Now This Was Interesting

Amidst countless horrified gazes that nearly popped out of their sockets, Chen Fan's seemingly fair and slender hand steadily and deftly enveloped Tuo Bashan's fist.

The latter's terrifying power, capable of shattering Stars, vanished without a trace the moment it made contact with the sea, like a clay ox sinking into the ocean.

Time seemed to stand still at this moment.

"Not enough."

Chen Fan looked at the astonished Tuo Bashan and said softly with a smile.

Then, he casually twisted the wrist that was holding Tuo Bashan's fist.

A sensation that defies description flowed gently down my arm.

Tuo Bashan's towering body was completely unable to resist in the slightest after this turn.

He felt as if he had been sucked into a cosmic black hole, all his power and all his will were stripped away in an instant.

Then, under the deathly silence of the entire audience, Chen Fan simply pressed down on Tuo Bashan's fist, as if throwing a sack of potatoes.

"Boom!!"

Tuo Bashan's burly body traced a perfect parabola before he was slammed solidly into the incredibly hard White Jade Plaza beneath him.

A clearly visible, human-shaped crater suddenly appeared before everyone's eyes.

The entire venue was deathly silent.

Everyone was stunned into a blank mind by this swift and unexpected scene.

The instructor leading the team from the Nine Provinces Martial Academy stared wide-eyed, unable to close his mouth for a long time.

The composure and confidence on the faces of the Prodigies from the Heavenly Sword Martial Academy and Canghai Martial Academy turned into shock and bewilderment at this moment.

Even Old Freak Wang, whose eyes were usually gleaming with sharp light, showed a deep sense of seriousness.

However, the expected screams did not occur.

Just when everyone thought that Tuo Bashan would be seriously injured even if he didn't die, a deafening burst of maniacal laughter suddenly erupted from the human-shaped crater.

"Ha ha ha ha!!"

"Great! Great! That's more like it! That's more like it!!"

Tuo Bashan leaped out of the pit, completely unharmed except for some dust. Far from being angry, he was filled with unbridled joy, his eyes shining like two suns as he looked at Chen Fan.

"Chen Fan, you... you've really become stronger than before! Much stronger!"

This scene completely shattered the psychological defenses of all the Prodigies present.

With a single punch, he slammed the physically unparalleled Tuo Bashan into the ground, yet instead of being angry, the opponent was overjoyed?

What the hell is this monster?

Countless gazes once again focused on the boy who still had his hands in his sleeves, as if he had only done something insignificant.

They desperately tried to probe his depth with their Divine Thought, only to find in despair that his aura was perfectly balanced and restrained, like a bottomless Abyss, and they could not detect any fluctuations in his cultivation at all.

This unknown mystery, coupled with its known power, cast a heavy shadow over the hearts of all the proud and arrogant young people.

"Ahem... Well, guests from afar are always welcome!"

The instructor leading the team from the Nine Provinces Martial Academy finally realized what was happening and quickly stepped forward, laughing it off.

"Please, you must be tired from your journey. Your accommodations have been arranged. Please, please follow me!"

That evening.

Inside the independent courtyards prepared by the Nine Provinces Martial Academy for each university.

Chen Fan, Shen Xuan, Su Qingyue, and Tuo Bashan sat around a stone table.

A year had passed since they last met. Shen Xuan still had the gentle and refined appearance of a young master, but the sharpness between his brows was even more pronounced. Su Qingyue was still as aloof as ever, but her aura was becoming increasingly ethereal, as if she might merge into the moonlight at any moment. Tuo Bashan, on the other hand, was even more robust, his Qi and Blood so strong that it was almost tangible.

The three of them are now leading figures among the new generation of their respective academies, and their cultivation has all reached the Sixth Grade Undying Realm.

At this moment, the three stood side by side, their eyes fixed intently on Chen Fan, who was leisurely sipping his tea. Their high fighting spirit was self-evident.

"Chen Fan, regarding tomorrow's match," Shen Xuan said, waving his folding fan with a gentle smile, but his words were like a drawn sword, their sharpness concealed, "We won't be as polite as Tuo Bashan."

Tuo Bashan chuckled to himself, while Su Qingyue remained silent, but a fierce fire burned within her clear, cold eyes.

Faced with the challenge from his three close friends who had already reached the Undying Realm, Chen Fan simply put down his teacup, looked up at them, and smiled.

"I'll be waiting."

Chen Fan's words, "I'm waiting," were calm and gentle, yet seemed to possess a peculiar magic, instantly calming the three soaring fighting spirits beside the stone table, transforming them into a tacit understanding.

Shen Xuan shook his folding fan helplessly, letting out a barely audible bitter laugh.

Looking at Chen Fan's nonchalant and relaxed demeanor, as if he were simply waiting for tomorrow's outing, he couldn't help but tease him.

"You haven't changed at all, still as infuriating as ever. The three of us trained hard for a year, without sleep or rest, and we felt like we were finally about to catch a glimpse of you, but as soon as we met, you disappeared to a place we couldn't even see."

His words carried a hint of complaint, but more so the familiar teasing between friends.

"Haha! Now that's more interesting!"

Tuo Bashan, however, paid no attention. He slammed his large, fan-like hand on the stone table, making the teacups on it bounce slightly. He grinned, revealing a set of snow-white teeth, and his laughter was as loud as a bell.

"If we caught up with him so easily, what kind of Chen Fan would he be!"

He leaned forward, his incredibly bright eyes fixed on Chen Fan, his fighting spirit burning fiercely once more. "I won't hold back tomorrow! Our Nine Provinces Martial Academy's Overlord Body Path excels at trading injury for life! Even if you knock me down with one punch, I'll show you its power!"

Su Qingyue, who had been silent all along, picked up the teacup in front of her.

The cool moonlight reflected in her deep eyes, as if tinged with a chill. She parted her lips slightly, her voice as clear and sharp as ever, each word distinct:

"My Mental Power has also improved considerably. Tomorrow, I'd like to try and see if I can shake your Divine Soul."

One is a physical battle, the other a clash of Divine Souls.

Completely different, yet equally resolute.

Chen Fan listened attentively, his gaze sweeping over his three resolute-looking friends in turn. There was no scrutiny from the powerful figures in his eyes, only pure satisfaction.

He smiled and nodded, his voice sincere. "I'm glad you've all found the path that suits you best, and you're all doing very well. The path of Martial Dao should be diverse and vibrant, full of unique talents. That way, you won't feel alone."

His words were humble and sincere, without the slightest hint of condescension, just like a companion genuinely happy to see his friends achieve success.

This sincerity warmed the hearts of Shen Xuan and the other two. The tense competitive mentality caused by the difference in strength also relaxed without them realizing it, and was replaced by the warmth of a long-awaited reunion.