Chapter 58: Thin-skinned, Inadequate Cultivation

  Time flies, and March has already passed.

  The gentle breeze remains, white clouds drift by leisurely.

  Lu Fan's left hand was constantly twisting and turning as he carefully studied "Basic Sword Techniques".

  A clear and empty mind, no self and no others, only the sword technique, changes in the heart.

  Outside, Brother Han Feng was chasing after Xiao Hei everywhere. It seemed like Xiao Hei had stolen something from Brother Han Feng again. Panting and furious, Brother Han Feng shouted while running: "Stop right there! Don't force me to stew you!"

  Little Hei was like a black lightning bolt, with an incredibly fast speed.

  It's not because of eating Zi Huo Fen Tian Que or Zhu Guo Ren Shen, anyway Xiao Hei grew up very quickly.

  In just a few short months, it had grown as big as a general dog wolf and could no longer be placed on Yang Tian's shoulder.

  The skin on his body had also become deep and dark, with a hardness like iron stone. Some time ago, Chu Xing Shixiong had taken Xiao Hei on a trip to the mountains, and after returning, he couldn't stop praising Xiao Hei. He said that Xiao Hei's ability to catch wild beasts was simply against the heavens, and with just one roar, some of the lower-level wild beasts would directly fall to the ground, trembling with fear.

  That day was also the day when Chu Xing Shixiong gained the most, and everyone had a sumptuous feast.

  A Qing master also took out a few days to instruct Xiao Hei.

  Nor did he know what method Master had used, but somehow Xiao Hei had learned a set of self-cultivation techniques.

  Every night, Xiao Hei can be seen sitting at the door like a human, with his five hearts facing upwards towards the sky, absorbing the essence of the sun and moon.

  The name of the technique is also very domineering, called "Xiāntiān Shòu Fǎ" (Roaring Heaven Beast Technique).

  Since then, Xiao Hei has been unstoppable and has been getting stronger almost every day. Now, even if Han Feng and the others use their full strength to spread out their spiritual sense, it's still very difficult for them to catch Xiao Hei.

  Of course, these things have nothing to do with Lu Fan.

  He continued to study the basic swordsmanship quietly. Sometimes he would wield a heavy sword in the courtyard, and sometimes he would take a book up the mountain and sit on a rock for several days.

  He had almost no communication with several other senior brothers, and in the past few months, he only exchanged a few words with Senior Brother Han Feng that could be counted on one's fingers.

  "Xiao Feng Shixiong, why do you always want to steal my book? If you want to read it, let's study together."

  "Korean Pine Master Brother, why are you pouring water on my head."

  "Brother Han Feng, don't disturb me while I'm reading, okay?"

  "Han Feng Shixiong, I don't want to see your private collection of books. They're all drawings and very indecent."

  "Han Feng, don't think that just because you swapped my book, I wouldn't know. Basic sword techniques can't be illustrated with two people crossing swords and ending up in bed."

  "Brother Han Feng..."

  Lu Fan was a bit helpless. But Han Feng still liked to come over and tease him.

  "Every day, holding a book, looking at it is just like those bookworms in my hometown. We are martial artists, and martial artists should be active! Come on, Lu Fan junior brother, let's go up the mountain together. From this mountain top, we can go to Piaomiao Academy. I heard that several female students from Piaomiao Academy have grown even more beautiful. Do you want to come with me? You know..."

  He certainly wouldn't go with Master Han Xun, but as a result, Master Chu Hang and Master Chu Tian went with him for a run, and the three of them returned with bruised noses and swollen faces.

  Only after asking carefully did Qing Shi Zun find out that they had been beaten by their senior sister from the Piaoyou Institute.

  Lu Fan actually didn't quite understand. In his opinion, his three senior brothers were all very powerful, how could they be beaten?

  Later, Lu Fan figured out that these three people would only get beaten up by pretty girls and wouldn't fight back, so they got beaten badly.

  Today, Chu Xing Shixiong and Chu Tian Shixiong went up the mountain again.

  Two men were busy going up the mountain to find some good wood, wanting to build a new wooden house for Lu Fan. After all, it wasn't right to always live in Big Brother's house. What would happen when Big Brother came back?

  This is Lu Fan's own business, and he had thought of doing it himself several months ago.

  But Chu Xing, Shifu and Chu Tian, Shifu secretly told Lu Fan to hold back for now. The reason was that Chu Xing and Chu Tian knew that there was a thousand-year-old iron tree in the mountain, which would bloom in just a few months' time.

  Iron Tree blooms, what a rare occurrence, especially the flower, is also a top-grade medicinal material. However, for this thousand-year-old Iron Tree, both Chu Xing and Chu Tian, two senior brothers, couldn't find a good way to deal with it. This tree has extremely strong recovery and defensive abilities. It must be cut down within a few breaths' time; otherwise, it will retreat back into the ground and can never be found again.

  After some thought, the two brothers decided to ask their master for a loan of troops to go up the mountain.

  A certain Master had an axe that was incredibly sharp, capable of cutting through anything without obstruction. With this axe in hand, grasping that iron tree would be much easier.

  This matter cannot be told to Master Yiqing, a good reason must be found to borrow the axe.

  Undoubtedly. The best reason is to help Lu Fang's junior brother build a wooden house.

  It was indeed the case, and Lu Fan had no choice but to continue staying in Master Brother's house for several months. Until today, Chu Xing, Master Brother Chu Tian finally borrowed an axe and hurried up the mountain. I suppose it won't be long before he returns.

  Outside, Han Feng and Xiao Hei's chase had finally come to an end.

  A man and a dog stood panting in the yard, staring at each other.

  Yi Qing Shifu's door opened, and he rubbed his plump belly as he said to Han Feng, "Han Feng, I'm going to Yu Ling Mountain. Your Eldest Senior Brother is expected to come out of seclusion, and I'll go fetch him. For the next few days, you all should focus on your cultivation in the courtyard and don't go out causing trouble."

  Han Feng smiled and said: "Master, don't worry and go. Remember to greet Eldest Senior Brother for us. We're all waiting for him to return soon."

  A clear and respectful nod from the master, his feet treading on empty air, he soared into the sky and soon vanished into the clouds.

  "Hmph, when can I fly too? Sigh... Fine, Xiao Hei, you win this time. I won't bother with you anymore."

  Han Feng waved his fists at Xiao Hei a few times and turned around to go back to his room to rest.

  Just then, a figure quickly ran back.

  "Third Master?"

  Han Feng let out a cry of surprise. He saw that Chu Xing was in a very sorry state, his clothes were all torn open and full of holes, as if he had been struck by countless swords.

  "What's going on? Where is Second Brother?"

  Han Feng shouted and hurried forward.

  "Cut the crap. First, put down your axe. Then take your sword and follow me up the mountain. Hurry, damn it! We're surrounded by people from Qianren Temple. I managed to escape back here, but Chu Tian is still on the mountain."

  Han Feng hastily took over the axe handed by Chu Xing and threw it into his own room.

  With a swift motion, he drew out the Bixi Longtian Sword from behind his back. Han Feng shouted loudly: "You dare to move my Second Brother! You didn't ask me first, leave!"

  Lu Fan heard the conversation between the two people outside. He slightly furrowed his brow, closed the book, opened the door and said: "I'll go with you too. It's always good to have an extra pair of hands."

  Han Feng and Chu Xing were both taken aback at first.

  Lowering their heads, the two saw that Lu Fan's hands didn't have a book in them. Han Feng burst out laughing and said: "Haha, Lu Fan junior brother, you've finally finished reading! Let's take a walk, and also let me see the results of your cultivation over these few months."

  Chu Hang's face was filled with worry, and he was somewhat concerned about Lu Fan's cultivation issues. He said, "Lu Fan, those people are all elites from the Qianren Institute, at least with an inner aura of five layers or more. You don't have any problems, do you?"

  Lu Fan nodded and said, "No problem. It just so happens that I've been reading books for a while now and I'm getting a bit tired of it, it's time to practice my skills."

  Lu Fan picked up the heavy sword placed by the door and his eyes became sharp.

  Han Feng laughed and said, "Brother is so domineering. I like this phrase. Third brother, what are you still hesitating about? Let's go quickly. If something happens to second brother later, how will we deal with it? Xiao Hei, take good care of the house."

  Han Feng smiled at Xiao Hei, who rolled her eyes in response.

  Chu Xing led the way, with the three of them rushing up the mountain at a rapid pace.

  The Tianhe mountain range stretches for thousands of miles, with many undulating landforms between the mountains, forming a dragon-like pattern, which is truly a place of vital energy.

  The mountain where the Yuan Temple is located is called Yunshan. It's just a small hill among countless high mountains in the Tianqi Mountain Range, but because the Yuan Temple was built here, this mountain has the name Yunshan.

  Beyond the Cloudy Mountains, three hundred li to the left is the Floating Abode of about a thousand li in area. Two hundred li to the right is the even larger Qianren Institute.

  At this time, Chu Xing took Lu Fan and Han Feng all the way to the right.

  A distance of two hundred miles was traversed in an instant, and Lu Fan ran with a faint frown on his brow.

  It seems like this is already Thousand Autumn Temple's territory.

  Sounds of fighting came from the side, and three people turned their heads at the same time and rushed towards the direction of the sound. Soon, everyone saw a group of students from Qianren Branch surrounding each other.

  In the midst of it all, a man was hugging a large tree and sweeping across. It was none other than Chu Tianwu.

  "Get out of my way."

  Han Feng let out a loud shout and charged in first. Lu Fan and Chu Hang followed closely behind, charging into the crowd.

  The three of them were imposing and majestic, and the disciples of the surrounding Qianren Temple all stepped aside.

  Chu Xing saw that it was three junior brothers who had arrived, and he laughed and said, "You've finally come. If you wait a little longer, these people will probably go crazy."

  Chu Xing slammed the giant iron tree heavily onto the ground with a loud crash.

  A iron tree dozens of zhang long and about ten zhang wide shook the ground with a loud crash.

  Han Feng stood in front of Chu Xing, shouting loudly: "Why did you attack my senior brother? You students from Qianren Institute are too arrogant. If your ancestors were here, they would dare to come and attack me one by one."

  As soon as Han Feng's voice fell, a disciple of the Qianren Institute stood up and said: "Who is being arrogant? You few people ran to our Qianren Institute's territory and cut down the thousand-year-old iron tree planted by our master. Which institute are you disciples from? How can you be so unruly?"

  Lu Fan was taken aback for a moment and asked quietly to Chu Xing: "Is what he said true?"

  "Chu Xing's senior brother smiled awkwardly and said: 'This is not easy to say.'"

  Next to him, Chu Tian Shixiong was also smiling. Looking at the two people's faces, it was clear that what they said was not wrong.

  Lu Fan's expression changed slightly, and he hastily pulled at Han Feng's sleeve, saying: "Brother Han Feng, what they're saying is true. Let's put down the iron tree and leave quickly."

  Han Feng exclaimed in surprise: "Really? What's the point of putting down the iron tree?"

  Turning his head, Han Feng straightened his back and shouted loudly: "Heavenly material, earthly treasure, those who have fate get it. This iron tree has been placed in your college for a thousand years, but no one can take it away. It means it doesn't belong to you. Now my senior brother can take it down, naturally it belongs to my senior brother. I am Han Feng of the First Yuan Institute, and I will not change my name or surname."

  In an instant, all the students of Qianyun Academy turned black in the face and started scolding loudly, with all kinds of dirty words pouring out.

  Lu Fan had a mouth, but couldn't speak. Beside him, Chu Xing said in a low voice, "Not thick-skinned enough, not cultivated enough. Lu Fan, junior brother, this is also the style of our Yuan Institute, you will get used to it later."

  At once, Lu Fan's face twisted as if he had been punched.