Chapter 351: Collapse
This cluster of blood mist had no corrosive properties whatsoever. What it possessed was an exquisite ability to infiltrate. The formation should have been self-contained, unresponsive to the outside world.
If there were any reactions, the entire formation would inevitably fluctuate, perhaps even issue a direct warning. However, the technique executed using the Blood Touch method broke forcefully into the formation.
Ironically, these formations showed no hostility towards the arrival of the blood mist. They treated it as if it were ubiquitous elemental energy.
Chen Fei remained composed as he watched the blood continually flow from his arm. When using the Blood Touch technique without having fully learned the complete Blood Origin Technique, it did impose a certain burden on the body. After all, there was only so much blood available.
Even with a cultivator's body that had been strengthened and could produce blood at an accelerated rate in a short period, it was still challenging. However, with Chen Fei's mastery over the Suppressing Dragon Elephant Technique, he had absolute control over his body's limits. This degree of bleeding had no impact on him.
As time passed, some secrets of the formation began to appear in Chen Fei's mental consciousness. And as time continued to flow, more and more information about the formation became available.
Penetrating it initially was the most challenging part, but once a breakthrough occurred, everything else fell into place.
In less than fifteen minutes, Chen Fei's eyes suddenly emitted a trace of bloody light. His entire body moved slightly, and he had already arrived in front of the formation. His right hand extended forward.
If this were a few days ago, the formation would have already issued a warning if Chen Fei dared to approach this closely. However, at this moment, partial control of the formation was in Chen Fei's hands.
Chen Fei's right hand felt like it was passing through a layer of water ripples, with no resistance whatsoever. A slight smile appeared on Chen Fei's face as his entire body disappeared into the lake bottom.
A cave appeared before Chen Fei's eyes, and as soon as he entered, he sensed the aura of someone in the early stage of aperture tempering realm right in front of him.
Chen Fei's expression subtly changed, unsure whether this aperture tempering realm cultivator was guarding this place or simply contemplating a technique by chance.
Chen Fei descended lightly like a wisp of willow, landing on the ground without making the slightest sound.
Shi Shaofang, who was sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed, suddenly opened his eyes. There was a hint of confusion in his gaze because he had a sudden sense of unease in his spiritual consciousness.
This feeling was hard to describe, as if a great calamity was about to befall. But this was the legacy site of the Sword Return Tower. While the formations might not be the strongest, in terms of sensitivity, they were undoubtedly the most powerful in the sect.
Whenever there was any movement, the formations would inevitably give a warning. However, at this moment, the formations showed no signs of disturbance, indicating that no one had intruded.
If that were the case, why did he feel this impending disaster? Could it be that a formidable enemy was approaching the mountain gate right now, causing him to feel this way?
But if a formidable enemy were truly approaching, the sect leader and senior disciples would have already detected it and sounded the alarm throughout the sect, rather than the current peaceful state.
The sense of unease grew stronger, and Shi Shaofang became increasingly restless. He stood up, sword already in his hand, and looked around.
Suddenly, an extreme sense of horror welled up in his spiritual consciousness. Before Shi Shaofang could react, he felt a sword light appearing in his spiritual consciousness.
The instinctual mental defense Shi Shaofang had activated was as fragile as paper against this sword light and provided no resistance whatsoever.
In an instant, Shi Shaofang felt as if a massive hole had been pierced in his spiritual consciousness. An unimaginable, excruciating pain erupted within his mental realm. Instinctively, he attempted to cover his head.
Just as Shi Shaofang was raising his arm halfway, an instinctive reaction to danger made him lift the spiritual sword in his hand, and without hesitation, he released countless sword aura attacks in all directions.
Regardless of whether these sword aura attacks could fend off the assailant, as long as they touched the surrounding formations, the disturbance here would be immediately transmitted to the main peak.
At the speed of a cultivator in the later stages of aperture tempering realm, they could arrive here in an extremely short amount of time. That meant both the techniques in the legacy site and Shi Shaofang himself had a chance to be saved.
All Shi Shaofang needed was to buy a little bit of time, and that would be enough!
H
Buzz!"
In Shi Shaofang's perception, it seemed as if an ancient, monstrous beast had suddenly awakened. A terrifying aura descended in an instant, and in a daze, Shi Shaofang seemed to see a figure along with a sword light that filled his entire spiritual consciousness.
The sword aura attacks launched by Shi Shaofang, when faced with this sword light, were like bubbles. A gentle touch from the sword light caused them to disintegrate completely.
Shi Shaofang's eyes widened slightly as he attempted to make other reactions, but he found himself unable to do anything except watch the sword light touch him.
Compression, fragmentation, followed by turning into a splatter of blood. In just an instant, Shi Shaofang felt everything go black in front of him, losing all sensation in his surroundings.
"Whew!"
A strong wind swirled within the cave, and the Qianyuan Sword stopped three feet above the ground under Chen Fei's control. The violent force didn't shatter the ground or trigger the formations in this place.
As for Shi Shaofang, he didn't die either; he was just severely injured and unconscious, lying limp on the ground, with blood steadily oozing from his wounds.
Killing Shi Shaofang wouldn't be difficult for Chen Fei at his current level. However, Chen Fei didn't know if Shi Shaofang's death might trigger some of the setups in the Sword Return Tower, potentially drawing the two cultivators in the later stages of Aperture tempering realm directly here.
To be on the safe side, it was better to wound but not kill him. After all, Chen Fei had come to the Sword Return Tower with the sole purpose of acquiring techniques.
Chen Fei flashed to Shi Shaofang's side, and with a pointed gesture of his right hand, his spiritual power formed a prison, sealing Shi Shaofang's elemental energy and spiritual consciousness completely.
Having done this, Chen Fei turned his attention to the nine legacy tablets standing tall in the distance. Among them, six tablets were giving feedback in response to the Sword Guiding Art.
Chen Fei's figure darted, and he arrived in front of one of the tablets. This particular tablet gave him a keen sensation, but he didn't detect any other abnormalities or dangers. Chen Fei gently placed his palm on the tablet.
In the next moment, a technique appeared in Chen Fei's mental realm. In just a moment, a smile spread across Chen Fei's face. This was the lost sword technique of the Primordial Sword Sect – the Blade-Slaying Sword!
The Blade-Slaying Sword, known for its sharpness, was one of the seven legacies of the Primordial Sword Sect, capable of opening up to ninety acupoints.
In less than half an hour, Chen Fei slowly opened his eyes. Without resting, he teleported to another tablet and placed his palm upon it.
In an instant, an unending and ever-twisting sword intent emerged in Chen Fei's mental realm. This was another legacy of the Primordial Sword Sect – the Water-Jade Sword!
The Water-Jade Sword was the only flexible sword technique among the seven legacies of the Primordial Sword Sect. Whether it was the Zhongyuan Sword, the Giant Spirit Sword, the Great Thunder Sword, or the Blade-Slaying Sword that Chen Fei had just inherited, all these techniques displayed immense power, capable of cleaving through anything with sheer force.
Only the Water-Jade Sword leaned more towards defense and was the sole sword technique among the seven legacies that excelled in defensive maneuvers.
"Solitude begets darkness, and solitude begets light!"
This was a sword principle contained within the Primordial Sword Scripture, which had amalgamated the teachings of the seven legacies. It could also be considered a form of martial wisdom.
Chen Fei didn't know if this martial philosophy was entirely correct, but at least for now, he resonated with it. Perhaps as Chen Fei continued to grow and evolve in the future, he would discover other, more accurate martial truths or ones that suited him better.
Another half an hour passed, and Chen Fei finally withdrew his hand. He had fully absorbed the legacy of the Water-Jade Sword. With this, Chen Fei now possessed the complete legacies of six out of the seven Primordial Sword Sect techniques.
Only the legacy of the Primordial Sword Body was missing, but there was no trace of its presence here.
Chen Fei was well aware of the distinct auras associated with the seven techniques. After all, there were seven stone tablets dedicated to each technique within the Primordial Sword Sect's legacy grounds. While the other four legacies were damaged, their auras remained unchanged. However, here, Chen Fei could not sense the aura of the Primordial Sword Body.
Without changing his expression, Chen Fei moved to another stone tablet. This one emitted the unique aura of the Primordial Sword Scripture.
Chen Fei's emotions stirred slightly. The Primordial Sword Scripture was the overarching text, and if it wasn't complete, no matter how many other legacies he obtained, it would be in vain for Chen Fei.
Moments ago, when the heavily wounded and almost dying Shi Shaofang regained consciousness, he was surprised to find himself still alive. Trying to lift his head to look ahead, Shi Shaofang discovered that he couldn't move at all. He could only vaguely see the figure under the stone tablet.
Shi Shaofang struggled intensely, but his entire body's elemental and mental powers were sealed by Chen Fei. Shi Shaofang's struggles were futile, and he couldn't even manage to twitch a finger.
Shi Shaofang knew that the figure in front of the stone tablet was the person who had ambushed him, stealing the legacy techniques. Thinking of this, anger and urgency welled up within him, causing blood to trickle from the corner of his mouth.
Shi Shaofang couldn't understand how the intruder had entered this place so stealthily, without making a sound, without any disturbances, and without even sensing their presence.
If it weren't for his mental perception alerting him to something unusual, Shi Shaofang suspected that he wouldn't have had a chance to stand up at all.
However, it was too late for such thoughts now. Knocked down with a single move, his mental and elemental powers were completely sealed, and he couldn't even make the slightest movement.
Shi Shaofang would rather his assailant kill him. At least then, others within the sect would be alerted to what was happening here. But the assailant was too cautious, opting to seal him instead of delivering a fatal blow.
Because of this, the assailant was now boldly receiving the legacy techniques from the stone tablet, and none of the others within the sect had any idea of the situation.
Chen Fei sensed Shi Shaofang's awakening, but he paid it no mind. Shi Shaofang was already on the brink of death and sealed, incapable of doing anything at the moment.
Chen Fei extended his right hand and pressed it against the stone tablet. In the next moment, information about the Primordial Sword Scripture's legacy techniques began to appear in Chen Fei's mind.
The first layer, the second layer, the third layer!
The legacy of the techniques was not over yet.. Information about the techniques continued to flow from the stone tablet!
Chapter 352: Primordial Sword Scripture
A smile involuntarily appeared on Chen Fei's face. Back in the Long Rainbow Sect, he had only obtained the complete first two layers of the Primordial Sword Scripture, with the third layer being damaged. It could be practiced, but he couldn't fully integrate the third set of techniques into it.
Now, with the third layer of techniques imprinted in his mind from the stone tablet, it wasn't over yet. The transmission of techniques continued.
The fourth layer, the fifth layer—the information from the stone tablet kept pouring into Chen Fei's consciousness.
Meanwhile, Shi Shaofang lay on the ground. At this moment, due to the angle, he managed to get a slightly clearer view of Chen Fei's back. However, seeing his back at this point didn't change anything. People's faces can be easily altered, and the method to change one's appearance is vast.
What frustrated Shi Shaofang even more was that, despite witnessing the person in front of him, he still couldn't sense the expected aura coming from this figure's back.
Aura was something that everyone possessed, and many times, in the cultivation world, people recognized each other based on their aura. Yet, in this place, this method of recognition failed with Chen Fei.
In other words, even if Shi Shaofang managed to survive this encounter and faced Chen Fei in person in the future, he wouldn't recognize that it was the same person who had defeated him with a single move to the brink of death.
In fact, during their recent confrontation, Chen Fei's aura had indeed been revealed. When two people engage in a real battle, no matter how strong a Slaughter Spirit Technique may be, it cannot hide the sudden surge of aura.
However, at that moment, Shi Shaofang's mental perception had been disrupted by the Godslayer Sword, creating a hole in his perception. With the addition of the great completion realm of the Godslayer Sword, when it encountered a lower-level opponent, had unparalleled lethality. However, at that moment, Shi Shaofang's mind was pierced by the Godslayer Sword, creating a hole in his mental defenses. With the added power of the great completion realm, the Godslayer Sword's strike was unparalleled when facing someone of a lower cultivation level.
This had left Shi Shaofang, at the initial stage of aperture tempering realm, with no choice but to rely on instinctive counterattacks. He couldn't even clearly discern the enemy's position at that moment.
In that situation, even if faced with another individual at the initial stage of aperture tempering realm, it would be easy to kill Shi Shaofang within a few moves.
From this, it could be inferred just how severely injured Shi Shaofang had been at the time.
Shi Shaofang lay on the ground, unable to do anything at this moment. He could only fix his gaze firmly on Chen Fei's back, as if doing so was the only way to vent the resentment in his heart.
After an unknown amount of time passed, Shi Shaofang noticed that Chen Fei's hand had left the stone tablet. Strangely, even without seeing Chen Fei's face, Shi Shaofang could sense Chen Fei's joy at this moment.
Yes, from a person's back, one could vaguely discern their state of mind. So how excited must this person be right now?
Was Chen Fei excited? Of course, he was!
A complete, seven-layered, flawless Primordial Sword Scripture—how could Chen Fei not be excited?
The Primordial Sword Scripture within this stone tablet was actually in perfect condition. Before he placed his palm on the stone tablet, Chen Fei had prepared for the worst, assuming that the manual might still be damaged.
Therefore, when he had completed receiving the first three layers of the Primordial Sword Scripture in an intact form, Chen Fei already felt like he had hit the jackpot. And when he completed receiving the first five layers in their entirety, his excitement was beyond words.
And now, with the entire Primordial Sword Scripture, including the central manual, in his consciousness, Chen Fei even felt like his consciousness had been struck.
Having obtained complete techniques from six different sources, along with the now-intact Primordial Sword Scripture, Chen Fei could fuse all six sets of techniques together.
Although he was missing the Primordial Sword Body manual, the fusion of the six sets of techniques would undoubtedly result in him being able to open over a hundred acupoints. Compared to the techniques that could only open ninety acupoints, this was a qualitative leap.
Furthermore, since all seven layers of the Primordial Sword Scripture were intact, and there were still thirty-three cultivation methods for the Primordial Sword Body within the sect, Chen Fei could forcibly merge the Primordial Sword Body as well when the time came.
Although it couldn't increase the number of opened acupoints, it would undoubtedly enhance his combat power significantly.
Moreover, there were not no leads regarding the Primordial Sword Body.
Among the sects, the existing Primordial Sword Body had originally been obtained from the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect. Back when Chen Fei was still a direct disciple, he had defeated Shen Tucang, the second-ranked disciple of the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect, and the sect rewarded him with it.
If there was a complete Primordial Sword Body anywhere, the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect would be the most likely place.
In the Sword Return Tower, there was a complete Primordial Sword Scripture, along with several other techniques, yet they lacked the Primordial Sword Body. However, the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect had once been able to produce a partially damaged one.
These two circumstances might be a mere coincidence, or perhaps they concealed some kind of inevitability.
Chen Fei glanced at the other stone tablets. Besides the Primordial Sword Sect's technique inheritance, there were also three techniques unique to the Sword Return Tower.
Under normal circumstances, Chen Fei might have been interested in observing these techniques at the aperture tempering realm level. However, after spending over an hour here and to avoid any unexpected incidents, it was better to leave as soon as possible.
As for the inheritance stones in the nine tablets, Chen Fei did not tamper with them. These inheritance stones were connected to the formation here. If Chen Fei dared to break these stones, the two figures on the Sword Return Tower's main peak would immediately sense that something had changed.
Unless Chen Fei could completely control the formation here. However, this formation was extremely vast, and it would take a very long time to fully assimilate it using Blood Touch technique's power.
With that much time, staying behind just to grab a few pieces of inheritance stones would be pure madness.
Sword Return Tower must have recorded versions of these techniques in jade scrolls. Whether they were destroyed or taken away, it wouldn't make much of a difference for Chen Fei and the Primordial Sword Sect.
Chen Fei turned his head and glanced at Shi Shaofang from a distance. With a slight gesture of his right hand, the elemental stones and elixirs on Shi Shaofang flew to Chen Fei.
Of course, the most valuable item was the spiritual sword.
After taking a moment to throw all these items into his spatial grid, Chen Fei appeared before a small section of the formation that he had previously controlled. Because he had stopped continuously releasing Blood Touch, this area was starting to return to its original state.
Chen Fei opened a wound on his arm, and the blood turned into a mist, shrouding the area. In less than the time it takes to finish a cup of tea, this area was back under Chen Fei's control.
The next moment, Chen Fei's body passed through the formation and appeared at the bottom of the lake.
With a quick movement, Chen Fei emerged on the surface of the lake. He glanced around and realized that there was no longer any reason to stay at the Sword Return Tower now that he had the techniques.
Taking advantage of the fact that the situation in the inheritance ground below had not yet been discovered by the Sword Return Tower, Chen Fei naturally decided to get as far away as possible. As long as he put enough distance between himself and the Sword Return Tower, they would not be able to track him down.
Chen Fei's figure turned into a phantom as he headed towards the edge of the Sword Return Tower.
The entire sect of the Sword Return Tower was covered by a formation, with a rather ordinary protective effect, mainly used to alert against external intruders rather than being strong for internal control.
However, if someone were to pass directly from the inside to the outside, it would still trigger the formation's reaction. Therefore, Chen Fei decided to use Blood Touch to control a small section of the formation before silently leaving.
At the edge of the formation, blood mist filled the air, and the area in front of Chen Fei was gradually coming under his control. Suddenly, Chen Fei's brows furrowed slightly, and he turned to look at the main peak of the Sword Return Tower.
The next moment, the entire formation of the Sword Return Tower trembled instantly, and the blood mist that had been attached to the formation was abruptly dispersed.
Someone had taken control of the formation voluntarily, and in this situation, Blood Touch could no longer penetrate. Blood Touch could only affect those formations that were uncontrolled and operated automatically.
Once someone actively managed the formation, they would directly repel the power of the blood mist, just like what was happening now.
Not only that, but at this moment, a faint sense of scrutiny appeared in Chen Fei's perception. If Chen Fei were only in the early stages of the aperture tempering realm, he might not have been able to detect this scrutiny, but his mental power had already reached the level of the mid-stages of the aperture tempering realm.
Therefore, as soon as this sense of scrutiny appeared, Chen Fei captured it.
The people from the Sword Return Tower had found him!
Perhaps they had discovered the changes in the inheritance ground, or there might be other reasons, but now was not the time to think about that. Chen Fei had to leave.
At this moment, in addition to the sense of scrutiny, a warning signal suddenly flashed in Chen Fei's mind. A sense of pressure enveloped him, indicating that someone was chasing after him.
Chen Fei glanced back at the Sword Return Tower, his figure flashed, and he activated his Soaring Heaven technique to the fullest, rushing out of the formation.
"Who dares to intrude into my Sword Return Tower? Leave your tracks behind!"
A thunderous shout came from behind, even though the distance was still great, the oppressive force was already felt by Chen Fei.
Chen Fei's steps did not stop; instead, he activated the Shuttle of Flying Clouds in his arms, pushing his already astonishing speed to an even more jaw-dropping level.
At the same time, he employed the Slaughter Spirit Technique to eliminate the breath that had escaped him due to his full-speed movement.
The Sword Return Tower's sect leader, Xing Xinzhao, blinked and arrived at the formation in an instant. He then passed through the formation, intending to follow the trail of breath. However, there was not a trace of lingering breath in the surroundings.
Thinking about the report from his disciples that the intruder could conceal their breath, Xing Xinzhao's brow furrowed slightly.
With Shi Shaofang on the verge of death, and the intruder having free access to the inheritance ground of the sect, the fact that they were now openly leaving was a situation that would be a severe blow to their reputation.
"Open, Sword Return Eye!"
Xing Xinzhao extended his right palm, forming a sword-like gesture, and swiped it across his own forehead. A bloodstain was drawn from his forehead, but at the same time, a faint light radiated from the bloodstain.
The world around him, which was originally colorless, suddenly changed under the influence of the Sword Return Eye.
Everything turned black and white, with only traces of red spreading throughout the mountain path. These were the traces left by Chen Fei, but they were rapidly dissipating at an astonishing speed.
The Sword Return Eye was indeed powerful, but its drawbacks were also apparent. Apart from consuming a significant amount of mental power, many traces would gradually disappear over time.
However, the speed at which these traces were dissipating was somewhat beyond Xing Xinzhao's expectations. It seemed that the opponent possessed a profound skill for concealing their breath. If he hadn't followed immediately, the Sword Return Eye might have lost track of the traces.
Xing Xinzhao's figure moved like a drawn sword, disappearing from his original position.
Chen Fei's agility was undoubtedly impressive, but Xing Xinzhao was even faster.
The power of the late-stage aperture tempering realm, combined with perfected body techniques!
As Chen Fei sprinted forward with all his might, he suddenly sensed the pressure coming from behind. His expression changed slightly; the pursuer had somehow found his trail and caught up!
There must have been some traces left behind somewhere. The Slaughter Spirit Technique was powerful, but it was certainly not flawless. In the world, there were very few things that could be called perfect.
When you believe something is perfect, it's usually because your own understanding and perspective aren't high enough.
Chen Fei remained calm, his body swaying as he split into multiple shadow clones.. Since his pursuer was tracking traces, he wanted to see which one the pursuer would follow!
Chapter 353: Waiting For A Hero
For Chen Fei, the most valuable aspect of the Soaring Heaven Technique was the ability to create a perfect doppelganger. Both in terms of aura and other attributes, it was a flawless replica.
Especially now that he possessed the Slaughter Spirit Technique, which allowed him to eliminate any differences in aura between his main body and the doppelganger, making them virtually indistinguishable.
Chen Fei had opened seventy-five acupoints with the Soaring Heaven Technique, just crossing the threshold of seventy-two acupoints that marked the middle stage of the Aperture tempering realm. In terms of the number of acupoints alone, Chen Fei's Soaring Heaven Technique was considered relatively ordinary among the many inheritances that could be cultivated to reach the later stages of the Aperture tempering realm.
In the early and middle stages of the Aperture tempering realm, the shortcomings of the Soaring Heaven Technique were not readily apparent, and because Chen Fei had perfected it, he still had a significant advantage over cultivators in the early and middle stages of the Aperture tempering realm.
However, in the future, as Chen Fei continued to advance to the later stages of the Aperture tempering realm, and even the pinnacle of the Aperture tempering realm, the advantages of the Soaring Heaven Technique would likely fade away.
It was precisely because of this that even with the enhancement of the Fleeting Shuttle, Chen Fei found it difficult to evade Xing Xinzhao's pursuit.
In the later stages of the Aperture tempering realm, the seventy-two acupoints formed a cohesive whole, serving as the foundation of great power. Coupled with his sect's martial arts inheritance, catching up to Chen Fei was almost inevitable.
But at this moment, Chen Fei's face showed no sign of panic. As he continued to flee in one direction with his doppelganger, he kept moving along his predetermined route.
In less than a moment, Xing Xinzhao arrived at a hilltop. Using the Sword Return Eye technique, he saw two tracks leading in different directions. Xing Xinzhao furrowed his brow, and from the tracks alone, it was nearly impossible to determine which one was the real Chen Fei.
"Clang!"
Xing Xinzhao unsheathed his spirit sword, and a surge of sword intent shot into the sky, lingering in the forest for an extended period. In the next moment, another surge of sword intent came from behind, resonating with Xing Xinzhao's.
Another Aperture tempering realm cultivator from the Sword Return Tower, Sui Wengong, had followed Xing Xinzhao. Xing Xinzhao chose one of the trails to continue pursuing, while Sui Wengong went after the other one.
As Chen Fei continued to sprint ahead, he also sensed the two surges of sword intent rising behind him. He knew that two Aperture tempering realm cultivators from the Sword Return Tower were chasing him.
Clearly, whatever Chen Fei had done in the Sword Return Tower had enraged them, as they had sent two cultivators instead of one. It was evident that they were determined to capture Chen Fei and wouldn't give up easily.
Chen Fei planted a foot on a rocky outcrop, creating numerous phantom images with his body. The Fleeting Shuttle in his arms vibrated continuously, pushed to its limit.
However, despite his efforts, the distance between Xing Xinzhao and Chen Fei continued to shorten. At this rate, it wouldn't be long before Chen Fei was caught.
Furthermore, the doppelganger created by the Soaring Heaven Technique couldn't match the speed of Chen Fei's main body, and it would be overtaken even sooner. Even if Chen Fei dissolved the doppelganger and created a new one, it would only provide a brief delay.
The two Aperture tempering realm cultivators from the Sword Return Tower would soon close in on Chen Fei from both sides, trapping him like a dumpling filling. It seemed that Chen Fei had run out of options, leaving him with no choice but to fight.
Chen Fei looked ahead and saw a solitary peak rising like a sword into the sky, unmistakably prominent in the landscape. A smile crept onto his lips as he covered the distance in a few strides, arriving at the base of the lonely peak. Two figures were already seated there, their eyes opening simultaneously as they turned their gazes toward Chen Fei.
One of them was dressed in plain blue robes, resembling an ordinary scholar. However, the occasional sharpness in his eyes revealed the hidden edge within him. This was Qu Qingsheng, the head of the Primordial Sword Sect.
The other figure was elderly and frail, with visible signs of physical decline.
Yet, the vitality in his eyes remained intact, a testament to his enduring spirit. This was Elder Zhou Zixun.
In comparison to the Sect Leader, Qu Qingsheng, Zhou Zixun's condition was undeniably inferior. Approaching the end of his lifespan, his earlier failed attempt to break through the Combined aperture tempering realm had left his cultivation dwindling. Nevertheless, even as his cultivation declined, Zhou Zixun remained a formidable Aperture tempering realm cultivator, still holding a pivotal position within the sect.
Upon seeing these two individuals, Chen Fei couldn't help but feel moved. He had used an elemental stone to send a message back to the sect, hoping they would send an Aperture tempering realm cultivator to assist him in this location.
Chen Fei had spent ten days within the Sword Return Tower, primarily for two reasons: refining his Blood Touch of Blood Origin Technique, and waiting for the sect's reinforcements.
Today, he had received their response, which prompted his actions this evening. He infiltrated the Sword Return Tower's inheritance grounds and retrieved various techniques of the Primordial Sword Sect.
As such, when he sensed that the Sword Return Tower had discovered his presence and was closing in on him, Chen Fei remained calm, knowing that reinforcements from his sect were here to support him.
It wasn't that the Aperture tempering realm cultivators from the Primordial Sword Sect were significantly stronger than those from the Sword Return Tower. Rather, with the support of his sect's cultivators delaying the pursuers, Chen Fei could make a smooth exit. Similarly, their counterpart from the Primordial Sword Sect, also being at the Aperture tempering realm's later stage, could leave without a hitch.
Chen Fei hadn't anticipated that both Qu Qingsheng and Zhou Zixun would come. In the message he had sent back to the sect, he had refrained from mentioning that he had found the secret manuals of the techniques, fearing it might lead to unnecessary complications.
However, even without revealing the details, when they learned that Chen Fei needed support from Aperture tempering realm cultivators, both Qu Qingsheng and Zhou Zixun, who were at the Aperture tempering realm's later stage, had come together from the Primordial Sword Sect.
It was important to note that the situation around Immortal Cloud City appeared calm at first glance but was actually fraught with variables. Sects like the Primordial Sword Sect, without Aperture tempering realm cultivators holding the fort, were susceptible to major incidents with even minor mishaps.
This demonstrated that in the eyes of Chen Fei, both Sect Leader Qu Qingsheng and Elder Zhou Zixun highly valued him. They considered Chen Fei to be of greater importance than many others.
"Leader, Elder Zhou!" Chen Fei approached the two of them and respectfully greeted them with a cupped fist.
"What happened?" Zhou Zixun looked at Chen Fei and straightforwardly inquired. The information Chen Fei had transmitted back was limited, and Zhou Zixun needed a general understanding of the situation to plan their next actions.
H
Is someone chasing you from behind?" Qu Qingsheng's gaze shifted past Chen Fei and toward the distance.
Just now, Qu Qingsheng had sensed a fleeting sword intent in the distance. Due to the considerable distance, he couldn't discern much from that sword intent.
However, this territory belonged to the Sword Return Tower, and the owner of that sword intent was likely someone from the Sword Return Tower.
"It's an Aperture tempering realm cultivator from the Sword Return Tower, one of them was led away by my clone, but there's still one pursuing behind." Chen Fei replied in a low voice.
"Let's talk while we move. There's no need to confront them head-on here." Qu Qingsheng whispered.
They had two Aperture tempering realm cultivators, and with only one person from the Sword Return Tower pursuing them, there was naturally nothing to worry about. However, accidents can happen, and their primary purpose for coming out this time was to support Chen Fei.
More importantly, this was the territory of the Sword Return Tower. Although one of the Aperture tempering realm cultivators had been led away by Chen Fei's clone, it would take only a moment for them to catch up.
"Good!"
Chen Fei nodded, and Zhou Zixun grabbed his arm. With a swift movement, they disappeared from their original location.
Zhou Zixun had already cultivated his Soaring Heaven Technique to the pinnacle, and with his Aperture tempering realm later-stage cultivation, the speed he displayed now surpassed Chen Fei.
Qu Qingsheng followed alongside, not rushing, but patiently waiting for Chen Fei to continue explaining the situation.
"I retrieved the Primordial Sword Scripture, the complete Primordial Sword Scripture!" Chen Fei looked at the two of them and whispered.
"Snap!"
As the three of them stepped over a treetop, Zhou Zixun's feet suddenly paused, causing the entire tree to tremble slightly before shattering into powder. Zhou Zixun turned to look at Chen Fei with an incredulous expression on his face, which had been calm just moments ago.
The complete Primordial Sword Scripture?
Qu Qingsheng was also astonished, gazing at Chen Fei in disbelief. The complete Primordial Sword Scripture? When Chen Fei had obtained the two layers of the Primordial Sword Scripture from the Long Rainbow Sect, Qu Qingsheng had already been overjoyed.
After all, the Primordial Sword Scripture, which had been refined with the Giant Spirit Sword and the Zhongyuan Sword, opened up ninety acupoints, making it an excellent Aperture tempering realm technique.
Their Aperture tempering realm late-stage cultivators from the Primordial Sword Sect wouldn't be weaker than the surrounding sects. For the entire Primordial Sword Sect, this was a significant development.
Now, Chen Fei had obtained the complete Primordial Sword Scripture. That meant he could even integrate the Soaring Heaven technique into it. When the techniques were fused, it would undoubtedly increase the number of opened acupoints.
As for the other missing techniques, if he had enough energy, he could learn them. Even though the number of acupoints wouldn't increase, fusing all the techniques would greatly enhance the power of the techniques, resulting in a significant increase in combat strength.
"Furthermore, I've also obtained the complete training methods for the Blade-Saying Sword, the Great Thunder Sword, and the Wate-Jade Sword!" Chen Fei continued.
"Buzz!"
Due to the earlier explosion of the tree, the three of them had landed on the ground. Upon hearing Chen Fei's words, the auras of Qu Qingsheng and Zhou Zixun suddenly surged, causing the surrounding elemental energy to tremble slightly.
Cracks appeared in concentric circles beneath their feet, revealing the inexplicable emotional state they couldn't describe with words.
ii
Is this for real?" Zhou Zixun's voice quivered as he spoke.
Ever since the catastrophe years ago, the Primordial Sword Sect had lost all but three techniques, and even the main manual, the Primordial Sword Scripture, was completely lost. Now, Chen Fei had somehow managed to recover three techniques and even the main manual in its entirety.
At this moment, Zhou Zixun felt as if he were in a dream.
"I wouldn't dare to make such a joke," Chen Fei replied with a shake of his head.
"Were these techniques found in the Sword Return Tower?" Qu Qingsheng took a deep breath, gradually regaining his composure.
In his daily life, Qu Qingsheng rarely displayed his emotions on his face. However, the news provided by Chen Fei was simply too shocking. Although his face was currently composed, one could sense his emotions from the look in his eyes.
"Yes, apart from the Primordial Sword Scripture and the Soaring Heaven technique, all of our sect's other techniques have been collected by the Sword Return Tower," Chen Fei nodded and replied.
"This is outrageous!" Zhou Zixun exclaimed angrily. As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly sensed an aura in the distance. Xing Xinzhao was catching up..
Chapter 354: Pulling the Heavens
Xing Xinzhao was racing forward when suddenly his footsteps slowed. In the perception of the Sword Return Eye, Xing Xinzhao saw two unfamiliar auras. These two auras were particularly strong in the eyes of the Sword Return Eye, indicating that the newcomers possessed significant strength.
"There are people here to assist him!" Xing Xinzhao's face darkened, he pondered for a moment, and then continued to pursue.
After covering a few miles, Xing Xinzhao sensed the two auras again in his spiritual awareness. His expression couldn't help but change slightly. It seemed that the strength of the people coming to assist wasn't anything extraordinary since he easily caught up with them.
Xing Xinzhao slid his feet and transformed into a blur, moving at an even faster pace. However, as he was about to get closer, his brows furrowed slightly, as something felt off about those two auras.
Before Xing Xinzhao could figure it out, his eyes caught sight of three figures ahead. At this point, the distance between the two sides was less than a mile.
The sense of unease in Xing Xinzhao's heart grew stronger. Just as he was about to stop, he suddenly saw two figures charging toward him from the front.
Within the space of less than a mile, Xing Xinzhao had been advancing forward, while the two individuals had reversed direction and were now charging back toward him. In the blink of an eye, the distance between them was less than a hundred meters.
In this short distance, Xing Xinzhao managed to clearly see the appearance of the two individuals, and his face changed dramatically.
Yes, Xing Xinzhao recognized the appearances of Qu Qingsheng and Zhou Zixun. With access to all six cultivation techniques of the Primordial Sword Sect, Xing Xinzhao naturally couldn't help but pay attention to the members of the Primordial Sword Sect.
However, Xing Xinzhao had considered various scenarios for their encounter, but the one scenario he hadn't anticipated was meeting them in this situation.
What was even more crucial was that the two individuals with the highest cultivation in the Primordial Sword Sect had appeared simultaneously. While Zhou Zixun could be forgiven, Qu Qingsheng, as the Sect Master of the Primordial Sword Sect, daring to venture out into the complex situation around Immortal Cloud City was quite unexpected.
Xing Xinzhao swiftly stepped his right foot forward and quickly retreated backward. Facing two Late-Stage Aperture tempering realm cultivators, he didn't dare to engage and needed to leave immediately.
"You scoundrel, where do you think you're going?" Zhou Zixun angrily shouted. Since hearing Chen Fei's words, a fire had been burning in Zhou Zixun's heart. For any sect, the inheritance of techniques was of utmost importance. Losing a technique would prompt most sects to do everything they could to retrieve it, and the Sword Return Tower held a total of six techniques from the Primordial Sword Sect.
Qu Qingsheng watched Xing Xinzhao and pointed his spirit sword forward. A black sword formation enveloped Xing Xinzhao.
Xing Xinzhao's expression changed slightly, and his spirit sword radiated dazzling brilliance. A massive illusory sword shadow rose into the sky, blocking the Zhongyuan sword formation and preventing it from descending.
Seizing this opportunity, Xing Xinzhao frantically retreated.
When two cultivators of the same rank had a significant difference in their cultivation and there was enough distance between them, it was possible for the one who wanted to escape to succeed.
Xing Xinzhao felt fortunate that he had sensed something unusual, and there was still some distance between the two parties.
The Soaring Heaven technique from the Primordial Sword Sect was remarkable, but the Sword Return Tower's body technique inheritance was equally outstanding. Therefore, Xing Xinzhao was confident in making a clean getaway, especially since Qu Qingsheng and Zhou Zixun were not peak Late-Stage Aperture tempering realm experts.
"Stay!" Zhou Zixun roared, and his entire person seemed to transform into a treasure sword. In the blink of an eye, he covered hundreds of meters and appeared right in front of Xing Xinzhao.
In the next moment, Zhou Zixun collided head-on with Xing Xinzhao.
"Boom!"
A deafening explosion resounded, reaching for the skies. Even from a distance, Chen Fei could feel the immense power of this collision.
Zhou Zixun had attempted to break through to the combined aperture tempering realm but failed, causing his vital energy to deplete rapidly. However, during the breakthrough attempt, he had gained some insights, and the explosion just now was a manifestation of that knowledge.
The combined aperture tempering realm integrated all the acupoints throughout the body into one point, harnessing an incredibly powerful force that far exceeded the aperture tempering realm. Zhou Zixun's failed breakthrough had given him some understanding of this acupoint fusion. The sudden leap of hundreds of meters just now was achieved by combining the power of his acupoints using the Giant Spirit Sword.
This technique had the drawback of injuring the user before harming the opponent, but Zhou Zixun didn't care much about that. With his remaining lifespan being so short, minor injuries were inconsequential.
Because he had gained some insight into acupoint fusion, Zhou Zixun's combat prowess at this moment could be considered the strongest among everyone present.
In the clash of swords, Xing Xinzhao involuntarily took a step back, clearly at a disadvantage. Although he hadn't displayed signs of defeat, it was evident that he was on the losing side.
Taking advantage of Xing Xinzhao's momentary loss of power, the Zhongyuan Sword Formation descended, completely enveloping him. At this point, Xing Xinzhao found it difficult to escape.
Sensing the situation around him, Xing Xinzhao's eyes widened, and he let out a furious roar. His entire body's elemental energy instantly boiled. Faced with the encirclement of two peers, if he couldn't escape, all he could do was hold his ground.
Sui Wengong was only a few miles away. If he persisted for just a little while longer, Sui Wengong would catch up. When two cultivators of the Aperture tempering realm were to engage, it wouldn't be as straightforward to determine the victor.
"Attack!"
Zhou Zixun shouted fiercely, and the Giant Spirit Sword rose, as if it could overturn the heavens, imposing its immense power in all directions.
For Zhou Zixun, who had practiced the Giant Spirit Sword for a lifetime, his comprehension was profound. The sword technique he exhibited seemed to transcend the ordinary boundaries of the Giant Spirit Sword.
Standing at a distance, Chen Fei's gaze flickered. His own Giant Spirit Sword was also approaching perfection. Aside from the gap in cultivation level, Chen Fei suddenly noticed that there was something different about the way Zhou Zixun was wielding the Giant Spirit Sword.
Of course, it wasn't that Zhou Zixun had made mistakes in his Giant Spirit Sword cultivation. Instead, the Giant Spirit Sword he was displaying seemed to carry a hint of Zhou Zixun's personal artistic conception.
For the members of the Primordial Sword Sect, the Giant Spirit Sword and the Zhongyuan Sword represented the pinnacle of their cultivation and techniques. There was no further path to tread.
Either they needed to find other techniques to combine with them or carve out a new path entirely. Many years ago, when the cultivation levels of Qu Qingsheng and Zhou Zixun were just the same as they were now, they had tried to forge a new path.
However, it was incredibly difficult, and they had not made much progress over the years. Even so, the small progress they had made gave Chen Fei a unique feeling.
"Boom!"
Inside the Zhongyuan Sword Formation, the sound of explosions filled the air. Chen Fei could hear Xing Xinzhao's angry roar, but as time passed, the anger in his voice was gradually diminishing.
Xing Xinzhao's fiery aura, which had been burning like a raging fire, was also steadily decreasing. However, because he was on the defensive, not making any offensive moves, although it appeared that he was in a losing position, there was still some distance from being defeated.
When two cultivators of equal cultivation realms faced off, and one side was in a purely defensive stance, it was extremely difficult to launch a successful attack. Xing Xinzhao's mentality was also incredibly tenacious at the moment, especially since Sui Wengong's aura had already appeared not far away.
As long as he held on for a little longer, Sui Wengong would arrive. When that happened, with an equal number of Aperture tempering realm cultivators, their strengths evenly matched, it was uncertain who would come out on top in a true battle.
The more likely outcome was that both sides would back down. Xing Xinzhao could sense that Zhou Zixun's strength was gradually diminishing compared to the initial confrontation.
The person who had initially put the most pressure on him was now exerting less and less pressure.
Unfortunately, at this moment, Qu Qingsheng was still there, and Xing Xinzhao had no chance to escape.
Xing Xinzhao could feel Zhou Zixun's state, and naturally, Qu Qingsheng could too. Since the failed breakthrough to the Aperture tempering realm, Zhou Zixun's physical condition had been on a continuous decline.
He could still maintain his late-stage Aperture tempering realm's cultivation under normal circumstances and possessed the corresponding combat power, but this combat power wasn't sustainable. It might not be very noticeable when facing opponents below late-stage Aperture tempering realm, but in a battle between equals, Zhou Zixun could only unleash his late-stage Aperture tempering realm strength for a short period of time, just like in the current situation.
Chen Fei didn't know when he had appeared on the battlefield about a dozen meters away. Here, he could clearly feel the aura and pressure emanating from three late-stage Aperture tempering realm cultivators.
Chen Fei's hair fluttered in the wind as his clothes clung tightly to his body under the pressure.
Inside the Zhongyuan Sword Formation, Xing Xinzhao's spirit sword spun continuously, blocking the attacks from all sides. He caught a glimpse of Chen Fei outside the sword formation, and a trace of fierceness flashed in his eyes.
It was all because of this person that he had ended up in such a precarious and dangerous situation. If given the chance, Xing Xinzhao would not hesitate to kill Chen Fei and would not hold back!
Chen Fei sensed Xing Xinzhao's murderous intent and glanced at him. Feeling the approaching aura of Sui Wengong in the distance, he immediately activated the utmost refinement of the Thousand Threads technique within his sea of consciousness, causing his mental power to surge.
Godslayer!
An invisible sword light shot out from Chen Fei's sea of consciousness, and in the blink of an eye, it entered the sword formation and arrived in front of Xing Xinzhao. Xing Xinzhao felt something unusual, and his mental power suddenly tightened.
"Hmm!"
Xing Xinzhao felt a tremor in his sea of consciousness, and there was already a gap in his mental power. The sensation was several times worse than a skin-deep wound, exploding in his sea of consciousness.
For Xing Xinzhao, this level of pain wasn't much. Normally, he probably wouldn't even furrow his brow. Moreover, this minor mental injury was not a big deal for him. Mental attacks were sometimes a double-edged sword, hurting both the attacker and the defender. When you hurt yourself, others would suffer from the backlash as well.
But at this moment, Xing Xinzhao was wielding his spirit sword to block attacks, and the sudden mental injury caused his movements to pause uncontrollably.
This was a very brief pause, but in a high-level duel, even a small pause could be a vulnerability.
If the mental attack had been launched by either Qu Qingsheng or Zhou Zixun just now, one of them would have likely paused, and the other would have had a hard time determining the outcome, even if they seized the opportunity.
But Qu Qingsheng and Zhou Zixun were both unharmed at this moment. Years of tacit understanding allowed Zhou Zixun to infuse the power of the Giant Spirit Sword into Qu Qingsheng's sword formation.
"Clang!"
The power of the Zhongyuan Sword in Qu Qingsheng's hand instantly surged. With a single strike, Xing Xinzhao tried to respond, but it was already too late. He could only move to the side to avoid it to some extent.
In the next moment, a small portion of his arm, along with a few shoulder bones, flew into the air, shattering into a mist of blood.
It was a close call; Xing Xinzhao's head was almost severed by that strike, and only his instinctual reaction had saved his life.
"All!"
Xing Xinzhao screamed in agony, and all his meridians suddenly expanded, then contracted, cracking across all his meridians. In the next moment, a tremendous force surged, and Xing Xinzhao transformed into a sword light, tearing through the Zhongyuan Sword Formation, disappearing without a trace.
Chen Fei looked up, and that sword light even carried Sui Wengong from afar, vanishing together from this territory..
Chapter 355: Leave It to the Heavens
The torn arm couldn't be regenerated, and by using his acupoints like this, Xing Xinzhou could no longer open up any more acupoints in the future. His cultivation in this lifetime had reached its limit, and without good elixirs or spiritual materials, his realm would directly scroll from late-stage Aperture tempering realm back to the initial stage.
Sliding from late-stage Aperture tempering realm to the initial stage was a possibility.
This was the final result of Xing Xinzhou's desperate struggle. If not for the brutal outcome, Xing Xinzhou would have used this move earlier. If it weren't for Chen Fei's sudden mental attack, Xing Xinzhou could have held on a bit longer.
But in battles, things were ever-changing, and at least Xing Xinzhou had preserved his life.
*Cough.
Zhou Zixun gave a light cough. He wasn't injured, but he looked much older than before.
Zhou Zixun's eyes held a sense of melancholy. What a great opportunity it was, but his body didn't allow him to assault the Sword Return Tower!
If he were ten years younger, even with the defensive formation of the Sword Return Tower, they might have had a chance to destroy it. But now, all of this was just wishful thinking.
Although the Sword Return Tower had paid a price, Zhou Zixun was not satisfied.
*Sigh.
Zhou Zixun let out a soft sigh, and as he looked up, he happened to see Chen Fei. His somewhat melancholic expression gradually disappeared. He may not have much hope left, but with someone like Chen Fei, the Primordial Sword Sect could undoubtedly go further.
"Let's go, let's leave this place," Qu Qingsheng said in a low voice.
Not leaving Xing Xinzhou completely here was also a bit regrettable for Qu Qingsheng. However, such things couldn't be forced; when strength couldn't establish dominance, this was the result.
Previously, the Primordial Sword Sect only had two main combat legacies, the Zhongyuan Sword and the Giant Spirit Sword. Still, they couldn't be fused, and they only opened up eighty acupoints, which was quite ordinary for the late-stage Aperture tempering realm.
Recently, the Primordial Sword Scripture had recovered two levels, finally allowing the fusion of techniques and raising the number of acupoints to ninety. However, the time spent in cultivation was still too short. It would take at least several years for the results to show.
In just a few years, they could cultivate another technique because these were Primordial Sword Sect's own techniques and had some compatibility, allowing them to progress so quickly.
Otherwise, even with a late-stage Aperture tempering realm understanding of cultivation techniques, when faced with a completely unfamiliar technique, it would take more than a dozen years before they could see any benefits.
The three of them moved swiftly toward the direction of Immortal Cloud City. With such a long distance, even with their speed and breaks in between, it would still take them at least a day to reach.
Approaching noon on the second day, the three of them had already covered over a thousand miles, leaving West Cloud City far behind. At this moment, they were sitting on a mountaintop, and Qu Qingsheng and Zhou Zixun were holding the jade scrolls in their hands, reluctant to let them go.
During the journey, Chen Fei had imprinted the Blade-Slaying Sword, Water-Jade Sword, Great Thunder Sword, and the Primordial Sword Scripture into the jade scrolls.
Chen Fei had purchased these jade scrolls in the Ruan family's shop in Qinhai City in advance, foreseeing various possibilities. He had prepared more than a dozen of them just in case, and now they had come in handy.
Zhou Zixun caressed the jade scroll, his eyes filled with emotion. He had always felt that in his lifetime, he might not see these techniques return to the Primordial Sword Sect.
After all, the Primordial Sword Sect had been searching for these techniques for many years. They had even thought about finding the branches that had separated from them in the past. If there were any Primordial Sword Sect techniques left anywhere, it would only be in these branches.
However, over the years, these branches seemed to have disappeared without a trace, as if they had been completely erased. The Primordial Sword Sect, after surviving the disasters of the past, had at least managed to endure.
Those branches, on the other hand, had disappeared as if they had been completely wiped out, making it impossible for the Primordial Sword Sect to even know where to begin searching.
So, although Zhou Zixun sometimes thought about these techniques, he mostly treated them as mere fantasies. Most of the time, Zhou Zixun would self-deprecatingly laugh at himself for thinking too much.
But Zhou Zixun didn't expect that today he would actually see these techniques. Apart from the Primordial Sword Body, the other six techniques, including the most important Primordial Sword Scripture, had all returned.
In due time, the late-stage Aperture tempering realm cultivators of the Primordial Sword Sect would no longer lag behind other sects in the vicinity. With these additional techniques to choose from, the sect's cultivators would have more options.
The practice of techniques sometimes depends on fate or compatibility. Whether the characteristics of a technique can align with you sometimes determines the speed of your cultivation.
In the past, with only two main combat techniques to choose from, there was limited flexibility. With more options in the future, the speed of cultivation for the sect's late-stage Aperture tempering realm cultivators would undoubtedly increase.
In the long run, the Primordial Sword Sect could naturally become even more prosperous.
Thinking about this, Zhou Zixun looked at Chen Fei, his eyes filled with admiration. Sneaking into a sect like the Sword Return Tower alone required great courage and self-confidence, and he had actually succeeded.
What others wouldn't even dare to think about, Chen Fei had accomplished on his own.
Zhou Zixun couldn't help but feel the same way, and for Qu Qingsheng standing by his side, the sentiment was even more complex. As the head of the Primordial Sword Sect, Qu Qingsheng's feelings were more complicated than Zhou Zixun's.
As the sect's leader, his responsibility was to guide the entire sect's legacy forward. On top of that, if he could make it thrive even more, it would undoubtedly be an even better outcome.
When Qu Qingsheng first took over as the sect's leader, he was full of ambition and optimism. However, after many years had passed, he realized that many things were beyond human control.
Or to put it differently, as a late-stage Aperture tempering realm cultivator, and one of average strength at that, many things were simply impossible to change.
To effect change, one needed greater power, and unfortunately, Qu Qingsheng couldn't attain such power.
Both Zhou Zixun and Qu Qingsheng felt a sense of nostalgia, while Chen Fei continued to meditate with his eyes closed. The formidable force of the Zhongyuan Force Field pressed down on him, and the insights into the Giant Spirit Sword continued to appear in his sea of consciousness.
After such a long period of cultivation, the Giant Spirit Sword was on the verge of reaching the mastery level. Not only the Giant Spirit Sword, but the Soaring Heaven Technique was also only a step away from mastery.
If all three techniques, the Zhongyuan Sword, the Giant Spirit Sword, and the Soaring Heaven Technique, reached mastery, and if Chen Fei further cultivated the Primordial Sword Scripture to its third level, he could fuse these three techniques together.
By that time, within the sword formation, not only would the power of the sword pearls increase significantly, but their speed would also improve.
Sometimes, a single attack might not be strong enough. In addition to factors like power and sharpness, speed was a crucial element. Once speed was increased, the destructive force it generated would skyrocket to a terrifying degree.
After a moment, Chen Fei finished his cultivation and slowly opened his eyes, only to find both Qu Qingsheng and Zhou Zixun looking at him.
"Sect Master, Elder Zhou, is there something you wish to discuss?" Chen Fei asked, puzzled.
"We've just discussed it," Qu Qingsheng said in a low voice. "We've decided not to share the news of these new techniques returning with the other elders for now."
Chen Fei's expression shifted slightly, and he nodded without interrupting.
"Our Primordial Sword Sect's strength in Immortal Cloud City is too weak. Even the recently annihilated Long Rainbow Sect was stronger than us," Qu Qingsheng continued in a low voice. "Currently, the situation around Immortal Cloud City is unstable. If news of these techniques being retrieved were to spread, it would attract unnecessary attention."
Zhou Zixun let out a sigh and added to Qu Qingsheng's words. At times like these, it was better to keep a low profile. Retrieving the techniques should be fine in the short term, but drawing undue attention was clearly not a good thing. Furthermore, if the techniques of the Primordial Sword Sect were fused together, they would become a top-tier Aperture tempering realm technique, putting pressure on neighboring sects.
Human nature was unpredictable, and when your own strength was insufficient, it was best not to arouse suspicion. That was definitely not a good thing.
This situation was fundamentally different from when the first two layers of the Primordial Sword Scripture were retrieved. Those two layers had, at most, raised the number of acupoints from eighty to ninety.
Although having ninety acupoints was undoubtedly better than eighty, it was still within an acceptable range.
However, with the retrieval of these new techniques, if they were all successfully cultivated, the number of acupoints opened could exceed one hundred. A technique with over a hundred acupoints was something only the Immortal Cloud Sword Sect possessed.
"For those who require these techniques, we will inform them individually," Qu Qingsheng explained. "Furthermore, none of the elders have fully mastered the first two layers of the Primordial Sword Scripture yet. Even if we were to provide them with these new techniques, it wouldn't significantly increase their power."
The cultivation of techniques always requires time to accumulate. The difference lies in those with high talent, as their cultivation time will be significantly shorter. For individuals with average talent, their cultivation time is bound to be extended.
Those in the Primordial Sword Sect who can reach the Aperture tempering realm stage naturally possess good talent. However, practicing Aperture tempering realm techniques itself requires a considerable amount of time. For example, Qu Qingsheng and Zhou Zixun, who were simultaneously cultivating another technique at a high level, also needed several years.
The elders in the early and middle stages of Aperture tempering realm would spend even more time. Therefore, not informing them in the short term would not affect their cultivation.
Unless some elders were practicing at an exceptionally slow pace due to the nature of their techniques, Qu Qingsheng and the others would handle such cases accordingly.
"I understand," Chen Fei nodded.
Not informing all the elders would help keep the news of the techniques' return hidden to a great extent, while still allowing the sect's strength to improve. However, it might not be possible to keep it a secret for too long.
Qu Qingsheng and Zhou Zixun informed Chen Fei of this decision because he was the one who had retrieved these techniques, and they respected him. They genuinely admired and appreciated Chen Fei.
As for how long the news could be kept hidden, they could only do their best and leave the rest to fate.
Qu Qingsheng had a smile on his face as he was about to continue speaking, but then his brows suddenly furrowed. A jade-like spiritual item flew out from his embrace.
This translucent jade piece was currently trembling incessantly, with fluctuating radiance.
Upon seeing the appearance of the jade piece, Zhou Zixun's brows also furrowed slightly.
"It seems there's something going on in the sect. I'll return first. Elder Zhou, you and Chen Fei can follow later," Qu Qingsheng said as he looked at Zhou Zixun and Chen Fei.
This jade-like spiritual item was connected to another one within the main peak of the Primordial Sword Sect. Complex messages couldn't be transmitted through it; it could only be used for warnings..
Chapter 356: Heaven's Passage River
"Don't worry, it's not a big deal. I just need to go back and handle something," Qu Qingsheng explained softly when he saw Chen Fei's concerned expression.
"I can handle it myself. Elder Zhou, you should go back with the sect leader," Chen Fei said quietly.
It was only when facing a sect like the Sword Return Tower, which had cultivators in the later stages of Aperture tempering realm, that Chen Fei needed the sect's support. Otherwise, with his current strength, he could handle the vast majority of situations.
Qu Qingsheng and Zhou Zixun exchanged glances and nodded without opposition.
Since yesterday, when Chen Fei's Divine Slaying Sword pierced into Xing Xinzhao's sea of consciousness, Qu Qingsheng and the others had noticed that Chen Fei's cultivation seemed somewhat unusual. After traveling together and getting a closer look, they realized that Chen Fei had reached the mid-stage of Aperture tempering realm.
At that moment, Qu Qingsheng and Zhou Zixun's minds were a bit confused. Unlike the excitement of retrieving the sect's techniques the previous day, they now had to wonder whether Chen Fei had been possessed by someone.
All in all, Chen Fei had broken through to the mid-stage of Aperture tempering realm in what seemed to be only three years. During these three years, he had seemingly gone from the early stage to the mid-stage of Aperture tempering realm.
This kind of cultivation speed was terrifying and seemed almost unbelievable.
Afterwards, Chen Fei demonstrated the Zhongyuan Sword to Qu Qingsheng and the others, and they discovered that Chen Fei had comprehended the Zhongyuan Sword to such a level that he was on par with Qu Qingsheng himself.
Considering that the speed of his cultivation had been this fast, it was somewhat reassuring, especially when combined with his high-level understanding of the techniques and sufficient resources.
Qu Qingsheng and Zhou Zixun knew that Chen Fei was an alchemist who spent most of his time in the Alchemist Alliance in Immortal Cloud City. With the speed at which Chen Fei comprehended the Zhongyuan Sword, it was not impossible to understand that he had become a top-tier alchemist.
And as long as one's level is high enough, they can obtain many spiritual pills from the Alchemist Alliance. Additionally, Chen Fei probably gained many benefits from his previous adventures in the mystic realm.
All these factors explained Chen Fei's breakthrough to the mid-stage of Aperture tempering realm. The only thing that truly astonished Qu Qingsheng and Zhou Zixun was Chen Fei's displayed talent and comprehension, which were truly remarkable. To comprehend a technique to this level in just three years was awe-inspiring, and it left Qu Qingsheng and Zhou Zixun in disbelief.
In three years, to have comprehended a technique to such a degree was astonishing. With someone like this entering the Primordial Sword Sect, as long as the sect gave him enough time, there was no doubt that the Primordial Sword Sect would prosper.
"Alright, take care of yourself," Zhou Zixun nodded.
In this world, although it was chaotic, as long as one possessed the strength of Aperture tempering realm, they could ensure their own safety. With Chen Fei's current level of strength, unless he encountered someone in the later stages of Aperture tempering realm, he wouldn't be in danger.
Even if he did encounter someone in the later stages of Aperture tempering realm, as long as they didn't stubbornly fight to the death with Chen Fei, and if Chen Fei's understanding of body techniques was high enough, he had a very good chance of escaping.
"You don't need to worry about the affairs within the sect. If it's a major issue, the jade token won't look like it did just now. With me and Elder Zhou going back, we should be able to resolve the matter," Qu Qingsheng said.
"Alright," Chen Fei nodded. The affairs within the sect were probably significant but not a matter of life and death. If Zhou Zixun had been present in the sect, there might not even have been any disturbances with the jade token, as Zhou Zixun would have been able to make decisions.
However, due to concerns for Chen Fei's safety, the two of them had come together, which meant that currently, there was no one within the sect who could make such decisions.
Qu Qingsheng and Zhou Zixun nodded to Chen Fei, their figures flickering and disappearing from their original location. In the blink of an eye, they reappeared in the distance, and in the next moment, they were completely out of Chen Fei's sight.
"Hmm!"
A Zhongyuan force field pressed down, and the insights of the Giant Spirit Sword began to appear in Chen Fei's sea of consciousness.
The proficiency of the Giant Spirit Sword was already close to perfection, with very little room for improvement. Previously, with Qu Qingsheng and the others around, Chen Fei couldn't practice while on the move; it would have been too strange. So, he could only practice when they occasionally took breaks.
During the days in Sword Return Tower, Chen Fei had not neglected the other cultivation techniques either. He had practiced multiple cultivation techniques in rotation.
With a swift movement, Chen Fei also disappeared from his original location.
The retrieval of the sect's cultivation techniques allowed Chen Fei a break from worrying about them in the short term. His main focus now was to bring the Giant Spirit Sword and the Soaring Heaven technique to perfection.
After all, these two were only a little short of reaching perfection in terms of proficiency. Looking at the values on the interface, the feeling of getting them up to perfection as soon as possible filled Chen Fei with determination.
After these two techniques reached perfection, when Chen Fei returned to the sect, he could focus on practicing others.
Two hours later, Chen Fei appeared by a river. This river was known as the "Heaven's Passage River." Legend has it that in the past, the areas surrounding this river were plagued by drought, and countless people suffered. They prayed to the heavens, hoping for rain to fall.
But after several months, not a drop of rain fell from the sky, leading to widespread famine. Unable to bear the suffering, a divine immortal took action. With a single sword thrust into the heavens, he brought forth the waters of the Heaven's Passage River, which flowed through this area and ended the drought.
While this was a myth and not entirely believable, the river itself was magnificent, as if it poured directly from the heavens above.
Chen Fei stood here because within his sea of consciousness, countless insights about the Soaring Heaven technique continued to condense.
Chen Fei obtained the Soaring Heaven technique not long after he acquired the Giant Spirit Sword. After the Giant Spirit Sword reached perfection, the proficiency of the Soaring Heaven technique was only slightly lacking.
With the continuous travels during this period and the frequent use of the Soaring Heaven technique, its proficiency had finally approached perfection.
As the insights regarding the Soaring Heaven technique gradually converged within his sea of consciousness, the next moment, the last obstacle related to the Soaring Heaven technique was finally comprehended by Chen Fei.
"Hmm!"
Chen Fei's body trembled, and a figure emerged from his body. It was as if one person had suddenly split into two, making it difficult to distinguish between the real and the fake.
In the past, when using the Soaring Heaven technique to create a doppelganger, the doppelganger would appear as a phantom. However, with the perfection of the Soaring Heaven technique, as soon as Chen Fei summoned his doppelganger, it would already be in a completely solid state.
Even if someone were to watch Chen Fei create his doppelganger face-to-face, it would be difficult to tell the true from the false.
The perfection of the Soaring Heaven technique also raised the strength of the doppelganger to about one-third of the main body's level. The doppelganger could use all of the main body's cultivation techniques, except for the Suppressing Dragon Elephant technique, as the doppelganger lacked true flesh and blood.
Therefore, Chen Fei's doppelganger did not possess one-third of the main body's strength and was somewhat weaker, probably not much different from an ordinary independent cultivator in the early stages of the Aperture tempering realm.
In direct combat, the doppelganger could not provide much assistance to Chen Fei, but in a supportive role, it was unparalleled. Thanks to the doppelganger, Chen Fei had avoided many dangers.
In Chen Fei's eyes, the most commendable aspect of the Soaring Heaven technique was its ability to create a doppelganger. As for its speed, the Soaring Heaven technique was not particularly outstanding in the later stages of the Aperture tempering realm.
On the riverbank, Chen Fei's figure turned into a phantom as he crossed the river. Without touching the water, he traversed the hundreds of meters across the Heaven's Passage River almost as if he were flying through the void.
While Aperture tempering realm cultivators couldn't truly fly, they could achieve gliding. Chen Fei's current gliding distance had, to some extent, shown the embryonic form of flight.
Taking it one step further would allow him to soar above the skies.
The Shuttle of Flying Clouds in Chen Fei's arms lit up, enhancing his speed once again. However, compared to before, the boost from the Shuttle of Flying Clouds was indeed reduced, just as Chen Fei had expected.
A low-grade spiritual weapon could be considered an entry-level spiritual weapon and provided significant assistance to cultivators in the early stages of the Aperture tempering realm. However, in the mid-stages of the Aperture tempering realm, the help that a low-grade spiritual weapon could provide diminished significantly.
This was especially true for weapons, where the difference was most apparent. For a mid-stage Aperture tempering realm expert wielding a low-grade spiritual weapon, the assistance it provided was already quite minimal.
Only unique low-grade spiritual weapons like the Shuttle of Flying Clouds might have slightly better effects. However, for Chen Fei, who had already reached the pinnacle of the Soaring Heaven technique, the Shuttle of Flying Clouds could only be considered marginally useful.
Unless the Shuttle of Flying Clouds was upgraded to a mid-grade spiritual weapon, its effectiveness would significantly improve.
As if stimulated by achieving perfection in the Soaring Heaven technique, Chen Fei's insights about the Giant Spirit Sword seemed to accelerate. Scenes of Zhou Zixun using the Giant Spirit Sword last night flashed in Chen Fei's mind.
"Pulling the Heavens", he suppressed everything with immense strength.
This is the essence of the Giant Spirit Sword. Only by comprehending this essence can one possibly perfect the Giant Spirit Sword.
Within his mental sea, it felt as though there was a giant standing tall, roaring towards the sky. Chen Fei's entire body, from muscles and bones to internal organs, seemed to resonate in response to the insights in his mental sea.
Chen Fei's eyes involuntarily closed, but in the next moment, he abruptly opened them. A majestic aura surged, and Chen Fei moved his hand like a sword, slashing forward.
"Crack! Crack! Crack!"
At that moment, the air seemed to produce sounds akin to steel cables snapping. Chen Fei lightly exclaimed, his right foot landing on the ground. Beneath the subtle surface, the ground appeared as if it had turned into water.
"Boom!"
In the next instant, where Chen Fei had landed, countless ravines extended in all directions from his center, like ripples spreading outward.
The Giant Spirit Sword, in its perfected state, was achieved!
A smile appeared on Chen Fei's face. At this point, all three of the original Primordial Sword Sect's inherited cultivation techniques had been cultivated to the level of perfection by Chen Fei.
He only needed to complete the third layer of the Primordial Sword Scripture to fully fuse them together.
As time passed, Chen Fei's figure moved with the wind, ethereal and seemingly otherworldly. Occasionally, members of passing caravans caught sight of his figure, their faces filled with astonishment. Just as they were about to take a closer look, they found that Chen Fei had already vanished.
After a few hours, Chen Fei saw the city of Shang Wu.
Before, Shang Wu City had been besieged by soldiers from Yashan. However, after so many days had passed, Chen Fei discovered that Shang Wu City had surprisingly not been captured. The city walls were marked with traces, clearly indicating that both sides had indeed engaged in fierce battles.
But in the end, it was Shang Wu City that had the last laugh; the soldiers from Yashan had retreated.
Chen Fei looked at the marks on the ground, and it seemed that the soldiers from Yashan had headed in the direction of Qinhai City.
Chen Fei furrowed his brow slightly, his figure flickered, and he hurried towards Qinhai City. In less than an hour, Chen Fei saw Qinhai City. On the city walls of Qinhai City, there were now flags of the Yashan soldiers.
Qinhai City had changed hands.
With the strength of the Yashan soldiers, capturing Qinhai City was indeed a straightforward task. Judging from the situation, Qinhai City had not put up much of a resistance; the power imbalance between the two sides was too great.
Moreover, the city gates of Qinhai City were wide open at this moment, with very few people entering or leaving.
After some consideration, Chen Fei's aura subsided, and he transformed into a bone tempering realm cultivator, queuing up to enter Qinhai City. When he arrived at the gate of the Ruan family's mansion, he found that it was no longer inhabited by the Ruan family..
Chapter 357: Undeserved Disaster
Chen Fei furrowed his brow slightly. Although the entry of rebel forces into the city might suppress the power of the original families within, it was rare for them to completely wipe out a family as long as they cooperated obediently.
Of course, there was also a possibility of establishing dominance. To make other forces in the city understand the situation, they might target a few families.
However, given the strength of Qinhai City, to put it bluntly, the Yashan soldiers didn't need to establish dominance. As long as their wits were intact, they could understand the power disparity, and they would naturally cooperate.
After some thought, Chen Fei went around to several other family forces in Qinhai City and found that the other families were fine. Although the atmosphere was tense, at least their mansions had not been confiscated.
In other words, the Ruan family was the only force wiped out in this attack by the Yashan soldiers.
Chen Fei contemplated for a moment, then turned into a few alleys within Qinhai City and arrived at a particular alley. Here, there was a shop specializing in buying and selling information.
In many cities, there were places like this, usually supported by the local powers, or they wouldn't be able to operate for long. However, at this moment, the front door of this shop was tightly closed, indicating it was not open for business.
Chen Fei's ears twitched slightly, and his figure flickered as he landed in the backyard. When the people in the backyard saw Chen Fei suddenly appear, they were momentarily stunned but quickly reacted, surrounding him with weapons in hand.
Kid, where did you come from? How dare you sneak in over the wall? Are you looking to die?" Lang Jiushan glared at Chen Fei, with a fierce and malicious demeanor. He seemed ready to keep Chen Fei here indefinitely. In Qinhai City, doing this kind of business required a fearsome reputation to ward off unnecessary trouble.
"I have a question!"
Chen Fei completely disregarded the approaching individuals and his voice carried into the house. In Chen Fei's perception, there were still two people inside the building who were the real decision-makers compared to these guards.
"It's me who's asking you, not the other way around!" Lang Jiushan saw that Chen Fei was ignoring them and his eyes widened. He raised the blade in his hand and swung it towards Chen Fei.
Chen Fei turned to look at Lang Jiushan. When Lang Jiushan made eye contact with Chen Fei, an immense sense of fear involuntarily welled up from the depths of his heart.
This fear was so horrifying that it left Lang Jiushan frozen in place. The blade in his hand had just been raised and was now suspended in mid-air, which seemed rather comical to onlookers.
The other people in the courtyard saw Lang Jiushan's expression and their hearts tightened. Lang Jiushan was their leader, and he had reached the Marrow tempering realm. Before the arrival of the Yashan army, Lang Jiushan was considered a prominent figure in Qinhai City.
Although he couldn't compare to the major family forces, most people would address him as "Lord Lang" upon seeing him. This indicated Lang Jiushan's status in Qinhai City.
This status was partly due to Lang Jiushan's martial prowess and partly because of his ruthless temperament.
When Lang Jiushan drew his knife just now and said he would strike, it was not a pretense but a genuine intent to strike at Chen Fei's vital points, without the slightest hesitation.
However, at this moment, the blade was suspended in mid-air, frozen in place. People who had followed Lang Jiushan for so many years were encountering this situation for the first time.
"I have a question, and I'll leave once it's answered."
Chen Fei waved his right hand gently, and those in the courtyard felt an immense force pressing against them. Their bodies involuntarily moved backward and were pinned against the courtyard wall, unable to move.
At this moment, everyone's gazes changed completely.
With just a casual move, they had been rendered helpless like this. If they still didn't understand the cultivator's level in front of them, they might as well have their eyeballs gouged out.
"Apologies, apologies, forgive my lack of courtesy!"
As if sensing the situation in the courtyard, the tightly closed door suddenly swung open, and two individuals stepped out from inside. One of them, the portly innkeeper, upon seeing Chen Fei, immediately bowed respectfully and spoke.
Chen Fei looked at the innkeeper and retracted his power. The guards slid down from the courtyard wall one by one, their eyes filled with fear as they gazed at Chen Fei.
Lang Jiushan swallowed hard, his forehead and back covered in cold sweat. He had dared to draw his blade against such a powerful individual and was still alive—it felt somewhat unbelievable even to Lang Jiushan himself.
"Esteemed guest, please this way," the innkeeper said carefully as he approached Chen Fei, slightly bowing and gesturing with his right hand. Chen Fei nodded and followed him into a nearby tea room.
"Serve some tea!" The innkeeper glared at Lang Jiushan and called out to the others.
Lang Jiushan felt a bit awkward, grimacing slightly. He thought it was quite ironic that he was being scolded by the innkeeper, who had taught him how to behave properly in the first place. Now he was the one being blamed.
Of course, Lang Jiushan could only think such thoughts in his heart; he dare not show them on his face. Inside Qinhai City, others addressed him as Lord Lang.
However, in the eyes of the true family forces, although the Marrow tempering realm was decent, it was still far from the higher echelons. When a real need arose, they could easily discard him.
In the past, there were not many cultivators at the Aperture tempering realm in Qinhai City, but there were quite a few experts at the Visceral tempering realm. Marrow tempering realm experts were at most at the middle level.
The innkeeper seated Chen Fei at the main position, and the attendants brought two cups of tea to the table. Mist floated from the tea, and the subtle fragrance of tea began to fill the room.
It was as if the previous conflict had been just a passing cloud.
"Sir, how may we serve you?" The innkeeper noticed that Chen Fei didn't dwell on the earlier incident, and he breathed a sigh of relief. These recent days had been very peculiar; cultivators at the Aperture tempering realm, who were once a rare sight, now seemed to be everywhere.
First, the Yashan Army occupied Qinhai City, and their Aperture tempering realm cultivators were an overwhelmingly formidable force for Qinhai City to contend with. The people of Qinhai City had also seen the sight of so many cultivators at the Aperture tempering realm gathered together, which dispelled many unwarranted notions.
Due to the terrifying presence of the Yashan Army, this shop had been closed recently to avoid trouble. In the past, the forces behind this shop could handle any problems that arose in Qinhai City. However, now if any trouble occurred, especially with ties to the Yashan Army, it was not a matter of whether they could handle it or not.
It was not just them; the families behind them might also be implicated.
They had closed their doors, yet someone had come knocking, and it was a cultivator at the Aperture tempering realm. Who could they reason with now?
"I'd like to purchase some information," Chen Fei said.
Chen Fei picked up the cup of tea on the table and took a sip, enjoying the refreshing taste. His eyes brightened slightly; the tea was quite good.
Since he began cultivating, Chen Fei had not pursued material comforts excessively. Most of his time was spent on cultivation.
In the eyes of many, Chen Fei seemed to be practicing like an ascetic monk. As a result, people admired both his natural talent and his determination in cultivation.
For example, his senior disciple brother, Guo Linshan, had been inspired by Chen Fei's efforts and had dedicated himself entirely to cultivation, even giving up most forms of entertainment.
Sir, please go ahead. As long as we know it, we will not withhold any information," the innkeeper immediately assured.
"When did the Yashan Army enter Qinhai City?" Chen Fei set down his teacup and looked at the innkeeper. Chen Fei needed to piece together the details to have a clear understanding of everything.
"Ten days ago."
Upon hearing the question about the Yashan Army, the innkeeper felt somewhat uneasy, but he dared not hide anything and answered straightforwardly, "The Yashan Army arrived just ten days ago. The city's defense barely lasted a moment, and they breached the city gates."
Chen Fei nodded, not surprised at all. Their respective strengths were simply on different levels. Qinhai City, in the eyes of the Yashan Army, was a matter of "want it or not" rather than "can we get it."
"After the Yashan Army entered the city, they summoned all the family powers and assigned quotas to each family, and no one opposed it," the innkeeper said. He understood that Chen Fei was seeking information about the Yashan Army, so without waiting for Chen Fei's questions, he continued, "The original soldiers of Qinhai City were incorporated into the Yashan Army, but apart from that, everything in Qinhai City remains the same."
Chen Fei recalled the scenes he had witnessed on the streets earlier. Although the lives of the common people had been affected, the impact was still bearable. Many shops were open as usual, but there were very few people coming and going.
Clearly, most people were staying at home and dared not venture out on the streets without good reason.
Currently, the Yashan Army seemed relatively disciplined, but in Qinhai City, the Yashan Army was unquestionably the ruler. If the Yashan Army soldiers were to do something, it was impossible to predict what might happen.
If you accidentally became their target, all you could do was grit your teeth and endure.
As for those family powers, their assets had undoubtedly been plundered for the most part. However, as long as they were still alive, it was unlikely that anyone would dare to resist. More importantly, resistance would be futile.
"What about the Ruan family? Did they offend the Yashan Army?" Chen Fei asked the innkeeper.
"Well, I'm not sure about the specific reasons," the innkeeper hesitated before continuing, "But there are rumors that the Ruan family had some grievances with the Yashan Army due to an Aperture tempering realm expert they befriended in recent years, and that's why the Ruan family was wiped out."
The innkeeper finished speaking, and suddenly, he seemed to recall something. He had been feeling that Chen Fei looked somewhat familiar, but he couldn't remember where he had seen him before. Now that he had mentioned the Ruan family, he took a closer look at Chen Fei's face and realized that this was the Aperture tempering realm expert the Ruan family had befriended in recent years.
Chen Fei's portrait was kept in most of the prominent families in Qinhai City. Although it couldn't be considered an exact likeness, there was a resemblance of about sixty to seventy percent.
The reason these prominent families kept portraits was to serve as a warning to their family members, reminding them to be vigilant with their actions and avoid offending those they shouldn't. Otherwise, it could bring trouble to the family, and the first person to take action and commit murder would likely be someone from their own family.
The innkeeper had naturally seen this portrait before, and even half a month ago, he had revisited it. After all, when news of Chen Fei's appearance in Qinhai City had spread, it had reached the members of various families.
So, was the person before him the reason why the Ruan family was wiped out?