"Is Master Li well known? What's his background?" Han Li was somewhat surprised. "Don't you know Master Li at all?" "I've been in seclusion for several years now." "Ah, yes—quite right. I must have forgotten that. My memory isn't the best; I always assumed that no disciple in Qiuxuan Sect would be unfamiliar with Master Li, and I completely forgot about your seclusion period." Xiao Suansuan suddenly realized and quickly apologized. "Could you please tell me about Master Li's background?" "Of course, Master Han," Xiao Suansuan replied. "We young disciples are very familiar with Master Li's achievements." Noticing that no opponent from the Zhang Changgui side had yet been sent to face Master Li, Xiao Suansuan began to recount the various legends surrounding this renowned figure. "Master Han, I'm not exaggerating—Master Li's accomplishments are not only well known among our young disciples, but even many of the elder masters are quite familiar with his story." Back then...”He began telling Han Li about Li Shifu’s story with such energy and enthusiasm, spilling out words and gestures as if he himself were the protagonist of the tale. As Xiao Suanpan recounted Li Shifu’s achievements one by one, the story truly took on a legendary quality. Li Shifu had joined the mountain four years ago, not in the same cohort as Han Li. He hadn’t passed the initial assessment at once and thus became a named disciple. However, in a subsequent evaluation six months later, he not only secured first place in every category but also emerged as the sole one who withstood thirty consecutive attacks during the final confrontation against his senior colleagues—an achievement that surpassed all previous records set by named disciples and caught the attention of several senior figures. To everyone's surprise, Li Shifu's foundational strength was only average, with limited growth potential. While this diagnosis was somewhat disappointing, he wasn't selected as a disciple by any senior figure. After two years of basic training, he ended up studying under a rather ordinary guardian, mastering only a few standard martial arts—among them, Fenglei Sword Technique, a fairly common mid-level art from the Qi Xuan Sect. If that were the end of his story, Li Shifu would hardly be considered a legend, merely a case of fading performance. However, shortly thereafter, he made a remarkable breakthrough with this unassuming Fenglei Sword Technique, shining brightly in the annual junior disciples' competition the following year and securing a spot among the top sixteen—making him the only new disciple to achieve such a high standing. This event once again made him the center of attention within the sect. In subsequent competitions, Li Shifu consistently demonstrated exceptional bravery and determination, consistently achieving high rankings, greatly boosting the confidence and prestige of the younger disciples. At the grand martial gathering last year, he secured third place—an impressive achievement, considering the top two spots were held by junior disciples who had been in the fold for over a decade. Though they were younger, they were now in their twenties and thirties, and their internal energy cultivation was significantly more advanced than his. Many disciples believed that if Li Shi were to match their level of internal cultivation, first place would have been within easy reach. Thus, Li Shi once again drew the attention of the senior leadership, being specifically assigned to undertake several major external missions. While other new disciples were still honing their martial arts skills within the gate, Li Shi had already established numerous merits for the Seven-Heaven Sect, earning a solid reputation known as "Li Hu" throughout the martial world. It's said he will soon be granted a special invitation to join the Seven-Extremes Hall to pursue even more refined martial arts. Hearing this, Han Li was deeply moved—should all these accomplishments indeed be true, Li Shi truly stood out as exceptional. As a merely registered disciple, he had achieved such remarkable success, and Han Li himself felt a growing sense of admiration. Finally, after hours of hesitation, one of Zhang Changgui's disciples stepped forward with a determined resolve. This disciple appeared to be quite skilled in martial arts, drawing a gleaming soft sword from his waist. The sword was only as thick as a thumb, soft and flexible—clearly something not ordinary people could wield. Upon sensing someone approaching, Li Sheng slowly opened his eyes, their gaze bright and sharp. Suddenly, he roared out—a thunderclap echoing across the sky—so powerful that the entire hall was filled with a ringing buzz, and the opponent staggered, his face now filled with apprehension. As the roar rang out, his long sword began to move, a series of fluid, connected stances unfolding into a cascade of flashing blade movements. In an instant, the swordwork transformed into over a dozen shimmering blade shadows, encircling the opponent in a dense network of cutting forms. Though somewhat disoriented, the opponent remained alert, his soft sword dancing with agility and precision, weaving in and out with a cunning, unyielding defense. "Who is this person?" Han Li couldn't help but ask. "It's Zhao Ziling, a disciple of the Fifth Elder, whose skill with the Brush-Will Sword Technique is particularly tenacious." "How does he compare to Li Sheng?" "Of course not his equal." The young disciple said with pride. "Why isn't Zhang Changgui sending someone more formidable to step up?" "Haha! Zhao Ziling is already their strongest. Besides, among our new disciples, who could possibly match Li Sheng? Swapping anyone would be in vain." He chuckled with a touch of satisfaction. Indeed, although Zhao Ziling's sword technique remained steady, his momentum had completely faded, being firmly contained by Li Sheng's long sword. Anyone with a clear view could see that his defeat was merely a matter of time. Han Li observed this for a while, and a question arose in his mind. "I have something that seems strange—why aren't there any senior elders present? Even if they're not allowed to compete, there should still be someone there to watch the match, right? Yet here, both inside and outside the arena, there's not a single elder among the attendees. It's all us younger disciples, only in our late teens, who are watching. What's going on?" Han Li raised his question without hesitation. Xiao Suanpan listened attentively, then his expression changed, fixing him with a rather odd gaze, making Han Li feel a bit puzzled—had he perhaps asked something that was inappropriate or out of place?