Chapter 153: Chapter 108: A Single Punch Shakes Xingning Street; Sufficient Spiritual Essence to Refine the Demon Suppression Stele
BZZZZ—
The hum of the bowstring had barely faded when three Purple Bamboo Arrows were already slicing through the air.
Wreathed in a fierce wind, the arrowheads steadily chased down the three falling stones under the watchful eyes of Cao Feng and Li Qingxue.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
The stones were pulverized into dust in mid-air.
The stone dust drifted down like fine sand.
Cao Feng stood in the doorway, Li Qingxue by his side. Both were stunned, as if turned to stone.
They had seen plenty of master archers and extraordinarily gifted individuals before.
But given their experience and temperament, they still found their eyes filled with disbelief as they watched Chu Fan’s display of archery.
After all, Chu Fan had never even touched a bow and arrow before.
It was only a month and a half ago, after seeing Zhao Tianxing demonstrate the Moon Eclipse Arrow, that he had even considered learning archery.
At the time, Cao Feng had even tried to dissuade him, explaining that while Tianxing had achieved Great Success with the Moon Eclipse Arrow in just over twenty days, he had more than a decade of archery experience to back it up. It wasn’t something others could replicate.
Even the best prospects at the Moon Arrow Martial Arts Hall might not achieve Tianxing’s level of skill after many years of practice.
He originally advised Chu Fan against learning archery, hoping he would focus his efforts on the Twelve Forms Fist and the Ninefold Thunder Shock Saber instead.
But he never expected—
—that in just a month and a half, Chu Fan’s archery would become so exquisite!
Beside Cao Feng, Li Qingxue’s eyes were also filled with astonishment.
Since childhood, she had been called a "heavenly prodigy," her cultivation speed far surpassing her peers.
But in the face of Chu Fan’s talent, she felt a sense of inferiority.
’From a complete novice to this level of skill in just a month and a half...’
’Such comprehension is truly unheard of!’
’And it’s not like archery is the only thing he practices!’
’How is this possible?’
"Master Cao, your disciple didn’t take this up on a whim."
Chu Fan lowered the Meteor Bow, his tone calm. "For me, archery isn’t a burden. On the contrary, it complements my Martial Dao."
"A few days ago, when I killed Tang Xiao, the Incense Master from the Blood Saber Sect, I relied on my archery to help."
"You killed Tang Xiao?!" Cao Feng blurted out in shock, and Li Qingxue’s face was also a mask of astonishment.
Tang Xiao’s cultivation was at the Entering the Realm of Strength, which normally wouldn’t even register to experts like them who had achieved Mortal Transformation.
But Chu Fan was clearly only at the Bone Marrow Forging Realm!
Above the Bone Marrow Forging Realm was the Bone Tempering Realm, and only above the Bone Tempering Realm was the Entering the Realm of Strength!
"Tianxing and I killed him together," Chu Fan said honestly. "There was some luck involved..."
"We were on a cliff, and Tang Xiao was using Qinggong to climb up to kill me. Tianxing and I worked together. I shot an arrow through his thigh, which gave us the opportunity to finish him off."
"You little rascal..." Cao Feng cursed with a laugh. "So it was you two who plundered the Blood Saber Sect’s Medicinal Herb Garden!"
Li Qingxue couldn’t help but steal another couple of glances at Chu Fan.
She had assumed Chu Fan was just diligently training all this time.
She never expected he had been up to things like this in secret.
She wasn’t the least bit surprised that Chu Fan could defeat someone at the Bone Marrow Forging Realm—her own brother, Li Xingxuan, who was at that same realm, had been beaten by Chu Fan several times.
But killing Tang Xiao, an Incense Master of the Blood Saber Sect...
Li Qingxue remembered the day Chu Fan first arrived at the Seven Stars Gang.
During the Bone Touching, her second uncle discovered he had been there before and angrily told her to throw him out.
Back then, Chu Fan had been so frail, he looked like he didn’t have the strength to truss a chicken.
Who would have thought that in just three short months, he would be capable of killing Tang Xiao!
Even with Zhao Tianxing’s help, it was still unbelievable!
Li Qingxue gazed at the Chu Fan before her.
Three months had passed. He was no longer that scrawny figure, and his entire aura was different.
She felt a little dazed as the image of the Chu Fan before her slowly superimposed itself onto her memory of him from three months ago...
Cao Feng slapped his thigh, his shock transforming into ecstatic joy. He strode forward and clapped Chu Fan on the shoulder. "Good lad! Excellent! You’re truly worthy of my high regard!"
"Come on, let’s go to the Moon Arrow Martial Arts Hall right now! If that old fool Chen Xuan dares to reject you, I’ll tear his hall down!"
Seeing the matter settled, Li Qingxue said to Cao Feng, "Second Uncle, I’ll be returning to my room to cultivate."
Chu Fan quickly added, "Senior Sister, I’ll go let Tianxing know, and I’ll bring that stalk of Three-leaf Star Soul Grass over later."
Li Qingxue glanced at him again, a hint of a smile appearing in her eyes. She gave a slight nod. "Thank you."
She hadn’t gone far when Cao Feng chuckled. "My niece here is proud and not one for words. I’ve rarely heard her say ’thank you’ in her entire life, yet she just said those two words to you."
Li Qingxue didn’t look back, but her cheeks quietly flushed red.
Chu Fan glanced at Cao Feng, completely puzzled.
’He was giving the Three-leaf Star Soul Grass to Li Qingxue; wasn’t it only natural for her to say thank you?’
’Forget a stalk of Three-leaf Star Soul Grass. Back when he was surviving as a fisherman, if someone had been willing to give him one tael of silver, he would have been willing to call them his adoptive father!’
...
Chu Fan followed Cao Feng out of the main gate of the Seven Stars Gang.
He had just set foot on the bluestone path.
Just as he did, he saw a woman in tight-fitting martial attire walking toward them, surrounded by several people.
’The Hall Master of the Punishment Hall, Lin Luoxue!’
Chu Fan’s heart skipped a beat.
He had seen Lin Luoxue from a distance at the Martial Arts Arena that day.
At the time, the look Master Cao gave her was indescribably complex.
He didn’t expect to run into her here today, on this "narrow road."
"Senior Brother, long time no see."
A faint smile played on Lin Luoxue’s lips as she gracefully walked up to Cao Feng.
Her aura was extremely powerful, even carrying a trace of Fierce Evil Qi. Standing to the side, Chu Fan felt his chest tighten, as if he were suffocating!
Cao Feng, however, just snorted and said, "I teach disciples at this Sub-Branch’s Martial Arts Arena every day, and you often come by the Sub-Branch yourself. How is it ’long time no see’?"
He seemed unwilling to speak further with Lin Luoxue and simply stepped past her.
Seeing this, the people surrounding Lin Luoxue immediately cleared a path.
Chu Fan quickly bowed to Lin Luoxue before hurrying to catch up with Cao Feng.
Lin Luoxue slowly turned, watching Cao Feng’s retreating back.
A faint, almost imperceptible smile quietly surfaced on her lips.
Chu Fan and Cao Feng hadn’t gotten far when they saw a short, chubby youth running toward them from the opposite direction, panting, his face etched with anxiety.
