Chapter 181: A Master Should Stay Active

Chapter 181: A Master Should Stay Active

In Tie Shan County, warriors were filled with dread and unease. They kept their distance from the area around Evergreen Pavilion, and many even hid in the mountains, waiting for the storm to pass before returning.

Undoubtedly, Tie Shan County was now the most dangerous place. Even Grand Masters could perish here at any moment, let alone those of lower ranks.

Not even a third-rate warrior would stand a chance against the slightest ripple of battle here.

Tie Shan County was located at some distance from Evergreen Pavilion, but it was still relatively close. Inevitably, powerful warriors passing through would make a stop in the county town.

As a result, all the warriors in the town temporarily left to find refuge elsewhere, waiting for the turmoil to pass.

Even ordinary people sensed that something was amiss and fled the town.

Within just a few days, the once bustling county town became desolate and quiet.

The Tianbao Pavilion also saw no customers, its halls now empty and silent.

At the top floor of the Tianbao Pavilion, a few figures sat sipping tea, seemingly unperturbed by the events unfolding outside.

Two of them had hair as white as the frost of age, giving them an air of having witnessed the passage of time. As they savored their tea, their eyes drifted towards the silhouette of Evergreen Pavilion in the distance.

"What a spectacle," one of them remarked with a smile. "We haven't seen such a grand gathering since the collapse of the dynasty."

"Indeed," the other nodded in agreement.

"The art of pill refining is truly profound. Changing the way of martial arts cultivation and bringing about a revolution in the martial world—it's no wonder that people are flocking to it."

"What do you think, should our Tianbao Pavilion keep this to ourselves or just watch the storm from the sidelines?"

The two chatted casually, unfazed by the formidable forces gathering outside.

"The Qi-Infusing Pill alone is not enough for Tianbao Pavilion to abandon its principles. Let's see—the pill refinery in Evergreen Pavilion and the method of refining the Qi-Infusing Pill are not the key. The crucial factor is the person who created this pill."

"Our Tianbao Pavilion has always placed great importance on geniuses." One of them smiled as he spoke.

"That's right," the other nodded. "Such a genius should not be left outside our Tianbao Pavilion. It would be a waste. Evergreen Pavilion can be divided up, but that person belongs to our Tianbao Pavilion."

The idea of taking a person away from the impending chaos was not a difficult proposition for them. What could a gathering of powerful experts from various forces do? If Tianbao Pavilion wanted to protect someone, no one could touch them!

Since the various forces desired the Qi-Infusing Pill, they would give it to them.

But the ambitions of Tianbao Pavilion were not limited to a mere pill.

Inside Evergreen Pavilion, Su Lingxiu's expression was grave. She had never anticipated that her actions would attract such a massive response, drawing the attention of numerous powerful experts from the Inner Realm.

The manager of Tianbao Pavilion wore a pleasant smile as he conversed with Xu Junhe.

"Brother Xu, the situation Evergreen Pavilion is facing is quite dire," he said. "As far as I know, the Grand Commanders of the Heavenly Garment Guard and the Heavenly Chariot Guard of the Great Yu Country have arrived. They are both Peak Grand Masters, each leading three highly accomplished Grand Masters.

"Moreover, I believe some of the royal family's honored cultivators have also made their way here.

"In addition, the elder masters of the top forces have all emerged from seclusion. According to incomplete statistics, the number of Peak Grand Masters exceeds fifty.

"Do you understand what this means? We haven't seen such a gathering of Peak Grand Masters since the collapse of the dynasty.

"Don't be fooled into thinking fifty is a small number. You should know that after the collapse of the dynasty and the countless losses among the experts, the martial world has been quietly rebuilding for a long time. There are quite a few Peak Grand Masters in hiding.

"It's been over ten thousand years since the collapse of the dynasty. Even if we assume that a Peak Grand Master emerges once every twenty years, do the math and consider how many there would be.

"And how could the entire Inner Realm possibly produce only one Peak Grand Master every twenty years?"

Xu Junhe's heart trembled as he listened. He was not entirely ignorant of what a Peak Grand Master represented.

Even if his son could defeat one with a single sword strike, it would still take fifty swings of the blade. And how could one hope to defeat a group of Peak Grand Masters working together so easily? What if it were ten against one?

It was too dangerous!

The only thing that gave him confidence was the presence of an incredibly powerful senior.

"Fifty Peak Grand Masters is a bit of an overkill for little old Evergreen Pavilion," Xu Junhe said with a dry laugh.

"Brother Xu, I'm afraid Evergreen Pavilion can't be saved. But considering our friendship, you are welcome to take refuge in Tianbao Pavilion and weather this storm. As long as you are under the protection of Tianbao Pavilion, your safety is guaranteed."

The manager of Tianbao Pavilion offered a smile along with his suggestion.

The implication was clear: abandon Evergreen Pavilion, give up the Qi-Infusing Pill to the various forces, but the core members of Evergreen Pavilion, especially the one who created the pill, could join Tianbao Pavilion. As long as they became a part of Tianbao Pavilion, their safety would be assured.

Xu Junhe's heart pounded with surprise. The manager of Tianbao Pavilion was hinting at something profound and somewhat terrifying.

With no fewer than fifty Peak Grand Masters gathered, Tianbao Pavilion could still guarantee the safety of those who joined them. This spoke volumes about the pavilion's formidable strength.

"Brother Xu, Tianbao Pavilion has always respected geniuses and offered them generous treatment. We never restrict the freedom of geniuses..." The manager of Tianbao Pavilion continued with a smile.

Once activated, it would send a beam of light soaring into the sky, prompting the experts of Tianbao Pavilion to rescue them.

"Thank you!" Xu Junhe expressed his gratitude with a respectful bow.

After the manager of Tianbao Pavilion left, Xu Junhe's expression turned solemn, and he hurried into the inner court of the Evergreen Pavilion.

"Fifty peak Grand Masters?" Meng Shushu's face drained of color. This was too terrifying.

No matter how strong Xu Yan was, how could he possibly stand against so many peak Grand Masters?

Kou Ruozhi's face was covered in cold sweat as he exclaimed, "Is the Inner Realm so powerful? Great Yu Country is too strong, our Great Wilderness is too weak!"

However, he grit his teeth and added, "If we get through this, I will definitely turn against Great Yu Country!"

This was a battle that would decide the fate of the Evergreen Pavilion. If they won, they would establish themselves as a formidable force in the Inner Realm. But if they lost, they would lose everything.

Su Lingxiu approached Li Xuan with a worried expression and said, "Master, can you handle this? There are fifty peak Grand Masters!"

Initially, they thought they would only have to deal with Great Yu Country or the forces of the Black-Robed Man. But now, numerous top-tier forces had gathered, and even with the help of the Sword Cliff Master, the pressure was immense.

Li Xuan sighed, feeling that the number of peak Grand Masters in the Inner Realm was a bit excessive.

However, upon further thought, he wasn't surprised.

As the manager of Tianbao Pavilion had said, after the collapse of the dynasty, the Inner Realm's martial world had been relatively peaceful, allowing peak Grand Masters, the pinnacle of the martial path, to emerge and accumulate over time.

Even if they weren't at the very peak, they were close to it.

In the vast Inner Realm, there were bound to be countless prodigies. Given enough time, the number of peak Grand Masters would naturally be quite high.

Ordinarily, one might not encounter a peak Grand Master because those at the pinnacle of the martial path were focused on perfecting their cultivation and exploring ways to break through further.

As a result, the number of peak Grand Masters wandering the world was naturally low.

Moreover, peak Grand Masters could easily conceal their strength, so ordinary warriors wouldn't be able to sense their true power. This was why the Inner Realm's martial world viewed peak Grand Masters as legendary figures.

Now, with such enormous interests at stake, peak Grand Masters were emerging from their seclusion one after another, converging in this place and shocking the four directions!

"I came here to enjoy life, disciple. In the future, you must work hard in your cultivation. As for peak Grand Masters, they are weaklings that your master can easily handle," Li Xuan said, patting Su Lingxiu's hand and sighing.

Su Lingxiu felt ashamed and said, "Master, I'm the one who caused you trouble."

Xu Yan and Meng Chong had just returned, and upon hearing their master's words, they felt ashamed.

"Master, I can handle fifty peak Grand Masters!" Xu Yan said through gritted teeth, his face filled with shame. "Master is a reclusive master who came out of seclusion because of me. He came to enjoy life and find peace, yet now he has to deal with these weaklings. For Master, this must be very difficult."

Xu Yan asked himself if he would feel helpless and embarrassed if he had to face dozens of ordinary people despite his great strength.

It was all because his disciples weren't competent enough!

Meng Chong felt the same way. Even though he had only reached the Perfection of Innate Realm, he would still feel ashamed if he had to fight against dozens of ordinary people.

Though they had no choice but to fight, one could only imagine how helpless they felt.

This was probably how Master felt at the moment.

Li Xuan looked at his three disciples, their faces filled with shame, and he nodded inwardly. Did they now understand their master's helplessness?

It was time for them to show their master some support and work hard in their cultivation. The faster they improved their strength, the better.

There was no better way to motivate his disciples to cultivate diligently.

He glanced at Xu Yan, acknowledging his strength, but ultimately, he was only at the Perfection of Innate Realm. He could handle seven or eight, or even ten peak Grand Masters in a siege, but fifty was an impossible task with his current strength.

Unless he broke through to the Understanding the Profound Realm.

"Disciple, don't be blindly stubborn. A wise man doesn't contest momentary bravery. When faced with overwhelming numbers, even the strongest must yield. I've told you before, a true martial artist isn't a brute!" Li Xuan emphasized to his disciples the concept of retreating when faced with overwhelming odds, to prevent them from stubbornly facing powerful enemies in the future, which wouldn't be a good thing.

If there were only seven or eight, he would still have a chance of winning.

"Master, it seems you will have to take action," Xu Yan said, his shame evident.

It was all his fault for being inadequate and not being able to defeat even fifty peak Grand Masters!

He secretly vowed to delve deeper into the martial path, break through to the Understanding the Profound Realm as soon as possible, enhance his strength, and redeem himself for requiring his master's intervention. What a disgrace it was to his master, who had imparted him martial arts!

Li Xuan stood up, twisted his waist, and stretched his limbs, saying, "As your master, I never rely on my cultivation to oppress others. But today, I shall suppress these people with the power of the Understanding the Profound Realm.

"Enough dallying. It's time for me to stretch my limbs. Disciples, watch closely and witness the might of the Understanding the Profound Realm."

Finally, it was time for him to take action.

Another opportunity presented itself for him to showcase his strength to his disciples.

"Master, you are truly a reclusive master. You never bully others with your cultivation, even when faced with numerous enemies. That is the true mark of a powerful individual!" Xu Yan and the others were instantly invigorated by Li Xuan's words.

"Master, you are indeed an extraordinary person," Xu Yan thought in admiration.

"In terms of cultivation, the Innate Realm is on par with Inner Realm Masters, while the Understanding the Profound Realm is equivalent to the Grand Masters. Master, with your Understanding the Profound Realm strength, you intend to suppress numerous peak Grand Masters. This is truly unimaginable.

"This is what it truly means to be unmatched within the same realm. No matter how many enemies there are of the same cultivation, a single person can suppress them all. When will I ever reach such a level?" Meng Chong's heart was filled with awe.

Su Lingxiu was thrilled as well. Finally, she would get to witness her master's prowess once more.

The memory of her master shattering a Grand Master with a single palm strike was still vivid in her mind. Now, he was about to face dozens of peak Grand Masters alone.

What a majestic and unparalleled figure he was!

Meng Shushu and the others heaved a sigh of relief. With their senior taking action, there was nothing to worry about.

Kou Ruozhi's face was filled with admiration. This was the might of their Great Wilderness Martial Ancestor!

Finally, he would have the honor of witnessing the Martial Ancestor's might as he suppressed the enemies with the power of the same realm.

"The glory of our Great Wilderness will surely shine in the Inner Realm!"

Kou Ruozhi's heart swelled with pride as he began contemplating how the Great Wilderness could replace the Great Yu Country after this incident.

Rebellion! We must rebel!

Once the Martial Ancestor suppresses all our enemies and we gain control of the Qi-Infusing Pill, we will have the leverage to lure the strong cultivators from the Great Yu Country to our side. I failed to instigate a rebellion in the borderlands, but this time, with the resources of the Inner Realm, we will succeed in overthrowing the Great Yu Country's royalty!

Li Xuan observed his excited disciples and thought to himself, "I hope there aren't any cultivators above the Grand Master level. As long as there aren't a dozen or twenty of them, I should be fine. Otherwise, maintaining my image as a powerful master might become a bit challenging.

"Fifty peak Grand Masters? That's not a problem. With my current strength, I can sweep away not just fifty but even a hundred of them with ease."

After assessing his own strength, Li Xuan was confident. Fifty peak Grand Masters were a minor challenge.

He marveled at the allure of the pill, which far exceeded his expectations.

However, after this incident, he would have crushed numerous peak Grand Masters, and Evergreen Pavilion would surely become one of the most prominent forces in the Inner Realm.

Any force or cultivator hoping to obtain the pill would have to consider their strength first.

From then on, various factions and warriors seeking the pill would have no choice but to purchase it from Evergreen Pavilion.

"Will Tianbao Pavilion make a move? Do they have any powerful experts?"

Li Xuan wouldn't underestimate Tianbao Pavilion.

Since he was taking action, he had to be prepared for any challenges from Tianbao Pavilion.

Given that Tianbao Pavilion dared to protect Xu Junhe and the others despite the united efforts of multiple factions, their strength was undoubtedly formidable.

"Let's assume a hundred peak Grand Masters. That shouldn't be a problem either. I will still be able to sweep away all opposition and reign supreme."

After evaluating his strength, Li Xuan concluded that he had reached the pinnacle of the Inner Realm and could overwhelm any opponent.

This was a minor challenge, nothing to worry about!

He sat back in his chair, twirling a jade scepter in his hand, intending to encourage his disciples further, urging them to learn from their shame and work harder in their martial arts cultivation.

The harder his disciples trained, the stronger he would become as their master, and the grander his martial path would be.

Suddenly, his eyebrows furrowed, and he looked up toward the outside of Evergreen Pavilion.

Eight figures were approaching.

The leader, an elderly man in his eighties, leaned on a cane. Behind him were seven others, all peak Grand Masters.

They wore black robes, and aside from the elderly leader, their faces were hidden from view.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end