Starforce Warriors

Li Baoguo, who was supposed to be dead, was suddenly breathing heavily. The broken blade of the iron saber, which had been lodged in his heart, was being slowly pushed out, bit by bit.

It was as if some powerful force within his heart was reviving.

What is going on? Is this a haunting? Or a corpse reanimation?

Zhang Hongjing felt a chill run down her spine. Modern medical examinations had been conducted multiple times, confirming beyond a shadow of a doubt that both Li Baoguo and Qi Honglei were completely, utterly dead. Their bodies had long gone cold. But now, they weren't. No, they had already come back to life.

This phenomenon, which defied all scientific reasoning, sent a wave of shock through Zhang Hongjing. Even as a Sky level Awakened, she felt a deep unease creeping up her back.

Clang.

The broken iron saber clattered to the ground as it was completely expelled from his body. At that moment, the dazed look in Li Baoguo's eyes vanished and he suddenly became fully conscious.

He lowered his head, looking at the blood-stained broken blade on the ground, then at the wound on his chest, which was healing at an incredible speed.

He muttered in astonishment, "I... wasn't I dead?"

He still remembered it clearly. At that moment, Jiepeng's Sword Saint, Oniba Henzō, had unleashed a strike that shattered the gates of life and death. That divine and unstoppable sword had obliterated Li Baoguo's most powerful attack. The shattered fragments of his own saber had rebounded, and one of them had pierced straight into his heart. His consciousness had plunged uncontrollably into a deep, endless abyss of darkness.

"Don't speak." At that moment, Qi Honglei, who had also been resurrected, spoke up. "This is a rare opportunity. Carefully comprehend that sword strike; don't waste this chance."

Li Baoguo was momentarily stunned. But then an indescribably mysterious and profound sensation surged toward him like an overwhelming tidal wave. He was completely engulfed by it.

His mouth remained slightly open, his gaze vacant as he fell silent once more. It was as if he had suddenly turned to stone.

Zhang Hongjing's mind was flooded with question marks. Then, something suddenly clicked in her memory. She quickly whipped around.

What she saw made her breath hitch. The young Celestial Master, whose body had been charred, now had a faint heartbeat resounding from within his chest.

Crack... crack...

Like an eggshell breaking apart, the pitch-black, carbonized outer layer of his skin suddenly began to crack open, revealing pristine, jade-like flesh underneath. He, too, was coming back to life.

A mix of shock and joy surged through Zhang Hongjing's heart. She didn't know what exactly was happening, but one thing was certain, having these three formidable experts return from the dead was an undeniable blessing for Great Xia.

Yet, just like Li Baoguo and Qi Honglei, the young Celestial Master, after fully shedding his old skin and reviving, remained utterly still. His face was frozen in a dazed expression, as if he had been turned into a lifeless wooden statue.

Zhang Hongjing dared not disturb them. After a moment of hesitation, she quietly withdrew from the chamber.

Outside, Daoist Sanjue stood with his hands behind his back, gazing into the room through the dark-tinted glass. A faint look of envy appeared on his face.

Daoist Sanjue turned to Zhang Hongjing, Yan Zheng, and Old Zhang and started to explain in a solemn tone.

"There is great terror in the realm between life and death," he murmured. "But there is also great opportunity. They used their very lives as the medium to withstand Oniba Henzō's Sky People Slash. In doing so, they stumbled upon the key to their breakthrough. Now that they have died and returned, they are standing at the threshold of a brand-new world."

"So, you're saying that not only are they fine, but they actually benefited from this ordeal?" Yan Zheng asked excitedly.

Daoist Sanjue nodded. At that moment, Little Hao had a sudden thought and blurted out, "Daoist, you also took that sword strike, so why..."

Smack!

Before he could finish, Old Zhang slapped him on the back of the head. Little Hao turned to see Old Zhang frantically winking at him, but he was completely confused by his reaction.

However, Daoist Sanjue merely smiled faintly and said, "It's fine. There's nothing to hide. While I took on that strike, I instinctively relied on the power of the Azure Lightning Soft Sword, reforged by Leader Li. It protected me from serious injuries, but in doing so, I lost the opportunity to truly comprehend that moment.

"Facing Oniba Henzō's sword, you gain what you give. Only by offering up one's life can one grasp the essence of the Sky People Realm. I... missed the only chance of my lifetime."

At that moment, Little Hao finally realized just how foolish his question had been. At the same time, he noticed something peculiar. Daoist Sanjue's temperament seemed to have changed significantly.

The old Daoist used to be infamous for his cold, condescending attitude, constantly looking down on others and speaking with a mocking tone. But now? He actually seemed... approachable.

"If I had known taking that sword strike would bring so many benefits, I'd have gone up and died once too," Little Hao joked, thinking himself quite witty.

Daoist Sanjue glanced at him and replied, "If your strength isn't high enough, taking that strike would mean truly dying... Besides, the reason those three survived is likely because Leader Li left a seed within them, preserving their last spark of life. That's why they were able to return. This great fortune... was granted to them by Leader Li."

At that, he suddenly turned to Yan Zheng and Zhang Hongjing, his expression serious. "Who exactly is our commander?"

Yan Zheng merely smiled faintly but he did not answer. Just then, the emergency contact line suddenly rang. Zhang Hongjing picked up the call. Her expression changed instantly.

"There's trouble at Balitai University." She was already moving toward the exit as she spoke. "Li Guorui was attacked. Quickly! Old Zhang, Little Hao, come with me!"

Yan Zheng's face darkened. That northwestern youth, the one who had awakened his powers three times, the Thunder King, was a key figure under the Dragon Group's watch. He was also someone Li Xiaofei had taken a special interest in.

"I'm coming too." Without hesitation, Daoist Sanjue followed after them.

***

Balitai University, Southwest Village.

Night had fallen in an old, open-style residential area within the campus. The streetlights had also gone out.

Li Guorui stood protectively in front of his senior in the darkness of a secluded corner, his body partially shielding her. His face was tense as he stared warily at the five figures standing opposite them.

He recognized the one leading the group. It was a Jiepeng superhuman from the recently concluded exchange event. His signature smoky-eye makeup made him unmistakable.

His name, if Li Guorui recalled correctly, was Tōan Ritsu. He was rumored to be a leader within Jiepeng's superhuman organization. The other four were likely Jiepeng superhumans as well.

Zzzzt—!

Sparks of electricity flickered between Li Guorui's fingertips, but they were unstable and weak. What unsettled him the most was that his lightning abilities were somehow being suppressed. He didn't know what method they had used, but no matter how hard he tried, he could only summon a faint, barely perceptible trace of electricity. He was completely powerless.

"I've already contacted the Dragon Group," Li Guorui spoke in a low, firm voice. "If you don't leave immediately, you won't make it out of Great Xia alive."

"Heh." Tōan Ritsu chuckled softly. "If even Li Xiaofei can't come. What makes you think the Dragon Group can?"

A flicker of nervousness crossed Li Guorui's face. This was the first time he had encountered something like this. Yet, for some reason, the more intense the pressure became, the clearer his thoughts became.

"What do you want?"

"We'd like to invite you to Jiepeng as our guest."

"Kidnapping?"

"Hosting."

"Fine. Let's call it hosting... But since I'm your target, let my senior go. She doesn't know anything."

Tōan Ritsu glanced at the girl behind Li Guorui. She was petite and delicate. She had a sweet appearance, with fair skin and wine-red, ear-length short hair. She wore a simple white T-shirt and denim shorts as she radiated youthful energy. She was at an age where she bloomed like a flower.

"What a pity," Tōan Ritsu muttered.

Shaking his head, he flatly refused, "I can't agree to that. With her around, you'll behave yourself on the way to Jiepeng, and once we arrive, you'll be more cooperative."

Li Guorui's heart sank. He had read plenty of novels and watched countless dramas where the protagonist made this exact request and the villain usually agreed.

Back then, he had always thought,Wow, what a dumbass villain.

Now, though... It turned out those kinds of villains only existed in fiction. In reality, villains weren't stupid at all. If he had known this was going to happen, he never would have accepted Senior Hao Qiao's invitation an hour ago. Discussing the youth branch's event planning could have easily been done during the day! His mind started racing.

How can I get out of this situation?

But before he could think of a solution, Tōan Ritsu had already lost patience. He said, "Take them."

Two of his men sprang into action. Their movements were swift, too swift. Their footwork wasn't just that of superhumans, it was the movement of highly skilled martial artists with real combat experience.

Li Guorui had no chance without his lightning abilities. Even with the enhanced physique from his awakened powers, he barely lasted a few seconds before the pressure grew overwhelming.

The wind from their strikes pressed against his body, making it hard to breathe. He could barely defend himself. And worse yet, he had to protect his defenseless senior behind him. He was on the verge of being overwhelmed at any second. And then—

Whoosh.

A single green bamboo leaf drifted through the air and the two attacking Jiepeng experts suddenly froze in place.