C24 Chu Lianchen
The night deepened, and Breeze Town was enveloped in slumber, the world around it steeped in silence.
Inside a room at the Skilled Hand Medical Hall, Jiang Xiaofan sat at his desk, his pen flying across several thin sheets of paper. He transcribed dozens of elixir formulas, long lost to the ages, covering both Yellow Rank and Profound Rank concoctions. These formulas would ensure the Medical Hall's enduring prosperity in Breeze Town.
Having completed his task, Jiang Xiaofan tucked the precious formulas into Ann Yunshan's room, leaving behind a letter before slipping away into the night. The bonds formed with the townspeople tugged at his heart, but he chose a silent departure over tearful goodbyes.
Before long, Jiang Xiaofan reached the town's edge. Casting a final glance at Breeze Town, he turned on his heel and disappeared into the Gloom Forest.
Back at the Skilled Hand Medical Hall, Ann Xiaobai clutched an envelope, tears streaming down her cheeks, splattering on the floor like raindrops. Biting her lip, she silently vowed not to let Jiang Xiaofan down.
...
The Gloom Forest was alive with a chilling wind.
Returning to this place, Jiang Xiaofan was once again confronted by the sting of past humiliations and anger. His tranquil days in Breeze Town were behind him; ahead lay perils untold.
Yet, before setting out for Lintian City, he had preparations to make. The Black Mystic Herb Pill was key to boosting his cultivation to the first level of Profound Martial in a short span. Ideally, he would have crafted more, but he had managed only four, and of the two he kept, one was already consumed. It was time to replenish his supply.
Thankfully, his storage ring held ample ingredients. Finding a clear space, he focused his mind, and a beam of light cascaded down, the Hundred Refining Cauldron materializing around him. This so-called cauldron wasn't tangible but an ethereal force, a discovery Jiang Xiaofan had made only the night before.
He withdrew several spiritual herbs, and with an open palm, they hovered within the cauldron's energy. The temperature soared, and the herbs began their transformation, coalescing into a pill amidst the air.
The prowess of the Hundred Refining Cauldron was undeniable; it could produce a pill in mere seconds. Moreover, the heat was so precisely targeted that even if Jiang Xiaofan stood within the cauldron, he would remain unscathed.
He crafted a Poison Cleansing Pill with the ability to absorb toxins, then extracted all the poison from the White Crow Worm Grass and sealed it within the pill. A few spiritual herbs later, and a Black Mystic Herb Pill was perfected.
"System Prompt: Pill refinement successful. Pharmacy proficiency increased by 120. Black Mystic Herb Pill x1 obtained."
...
After swiftly creating five pills, the Antidote Pill had turned a deep purple, prompting Jiang Xiaofan to cease his work.
He stored the pill in his ring with a sigh. The ring, once unremarkable, now harbored the fearsome toxin of the Seven Sunglow Poisonous Lotus. Disposing of it could harm others, but keeping it risked his own life.
Armed with twenty Fighting Spirit Pills, Stone Condensing Pills, and Life Return Pills, plus the six Black Mystic Herb Pills, Jiang Xiaofan was well-equipped. He reclaimed the Hundred Refining Cauldron and set off for Lintian City without delay.
The journey from Breeze Town to Lintian City, through the Gloom Forest, would take about two days at his current pace. Not wanting to waste a moment, he hurried on, fearing a lifetime of regret if he arrived too late.
As dawn broke, Jiang Xiaofan reached the heart of the Gloom Forest, only to halt abruptly, a frown creasing his brow.
Ahead stood six figures in dark blue robes—the Ocean Pavilion.
Chu Lianchen, a third-level Profound Martial expert and their leader, presented an insurmountable challenge for Jiang Xiaofan.
Leaning casually against a tree, Chu Lianchen fixed a cold gaze on Jiang Xiaofan. "You've killed disciples of the Ocean Pavilion and elders of the Chu family. You've stirred trouble with the wrong people, Jiang Xiaofan. Come with me to the Ocean Pavilion to admit your guilt, and your life will be spared."
Jiang Xiaofan's lips quirked up in a slight smirk as he drew the Blazing Sword from his storage ring, his excitement palpable.
The six adversaries before him were more than enough for him to gain a level!
Jiang Xiaofan possessed the Devouring System, a method of leveling up that defied conventional norms. While others absorbed the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, consolidating it within their dantian to gradually break through boundaries, Jiang Xiaofan's path to advancement could be summed up in one word: Kill!
Chu Lianchen, witnessing Jiang Xiaofan's refusal to surrender and his apparent thrill for the fight, scoffed, "A Jiang family reject, even with some martial prowess, is still a reject."
"Senior Brother Chu Lianchen, allow me to discipline this upstart," a gaunt man volunteered, stepping forward with a dagger in hand and a chilling look in his eyes.
Chu Lianchen responded with a nonchalant wave, "Have your fun, but don't kill him."
He then pulled a scripture from his storage ring and began to read, unconcerned. In his mind, Jiang Xiaofan, a mere second-level Spirit Martial nobody, stood no chance against Sun Jie, a formidable ninth-level Spirit Martial.
Despite Jiang Xiaofan having eliminated Lin Zhen and others, it remained unclear if he had received assistance. Besides, those casualties were merely expendable members of the Ocean Pavilion's Outer Sect—hardly a loss worth noting.
Sun Jie taunted with a sneer, "Jiang Xiaofan, I've heard Elder Song wanted to spare you, but sadly, he'll only be greeted by your corpse!"
The other four onlookers shared the sentiment, viewing Jiang Xiaofan as nothing more than a dead man walking.
In a flash, Sun Jie charged at Jiang Xiaofan with the astonishing speed of a ninth-level Spirit Martial practitioner. His dagger gleamed with a sinister light as it swiftly aimed for Jiang Xiaofan's throat.
"Thud!"
"Thud! Thud!"
Contrary to all expectations, as they braced for Jiang Xiaofan's imminent decapitation, three dull thuds echoed. Sun Jie's body jerked violently three times before he was sent flying backward!
"System Prompt: You have successfully slain Sun Jie and acquired the Luminous Dagger."
"System Prompt: You have successfully slain Sun Jie and acquired the Gale Boots."
"System Prompt: You have successfully slain Sun Jie and acquired 1,547 Copper coins."
...
The four onlookers were completely stunned. In their wildest dreams, they couldn't have imagined that Sun Jie, a formidable ninth-level Spirit Martial practitioner, would be taken down by someone at the mere second level of Spirit Martial—and in an instant kill, no less!
With the activation of his Battle Martial Body, Jiang Xiaofan's strength had surged to that of a fourth-level Spirit Martial. The sheer might of his Divine Tiger Boxing, when unleashed at full force, was unexpectedly lethal.
Having dispatched Sun Jie, Chu Lianchen finally lifted his gaze, reassessing Jiang Xiaofan with newfound respect. This young man indeed possessed some remarkable skills.
Despite Jiang Xiaofan's presence exuding the aura of a fourth-level Spirit Martial, it was merely an advancement from the early to the middle period of the stage. How could he possibly stand against the remaining disciples of Ocean Pavilion, who were at the late or even peak levels of Spirit Martial?
Chu Lianchen commanded in a stern tone, "The four of you, go. And don't underestimate him!"
The quartet gulped down their apprehension. They had initially thought Jiang Xiaofan would be an easy target, but with Sun Jie's demise, a seed of fear had been planted.
Jiang Xiaofan's brow tightened. The Battle Martial Body's effect wouldn't last much longer, and he still had five more adversaries to confront, with Chu Lianchen being the most formidable.
He quickly ingested a Black Mystic Herb Pill, and instantly, his Martial Qi soared, sending waves of force rippling outwards.
In that moment, Chu Lianchen realized why Jiang Xiaofan had been able to defeat the likes of Chu Feng and Wang Hua.
"Retreat!" Chu Lianchen bellowed.
The power of the Profound Martial Stage was incomparable to that of the Spirit Martial Stage. Not even with four fighters could they hope to best Jiang Xiaofan.
Jiang Xiaofan offered a slight smile. They had sought him out, intent on taking his life, and now the tables had turned—it was only fair that he fought back.
"Too late!" Jiang Xiaofan declared, his voice laden with the weight of his Martial Qi, sending a shiver through the hearts of the four.
Chu Lianchen sprang forward in an attempt to intervene, but Jiang Xiaofan had already reached the group of four first!
In an instant, he deployed the Breaking Wind Sword Technique, swiftly beheading two of them. At that moment, Chu Lianchen drew a long spear from his storage ring and thrust it viciously toward Jiang Xiaofan!
The spear was imbued with the formidable power of the Profound Martial Level Four. Jiang Xiaofan quickly lifted his sword to release the Ten Thousand Water Slash, closely followed by the Vibration Wind Boxing!
Although Chu Lianchen managed to counter the Ten Thousand Water Slash, the might of the Vibration Wind Boxing was formidable. The combined force of the two skills pushed Chu Lianchen back several steps, and in that brief opening, Jiang Xiaofan claimed another life!
Seizing the moment, the last opponent lunged with his steel blade at Jiang Xiaofan, but as the blade grazed his back, a surge of powerful Martial Qi repelled the attacker!
Jiang Xiaofan eyed his experience bar, knowing that slaying this man would grant him a level up. He spun around, his Blazing Sword cleaving through the air, charged with intense Martial Qi.
"Clang!"
As Jiang Xiaofan was poised to decapitate his foe, Chu Lianchen's spear intercepted, sparing the disciple's life.
With a quick raise of his eyebrows, Jiang Xiaofan whirled back into action, unleashing the Wolf Strike!
The Blazing Sword roiled with searing energy as Jiang Xiaofan's Martial Qi reached its zenith, slashing ferociously at Chu Lianchen.
"Boom!"
At the collision of spear and sword, a powerful blast wave shattered the nearby trees, a testament to the terrifying nature of combat between Profound Martial Stage warriors.
The disciple, reeling from the Martial Qi's recoil and nursing internal injuries, sat by a rock to recuperate.
Chu Lianchen, retreating half a step, glared at the three lifeless bodies at his feet, seething with rage. "Jiang Xiaofan! I swear I'll kill you!"
With those words, the Martial Qi around Chu Lianchen's arm intensified dramatically. The long spear in his grasp, as if responding to his fury, began to tremble and slowly turned a sinister shade of blood-red.
Great find!
This weapon is at least of a high-grade Profound Level!
With his spear at the ready, Chu Lianchen closed the distance in an instant, appearing right before Jiang Xiaofan. By this time, the effects of Jiang Xiaofan's Battle Martial Body had worn off, and the power of the Black Mystic Herb Pill was also fading.
A direct confrontation was out of the question!
Jiang Xiaofan swiftly activated his Wolf Totem and sidestepped the incoming strike. The spear's tip grazed his chest, slicing through his clothing!
Such lethal Martial Qi! He had to stay vigilant!
