C16 Kill the Enemy
"Buzz!"
Martial Qi clashed with a formidable force, causing Jiang Xiaofan to furrow his brow as beads of sweat emerged on his forehead.
Despite both combatants being at the Profound Martial Stage, Jiang Xiaofan's Martial Qi was falling short. No pill, no matter its strength, could match up to a true Profound Martial Stage master!
He could feel the potency of the Black Mystic Herb Pill waning within him. If this went on, he wouldn't last more than two minutes. He needed a swift victory, or he risked dying here today!
With a deep cry, Jiang Xiaofan stamped his feet and thrust his Blazing Sword forward in a flash. Wang Hua's lips curled into a smirk; he had anticipated Jiang Xiaofan's weakened Martial Qi and expected an imminent attack.
Wang Hua's battle axe came down in a swift chop, deflecting the Blazing Sword's strike. Jiang Xiaofan leaned in, but Wang Hua, with a lift of his axe, sent a wave of Martial Qi crashing towards Jiang Xiaofan's chin!
Forced to retreat by the overpowering Martial Qi, Jiang Xiaofan grunted, stumbling back as his chest became a mangled mess of blood and flesh.
The Life Return Pill's effects lingered, but the severe wounds needed time to heal. Without a moment's hesitation, Jiang Xiaofan reached into his backpack for another pill, this time the premium Stone Condensing Pill.
The moment the Stone Condensing Pill was swallowed, the pain subsided, and a profound sense of solidity spread throughout his body.
A chill spread across Wang Hua's face. He watched as Jiang Xiaofan ingested one precious pill after another, his impatience growing to seize Jiang Xiaofan's storage ring.
The Stone Condensing Pill had long been on his wish list, yet its exorbitant price of several hundred thousand copper coins made it unattainable. He couldn't justify spending a fortune on a consumable, no matter how extraordinary its effects.
In that moment, Jiang Xiaofan felt a stirring within. His Battle Martial Body, once cooled, was unleashed anew, and the attributes of the Profound Martial Stage doubled instantly. Martial Qi surged violently, ravaging the bamboo forest, bending even the stoutest of bamboo with its formidable might!
"Is this the power of the Stone Condensing Pill?" Wang Hua's face registered shock. He hadn't anticipated the sudden intensification of Jiang Xiaofan's presence, a force so overwhelming that it dwarfed his own.
"Go to hell!"
With a thunderous roar, Jiang Xiaofan stomped the ground, sending a wave of energy rippling outward. In the blink of an eye, he was upon Wang Hua!
Breaking Wind Sword Technique!
The Blazing Sword became a streak of fire, darting and flashing. In mere moments, Wang Hua was riddled with wounds.
Meanwhile, Chu Feng had stealthily retreated to a safe distance. Shrewd with age, he recognized the surge in Jiang Xiaofan's aura and knew Wang Hua was outmatched. He kept a watchful eye on the unfolding scene, ready to flee at a moment's notice.
Wang Hua was quickly overpowered, his fighting spirit waning. Desperately, he scanned his surroundings for an escape route.
"Distracted at a time like this? It seems your end is near."
A chilling voice reached Wang Hua's ears. He whirled around, his fist flying towards Jiang Xiaofan's chest in a last-ditch effort.
Jiang Xiaofan only retreated half a step, a smirk playing on his lips as the Blazing Sword plunged ruthlessly into Wang Hua's chest.
"You..."
The battle axe clattered to the ground as Wang Hua's Martial Qi began to unravel. He couldn't utter a single word before toppling backward.
As the effects of the Black Mystic Herb Pill faded, his body slumped lifelessly to the ground.
At that moment, the dark Qi within Jiang Xiaofan seemed to detect the potent force of the Profound Martial Stage, bursting forth from his body and forcibly extracting the white light from within Wang Hua.
The white light screamed piercingly, tormenting Jiang Xiaofan's eardrums. The dark Qi and the white light tangled fiercely, yet the soul of a Profound Martial Stage expert was formidable. It fought to break free from the dark Qi's grasp time and again, only to be relentlessly ensnared once more.
Chu Feng, not far from the scene, pulled a short knife from his storage ring and edged closer to Jiang Xiaofan, a smug satisfaction growing in his heart. "I knew it was too good to be true—a pill that could enhance one's cultivation level so drastically had to have a catch. With Wang Hua gone, all his possessions are mine!"
Reaching Jiang Xiaofan's side, Chu Feng found him lying on the ground, barely able to move his eyes to meet Chu Feng's gaze, let alone lift a finger.
Chu Feng reveled in Jiang Xiaofan's pitiful state, bursting into loud laughter. He leaned down, pressing the cold knife against Jiang Xiaofan's cheek, sending a shiver through his body.
With a sneer, Chu Feng taunted, "Jiang Xiaofan, oh Jiang Xiaofan, you've bypassed the path to heaven, and now you've fallen into my hands. I'll ask you one last time—are you willing to join our Hanging Pot Pharmacy?"
Jiang Xiaofan's lips quivered, and finally, with a defiant spit, he hurled a mouthful of bloody phlegm onto Chu Feng's face. Enraged, Chu Feng lifted the knife high and thrust it toward Jiang Xiaofan's throat!
"System Prompt: You have successfully slain Wang Hua and acquired the Mountain Splitting Axe."
"System Prompt: You have successfully slain Wang Hua and acquired Collapse Mountain Giant Power."
"System Prompt: You have successfully slain Wang Hua and acquired 1905 Copper coins."
Collapse Mountain Giant Power: Harnesses the earth-shattering force to bolster one's strength temporarily, defying the pressure of any cultivation level.
...
"System Prompt: Congratulations, player, on your successful advancement. Your current Martial Level is Spirit Martial Second Grade."
...
A sudden warmth enveloped Jiang Xiaofan, and in an instant, his wounds knit together, the feeling of weakness vanished, and the fading effects of the Stone Condensing Pill surged back with renewed vigor.
"Ding!"
The knife's blade met Jiang Xiaofan's neck with a faint clang, leaving Chu Feng dumbfounded.
A slow grin spread across Jiang Xiaofan's face as he sat up, staring at the astonished Chu Feng. His Martial Qi burst forth, the powerful energy of a Spirit Martial Second Grade swirling through the bamboo forest.
Chu Feng slumped to the ground, momentarily forgetting his status as a Ninth Grade Spirit Martial. Jiang Xiaofan rose to his feet, the Blazing Sword in hand, and sneered at Chu Feng, "Remind me, what was it you asked me just now?"
"I... I asked you to spare me! I belong to the Chu family, and my uncle is an elder in the Ocean Pavilion. You can't kill me! If you do, the Ocean Pavilion will surely come after you. Spare my life, and I swear I'll never go after the Skilled Hand Medical Hall again!"
Chu Feng brought his hands together in a pleading gesture. He was aware that Jiang Xiaofan's martial level might be lower, but the extent of his unknown abilities, like the Stone Condensing Pill, the Black Mystic Herb Pill, and his power-enhancing skills, made a direct confrontation unwise when standing alone.
'As long as the green hills last, there will always be wood to burn,' he thought. He would return with reinforcements and ensure Jiang Xiaofan regretted this day.
"Oh? The leader of the Ocean Pavilion? That impressive?" Jiang Xiaofan feigned surprise.
"Yes, yes, yes! If you release me, I can arrange for you to train in the Ocean Pavilion's Inner Sect. In less than a decade, you could become renowned throughout the Spirit Brilliance Realm!"
"I'm not interested. Your time is up!"
Chu Feng's eyes widened in shock at Jiang Xiaofan's response, but a moment later, the Blazing Sword's keen edge had already swept across his neck.
"System Prompt: You have slain Chu Feng and acquired an enhanced dagger."
"System Prompt: You have slain Chu Feng and obtained five Awakening Grass."
"System Prompt: You have slain Chu Feng and secured the Chu Family Secret Key x1."
"System Prompt: You have slain Chu Feng and amassed 1905 Copper coins."
Chu Family Secret Key: A secret chamber lies within the ancestral tomb of the Chu Family, which requires seven keys to unlock.
As Chu Feng's body slowly fell, Jiang Xiaofan devoured his soul. Yet the experience needed to advance to the Spirit Martial Stage was immense, and a ninth-level Spirit Martial was insufficient for him to level up.
Chu Feng's body grew cold. Jiang Xiaofan let out a soft sigh. He took no pleasure in killing, but he knew that showing mercy to an enemy was tantamount to cruelty to oneself.
The Skilled Hand Medical Hall had now completely overshadowed the Hanging Pot Pharmacy, prompting the Chu family to take drastic measures. They even dispatched assassins to end Jiang Xiaofan's life. At this point, reconciliation was out of the question. Allowing the tiger to return to the mountain would only spell trouble for Jiang Xiaofan; the only option was to eliminate the threat.
He examined the Chu Family Secret Key—a mere bronze key. For the time being, he decided to hold onto it. Should the day come when he could collect all the keys, he might have the opportunity to delve into the secrets of the Chu family's ancestral tomb.
The Awakening Herb was quite impressive. As a First Grade of the Profound Level spiritual herb, it could be used to concoct several types of pills according to the Medicine King Scripture—a valuable asset indeed.
Jiang Xiaofan mastered the Collapse Mountain Giant Power technique, which promised to be another formidable skill in his arsenal.
The Mountain Splitting Axe, however, was another matter entirely.
Mountain Splitting Axe (Ninth Grade of the Yellow Level)
Damage: ★★★
Effect: When infused with Martial Qi, it unleashes an invisible Martial Qi assault.
True to the prowess of a Profound Martial Stage master, the equipment was extraordinary. A Ninth Grade of the Yellow Level item was certainly impressive, but Jiang Xiaofan had no preference for battle axes. He stored it in his spatial ring for potential future use.
Naturally, Jiang Xiaofan's attributes had undergone a significant transformation:
Jiang Xiaofan
Level: 22
Martial Level: Second Grade Spirit Martial
Martial Qi: 800/800
Skills: Battle Martial Body - Grade A, Divine Tiger Boxing - Grade B, Collapse Mountain Giant Power - Grade B, Breaking Wind Sword Technique - Grade C, Wolf Strike - Grade C, Ten Thousand Water Slash - Grade C, Wolf Totem - Grade D
Special: Medicine King Scripture
Functions: Pharmacy (Ninth Grade of the Yellow Level), Alchemy, Point Exchange System
Equipment: Blazing Sword
Points: 30
Luck: 0
Ability: Devour
With the increase in level, his total Martial Qi had also risen, providing him with a greater reserve of energy to draw upon.
Glancing at the bodies strewn around him, Jiang Xiaofan let out a wry smile. He was acutely aware that with Chu Feng and his men still absent, the Chu family's wrath was inevitable. The road ahead was bound to be fraught with even greater challenges.
He was fearless. If one enemy approached, he would take them down; if two came, he'd dispatch them both. For him, strength was forged in the fires of combat—only through bloodshed could he grow stronger.
His real concern was the Skilled Hand Medical Hall.
The Pharmacy Conference was just two days away. He was determined to claim the crown and, in doing so, cement the hall's reputation in Breeze Town so that no one would dare cross them again.
That moment would also mark Jiang Xiaofan's departure.
Beautiful moments are fleeting, such is the nature of destiny. Yet, should the opportunity arise, he vowed to return.
Now, he watched the sun dip toward the horizon in the west, its crimson afterglow painting the sky and casting a tranquil hue over Breeze Town.
Beyond the forest's edge lay Lintian City, the place where it all started.
Jiang Xiaofan extended his leg, taking a step forward. His silhouette, set against the dying light of the sun, was a portrait of solitude.
