Chapter 1267: Xiao Chen’s Challenge
Chapter 1267: Xiao Chen’s Challenge
The Martial Emperors of the Heavenly Province Academy, the Divine Dragon Palaces of the four seas, and an ancient Noble Clan all looked at Xiao Chen with incredulous eyes.
Xiao Chen had managed to send the black-clad old man flying because he attacked suddenly with the strong might of the Sharp Spirit Finger.
Furthermore, based on the strength of Xiao Chen’s earlier Sharp Spirit Finger, he was not very skilled yet. If it were the complete Sharp Spirit Finger, the black-clad old man would definitely have found it hard to get up again.
These Martial Emperors could only think of one possibility: Xiao Chen’s Sharp Spirit Finger was not very well practiced yet and was just at Small Perfection.
Wanting to challenge a Martial Emperor with the cultivation of a Consummation quasi-Emperor and a half-baked Sharp Spirit Finger was no different from a lunatic’s ravings.
“Haha! The Azure Dragon King truly lives up to his reputation. Three days later, we will definitely come to observe.”
The few Martial Emperors left one after another, their loud laughter filled with disdain.
When the Martial Emperors had left, Lan Chaofeng’s face immediately sank. “Little fellow, are you crazy?”
Xiao Chen raised his head and replied, “Why do you ask?”
Lan Chaofeng said sternly, “I do not deny that you are capable of fighting Martial Emperors. However, that is just the capability to do so. If you really fought a life-and-death battle, with their Golden Emperor Body and the strength and vastness of their Primordial Energy, you will definitely die after the fight drags on.
“As a powerful killing move, the Sharp Spirit Finger is indeed very terrifying. However, in a true battle to the death, the other party will not give you a chance to launch such an attack. The moment you use the Sharp Spirit Finger would be when you will die.”
When Xiao Chen heard this stern lecture, he did not feel repulsed. He could hear Lan Chaofeng’s concern for him in his words.
Smiling faintly, Xiao Chen asked, “May this junior be so bold as to challenge Senior to an exchange of moves?”
“An exchange of moves with me? Are you sure?” Lan Chaofeng replied.
Xiao Chen nodded. “I’m sure.”
Lan Chaofeng guessed something in his heart. He smiled and said, “Very well. I’ll give you a chance to prove yourself. Do your best and attack. I will suppress my strength to First Heaven Martial Emperor and have a true exchange with you. If you can defeat me, I will let you fight three days hence.”
After speaking, Lan Chaofeng used a finger on his right hand to jab his chest quickly a few times, directly using a secret technique to suppress his cultivation.
Furthermore, it looked like there was no way for Lan Chaofeng to recover from this right away. This confused Xiao Chen somewhat. To Xiao Chen, Lan Chaofeng was now like a true First Heaven Martial Emperor.
If Xiao Chen did not know Lan Chaofeng’s real strength, he would fall for the other party’s trick.
At Xiao Chen’s curious expression, Lan Chaofeng explained with a smile, “Just some old tricks from when I was an assassin. Sometimes, I needed to lower my strength before I could blend in. Once I execute this secret technique, it takes at least half a day to recover my strength, so you can fight me without worrying.”
Xiao Chen smiled and said, “Senior seems very confident. However, you will not be able to block me using only the cultivation of a First Heaven Martial Emperor.”
When Lan Chaofeng heard that, he was stunned. Then, he guffawed, “You are worried about me? Just worry about yourself. I’ll say something rather hurtful. I think that a First Heaven Martial Emperor is still a little too much for you.”
“Good. In that case, sorry for the offense!”
Xiao Chen smiled faintly and performed a cupped-fist salute. The instant he looked up, he extended his hand and hacked out with his saber.
In that instant, lightning tore through space. Xiao Chen drove all one hundred strands of Primordial Energy in his body, gathering them in his saber.
The pure-white Lunar Shadow Saber flickered with a flowing light. With a casual chop, tiny black spatial tears appeared everywhere it passed.
Strong Primordial Energy surged, driving the power of the world in the surroundings and forming one hundred roaming dragons flying around wildly. This created illusions in the world, twisting space. Various scenes spun around quickly in all directions.
Lan Chaofeng goggled in utter disbelief of what was happening before his eyes. He smiled helplessly and said, “You little fellow, you kept silent for so long. It turns out that you have such a great trump card. You caused this old man to worry for so long, nearly tricking me as well. However, this is still not enough to shake me.”
Lan Chaofeng’s dagger danced between his fingers as strands of Primordial Energy leaped around. One hundred formless roaming dragons also appeared behind his back, warping space and turning the surrounding scenery illusionary.
“Dang!”
He casually moved his dagger and blocked Xiao Chen’s lightning-quick saber strike. The instant the weapons came in contact, space twisted about and the surroundings spun around.
Mo Chen and the others, who rushed over to check the situation, saw a completely distorted scene where Xiao Chen’s and Lan Chaofeng’s figures were infinitely elongated; they could not make out anything.
Everyone only saw some definitive images after concentrating their Mental Energy in their eyes and looking past the twisted space.
Up in the air, Xiao Chen was already fighting on equal footing against Lan Chaofeng in close combat using his own Flawless saber Dao.
This sight stunned both of Lan Chaofeng’s disciples, Lan Shaobai and Lan Tianqi.
“To think that Master cannot gain an advantage in close quarters combat.”
“Master always said that even Sovereign Martial Emperors would not dare to get within ten centimeters of him. Now, he really found his match.”
Although this sight shocked them, it also swept away the worries that they had. Now, it was clear that Xiao Chen and Lan Chaofeng were exchanging moves and not fighting to the death.
This proved that Xiao Chen had already cleared and survived his heart demon.
“Whoosh!”
Suddenly, everyone felt an extremely strong might that forced them to move back one hundred meters involuntarily. It felt like a heavy rock on their chest, an unbearable pressure.
Everyone saw that of the two that were originally fighting on even terms, Lan Chaofeng suddenly flew out, and many flickering lightning sabers buzzed endlessly around Xiao Chen.
With just a thought, he succeeded in forming sabers.
Saber Domain!
These two words appeared in everyone’s mind at the same time. Xiao Chen comprehended a Saber Domain. Martial Emperors who managed to comprehend a Saber Domain were all rare experts. However, Xiao Chen managed to comprehend his own Saber Domain as a Consummation quasi-Emperor.
“Sharp Spirit Finger!”
Xiao Chen used the Saber Domain to create an opportunity and executed his powerful killing move at lightning speed. This time, he used his full power for the Sharp Spirit Finger, not holding anything back at all.
Nine lightning whirlpools appeared at Xiao Chen’s chest. With a thought, his energies gathered at his fingertip.
“Boom!”
A horrifying sound rang out, shaking all the space around violently, hurting the eardrums of everyone in the surroundings.
Xiao Chen caught the timing masterfully. He used the instant when he threw Lan Chaofeng off balance with his lightning Saber Domain.
There was no way to dodge this finger attack; Lan Chaofeng could only clash head-on.
The moment Lan Chaofeng saw the lightning flash, all his clothes exploded into bits, and his skin charred. His hair stood on end, still flickering with remnant electricity and giving off smoke.
When the fallen Lan Chaofeng stood back up, he looked like a refugee, bereft of the appearance of a senior expert.
“Master, Master, are you alright?”
Lan Shaobai and Lan Tianqi both went over and supported Lan Chaofeng while pinching their noses.
Lan Chaofeng angrily flung the two aside. No expression could be made out from his blackened face. He snorted coldly and said, “Little fellow, you are really ruthless enough. If not for my Golden Emperor Body being at the Sixth Heaven, you would have taken my old life already.”
His skin was healing rapidly at a visible rate.
Waving his hands, Lan Chaofeng stared coldly at Xiao Chen before turning to leave.
After Lan Chaofeng was gone, Lan Tianqi and Lan Shaobai could not resist laughing loudly.
Xiao Chen descended and asked somewhat abashedly, “Shaobai, was I too ruthless?”
Lan Shaobai could not stop laughing. He replied, “It’s fine, it’s fine. This master of ours loves to boast. In the past, when he trained us, he often liked to suppress his cultivation to the same level as ours and beat us up until we cried miserably. This time, you have helped us take revenge.”
Xiao Chen still felt somewhat embarrassed. He said, “However, Senior seems to be angry.”
Lan Tianqi guffawed and said, “How can he not be angry?! After he failed in boasting, he even got blasted until he was soot black. Let’s stop talking for now. Let me finish laughing first. Hahaha!”
However, Lan Tianqi discovered that Xiao Chen was giving him a certain look, while Lan Shaobai had already recovered his serious appearance.
A bad premonition woke in Lan Tianqi’s heart. When he checked over his shoulder, he saw Lan Chaofeng, who had already changed into a new set of clothes. He said in chagrin, “Master, I absolutely did not have any intention of laughing at you. I was just—”
Lan Chaofeng interrupted him, saying, “I understand. You just miss my training from the past. From tomorrow on, I will specially train you for a month.”
“Please don’t, Master!” Lan Tianqi howled in grief.
Then, Lan Chaofeng glanced at Xiao Chen, sizing him up again. This look made Xiao Chen feel nervous for some reason, like he might have gone too far this time.
“You little fellow! To think you really comprehended a Saber Domain. Come with me!” Lan Chaofeng said while he walked over with a blank expression.
With the current situation as it was, Xiao Chen could not help feeling even more nervous.
Along the way, Lan Chaofeng did not say a single word, which made Xiao Chen find the situation even more unfathomable.
The two walked just like this for about an hour and arrived at an even more desolate peak. Xiao Chen knew that this was where Lan Chaofeng normally cultivated in peace. This old man enjoyed peace.
Lan Chaofeng turned around and looked at Xiao Chen. Then, he walked an entire round around Xiao Chen while smiling. “Little fellow, you are really capable. This old man has not been this embarrassed since becoming famous.”
Xiao Chen smiled abashedly and said, “I don’t dare to, I don’t dare to. Senior is too serious.”
Lan Chaofeng’s face sank as he asked, “Do not dare? What do you not dare to do? Even if it was for the sake of the upcoming ceremony to reestablish the Dragon’s Gate, there was no need for you to push yourself so hard, refining more than three Peak Grade Demon Fiend Rocks at the same time. Tell me, exactly how many did you refine at the same time?”
Feeling guilty beneath Lan Chaofeng’s stare, Xiao Chen confessed in a soft voice, “Seven.”
“Seven!” Lan Chaofeng exclaimed hoarsely, his eyes wide open. “I don’t know what to say to you. Never mind. Perhaps I do not understand the pressure you are under. Seven Peak Grade Demon Fiend Rocks. No wonder you comprehended your own Saber Domain.”
Although Lan Chaofeng’s tone was stern, Xiao Chen could still sense the concern it contained, so he did not dare to rebut.
“Back then, I was the same as you. I thought that I could undergo three Sovereign Tribulations at the same time, reaching Prime in one go. In the end, I ended up in such a state.”
As Lan Chaofeng recalled the events of the past, sadness appeared in his eyes.
Undergoing three Sovereign Tribulations at the same time? That is possible?
Xiao Chen looked strangely at Lan Chaofeng. Unexpectedly, this old man had such a past.