Chapter 12 Aspiration

Chen Feng stepped into the room, his eyes scanning the surroundings.

He saw a tall man in a green robe standing with his hands behind his back by the window. Following the man's line of sight, Chen Feng could see the entire arena below.

In the next breath, the green-robed man turned around. A young and handsome face appeared before him, his eyes seemingly shimmering with a faint green glow. The man wore nothing but a simple green robe, but his overall demeanor exuded a sense of nobility, resembling that of a wealthy heir from a prominent family.

“Should I call you the Swordless Swordsman, or should I just call you Chen Feng?” The voice was as smooth as flowing spring water, and there was even a hint of a smile in it.

The words of the young man made Chen Feng frown for a moment before quickly relaxing.

The arena had always been shrouded in mystery. It wasn’t surprising that someone could investigate his identity in such a short time.

“As you wish, my lord.” Chen Feng replied with calm indifference. “But I am curious, why have you called me here?”

“Nothing much, just a bit curious after seeing such a young talent in this small place,” the young man responded casually, smiling. “With your strength, joining the Huan Tian Sect is no challenge at all. Well, enough of that... You may leave now.”

The young man waved his hand disinterestedly and turned away, no longer paying attention to Chen Feng.

Chen Feng was stunned.

He had been called here, but now, the young man said nothing of value and simply told him to leave.

Summon me to come, then dismiss me so easily?

A surge of anger rose in Chen Feng’s heart, but it was extinguished just as quickly.

This young man appeared kind and had no aggressive air, but Chen Feng sensed something deeper, a feeling similar to when he had first met the headmaster of the Huan Tian Dao Academy.

“Farewell,” Chen Feng said, his voice firm, as he turned and left.

“Master, weren’t you interested in this boy? Why the sudden change?” A shadowed figure spoke from the corner of the stone house after Chen Feng had departed.

“Just a fleeting thought. At most, he's just a small talent. Even if he joins the Huan Tian Sect, he’ll only be an outer disciple at best. Not worth recruiting,” the young man replied dismissively.

“True, he has some talent, but at seventeen or eighteen, he's only at the sixth stage of Body Refinement. If compared to the thousands of young disciples in the clan, he's at the bottom. Though his ability to fight above his level is commendable, there’s little value in nurturing him,” the shadowed figure remarked.

---

Chen Feng, holding Li Xinyue's hundred-refined sword, felt an intense anger swirling inside him, though his expression remained indifferent.

“Low cultivation, weak strength... and no respect,” he thought.

“The Ye family is like this... and so is the Beast Arena…”

“But one day, no one will dare to look down on me.”

Outside the arena, Li Xinyue waited. When she saw Chen Feng return, having changed into his regular clothes and removed his mask, her eyes lit up with joy.

“Teacher, thank you for the sword,” Chen Feng said, handing over the hundred-refined sword to her, while she in turn handed him his own ten-refined sword.

“Chen Feng, I somewhat regret telling you about the Beast Arena,” Li Xinyue said with a wry smile as she took the sword. “Fortunately, your strength is enough.”

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“Teacher, there's no need to feel guilty. On the contrary, I should thank you,” Chen Feng smiled. “By the way, the ten taels of silver I borrowed earlier, I’ll repay you once I break the banknote later.”

“No need. The three hundred taels could buy three Peiyuan Pills, which might be enough to help you break through to the seventh stage of Body Refinement,” Li Xinyue replied. “If you kept the ten taels, and still couldn’t break through, it would cause you unnecessary trouble.”

“Fair enough.” Chen Feng nodded and didn’t press further, but he quietly committed this kindness to memory.

“Chen Feng, with three Peiyuan Pills, you might be able to break through to the seventh stage before the examination. As for me, I plan to close myself off and fully focus on breaking through to the ninth stage,” Li Xinyue said, her bright, sharp eyes filled with anticipation. “By then, I hope both of us can pass the exam and become disciples of the Huan Tian Sect.”

“Definitely!” Chen Feng responded earnestly.

Watching Li Xinyue’s tall and graceful figure leave, Chen Feng returned to his courtyard. After a short rest, he took a Peiyuan Pill.

Once the power of the Peiyuan Pill was fully absorbed, Chen Feng could feel his muscles and bones becoming even more resilient, the strength in his body growing even more robust.

“About the late stage of Body Refinement, Sixth Stage.”

He took the second Peiyuan Pill and absorbed its power, refining his muscles and bones.

“Peak!”

Chen Feng felt a bit disappointed, even though the result was expected.

Improving cultivation indeed becomes harder with each step. Two Peiyuan Pills had only brought him to the peak of the sixth stage, leaving him uncertain about whether he could break through to the seventh stage.

Can I break through to the seventh stage?

If I can’t... then...

“Let’s refine it first.”

Without hesitation, Chen Feng took the last Peiyuan Pill, refining it with his Divine Rune, and felt a pure force rushing through his body, once again strengthening his muscles and bones.

A layer of blood light surged over his body, growing more intense.

The later stages of Body Refinement involve refining the organs, which are more delicate than bones. A slight misstep could cause injury. This made the breakthrough even harder.

After a while, the blood light receded, and Chen Feng opened his eyes, deeply disappointed.

“I’m at the critical point between the sixth and seventh stages of Body Refinement,” Chen Feng murmured. “Now, I either take another Peiyuan Pill to break through, or rely on my own cultivation, but I can’t be sure if I’ll reach the seventh stage before the Huan Tian Sect’s exam…”

He pondered.

Should I go back to the Beast Arena?

With my previous performance, the Beast Arena’s challenges will probably involve at least three first-tier, seventh-level beasts.

“My current cultivation is at the peak of the sixth stage. My bones are stronger than when I first reached the sixth stage, and my strength has doubled. With my swordsmanship and body techniques, I should be able to handle three first-tier, seventh-level beasts…”

But the issue is with the sword.

Earlier, I defeated two first-tier, seventh-level beasts using the hundred-refined sword.

But the hundred-refined sword belongs to Li Xinyue. My sword is only at the ten-refined level, which won’t deal effective damage to first-tier, seventh-level beasts.

I could borrow her sword, but she’s in seclusion.

And the owner of the Beast Arena… something about him feels unsettling. I instinctively feel wary.

“Well, I’ll focus on refining my Fengying Swordsmanship and Nine Shadows Phantom Body to the highest level. I’ll also try to break through on my own, while finding ways to make money and improve my strength, and buy a hundred-refined sword.”

Chen Feng muttered to himself, then put on his sword and headed to a small forest by Mirror Lake to train.

For the next three days, he spent most of his time deep in the small forest, perfecting his Fengying Swordsmanship and Nine Shadows Phantom Body.

Phantom sword images appeared around him, solidifying like real blades. Nine sword shadows surrounded a thick tree, each one piercing the tree with a perfect circle of holes.

“The Nine Winds Sword and Nine Shadows Phantom Body are complete, and they complement each other perfectly…”

Chen Feng sheathed his sword, a smile appearing on his face.

“I wonder how I would fare against someone at the eighth stage of Body Refinement.”

He had also discovered another way to make money: searching for precious herbs and hunting beasts.

Compared to the Beast Arena, hunting beasts and gathering herbs was more unpredictable and dangerous, but the potential rewards were greater.

After leaving the forest, Chen Feng bought some supplies, filled his water pouch, and set off from the Huan Tian Dao Academy, heading out of the city.

The Huan Tian City was built at the foot of the Great Ridge Mountains, where countless beasts resided. It was the best place for martial artists to search for rare herbs and hunt beasts.

As soon as Chen Feng left the city, someone secretly followed him. When he exited the city, the follower quickly returned to the Huan Tian Dao Academy and found Ye Huai.

“Are you sure Chen Feng has left the city?” Ye Huai asked coldly, his eyes sending a chill through the follower.

“Yes, I followed him all the way and saw with my own eyes. I suspect he’s headed to the Wanmulin to gather herbs and hunt beasts,” the follower quickly reported everything he knew.

“Wanmulin... gathering herbs, hunting beasts...” Ye Huai’s eyes gleamed with cold light, a sinister smile forming on his lips. “Chen Feng, you certainly know how to pick your places.”

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