Chapter 14

Looking at the two-inch-thick wooden board that he had broken with just a little bit of effort, Wu Fan was stunned for a long time. Suddenly, he remembered that he had spent a full 30,000 evil points to exchange for a "Born with Divine Strength" skill. At that moment, he leaped off the bed, adapting to the strange strength that had been bestowed upon him. After all, this kind of strength was not innate but added later...

Standing on the ground, he swung his arms and kicked his legs for a long time. Wu Fan's surprised expression gradually turned strange. He could feel that this "Born with Divine Strength" skill was not simple! Although he had only purchased a low-level version of "Born with Divine Strength," he felt that his strength had at least doubled! The increase in strength also brought an enhancement in speed and physical strength, and more importantly... endurance! Indeed! Wu Fan felt his waist become much lighter, and he couldn't help but marvel: [This broken system, though it's a bit harsh and always updates, it sure brings surprises one after another!]

Laughing silently, Wu Fan picked up the internal cultivation technique "Purple Qi from the East" and started reading it. According to the system's instructions, he needed to practice the circulation method of "Purple Qi from the East" first, and then take the Yi Jing Pill and Xi Sui Pill to maximize the effects of the medicine. This would strengthen his muscles and bones, remove impurities from his body, and make his body more suitable for martial arts practice.

In fact, the so-called internal cultivation technique was quite rough and simple, not too abstract or hard to understand. It basically said, "The universe has breath, the human body has qi, yin and yang blend..." In short, that wasn't something Wu Fan needed to consider, as the original Wu Fan had already taken the hardest step of entering the practice. Wu Fan just needed to follow the internal qi circulation diagram in "Purple Qi from the East" and guide the limited internal qi in his body through it once.

After about half an hour, Wu Fan threw "Purple Qi from the East" aside, broke the wax seal of the Yi Jing Pill and Xi Sui Pill, and swallowed them, sitting cross-legged on the bed to start circulating his internal qi.

The pills dissolved as soon as they entered his mouth, flowing into his stomach. Wu Fan's face immediately turned bright red, feeling as if his body was burning. However, once he started the circulation method of "Purple Qi from the East," he felt a cool and refreshing sensation, making him dare not stop. His consciousness began to drift, entering a semi-sleep state, as if he were dozing off.

"Gurgle..."

He didn't know how long it had been, but the loud rumbling of his stomach woke him up.

"Whoa!"

Wu Fan pinched his nose, held his stomach, and ran to the toilet in the backyard. After squatting for a long time, he drew a bucket of water from the well, not even taking off his clothes, and doused himself. Now Wu Fan understood why the system had reminded him to prepare bathing water. The effects of the Yi Jing Pill and Xi Sui Pill were quite remarkable, and after the impurities in his body were expelled, he smelled terrible, almost as bad as the toilet.

Under the moonlight, Wu Fan washed for a long time, bare-chested, took a deep breath, and clenched his fists, muttering to himself, "Light body, smooth all over, feels great!"

Drenched in water, he returned to his room, changed into clean clothes, and checked the time. It was still early, so he took his saber case and left his small courtyard, heading to the empty street to practice his saber techniques. The Fourteen Postures was a small arsenal that needed to be well-utilized. The routine of the Spring Cold Saber was clearly no longer suitable for Wu Fan. He needed to start practicing the Yuyang Saber, which included both single and double saber techniques.

Wu Fan's thoughts were good, but as he left home, a sense of unease began to grow in his heart, as if... as if a fierce beast was staring at him in the dark, ready to pounce. The feeling was subtle and terrifying.

"Whoosh—!"

A sharp, slight whistling sound suddenly rang out. Wu Fan, already on high alert, rolled forward on the ground without hesitation.

"Thud—!"

Looking back, he saw a feathered arrow embedded halfway into the compacted earth road, its tail feathers still trembling!

[Crossbow bolt! It's actually a crossbow bolt!]

Wu Fan's heart raced as he ran towards the trees planted along the road, trying to find cover.

Unlike a bow, a crossbow has a shorter range but is equally threatening at medium and close distances. Staying on the open compacted earth road was suicide; the only option was to find a barrier for cover.

[Dammit! Who wants to kill me? The Maitreya Sect? Impossible! They can't have crossbows! Could it be... Wu Yuanhao? Damn it!]

Panting heavily, Wu Fan hid behind a tree, his eyes tightly focused on the surroundings, feeling a deep sense of distress. The trees along the compacted earth road were planted in rows, not in clusters, and were not sufficient to provide cover. He could only use them as temporary hiding spots. The place was so close to his home that if...

Before Wu Fan could consider the worst-case scenario, the worst-case scenario had already happened. On the east side of the compacted earth road, a person in night clothes, with a masked face, emerged from the darkness, holding a crossbow and a saber, and began to approach Wu Fan's home. What terrified Wu Fan the most was the burning arrow already loaded on the crossbow in the black-clothed person's hand.

"Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!"

Cursing three times, Wu Fan revealed himself behind the tree, trying to draw the black-clothed person's attention.

If Wu Fan didn't come out, the person would attack Tong Rui, or even burn down Wu Fan's house! His intention was to force Wu Fan out of hiding and kill him.

[Thirty paces, too far!]

Wu Fan glanced at the Fourteen Postures saber case. There was no crossbow in the case, but it didn't mean there were no ranged weapons, such as the rope with a sharp steel tip or the "Serving Heaven and Achieving Righteousness" golden saber, which was originally intended for self-sacrifice. However, thirty paces was too far for these weapons to pose a threat, while the crossbow could still threaten Wu Fan.

Seeing Wu Fan emerge from the tree, the black-clothed person abandoned the plan to break into Wu Fan's home and slowly approached him.

The distance kept decreasing: thirty paces... twenty paces... fifteen paces...

"Who are you? Have I offended you in any way?" Wu Fan stared intently at the indistinct face of the other, a mocking smile on his lips. "Don't tell me it's for the sake of the people... a crossbow is not something just anyone can have! Especially in the empire, where crossbows are strictly prohibited, only the military can possess them!"

The damage from a crossbow is extremely powerful. Many experts who can project their internal strength can still be taken down if they are not careful. Although the Great Sui Empire encourages martial arts and does not prohibit civilians from owning weapons and bows, the control over crossbows is extremely strict. Even the Eagle-Brave Guard needs to apply for an order to retrieve crossbows from the armory, let alone others.

The black-clothed person's eyes glowed, and he spoke in a hoarse voice, "Money can make the devil push the millstone! That's all!"

"That's all? Don't joke! " Wu Fan grinned, suddenly slapped the Fourteen Postures saber case, and shouted, "Don't think you're the only one with a crossbow! Look at this!"

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!"

Four consecutive whistling sounds rang out. The black-clothed person's pupils contracted, and he quickly rolled on the ground...

[Fell for it!]

Wu Fan stepped forward, abandoned the Fourteen Postures saber case, and drew a fine steel saber, dashing out like an arrow from a bow! Close combat was his only choice!

"Clang, clang, clang, clang!"

The four blades he shot out lost their momentum due to the distance and fell beside the black-clothed person, making a crisp sound.

[Fell for it!]

The black-clothed person quickly stood up, preparing to shoot a crossbow bolt at Wu Fan.

"Snap!"

The saber blade flashed, and the crossbow was cut in half! The parts scattered on the ground, rendering it useless!

"Clang!"

The sudden change did not allow Wu Fan to land a surprise attack. The black-clothed person reacted astonishingly, and after the crossbow was destroyed, he directly threw his saber, still in its scabbard, at Wu Fan, blocking his second attack.

"Smart move!"

The black-clothed person took three steps back, eyeing Wu Fan warily.

Wu Fan glanced at the four "Serving Heaven and Achieving Righteousness" blade pieces he had used as crossbow bolts, saying nothing. He had indeed used a trick, and without it, how could he have disabled the crossbow threat?

...

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