Outside the Seven Stars Sect's mountain gate, the night was dyed a dark red by the flames. Disciples of the Xianyun Sect held torches and stood in neat formations. Dense masses of figures surged in like a tide, surrounding the mountain gate so tightly not even water could seep through. Three Nascent Soul Elders floated in midair, spiritual energy roiling around them and forming visible whirlwinds. Their pressure hung over the entire Seven Stars Sect like dark storm clouds.
"Chu Xinghe, hand over Chen Fan at once, and present the Seven Stars Sect's pill formulas. Then I may spare the lives of everyone in your sect!" Zhao Hongtao, the leading Nascent Soul Elder, said coldly. His voice exploded like thunder, making even the pebbles on the ground tremble faintly.
Chu Xinghe stood atop the mountain gate, with the Seven Stars Sect disciples behind him. He held a longsword, his expression grave. "Zhao Hongtao, your Xianyun Sect has mobilized for no reason at all, and now you seek to forcibly seize our sect's pill formulas. Is that not far too overbearing?"
"Overbearing?" Zhao Hongtao sneered. "In this cultivation world, strength is reason! A martial artist without a spiritual root dared to kill disciples of my Xianyun Sect. This hatred cannot exist beneath the same sky! Today, not only will I kill Chen Fan, I will also wipe out your Seven Stars Sect!"
Before his words had faded, Zhao Hongtao raised a hand and swept it forward. A gigantic palm of spiritual energy descended from the sky, crashing toward the mountain gate. Wherever it passed, the air was compressed, releasing a piercing howl.
"Form the array!" Chu Xinghe roared. The Seven Stars Sect disciples swiftly formed a defensive array, countless streams of spiritual energy gathering into a massive shield of light before the mountain gate.
Bang!
The spiritual-energy palm collided with the light shield in an earth-shaking crash. Cracks instantly spread across the shield, and the Seven Stars Sect disciples spat blood one after another as the array teetered on the verge of collapse.
"Chu Xinghe, your strength is still so pathetically weak." Zhao Hongtao spoke with disdain, raising his hand again to launch a second attack.
At that moment, a figure leaped from among the Seven Stars Sect disciples and shot toward Zhao Hongtao like an arrow loosed from the bow. It was Chen Fan! Pale golden True Qi flowed around him. With a light tap in midair, his feet left a string of afterimages in the sky, and he arrived before Zhao Hongtao in an instant.
"A Martial Venerable can actually walk through the air?" Surprise flashed through Zhao Hongtao's eyes before he sneered. "Even if you can walk through the air, before the Nascent Soul Realm, you are still nothing but an ant!" He raised his hand, sending a ribbon of spiritual energy slashing toward Chen Fan.
Chen Fan neither dodged nor evaded. He clenched both fists as True Qi gathered around them, forming a pair of pale golden gauntlets. He threw a fierce punch, colliding head-on with the ribbon of spiritual energy.
Crack!
The ribbon of spiritual energy shattered instantly. Chen Fan's fist continued onward without losing momentum, smashing toward Zhao Hongtao's chest. Zhao Hongtao's face changed drastically, and he hurriedly summoned spiritual energy into a shield before himself.
Bang!
Fist and shield collided with a thunderous boom. Cracks instantly covered the shield, and Zhao Hongtao was sent staggering back several steps by the immense force, spraying a mouthful of blood.
"How is this possible? Your fist can break through my spiritual-energy shield?" Zhao Hongtao's eyes were filled with disbelief. He had never imagined that a Martial Venerable could possess such terrifying power.
Chen Fan said nothing. His figure flashed, and he charged at Zhao Hongtao once more. He knew that Nascent Soul Realm cultivators possessed deep reserves of spiritual energy. If he gave his opponent a chance to catch his breath, the consequences would be unthinkable. His fists struck in rapid alternation, every punch carrying the force to crumble mountains and split rocks. True Qi left streaks of golden light through the air, sealing off every path of retreat for Zhao Hongtao.
Zhao Hongtao was forced back again and again, shocked and enraged. He had thought dealing with Chen Fan would be as easy as turning over his hand, yet he had never expected his opponent's close-combat abilities to be so formidable. His spiritual-energy attacks were like paper mache before Chen Fan.
"What are you two junior brothers still standing around for? Attack together and kill him!" Zhao Hongtao shouted at the other two Nascent Soul Elders.
The other two Nascent Soul Elders snapped awake as if from a dream and immediately mobilized their spiritual energy to attack Chen Fan. A massive fireball and a blast of freezing cold energy struck toward him simultaneously, blocking all his paths of retreat.
A sharp gleam flashed in Chen Fan's eyes. He took a deep breath as True Energy within his body began to circulate wildly, and True Qi formed a thick suit of armor around him. He spun around sharply and punched out with both fists at once, his left fist striking toward the fireball and his right toward the freezing energy.
Sky Shattering Fist—Burning River!
Sky Shattering Fist—Shattering Ice!
With two loud shouts, Chen Fan's fists collided respectively with the fireball and the freezing energy. The fireball was instantly blasted apart, turning into sparks that filled the sky. The freezing energy was likewise shattered by the force of his fist, becoming glittering fragments of ice.
"This... how is this possible?" The two Nascent Soul Elders stood dumbstruck. They had never expected Chen Fan to receive the attacks of two Nascent Soul Realm experts at once—and emerge completely unscathed.
Chen Fan gave them no chance to react. His figure flashed, and he appeared before one of the Nascent Soul Elders. Before that elder could respond, Chen Fan's fist slammed into his chest. True Qi instantly pierced through his spiritual-energy shield and shattered his internal organs.
"Aah—!"
The elder let out a shrill scream as his body flew away like a kite with its string cut. He crashed heavily onto the ground and did not move again.
"Third Brother!" Zhao Hongtao and the remaining elder roared, their eyes overflowing with killing intent. They had not expected Chen Fan to truly kill a Nascent Soul Elder!
The two charged at Chen Fan at the same time. Spiritual energy condensed in their hands into enormous weapons—a spiritual-energy saber and a spiritual-energy staff—which came chopping down toward him.
Chen Fan did not dare be careless. The True Energy within his body circulated to its limit, and True Qi formed a golden barrier around him. He clenched both fists, ready to receive the attacks of the two Nascent Soul Elders.
At that moment, the Seven Stars Sect disciples suddenly launched a counterattack. With his longsword in hand, Chu Xinghe led the disciples charging toward the Xianyun Sect's formation. Though the Seven Stars Sect disciples were weaker than those of the Xianyun Sect, Chen Fan's slaying of a Nascent Soul Elder had raised their morale to the heavens. Every one of them fought bravely.
The Xianyun Sect disciples immediately fell into disorder. They had believed that with three Nascent Soul Elders presiding over the battle, victory was beyond doubt. Yet Chen Fan had proven so formidable that he had even slain one of their elders. Facing the Seven Stars Sect's counterattack, they found themselves barely able to withstand it.
Seeing the chaos below, Zhao Hongtao and the remaining elder grew frantic. They wanted to kill Chen Fan first before supporting their disciples, but Chen Fan kept them tightly entangled. His close-combat ability was simply too overwhelming; they could not break free at all.
"This cannot go on. We must get away as soon as possible!" the remaining elder said to Zhao Hongtao.
Zhao Hongtao nodded, a vicious glint flashing through his eyes. "Fine. We'll use the secret art and kill this brat first!"
The two bit the tips of their tongues at the same time and sprayed out mouthfuls of blood essence. The blood essence transformed into two crimson runes in the air and merged into their bodies. Their auras instantly surged, and the spiritual energy around them became violent, even carrying a trace of sinister blackness.
"Not good, they're using a forbidden art!" Chu Xinghe's face changed dramatically at the sight. He hurriedly called out to Chen Fan, "Chen Fan, be careful!"
Chen Fan's heart tightened. He could feel that the auras of the two Nascent Soul Elders had become several times stronger than before, carrying an evil presence as well. He did not dare be careless. True Energy circulated through his body wildly again, while True Qi gathered around his fists and formed a pair of even thicker golden gauntlets.
"Brat, die!" Zhao Hongtao and the remaining elder shouted together. Their spiritual-energy weapons glowed crimson as they slashed toward Chen Fan.
Chen Fan took a deep breath and completely fused the power of the Burning Heaven Art with the Sky Shattering Fist. He threw a fierce punch, gathering all the power of his Martial Venerable Realm into it—power that even surpassed his limits. Pale golden fist force formed a massive phantom fist in midair and met the attacks of the two elders head-on.
Bang!
A heaven-shaking boom erupted as the fist force collided with the spiritual-energy weapons. Golden radiance and crimson radiance intertwined in the air, forming a massive storm of energy. The surrounding air was torn apart, and the ground shook violently, as though it might collapse at any moment.
Chen Fan was driven back again and again by the tremendous recoil, blood spraying from his mouth. Cracks appeared in his True Qi armor, while waves of searing pain surged through the meridians within his body.
Zhao Hongtao and the remaining elder fared no better. They were sent flying backward by the fist force, coughing up large amounts of blood. The power they had gained from using the forbidden art had actually been scattered by Chen Fan's single punch, and they had suffered grievous injuries as well.
"This brat... how can he be this strong?" Zhao Hongtao's eyes were filled with terror. Only now did he understand how badly he had underestimated Chen Fan. This Martial Venerable actually possessed strength comparable to the Nascent Soul Late Stage!
Chen Fan wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his gaze still resolute. He knew this was the best opportunity. If he struck them once more, he could eliminate these two threats completely. Taking a deep breath, he charged toward the two elders again.
At the sight, Zhao Hongtao and the remaining elder were so terrified that their souls nearly fled their bodies. They knew they were no longer Chen Fan's match. If they continued fighting, death was certain. They exchanged a glance, then turned without hesitation and fled into the distance.
"You want to leave? It won't be that easy!" Chen Fan snorted coldly. His figure flashed as he gave chase. He was even faster than before, and soon caught up with the two elders.
Sky Shattering Fist—Soul Extinction!
Chen Fan shouted and threw a punch. The pale golden fist force shot forth like a meteor, instantly catching up to Zhao Hongtao and the remaining elder and smashing heavily into their backs.
"Aah—!"
Two screams rang out as the bodies of Zhao Hongtao and the remaining elder were instantly blown apart by the fist force, turning into a rain of blood mist.
Having dealt with the three Nascent Soul Elders, Chen Fan slowly descended to the ground. He looked over the chaotic battlefield below. The Seven Stars Sect disciples were fighting valiantly, while the Xianyun Sect disciples had already lost the will to fight and were fleeing in all directions.
"Victory! We've won!" The Seven Stars Sect disciples cheered, their voices echoing through the night sky.
Chu Xinghe walked over to Chen Fan's side. Looking at his pale face and the wounds covering his body, his eyes were full of gratitude. "Chen Fan, thank you. Without you, the Seven Stars Sect would likely have been destroyed today."
Chen Fan smiled and shook his head. "Sect Master, you are too courteous. I am also a member of the Seven Stars Sect. Protecting the sect is what I should do."
Just then, Ji Rushuang hurried over with Lin Xiaohu. When Lin Xiaohu saw Chen Fan, he quickly ran forward and asked anxiously, "Brother Fan, are you all right? You've lost so much blood."
Chen Fan stroked Lin Xiaohu's head and said gently, "I'm fine, Xiaohu. Don't worry."
Ji Rushuang looked at Chen Fan, her eyes filled with admiration. "Brother Chen, you are truly incredible. You actually slew three Nascent Soul Elders. Now, the entire cultivation world will likely know your name."
Chen Fan nodded slightly. He knew that while slaying three Nascent Soul Elders had made his name rise like the sun, it would also bring more trouble. The Xianyun Sect would not let the matter rest, and other cultivation forces might also cast covetous eyes upon him. But he was not afraid. His martial path had always been a journey against the heavens. The harder the road became, the more determined he would be to walk it.
The night deepened, and the battle outside the Seven Stars Sect's mountain gate gradually subsided. The disciples were cleaning the battlefield, while the air was thick with the stench of blood and gunpowder. Yet every face shone with the joy of victory.
Chen Fan stood atop the mountain gate, gazing at the stars in the distance. He knew this was only a minor episode on his martial path, and greater challenges still awaited him in the future. But he had confidence that with his own two fists, he would shatter the shackles of Spiritual Root Destiny and forge a legendary martial path that belonged to him alone.
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