World's Strongest Martial Warrior

Shortly after Yan Li emerged on the altar, another prodigious disciple from the Third Sub-Hall made their way into view. Without exchanging words, they both hurried down from the altar and rejoined their group in the Third Sub-Hall's designated area.    

Black Yunxian's face darkened as she regarded the pair, ousted prematurely from the Ancient Immortal King's ruins. "Yan Li, why did you emerge so soon? What happened?"    

"It's that Peter Parker kid from the eighteenth branch..." Yan Li, clenching his jaw, relayed the events to Black Cloud Immortal Venerable.    

Black Cloud Immortal Venerable shook her head and addressed Yan Li with gravity, "I warned you long ago that his talent and strength match yours, but you wouldn't listen. It must have been a tough lesson, right?"    

At the gates of Nameless Immortal City, Black Cloud Immortal Venerable had sensed that Peter Parker might surpass Yan Li. This premonition had prompted her to caution Yan Li against any direct confrontation with Peter Parker before entering the Immemorial Immortal King's remains.    

Yet, Yan Li had disregarded her advice, treating it as nothing more than a passing breeze. Consequently, he found himself ejected from the ancient ruins by Peter Parker ahead of time.    

Yan Li's face twisted with frustration. "I never imagined the eighteenth branch, known to be the weakest, would produce such an extraordinary talent."    

The top young disciple of the third branch, a paragon among the eighteen branch palaces of the Nameless Immortal Palace, had been ousted in the first round of the Immortal Gathering, far earlier than anyone anticipated. For Yan Li, the disgrace was unbearable.    

Taking a deep breath, Black Yunxian inquired, "How many Nether Pearls have you managed to gather during this time?"    

Black Cloud Immortal Venerable had braced herself for Yan Li's defeat to Peter Parker of the eighteenth palace, so the outcome didn't shock her. Her primary concern was the Immortal Gathering. With Yan Li eliminated so early, if he hadn't secured enough Dark Pearls, the Third Sub-Hall's standing in the first stage would be disappointingly low.    

This would put their third branch palace at a significant disadvantage in the rankings within the eighteenth branch palace.    

"Just a hundred or so nether pearls," was the modest reply.    

Yan Li's eyes blazed with determination as he assured, "Master, have no fear. Even if we fall behind in the first stage, I will make a comeback in the second stage and secure our third branch's standing."    

"I certainly hope that's the case."    

Black Yunxian let out a soft sigh.    

The Immortal Gathering of the 18 sub-palaces of the Nameless Immortal Palace was teeming with prodigious disciples.    

Not only were there formidable contenders like Luo Shock Scale and Yi Qiankun, but unexpected challengers such as Peter Parker from the 18th sub-palace had emerged. It was entirely possible that others like Peter Parker could arise from the remaining sub-palaces.    

Having been defeated in the first stage, Yan Li faced a daunting challenge to uphold the third sub-palace's rank in the second stage.    

...    

The ruins of an ancient immortal king.    

Following his victory over Yan Li, which resulted in Yan Li's expulsion from the Ancient Immortal King's Remains, Peter Parker and Xu Ji set out to track down the Ancient Netherworld Immortal and amass Nether Beads.    

For Peter Parker, with his formidable abilities, slaying a Heaven Immortal Ancient Netherworld Immortal was as easy as reaching into a bag.    

Within a matter of days,    

Peter Parker had gathered well over five hundred nether pearls.    

Xu Ji, trailing behind Peter Parker, had also amassed a respectable collection of no fewer than a hundred nether pearls.    

"Xu Ji, how many nether pearls are typically needed by the top three contenders in past Immortal Gatherings of the Nameless Immortal Palace?" inquired Peter Parker.    

After effortlessly dispatching a Seventh Stage Heavenly Immortal Ancient Netherworld Immortal with a single stroke of his sword and claiming the creature's Underworld Beads, Peter Parker turned to Xu Ji for an answer.    

After a moment of thought, Xu Ji responded, "Generally, the top three would gather upwards of a thousand Underworld Pearls. However, the tally of Underworld Pearls isn't just a simple count of the pearls one has collected."    

The calculation of nether pearls was contingent upon the power of the vanquished ancient nether immortals.    

Typically, eliminating an Ancient Underworld Immortal below the fourth tier of the Heavenly Immortal Realm would yield one nether pearl; defeating a fourth-grade or sixth-grade Celestial Immortal would net two nether pearls; and conquering a seventh-grade Celestial Immortal or higher would earn three nether pearls.    

Peter Parker had amassed an impressive collection of five hundred nether pearls, the majority of which he had acquired by vanquishing Celestial Immortals of the fourth tier or higher. When tallied up, his stash of nether pearls surpassed a thousand. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, securing a spot in the top three during the first phase of the Immortal Gathering seemed well within his grasp.    

Peter Parker pressed on, relentlessly pursuing the Immemorial Underworld Immortal as he delved into the ruins of the Immemorial Immortal King. This ancient Immortal Domain, part of the venerable Immemorial Immortal World, had stood the test of time and was teeming with resources, including many immortal herbs scarcely found elsewhere. Along with his companions, Peter Parker thoroughly explored the remnants of the Immortal King's domain, harvesting the valuable herbs they encountered.    

One particular day found Peter Parker and Xu Ji taking a respite atop a mountain peak, with the entire expanse of the ancient immortal king ruins pulsating with an enigmatic energy. Suddenly, an intensely bright immortal light burst forth from the distant horizon.    

Peter Parker looked up, his gaze fixed on the sky where the radiant light had erupted. A sense of awe washed over him. "What an incredible surge of energy. What could this be?"    

"Brother Jiang Chen, it must be the emergence of an immortal medicine," Xu Ji speculated, his eyes locked on the brilliant display above and his voice tinged with excitement. "If I'm not mistaken, this is at least a king-level immortal medicine!"    

King-tier immortal herbs were exceedingly valuable, easily worth more than ten times that of a Zenith Heaven Immortal medicine, and potent enough to entice even the Immortal Kings. Such a King Grade Immortal Medicine was a rarity, even within the vast Immortal Dimension. Its appearance would invariably cause a sensation, potentially sparking epic battles among the Immortal Kings.    

Xu Ji, despite never having witnessed a King-tier or even a Great Luo immortal medicine, had a solid grasp of their significance. As a prodigious disciple from the eighth branch of the Nameless Immortal Palace, he was well-versed in the lore of immortal medicines. He knew that a typical great eternity immortal medicine could provoke a reaction for a million li, but the aura of the medicine before them had shaken the entire Immemorial Immortal King Ruins. It seemed only a King-tier Immortal Medicine could create such an immense disturbance.    

"King-tier immortal medicine, huh..." Peter Parker raised his gaze to the celestial glow above, murmuring to himself in quiet wonder.    

The remnants of an ancient Immortal King's domain, cast out from the Immortal World in times long past, had stood the test of eons. It was not unheard of for a King Grade Immortal Medicine to emerge in such a place.    

Yet, the abrupt manifestation of this particular King Grade Immortal Medicine seemed rather peculiar.    

Regardless, the presence of such a treasure within the age-old Immortal King Ruins meant one thing: he simply had to witness it firsthand.    

"Come on, let's check it out." Without a moment's hesitation, Peter Parker beckoned to Xu Ji and they both hastened toward the source of the radiant light.