C15 Three Heroes and One Immortal

"This is merely the Kaiyang Yimai; imagine the spectacle if all seven Yimai converged!" Yang Fann's eyebrows arched, a grave expression crossing his face. The Seven Stars Sect's Founding Ancestor, the Seven Stars Monk, had seven direct disciples who established the Tianshu, Tianxuan, Tianji, Tianquan, Yuheng, Kaiyang, and Yaoguang Yimai. Today's Breakthrough competition featured only the Kaiyang Yimai, which, among the seven peaks, doesn't even rank in the top three in strength, barely surpassing the Yaoguang Yimai.

"It seems I've truly underestimated the talents of this world!" In that moment, any trace of complacency that had crept into Yang Fann's heart due to his swift advancement in cultivation vanished. With his modest level of skill, he couldn't even best the servant disciples—what right did he have to be arrogant?

"But it's the challenge that makes it worthwhile. One day, I'll rise above all, as invincible as the God And Devil of legend!" Instantly, Yang Fann's will to fight surged, piercing the heavens, as if a primordial beast within him had fully awakened. With such a defiant martial technique at his disposal, he was determined to ascend to the pinnacle of martial arts in this lifetime!

"Let Bronze Warriors' Lane bear witness to my ascent!"

"Look everyone, that's the Shanyang Peak team!"

"The disciples of Shanyang Peak have arrived! The disciples of Shanyang Peak have arrived!!"

Suddenly, a chorus of exclamations rose from the crowd as a procession of over fifty individuals approached from a southwestern trail, their numbers nearly tenfold that of Yang Fann's group.

"Truly worthy of a first-level Servicemen's Peak, far surpassing Ink Bamboo Peak in strength!" Yang Fann watched the Shanyang Peak contingent, moving like a majestic dragon, with a touch of wistfulness. The Seven Stars Sect boasted hundreds, if not thousands, of Servicemen's Peaks, with nearly two hundred under the Kaiyang Yimai alone. These peaks were categorized into five levels and ten grades, with the top-tier level one Servicemen's Peaks being the most elite, and the bottom-tier level five the least. Ink Bamboo Peak, where Yang Fann resided, was a lower-tier peak, paling in comparison to the esteemed level one Shanyang Peak. The disparity in both the number and caliber of disciples was stark. A Fourth Layer peak martial artist like Yun Xihua was indisputably second in command at Ink Bamboo Peak, but at Shanyang Peak, he wouldn't even make the top ten!

"That's Sima Yun, one of the Three Heroes. He truly stands out, a dragon among men!" At the center of the group stood a young man, about sixteen or seventeen, clad in a water-blue robe, his demeanor cool and aloof. He stood out like a crane among chickens, with a clear zone around him where no one dared to tread too close.

"Sima Yun?" Yang Fann murmured, a flicker of doubt crossing his eyes. After all, he was but a newcomer, having joined the sect just a year ago and spent most of that time in seclusion at Ink Bamboo Peak, leaving him little opportunity to learn about the other Servicemen's Peaks.

"Junior Brother Yang, what you may not realize is that the Three Heroes are recognized as the most formidable experts within our Kaiyang lineage. Each one is a top-tier genius endowed with an Eighth Grade Bloodline!" Han Yunfei said with a slight smile, clearing up the confusion in Yang Fann's mind.

"Eighth Grade Bloodline? The three strongest in our Kaiyang lineage?" A grin spread across Yang Fann's face as his desire to compete soared.

Just then...

Another exclamation rang out, "They've arrived! The Yunyang Peak team is here!"

Yunyang Peak was merely an ordinary second-tier Servicemen's Peak, often ranking at the bottom among the eighteen of its kind. Previously, it had no remarkable distinctions, but this year, no one dared to look down on them. After all, Leng Rushuang, one of the Three Heroes, hailed from this peak!

The servant disciples of Yunyang Peak clustered around a figure like stars circling the moon. This individual had skin as pale and smooth as jade, strikingly handsome features, and a well-defined jawline. His black warrior attire accentuated his lean and statuesque physique. With his icy demeanor, he resembled a towering, mobile iceberg.

"Leng Rushuang truly lives up to his name—his coldness is frightening!" Some servant disciples nearby shivered as a piercing coldness seeped into their very souls.

It was terrifying—utterly terrifying. Merely his casually emitted aura was enough to stiffen their limbs. Should he unleash his full power, they might well be frozen into ice sculptures, utterly powerless to resist. Was this the genuine might of the Three Heroes?

A profound sense of defeat washed over the servant disciples. They, too, were among the strongest in their respective Servicemen's Peaks, and they had always believed they were not far behind others. Only now did they understand that compared to true geniuses, they were insignificant.

"The Yuyang Peak disciples are here! The Yuyang Peak disciples have arrived!!!"

"Look over there—that's Qin Feng!"

From the northwest, a procession approached. As one of only two first-tier Servicemen's Peaks in the Kaiyang lineage, the Yuyang Peak's contingent was as impressive as Shanyang Peak's, if not more so. The line stretched over thirty feet, with no fewer than sixty individuals.

In the midst of the group was a young man whose eyes sparkled like stars. His tall, upright stature was draped in a yellow robe that lent him an air of grandeur and prestige. Each step he took seemed to cast a spell, captivating the hearts of all who watched. This young man was none other than Qin Feng, the last of the Three Heroes, equally renowned as Sima Yun and Leng Rushuang!

"Among the Three Heroes, who is the strongest?" This question instantly set the entire place abuzz.

"Isn't it clear? It has to be Yunyang Peak's Leng Rushuang. Rumor has it his family's Ice Palm technique has reached the pinnacle of mastery, and even a regular Sixth Empyrean martial artist couldn't withstand a single blow from him!"

"Humph! If we're talking about the strongest, it's Senior Brother Qin Feng from Yuyang Peak. Remember, he's the fierce warrior who consecutively slew nine sixth-level Exotic Beasts!"

"Nonsense! Senior Brother Sima from Shanyang Peak is the preeminent figure of the Kaiyang lineage!"

"It seems everyone's forgotten someone. Though the Three Heroes are formidable, Fairy Lingmei is not to be underestimated either!" Suddenly, a new voice captured the crowd's attention.

"How could we have overlooked her? The Three Heroes are formidable, indeed, but pitted against Fairy Lingmei, the result is anyone's guess!"

"To me, Fairy Lingmei is the foremost figure within the Kaiyang lineage!"

Yang Fann's stride faltered for a moment as a flicker of doubt crossed his striking features, accompanied by a hint of curiosity, "Who exactly is this Fairy Lingmei? How is it that she's mentioned in the same breath as the Three Heroes?"