World's Strongest Martial Warrior

1In the desolate expanse of an ancient forest, a shadow flitted by with a whisper of movement. It was Peter Parker, emerging from his period of deep seclusion. Casting out his Immortal Sense, he surveyed the land, grasping the nuances of his surroundings within a hundred-mile radius.    

    

Being a newcomer to the Immortal World, Peter was unfamiliar with its ways and inhabitants. Caution was his ally in this uncharted territory.    

    

After several hours, the distant clamor of combat broke the silence, echoing from a hundred miles away. Peter's gaze sharpened, and without hesitation, he sped toward the source of the disturbance.    

    

Soon, Peter perched atop an ancient tree, towering over a thousand feet high, and surveyed the scene unfolding below from a vantage point thousands of feet away.    

    

"Red Moon bandits, it seems you've grown weary of life itself to dare and plunder the Luo Water Merchant Union of our Tianshui Immortal City!" The voice of an old man, clad in a silver robe, rang out authoritatively from a group of several dozen.    

    

The elder's presence was formidable, a palpable force that even Peter felt weighing upon him. Judging by the intensity of his aura, Peter surmised that the man was at least of Heavenly Immortal rank.    

    

Beside the elder stood a woman whose radiance was blinding. With her elegantly arched brows, crimson lips, and a figure that seemed sculpted by divine hands, she exuded the ethereal grace of a Heavenly Immortal. Though youthful in appearance, her aura surpassed Peter's, suggesting she might be a Fourth Grade True Immortal.    

    

Arrayed before them, a band of twenty to thirty rough-looking outlaws stood their ground. Even the least among them had attained the True Immortal Realm, with several boasting the strength of Rank Five and Rank Six True Immortals.    

    

The leader, a one-eyed man with an eyepatch, exuded an aura that rivaled the silver-robed elder's. "Tsk tsk... under normal circumstances, we of the Red Moon would never dream of crossing the Luo Shui Merchant Union," he sneered with a menacing grin. "But today is different. The Union's sole Golden Immortal still draws breath, yet what is there for the Red Moon Bandits to fear?"    

    

His one good eye locked onto the old man and his companions as he continued, "Moreover, we've been made an offer too tempting to ignore. How could the Red Moon Bandits possibly turn it down?"    

    

Upon hearing this, the expression of the old man in the silver robe shifted noticeably. The Luo Water Merchant Union had been in turmoil ever since their alliance leader sustained severe injuries and his life hung in the balance. In an effort to stabilize the situation, the young lady had ventured out with him to seek a legendary elixir capable of healing their leader.    

    

Finally, after a long and arduous journey, they had secured the life-saving elixir. However, their triumph was short-lived as the Scarlet Moon Bandits intercepted them. It was clear that the bandits' ambush had been orchestrated by someone with a vested interest.    

    

The silver-robed elder needed no time to deduce that the mastermind behind the Scarlet Moon Bandits' attack was likely a member of their own Luo Shui Merchant Union. There were factions within the union that did not wish for their safe return.    

    

"Miss, I will hold off the Scarlet Moon Bandits. You must seize the opportunity to escape and deliver the elixir safely back to the Luo Shui Merchant Union," the elder stated resolutely, his voice deep and steady.    

    

The return of the elixir was of paramount importance. Only with the alliance leader's recovery could they hope to restore order. If they failed, the union risked falling into the hands of traitors.    

    

"Uncle Li, I cannot abandon you to confront the Scarlet Moon Bandits alone," the woman protested, shaking her head. "We should face them together."    

    

"No," the elder interjected firmly. "The forces dispatched by the Scarlet Moon Pirate Gang far surpass our own. A direct confrontation would ensure our demise."    

    

He eyed the one-eyed man across from them, Wang Biao, the formidable Third Head of the Scarlet Moon Bandits. Wang Biao's cultivation in the Rank Two Heaven Immortal Realm made him a fearsome adversary, one even stronger than the elder himself. Engaging in battle would only result in the elder being overpowered.    

    

Moreover, the Scarlet Moon Bandits boasted two additional members at the Rank Six True Immortal level. Their own strongest ally was merely a Rank Five True Immortal. The disparity in strength made any thought of victory against the bandits a fool's dream.    

    

Should they choose to engage in direct combat, they would likely face complete annihilation that very day.    

    

"Miss, don't hesitate any longer. If you don't want to see the alliance leader harmed or the Luo Water Merchant Union fall into the wrong hands, you must leave now!"    

    

With that, the elder in the silver robe launched an attack, charging at the Red Moon Bandits.    

    

His plan was to catch the one-eyed man off guard and eliminate the two Rank Six True Immortals first.    

    

If he could manage that, even while being held up by the one-eyed man himself, the Scarlet Moon Bandits would be weakened without their two powerful allies, significantly increasing the chances for the young lady and her companions to escape.    

    

But...    

    

As often happens, there was a stark contrast between wishful thinking and harsh reality.    

    

Just as the silver-robed elder made his move, the one-eyed man, a Second Stage True Immortal, unleashed his formidable aura and appeared right in front of the elder.    

    

"Old man, you're dealing with me," the one-eyed giant said with a cold chuckle. He then turned to his followers and bellowed, "Attack, kill them all!"    

    

Boom! Boom! Boom...    

    

Following his command, the two bandits, each a Rank Six True Immortal, led a fierce charge against the members of the Luo Shui Merchant Union.    

    

Caught off guard, the Luoshui Merchant Union forces had no choice but to engage in battle with the Scarlet Moon Bandits.    

    

Despite their numbers, the Luo Water Merchant Union was clearly outmatched in strength by the Red Moon Bandits.    

    

In no time at all, the members of the Luo Water Merchant Union, led by the woman, were being driven back by the Scarlet Moon Bandits. Their ranks began to thin as one after another fell, their screams echoing in the air.    

    

"Miss!"    

    

A flicker of desperation crossed the silver-robed elder's face as he saw his young charge in peril.    

    

He desperately wanted to break free from the one-eyed giant to come to her aid, but he was thoroughly ensnared and couldn't extricate himself.    

    

"Bang!"    

    

The woman in the azure robe, a member of the Luo Water Merchant Union, clashed with a Rank Six True Immortal from the Scarlet Moon bandits. The impact sent her hurtling back several hundred meters, blood spilling from her mouth as her face turned deathly pale.    

    

"Is this the end for me, Luo Qing'er?"    

    

Despair crept onto Luo Qing'er's face as she braced for another assault from the sixth-tier true immortal.    

    

Despite her reputation as a prodigy within the Luo Water Merchant Union and her formidable status as a Rank Four True Immortal, which was more than a match for a Rank Five, she was outmatched by a Rank Six True Immortal.    

    

"Perish!"    

    

In an instant, the Rank Six True Immortal from the Scarlet Moon Bandits materialized above Luo Qing'er, thrusting down a palm imbued with overwhelming immortal essence.    

    

Biting down hard, Luo Qing'er prepared to fight back with everything she had when suddenly, a golden sword light sliced through the air, obliterating the oppressive palm print above her.    

    

Recoiling more than ten steps back in midair, the Rank Six True Immortal from the Scarlet Moon Bandits scanned the skies, his voice cutting through the tension.    

    

"Who dares to lurk in the shadows? Show yourself!"