C15 Battle in Bamboo Woods

"Truly a genius Pharmacist from the Skilled Hand Medical Hall."

A man in a green robe emerged, clapping his hands. He was a gaunt figure in his thirties, and Jiang Xiaofan recognized his attire—it matched that of Chu Feng and his associates.

Several people trailed behind the man, including the stout individual who had faced off with Su Fenghan the day before. A few disciples followed as well, each at the early stages of the Spirit Martial realm.

Their presence didn't bode well.

Jiang Xiaofan smirked, "Spare me the flattery. Let's cut to the chase."

"Ah, the valor of youth! So refreshingly direct!"

The man roared with laughter before continuing, "I manage the Hanging Pot Pharmacy, and my name is Chu Feng. I suspect you're the one behind the recent batch of pills from the Skilled Hand Medical Hall. If you agree to craft pills for us, I'm prepared to offer you double the compensation."

Chu Feng's demeanor was amiable, but Jiang Xiaofan held no fondness for the Hanging Pot Pharmacy. Chu Feng's reputation for strong-arming, coupled with his attempt to have Jiang eliminated by hiring assassins from the Ocean Pavilion, left a sour taste.

Today's choice was pivotal for Jiang Xiaofan. Acceptance meant safety, but refusal could provoke the burly man at the Profound Martial Stage and the Chu family's Spirit Martial Stage disciples to ensure he didn't leave alive.

Leaning casually against a tree, Jiang Xiaofan's lips quirked up, "And what if I refuse?"

Chu Feng's face chilled instantly, his features hardening as he commanded, "Then we fight!"

With a sweep of Chu Feng's arm, three Spirit Martial Stage disciples stepped forward, brandishing their weapons as they charged at Jiang Xiaofan.

The first attacker swung his glaive at Jiang Xiaofan's head, the blade shimmering with Martial Qi, signaling a formidable strike.

In response, Jiang Xiaofan's Wolf Totem activated in a flash. He swiftly backpedaled, pulling a Fighting Spirit Pill from his pocket and invoking the power of his Battle Martial Body, ready to engage in combat.

The strike missed, and the two adversaries behind Jiang Xiaofan swiftly stepped in to fill the gap. Their broad glaives descended toward Jiang Xiaofan's shoulders in a vicious arc!

"Clang!"

In a flash, the Blazing Sword materialized in Jiang Xiaofan's grip, intercepting the attack. Metal clashed against metal, and a formidable force traveled up Jiang Xiaofan's arm, forcing the Blazing Sword downward. The keen edges of the glaives grazed his shoulders, leaving behind twin gashes!

Indeed, his prowess at the first level of the Spirit Martial Stage was insufficient. Even with the augmented might of the Battle Martial Body, facing two Spirit Martial Stage adversaries was overwhelming!

The leader wasted no time and lunged forward, thrusting his glaive straight for Jiang Xiaofan's chest!

Jiang Xiaofan's frame dipped, and he swiftly backpedaled, but his opponent, glaive in hand, was hot on his heels!

Ten Thousand Water Slash!

With a swift elevation of his sword, Jiang Xiaofan unleashed the pent-up Martial Qi within him, sending a powerful wave forward that sent the trio stumbling back. But it was only a momentary setback; they regrouped and charged at Jiang Xiaofan in unison!

Jiang Xiaofan inwardly berated himself for his recent complacency and underestimating his foes. He should never have ventured into this battle alone!

With renewed focus, he executed the Vibration Wind Boxing. A burst of strength surged through his arm, propelling the three assailants backward. Seizing the moment, Jiang Xiaofan advanced, unleashing the Breaking Wind Sword Technique in a fluid motion!

"Puff! Puff! Puff!"

The Blazing Sword's light danced as it delivered a rapid succession of strikes. The Breaking Wind Sword Technique rained down upon the three men, slicing open numerous wounds. One suffered a deep cut to the back, the blade cleaving so deep that bone was visible!

Jiang Xiaofan's blade whirled through the air, releasing the devastating Wolf Strike!

With the Battle Martial Body's attributes and the Wolf Strike's power both doubled, the quadrupled damage bore down mercilessly on one opponent's forehead!

As the glaive came up in defense, the Blazing Sword descended with ferocity. Accompanied by a sharp "Ding," the low-grade Yellow Rank glaive shattered, and the Blazing Sword, unstoppable, cleaved the man's head in two!

A brilliant white light swiftly penetrated Jiang Xiaofan's body!

"System Prompt: You have successfully slain a Chu family disciple and obtained a broken steel sword."

"System Prompt: You have successfully slain a Chu family disciple and obtained three Spring Pills."

"System Prompt: You have successfully slain a Chu family disciple and obtained seventy-three Copper coins."

...

Jiang Xiaofan's experience bar nudged up slightly. However, at the Spirit Martial Stage, the experience gains were minimal, leaving Jiang Xiaofan feeling rather frustrated.

With one of their own down, the remaining two disciples no longer underestimated the threat. They advanced quickly, and with their numbers reduced, Jiang Xiaofan felt the pressure on him lessen. He popped a Spring-Returning Pill and, with a flourish of his sword, unleashed the Ten Thousand Water Slash once more!

But he didn't stop there. Riding the momentum of the Ten Thousand Water Slash, he targeted the disciple with the wounded back. His left fist brimmed with a frenzied energy as he executed the Divine Tiger Boxing!

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Three punches later, the disciple was blasted away, colliding with a tree and meeting his end. Jiang Xiaofan's experience bar leaped forward once more.

He approached the final disciple, blade in hand. Defeating him would grant more experience. According to his current experience bar, eliminating five Spirit Martial Stage cultivators should suffice for a level up. He had now completed two out of the five required.

The last disciple, seated on the ground, scrambled backward, crying out, "Senior Wang Hua, save me!"

That's when Wang Hua, the burly man, could no longer stand idly by. With a thought, a crushing aura bore down on Jiang Xiaofan!

"Pfft!"

A mouthful of fresh blood burst from Jiang Xiaofan's lips as he found himself completely overpowered, immobilized by the force. Seizing the opportunity, the disciple grabbed a glaive and thrust it viciously into Jiang Xiaofan's abdomen!

Jiang Xiaofan's heart raced with alarm. This was the oppressive might of a Profound Martial Stage master – overwhelmingly powerful!

In the presence of such a master, his own Martial Level was pitifully small.

Wang Hua, gripping his battle axe, approached Jiang Xiaofan with deliberate steps, while Chu Feng trailed closely behind. Smiling, Chu Feng addressed Jiang Xiaofan, "This is your final opportunity. Are you willing to pledge your services to my Hanging Pot Pharmacy?"

"Go to hell!"

Summoning all his might, Jiang Xiaofan bellowed. Even though his Battle Martial Body had expired, it seemed Wang Hua hadn't fully restrained him. In a swift motion, he lifted his long sword and swung it with ferocity, his actions serving as a resounding reply to Chu Feng!

The last disciple's head soared through the air, blood splattering onto them all!

"Seeking death!"

Wang Hua transformed his hand into a fist and struck Jiang Xiaofan squarely in the chest. Jiang Xiaofan was sent hurtling through the air like a kite severed from its string, crashing through tree roots and bamboo before finally coming to a halt.

"Cough, cough!"

Blood spurted from Jiang Xiaofan's mouth. In haste, he swallowed a Life Return Pill, regaining some vitality. As the pill dissolved, an itching sensation spread across his wounds, and to his amazement, they began to knit together at a visibly rapid pace.

Truly, the Seventh Grade Life Return Pill of the Yellow Level lived up to its reputation!

Jiang Xiaofan had ingested the Life Return Pill, valued at 30,000, in a single gulp. Wang Hua and Chu Feng simultaneously furrowed their brows. Such a precious and costly elixir being consumed so casually by a mere first-level Spirit Martial youngster seemed to them an utter waste.

Their eyes lingered on Jiang Xiaofan's storage ring, a glint of covetousness emerging.

Jiang Xiaofan rose to his feet, facing Wang Hua and Chu Feng. Wang Hua was of the Profound Martial Stage, but Chu Feng was merely at the Advanced Spirit Martial Stage. Jiang Xiaofan's primary adversary was Wang Hua; if he could overcome him, Chu Feng would pose no threat.

Brushing the blood from his lips, he smirked and taunted, "You two old fools ganging up on a junior of the Spirit Martial Stage? Aren't you worried about becoming the laughingstock of others? Hey, Wang Hua! Have you got the guts to take me on one-on-one?"

Wang Hua's eyebrows shot up in concern. He had been worried that Chu Feng might hoard Jiang Xiaofan's storage ring all to himself. Now that Jiang Xiaofan had singled himself out for a challenge, Wang Hua saw an opportunity to claim his share of the loot. Without giving Chu Feng a chance to respond, he chuckled and declared, "Fine! Today, you'll die with your eyes wide open!"

With his battle axe in hand, he strode toward Jiang Xiaofan.

Wang Hua unleashed his oppressive aura, pinning Jiang Xiaofan in place, unable to move. Jiang's body bore an immense strain, and blood continuously trickled from the corner of his mouth.

A smug grin spread across Wang Hua's face as he bellowed, "You, a lowly Spirit Martial Stage nobody, dare to defy me? Today, I'll show you the vast gulf between us!"

He hoisted his battle axe aloft, channeling the formidable Martial Qi of the Profound Martial Stage, and brought it crashing down toward Jiang Xiaofan's forehead. In that critical moment, Jiang Xiaofan swiftly consumed a Black Mystic Herb Pill.

The pill dissolved instantly, its warmth flooding through his body, sending his blood into a fiery frenzy. With a thunderous cry, Jiang Xiaofan felt a sudden lightness. He flipped over, back to the ground, positioning the Blazing Sword in front of him just in time.

"Boom!"

The clash erupted with frenzied energy, transcending mere metal against metal—it was a clash of Martial Qi against Martial Qi.

The force of the impact sent waves of energy cascading around them. Chu Feng, at the Late Period of the Spirit Martial Stage, was knocked to the ground, staring at Jiang Xiaofan on the earth with eyes wide with disbelief and avarice.

Wang Hua stumbled back a couple of steps before regaining his composure. Jiang Xiaofan, still bleeding from the mouth, swiftly got to his feet and downed another Life Return Pill, his wounds visibly healing.

"What... What did you just take?" Wang Hua demanded, his eyes bulging with a mix of fear and astonishment.

How could this junior, barely at the Early Period of the Spirit Martial Stage, suddenly ascend to the Early Period of the Profound Martial Stage with a single pill? His Martial Qi now rivaled Wang Hua's own. What kind of prodigy was this?

A subtle smirk played on Jiang Xiaofan's lips as he offered, "The Black Mystic Herb Pill. Once ingested, it can instantly elevate one's cultivation by an entire stage. Interested? I have another one right here."

Wang Hua's eyebrows shot up as he eyed the Black Mystic Herb Pill Jiang Xiaofan produced from his storage ring, pausing for a few seconds in surprise. Sensing the shift in the air, Chu Feng quickly discerned something was amiss and bellowed, "Wang Hua! Take him down! All the pills in his storage ring will be yours! And if there's a pill formula, I'll only make one imprint for myself!"

"You almost had me, you sly fox!" Wang Hua's body erupted with a fierce Martial Qi. Unleashing his full power, he charged directly at Jiang Xiaofan with unbridled force.