Starforce Warriors

Oniba Henzō was startled by the young man with a round, fair face sitting beside the vice-national leader of Great Xia. The young man was dressed in a black tracksuit and looked no older than eighteen or nineteen, as if he were just a university student watching the event for fun. His chubby cheeks even gave him a somewhat simple and honest appearance.

People in Great Xia placed great importance on hierarchy and seniority. The seating arrangement on the main stage was never random. This meant that the young man held an extraordinarily special status. At the very least, he was an extremely significant figure in Great Xia.

However, according to Great Xia's political traditions, a young person could never hold a high position or wield top-tier power.

So, who exactly was he?For some unknown reason, a faint sense of unease suddenly crept into Oniba Henzō's heart.

At the same time, Wang Fei was even more shocked. After finishing her performance, she changed backstage and then went to her designated seat to watch the upcoming martial arts exchange. Just as she sat down, her eyes fell on a familiar face on the main stage, it was Li Xiaofei.

She carefully examined him multiple times before finally confirming that the chubby young man sitting beside the vice-national leader was indeed the so-called traditional Great Xia medicine doctor she had met at Miss Fan's pool party.

Then, a sudden realization struck her.

The unremarkable private car I had seen outside the venue earlier. Wasn't the chubby one the one of the two men who stepped out? Who on earth is this guy?

Why is that high-ranking leader taking the initiative to chat with him from time to time. They appear to be quite friendly and engaged in conversation?

Wang Fei's shock was indescribable. She suddenly felt that she might have made the wrong choice about something. An unfamiliar emotion surged within her.

At the end of the cultural exchange event, artists from both Great Xia and Jiepeng performed a grand chorus together.

At this moment, Miss Fan, who had been merely filling a spot like the infamous Mr. Nanguo[1], finally got her chance to appear on stage. Standing at the center position, she joined more than twenty artists from both nations in singing a bilingual version of the grand chorus.

Standing at the far edge of the first row, Wang Fei watched as a radiant Miss Fan stood in the center. Seeing her bask in the spotlight, a wave of frustration surged through her heart.

Soon, the artistic performance came to an end. Now, it was time for the highlight of the evening. Those who were aware of the inside story knew well that tonight's martial arts exchange carried immense significance.

It was, in fact, the first true national-level competition between Great Xia and Jiepeng since the rise of the superpower phenomenon. Its strategic importance was even greater than the recently concluded Olympic Games. The strength of superpowered individuals was directly tied to the fate of a nation.

On the main observation platform, Li Xiaofei finally showed some interest. Before the competition officially began, he had already received a list detailing the names of the participants from both sides, their power assessments and their overall combat capabilities.

Judging by the list, both teams had assembled incredibly strong lineups. It was clear that each side had gathered the most powerful individuals they could officially muster.

"Leader, I'm heading to the changing room." Li Xiaofei turned his head and informed the senior official.

Besides being an observer, he held another important role, he was the head of Great Xia's delegation for this exchange event. At this point, he needed to oversee the proceedings.

"You've worked hard," the elderly leader said with a warm smile.

His demeanor was kind and unpretentious, resembling a friendly neighbor rather than a high-ranking official.

Li Xiaofei stood up and left the observation platform, where Zhang Hongjing escorted him to the backstage lounge.

In the waiting area, more than a dozen top-tier fighters from Great Xia's delegation were preparing for their matches. Li Guorui was among them, since he had been brought along for exposure to such events.

He blended in with a group of young martial artists, engaging in low-voiced conversations. He seemed significantly more confident than before.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is Mr. Li Qingchen, the leader of the Dragon Group of Great Xia. He is also the head of our delegation for this event. From this point on, all competition matters will be under his command," Zhang Hongjing introduced.

Swish, swish, swish!

In an instant, dozens of gazes simultaneously landed on Li Xiaofei. There were looks of surprise, astonishment, and even skepticism. Clearly, no one had expected that such a youthful individual would be appointed as the leader of their delegation.

In fact, many of them had already noticed Li Xiaofei sitting beside the national leaders during the earlier cultural performance. At the time, they had secretly speculated about his identity.

But no one had expected him to be the one put in charge of them. For a brief moment, the atmosphere in the lounge grew quiet. Li Guorui, on the other hand, was utterly shocked. His mouth was wide open.

Big Brother... he's actually the leader of the delegation?His mind buzzed, struggling to process the revelation.

"Oh ho ho, I thought I, Wang, was the youngest genius in history, but I never expected our esteemed group leader to be even younger... Boundless Celestial Venerable, this humble Daoist salutes you." A young Daoist, dressed in a light purple robe, stood up lazily with a blade of grass clamped between his lips, greeting Li Xiaofei in a half-serious tone.

This was the contemporary junior celestial master of Wudang Mountain. Li Xiaofei immediately recognized his identity from the information he had reviewed.

It was said that this young man was the junior martial brother of the old master of Luotian Daoist Temple on Wudang Mountain. He was an extraordinarily rare Daoist prodigy who, at just twenty-four years old, had mastered both the true martial arts of Wudang and the ancient Daoist talisman techniques to an unprecedented level.

Li Xiaofei smiled and nodded in return. Yet inwardly, he found it rather odd.

Could talisman techniques actually exist in this world? Or is it just some fancy scribbling to fool people?

He definitely wanted to see it for himself when he had the chance.

"This is the Sword Master of Mount Hua, Qi Honglei." Zhang Hongjing continued with the introductions.

The renowned Wukong Sword Master of Mount Hua, Qi Honglei, was a reclusive martial artist who lived in seclusion within the remote valleys of Mount Hua.

He appeared to be in his early thirties, with fair skin and a tall, imposing figure. Dressed in a light blue long robe, he had a neatly trimmed beard beneath his chin and his long black hair was tied into a traditional topknot. A longsword, sheathed in a white scabbard, hung at his waist.

From the records Li Xiaofei had reviewed, this man was indeed the famed Wukong Sword Master of Mount Hua. To be honest, Li Xiaofei had never been particularly familiar with Great Xia's ancient martial arts community.

He never expected that some of the sects described in wuxia novels actually existed. It seemed that nothing in this world arose without cause. If something existed, there had to be a foundation and a history behind it.

Observing closely, Li Xiaofei noticed that this Wukong Sword Master did, in fact, possess a solid foundation of inner qi which should correspond to the inner strength often depicted in wuxia novels.

According to the records, Qi Honglei had originally graduated from Xi'an Sports University. Twenty years ago, he got lost during a mountaineering expedition and accidentally stumbled into a hidden valley. There, he discovered an abandoned ancient Daoist temple and found several martial arts manuals and medicinal pills within its ruins.

For the next ten years, he remained in the temple, dedicating himself to rigorous cultivation. Eventually, he emerged as a master of his craft.

1. The term 南郭先生 (Nán Guō Xiānshēng) originates from a classical Chinese story and has evolved into an idiom used in modern Chinese. In short, it is a metaphor for pretenders who get exposed when real skill is required.There are also multiple meanings to it. ☜