Chapter 1742 (Raw 1753):
"That was incredible! That white-clad bladesman actually blocked Beiming Feng's sword strike!"
"Furthermore, the white-clad bladesman used only two fingers. Could he have hidden his strength?"
"This news will probably shake up the entire southern city. Someone used only two fingers to block a sword strike from Beiming Feng."
"However, in the end, Beiming Feng chased him off."
"In recent years, there have been many who broke the rules and died at Beiming Feng's hands. This white-clad bladesman is really lucky."
There were many eyes in the southern city. The earlier sword strike caused a huge commotion, startling the surroundings.
Many people saw Xiao Chen catch Beiming Feng's sword, and they found it incredible.
As these people looked in the direction Xiao Chen took, discussions cropped up everywhere.
Only a few in the southern city would realize that Xiao Chen's Sharp Spirit Finger was actually very profound despite looking very simple.
It had not been as simple as just clamping his fingers together.
Unfortunately, there were not many experts in the southern city. If this were the northern city, the tricks behind the Sharp Spirit Finger would definitely be figured out.
Xiao Chen made his way out of the southern city, traveling at an average speed by leaping from rooftop to rooftop. He reached the division between the northern and southern cities only after one hour.
With Xiao Chen's speed, he still needed one hour to reach the division. This showed how large Dragon Flame City was.
Just as Xiao Chen landed, someone descended in front of him while panting. That person smiled and said, "Friend, I finally caught up to you."
Xiao Chen had noticed someone following him much earlier. Furthermore, there was more than one. However, he purposely did not try to shake them off.
He wanted to see what these people were up to. Now that someone appeared, it saved him some trouble.
"Speak. Why were you following me?" Xiao Chen asked directly.
That person wore gray clothes and was not very strong. He smiled and said, "Friend, you want to go to the northern city, right? If you are going to the northern city, you must want to enter the depths of the Dragon Flame Ancient Land. You will need to find a team. I have the connections to introduce you to a strong team."
Xiao Chen entered deep thought without any change in expression.
Leng Feng had said that exploring the interior of the Dragon Flame Ancient Land alone was suicide.
Xiao Chen had taken those words with a pinch of salt. Now that he heard similar words again, he started to believe them.
Perhaps it really was unsuitable to travel alone in the Dragon Flame Ancient Land.
"Young Master, there is no need to doubt my identity. Every strong team has its spies in the southern city. As there are always people dying in experiential training, the teams always need people, especially strong experts. Young Master clearly meets the requirements. If you can pass the test, I will benefit as well."
This person was rather straightforward, directly informing Xiao Chen of his intent.
Xiao Chen asked indifferently, "What is your name?"
When this person heard Xiao Chen's tone, he felt that there was a chance, so he spoke happily.
"Just call me Gu Yun. Although I am not very strong, I have lived in this Dragon Flame City for ten-odd years and understand the various rules of this place."
Everyone had their own means of survival. Some people were destined not to be talented or courageous, so they could only live like Gu Yun did.
No matter where it was, there would never be a lack of people who ran errands to earn resources.
Xiao Chen nodded and said, "Lead the way."
"Got it."
Let's take a look at what is going on first. Although Xiao Chen preferred moving alone, he was not opposed to being on a team.
About seven minutes later, Gu Yun brought Xiao Chen to a lavish courtyard.
"Gu Yun, are you here to introduce someone into the team again? Don't let it be like the last time, bringing trash over and becoming a laughing stock," the stout man guarding the entrance said with a grin when he saw Gu Yun.
"How can that be? Absolutely not this time, absolutely not," Gu Yun said while smiling.
Just as Xiao Chen raised his leg and was about to follow Gu Yun into the courtyard, the stout guard looked coldly at him and blocked him.
"You have to get my permission first before entering."
"Boom!"
Right after the stout guard finished speaking, Xiao Chen's fist landed on the guard's chest.
Xiao Chen instantly unleashed five Cauldron Force. He knocked the stout guard into the courtyard like the latter was a small mountain, sending him crashing into the ground.
Ignoring the shocked Gu Yun, Xiao Chen strode in.
The stout guard kept grunting in pain, sprawled on the ground inside the courtyard.
The cultivators living in the courtyard were all startled and appeared, one after another.
Xiao Chen took a rough look around. There was a total of one hundred-odd people, the weakest of whom was a Major Primal Core Venerate.
There were several experts with light sparkling in their eyes and astonishing auras.
More importantly, Xiao Chen discovered some familiar people. There was the azure-clad Leng Feng and the masked bladesman that he saw at the southern city three months ago.
However, that Leng Feng did not seem to be the leader of this team.
"What's going on? Who is so bold as to injure our people?"
A gray-robed old man walked out of the crowd and looked around, then stared at Xiao Chen.
Gu Yun quickly stepped forward and explained, "Senior Ma, this is the person I'm introducing. He used only two fingers to catch Beiming Feng's sword in the southern city."
These words immediately set the place abuzz. Several people whispered to each other, occasionally glancing at Xiao Chen.
These people all betrayed shock and disbelief. Beiming Feng was regarded as a rare expert within Dragon Flame City and one of the strongest swordsmen.
Whether a regular Venerate could block a sword strike from Beiming Feng or not was already questionable.
Not to mention using only two fingers to catch Beiming Feng's sword.
Clearly, this Senior Ma was the leader of this group. He was an early-stage Star Venerate, the one with the highest cultivation here.
Senior Ma's expression did not change at Gu Yun's words. He said indifferently, "I believe that he would not dare to lie in front of so many people. However, this old man is really rather doubtful."
"Senior Ma, he is the white-clad bladesman that I mentioned to you three months ago," the azure-clad Leng Feng said to Senior Ma after stepping forward.
Senior Ma seemed to value Leng Feng's opinion; his expression immediately warmed. "Since Leng Feng guarantees it, there is no need for you to prove your strength. Are you interested in joining our team to explore the unknown region of the Dragon Flame Ancient Land?"
Xiao Chen looked at the surrounding people.
If the people going to the Dragon Flame Ancient Land to explore were in teams with dozens of people, then it was pointless for Xiao Chen to go alone.
The strength of a single person was clearly too insignificant before such a team.
If there was a conflict and Xiao Chen ended up fighting a team, he would be helpless to retaliate.
Xiao Chen nodded and said, "Sure."
"Catching Beiming Feng's sword strike with two fingers? Even if you are boasting, that is not the way to do it."
The person who spoke was a swordsman. As he looked at Xiao Chen, he showed disdain on his face.
Clearly, this person did not believe that Xiao Chen had caught Beiming Feng's sword.
With Xiao Chen about to join the team, this person expressed his opinion.
Senior Ma's expression changed slightly. "Xiahou Yun, Leng Feng's guarantee is sufficient to prove his strength."
"Humph! Did Leng Feng personally see him catch Beiming Feng's sword? If he is that capable, then let him catch my sword before everyone. If he can do it with just two fingers, I will not object to him joining the team."
Xiahou Yun hugged his treasure sword, pride written on his face, utterly uncooperative.
He fixed his gaze on Xiao Chen and continued, "There is no need for you to make things difficult for Senior Ma. If you are capable, catch my sword. Use your strength to prove yourself. This is the rule in Dragon Flame City."
"You. Attack," Xiao Chen said simply as he looked at the other party.
"Good. Watch my sword!"
"Whoosh!"
With these words, Xiahou Yun's body shot forward. He had already drawn his sword at some point in time. As he thrust it at Xiao Chen at lightning speed, it shone with a cold light.
Xiahou Yun purposely tried to make things difficult for Xiao Chen. Frost covered the entire sword.
If Xiao Chen caught it with his hand, his fingers would freeze on the spot. Then, Xiahou Yun could swing his sword around and chop off Xiao Chen's arm.
Xiao Chen narrowed his eyes, making his move in the time it took for a spark to fly. He firmly caught Xiahou Yun's sword with two fingers.
To think that he really dares to do so like that. How reckless!
Xiahou Yun smiled coldly in his heart. Just as he wanted to pull his sword free and swing it around, he found that he could not move his sword at all.
It was like space froze.
"Sorry for the unsightly display."
Xiao Chen gently flicked the sword with his fingers, and the energy formed by mixing Veritable Essence Energy and Vital Qi shot out with the sword.
The sword immediately twisted and bounced Xiahou Yun back with a 'bang.
"He really caught it!"
This was an eye-opener for many of the cultivators in the courtyard. Unexpectedly, Xiao Chen, a peak Minor Primal Core Venerate, had such means.
Senior Ma guffawed. "Exquisite! Little Brother, this move is excellent. Using the body as a cauldron, bridging the heavens and the earth, instantly driving Veritable Essence Energy and Vital Qi throughout the entire body. Interesting! Really interesting!"
Using the body as a cauldron was already very exquisite. Not just anyone could comprehend this.
Merging Vital Qi and Veritable Essence Energy and instantly saturating the entire body had harsh requirements on the veins. Most veins could not endure the fusion of Veritable Essence Energy and Vital Qi.
Even rarer was that Xiao Chen accomplished this despite his low cultivation. His Veritable Essence Energy foundation had to be vast, possibly a 7-Star Primal Core.
As a Star Venerate, Senior Ma could make out many things.
However, while he could recognize these, it was nearly impossible for him to duplicate them.
Just the step of merging Veritable Essence Energy and Vital Qi already stumped him.
