Wilderness Boxing and Terrifying Ambush

Chen Fan clutched the jade pendant Su Muxue had given him, pulling Lin Xiaohu along as they hurried. The runes on the pendant were indeed wondrous. With a slight infusion of True Energy, it was as if an invisible barrier enveloped the two of them, completely concealing their presence. The aura of the Xianyun Sect disciples who had been relentlessly pursuing them gradually faded from his senses, and finally disappeared altogether.

"Brother Fan, it looks like no one's chasing us anymore!" Lin Xiaohu panted, unable to hide his excitement. "This jade pendant is too amazing!"

Chen Fan stopped, cautiously scanning their surroundings. They had arrived at a desolate, rocky slope, surrounded by boulders taller than a person, overgrown with weeds, and rarely frequented. He felt the steady flow of True Energy within him and then touched the jade pendant in his embrace. "We're safe for now, but the Xianyun Sect won't give up easily. We need to get stronger quickly and find a more secure place."

He recalled the Sky Shattering Fist inscribed on the cave wall and had a sudden thought. This rocky slope, with its open terrain and distance from civilization, was perfect for practicing the newly acquired martial art. So, he said to Lin Xiaohu, "Xiaohu, you rest nearby and keep watch. I'll take this opportunity to practice the fist technique I just learned."

Lin Xiaohu nodded vigorously, found a large rock sheltered from the wind, and sat down, his eyes fixed on their surroundings.

Chen Fan walked to the center of the rocky slope, took a deep breath, and firmly planted his feet on the ground. Following the diagram of the first stance of the Sky Shattering Fist, he adopted the starting posture. He closed his eyes, recalling the seal script on the stone wall, and felt the path of True Energy circulating through his meridians. Unlike the Burning Heaven Art, the Sky Shattering Fist focused on explosive power. Each circulation felt like a small storm within his meridians, gathering in his fists with a sharp whistle that seemed to tear the air.

"Hah!"

With a low shout, Chen Fan thrust his fists forward. This time, he didn't probe as he had in the cave. Instead, he poured all his recovered True Energy into his fists. Two visible gusts of fist wind roared out, smashing heavily into a half-man-tall boulder in front of him.

"BOOM!"

The boulder shattered upon impact, sending fragments flying and dust billowing. Unlike the fist imprints he had left in the cave, this time the boulder was pulverized into dust!

"So strong!" Chen Fan looked at his fists, his eyes filled with shock. He could clearly feel that the Sky Shattering Fist not only possessed astonishing power but also guided the fusion of Blood Essence and True Energy when striking. Each punch was subtly tempering his physical body. If he could master this fist technique, he might even stand a chance against a Golden Core stage cultivator.

For the next half hour, Chen Fan repeatedly practiced the first stance of the Sky Shattering Fist. From initial awkwardness to fluency, and then to precise control over the intensity of his True Energy bursts, his progress was visible. During this time, he even attempted to incorporate the internal energy circulation method of the Burning Heaven Art into it. Surprisingly, it added a trace of scorching heat to his fist wind, further increasing its power.

"Brother Fan, look! Someone's coming from over there!"

Just as Chen Fan was immersed in the joy of cultivation, Lin Xiaohu suddenly shouted nervously.

Chen Fan snapped back to attention and looked in the direction Lin Xiaohu was pointing. On the dirt road in the distance, a group of people was heading towards the rocky slope. Leading them was a middle-aged man in a black brocade robe, a saber hanging from his waist, exuding a potent spiritual aura—a cultivator at the mid-Golden Core stage! Behind him followed over a dozen Foundation Establishment stage disciples, each holding a sharp weapon, their expressions grim.

"It's people from Black Wind Stronghold!" Chen Fan's heart sank. He had heard the martial artists of Qingyang City mention that Black Wind Stronghold was a notorious gang in the area. Their leader, Zhou Hei Hu, was a mid-Golden Core stage cultivator, and his disciples were wicked, often robbing passing merchant caravans and villagers. He hadn't expected to encounter them here.

Zhou Hei Hu had clearly spotted Chen Fan and Lin Xiaohu. He reined in his horse, his gaze sweeping over the two of them. When he saw Chen Fan's plain, coarse cloth attire, a hint of disdain flashed in his eyes. "Two brats who don't know death! How dare you linger on Black Wind Stronghold's territory? Be sensible and hand over your belongings, or don't blame me for being impolite!"

Chen Fan shielded Lin Xiaohu behind him, his fists clenched, and said coldly, "We have no valuables. Please let us pass."

"No valuables?" Zhou Hei Hu sneered, his gaze falling on Chen Fan's clenched fists. "Judging by your appearance, you're quite the fighter. However, in front of me, even a Martial Grandmaster has to obey!" His disciples behind him also burst into laughter, their eyes filled with contempt.

Chen Fan knew this situation couldn't be resolved peacefully. The people of Black Wind Stronghold were notoriously brutal. Showing weakness would only lead to a quicker death. He took a deep breath, circulating his True Energy to its limit. His fists began to glow faintly red, the starting posture of the Sky Shattering Fist.

"You refuse a toast and insist on a forfeit!" Zhou Hei Hu's expression darkened when he saw this. He drew his saber, and a black saber energy slashed towards Chen Fan. The saber energy carried a foul stench, indicating he had practiced some kind of sinister technique.

Chen Fan didn't dare to be careless. He dodged the saber energy and simultaneously stomped on the ground, charging towards Zhou Hei Hu like an arrow released from a bow. He knew that cultivators' long-range attacks were their weakness; only by closing the distance could he leverage the advantages of close-quarters martial combat.

"Seeking death!" Zhou Hei Hu hadn't expected Chen Fan to attack proactively, and a hint of killing intent flickered in his eyes. He swung his saber, sending wave after wave of black saber energy towards Chen Fan. At the same time, his spiritual energy surged as he attempted to cast a spell to trap Chen Fan.

But Chen Fan's movement technique was far more agile than he had anticipated. He weaved through the saber energy, each dodge perfectly timed, and quickly reached Zhou Hei Hu's horse.

"Sky Shattering Fist!"

Chen Fan roared, his fists whistling through the air as he slammed them towards Zhou Hei Hu's chest.

Zhou Hei Hu's face changed drastically. He hadn't expected a mortal to break through his saber energy blockade. In his haste, he could only mobilize his spiritual energy to form a shield in front of him.

"Bang!"

His fists collided with the shield, emitting a loud noise. The shield instantly cracked, and Zhou Hei Hu was thrown from his horse by the immense force, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

"Sect Leader!"

The Black Wind Stronghold disciples cried out in alarm, drawing their weapons and surrounding Chen Fan.

Chen Fan ignored the surrounding disciples, his gaze fixed on the fallen Zhou Hei Hu, preparing to press his advantage. Just then, a lazy voice suddenly came from behind a nearby boulder:

"My, my, what an exciting scene. A mid-Golden Core cultivator being beaten like this by a mere Xiantian stage kid? It'll be a laughingstock if word gets out."

Everyone turned towards the sound. A young man in a green robe, a blade of grass in his mouth, emerged from behind the boulder. He held a rusty longsword in his hand, his eyes unfocused, appearing nonchalant, yet exuding an unfathomable aura.

When Zhou Hei Hu saw the green-robed man, his face contorted in fear. "Li Xiaoyao! What are you doing here?"

The green-robed man, Li Xiaoyao, chuckled. "Just passing by. But, you know, I don't like it when people bully the little ones. Zhou Hei Hu, you're old enough to know better. Don't you feel ashamed bullying two children?"

Chen Fan looked at Li Xiaoyao, filled with confusion. He could sense no spiritual energy fluctuations from Li Xiaoyao, yet he had instilled such fear in the mid-Golden Core stage Zhou Hei Hu. This person was definitely no ordinary individual.

Zhou Hei Hu gritted his teeth and struggled to stand up. "Li Xiaoyao, this is a matter for my Black Wind Stronghold. It has nothing to do with you. Please don't meddle!"

"Meddle?" Li Xiaoyao raised an eyebrow. He lightly flicked the rusty sword in his hand, and an invisible sword energy instantly flashed, slicing a nearby boulder in half. "Do you think anyone can stop me from meddling in what I choose to meddle in?"

Zhou Hei Hu's face turned pale. Seeing the killing intent flashing in Li Xiaoyao's eyes, he no longer dared to linger. He roared at his subordinates, "Let's go!" With that, he fled the rocky slope in disarray with his disciples.

Watching the Black Wind Stronghold members retreat, Chen Fan breathed a sigh of relief and cupped his fists towards Li Xiaoyao. "Thank you for your assistance, Senior. Junior Chen Fan is deeply grateful."

Li Xiaoyao waved his hand, walked up to Chen Fan, and circled him. A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes. "Xiantian stage, yet you can injure a mid-Golden Core cultivator with a single punch, and you've practiced an ancient martial art. Interesting, very interesting." He patted Chen Fan's shoulder. "Kid, your martial path is far more exciting than I imagined."

Chen Fan's heart stirred. Judging by Li Xiaoyao's tone, he seemed very knowledgeable about martial arts. Just as he was about to ask, Li Xiaoyao spoke first. "Alright, I have things to do, so I won't keep you company. If you encounter trouble in the future, perhaps we'll meet again." With that, his figure flickered and disappeared at the end of the rocky slope, leaving only a fallen blade of grass.

Chen Fan looked in the direction Li Xiaoyao had vanished, lost in thought. He vaguely felt that this mysterious swordsman, who appeared carefree and roguish, might play an important role in his future martial path.

"Brother Fan, what do we do now?" Lin Xiaohu came to Chen Fan's side and asked softly.

Chen Fan came back to his senses, tightened his grip on the jade pendant, and a hint of determination flashed in his eyes. "Both the Xianyun Sect and Black Wind Stronghold are eyeing us covetously. This place is not safe for long. We need to leave this area quickly, find a place to continue our cultivation, and only when our strength is sufficient can we truly control our own destiny."

With that, he pulled Lin Xiaohu and walked in the opposite direction of Black Wind Stronghold. Under the setting sun, their figures stretched long, forging their own martial path, full of unknowns and challenges, across the desolate rocky slope.