The Strength of Sword Worship Villa

From Li Chenfeng, Madam Ao also learned of Duan Lang's circumstances. For this child who had suffered hardships since childhood, maternal affection immediately welled up within her.

"Feng'er, hurry and bring that child in. Let Mother have a good look at him," Madam Ao said to Li Chenfeng anxiously.

Li Chenfeng smiled faintly and called toward the door, "Duan Lang, come in."

As Li Chenfeng's voice fell, an eleven-year-old boy dressed in plain clothes appeared before Madam Ao.

It had to be said that Duan Lang was quite eye-catching. When Li Chenfeng first met the eight-year-old Duan Lang three years ago, he had already found the little fellow rather adorable.

Now, three years had passed. The cute child of old had completely grown into a graceful young man, while those three years of experiences had also given Duan Lang a maturity far beyond that of his peers.

Seeing this, Madam Ao pulled Duan Lang to her side and lovingly fussed over him. Duan Lang, who had never experienced a mother's love, was both moved and somewhat shy.

Early the next morning, Li Chenfeng gathered everyone in the villa. Before them all, he had Duan Lang pay respects before his father's memorial tablet and serve tea to Madam Ao, officially making him a member of Sword Worship Villa.

The reason for doing this was to make everyone in Sword Worship Villa clearly understand Duan Lang's standing within the villa.

With the Myriad Worlds Tower in his possession, Li Chenfeng was destined not to remain in one world forever. Thus, whenever he chose to leave, the villa needed someone capable of replacing him.

And Li Chenfeng had chosen Duan Lang for that role.

After the apprenticeship ceremony ended, Li Chenfeng did not dismiss everyone. Instead, he had them gather in the villa's main hall.

This place was generally only used for major events or the annual year-end assembly.

Li Chenfeng wore a pale golden robe patterned with clouds, a purple-gold crown upon his head, and a jade belt around his waist. He sat imposingly in the seat of honor.

To his left stood Duan Lang, looking somewhat nervous. His current status was that of the old villa master's direct disciple and Li Chenfeng's junior brother. With Madam Ao's written testament, he was both master and disciple, father and son; by rank, he should have been on equal footing with Li Chenfeng and Ao Tian, above the Four Sword Elders.

However, since he had only just joined and Duan Lang's strength was truly too weak, seating him beneath Li Chenfeng would inevitably invite criticism. In the end, Li Chenfeng simply had him stand at his side together with Ao Tian.

On Li Chenfeng's right stood Ao Tian, looking bored. This fellow was three years older than Duan Lang, but having been spoiled by his elder brother and mother over the years, he had become somewhat of a wastrel.

The three of them were considered the direct line of Sword Worship Villa. Half a step below them was the Sword Servant, who could be said to be Li Chenfeng's absolute confidant.

Seated on both sides of the hall were the Four Sword Elders, the guard commander Tie Yong, and several stewards who had rushed back from other regions.

These were Sword Worship Villa's current upper echelon. After all, it was a family that had endured for centuries. Even in decline, its foundations were still not to be underestimated.

"Everyone, I have gathered you here today to announce several matters," Li Chenfeng said in a deep voice as he looked at those below him.

"I trust you have all heard the rumors circulating through the martial world these past few days. Xiong Ba of the World Society was defeated by the Sword Demon and me, and his whereabouts are now unknown.

"Now, Sword Worship Villa's shops across various regions have also come under attack from the World Society, and our losses have been considerable."

"Yes, Villa Master. The World Society's people have gone mad, ruthlessly suppressing our Edge-Refining Forges. More than a dozen shops under my charge have already been destroyed, and the guards have been killed. My men are all rather unsettled now," one of the stewards said as he rose to his feet with a mournful expression.

Once someone took the lead in speaking, the other stewards also began voicing their grievances.

Li Chenfeng smiled faintly at this and said, "Everyone, please remain calm. I called you here today precisely to resolve this matter."

"Commander Tie, how are the villa's guards doing at present?" After reassuring the stewards, Li Chenfeng turned to Tie Yong, the guard commander, and asked.

Tie Yong, clad in iron armor, rose to his feet. He clasped his fists toward Li Chenfeng and declared loudly, "Reporting to the Villa Master, three years ago, you ordered this subordinate to expand the number of guards. Over these three years, the villa's guard force has reached two thousand men. Among them, one hundred and thirty-four are at the Acquired Peak Realm, five hundred and thirty-two are at the Late Houtian Realm, and the remaining one thousand three hundred and thirty-four have all reached the Mid-Acquired Realm.

"With a single command from the Villa Master, they can rush to every region and sweep aside all obstacles for you!"

Tie Yong's words immediately caused an uproar among the stewards. Because they had spent most of their time away from the villa, they had no idea that in just three years, the villa had gained so many powerful guards.

Li Chenfeng nodded. With these two thousand guards joining the fray, they would be able to stabilize the situation.

However, Li Chenfeng was somewhat dissatisfied that, aside from Tie Yong, the guard force currently had no second Xiantian Realm expert...

Besides the villa guards, another portion of their martial strength consisted of the villa's guest experts, who were under the charge of the Four Sword Elders.

These people were independent martial artists recruited by the villa, as well as martial factions that had attached themselves to Sword Worship Villa.

Although those guest experts were not numerous, every one of them was quite capable. The weakest were at the Late Houtian Realm, while most had reached the Acquired Perfection Realm. They were far superior to those mixed-quality martial factions.

The main reason these people had joined Sword Worship Villa was to use its resources to break through into the Xiantian Realm.

This was also the villa's strongest force on the surface.

Aside from the Four Sword Elders, who were all experts at the Mid Xiantian Realm or above, there were also five martial artists at the Early Xiantian Realm and twelve at the Half-Step Xiantian Realm.

However, Li Chenfeng had no intention of relying entirely on these people.

Previously, because of the Sword Demon, these fellows had not dared harbor any other thoughts. But now that the Sword Demon was dead, who knew whether they might develop different intentions?

Especially when facing a behemoth like the World Society, how many of them could truly stand or fall together with Sword Worship Villa?

"Sword Servant, how is the training of the Sword Guards progressing?"

As Li Chenfeng's words fell, everyone present looked at one another. They had no idea when the villa had acquired these so-called Sword Guards.

Within Sword Worship Villa, aside from Li Chenfeng and the Sword Servant, only Madam Ao knew of the Sword Guards' existence. This was a secret force Li Chenfeng had arranged for the Sword Servant to train not long after arriving in this world.

Every member of the Sword Guards was either an orphan gathered from various places or a martial artist who had received the villa's favor and was willing to offer up their life. They were all trained as Sword Worship Villa's deathsworn.

Li Chenfeng had spent an enormous amount of money and resources on them.

The Sword Guards numbered five hundred in total. Every one of them cultivated the Severing Sword Art personally taught by Li Chenfeng, and millions of taels' worth of cultivation resources were spent on them each year. They could be said to be the strongest force under Li Chenfeng's command.