Chapter 17 - Passively Taking a Beating

Chen Fan felt as if he had been ripped open, feeling a burning pain in his chest. He hurriedly crawled up to his feet, his gaze nervously set on Liao Fan, shocked to his core.

He had cultivated Myriad Elephants Divine Art to the third layer, greatly increasing his toughness. Even so, that sword earlier was backed by the eruption of Liao Fan’s terrifying sixth-level cultivation, not to mention the power of the Thunderclap Sword. The sword slash was vicious, leaving a wound deep enough to expose his bone.

Too terrifying!

A sixth-level Qigong martial artist’s strength was too shocking.

With such cultivation, one could easily secure a spot in the top 100 at the Outer Sect Grand Competition and receive rewards from the sect.

Chen Fan was feeling rather terrified at this moment.

He had initially believed that he could engage in a satisfying battle against Liao Fan, who was at the fifth level, testing his newfound strength. He had thought it impossible for Liao Fan to kill him.

Things were different now, however. Liao Fan’s cultivation was at the sixth level.

A single sword was enough to slice his flesh. He would have died had that sword been swung at his neck and cut his windpipe.

“What do I do? What should I do?”

Chen Fan panicked internally, feeling as restless as an ant on a hot pan. His mind raced, desperately searching for a countermeasure.

The current situation was highly unfavorable, and his likelihood of being killed was alarmingly high.

“Right! I can lure him to the Violent Ape and find a chance to slip away—no, the Violent Ape will probably join hands with Liao Fan to deal with me if it sees me. I would be dead without a doubt then.”

“Don’t think of running away, little bastard. I would have no face left if I let you run away after unleashing my sixth-level cultivation.”

Liao Fan didn’t even bother trying to guess what was in Chen Fan’s mind.

A sixth-level Qigong expert like him could easily enter the top 100 within Spring Autumn Sect’s outer sect. Allowing Chen Fan to escape would be a tremendous blow to his reputation.

“You little beast, you don’t know what’s good for you. Once I capture you, I'll grind your bones inch by inch. Let's see if you can still speak then."

Liao Fan laughed evilly, swinging his precious sword, cleaving the air before him. Thick, murderous qi instantly enveloped Chen Fan.

Damn it, if only I could break through to the fifth level, I might have a chance at survival!

He quickly mobilized his qi, unleashing a Vajra Seal to fend off Liao Fan while simultaneously darting away, attempting to escape.

He was no match for Liao Fan if he confronted him head-on, and getting captured by Liao Fan was only a matter of time.

Liao Fan's merciless nature made it clear that he would follow through on his threats, grinding Chen Fan's bones and making him hear as demon beasts ate him alive, leaving him longing for death.

Qingyang Mountain Range was full of demon beasts. The deeper one ventured the more powerful these creatures became. Near the inner area were even demon beasts as strong as Yuanfu realm experts.

Chen Fan's only option now was to take a gamble and flee toward the depths of the Qingyang Mountain Range. Although dangerous, he could navigate around any powerful demon beasts he encountered and perhaps escape with his life intact. Of course, there was also the possibility of being killed and devoured by these creatures.

However, he didn’t have any other options available to him right now. He had to steel himself and bet on his luck.

Seeing Chen Fan trying to escape, Liao Fan immediately guessed his thoughts. He smiled coldly and said sinisterly, “Thinking of running? You won’t make it out of this valley stream today!”

Liao Fan would also be in danger if he let Chen Fan escape into the depths of Qingyang Mountain Range. As such, he definitely couldn’t allow Chen Fan to leave this valley.

Liao Fan swiftly advanced, generating a fierce gust of wind as he moved. He was an expert at the seventh level and much faster than Chen Fan. Closing in to within three meters, he swung his sword, inflicting a bloody wound and sending Chen Fan hurtling through the air.

Chen Fan let out a miserable scream. He promptly rolled on the ground and dodged Liao Fan’s second slash. However, the raised boulders and rocks struck him with a powerful force akin to a punch from a fifth-level Qigong martial artist, making him inhale sharply.

“You roll quite well. Wait till I cripple your dantian and shatter your cultivation. We’ll see how fast you can roll then!” a malicious voice echoed near Chen Fan's ears, changing his expression.

A martial artist with a damaged dantian and crippled cultivation was, in the truest sense, trash. It was even worse than having blocked meridians and an iron-like dantian.

“What do I do? I won’t be able to escape. He’s faster than me, his cultivation higher than mine... Cultivation... since that’s the case, I’ll also advance my cultivation. There’s hope for me as long as I break through to the fifth level!”

Chen Fan made a resolute decision. Currently, his only way out was to achieve a breakthrough in his cultivation.

He was already at the peak of the fourth level. Due to consuming the Jade Lotus Flower, his foundation was solid and stable, devoid of any instability. As long as sufficient primeval qi existed, he could shatter the paper-thin barrier that kept him from the fifth level.

With this thought in mind, Chen Fan hastily retrieved a few primeval stones from his pocket and activated his cultivation technique, absorbing their pure primeval qi.

However, he couldn’t conceal this from Liao Fan’s eyes. Chan Fan could fight him to a draw before he had used his sixth-level cultivation. So, if he let Chen Fan advance to the fifth level, he would be in trouble.

“Thinking of making a breakthrough right in front of me? Wishful thinking! Break!” A whirlwind materialized in the air. A sword light suddenly appeared in the space before Chen Fan, slashing down at his wrist.

Chen Fan’s pupils shrunk abruptly. He had no choice but to give up on absorbing the primeval qi from the stones. With swift movements, he thrust out his palms, layering the waves of air one after another, resembling the surging waves of a fierce sea.

Bang, bang, bang, bang...

Alas, the mighty Chakravarti Seals were all shattered under the unbreakable cold sword light. Even so, they bought Chen Fan time to retreat, creating a sufficient distance between him and Liao Fan.

“You won’t get away!”

However, Liao Fan didn’t give Chen Fan time to catch his breath. He rushed forward, approaching Chen Fan in an instant. The sword light from his blade swept forth in a crisscross pattern, resembling a net woven by the heavens and earth, intending to slice Chen Fan into countless pieces.

“Damn it, I’ll fight you to the death!”

A shade of viciousness appeared in Chen Fan’s eyes. At that moment, his entire being transformed into a primordial, ferocious beast, emanating a fierce aura as if he were willing to meet his demise alongside Liao Fan.

Liao Fan jumped in fright but immediately laughed coldly and said disdainfully, “Who are you intimidating? Get crippled!”

The sword thrust forward, its angle vicious and deceptive. Its target was not Chen Fan's chest, shoulders, or arms this time, but his abdomen. Liao Fan aimed to destroy Chen Fan's dantian and cripple his cultivation, intending to render him completely helpless and at his mercy.

In the face of the crisis, Chen Fan took half a step to the side.

Liao Fan's sword pierced Chen Fan's waist, creating a gushing fountain of fresh blood. He had no choice but to use his primeval qi to seal the wound and prevent himself from dying.

Chen Fan tilted slightly forward, exhaling milky-white hot air from his nose and mouth, panting heavily. His eyes were faintly blood-red, staring at Liao Fan like an injured wild wolf, but his gaze was still wild and ferocious.