A Sudden Surprise, and an Unintended Effort Bears Fruit

Chen Xiaofan was delighted to discover that just one second after swallowing the pill, the exhaustion that had built up in his body over several days was completely swept away!

After all, he had traveled nonstop for days and crossed such a vast, towering mountain range. Though he had sometimes used Sword Riding Flight along the way, Sword Riding Flight consumed even more stamina. Yet with just one pill, all his energy was fully restored, and he was brimming with vitality, back at his peak!

All his weariness and drowsiness vanished without a trace!

He had not expected this pill to be so effective!

Sure enough, a cave beneath a cliff was bound to hold a fortuitous encounter!

Chen Xiaofan was overjoyed by his own wisdom!

Then, he stored away the remaining pills, intending to take one whenever he ran low on strength.

Just then, the madman suddenly grabbed a sword and began wildly hacking at the wall.

"Crack! Crack! Crack!"

He slashed at the wall again and again, sending sparks flying everywhere.

As he hacked, he cursed madly, "I'll chop you to death! Scorpion! I'll chop you to death!"

Chen Xiaofan could only shake his head.

Alas, this man was truly pitiful.

He was randomly hacking at scorpions here for no reason. He must have been hallucinating.

Still, judging by his swordsmanship, his movements were orderly and precise. Every slash erupted with a faint, profound gleam, making the technique seem quite exquisite.

At that moment, a surprise appeared.

Because you observed the Cangwu Five Elements Sword and comprehended its essence, after a brief period of thought, you extracted its core principles and comprehended the Cangyou Dragon Sword!

"Oh?" Sometimes, surprises really did come out of nowhere. An unintended effort had borne fruit.

Delighted, Chen Xiaofan continued watching.

Because you observed the Cangwu Five Elements Sword for the second time and combined it with the Cangyou Dragon Sword, you created the Lightning Cangyou Dragon Sword!

Because you observed the Cangwu Five Elements Sword for the third time and combined it with the Lightning Cangyou Dragon Sword, you created the Five Thunder Orthodox Divine Sword!

Because you observed the Cangwu Five Elements Sword for the fourth time... you created the Thunder Nine Heavens Divine Sword!

Unwilling to remain as you were, you continued to think deeply and successfully discovered the flaw in the Cangwu Five Elements Sword. You eliminated the flaw in the Thunder Nine Heavens Divine Sword, greatly increasing its power until it reached Grandmaster Peak!

You continued to think deeply and successfully fused the Cangyou Dragon Sword and the Cold Ice Phoenix Harmony Divine Sword perfectly, creating an entirely new sword technique that required no Internal Energy—the Beacon Tower Divine Sword!

Chen Xiaofan was hit by one pleasant surprise after another!

It felt like stacking buffs, layering martial arts techniques one atop another and causing their power to soar!

If he kept adding layers like this, would he not eventually create an unparalleled ultimate art?

The more Chen Xiaofan thought about it, the more delighted he became. Heaven-Defying Comprehension truly did not disappoint him!

Suddenly, the madman seemed to have grown tired and stopped, though he still shouted, "Scorpion, don't move! I'll chop you to death!"

Chen Xiaofan could not help but sigh.

He was mad. Completely mad.

Still, no matter what, he had gained something from this man. He might as well try to save him. Besides, the pills were not his anyway.

Treating a dead horse as though it were alive, Chen Xiaofan took out a pill and flicked it lightly with his fingertip. The pill shot toward the man.

"Ah—"

The man was still shouting when the pill entered his mouth and slid down his throat.

He abruptly shut his mouth, then collapsed onto the ground with a thud. Gradually, he stopped moving.

Chen Xiaofan did not know whether the pill could truly cure him, but its effects were extraordinarily potent. It should be of some use, at least.

If he could help, then he would lend a hand. If he truly could not, there was nothing more he could do.

About the time it took to drink a cup of tea later, the man slowly woke up. Looking around, he suddenly burst into tears of joy and let out a long sigh. "I... I'm not dead? I'm not dead?"

Chen Xiaofan said, "I saved you. Who are you, and why are you here?"

A moment later, Chen Xiaofan learned that this man was from the Tiangang Sect. His name was Du Bingzhao. Several months ago, disciples from his sect had passed through this mountain range and unfortunately died in the jaws of Man-eating Scorpions. When the sect master learned of it, he was furious and sent Du Bingzhao to lead a team to exterminate the Man-eating Scorpions. In the end, this was what had happened.

"I see." Chen Xiaofan nodded.

"Ahhh! So many of my fellow disciples died, yet that scorpion is still alive and well! I have failed the sect master! I might as well die!" Du Bingzhao cried in anguish, lifting his foot and charging toward the wall, ashamed enough to smash his head against it and kill himself.

Chen Xiaofan said calmly, "The scorpion is already dead."

What?

Du Bingzhao trembled all over and froze.

"I'll say it again. The scorpion is already dead," Chen Xiaofan repeated.

Du Bingzhao turned his head in disbelief and stared blankly at him. After a long while, he opened his mouth and asked in a trembling voice, "Wh... who killed it?"

"I did." Chen Xiaofan pointed to the sword in his hand.

Du Bingzhao's body stiffened, utterly shocked.

"You? Th-this... judging by your appearance, you should only be around seven or eight years old. You can really kill a Man-eating Scorpion?"

"You should know that everyone I brought with me died. Every single one of them was a Xiantian Peak expert..."

Chen Xiaofan cut him off and said calmly, "Look at this."

A razor-sharp venomous stinger, glinting with dazzling cold light, appeared before Du Bingzhao.

Du Bingzhao felt his mind explode as if struck by a bolt from the blue.

He recognized that thing!

It was the venomous stinger of that Man-eating Scorpion. He would never forget it, even in death. That very stinger had killed all his fellow disciples that day. The horrifyingly bloody scene had frightened him mad on the spot, causing him to collapse, foam at the mouth, and lose consciousness.

Chen Xiaofan then unbuttoned his outer garment and showed him the armor on his chest.

"This... I believe you, I believe you!"

Du Bingzhao was convinced!

"My sincerest apologies. It was not that I did not believe you just now, but this is simply too shocking. A seven-year-old child actually killed a Great Grandmaster-level Man-eating Scorpion all by himself? Heavens, don't tell me you're a Great Grandmaster!"

"A seven-year-old Great Grandmaster—if word got out, the entire world would be in an uproar!" Du Bingzhao said, trembling from head to toe in utter shock!

Chen Xiaofan said nothing.

It was only that the martial arts he cultivated possessed the power of Grandmaster Peak. His Heaven-Defying Comprehension was simply too powerful; he did not need his own cultivation or even Internal Energy to wield martial arts of that level. It was truly heaven-defying to the extreme, so it was perfectly normal for others to mistake him for a Great Grandmaster.

Once he obtained an internal cultivation method someday, he could raise his cultivation.

"Bang!"

Du Bingzhao clasped his fists and bowed. "May I ask your honorable name, brother?!"

"Chen Xiaofan," Chen Xiaofan said calmly.

"Brother Chen's great name is like thunder to my ears. To be honest, I would like to invite you to join our Tiangang Sect. With you among us, our Tiangang Sect will surely rise to greatness and prosper—"

"No need." Chen Xiaofan interrupted him. "I already have someone in mind as my master: True Man Zhang of Wudang."

"Uh..." Du Bingzhao felt as though he had been choked.

That was right. How could someone as extraordinarily gifted as a seven-year-old Great Grandmaster possibly think highly of them?

"I was too presumptuous. Then let me change my request and invite you to visit the Tiangang Sect as a guest. That way, I can repay you properly and welcome you," Du Bingzhao said.

"That is possible. But is the route from your Tiangang Sect to Wudang along the way? If not, I will not go." After thinking for a moment, Chen Xiaofan said this.

"It is along the way. Once we leave the cave tomorrow morning, our Tiangang Sect is just twenty li ahead. It is on the way!" Du Bingzhao said earnestly.

Chen Xiaofan nodded. "Then that works out perfectly."

Nothing happened that night, and the two went to sleep.

The next day, just as they stepped out of the cave, a black, sharp object suddenly came hurtling down at Du Bingzhao's face!