Cultivation: Start From Simplifying Martial Arts Techniques

Chapter 443 - 443: Vicious Man

When Chen Fei challenged the list, Mi Xian had no knowledge of it because her position was extremely distant.

As an ordinary person, whether it was the spiritual treasures or the third-stage monster beast, the aura they unintentionally emitted was a tremendous mental pressure for ordinary people.

Thus, Mi Xian could only watch from afar until Chen Fei passed the third stage, and his aura resonated with the breathing technique in her sea of consciousness.

It was only at this moment that Mi Xian realized that the big brother who had taught her the technique a few days ago was also here to challenge the list today.

As a guide, Mi Xian would spontaneously gather various information, so she had gained a thorough understanding of the rules of the Hidden Dragon and Young Phoenix Ranking in these past few days.

Therefore, Mi Xian instantly understood what Chen Fei was doing at this moment, directly challenging the twenty-fourth position on the list. It seemed crazy, but subconsciously, Mi Xian was full of confidence in Chen Fei.

Mi Xian’s parents and her younger brother stood around, their expressions restrained. Only Mi Xian’s younger brother gazed at the distant Hidden Dragon and Young Phoenix Ranking with a hint of longing.

However, this longing gradually disappeared as he understood that with his martial talent, no matter how he trained or challenged the list, it would be futile.

Even gathering the required five low-grade elemental stones to challenge the list was a huge question for Mi Xian in this lifetime.

Mi Xian clenched her fists, silently cheering for Chen Fei.

Within the Hidden Dragon and Young Phoenix Ranking.

“Lu Zhongjing, please!” Lu Zhongjing looked at Chen Fei and respectfully extended his hand.

“Chen Fei, please!” Chen Fei also gestured with a hand.

As Chen Fei’s words fell, Lu Zhongjing’s figure swayed, disappearing from his original position, but he didn’t reappear in front of Chen Fei. Instead, his entire presence vanished instantly.

“Huff, huff, huff!”

The wind on the grassland suddenly became swift, causing the surrounding grass to roll wildly. Lu Zhongjing’s presence began to emerge, but it wasn’t in one specific place; it seemed to be coming from all directions.

Chen Fei remained composed, looking around with a faint glint in his eyes.

For most people facing this situation, the safest approach would be passive defense, waiting for Lu Zhongjing to reveal himself.

But for Chen Fei, who possessed the Star Gazing Art, the true location of Lu Zhongjing was immediately apparent.

“Bang!”

Chen Fei’s right foot stepped back, and he appeared to the left about a dozen steps away. The Qianyuan Sword trembled, its dark color covering the blade as it roared like a dragon and elephant. The sword’s tip had already pierced forward.

“Boom!”

Within a radius of tens of meters, the grass was instantly reduced to dust. Lu Zhongjing’s figure seemed to be forcibly smashed out of the void, and at this moment, he had completely lost control of his own body, involuntarily retreating backward.

Lu Zhongjing had been hiding in the shadows, pretending to be imposing while secretly building up power.

The Overbearing Heaven Rod, when unleashed, embodied immense strength. If there was an opportunity to accumulate power, its effectiveness could be enhanced further between techniques.

Unfortunately, Lu Zhongjing encountered Chen Fei, and before he could even begin to gather power, he was discovered. Chen Fei’s attack was incredibly powerful, far beyond what one would expect from someone at the Aperture Tempering realm.

The renowned Overbearing Heaven Rod was immediately put at a disadvantage with a single strike.

Chen Fei’s figure flashed, closely following Lu Zhongjing, and he thrust his sword again.

“Zhah!”

Suddenly, Lu Zhongjing let out a violent shout, and his entire body began to swell. His thick aura began to rise, causing the air around his body to tremble.

“Boom!”

The Qianyuan Sword clashed with the Overbearing Heaven Rod, creating a violent sound that sent dust flying in all directions. This time, Lu Zhongjing did not retreat; he withstood the tremendous force exerted by Chen Fei.

However, as a result of this clash, Lu Zhongjing’s arms, which held the rod, had several bloody wounds. These injuries weren’t caused by Chen Fei’s sword force but rather the enormous force generated when the two weapons collided, making it difficult for Lu Zhongjing’s body to withstand.

Lu Zhongjing’s sudden burst of power had increased his strength and body resilience, but it still fell short in comparison to Chen Fei. Chen Fei managed to absorb and endure all the rebounding force without any discomfort, whether in his muscles, bones, or internal organs.

A faint smile appeared at the corner of Chen Fei’s mouth. Indeed, Lu Zhongjing was very strong, much stronger than Xia Xiangyi.

If Xia Xiangyi were to face Lu Zhongjing, after a hundred moves, she would undoubtedly be severely injured. If she didn’t seize the opportunity to escape, she might meet a fatal end.

However, for Chen Fei, Lu Zhongjing’s strength was far from sufficient.

When martial artists engage in combat, especially those of the same level, victory is sometimes determined by a narrow margin. The higher that margin, the more definitive the life-or-death outcome. Chen Fei, however, was stronger than Lu Zhongjing by more than just a narrow margin.

“Boom, boom, boom!”

Five consecutive strikes, the Qianyuan Sword and the Overbearing Heaven Rod clashed without any elegance. The area within a hundred steps of where they stood was already covered in cracks, with not a blade of grass left intact.

Lu Zhongjing had been coughing up blood since catching the third strike, and by the time the fifth strike came, numerous wounds had appeared on the surface of his body. Simultaneously, he involuntarily took a step backward.

Chen Fei took a step forward with his left foot and thrust his sword again.

Lu Zhongjing made a strenuous effort to lift the Overbearing Heaven Rod in his hand, attempting to block Chen Fei’s attack. However, the tremendous force contained in the previous strikes was now crushing Lu Zhongjing’s body.

Lu Zhongjing was no longer able to control his body as easily as before. In battle, even a slight delay could become a significant vulnerability.

In the eyes of someone with Chen Fei’s level of cultivation, such a vulnerability was enough to seal victory.

“Chi!”

The Qianyuan Sword’s blade pierced directly through Lu Zhongjing’s chest, and his body stiffened abruptly. In the next moment, countless sword elements burst out from Lu Zhongjing’s body, and he disintegrated into dots of light, disappearing without a trace.

The 24th position on the Hidden Dragon and Young Phoenix Ranking had been effortlessly claimed by Chen Fei.

“Buzz!”

The surrounding elemental energy seemed to suddenly become gentle, gathering around Chen Fei and allowing him to absorb it. Not only elemental energy, but a medicinal pill appeared in front of Chen Fei out of thin air.

A faint medicinal fragrance filled the air, and with just one whiff, Chen Fei felt his mind relax slightly.

This was a medicinal pill that helped with mental recovery. It didn’t possess any breakthrough capabilities, but it was still a rare and precious elixir.

If given to other Aperture Tempering realm martial artists, consuming such a pill would directly boost their mental strength.

In the first three stages, each stage only provided a recovery of elemental energy. Once you truly reached the rankings, the difference in treatment became apparent.

Chen Fei reached out and took the pill but did not consume it. Instead, he stored it away.

The battle with Lu Zhongjing may have seemed intense, but in reality, both sides exchanged less than ten moves, and the fight had already ended. There was some depletion of elemental power, but the loss of mental strength was minimal.

Outside Haiyan City.

As Chen Fei defeated Lu Zhongjing and became the 24th ranked member of the Hidden Dragon and Young Phoenix Ranking, the entire mountain peak of the list trembled slightly.

Elemental energy surged from all directions, and there was even a faint echo of celestial music, as if congratulating the newcomer.

Seeing this scene, everyone outside Haiyan City was left stunned.

Just moments ago, not even a quarter of an hour had passed, and they were shaking their heads at Chen Fei’s reckless decision to challenge the 24th position.

However, now Chen Fei had not only successfully challenged it but also secured the 24th position on the Hidden Dragon and Young Phoenix Ranking.

The speed of this change was a challenge to their nerves.

Just a few days ago, no one from Haiyan City had made it onto the list, and today, they not only made it onto the list but also reached the 24th position. This sudden transformation was incredibly thrilling.

“Hahaha, he won, he won! Pay up, quick, pay up!” Someone suddenly burst into laughter and rushed to the front of the Precious Tempering Pavilion.

The people from the Precious Tempering Pavilion realized the truth just now. They didn’t lose; in fact, they made a substantial profit because very few people had bet on Chen Fei making it onto the list.

The reality was so surreal; not only did Chen Fei make it onto the list, but he also secured such a high position.

As for those who had bet against him, they now exchanged puzzled glances, unsure of how to describe their feelings at this moment.

Yan Zesong kept his eyes fixed on the Hidden Dragon and Young Phoenix Ranking, watching Chen Fei’s ranking, and involuntarily tightened his grip on the spirit sword in his hand.

Yan Zesong didn’t know what he was feeling. It was a mixture of shock and bewilderment. Clutching the sword blade tightly seemed to be the only way to calm his emotions a bit.

Further away, Mi Xian stared at the mountain peak with wide eyes, unable to find words, her excitement rendering her speechless. Despite her confidence in Chen Fei, seeing the events unfold in front of her filled Mi Xian with unprecedented joy.

It was as if the person who successfully challenged the list had become her, in a sense.

Mi Xian’s younger brother looked at his sister with some confusion. While it was indeed impressive that someone from Haiyan City had made it onto the list, he couldn’t understand why his sister was so excited. After all, it was someone else’s achievement.

Not only did the Hidden Dragon and Young Phoenix Ranking outside Haiyan City undergo changes, but similar changes occurred in the Hidden Dragon and Young Phoenix Rankings in other locations within the Thousand Feathers Alliance.

Chen Fei’s name appeared directly as the 24th on the Hidden Dragon and Young Phoenix Ranking. However, following Chen Fei’s request, the list only displayed his name and a rough likeness, with no additional information.

In other cities, people were surprised by the changes in the Hidden Dragon and Young Phoenix Ranking. They had no idea who this person named Chen Fei was, and how he had suddenly reached such a high position.

With Chen Fei’s inclusion on the list, the person who previously held the 30th position automatically dropped off.

In a cave mansion on a certain mountain peak, someone was sitting cross-legged, silently practicing their cultivation.

“Senior Brother, we have a problem! Someone has replaced your name on the Hidden Dragon and Young Phoenix Ranking!” an anxious voice shouted loudly outside the cave mansion.

“Who replaced my name?” Rao Chengwan opened his eyes, and they gleamed with dazzling sword intent.

“Xing Pengbo!”

“Isn’t Xing Pengbo ranked 29th?” Rao Chengwan was slightly surprised.

“Yes, he’s now 30th. There’s someone named Chen Fei who jumped directly to the 24th position. You’ve all dropped a rank.”

Rao Chengwan fell into a moment of silence.. Where did this formidable individual come from? To immediately jump to this position upon entering the list!