“Is this Senior Brother Li very famous? What’s his background?” Han Li was somewhat surprised.
“You don’t even know Senior Brother Li?”
“I’ve been in seclusion for several years, you know.”
“Ah, right! I completely forgot about that. My memory is really failing me—I just assumed every disciple in the Seven Mysteries Sect knew of Senior Brother Li. I apologize for forgetting about your seclusion, Senior Brother Han.”
“Could you tell me about this Senior Brother Li?”
“Of course, Senior Brother Han. All us younger disciples are well-acquainted with Senior Brother Li’s exploits.” Seeing that Zhang Changgui’s side hadn’t yet sent out an opponent for Senior Brother Li, Little Abacus began recounting the various legends surrounding this famous figure.
“Senior Brother Han, I’m not exaggerating when I say that not only do we younger disciples know all about Senior Brother Li, but even the older senior brothers are quite familiar with his story. Initially…” He launched into the tale with great enthusiasm, his eyes shining and his words flowing so animatedly that it seemed as if he himself were the protagonist.
Listening to Little Abacus detail Senior Brother Li’s deeds, Han Li had to admit they carried a somewhat legendary quality.
Senior Brother Li had also come up the mountain four years ago, though not in the same batch as Han Li. He hadn’t passed the entrance test immediately and became a probationary disciple. However, in the half-year assessment, he not only took first place in every event but also became the only one to withstand thirty moves in the final sparring session with senior disciples—a record that broke all previous results for probationary disciples and caught the attention of several high-ranking figures.
After an examination, it was surprisingly revealed that Senior Brother Li’s bone structure was only average, with limited potential for growth. This diagnosis was seen as a pity, and as a result, no high-ranking master took him as a disciple. After two years of basic training, he ended up under an ordinary Dharma Protector, learning only a few common martial arts techniques—among them the Wind Thunder Blade technique, a rather mundane mid-level skill of the Seven Mysteries Sect.
If things had ended there, Senior Brother Li would hardly be considered legendary—more like a flash in the pan. But not long after, using this unremarkable Wind Thunder Blade technique, he remarkably shone in the following year’s junior disciple competition, breaking into the top sixteen. He was the only newly entered disciple to rank so high, once again making him the focus of attention within the sect.
In subsequent competitions, Senior Brother Li proved fierce and unstoppable each time, achieving high rankings and earning considerable respect for the new disciples. In last year’s major competition, he even took third place. It’s worth noting that the top two spots were held by disciples who had been training for over a decade—though still considered junior disciples, they were in their late twenties and had much deeper internal energy cultivation. Many disciples believed that if Senior Brother Li had internal energy on par with theirs, first place would have been easily within his grasp.
Thus, Senior Brother Li once again drew the attention of the higher-ups and was specifically sent out of the sect to participate in several significant external missions. While other new disciples were still training hard within the sect, he had already begun making contributions to the Seven Mysteries Sect and earned a formidable reputation in the martial world as “Fierce Tiger.” Rumor had it that he was soon to be exceptionally permitted entry into the Seven Supreme Hall to study more advanced martial arts.
Hearing this, Han Li couldn’t help but feel moved. If all of this was true, this Senior Brother Li was truly remarkable. To achieve so much starting as a probationary disciple was something he himself admired.
On Zhang Changgui’s side, after much hesitation throughout the day, a disciple finally stepped forward reluctantly.
This disciple appeared quite skilled, drawing a gleaming soft sword from his waist. The sword was only as thick as a thumb, flexible and seemingly weak—clearly not a weapon for an average practitioner.
Sensing someone approach, Senior Brother Li slowly opened his eyes, which gleamed with intense focus.
He suddenly let out a loud shout, like a thunderclap in a clear sky, startling everyone present and causing the opponent to tremble with fear.
With the shout, his long blade began to move. A series of gleaming arcs flashed as he executed several linked techniques, instantly creating over a dozen blade shadows that trapped his opponent in a net of steel.
The opponent, though flustered, was quick-witted. His soft sword moved unpredictably, sinister and cunning, defending with seemingly impenetrable precision.
“Who is that?” Han Li couldn’t help but ask.
“That’s Zhao Ziling, a disciple of the Fifth Elder. His Flowing Willow Sword technique is quite troublesome.”
“How does he compare to Senior Brother Li?”
“Of course, he’s no match,” Little Abacus said proudly.
“Then why doesn’t Zhang Changgui send someone stronger?”
“Heh, Zhao Ziling is actually the strongest among them. Besides, which of us new disciples could possibly defeat Senior Brother Li? Sending anyone else would be pointless.” He chuckled with a hint of schadenfreude.
Indeed, although Zhao Ziling’s sword techniques hadn’t yet fallen into disarray, he had completely lost momentum, thoroughly suppressed by Senior Brother Li’s blade. Anyone could see that his defeat was only a matter of time.
After watching for a while, Han Li grew puzzled.
“One thing strikes me as strange,” he said. “Why are there no older senior brothers here? Even if they aren’t allowed to compete, you’d think some would come to watch. But inside and outside the arena, there isn’t a single older disciple—only us teenagers observing the match. What’s going on?”
Hearing Han Li’s question, Little Abacus’s expression changed. He looked at Han Li with a peculiar gaze, leaving him feeling bewildered. Had he unintentionally touched upon some taboo subject?
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