"Ding Chou's current injuries were not caused by Chu Feng; he inflicted them upon himself." Just then, Chen Wanxi walked over slowly.
"What do you mean?" the City Lord of Wind Cloud City asked, confused.
"The Deadly Seven Injuries Fist consists of seven layers. Each layer can stimulate one's inner potential to obtain extraordinary strength, but this power comes at a cost. Each layer causes a certain amount of damage to the body."
"It is said that upon cultivating to the seventh layer, one can obtain strength several dozen times their own. However, after this strength fades, they will be paralyzed and lose all their cultivation."
"The Deadly Seven Injuries Fist lives up to its name—once deployed, it is certain to slay the enemy—but it is also a true double-edged sword. The stronger the power gained, the greater the price paid."
"This Ding Chou cultivated to the third layer. Although it won't completely destroy his cultivation, he will suffer severe trauma. He will need to recuperate for at least two months before he can even get out of bed." Chen Wanxi explained in detail, looking at Ding Chou, who was wailing endlessly and enduring tremendous pain.
Hearing this, Chu Feng and the others couldn't help but cast sympathetic glances toward Ding Chou. The principle that extremes must reverse itself was being verified on Ding Chou at this very moment.
However, at this moment, Chen Wanxi turned her meaningful gaze toward Chu Feng. Forcing Ding Chou into such a state and ultimately emerging victorious, then standing here as if nothing had happened—Chu Feng had left an extremely deep impression on her.
Whether her own Lingyun Sect possessed such a genius, she didn't know. But among all the people she had seen, his talent was undoubtedly the most terrifying. She could hardly imagine how powerful Chu Feng would become when he reached her age.
With that, the Rookie Assembly concluded. Chu Feng brought everyone a huge surprise. His battle with Ding Chou was considered classic and was hailed as the most spectacular showdown in the history of the Rookie Assemblies.
Chu Feng's impression on people was indelible. They felt they had witnessed the birth of a genius, and that a genius had emerged within the Azure Dragon Sect.
This genius might very well change the Azure Dragon Sect's fate. Perhaps he could lead this sect, once the most glorious in the Nine Provinces, back to the path of glory. Even if it couldn't match its former peak, it would very likely become a first-rate sect.
Even the Purple Gold City garnered significant attention because of this. Many who had previously looked down on it began to ingratiate themselves with Chen Hui. Naturally, this was all because of Chu Feng.
Purple Gold City, thanks to Chu Feng, won the championship of this Rookie Assembly and was exempted from this year's tribute tax. This made Chen Hui very happy. But what pleased him most wasn't the exemption, but the appearance of such a talent in Purple Gold City. It gave him face and allowed him to finally hold his head high among the many city lords.
The Rookie Assembly ended just like that. While everyone was buzzing with discussion about the name Chu Feng, he did not leave Vermilion Bird City. Instead, at Su Hen's invitation, he stayed for a few days.
Everyone could understand this. Chu Feng's talent had been displayed. Anyone with a shred of sense would try their utmost to win him over. Let alone Su Hen—even the city lords of other cities began making inquiries about the Chu family, hoping to secretly befriend them.
"Chu Feng, you're not listening to me again! Didn't I tell you that cultivation must progress step by step? Keep this up, and sooner or later you'll pay a heavy price."
In a garden within Vermilion Bird City, Chu Feng and Su Mei walked side by side. Although she was happy for his victory, this girl was also worried about his rapidly advancing cultivation.
"Hey, don't worry about it. Who do you think I am? You should know me by now. I'm not someone who seeks quick success. I know my limits when it comes to cultivation; I won't harm myself."
"Besides, if I can't defeat Gong Luyun in a year, even if he doesn't kill me, I won't have the face to keep living. After all, I've already spoken my piece." Chu Feng said with a grin.
"You're just too impulsive!"
Mentioning this, Su Mei's sweet little face was filled with worry. Gong Luyun was the Azure Dragon Sect's number one disciple. In fact, even the number one disciples of some first-rate sects might not necessarily be stronger than him.
Gong Luyun was a true genius. At only twenty years old, he was already at the first stage of Xuan Wu, on par with her elder sister, Su Rou. For Chu Feng to catch up to Gong Luyun in less than a year—it was truly like something out of a fairy tale.
"Hey, relax. I know what I'm doing. Trust me."
"By the way, your sisters come from such a prominent family. Why did you choose to join the Azure Dragon Sect?" Chu Feng, sensing Su Mei's mood was off, quickly changed the subject.
"This..." At the mention of this, Su Mei's sweet face instantly changed, showing a look of difficulty.
"Forget it. If it's inconvenient, just pretend I didn't ask." Chu Feng said with an understanding smile.
"No, it's not that." Seeing this, Su Mei immediately grew nervous, seemingly afraid Chu Feng might form a bad opinion of her. After cautiously glancing around, she grabbed Chu Feng's arm and pulled him into a room.
After closing the door, Su Mei carefully peered through the crack to ensure no one was outside for a while. Then she turned to Chu Feng and said, "Use your Mental Power to sense if there's anyone nearby."
"I already checked. It's safe." Chu Feng also realized something was amiss, but he was growing more curious, as he felt there was some secret hidden here.
"It's not that I don't trust you. It's just that this matter is of great importance, and I'm not supposed to mention it to anyone. But since you asked, I..." Su Mei looked hesitant.
"If it's a secret, then forget it." Chu Feng smiled. He didn't want to make things difficult for Su Mei.
At this moment, Su Mei gritted her teeth and said, "Among all the figures in Qingzhou's history, who do you think was the most powerful?"
"Of course it's the founding ancestor of our Azure Dragon Sect, the Dragon Daoist! Didn't he claim to be the strongest person on the Nine Provinces Continent back in the day? Even the Jiang Dynasty was extremely wary of him, wasn't he?" Chu Feng replied.
"No." Su Mei shook her head. "The Dragon Daoist was indeed powerful, but he was not the most powerful figure to have ever appeared in Qingzhou."
"Oh? Someone even more powerful than him?" Chu Feng grew even more curious.
"Yes, but this is only a legend, an unverified legend. They say that ten thousand years ago, the Nine Provinces Continent was still a vast wilderness. The population was less than one percent of what it is today."
"The Jiang Dynasty hadn't appeared yet, the various sects hadn't risen, and the word 'cultivation' was alien to most people. Because those who mastered cultivation techniques back then would not pass them on to outsiders."
"So, there were very few cultivators on the Nine Provinces Continent. Only nine great families knew the ways of cultivation. These nine families each occupied one of the provinces. The family that occupied our Qingzhou was called the Qing family."