of them knew no martial arts, so when the chaos erupted, they panicked, unsure of what to do.

Fortunately, Ma Rong was quick-witted. He promptly requested the help of the twenty or so subordinates Li Feiyu had left behind, gathering everyone together to prevent them from scattering in the dark and meeting with misfortune.

Since this place was relatively remote—a house built in a mountain hollow—they could hear the alarm cries and shouts of battle, but had no idea what was actually happening outside.

Once Ma Rong had settled everyone, he planned to send some people out to gather information. At this moment, the fat man, who knew no martial arts whatsoever, reappeared. Not only did he stop the reconnaissance efforts, but he also used the token to seize command of the outer blade hall disciples from Ma Rong. He then decided to hunker down here, burying his head in the sand and doing nothing.

Ma Rong understood the importance of knowing the enemy's movements. He argued with the fat man several times, but each time, the cowardly man used Sect Leader Wang's token to suppress him. He even forbade Ma Rong from going out to investigate personally—clearly viewing him as a tool for his own survival.

Thus, Ma Rong paced the hall like an ant on a hot griddle, utterly helpless against this ignorant fat man. In the Seven Mysteries Sect, disobeying orders or acting without authorization was a grave offense. The punishment ranged from having one's martial arts crippled and being expelled from the sect to execution by saber. So even though he knew something earth-shattering was happening outside—something that might determine the sect's survival—he was stuck here, unable to move.

Just as Ma Rong was itching to strike down this so-called superior, Han Li and Li Feiyu, completely unaware of the situation here, were rushing toward them at full speed.

Along the way, they avoided enemy encounters whenever possible, concealing their tracks. Only when they were about a mile from Elder Li's residence did they run headlong into a group of green-robed men, making it impossible to hide any longer. This marked their first direct confrontation with the enemy.

Now, over a dozen green-robed men wielding steel sabers surrounded them from all sides, trapping them in the middle.Judging from their footwork, most of those with a single white line embroidered on their sleeves had the weakest martial skills. The two with two white lines on their sleeves were considerably more skilled. But the most formidable was the man with three white lines and a scar on his face—clearly the leader of this group.

The scar-faced leader at the front was also scrutinizing the people his men had cornered, feeling somewhat puzzled.

No wonder. Among these individuals, Li Feiyu appeared disheveled, dirty, and ragged, resembling a mountain cook. Han Li, on the other hand, had dull eyes and dark skin, looking like a simple farmer with no martial arts training. The only one who posed any threat was Qu Hun—tall, wearing a bamboo hat, and covered in bloodstains.

The sight of these three mismatched figures standing together left even this self-proclaimed Jianghu veteran baffled.

He shot his men a wary glance before shouting across, "Whoever you are, the Seven Mysteries Sect is finished! Surrender now, and we’ll spare your lives!"

Han Li smirked and turned to Li Feiyu. "Who’ll handle this? You or Qu Hun?"

Li Feiyu’s eyes flashed with ferocity as he growled, "Judging by their attire, these are low-ranking disciples of the Water Severing Sect. After being hunted by the Wild Wolf Gang for so long, let me vent my anger on them first! Besides, their weapons will suit me just fine."

Before the words had fully left his mouth, he shot forward like a streak of light, closing the distance to the nearest man in green robes in an instant.

The man was startled and instinctively raised his saber, only to feel his hand suddenly lighten—the weapon was already in his enemy’s grasp. He stumbled back in panic, but it was too late. A flash of white light later, his head tumbled from his shoulders.

Li Feiyu’s movements were crisp, fluid, and lightning-fast. Before the other Water Severing Sect disciples could react, he had already seized a weapon and claimed a life.

The remaining men paled, especially the scar-faced leader. His martial skills far surpassed the others, so his heart sank the deepest. He knew immediately that they had encountered an extraordinary expert—one they stood no chance against. Without hesitation, he barked, "Full retreat! Every man for himself! Signal for reinforcements, now!"

His words snapped the other green-robed men into action. They scattered like startled birds, fleeing in all directions. Some even reached into their robes mid-flight, likely fishing for the so-called signal.

One disciple with two white lines on his sleeve was the fastest, covering several zhang in just a few leaps.

Just as he began to rejoice at his imminent escape, a cold sensation pierced the back of his neck. A half-inch sword tip burst from his throat, then vanished just as swiftly. Horror gripped him as he tried to scream, but his body felt drained, limp, and utterly powerless. He could only watch helplessly as his knees buckled, his body collapsing backward onto the ground, never to move again.

Only then did he realize—he had been stabbed through the throat from behind.

Bitter resentment filled his heart. He had fled so far—why had death come for him so quickly?With great effort, he turned his head to the side and finally witnessed the last scene before death: a shadowy figure flickered in and out of existence behind a fleeing man in green robes who had run the farthest. With a light, effortless swing of the Sword, the shadow flickered again and vanished, only to reappear behind another fellow disciple. Another flash of white light followed, and by then, the first disciple who had been pierced through the throat was just collapsing onto the grass, blood gurgling from his neck—just like himself.

After seeing all this, the man in green robes smiled faintly and calmly embraced death, knowing he wouldn’t be alone for long. Soon, many others would join him. That ghostly shadow wouldn’t spare a single one of them.

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(End of Chapter)