Chopping Wood Saber Technique Reaches Second Break Limit, Running Technique Reaches Minor Accomplishment!

Chu Fan's heart tightened. He immediately held his breath and focused his mind, lightening his steps as he slowly retreated into the deeper shadows along the bank.

A drenched figure crawled out of the water, scrambling awkwardly onto the bank—

It was the short, thin servant who had jumped into the river earlier!

This person did have some ability.

He had not only slipped into the water and evaded the notice of that White-robed person from the Moon Worshipping Sect, but had even managed to swim underwater while holding his breath for such a long time!

The man's entire body trembled violently from the cold. Coughing hard, he raised his head and warily looked around.

Only then did he stagger over to the corpse of his companion.

"..."

Seeing that two more ruffians' corpses had appeared, the short, thin servant suddenly froze, his pupils shrinking sharply.

He recognized these two ruffians as well. They seemed to be idle thugs working under the young master.

At that moment, Chu Fan silently emerged from the shadows and slammed a fist into the short, thin servant's back!

Bang!

The short, thin servant spat blood and flew more than ten feet forward.

Chu Fan strode after him and planted one foot on his neck.

The short, thin servant stopped breathing.

Chu Fan felt around on the four corpses and found three money pouches and a dagger. He tucked them all into his clothes before leaving without a sound.

[Spiritual Essence: 49.9]

After returning home, Chu Fan took the four money pouches and the dagger from his clothes and placed them on the table.

He had killed three people, gaining three more points of Spiritual Essence!

When he emptied the money pouches, broken silver and copper coins clinked together with a crisp sound.

Altogether, there were six taels and three mace of silver, plus four hundred and thirty-three copper coins.

"That's enough to buy eleven Blood Refining Pills." Chu Fan felt a little pleased.

Killing people had actually become addictive?!

It was as though an invisible demonic thought had quietly begun to grow in the darkness, tempting him to lose himself in slaughter.

Although everyone he had killed deserved death, this silent change in his thoughts still sent a chill down his spine and made him wary.

He drew a deep breath and forcibly suppressed the restless killing intent in his heart.

The image of that mysterious Demon Suppression Stele surfaced in his mind once more.

Could that be the very thing the Moon Worshipping Sect and the Huang Family were desperately searching for?

The clues were fragmented, making it difficult to reach a conclusion.

If what they sought truly was the Demon Suppression Stele...

Chu Fan's expression grew as heavy as still water.

Although a Huang Yu in the Blood Refining realm put some pressure on him, he did not take him seriously.

Once he trained the Ninefold Thunderclap Saber to Major Accomplishment, supplemented by the sharpness of Knife Fast as the Wind, killing him in a dozen or so days would not be difficult.

But if his opponent was the entire Blood Saber Sect, along with the even more mysterious and unfathomable Moon Worshipping Sect...

When he thought of that White-robed person from the Moon Worshipping Sect, whose terrifying perception had seen through his whereabouts from far away, a chill inevitably rose in Chu Fan's heart.

What exactly was going on?

Could it be that the other party's strength far surpassed his own?

Even Instructor Cao probably could not achieve such a feat, could he?

"I'll definitely ask Cao Shi about this later." Chu Fan pondered this silently.

He placed his long saber within easy reach, then blew out the oil lamp and lay down fully clothed, sinking into a deep sleep amid his tangled thoughts.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

Before dawn, shouts and cries already rang out across the Training Ground of the Seven Star Gang, where many disciples were diligently practicing their boxing.

After going through the Twelve Forms Boxing five times, Chu Fan's breathing was long and steady. He immediately began sprinting around the broad Training Ground.

[Running Technique Experience +1]

[Running Technique Experience +1]

The Cold wind struck his face like a blade.

Yet Chu Fan's running speed grew faster and faster. His figure carried the wind, drawing sidelong glances and whispered discussions from many people on the field.

"What's wrong with that kid? Why's he running laps around the Training Ground so early in the morning?"

"Oh, isn't that Chu Fan? He's the one who used trickery to defeat Jiang Yuanfan a few days ago! I've seen him running madly around the Training Ground these past few days. Could he have taken the wrong medicine?"

"Running can strengthen the body, but for martial artists like us, that's putting the cart before the horse! Strengthening our Blood Qi and tempering our tendons and bones ultimately requires martial arts like the Twelve Forms Boxing."

"Tell me, what does Instructor Cao value about him? He treats him exceptionally well and even gives him two bowls of Blood Nourishing Medicinal Soup every day! Compared to him, where do we fall short?"

[Technique: Running Technique (Entry) Progress (99/100)]

"Just one step away!"

A thought stirred in Chu Fan's mind. He pushed his speed to the limit and burst forward like an arrow released from a bow!

[Running Technique Experience +1]

[Technique: Running Technique (Minor Accomplishment) Progress (0/300)]

The instant he broke through to Minor Accomplishment, a wave of heat suddenly shot through his Limbs and Bones, as though it had broken through some invisible barrier!

The fatigue accumulated from his earlier boxing practice immediately faded by a third. The heaviness left his legs completely, and he even gained the illusion that he was Light as a Swallow, with Wind Beneath the Feet!

Chu Fan casually took a few steps, then suddenly exerted force and charged forward. Several dozen yards vanished in the blink of an eye!

His speed had indeed increased greatly!

It was absolutely not an illusion!

With a leap, he covered more than three feet farther than before!

The wild joy that surged in his heart vanished just as quickly. He wiped away the fine sweat on his brow and turned toward the Chopping Wood Courtyard with light steps.

[Technique: Chopping Wood Saber Technique (First Break Limit 2933/3000) (Trait: Knife Fast as the Wind)]

[Technique: Twelve Forms Boxing (Major Accomplishment) Progress: (706/800) (Trait: None)]

"The Chopping Wood Saber Technique will reach the Second Break Limit today."

"The Twelve Forms Boxing still needs more tempering. I'm afraid it won't break through to Perfection until tomorrow morning."

With Wind Beneath the Feet, Chu Fan unconsciously quickened his pace.

He walked briskly into the Chopping Wood Courtyard, picked up the Cleaving Knife, and immediately began chopping wood.

On the other side, the three Short Fat Youths looked at his energetic appearance and exchanged baffled glances.

Inspired by Chu Fan, they had also treated chopping wood as cultivation these past few days.

But no matter how much they chopped, they had seen little progress and had long since lost their initial enthusiasm.

Now that they saw Chu Fan chopping wood as if he were enjoying himself, the three of them were speechless.

In this world, there was actually someone who regarded chopping wood as a pleasure...

"Smack!"

[Chopping Wood Saber Technique Experience +1]

Sixty-seven points of experience were gathered in no time at all!

["Chopping Wood Saber Technique" has reached its limit. Consume 20 points of Spiritual Essence to Break Limit. Consume?]

"The Spiritual Essence required for the Second Break Limit is actually ten points more than last time..."

Chu Fan did not hesitate any longer and merely stirred his thoughts.

The Spiritual Essence points on the panel instantly decreased by twenty.

The next moment, a sudden transformation occurred!

The panels for the Chopping Wood Saber Technique and the Mountains and Rivers Map glimmered and flowed, suddenly blurring for an instant!

A mighty force explosively erupted from the depths of his body and circulated through the Eight Extraordinary Meridians!

In Chu Fan's mind, countless chopping trajectories flashed wildly, intertwined, merged, and simplified, reaching an entirely new realm!

A moment later, the strange phenomenon subsided, and everything returned to normal.

[Technique: Chopping Wood Saber Technique (Second Break Limit 0/6000) (Traits: Knife Fast as the Wind, Knife Heavy as a Mountain)]

[Knife Heavy as a Mountain: After tens of millions of chops, one gains an extremely profound understanding of the art of exerting force. When practicing any saber technique, one can more easily perceive the essence of its force. Every move becomes condensed and heavy, with overwhelming might, increasing its power by thirty percent out of thin air!]

"Knife Heavy as a Mountain..."

Chu Fan gripped the Cleaving Knife and felt that the hilt fit perfectly against his palm, while the weight of the blade seemed to have fused with the bones of his arm.

His gaze sharpened. Without making any preparations, he suddenly exerted force with his wrist and slashed straight down at the Round wood beneath his feet!

Boom!

A flash of saber light appeared, and the Round wood split down the middle with a crack. The saber's momentum had yet to end, and it hacked viciously into the earth below until the blade was completely buried and only the hilt remained.

"The power has increased by thirty percent out of thin air..."

Chu Fan stared at the hilt buried in the soil, his heart filled with both surprise and delight.

The Knife Heavy as a Mountain trait complemented Knife Fast as the Wind perfectly.

If his next Break Limit could still trigger one of these traits, his speed might increase by another sixty percent, or his power might rise by another sixty percent!

For a martial artist, whether practicing saber techniques or boxing techniques, how difficult was it to increase speed by sixty percent or power by sixty percent!

Just as Chu Fan suppressed his surging emotions and prepared to continue chopping wood, Zhao Tianxing rushed in excitedly and shouted, "Old Chu! Stop chopping! Cao Shi urgently summoned you and wants you to go over immediately!"

Chu Fan's hands paused. He glanced at the small amount of firewood remaining and hesitated briefly before saying, "Wait a moment. I'll go once I finish chopping this wood."

The three Short Fat Youths were all dumbstruck at his words, nearly choking themselves unconscious.

Instructor Cao had urgently summoned him, yet he was still... still thinking about chopping wood?!

He was crazy!

This guy Chu Fan was truly crazy!

Chopping wood wasn't some delicacy to be savored... Even if it were, the three of them would have thrown it aside by now!