Chapter 30 - Ghostly Shadow Steps

The surrounding space instantly fell silent.

The atmosphere turned heavy.

The people had frozen, caught off guard by Chen Fan's ruthless and decisive act of killing someone.

Dumbfounded, everyone present was taken aback, and some less courageous individuals even trembled in fear.

“He's ruthless, incredibly ruthless. It seems our outer sect has gained another formidable individual.”

The ferocious might Chen Fan had displayed struck fear in most of the people here.

“But I never expected the three tigers to be under Chen Changfeng's command. And he's already attempting to advance to the eighth level? He won't let Chen Fan off easily for killing Zhao Hu.”

Many people had similar thoughts, their eyes shining with intrigue.

Even so, Chen Fan didn’t think too deeply about things.

Since Zhao Hu’s gang wanted to rob him of his treasures and even threatened to kill him, he couldn't simply sit idly by. He sought retribution, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

Even though the three tigers had Chen Changfeng’s support—someone about to become an eighth-level martial artist—Chen Fan wasn’t afraid. If he could advance to the sixth level, he knew that he wouldn’t be helpless against an eighth-level Qigong martial artist.

“You better keep your mouth shut, or I won't hesitate to send you to join your damn big brother.” Chen Fan walked up to Lin Hu. Lin Hu was about to curse aloud again, but Chen Fan’s words sent chills into his heart, and his eyes became filled with fear.

Chen Fan smiled coldly and said, “You guys tried to rob my items, tarnish my reputation, and even tried to kill me. But I’m a merciful person. Killing one of you as a warning is sufficient, but shouldn't you offer something as compensation?”

The crowd rolled their eyes back when they heard Chen Fan.

What did he mean by “merciful?” He was simply a demon who killed without hesitation!

However, the people also realized that Chen Fan was trying to rip them off.

But no one said a word.

After all, the three tigers had also tried to snatch his items by force.

In the outer sect, one could do as they liked within the confines of the sect's rules as long as they were strong enough.

Lin Hu naturally understood what Chen Fan was getting at. He knelt with difficulty, retrieved a brocade pouch from his bosom, and hurriedly said, “Senior Brother Chen, it’s our fault for not recognizing your greatness and offending you. Here are twenty primeval stones. Please accept them and forgive us.” [1]

Chen Fan had killed Zhao Hu and broken Wang Hu’s hands. Lin Hu didn’t wish to be the third victim. He dismissed any notions of dying on the same day, same month, and same year as mere nonsense. [2]

“Good, very good. You are pretty sensible. I won’t bother you too much this time.” Chen Fan accepted the brocade pouch, put away his goods, and left, laughing loudly.

As they watched Chen Fan depart, the expressions of the crowd varied.

“Second Brother, are we just going to let this go?”

Chen Fan had broken Wang Hu’s spine with a stomp, so he was paralyzed. He mustered his strength and looked up at Lin Hu with difficulty, his eyes full of resentment.

Lin Hu smiled spitefully. “We’re not his match, Third Brother. We’ll wait for Senior Brother Changfeng to exit his secluded cultivation. We’ll get our payback with interest then!”

......

After leaving the plaza, Chen Fan headed deeper into the sect with his items in tow.

These items were of such high quality that only a few outer disciples could afford them, so he decided to sell them to the sect.

On the wide mountain path, people came and went.

Chen Fan walked to the Hundred Treasures Hall on this mountain path.

On his way there, many people saw him, pointed fingers at him, and discussed among themselves.

However, Chen Fan didn’t pay any attention to them and soon arrived at the Hundred Treasures Hall.

The Hundred Treasures Hall Elder took inventory and did the calculations. The total sum came up to be five hundred primeval stones.

Hearing the sum, Chen Fan couldn’t help but suck in cold air.

Killing others to rob them and hunting demon beasts were indeed the fastest ways to accumulate wealth.

Chen Fan’s next destination was the Martial Arts Pavilion.

Outer sect disciples had three opportunities to enter the Martial Arts Pavilion to pick out martial arts manuals: once when they reached the first level of the Qigong realm, again at the fourth level, and finally at the seventh level.

His cultivation was already at the peak of the fifth level, so he could enter the pavilion’s second floor and pick out a middle-dirt tier martial art.

Upon arriving at the Martial Arts Pavilion, Chen Fan saw the Pavilion Guard Elder, seemingly dead drunk and asleep, leaning against the steps. However, Chen Fan knew that the Elder was merely feigning sleep.

He walked up to the elder and greeted respectfully, “Greetings, Elder.”

“Oh, it’s you, kid. You’re actually at the peak stage of the fifth level. Not bad, not bad.”

The Pavilion Guard Elder’s eyelids didn’t even twitch as he recognized Chen Fan through his voice alone. Not only that, even Chen Fan’s cultivation level couldn’t escape his senses.

“Elder, you flatter me,” Chen Fan smiled.

"Mmm, go on—" The Pavilion Guard Elder was about to allow Chen Fan entry into the Martial Arts Pavilion but abruptly stopped. He raised his disheveled head, opened his eyes, and stared at the storage pouch fastened to Chen Fan's waist. “I just caught a whiff of something good, kid. What do you have in your storage pouch? Quickly take it out and show me.”

Chen Fan’s expression stiffened.

A person’s storage pouch was private, and its content wasn’t to be revealed casually. Doing so would expose their secrets.

However, Chen Fan quickly regained his composure. With a smile, he unfastened his storage pouch and took out a gourd from within. “Is Elder referring to this?”

Swoosh.

With lightning speed, the Pavilion Guard Elder swiped his hands and took hold of the gourd. He uncorked it, and immediately, a refreshing aroma of wine filled the air.

“Mmm, good stuff, good stuff. It’s actually Monkey Wine. Excellent, I like it.”

The Pavilion Guard Elder's eyes sparkled as if he had just laid eyes on his lover. He held onto the gourd lovingly, praising it incessantly.

“Since the Elder enjoys it, let's consider this gourd of Monkey Wine as a token of filial respect from this disciple,” Chen Fan said with a smile.

He had obtained the gourd of Monkey Wine from a cavern belonging to a group of demon monkeys while hunting demon beasts in the Qingyang Mountain Range. Demon monkeys made it by gathering countless spiritual fruits and letting them ferment for a long time. The wine also had certain benefits for martial artists' cultivation.

“This...” the Pavilion Guard Elder looked hesitant.

As the sect elder responsible for guarding the outer sect's Martial Arts Pavilion, accepting wine from a disciple felt somewhat shameful.

However, he loved wine as much as his life, and Monkey Wine was incredibly rare. He couldn't bear to part with it, feeling torn between his desires.

Chen Fan caught the elder's internal struggle and smiled and reassured him. “No need to be embarrassed, Elder. Consider it an expression of gratitude for helping me access the pavilion's second floor back then.”

Three months ago, Chen Fan had come to the Martial Arts Pavilion and tried to enter the second floor forcibly. When he was about to be ejected by the rebounding force, it had suddenly significantly weakened.

He was puzzled then; when he thought about it afterward, he understood that the Pavilion Guard Elder must have given him a hand. Otherwise, it would have been impossible for him to reach the second floor and obtain the remnants of the Thousand Hand Seal and the Myriad Elephants Divine Art.

“Haha, don’t speak nonsense, kid. This Elder is impartial,” the Pavilion Guard Elder laughed. “You’re here to pick out a movement martial skill, aren’t you?”

“Mmm.”

Chen Fan nodded, feeling surprised inside.

He hadn't expected the elder to discern his purpose with just a glance. The lack of a proficient movement technique was a significant weakness to him.

“I’ll accept your Monkey Wine but won’t take advantage of you, either. If you can get to the third floor, take the Ghostly Shadow Steps from the second last bookshelf. It should suit you very well.”

“Many thanks for Elder’s guidance.” Chen Fan hurriedly expressed his gratitude, overjoyed.

The Pavilion Guard Elder waved his hand and said, “Go on.”

Chen Fan entered the Martial Arts Pavilion, heading straight for the third floor.

A seventh-level cultivation was required to go up to the third floor, but Chen Fan had strength comparable to that. As such, the membrane layer could not stop him at all. He soon arrived at the third floor and found the Ghostly Shadow Steps per the elder’s instructions.

𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

The Ghostly Shadow Steps was a very brilliant movement technique. At major mastery, one would be fast like a blur, moving without leaving shadows or traces.

“Nice, the Ghostly Shadow Steps will take care of my greatest weakness.”

Holding the Ghostly Shadow Steps, Chen Fan exited the Martial Arts Pavilion and thanked the elder again before leaving for his residence happily.

“This kid’s not bad,” the Pavilion Guard Elder mumbled, looking at Chen Fan.

Nowadays, Young people tend to only focus on their cultivation and were becoming increasingly impatient. Most of them have forgotten all about basic etiquette.

1. Not to be confused with a storage pouch, this is just an ordinary pouch with nicer fabric ?

2. Common line in the oath sworn when becoming sworn brothers ?