Rapid Progress, Reborn! (Please Follow Along)

The twelfth month of winter was bitterly cold, and the North Wind howled fiercely.

The world between heaven and earth was shrouded in a vast expanse of white frost.

The round logs were frozen as hard as bluestone.

Even standing on the ground, splitting them apart would take considerable effort with the Qi and Blood Force of the three youths, including the Short Fat Youth.

They never could have imagined that Chu Fan, who had joined the Seven Star Gang more than ten days after them, could split a round log in midair with a single saber stroke!

Clean and crisp, without the slightest hesitation!

By comparison, after chopping wood here for more than half a month, they seemed like complete trash.

"Not bad!"

A flash of bright light crossed Cao Feng's eyes, and he seemed to show some approval.

When Chu Fan had first joined the Seven Star Gang, Manager Liu had originally assigned him to shovel horse manure.

It was Cao Feng who remembered Chu Fan's Chopping Wood Saber Technique and mentioned it, which was why Chu Fan had been assigned here to chop wood.

After throwing a punch a hundred times, its meaning would become clear.

The same principle applied to saber and sword techniques.

Although Chu Fan's Chopping Wood Saber Technique was merely a rustic village style and could not be considered true martial arts, much less something fit for the grand stage,

if he truly managed to chop a thousand times, ten thousand times, it could still lay some foundation for learning the saber in the future. His efforts would not be in vain.

However, Cao Feng had not expected...

After only six days of chopping wood, Chu Fan's Chopping Wood Saber Technique had actually advanced this far!

"Let's observe him for a few more days." The corners of Cao Feng's mouth curved up slightly, and his eyes swept over Chu Fan like lightning. "If this kid can surprise me again, teaching him the Ninefold Thunderclap Saber then would be a wonderful thing."

Immediately afterward, a trace of irritation flashed through his eyes. "Where is Zhao Tianxing, that fellow?!"

Chu Fan's heart tightened, and he hurriedly said, "This disciple made a deal with him. He gives me two eggs and a little oatmeal every day, and I complete his wood-chopping duties for him. That's why he usually doesn't come here."

"Using eggs and oatmeal given by someone else to do this kind of cost-free business... His abacus certainly rings loudly!" Cao Feng was somewhat exasperated by his pupil's failure to live up to expectations.

"With all the time and energy he saved, I haven't seen him use any of it for cultivation! This is simply outrageous!"

He turned around and said, "Come with me."

Chu Fan obediently followed Cao Feng out of the courtyard.

The two people beside the Short Fat Youth looked on with envy, jealousy, and hatred. They truly could not understand what exactly Cao Shi saw in Chu Fan that allowed him to receive treatment on par with Zhao Tianxing.

Could it really be because he was so good at chopping wood?

The Cold wind moaned.

It sent Withered leaves whirling through the sky.

Chu Fan followed behind Cao Feng, passing through the Training Ground and then several small alleys before arriving at a secluded yet spacious courtyard.

An old Crabapple Tree stood proudly in the courtyard. Its twisted, powerful branches resembled dragons, outlining a vigorous silhouette against the leaden sky.

A number of Stone Locks of various sizes were placed beside the courtyard wall.

Cao Feng entered the courtyard and whistled.

"Flap flap!"

A white bird whose name Chu Fan could not identify flew down from the Crabapple Tree and landed steadily in the crook of Cao Feng's arm.

Cao Feng gently stroked the bird's feathers and said, "Go find Zhao Tianxing later. From today onward, the two of you will live here and practice your boxing here, undisturbed."

"You'll still eat three meals a day at the dining hall, but Aunt Zhang will cook Exotic Beast Meat Soup for you. It'll help you increase your Qi and Blood Force more quickly."

As he spoke, a Woman in coarse cloth clothing walked out of the house and stood respectfully to one side.

"Also, go pass a message to Zhao Tianxing..."

Cao Feng said solemnly, "Tell him not to show off his Qi and Blood Force condensation everywhere anymore."

"That fool makes even the slightest improvement and then acts like a hen laying an egg, clucking loudly everywhere. Young and rash, carried away by success!"

"With him being so ostentatious, he'll bring disaster upon himself sooner or later!"

So that was what had angered Cao Shi... Chu Fan understood, and said respectfully, "Yes, this disciple understands. I'll be sure to tell him."

After Cao Feng left, Aunt Zhang came forward with a smile and said, "Young Master Chu Fan, please come with me. I'll take you to the room Master arranged for you."

"Thank you, Aunt Zhang." Chu Fan said, "Aunt Zhang, I'm not the young master of a wealthy family. Just call me Xiao Fan."

A strange look flashed through Aunt Zhang's eyes. She nodded slightly and led Chu Fan to the East Wing.

Inside, the washed bedding had been folded neatly.

The floor had also been swept spotlessly clean.

There were even some tea implements on the table.

Compared to the dilapidated house where everyone had previously crowded together, the two places were Worlds Apart.

After thanking Aunt Zhang, Chu Fan walked into the courtyard and began practicing his boxing.

The wind howled, sending fallen leaves swirling across the ground.

[Twelve Forms Boxing Experience +4]

By the time he finished a set of Twelve Forms Boxing, Zhao Tianxing finally arrived late, led by Li Qingxue.

Seeing Chu Fan in the courtyard as well, a trace of surprise flashed through Li Qingxue's eyes.

"Is Cao Shi angry?"

Zhao Tianxing immediately pulled Chu Fan aside and asked in a low voice, "What made him lose his temper?"

"You've been too ostentatious lately." Chu Fan said, "Cao Shi wants you to conceal your edge and keep a low profile. Don't imitate Ling Feng, showing off everywhere and bringing a crowd with you whenever you go out."

"So that's what it was..." Zhao Tianxing breathed a sigh of relief.

Suddenly.

A trace of delight appeared in his eyes!

Before Chu Fan could react, Zhao Tianxing abruptly turned around, removed the longbow from his back, drew the bow, and nocked an arrow...

"Whoosh!"

With a soft sound, the arrow brought the white bird plummeting from the sky!

"..." Chu Fan was dumbfounded.

Li Qingxue was also utterly helpless.

"That archery startled you, didn't it?"

Zhao Tianxing smiled smugly and picked up the white bird from the ground. "I once used this archery to kill Tigers and Leopards! We'll have meat to eat today..."

Chu Fan covered his forehead and said, "That's Cao Shi's bird..."

Hmm?

Li Qingxue and Zhao Tianxing both widened their eyes and stared at Chu Fan.

"Uh..." Chu Fan blinked. "The bird Cao Shi raised... what's wrong with that?"

Li Qingxue: "..."

For some reason, she suddenly felt an urge to hit someone.

"...Why didn't you say so earlier!" Zhao Tianxing panicked.

Chu Fan glared at him. "Did you give me a chance to speak? The moment the bird called out, you drew your bow and nocked your arrow! Don't you know that a man being too fast isn't a good thing?"

Li Qingxue could not hold back any longer. "What nonsense are you spouting!"

Zhao Tianxing grew even more flustered. "Then what do we do?"

"What do you mean, 'we'? You're the one who shot the bird. What does it have to do with me?" After saying that, Chu Fan patted his backside and turned to enter the house.

As soon as he entered, he stuck his head out of the window again. "How about roasting the bird and sending it to Cao Shi?"

"After he finishes eating, tell him the truth. Maybe then he'll be too embarrassed to get angry."

"...What on earth is in this kid's head?" Li Qingxue shook her head and turned to leave.

That left Zhao Tianxing alone, completely disheveled in the Cold wind.

Time flew by.

In the blink of an eye, another nine days passed.

[This reading increased the Literacy Technique experience value by a total of 36 points]

Inside the East Wing, Chu Fan closed the book in his hands.

[Records of Demons and Devils]

This was a Miscellaneous book he had borrowed from the Seven Star Gang's Library Pavilion.

Only books of this sort could be taken out of the Library Pavilion.

The book recorded some demon and devil stories from legend.

These demons and devils were very different from what Chu Fan had imagined.

A Green Snake cultivating into a demon was much the same as what he had seen in television dramas in his previous life.

But a martial artist transforming into a devil...

Could a martial artist really Transform into a Devil?

Was he cultivating martial arts right now, or cultivating immortality?

What concerned Chu Fan most was that this Records of Demons and Devils actually mentioned Pollution!

A martial artist's transformation into a devil seemed to be caused by this Pollution.

Chu Fan could not determine whether the Pollution in the Records of Demons and Devils was the same as the Pollution on the Mountans and Rivers Map panel.

Unfortunately, the Records of Demons and Devils contained only a few brief sentences describing Pollution.

Chu Fan had once asked the steward of the Library Pavilion whether the book's records were true, but he had not received the slightest useful information. Instead, the old man had mocked him.

Zhao Tianxing seemed to have seen the demons and devils of legend.

He could ask him about it later.

Chu Fan stretched lazily, poured himself a cup of water, and drained it in one gulp.

He set down the cup and glanced out the window.

It was snowing...

Snowflakes drifted slowly down from the leaden sky like clouds of cotton fluffed apart.

Snow gradually piled up on the bare branches of the Crabapple Tree, wrapping each branch in a layer of white sugar.

He had lived here for nine days.

By his calculations, he had been in the Seven Star Gang for exactly half a month.

In just half a month, he had undergone a complete transformation.

[Spiritual Essence: 24.2]

[Pollution Level: 0/100]

[Cultivation: Foundation Establishment, First Stage; Blood Nourishment 97%]

[Technique: Chopping Wood Saber Technique (Break Limit once, 1167/3000) (Trait: Knife Fast as the Wind)]

[Technique: Literacy Technique (Major Accomplishment) Progress: (304/500) (Trait: None)]

[Technique: Twelve Forms Boxing (Minor Accomplishment) Progress: (293/300) (Trait: None)]

Looking at the Mountans and Rivers Map in his mental space, Chu Fan's heart stirred once more.

Although Cao Shi had arranged for Aunt Zhang to cook Exotic Beast Meat for him and Zhao Tianxing, and he could only eat three liang of meat a day, his Spiritual Essence value had still risen rapidly over the past few days.

With the Exotic Beast Meat, three bowls of Blood Nourishing Medicinal Soup a day, and the circulation of Qi and Blood through Twelve Forms Boxing, his Blood Nourishment cultivation had broken through to 97% three days ago.

But after Blood Nourishment reached 97% three days ago, it had not budged since.

Clearly, his Qi and Blood Force had continued to rise throughout these days...

Judging by the situation, his current Qi and Blood Force should have reached the level Zhao Tianxing had possessed when he first joined the Seven Star Gang.

To raise Blood Nourishment to 100%, he had to condense Three strands of Qi and Blood Force.

Two days ago, Cao Shi had begun teaching him and Zhao Tianxing to condense Qi and Blood Force.

But Chu Fan had not tried it yet.

According to Cao Shi, once one's Qi and Blood Force reached a certain level, one could begin condensing it.

There was no need to rush.

When Zhao Tianxing joined the Seven Star Gang, his Qi and Blood Force had already been infinitely close to Blood Nourishment, yet Cao Shi had still made him practice Twelve Forms Boxing for a full thirteen days before teaching him to condense Qi and Blood Force.

So Chu Fan was not in a hurry.

Although the number 97% had not changed, he could clearly feel that his Qi and Blood Force was still increasing continuously over the past few days.

The effects of the Blood Nourishing Medicinal Soup and Exotic Beast Meat were still present.

Once he broke through Twelve Forms Boxing to Major Accomplishment today, condensing Qi and Blood Force and charging into the Blood Nourishment Realm would be as natural as water flowing into a channel, easy and effortless!

Chu Fan's gaze fell on Literacy Technique.

The constant increase in Literacy Technique's experience and realm had made his thoughts clearer and his memory stronger.

This was not an illusion.

When Literacy Technique broke through from Minor Accomplishment to Major Accomplishment, he had clearly felt the changes in himself.

Those changes were far more obvious than when he had advanced from Entry to Minor Accomplishment!

Although Literacy Technique had yet to reach Perfection, after reading through the Records of Demons and Devils only once, he had firmly remembered every image and every word in the book.

The improvement was truly remarkable!

Previously, he had relied on rote memorization for several days before finally committing the Twelve Forms Boxing manual to memory, even with the additional practice.

Chu Fan drew a deep breath, and his attention returned to the Twelve Forms Boxing on the panel.

As expected, after practicing Twelve Forms Boxing two more times, this boxing technique would reach Major Accomplishment.

According to the Essentials of the fist manual...

Major Accomplishment in Twelve Forms Boxing was a tremendous watershed.

It was also the moment when quantity transformed into quality!

With Major Accomplishment in Tiger Form, explosive power would surge, and the tiger claws could Tear Gold and Split Jade;

Swallow Form Major Accomplishment made the body nimble and agile, allowing one to weave through Myriad Arrows with ease;

Bear Form Major Accomplishment gave one strength enough to carry mountains, and with a single shake of the shoulders, its might became impossible to withstand;

Eagle Form Major Accomplishment granted eyes that could see the tiniest objects, while its claws were sharp and powerful, their edge impossible to resist...

His Twelve Forms Boxing had yet to break through to Major Accomplishment.

But he had already experienced its many wonders one by one.

Once he broke through, quantitative change would give rise to qualitative change,

and his strength would surge to an entirely higher level in an instant!