Chen Fan had just pulled Lin Xiaohu out of the rocky slope when a burst of urgent hoofbeats suddenly sounded behind them. He whirled around and saw Zhou Hei Hu returning with more than a dozen Black Wind Stronghold disciples. A savage grin hung on Zhou Hei Hu's lips, and blood still stained his curved saber—clearly, they had not gone far. They had merely watched from the shadows, and the moment Li Xiaoyao left, they immediately doubled back.
"Brat, Li Xiaoyao was protecting you earlier, so you got lucky. Now that he's gone, let's see who can save you!" Zhou Hei Hu reined in his horse, his eyes brimming with killing intent. "You dared to injure me. Today, I'll tear you into ten thousand pieces!"
Chen Fan's heart sank, and he held Lin Xiaohu even more tightly behind him. He knew that without Li Xiaoyao's protection, relying only on his Xiantian Stage strength to face Zhou Hei Hu, a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator, and more than a dozen Foundation Establishment Disciples was nearly impossible. But he could not retreat. If he did, both he and Lin Xiaohu would die without even a burial ground.
"Brother Fan, should we run?" Lin Xiaohu's voice trembled, his eyes full of fear.
"We can't get away." Chen Fan shook his head. Zhou Hei Hu was a Golden Core cultivator, far faster than them. Trying to flee would only mean being easily caught. He took a deep breath, driving the True Energy within him to its limit. Clenching his fists, he fixed his eyes on Zhou Hei Hu. "Xiaohu, find a chance to hide. I'll hold them off."
"Brother Fan, I won't hide! I want to fight with you!" Lin Xiaohu gritted his teeth. Though afraid, he did not shrink back.
Warmth rose in Chen Fan's heart, but he still shook his head. "Listen to me. If you stay here, you'll only distract me. Find somewhere safe to hide. Once I defeat them, I'll come find you."
Lin Xiaohu still wanted to say something, but Zhou Hei Hu had already charged forward with his disciples. More than a dozen Foundation Establishment Disciples wielding sharp blades closed in on Chen Fan from all directions, while Zhou Hei Hu drew a black arc through the air with his curved saber and slashed down at Chen Fan's head.
Sky Shattering Fist!
Chen Fan roared, both fists screaming sharply as they tore through the air to meet Zhou Hei Hu's curved saber. He knew that in this battle, he could only stake his life on it!
Bang!
His fists collided with the curved saber in a thunderous crash. Chen Fan felt an enormous force surge through the blade, instantly numbing his arms and forcing his body several steps back. Zhou Hei Hu's arm was also jolted slightly numb, and surprise flashed through his eyes. "Didn't expect you, brat, to have such strength. But with strength like that, you're still nothing worth looking at!"
Zhou Hei Hu swung his saber again, sending streams of black saber energy slashing toward Chen Fan. At the same time, the dozen or so Foundation Establishment Disciples had already surrounded him, their sharp blades stabbing toward his body.
Chen Fan was trapped in a tight encirclement, struggling to fend off attacks from every side. Though he repeatedly knocked back the nearby Foundation Establishment Disciples with his agile footwork and the might of the Sky Shattering Fist, Zhou Hei Hu's saber energy clung to him like a shadow. Every dodge brought him perilously close to disaster. Before long, several wounds had appeared on his body, and blood dyed his coarse clothes red.
"Brat, let's see how much longer you can hold on!" Zhou Hei Hu sneered, swinging his curved saber even faster as black saber energy descended upon Chen Fan like a raging downpour.
Chen Fan's breathing grew increasingly ragged, and the True Energy in his body was rapidly draining away. He could feel his strength constantly declining. If this continued, it would not be long before Zhou Hei Hu and the Foundation Establishment Disciples cut him down.
Am I really going to die here? A thread of despair flashed through Chen Fan's heart, but when he saw Lin Xiaohu's worried gaze in the distance, that despair was instantly replaced by resolve. No! I can't die! I still have to protect Xiaohu, cultivate the martial path, and break the shackles of Spiritual Root Destiny. I can't just die here!
A fierce desire to survive and protect surged through his heart like a blazing fire. He suddenly raised his head, madness flashing in his eyes. The True Energy within him began to churn out of control, while bursts of searing pain ran through him as though his meridians were about to be torn apart.
This... are the Mortal Body Shackles beginning to loosen? Chen Fan's heart stirred. He remembered what his master had told him: at the brink of life and death, martial cultivators could often unleash potential far beyond their usual limits, perhaps even break through their realm and shatter the Mortal Body Shackles.
If that's the case, then I'll use this chance to break through the Xiantian Stage and enter the Grandmaster Realm! Chen Fan made his decision. He no longer dodged Zhou Hei Hu's saber energy. Instead, he gathered all the rampaging True Energy in his body into his fists and charged straight toward the incoming saber energy.
"Brat, have you gone mad?" Surprise flickered in Zhou Hei Hu's eyes when he saw Chen Fan's actions, followed by a cold sneer. "You dare take my saber energy head-on? You're courting death!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
His fists collided with the saber energy again and again. Chen Fan was blasted backward repeatedly, more wounds opening across his body as blood flowed without cease. Yet he did not retreat in the slightest. Instead, he circulated his True Energy even more frantically, crashing it against the Mortal Body Shackles within him.
Crack!
A crisp sound rang out from within Chen Fan's body. It was as though something had shattered. The True Energy in his body instantly surged, his once-narrow meridians widening as True Energy rushed endlessly through them, bringing an unprecedented sense of power.
Aah—!
Chen Fan let out a long howl, his voice filled with the joy and strength of breaking through. A powerful aura radiated from his body, sending the Foundation Establishment Disciples surrounding him stumbling back again and again, their faces filled with terror.
"This... this is the aura of the Grandmaster Realm!" Zhou Hei Hu's expression changed drastically, his eyes full of disbelief. "You actually broke through in battle and entered the Grandmaster Realm!"
Chen Fan slowly opened his eyes, a sharp glint flashing within them. Feeling the endlessly surging True Energy and the power far exceeding the Xiantian Stage, he curled his lips into a cold smile. "Zhou Hei Hu, now it's my turn!"
Before his words had even faded, Chen Fan's figure flashed. Like a phantom, he appeared before a Foundation Establishment Disciple. Before the man could react, Chen Fan threw a punch, instantly blasting him away. The disciple spewed blood, his fate unknown.
Immediately afterward, Chen Fan swept through the Foundation Establishment Disciples like a tiger charging into a flock of sheep. He was several times faster than before, and his fists carried even more terrifying force. With every punch, another Foundation Establishment Disciple was sent flying. Cries of agony rose and fell one after another. The dozen or so disciples could not even last a moment against him before they all collapsed to the ground.
Very quickly, only Chen Fan and Zhou Hei Hu remained on the battlefield.
Looking at the disciples sprawled across the ground, Zhou Hei Hu's eyes filled with terror. He knew that the current Chen Fan was no longer someone he could contend with. He turned to flee, only for Chen Fan to block his path.
"Zhou Hei Hu, didn't you say you wanted to tear me into ten thousand pieces? Why are you trying to run now?" Chen Fan sneered, his eyes brimming with killing intent.
"Chen Fan, I was wrong! Please spare me! I'll never dare provoke you again!" Zhou Hei Hu's face turned deathly pale as he begged Chen Fan bitterly.
"Only now you know you were wrong? Too late!" Chen Fan shook his head, gathering True Energy in his fists once more. "You have committed countless evils and slaughtered so many innocent people. Today, I'll uphold justice on Heaven's behalf and kill you!"
Sky Shattering Fist!
Chen Fan roared as his fists tore through the air with a piercing shriek, hammering toward Zhou Hei Hu's chest. This punch contained all the power of his Grandmaster Realm, its force several times greater than before.
Zhou Hei Hu's face changed drastically. He tried to mobilize spiritual energy into a shield, only to discover that under the pressure of Chen Fan's aura, his spiritual energy could not circulate normally at all. He could only watch helplessly as Chen Fan's fists crashed toward his chest.
Bang!
With a thunderous explosion, Chen Fan's fists slammed heavily into Zhou Hei Hu's chest. Zhou Hei Hu was instantly blasted into the air, spraying a mouthful of blood before crashing heavily to the ground. He did not move again.
Chen Fan slowly withdrew his fists and looked at Zhou Hei Hu's corpse on the ground, letting out a long breath. He could feel that after breaking through to the Grandmaster Realm, his strength had undergone a qualitative leap. Not only had his True Energy become far more abundant, but his body had also become much tougher. Even against a late-stage Golden Core cultivator, he now had the strength to fight.
"Brother Fan!" Seeing the battle end, Lin Xiaohu hurried over. Looking at the wounds on Chen Fan's body, he said painfully, "Brother Fan, are you all right? Your injuries are so severe!"
Chen Fan smiled and rubbed Lin Xiaohu's head. "I'm fine. They're only superficial wounds. A few days of rest will be enough." He paused before continuing, "Now that we've dealt with the people from Black Wind Stronghold, we're safe for the moment. But Xianyun Sect is still hunting us. We need to find somewhere to recover as soon as possible, while continuing our cultivation and improving our strength."
Lin Xiaohu nodded forcefully. "Brother Fan, I'll listen to you."
Chen Fan glanced at the sky. The sun had already set, and night was beginning to fall. Taking Lin Xiaohu's hand, he headed toward the distant mountains and forests. Beneath the moonlight, his figure stood especially straight and tall. The aura of the Grandmaster Realm slowly radiated from around him, heralding the quiet rise of a new legend of the martial path.
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