Chapter 207: The Promise
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
In a duel against the tenth-ranked true disciple, he emerged unscathed. Of course, Chen Fei’s refined steel sword shattered, but at most, it was just a matter of the blade being inadequate.
Rumors had it that Chen Fei’s stake in this duel was a half-spirit sword that was about to take shape. It was precisely because of this half-spirit sword that Zeng Zaiwen couldn’t resist the temptation and accepted this challenge.
But no one mocked Zeng Zaiwen, as anyone in his shoes would likely be enticed by such a stake. A challenge from a lower-ranked true disciple, offering a half-spirit sword as the prize, no matter how you looked at it, seemed like a gift-
Of course, while it seemed like a gift initially, looking at it now, it was clear that Chen Fei’s strength surpassed others, and he had full confidence, which was why he dared to challenge Zeng Zaiwen.
With a single sword, he defeated the enemy, leaving Zeng Zaiwen heavily injured. Among all the true disciples of the Primordial Sword Sect, very few could achieve such a feat.
Guo Linshan and his companions wore smiles on their faces. They had been quite worried moments ago, considering Chen Fei’s sword was about to break. But the situation had turned around in an instant. Chen Fei defeated Zeng Zaiwen with a single strike, surprising everyone.
Hundreds of meters away, Huo Zhongdao had already disappeared. With Zeng Zaiwen injured, Huo Zhongdao naturally hurried to check on him and provide treatment to prevent any lingering effects that might hinder his breakthrough to a higher cultivation realm.
Feng Xiupu stood in place, his gaze fixed on Chen Fei, a smile playing on his lips. Achieving such a level in refining the Zhongyuan Sword in such a short time was remarkable.
It could be said that the entire sect had witnessed Chen Fei’s extraordinary talent. As a result, the sect’s protection of Chen Fei was bound to reach a new level.
The situation where Chen Fei had been nearly abandoned in the past would definitely not repeat itself.
In the martial arena, Chen Fei respectfully saluted the disciples around him, eliciting cheers from the crowd. Those who cultivated always admired the strong, and Chen Fei’s displayed strength was enough to earn their admiration.
Chen Fei smiled faintly and headed towards the Hall of True Transmission, retrieving the Qianyuan Sword he had placed there.
It was estimated that Chen Fei’s position would remain in the top ten of the true disciples for the upcoming months. After witnessing Chen Fei’s strength, the few true disciples who ranked higher than him were unlikely to accept any challenges.
In any case, they would have to delay until the semi-annual competition. Otherwise, the resources provided by the sect during these months would go to waste, wouldn’t they?
And indeed, the situation unfolded just as Chen Fei had expected. The true disciples around the martial arena, especially the top ten, were all considering staying secluded in the coming months to avoid running into Chen Fei and getting cornered.
Regarding the sword that Chen Fei had just displayed, not many dared claim they could have taken the blow head-on. Chen Fei’s understanding of the Zhongyuan Sword had reached an exceptionally high level.
Perhaps the true disciples who practiced the Giant Spirit Sword technique could engage Chen Fei in combat, but there was a rather awkward problem – Chen Fei’s footwork was exceptional.
Compared to Zeng Zaiwen, Chen Fei’s footwork was only slightly weaker. When the Zhongyuan Force Field was activated, Chen Fei’s footwork even surpassed that of Zeng Zaiwen.
Although the profound Giant Spirit Sword technique could tear through the Zhongyuan Force Field, the disadvantage in footwork couldn’t be compensated for, making things very awkward in an actual fight.
The margin for error was too slim; a slight misstep could lead to defeat, and the probability of losing was too high. It was better not to take the risk.
An hour later, the result of this duel had spread throughout every corner of the Primordial Sword Sect. Compared to Chen Fei’s previous solo battle against nine inner disciples, his victory over Zeng Zaiwen this time had undoubtedly garnered much more influence.
Not all disciples attended the martial arena events, so as news spread, Chen Fei’s fame soared even higher, nearly rivaling the top true disciple.
Many believed that a few months later, in the true disciple competition, Chen Fei had a strong chance of claiming the first position. At the very least, he was sure to secure a spot in the top three.
The reason was simple: Chen Fei’s talent, as displayed in this battle, was truly exceptional.
Perhaps many inner disciples didn’t grasp the significance of Chen Fei’s strike at that moment, but after an hour of contemplation and explanations from some individuals, many disciples understood that it represented mastering the essence of the Zhongyuan Sword technique.
In a few months, to reach such a level in refining the true disciple techniques Chen Fei would undoubtedly become extraordinary.
Through these two battles, Chen Fei’s image in the eyes of most inner disciples had completely transformed.
He changed from a disciple who lucked into his true disciple status to a peerless talent, someone who, through his own efforts, had stepped into the realm of true discipleship.
That was the reality, straightforward and undeniable.
With these two battles, Chen Fei had won the hearts of the majority of inner disciples.
Not only the inner disciples, but even the true disciples, held a mix of envy and jealousy toward Chen Fei. Talent was something every martial artist coveted, and considering the remarkable talent Chen Fei displayed, the sentiment was even stronger.
Beyond the disciples, the elders within the Primordial Sword Sect were also aware of this matter.
After all, it was a competition among true disciples, and it was an attention-grabbing spectacle—a bottom-ranked disciple challenging the tenth-ranked. Moreover, Chen Fei emerged victorious, using the Zhongyuan Sword to strike down his opponent in a single blow.
The significance here was indeed noteworthy.
As long as Chen Fei was nurtured properly and his talent remained consistent, even if it required special arrangements, the sect would propel him to the Aperture Tempering realm.
Moreover, the Master of the Hall of True Transmission, Zhou Cunshan, explicitly mentioned that when Chen Fei accepted the transmission of the true disciple heritage, his mental and spiritual prowess had been notable. This indicated that Chen Fei’s probability of breaking through to the Aperture Tempering realm was extremely high.
The entire Primordial Sword Sect was abuzz due to Chen Fei’s recent competition. As for Chen Fei himself, he had packed his belongings and had been notified to move into the residence of the tenth-ranked true disciple.
Chen Fei didn’t specifically bring the miniature waterfall from his previous residence since he had noticed a simulated waterfall in the courtyard during his last visit to deliver the challenge letter.
With a little modification, he could use it for refining the Zhongyuan Sword.
As Chen Fei formally moved into the residence of the tenth-ranked true disciple, some true disciples began to pay him visits. Chen Fei received them with a welcoming smile.
After a while, those visitors left, leaving behind a table full of gifts.
While there were no spiritual materials, the gifts consisted of beneficial cultivation pills. For ordinary disciples at the initial stages of the Visceral Tempering realm, these were valuable items. However, for the current Chen Fei, they were somewhat negligible.
When he initially moved into the residence of the bottom-ranked true disciple, aside from a few familiar faces, no other true disciples paid him a visit. Yet just now, nearly thirty true disciples had come.
This was the change brought about by his growing strength—a reality that was both practical and reasonable.
If you weren’t important, why would others try to get close to you? Besides a few sincere friends, most people who got close to you were probably attracted by certain qualities you possessed.
Chen Fei tidied up his belongings, closed the door, and walked into the backyard, where a hot spring pool came into view.
Compared to the hot springs in the Immortal Cloud City inn, the one before him seemed more rustic. However, Chen Fei wasn’t concerned about that; as long as he could cultivate, other details were secondary.
Step by step, Chen Fei entered the hot spring, and in the next moment, his head was fully immersed in the water.
The insights of the Suppressing Dragon Elephant technique began to appear in Chen Fei’s mind. A surge of vital energy flowed out from his Receival Bead and entered his body.
The Receival Bead instantly withered; due to the increase in his mental and spiritual prowess, Chen Fei was now operating the Receival Bead at full capacity, absorbing a wave of vital energy into his body.
This method of absorption was more efficient than before, resulting in a considerable increase in the amount of vital energy absorbed.
As the Suppressing Dragon Elephant technique gradually circulated, Chen Fei’s body began undergoing subtle changes.
Days turned into nights, and before he knew it, several days had passed.
Aside from receiving some true disciples who came to visit him, Chen Fei’s cultivation had been proceeding meticulously. The Qianyuan Sword was rapidly undergoing transformation, and in another twenty or so days, it should be ready to become a half-spirit sword.
The Suppressing Dragon Elephant technique had reached the mastery level several months ago. Now, with ongoing recovery cultivation, it was advancing bit by bit toward perfection.
After each session of cultivation, Chen Fei could sense the subtle changes in his body. Since he had obtained this technique back in Pingyin County, it had continually displayed its mystical aspects as he practiced.
Chen Fei’s combat strength relied heavily on the Suppressing Dragon Elephant technique, and as his proficiency in the technique improved, his overall strength continued to grow.
The earlier part of the Zhongyuan Sword technique had already reached perfection, and now it was advancing towards the stage of great perfection.
With each bit of progress after reaching perfection, Chen Fei could subtly perceive an enhancement in his control over the Zhongyuan Force Field. When he truly mastered the Zhongyuan Sword technique to the state of great perfection, it should bring him a great surprise when he demonstrated it.
“Here are today’s medicinal ingredients.”
Chi Defeng took a deep breath and handed the medicinal ingredients to Chen Fei. Every time he visited this courtyard, Chi Defeng could feel his muscles and bones relaxing.
According to Chen Fei, this was a natural reaction due to the concentrated vital energy.
Chen Fei glanced at the medicinal ingredients and then placed them aside.
Although he had been busy with cultivation lately, he hadn’t neglected alchemy. After all, it was a way to earn money, and he was earning quite a bit from it.
In the Immortal Cloud City, many valuable items were not easily obtained with money, but that didn’t mean money was useless. As long as one was willing to spend more, spiritual materials could be purchased. Even the aged medicinal herbs could be obtained by adding a premium to the price.
Chen Fei had finally saved up fifty thousand silver taels recently and intended to return it to Feng Xiupu.
However, Feng Xiupu had immediately chased him out when he tried to give it to him. It was the first time Chen Fei had been so unceremoniously kicked out by Feng Xiupu, which had left him laughing wryly at the time.
“By the way, Elder Si came to me yesterday. He wanted me to tell you that you should find him soon. He might be leaving the Immortal Cloud City in the near future.”
Chi Defeng took a sip of tea and looked at Chen Fei.
Chen Fei was slightly taken aback, and his first thought was whether Si Yuanhai had been found again by his disciple Yan Dequan.
The possibility was high, considering Yan Dequan had managed to find his way to the Immortal Cloud City from afar. If Si Yuanhai wanted to escape Yan Dequan’s pursuit, it would be incredibly difficult.
Si Yuanhai had managed to hold on for a few months, which was quite remarkable. Now that he intended to leave the Immortal Cloud City, he probably remembered their agreement from before – the one where he promised to teach Chen Fei how to enter the Strange Heart Realm.
Recently, Chen Fei had been so engrossed in cultivation that he hadn’t been in a rush to think about the Strange Heart Realm.
However, now that Si Yuanhai was leaving, Chen Fei naturally needed to meet him and learn the method to enter and exit the Strange Heart Realm.
The pervasive aura within the Strange Heart Realm could taint a cultivator’s mental and spiritual powers, but as long as the powers were strong and resilient enough, it could even serve as a tempering effect..