Chapter 25: A Bitter Struggle

Qi Fei remained calm, his gaze fixed on Elder Guo Huai, whose murderous aura filled the air. A glint of coldness flickered in Qi Fei’s eyes as he spoke, “I didn't expect that after half a year, Elder, your grandeur remains unchanged. Disciple Qi Fei greets you.”

Guo Huai met Qi Fei’s gaze, a cold sneer on his lips. “Don’t think I’m unaware of your intentions. You simply wish to use me to break the Fourfold Infinite Sword Formation outside this cave.”

Feigning surprise, Qi Fei praised, “Elder, your mind is as astute as ever. How could my petty tricks escape your notice?”

Guo Huai eyed Qi Fei’s composed demeanor, suspicion flashing across his face. “Even if you use me to break the formation, what makes you think you’ll escape this place unscathed?”

Before Qi Fei could reply, Guo Huai’s expression shifted to delight, and he laughed loudly. “Just as I suspected! You really did keep a treasure from that mountain valley for yourself.”

Qi Fei smiled faintly, his tone indifferent. “Spare me your words. If you want the treasure, come and take it. I want to see if you truly have the ability.”

Guo Huai’s heart tightened at these words. He quickly circulated his inner strength, using sect arcana to probe Qi Fei’s cultivation. After sensing it, his confidence returned, and he sneered, “Though you had some fortune and cultivated your Martial Spirit in this cave, and now have tempered your body to the Third Layer of Martial Dao, you are still far from being my match.”

Qi Fei deliberately displayed a look of shock, then his face darkened as if resolved to a desperate gambit. Without further words, he raised his fists and lunged at Guo Huai.

Guo Huai smirked coldly, conjuring a talisman in his hand that met Qi Fei’s attack in an instant.

The Tiger Roar Fist unleashed from Qi Fei’s hands became immensely fierce. Guo Huai, a master of both martial and arcane arts, was well-versed in this sect’s martial techniques. With a swift movement, he evaded Qi Fei’s punch, his talisman stirring turbulent currents that crashed down on Qi Fei’s arm.

In a single exchange, Qi Fei clutched his arm in pain, his face showing terror as he staggered backward.

Guo Huai, unwilling to leave room for mishap, pressed the attack, giving Qi Fei no chance to catch his breath. Arcane arts surged as several talismans became streams of light, fusing in an instant into a blue sword of magic. Channeling his inner strength, the sword erupted into a blue arc, slashing toward Qi Fei’s already-injured arm.

Qi Fei, face pale, dodged the sword’s edge, but to his surprise, the sword arc twisted in mid-air, as if sentient, and swept back toward him.

Appearing cornered, Qi Fei ignored the threat behind him and charged straight at Guo Huai.

Elder Guo Huai of the Danxia Sect was not only a master of arcane arts, but his martial prowess also reached the Third Layer of Martial Dao. Seeing Qi Fei’s grim determination, as if resolved for mutual destruction, Guo Huai secretly scoffed.

Confident that his martial skills were no weaker than Qi Fei’s, and shielded by arcane wards, Guo Huai met Qi Fei’s fierce fists with his palm.

Suddenly, the situation changed. Qi Fei’s fistwork transformed abruptly; his left fist assumed a strange posture, deftly deflecting the blue sword arc that had been slashing toward his back. Instantly, his right fist conjured a bizarre, razor-sharp gust, imbued with the dual force of fire and ice, which pierced straight through Guo Huai’s palm.

Caught off guard, Guo Huai was wounded by Qi Fei’s uncanny strike and recoiled in shock. Though furious at himself for being careless, he was also inwardly pleased, realizing that this mysterious fist technique must be the miraculous skill Qi Fei had obtained in the mountain valley.

In his youth, Guo Huai had traveled the world; among the three great sects of Mount Cangyun, none could match his breadth of knowledge. After a few exchanges, joy welled in his heart—could Qi Fei’s technique be none other than the supreme body-tempering art of the great martial schools, the Eight-Armed Thunder Fist?

Not wishing for complications, Guo Huai dodged Qi Fei’s attacks and let out a long howl. Moments later, four trusted disciples garbed in white rushed into the cave.

Qi Fei halted, panting. “Elder, do you need your disciples to help you deal with someone of my generation?”

Guo Huai, now fully in control, calmly took out a bottle of medicinal powder, sprinkling it on his bleeding palm. He said gravely, “Qi Fei, words are useless now. Though your Martial Spirit is mysterious, you’re merely at the Third Layer of Martial Dao. Today you cannot escape. Tell me—was the technique you used the Eight-Armed Thunder Fist?”

A flicker of surprise crossed Qi Fei’s face. “How do you know the name of this art?”

Guo Huai was now certain and laughed heartily. “So it is indeed the supreme body-tempering martial art. Qi Fei, if you know what’s good for you, hand over the Eight-Armed Thunder Fist and I’ll spare your life. Otherwise—”

Facing Guo Huai and his four disciples, Qi Fei’s face was filled with righteous indignation. “To think I have always been loyal to the sect, yet have fallen to such a state. If you want the Eight-Armed Thunder Fist, come ask me in the underworld!”

As soon as the words fell, Qi Fei lunged like a madman at one of the disciples.

Though the disciple had cultivated his Martial Spirit, he was no match for Qi Fei. In a single blow of the Eight-Armed Thunder Fist, Qi Fei shattered the disciple’s chest.

Enraged, Guo Huai led the remaining three disciples in a renewed assault, unleashing a talisman that became a ball of flame hurled at Qi Fei. But Qi Fei’s fistwork changed again, and an overwhelming force surged from within him. Before Guo Huai and his disciples could react, Qi Fei reversed the Spirit-Linking Art, and his inner energy soared. His fists unleashed the supreme sword moves of the Proud Sword Art.

With the surging true energy of the Fourth Layer of Martial Dao, his fists swept forth like blades, raising a hurricane. In half a breath, the destructive wind and sword energy swallowed Guo Huai and the three disciples.

Guo Huai’s face changed drastically. He quickly activated an arcane ward, erecting a barrier of light just in time to block Qi Fei’s tyrannical attack.

Having survived by a hair, Guo Huai was shaken. He hadn’t expected Qi Fei to have hidden his true strength—this explosive attack was at the level of the Fifth Layer of Martial Dao. Impossible! Even if Qi Fei had begun training from the womb, he couldn’t possibly be this powerful!

Qi Fei knew this fleeting opportunity could not be missed. Gathering his energy, he unleashed a barrage of fists, trapping Guo Huai and his disciples within the barrier of light.

As the barrier began to dim under the onslaught, unable to withstand Qi Fei’s ferocious power, Guo Huai made a ruthless decision. He grabbed one disciple and threw him outside the protective ward.

Qi Fei’s heart was cold as ice, and he showed no mercy. The unfortunate Danxia disciple stood no chance—Qi Fei’s punch shattered his chest, sending his body flying and spraying blood in all directions.

Bathed in blood, Qi Fei’s killing intent did not abate; rather, a crazed battle spirit shone on his bloodstained face.

What a ruthless whelp, Guo Huai thought, full of regret for having underestimated Qi Fei and now trapped in dire straits. Before the other two terrified disciples could flee, Guo Huai seized them and hurled them at Qi Fei.

With a swift movement, Qi Fei’s fists became two sword-like gusts, instantly cutting down the unfortunate disciples. Under the onslaught, the barrier finally shattered.

As his ward broke, Guo Huai fell back, trying to escape the cave, but Qi Fei’s surging energy forced him to retreat inside.

“Wait—spare me, I—” Guo Huai tried to stall, but Qi Fei’s fists cut him off, pressing him relentlessly until he was cornered.

Hatred burned in Guo Huai’s eyes. He realized that to defeat this deadly youth, he would have to resort to the most extreme method, even if it meant self-destruction.

He reflected that Qi Fei had risen from a mere herb-collecting boy in the outer sect to such miraculous power in only a year. The fortune he gained far surpassed anything Guo Huai had imagined. If he could seize it, even at the cost of destroying his own spirit and arcane cultivation, he could someday achieve the Great Dao.

With this thought, Guo Huai steeled himself. He raised a talisman, bit his tongue, and spat a mouthful of blood essence. Instantly, the talisman glowed with blood-red light and merged into his body.

Once inside him, Guo Huai’s frail, aged form swelled, bursting his clothing and revealing a body as monstrous and robust as a beast.

Qi Fei was startled, but his powerful punch did not falter, crashing into Guo Huai’s transformed body. The blow, heavy as a thousand pounds, failed to harm Guo Huai; instead, Qi Fei’s fingers split open with bloody cracks from the impact.

Guo Huai had sacrificed his arcane cultivation, using the talisman to catalyze his spirit and channel all his inner energy into his flesh, employing the sect’s ultimate survival art—the Life-Guarding Method. With this, his body had become as tenacious as a monstrous beast.

Arcane arts were unfathomable, and Qi Fei, not having reached the Innate stage, suddenly found the tables turned by the Danxia Elder who had destroyed his spirit and arcane power in desperation.

Guo Huai withstood Qi Fei’s ferocious fists with brute strength, his face now hideously contorted from the transformation.

His arcane cultivation was completely gone, and hatred consumed Guo Huai. Staring at Qi Fei, he spat, “Qi Fei, you have robbed me of all my arcane power—today, I will tear you limb from limb!”