A Sword Slash, Like a Torrent, Like Heaven Collapsing!

Hm?

Huang Yaoshi's mouth fell open in utter astonishment.

He had grasped it so quickly?

Had he misheard?

If it were truly that fast, then he was no mere prodigy—he was an immortal walking the earth!

But he said nothing and stopped his hand.

Ximen Chuixue was equally startled upon hearing this, though suspicion appeared on his face.

Could anyone really be that fast?

Did such a person truly exist in this world?

As for Ye Gucheng, the denial in his eyes only deepened.

At such a young age, it was impossible for him to possess such terrifying comprehension—unless he truly was an immortal!

A moment later, Chen Xiaofan closed the Martial Arts Manual.

"Here."

He returned the manual to Ye Gucheng.

Ye Gucheng pointed at the mountain beside them. "Show me what you've got."

Chen Xiaofan swept his gaze over it. That mountain was larger than this one. Though it was likewise only a small peak, it already possessed an imposing grandeur. Its cliffs were steep, standing as firm as Mount Tai.

The mountains around Peach Blossom Island were not particularly large, yet they still stood hundreds of zhang high. An ordinary person would need several hours to climb to the summit.

Chen Xiaofan said nothing more. Drawing the sword Ximen Chuixue had given him, he said, "Watch this sword strike carefully."

Whoosh!

A sword slash cut forth, its sword light like a raging torrent, like the heavens collapsing!

A dazzling streak of sword radiance whistled through the air, stretching a full hundred zhang, vast and mighty like thunder!

With a thunderous boom, the sword radiance struck the mountain fiercely.

The entire upper half of the mountain was sheared away on the spot, leaving behind only its lower half. Visually, it looked as though the mountain had been sliced horizontally in two. The upper half had exploded into powder, while the lower half had become a smooth cross-section.

Only after several breaths did that upper half come crashing down from the sky. It had already become countless broken stones, splashing into the water and vanishing from sight.

Even the water level rose considerably.

The scene suddenly fell silent.

Ximen Chuixue covered his mouth, holding himself back from crying out.

Huang Yaoshi's eyes were wide as saucers, as if his eyeballs were about to pop out.

Ye Gucheng's body stiffened, and he stood frozen in place, pale with shock.

No one spoke. All of them were too stunned to recover.

That had only been the first sword strike. There were still twelve more, but Chen Xiaofan felt that a casual slash was enough. If all thirteen sword strikes were unleashed, the destructive power would be too great. He might turn this place into an uninhabited wasteland.

After a long while, Huang Yaoshi was the first to recover. Slapping his thigh, he clapped his hands and laughed heartily. "Good! Good! Excellent!"

In his delight, he said "good" three times in a row.

Hadn't Ye Gucheng refused to believe it just now? What about now? His disciple had truly brought glory to him!

That mountain was no insignificant little mound, yet it had been cleaved into such a state with a single sword strike. Incredible! Truly incredible!

Ximen Chuixue also came back to his senses. He looked expressionless, but inside, he was already overwhelmed by towering waves of shock.

Ye Gucheng still could not recover. He stood there blankly, like a statue.

Only after a long time did he finally come to himself. Smacking his forehead, he let out a long sigh. "I judged a gentleman's heart with the petty mind of a small man!"

He had suspected that Chen Xiaofan had not truly learned it on the spot, and that Senior Huang must have started teaching him that martial art many years ago.

But now? His own master had taught him an extraordinarily profound and mysterious martial art, one that he had spent ten years studying without being able to fully comprehend—yet Chen Xiaofan had learned it right before his eyes. How could that be explained?

Ye Gucheng had keen eyesight. At a glance, he could tell that this sword strike was stronger than one of his own full-powered strikes. No—it was far, far stronger!

"Hahaha, Young Friend Ye, how is my disciple's comprehension? Are you convinced now?" Huang Yaoshi asked with a hearty laugh.

"Incredible! Incredible! All I can say is that a divine being walks among us. I am convinced—completely convinced!" Ye Gucheng said nothing more and hastily clasped his fists.

Ximen Chuixue sighed. "I have traveled the martial world for so many years, yet I have never seen anyone with comprehension so heaven-defying. Today has truly opened my eyes."

"It has not only opened your eyes, but mine as well. To be honest, I could never have imagined that there was such a stunningly gifted person in this world. Frankly, I am shocked beyond measure!" Ye Gucheng's heart remained unable to calm for a long time.

Then the two of them clasped their fists toward Huang Yaoshi in unison. "Senior Huang, with such a disciple under your wing, your lineage has great hope indeed. In the future, the fame of your Peach Blossom Island will surely spread throughout the world and dominate the martial world!"

"Indeed! With such a person on Peach Blossom Island, it will surely rise steadily and become a dazzling pearl of the Nine Provinces Continent!"

Huang Yaoshi laughed vaguely. "Hahaha, we can talk about that later. My disciple here has a rather low-key nature and generally never leaves the mountain. When he wishes to, I suppose he will. Hahaha~"

Ximen Chuixue sighed again. "How wonderful it would be if this little brother could become sworn brothers with me!"

Ye Gucheng was straightforward by nature. With a bang, he clasped both fists and said to Chen Xiaofan, "Brother Chen, I was quite offensive just now. As they say, strangers become friends after a fight. I wish to swear brotherhood with you before heaven. I wonder if you..."

Ximen Chuixue hurriedly added, "Count me in! Today, the three of us shall swear before heaven and become sworn brothers. What do you think?"

Seeing that even Ximen Chuixue had spoken, Chen Xiaofan considered it briefly before agreeing.

A moment later, the three successfully became sworn brothers. Ye Gucheng and Ximen Chuixue then had matters to attend to and bade farewell.

As they left Peach Blossom Island, their hearts surged with excitement, proud to have gained such a brother!

On Peach Blossom Island.

"Disciple, what are your plans for the future? Would you like to remain on the island?"

Huang Yaoshi asked with a gentle smile.

Now that he had passed on martial arts to him, he was naturally his master.

He wanted Chen Xiaofan to stay.

Chen Xiaofan shook his head. "Thank you, Master, but I have other plans, so I will not remain here."

Huang Yaoshi was slightly taken aback.

He had wanted to nurture him further, so that he could shoulder the great responsibility of Peach Blossom Island in the future. He had even already thought about matters decades from now...

Huang Yaoshi asked reluctantly, "What are your plans?"

"I wish to go to Mount Wudang and take True Man Zhang as my master." Chen Xiaofan did not hide it and told him frankly.

"So it is True Man Zhang. Very well, very well. Go, then."

Upon learning that it was Zhang Sanfeng, that grandmaster of the martial world, Huang Yaoshi let out a long sigh and waved his hand.

"But," he suddenly fixed his gaze on Chen Xiaofan and said, "do not forget to carry forward all my unique arts."

"Rest assured, Master. This disciple understands. A master for a day, a father for life." Chen Xiaofan clasped his fists solemnly.

The other man had taught him such exquisite and profound arts, and Chen Xiaofan had long regarded him as his master in his heart. Naturally, he understood the meaning beneath his words: he could take other masters, and Huang Yaoshi would not stop him, but he was still Huang Yaoshi's disciple, and that would not change.

Chen Xiaofan did not mind this at all and immediately made his position clear.

The two spoke for a while longer. Huang Yaoshi then took him to meet several fellow disciples, and they all shared a meal together.

Afterward, Chen Xiaofan bade farewell to his fellow disciples, left the place, and embarked on a new journey.