Chapter 204: Going All Out
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
“Junior Martial Brother, are you feeling confident?” Guo Linshan inquired with concern.
In the courtyard where Chen Fei was, quite a few people had gathered at this moment. They had all heard that Chen Fei was going to challenge Zeng Zaiwen and had come specifically for this.
“If I didn’t I wouldn’t have gone out of my way to challenge. My Qianyuan Sword is still held in the Hall of True Transmission,” Chen Fei replied with a smile.
“Having confidence is good. You will definitely succeed!” Zhang Fangqiong looked at Chen Fei. It had been a long time since they had seen each other, and the tenderness in Zhang Fangqiong’s eyes hadn’t changed.
“Junior Martial Brother Chen doesn’t undertake uncertain tasks. It’s just that we don’t fully understand it ourselves.”
Ge Hongjie thought back to the time in the Strange Wind Realm. At that time, Chen Fei’s cultivation was only at the Bone Tempering realm, yet he was able to sense the existence of nodes within the realm.
Such things, when spoken of now, were quite incredible, but Chen Fei had achieved them back then. There was also the matter of refining elixirs and rescuing them from Fang Qinghong’s grasp.
All these instances indicated Chen Fei’s extraordinariness. He couldn’t be viewed with the eyes of an ordinary disciple.
“Your Master said that if you need anything, remember to tell him,” Guo Linshan reminded.
“I will.”
Chen Fei nodded and lifted the cup of tea in his hand, offering a toast to Guo Linshan and the others, using tea instead of wine.
In a certain courtyard of the Primordial Sword Sect…
“Master?”
Zeng Zaiwen looked at his own Master, Huo Zhongdao, somewhat puzzled. He didn’t know why he had been suddenly summoned.
“How are your preparations for the duel with Chen Fei?”
Huo Zhongdao looked at Zeng Zaiwen. As his most outstanding disciple and the one most likely to break through to the Aperture Tempering realm, Huo Zhongdao had been closely monitoring Zeng Zaiwen’s progress.
“Even though he’s in the last position among the true disciples, even if his strength isn’t limited to that position, I’m confident of winning this duel!”
Zeng Zaiwen’s face lit up with a smile upon hearing it was about the duel.
The path of martial arts was never a calm and peaceful cultivation journey. It was accompanied by various struggles, be it for techniques or resources, for everything that could lead to improvement.
Zeng Zaiwen’s climb to the tenth position among the true disciples was the result of his gradual efforts. He had long forged a powerful and fearless heart, and he naturally didn’t believe he would lose.
Not only wouldn’t he lose, but he also aimed to win in a spectacular manner as a warning to those who dared to covet his position.
“Having such confidence is good. However, a lion pouncing on a hare still exerts its full strength. If Chen Fei dares to challenge you and has placed such a bet, it’s impossible without strength.” Huo Zhongdao advised.
“His strength goes beyond what he’s shown, and the same applies to me.” Zeng Zaiwen lifted his head slightly.
“I went out of my way to seek information about Chen Fei, to observe his growth trajectory. This young man indeed possesses extraordinary qualities. This battle might not be as straightforward as you imagine.”
Huo Zhongdao took out a stack of papers and handed them to Zeng Zaiwen.
Zeng Zaiwen accepted them with some confusion, flipping through the information. After a moment, his brows slightly furrowed. Setting aside other details, just the fact that Chen Fei was a Seventh Tier Pill Master was enough to surprise anyone.
Moreover, from the time he joined to now, his cultivation had advanced from the Bone Tempering realm to the Visceral Tempering realm, spanning two realms. He had transformed from a disciple who was relatively older to becoming a true disciple.
Age was no longer an issue, as cultivation at the Visceral Tempering realm at his age, while not particularly young, wasn’t related to being too old.
He even went to the Strange Wind Realm, a place where many had died. Chen Fei had ventured in with only the cultivation of the Bone Tempering realm, yet he had not only survived but also experienced a breakthrough.
“If Chen Fei dares to challenge you, it’s definitely not a baseless act.” Huo Zhongdao looked at Zeng Zaiwen, his tone serious.
“If you lose this duel, it’s likely that it will be remembered by everyone. Many years from now, your performance in this duel might still be brought up.”
Zeng Zaiwen’s heart tightened slightly. Just thinking about that scenario sent shivers down his spine. This would be an unparalleled entry in the history of the Primordial Sword Sect.
“In this battle, I will give my all and won’t underestimate him in the slightest!” Zeng Zaiwen declared loudly.
He had already decided to treat Chen Fei as a top-ten true disciple, giving his utmost effort without leaving any room for complacency.
With this approach, Zeng Zaiwen didn’t believe he would fail miserably.
“While having this determination is commendable, it’s still not enough.” Huo Zhongdao shook his head.
“Then what else should I do?” Zeng Zaiwen asked in confusion.
He was already treating Chen Fei as one of the top-ten true disciples. Wasn’t that enough? What more was needed?
“Continue to enhance your strength, so that Chen Fei has absolutely no chance of turning the tables!” Huo Zhongdao said, taking out a jade box from his pocket and handing it to Zeng Zaiwen.
Zeng Zaiwen glanced at his Master and then carefully opened the jade box.
Inside, he found a brilliant green fruit, sparkling and translucent. It was so tempting that he couldn’t help but salivate, wanting to take a bite.
“This is a Tempering Yin Fruit that 1 obtained recently. Consuming it will greatly benefit your mental power,” Huo Zhongdao said as he stroked his beard.
Zeng Zaiwen stared at the Tempering Yin Fruit, picked it up cautiously, looked at Huo Zhongdao for confirmation, and upon receiving a nod, he immediately popped the whole fruit into his mouth.
An extreme bitterness exploded in his mouth. Zeng Zaiwen instinctively swallowed it, but the bitterness didn’t dissipate. Instead, it spread directly into his sea of consciousness.
His entire sea of consciousness seemed to contract intensely due to this bitterness. Zeng Zaiwen’s mind went blank, and he forgot where he was.
“Calm your mind, sense the changes in your sea of consciousness!”
A voice resounded in Zeng Zaiwen’s ears like the tolling of a great bell. Zeng Zaiwen instinctively sat down cross-legged and began to comprehend the changes in his mental power, gradually immersing himself in his practice.
Huo Zhongdao watched Zeng Zaiwen’s practice and nodded slightly. When Huo Zhongdao obtained the Tempering Yin Fruit, he originally planned to gather other spiritual materials to refine it into a pill. However, upon learning about the upcoming duel, he decided to give Zeng Zaiwen the fruit.
If Zeng Zaiwen truly lost in the end, not only would his reputation be damaged, but Huo Zhongdao himself, as Zeng Zaiwen’s master, might also be remembered by history.
Huo Zhongdao couldn’t comprehend why someone like Chen Fei, who had just risen to the status of a true disciple, dared to challenge Zeng Zaiwen. Yet, since he was taking such a step, he must have his own confidence.
After all, Chen Fei’s master was Feng Xiupu, also a Aperture Tempering realm cultivator. There was no reason for Feng Xiupu not to prevent Chen Fei from doing this.
So, to be on the safe side, Huo Zhongdao had directly boosted Zeng Zaiwen’s mental power.
Mental power was crucial for potential breakthroughs into the Aperture Tempering realm, and it also played a critical role in the use of martial techniques. Strong mental power led to greater mastery over techniques, allowing one to uncover their subtleties. Elevating Zeng Zaiwen’s mental power would directly enhance his combat capabilities.
An hour later, Zeng Zaiwen opened his eyes. Feeling the growth in his mental power, a smile spread across his face. Using the Soaring Heaven Technique, Zeng Zaiwen’s figure permeated the entire hall.
While Zeng Zaiwen had achieved a similar state in the past, he had never been as relaxed and confident as he was today.
“Thank you for your gift, Master!”
After a while, Zeng Zaiwen appeared before Huo Zhongdao and bowed.
“Just don’t lose in this match!” Huo Zhongdao observed Zeng Zaiwen’s display of the Soaring Heaven Technique and nodded slightly.
Considering Zeng Zaiwen’s current mastery of this technique, he had a great chance of breaking into the top five among the true disciples. Dealing with Chen Fei shouldn’t pose too much of a problem.
“I won’t let you down, Master!”
Zeng Zaiwen declared loudly. In his current state, how could he possibly lose!
Three days flew by. Within the sect, discussions about the upcoming duel had been ongoing and had even intensified.
Before the appointed time, the martial arts arena was already surrounded by layers of onlookers. Compared to the last time Chen Fei dueled nine inner disciples, the number of spectators this time was even greater.
The arena was filled with the lively chatter of people discussing the potential scenarios of the upcoming duel and expressing their opinions.
The majority of people held a pessimistic view about Chen Fei. Although he had performed excellently in his last duel against inner disciples and had dominated the entire match, that was against inner disciples, and furthermore, those of the same cultivation level. Comparing that to true disciples, there was no basis for comparison.
Although some believed that since Chen Fei dared to challenge and had placed such a significant wager, he must have some backing and there might be a fierce struggle ahead.
However, these individuals were still in the minority. The strong belief in the top ten true disciples led more people to think that Chen Fei was somewhat arrogant to challenge someone of Zeng Zaiwen’s stature.
If Chen Fei were to challenge the fiftieth-ranked true disciple, others might have more confidence in him. But the tenth-ranked, that was a leap too far, crossing boundaries that might lead to overconfidence.
As the appointed time approached, a figure flashed from a distance and appeared on the martial arts arena in a matter of moments. It was Zeng Zaiwen.
Seeing Zeng Zaiwen’s appearance, enthusiastic cheers erupted from the spectators on the arena. After all, he was the tenth-ranked true disciple, and within the sect, he still enjoyed high levels of fame and admiration.
“Where is Chen Fei?” Zeng Zaiwen looked around and shouted loudly.
“Senior Brother Zeng!”
From among Guo Linshan and the others, Chen Fei stepped forward, leaped into the arena, and saluted Zeng Zaiwen.
“Using a bow and arrow?”
Zeng Zaiwen looked at Chen Fei with the longbow on his back and chuckled softly. He said, “Bows and arrows are useless against me. You might be disappointed!”
Chen Fei remained silent and turned to look at Ru Lutao.
“The contest ends when one side concedes!” Ru Lutao declared in a deep voice.
“Chen Fei. Please show me what you’ve got!” Chen Fei cupped his hands in a respectful gesture.
“Zeng Zaiwen. The same goes to you!” Zeng Zaiwen put away his smile and spoke with a serious tone.
“Whoosh!”
With the bowstring pulled back, an arrow shot forth like lightning, heading straight for Zeng Zaiwen. Zeng Zaiwen perceived the power contained within the arrow; it was indeed remarkable.
Even a peak Visceral Tempering realm cultivator would need to give their all to directly withstand such an arrow. But for Zeng Zaiwen, this alone was not enough to pose a threat.
“Boom!”
The arrow struck the formation in the martial arts arena with a heavy impact, startling the disciples watching from outside. Despite having witnessed the power of Chen Fei’s arrows before, the sight still sent shivers down their spines.
Zeng Zaiwen straightened his tilted head, watching several arrows fly toward him. With graceful movements, he effortlessly dodged each arrow.
As if taking a leisurely stroll, Zeng Zaiwen approached Chen Fei step by step.
None of the arrows aimed at him could touch even a strand of his hair. With each step Zeng Zaiwen took, an imposing aura pressed down on Chen Fei.
This aura was powerful enough to make some less determined archers feel immense mental pressure. After all, if your arrows can’t reach the target, what can you do?
Chen Fei’s expression remained unchanged. Arrows continued to be fired at Zeng Zaiwen with the same speed and rhythm.
“Although the bow and arrow are strong, they’re futile if they can’t hit the target!”
Yan Shijin observed the scene in the arena and murmured, “Moreover, Zeng Junior Brother’s footwork has improved significantly!”
Hearing Yan Shijin’s words, the others furrowed their brows. As members of the top ten true disciples, they were here to see how Zeng Zaiwen had progressed in the half-year since their last duel was approaching.
“I told you, bows and arrows are useless against me. Why don’t you listen?” Within moments, Zeng Zaiwen had closed the distance to within three meters of Chen Fei. He grinned as he looked at Chen Fei. In the next instant, he vanished from his original spot and reappeared in front of Chen Fei, thrusting a sword toward Chen Fei’s neck.
“Clang!”
The sound of blades clashing resonated. Somewhere along the line, a sword shield had appeared, blocking Zeng Zaiwen’s attack. Simultaneously, a force pushed back, causing a slight interruption in Zeng Zaiwen’s attack.
“Your footwork is impressive.”
Chen Fei looked at Zeng Zaiwen and remarked. The dozens of arrows Chen Fei had previously shot allowed him to quickly assess Zeng Zaiwen’s improved footwork.
With this exchange, the contest officially began!