Chapter 65: Eight Desolations Demon-Suppressing Fist

"Junior Sister Zhou, I am fine."

Chu Chang stopped her with a faint smile and pointed behind her: "Look."

Zhou Linzi was stunned for a moment and turned to look.

She saw that the three "Blood-stasis Clearing Spirit-nourishing Grass" seedlings, having weathered the storm, not only suffered no damage but had actually grown by a full three inches after absorbing the pure Spiritual Qi tamed by the sword Formation.

Their originally delicate leaves now shimmered with a faint, noble golden edge.

"Golden-threaded Spirit-nourishing Grass?!"

Zhou Linzi couldn't help but exclaim, covering her small mouth.

That was a top-grade mutation of the "Blood-stasis Clearing Spirit-nourishing Grass"! Its medicinal efficacy was at least three times that of the ordinary version!

"This… how is this possible…" Zhou Linzi could hardly believe her eyes.

"Perhaps it's because when my Golden Geng Sword Intent was protecting them earlier, they absorbed a portion of my True Essence." Chu Chang stood up, dusted the dirt off his backside, and smiled: "A blessing in disguise. Junior Sister, you can rest easy now."

Zhou Linzi turned her head to look at Chu Chang.

Although the young man before her looked a bit pale and his white clothes were covered in dirt, making him look rather disheveled.

Yet, in her eyes, Chu Chang at this moment looked ten thousand times better than those self-important "True Inheritor Prodigies" in the Sect.

"Chu Chang, thank you." Zhou Linzi's voice became uncharacteristically gentle.

"You're too polite, Junior Sister. Just remember to share two leaves with me once the medicine matures," Chu Chang said, half-jokingly.

"Hmph, you and I know each other, why be so polite?" Zhou Linzi's pretty face flushed, and she returned to her usual willful self.

The setting sun dyed the bamboo forest of Tianxuan Peak into fragments of gold.

Chu Chang and Zhou Linzi walked slowly down the mountain along the path paved with fallen leaves.

Although the day's labor had been exhausting, looking at the three "Golden-threaded Spirit-nourishing Grass" plants growing peacefully in the spirit land, both of them felt exceptionally relaxed.

However, this ease was shattered by a burst of clamor the moment they stepped into the square where the Outer Sect Disciples gathered.

In the square, a crowd had gathered in front of a huge bulletin board.

"The Outer Sect Grand Competition is in three months!"

"I heard this competition is extraordinary. The top ten will not only be promoted directly to the Inner Sect but will also gain the opportunity to enter the Weapon Washing Pool to refine their life-bound weapons!"

"Weapon Washing Pool? That's a Holy Land of the Sect. It's said it can transform ordinary iron into Spirit Weapons!"

The fanatical discussions of the Disciples fell into the ears of Chu Chang and Zhou Linzi, word for word.

Zhou Linzi stopped, her almond-shaped eyes brightening slightly, and turned to look at Chu Chang: "Junior Brother Chu, will you be participating in the Outer Sect Grand Competition in three months?"

Chu Chang patted the mission badge in his sleeve and smiled slightly: "Naturally, I will. Only by entering the Inner Sect can I access the true core resources of the Sect."

More importantly, only by becoming an Inner Sect Disciple could he stand side-by-side with Senior Sister Lin Ruoxue and explore the shocking secret behind the "mind-calming detoxification essence."

"Good! Then this young lady will participate too!" Zhou Linzi puffed out her full chest and said proudly, "Although I'm not good at fighting and killing, my Hundred Herb Poison Mist and Formations are nothing to sneeze at. See you in the Inner Sect then!"

"It's a deal. See you in the Inner Sect."

After saying goodbye to Zhou Linzi, Chu Chang returned to his stone house alone.

In the dead of night, he sat cross-legged on his stone bed and took out the bronze token emitting a faint fluorescent glow from his Storage Pouch!

This was the privileged pass he had obtained for entering the third floor of the Library Pavilion, a reward for completing the mission to hunt down Zhao Meng.

"Three months time; the Outer Sect is full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers. Although my 'Golden Geng Sword Art' has reached Major Achievement, my methods are still a bit too singular. While 'Taixuan Sword Intent: Army Breaker' and 'Defense as Steady as Mount Tai' are strong, they consume too much True Essence. I need a more profound Martial Skill that can perfectly combine my Physical Body strength with my Five Elements True Essence."

Thinking of this, Chu Chang took a deep breath and closed his eyes to regulate his breathing.

The next morning, when the first ray of dawn broke through the clouds and mist, Chu Chang was already standing in front of the Library Pavilion, one of the most sacred Forbidden Lands of the Divine Sword Sect.

The Divine Sword Sect's Library Pavilion was a nine-story, octagonal giant tower standing on a lonely peak.

The tower was built entirely of black "Demon-Suppressing Stone," carved with countless dense Formations for fire avoidance, moisture resistance, and enemy defense.

Even from hundreds of feet away, one could feel the heavy heritage that had come from the ancient primordial era.

Chu Chang walked into the first floor, where hundreds of Outer Sect Disciples were sitting on cushions, browsing through various basic Cultivation Techniques.

He did not stop and walked up the stairs made of ancient wood along the side.

At the entrance to the second floor, two guard Disciples verified his identity and let him pass.

When Chu Chang arrived at the entrance to the third floor, an invisible and powerful Divine Sense pressure instantly bore down on him like a landslide.

A withered old man dressed in hemp clothes, sitting on the stone steps with his eyes closed, slowly opened his eyes.

There were no pupils in those eyes, only two deep vortexes of Sword Qi swirling frantically.

"Outer Sect Disciple, halt. The third floor is an important area for the Inner Sect. Trespassers will have their cultivation crippled." The old man's voice carried not a hint of emotion.

Chu Chang looked respectful and presented the bronze token with both hands: "Disciple Chu Chang, by the order of Deacon Liu of the Mission Hall, I have come to select a Cultivation Technique."

The old man's withered fingers grasped at the void, and the token instantly fell into his hand.

He sensed the special Restriction on the token, the Sword Qi vortexes in his eyes slightly receding, and he looked at Chu Chang with slight surprise: "Oh? The little guy who killed Zhao Meng… Go in. You only have one hour, and you can only take away a rubbing of one Cultivation Technique."

"Many thanks, Elder."

Chu Chang felt his whole body relax; that terrifying pressure instantly vanished. He bowed again and stepped into the third floor of the Library Pavilion.

The third floor was much quieter than the ones below, and the space was more than half smaller.

Dozens of huge white jade pillars stood all around, and on each pillar floated several ancient Jade Slips wrapped in bubble-like barriers.

These were all Profound Rank Medium Grade, or even Profound Rank High Grade, unique skills.

" 'Blazing Heaven Sword'… The explosive power is extremely strong, but it doesn't suit my Golden Geng attribute."

" 'Roaming Dragon Steps'… A Profound Rank High Grade movement technique. Although good, I am more in need of offensive methods."

Chu Chang swept his Divine Sense lightly, walking past one Jade Slip after another, but he couldn't find the one that suited him best.

Just as more than half of the hour was about to pass, Chu Chang stopped in front of a somewhat dim stone pillar in the furthest corner.

On that pillar floated a lonely, slightly damaged, dark golden ancient Jade Slip. The bubble barrier wrapping it was already somewhat damaged, and from within, it faintly emitted a desolate, overbearing, and heavy aura, like that of an ancient giant beast.

Below the Jade Slip, a line of somewhat blurry ancient characters was written: "Eight Desolations Demon-Suppressing Fist"!!

Marginal note: This fist technique was created three hundred years ago by a brilliant Body Refining Elder. This fist does not Cultivate Sword Intent, but specializes in the momentum of the Physical Body and True Essence. One punch unleashed, the power reaches the Eight Desolations, overbearing and peerless. However, this technique has extremely harsh requirements for Physical Body strength; it cannot be practiced by anyone without innate Divine Power or those who do not concurrently Cultivate their Physical Body. Several Inner Sect Prodigies once forcibly practiced it, resulting in their arm Meridians being completely shattered, rendering them cripples. Thus, it is classified as an extremely dangerous technique.

Looking at these lines of text, Chu Chang was not afraid; instead, his eyes burst with unprecedented brilliance.

"Extremely high requirements for the Physical Body?"

"Specializes in overbearing momentum?"

This was practically tailor-made for him!

He practiced an unknown, mysterious cultivation method, and after many times of cleansing his marrow and cutting his hair, his Physical Body was already as strong as a Yao Beast of the same rank. Moreover, when he severely injured the one-eyed man in the Black Wind Valley, he had faintly touched the threshold of this "breaking all Laws with force."

"You are the one."

Chu Chang did not hesitate at all; he reached through the damaged barrier and grasped the dark golden Jade Slip in his hand.

After obtaining the rubbing of the "Eight Desolations Demon-Suppressing Fist," Chu Chang did not delay for a moment and went straight to an extremely remote secluded valley behind Tianxuan Peak.

Here, a waterfall a hundred feet high crashed down from the cliffs like a silver dragon.

"Rumble—"

The violent water current smashed onto the huge black "Thousand-Jun Stone" below, stirring up mist that filled the sky, the tremendous roaring sound deafening. The gravity and impact of the water here were more than ten times that of ordinary places, making it an excellent place for Body Refining.

Chu Chang stood by the pool, pressed the Jade Slip to his forehead, and sank his Divine Sense into it.

"Boom!"

A magnificent and grand scene instantly exploded in his mind.

A blurry golden giant figure, head against the blue sky, feet stepping on the earth.

Facing the thousands of Devil Heads roaring towards him, he simply took a step forward, then sank his shoulders, drew in his abdomen, and threw a punch.

"Eight Desolations… Demon-Suppressing!"

As that punch was unleashed, the Void Realm seemed to be forcibly smashed into a huge black hole.

The violent fist wind turned into tangible golden ripples; wherever it passed, the thousands of Devil Heads instantly turned into fly ash, and even the Laws of heaven and earth trembled slightly under this punch.

What an overbearing, what an invincible "Fist Intent" that was!

"The fist is unleashed without regret, the Intent precedes the fist. Using the Physical Body as a furnace, True Essence as firewood, fusing the Qi of the eight directions to suppress the devils of the Nine Netherworlds…"

Chu Chang muttered to himself, completely immersed in that overbearing and peerless Fist Intent.

After a long time, he opened his eyes, a flash of determination in them.

He took off his upper garment, revealing a well-defined, robust upper body that looked as perfect as if carved from marble. He took a deep breath, his figure flickered, and he rushed straight against the incomparably violent waterfall onto the slippery "Thousand-Jun Stone" in the center of the pool.

"Boom!"

The thousand-jin heavy water current instantly smashed fiercely onto his spine.

The intense impact made Chu Chang grunt, his legs trembling violently, and he nearly got smashed directly into the deep pool. His skin instantly turned bright red, and even tiny threads of blood oozed from his pores.

"Stand firm!"

Chu Chang gritted his teeth, his feet clutching the slippery rock tightly like dragon claws.

The golden True Essence in his body began to circulate frantically, and combined with his formidable Physical Body strength, he forcibly stabilized his figure under the violent impact of the waterfall.

"First Form: Mountain and River Shatter!"

Chu Chang clenched his fists, and under the heavy pressure of the waterfall, he very arduously assumed the starting stance of that golden giant figure.

The water current smashed onto his fists, making a dull sound.

Chu Chang opened his eyes wide, and bearing the landslide-like water pressure from above, he suddenly punched upwards.

"Bang!"

With this punch, he used only pure Physical Body strength, but because of the resistance of the waterfall, the speed of his punch was as slow as an old man on the verge of death; before he could even extend it halfway, he was forcibly smashed down by the violent water current.

"Again!"

Chu Chang roared unyieldingly.

Once, twice, ten times, a hundred times…

Under the waterfall, the young man's figure was smashed down by the water current again and again, and again and again, he stood up tenaciously. His fists were smashed until the skin split and flesh sprouted, blood blending into the pool water, instantly washed away clean.

But his eyes, through each failure, became brighter and brighter, more and more determined.