As the crowd buzzed with discussion.
Chen Nan arrived at the sixth checkpoint and was greeted by a one-armed middle-aged man.
He held a long sword in his hand.
His gaze was exceptionally sharp; even Chen Nan felt a powerful oppressive force upon seeing him!
"Your ability to reach this point is enough to prove your strength, but to pass the sixth checkpoint, you must defeat me!" the one-armed man's voice was deep, infused with terrifying mental power.
Fortunately, Chen Nan possessed the cultivation of the sixth layer of the Foundation Establishment stage, at its peak. Had it been a cultivator of a lower realm, they would have been unable to withstand the man's mental pressure!
"Then I shall defeat you!"
Chen Nan summoned his peach wood sword and unleashed the Golden Snake Sword Technique, striking towards the man.
"Your sword technique is too basic!" a hint of disdain flickered in the one-armed man's eyes. He raised his sword, parrying Chen Nan's sword, and then retaliated with a sweeping strike.
Sword energy raged!
The wind howled!
Chen Nan, using his Blinking Step technique, instantly appeared behind the man!
As he thrust his sword forward, the one-armed man had already vanished from his original position!
"So fast!"
Chen Nan's heart trembled!
Without looking, he swung his sword backhand!
*Clang!*
The wooden sword collided with the man's long sword, emitting a resonant hum!
Simultaneously!
The peach wood sword in his hand turned to dust!
Chen Nan rapidly retreated dozens of meters, looking at the man with apprehension: "Your sword is strange!"
The one-armed man said calmly, "This is just an ordinary iron sword!"
"Have you mastered the Sword Domain?" Chen Nan's eyes lit up.
Back in prison, his master, Wu Shan, had told him that the path of the sword was vast and unpredictable, and there were supreme experts who could comprehend the Sword Domain.
Once the Sword Domain was unleashed, the opponent would be an invincible existence!
He hadn't expected this man to have comprehended the Sword Domain!
However.
He wasn't afraid, and was even a little excited!
Finally, he had encountered a strong opponent to fight to his heart's content!
Seeing Chen Nan's eyes gleaming, the one-armed man inexplicably felt a sense of unease.
This fellow knew he had mastered the Sword Domain!
Yet he appeared so exhilarated!
Could he be some kind of pervert?
Just then.
Chen Nan moved!
He used his Blinking Step technique and charged towards the one-armed man with clenched fists!
This scene stunned countless observers hidden in the shadows!
The one-armed man in the Sword Domain was an invincible existence. Let alone wielding a fine steel sword, he could even use grass and trees as swords.
And Chen Nan was bare-handed...
Was this guy suicidal?
Were the young people these days this crazy?
This kind of behavior, it made us old-timers so scared...
"Break!"
Chen Nan's voice boomed like thunder.
His blood energy surged like a rainbow, piercing the heavens!
He seemed like a descending deity, majestic and extraordinary!
All the true qi within his body converged onto his fists, erupting with the roar of surging waves!
Then.
He smashed his fist onto the man's long sword!
The one-armed man's initial disdain turned to terror and shock!
Tiny cracks appeared on his long sword, and then it shattered before his eyes!
Chen Nan's fist, with unstoppable momentum, fiercely struck his chest!
*Pfft!*
The one-armed man spat out blood and was sent flying backward!
Chen Nan stood there quietly, a hint of disappointment in his eyes: "I guessed correctly, your Sword Domain's coverage is very small. To be precise, this isn't a Sword Domain at all!"
"This is clearly a Sword Domain!"
The one-armed man's face was grim.
Chen Nan countered, "But why were you defeated by me?"
The one-armed man, angered and ashamed, retorted, "Isn't it because you are too strong?"
Chen Nan nodded slightly, "Knowing is enough!" he said, then took a step forward, heading upwards.
"This fellow is simply a monster!" a hint of fear flickered in the one-armed man's eyes. He then ascended to the summit and gathered with the others Chen Nan had defeated.
The one-armed man offered his assessment: "This lad's blood energy is like a rainbow; he is invincible within the same realm."
The so-called Sword Domain is also a type of sword technique.
It is simply superior to ordinary sword techniques.
But Chen Nan's surging blood energy could overpower all, making "invincible within the same realm" not an exaggeration!
The Grand Elder displayed a thoughtful smile: "This fellow is becoming more impressive by the day!"
The one-armed man said, "I feel like the Third Elder wouldn't be able to stop him either."
The scholar in the green robe added, "Indeed, this lad doesn't play by the rules at all. If the Third Elder wanted to compete with him in alchemy, would he even bother?"
"If this lad forcefully broke through, how could the Third Elder stop him?"
The Grand Elder suddenly spoke, "He... seems to have accepted the Third Elder's challenge!"
"What?"
The mountain-guarding elders gasped in unison.
Without further thought, their spiritual senses silently spread out!
"This is really playing outside the box, I truly never expected him to accept the Third Elder's challenge!"
"Could it be that this lad is proficient in alchemy?"
Everyone's scalp tingled, and they felt a chill down their spines.
Chen Nan's unconventional moves were too numerous and astonishing!
------
"Young man, if you can refine a low-grade Foundation Establishment Pill, I will let you ascend the mountain," the Third Elder said with a faint smile.
Chen Nan exclaimed, "Senior, why do you insult me?"
The Third Elder looked puzzled, "What do you mean? When have I ever humiliated you?"
Chen Nan countered, "Why do you think I agreed to a pill duel with you?"
The Third Elder shook his head.
He had also thought Chen Nan would refuse the pill duel, as this fellow was known for his unconventional approach.
Chen Nan said, "The reason I agreed to a pill duel with you is fundamentally because I am also an alchemist, and accepting your challenge is the most basic respect for you."
"However, you are asking me to refine a low-grade Foundation Establishment Pill, isn't that an insult to me?"
The Third Elder cleared his throat and asked awkwardly, "Are you finding the Foundation Establishment Pill's quality too high? If that's the case, refining a Qi Replenishing Pill is also acceptable, but its quality must reach the upper grade!"
Chen Nan's mouth twitched with anger. He threw out a Spirit Flood Dragon Pill, "Here, have this to play with." Saying so, he began to climb the stone steps.
The Third Elder intended to stop Chen Nan.
Even if he wasn't Chen Nan's match, he still had to fulfill his duty!
But!
When he saw the pill in his hand!
He, who had been sitting on the ground, immediately jumped up, "Oh my god, is this... is this... this is a second-grade upper-grade pill? My heavens, this guy can refine second-grade upper-grade pills?"
The Third Elder was dumbfounded!
His current ability allowed him to refine only mid-grade Foundation Establishment Pills.
Therefore, he thought it best not to bully Chen Nan too much and would let him pass if he could refine a low-grade Foundation Establishment Pill.
However...
He never dreamed that this fellow would produce a second-grade upper-grade pill!
Especially the eight pill patterns on it, which had utterly slapped him in the face!
This fellow's alchemical attainments had long surpassed his own!
He looked despondent, as if he had lost his soul.
How embarrassing, I challenged a master alchemist to a pill duel...
When Chen Nan reached the eighth thousand step of the stone stairs, a woman with a graceful figure, exquisitely beautiful features, and unparalleled charm appeared before him. She was dressed in a blue dress.
She looked like a fairy who had stepped out of a painting, her every smile and glance captivating the heart.
She spoke, her voice a pleasure to the ears, "Young sir, would you be willing to cultivate together?"
Chen Nan raised an eyebrow, "Is there such a good thing?"