In the dense forest, a light drizzle kept falling.

Niu Yuanshan fell briefly into a daze, as if the wounds on his body no longer hurt so much.

In a single year, he’d watched this young man join the Daoist Sect with his own eyes—he’s only been a member for one year!

Yet his combat power has already visibly surpassed mine…

Just a year ago, he still needed my protection.

That made Old Niu briefly stunned again.

The rainy wind swept by and lifted Chu Huaixu’s long hair.

The golden flames in his eyes began to burn even brighter, the firelight growing more blazing!

The Daoist Great Cultivator hovering in the air had actually been keeping an eye on the battle below the whole time, afraid something would go wrong.

So, the punch Chu Huaixu just threw was entirely within his divine sense’s perception.

This Inner Sect Great Cultivator’s heart surged with enormous waves!

He understood one thing very clearly: if I was at the same realm as him, that punch just now would have killed me!

Nobody expected that once a cultivator who’d just entered the Third Realm joined the fray, the whole situation would change in an instant!

This Daoist Great Cultivator now understood—he could stop being distracted.

This punch was a clear message: With me here, you can go all out without worry!

The Daoist Great Cultivator who looked about thirty burst into hearty laughter: “Filthy evil cultivator, come meet your death!”

His offensive immediately grew more ferocious!

But the Fourth Realm evil cultivator who’d just been blasted away by Chu Huaixu was already frowning deeply, his face full of disbelief.

“A body cultivator?”

“You’re a body refiner!”

This evil cultivator—with especially thin lips, named Ge Tian—simply couldn’t believe there could be such a powerful body refiner in this world!

A crude body cultivator, how could he cross a whole major realm and knock me back with a single punch!

“Who the hell are you!” he roared out loud.

Evil cultivator Ge Tian glanced at the black sword scabbard on his opponent’s back, and suddenly thought of something.

Then the young man opposite him spoke calmly:

“Daoist Sect, Chu Huaixu.”

Exactly as Ge Tian had guessed.

—Profound Yellow Leader Chu Huaixu!

The legendary strongest First Realm under heaven!

And in such a short time, he’d already reached the Third Realm?

How is his cultivation speed even faster than us evil cultivators!

“It’s only been a little more than three months since the East and West Continent Competition ended!” he thought to himself.

What’s even crazier, after this black-robed youth arrived, the Daoist Sect’s morale instantly changed.

And just after he knocked him back with one punch, Ge Tian heard Daoist disciples shouting: “Kill—!”

They began counterattacking immediately, as if none of them were afraid anymore!

Chu Huaixu’s figure flashed again at that moment—he couldn’t afford to waste time.

The duration he could sustain the Holy Body State was limited.

“Today’s a good chance to try—just how hard is it to kill someone a full major realm above me!”

Don’t be fooled by this evil cultivator’s Fourth Realm, Second Heaven—he’s probably about as strong as an Inner Sect disciple just entering the Fourth Realm anyway.

Chu Huaixu just happened to use him as a test.

He looked back over his shoulder and saw a few Outer Sect disciples gravely injured, unable to fight, currently being shielded by the others.

He called out boldly to them: “Any senior sister or brother willing to lend me your sword?”

Immediately, an injured senior sister replied: “Chu Leader, if you don’t mind, take mine!”

She tossed him her Middle Grade Spirit Sword.

“Then my thanks, Senior Sister.”

Chu Huaixu caught it single-handedly, but didn’t let his Heart Sword enter it.

A Middle Grade Spirit Sword is simply too weak!

As his cultivation grew, his Heart Sword became increasingly powerful.

If the Heart Sword entered and exited, it’d easily ruin both sword and Sword Spirit.

This was someone’s lifebound object—no need to mess around irresponsibly.

This sword looked much like an ordinary Cyan Blade, but running down its core was a yellow pattern.

As soon as the Spirit Sword entered his hand, it let out a crisp, piercing sword cry!

The wounded senior sister’s eyes filled with astonishment.

She could sense exactly how excited and exhilarated her lifebound object was right now.

As if to be wielded by him was the greatest honor this sword could ever attain!

She had no idea why this was.

But her respect for Chu Huaixu only grew deeper.

Once Chu Huaixu had the sword, he unleashed his full strength without delay.

Whether his Minor Success Fearless Sword Intent or his Great Perfection Sword Heart, he activated them both instantly.

The power of his Heart Sword, too, infused this strike.

Of course, not to mention the power of his flesh!

That was a Fourth Realm opponent, after all—so out of respect, he opened with his finishing move—[Six Out of Seven]!

All these powerful forces poured into this one slash.

His bones started to crackle, his flesh began to split open, spurting blood.

Such was the nature of this evil swordsmanship—first injure yourself, then your enemy!

Yet the aura of this slash was so terrifying, Niu Yuanshan, standing behind him, felt dread in an instant.

The Fifth Realm evil cultivator floating in the air was even drawn in, couldn’t help but shout: “Not good!”

He tried to reach out to block, but was slashed back in an instant by the Daoist Great Cultivator’s Sword Gang.

“Your opponent is me!” he shouted loudly.

Chu Huaixu’s strike was simply too fast.

Evil cultivator Ge Tian barely managed to raise his Long Halberd in time to block.

As the weapons collided, blood spurted from his mouth and he was blasted backwards.

A bloody line split him from his forehead down to his chest!

The wound was deep—almost half a finger wide!

Chu Huaixu instantly followed with a Fingertip Thunder.

Straight after, he heard the system notification in his ear.

“[Ding! Killed Fourth Realm, Second Heaven Evil Cultivator. You gained 121,284 experience points.]”

“That weak?” Chu Huaixu was surprised inside.

But soon, everything returned to calm.

He quickly realized: “It’s not that he’s weak, it’s that I’m too strong.”

….

….

The tide immediately turned.

Chu Huaixu started wanton slaughter, reaping wildly, eyes red with ferocity.

Experience points, experience points, all experience points!

Before long, he’d racked up almost four hundred thousand experience!

“Leveling up is great—even high-level wild monsters give better experience.” he mused inwardly.

Reinforcements from the Daoist Sect kept arriving one after another.

Chu Huaixu was almost driven mad with anxiety, wishing he could force them all back—he wanted to solo all the minions himself!

By the time it was over, he’d amassed 480,000 experience points in total.

The Fifth Realm Great Cultivator landed from the sky and looked at Chu Huaixu with eyes full of admiration.

“My name’s Ye Ge. Guess it won’t be long before I’m calling you Junior Brother Chu, will it?”

“No—maybe I should call you Direct Disciple Chu instead.” Ye Ge smiled. “You’re strong—incomprehensibly strong.”

“Senior brother flatters me,” Chu Huaixu replied, neither servile nor arrogant.

After a few more words, Ye Ge seemed eager to report back to the Daoist Sect.

He gave a few more brief instructions, then flew off into the sky.

The drizzle still fell. Chu Huaixu turned to Niu Yuanshan and asked with concern, “Steward Niu, are your injuries alright?”

“It’s nothing, not too bad,” Old Niu shook his head, but inexplicably felt a bit resistant to the man’s concern.

Seeing his reaction, Chu Huaixu insisted on using [Nan Liujing] for him.

There was no helping it—he was just like that.

The Big Ice Cube was always frosty—he just liked messing with her.

His master was a stutterer—she’d stay silent if she could, so he’d go out of his way to make her speak.

Old Niu, are you really going to be stubborn again?

Heh heh, if you won’t accept it as kin, I’ll just show you familial piety myself!

Chu Huaixu then began lavishing utmost care on him.

This left Old Niu in a tangle of emotions—restless, awkward, yet somehow a little gratified…

Han Shuangjiang and Xu Ziqing stood off to the side, observing the scene.

The cold-faced girl keenly sensed: “Steward Niu’s attitude toward Dead Fox seems a bit complicated. Different from before, though I can’t quite put my finger on it.”

Xu Ziqing remained steady as ever; seeing senior brother minister so considerately to the steward, she felt only admiration for his noble character.

Once Chu Huaixu finished treating Niu Yuanshan’s wounds, he went on to stabilize the gravely injured Daoist disciples.

With all that done, everyone set off back for the Sect.

On the way back, Old Niu looked preoccupied.

The strength Chu Huaixu had shown today was truly defying the heavens.

“If only Moon Country had such a peerless genius—it would be Moon Country’s blessing,” he thought.

Niu Yuanshan now firmly believed: Give this youth time, and he’ll surely stand at the very peak of the Cultivation Realm!

Yet the more he thought, the more complicated he felt inside.

What was even harder to accept: “He saved Junior Sister Mo last time, now he’s effectively saved me too.”

He knew full well, without timely support, he’d be dead or half-dead by now.

“What I owe him just keeps piling up,” Old Niu thought.

Once the group returned to the Daoist Sect, by rule, they all had to report in at the Disciple Courtyard.

“You all go in first,” Niu Yuanshan said, standing outside the Disciple Courtyard’s entrance.

“Yes, sir.” The Outer Sect disciples answered in unison.

But Chu Huaixu stayed where he was, not going in.

The look on his face made it clear—he wanted a word with Old Niu.

But neither knew how to start.

So for a long moment, silence hung heavy in the air.

Eventually, Niu Yuanshan looked at the once hopeful Huo Dingyi and said,

“Chu Huaixu, sigh…”

But it ended in a long sigh.

Chu Huaixu looked at him, face calm: “Steward Niu, I know what’s on your mind.”

“You may already think I’m a special case, but perhaps, you’re still underestimating just how special.” His words were somewhat mystical.

Me—I’m the most unique person in the world on the eve of the great tribulation.

Niu Yuanshan, hearing this, his bushy brows twitched with a trace of bewilderment in his eyes.

“Maybe you see me as having made my choice.”

Chu Huaixu paused, not speaking further.

What he meant was: Maybe you believe I didn’t choose the organization, but chose the Daoist Sect.

“But my sights have never been fixed on a single sect.”

“Nor a single nation.”

“Nor even a single continent.”

With that, Chu Huaixu bowed deeply, performing a disciple’s salute as always, then strode into the courtyard.

…

(ps: Second update—please vote!)

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep