Ximen Chuixue Admits Defeat

At this moment, Ximen Chuixue only felt the Internal Energy within his body surging vast and mighty, like towering waves rolling on without end, with an overwhelming momentum.

If he were to spar with this prodigy, even if he lost, he would still gain many insights.

He looked at Chen Xiaofan, cupped his fists, and said, "Young friend, senior, may I ask your name?"

He did not know the other party's name, but since the other party was young, calling him young friend was not inappropriate. However, on the path of cultivation, the accomplished came first, so it was better to add "senior" afterward.

"Chen Xiaofan." Chen Xiaofan returned the salute.

"So you are Senior Chen, young friend. You heard it just now—so many people want you to prove yourself. Would you be willing to fight me? To speak from the heart, I too very much wish to exchange blows with you. I hope you will not hesitate to enlighten me." Ximen Chuixue cupped his fists, his attitude friendly.

"Of course." The other party was very friendly, so Chen Xiaofan naturally would not refuse.

"Good. Then you must be careful of this sword strike." Ximen Chuixue smiled faintly, giving others the feeling of a spring breeze washing over them.

As soon as he finished speaking, he attacked directly.

Chen Xiaofan did not know what move he had used; his first impression was simply that it was fast.

That sword seemed like a bolt of lightning, swift to the absolute extreme.

In a flash, it arrived right before him.

"This... so fast!"

"What incredible speed!"

Huang Yaoshi and the others' expressions changed.

Ye Gucheng's expression also changed. He had cultivated Sword Skill for so many years, yet he had never seen such a swift sword strike. Worthy indeed of Ximen Chuixue!

"Crack!"

Chen Xiaofan only felt the sword light before him gleam with a chilling, eye-piercing sharpness.

Its speed was like thunder, as though a thunderbolt were striking down at him.

Even the air was tearing apart with sharp shrieks!

Chen Xiaofan remained fearless in the face of danger and slashed out with his sword!

Invincible Jade Flute Xingyi Sword!

"Crack!"

Two streaks of lightning intertwined, and the ground exploded in an instant. Thick smoke rose once more, billowing like battlefield smoke.

In that instant, everyone heard the piercing sound of a sharp weapon breaking. Immediately afterward, they saw a figure fly backward.

"Hiss! This..."

"Ximen Chuixue lost!"

"What kind of monster is this child? The victor was decided in a single move!"

The entire scene erupted in uproar!

The figure flying backward was none other than Ximen Chuixue. He flew back like a cannonball and crashed viciously into a peach tree, looking utterly bedraggled.

Meanwhile, Chen Xiaofan slowly sheathed his sword. The blade in his hand gradually slid into the scabbard at his waist, his movements graceful and unrestrained, flowing as one.

"Thank you, Young Friend Chen, for showing mercy!"

Ximen Chuixue climbed to his feet and cupped his fists.

He had clearly felt just now that the other party had not used his full strength. Otherwise, being sent flying would have been the least of it.

He might very well have already suffered internal injuries.

"However..." His tone suddenly shifted. "I still have one Sword Skill. Young Friend Chen, be careful."

Whoosh!

He raised a hand and used his fingers as a sword, thrusting forward. At once, the air rang with crackling, tearing whistles.

The air currents surged like spring thunder exploding.

In the blink of an eye, eighteen waves of sword-like air currents stabbed toward Chen Xiaofan.

"This is... Sword-Finger Qi Transformation!"

"I heard Ximen Chuixue possesses a strange Sword Skill that can use Internal Energy to stir the air currents and condense them into sword qi, with power no less than genuine sword qi!"

"I heard of it too. This is one of his strongest ultimate techniques. I never expected him to use it. It is enough to show just how profound this little child's cultivation is!"

The surroundings erupted in commotion again.

Ye Gucheng, Huang Yaoshi, and the others were all shocked inwardly.

This Sword Skill was far from ordinary. Without even using a sword, he commanded all things as swords—he had nearly grasped the true essence of the sword path!

Chen Xiaofan's expression did not change. He suddenly scooped up a large handful of small stones from the ground, then activated the Finger Flicking Heaven-Shaking Violet Lightning Divine Skill. With a whoosh, they shot out explosively!

"Whoosh!" "Whoosh!"

"Whoosh!" "Whoosh!" "Whoosh!"

The handful of small stones fired out all at once, like ten thousand swords launching together, meeting the Sword-Finger Qi Transformation head-on!

"Crack!"

"Crack, crack..."

The small stones collided with the sword qi, which shattered like fragile bubbles under the barrage!

"Rumble!"

Countless explosions rang out amid the air currents!

With the explosions, all eighteen streams of sword qi vanished into thin air.

"He won!"

"Who would have thought that a child of seven or eight could defeat Ximen Chuixue!"

"This is unbelievable, utterly unbelievable!"

Ye Gucheng drew in three sharp breaths, feeling as if he were in a dream!

Huang Yaoshi was equally astonished, but he hurriedly restrained his excited expression and did not let it show.

After all, Chen Xiaofan was now his "disciple." Naturally, he could not let Ye Gucheng notice anything amiss.

As Chen Xiaofan won, he actually straightened his chest high, his face glowing with pride.

It was as though Chen Xiaofan truly were his disciple.

"I lost!" As the person involved, although Ximen Chuixue had lost, there was nothing he could not accept. For those who cultivated, victory and defeat were commonplace and not worth dwelling on.

"Brother Ximen, you are too courteous. Your Sword Skill is formidable. Given time, you will surely ascend to the very pinnacle." Chen Xiaofan said with a smile.

The other party was friendly, so he did not mind offering a few compliments.

Ximen Chuixue took it calmly and laughed. "Haha, Young Friend Chen is a good person, worthy of deep friendship!"

Then he searched around on his person and took out a pill, a brand-new sword, and a jade-green lotus seed.

"Young Friend Chen, I obtained this pill and lotus seed from a fortuitous encounter in a cave not long ago. Since I lost to you, I will give them to you as gifts. As for this sword, I see that the sword in your hand is an ordinary iron sword and may not last much longer. This one is forged from refined iron; its sharpness and durability far surpass your sword. Do not stand on ceremony with me. It is yours."

Seeing this, Chen Xiaofan did not stand on ceremony and accepted them all.

Yet he was somewhat surprised inwardly. This Ximen Chuixue truly was not bad, worthy of deep friendship.

"Ahem!" Ye Gucheng suddenly coughed. "A wager is a wager. This is my compensation!"

He untied a pouch from his waist, took out three items, and handed them to Chen Xiaofan.

Chen Xiaofan lowered his head to look. One was a golden dagger, gleaming with cold light and incomparably sharp.

The other two were pill formulas, one for a "Qi Replenishing Pill" and the other for a "Nine-Leaf Pill."

Chen Xiaofan was immediately overjoyed.

To be honest, pills might be gone once eaten, but pill formulas were different—they could be used to produce pills in batches!

With pill formulas in hand, it was equivalent to having endless reserves of medicinal pills!

This dagger was extraordinary as well. One glance was enough to tell that it was priceless!

After giving the items, Ye Gucheng let out a long sigh. "I was wrong just now—completely and utterly wrong. I never expected that, despite your young age, Brother Chen, you would possess such cultivation. No wonder you are a disciple under Huang Yaoshi!"

He turned toward Huang Yaoshi and gave him a respectful salute.

"Senior Huang, I was greatly disrespectful earlier. I now offer you my apology!"

Huang Yaoshi's feelings were complicated, so he could only smile and nod.

Yet his gaze remained fixed on Chen Xiaofan.

The martial arts of my Peach Blossom Island have become so enormously powerful in this child's hands. It is truly hard to believe!

It seems only this child can carry forward the legacy of my Peach Blossom Island!

As for disciples such as Lu Chengfeng and Mei Chaofeng, they were filled with delight. They had never expected their master to be hiding such a genius Junior Disciple!

"Everyone, this little brother has already reached the Great Grandmaster realm at such a young age. He is truly a rare genius seen only once in a hundred years. I can already imagine the day when his name shakes the martial world!" Ximen Chuixue said to everyone with a smile.

"Indeed. To possess such powerful cultivation at such a young age truly puts us to shame. In the future, he will surely have a place in the martial world!" Ye Gucheng said as well, completely convinced.

The others exchanged glances, then began praising him one after another.