Chapter 216: Chapter 117: The "Key" is the Demon Suppression Stele! Breakthrough to the Entering the Realm of Strength, Qi Blood Transforming Force, Mastering Microscopic Control

The wall instantly split, several cracks spreading across its surface!

The surrounding disciples were scared witless, quickly trying to de-escalate the situation. "Junior Brother Chu Fan, calm down! Steward, sir, please, say no more!"

Still defiant, Steward Li roared at the disciples around him, "Are you all dead? Seize him! Bring him to the Gang Leader!"

"Does being the Gang Leader’s disciple mean he can be completely lawless?!"

However, not a single person dared to move. Even if they hadn’t seen Chu Fan in action with their own eyes, they knew he was incredibly powerful. More importantly, he was highly regarded by both Gang Leader Cao Feng and the Li Family’s own Young Miss, Li Qingxue.

This Steward Li must have lost his mind. Of all the people to provoke, why did he have to choose Chu Fan?

Even the "Little Overlord," Li Xingxuan, had to obediently bow his head before Chu Fan!

If he had just handed over the money politely, everything would have been fine.

Did he really think he could get away with pocketing the money, even if Chu Fan went directly to the Gang Leader afterward?

Just then, a clear, cold voice rang out. "What happened here?"

Everyone turned to see Li Qingxue, dressed all in white, approaching gracefully.

As if seeing his savior, Steward Li immediately began to complain in a tearful whine, "Young Miss! You’ve come at just the right time! This Chu Fan is completely lawless! He assaulted a steward right here in the Deacon Hall! You have to stand up for me!"

A disciple of the Li Family immediately stepped forward and whispered a few words to Li Qingxue, quickly explaining the entire sequence of events...

Li Qingxue’s gaze swept over the chaotic scene, shifted to the bloodied Steward Li, and finally rested on Chu Fan. She spoke coolly, "By all rights, there is nothing wrong with Chu Fan taking back his own money."

She looked at Steward Li, her eyes turning cold. "If someone dared to steal my money, I would be far more ruthless."

"..." Steward Li was utterly stunned, his mouth hanging open, unable to form a single word.

’But I’m a member of the Li Family!’

’How could the Young Miss help an outsider instead of one of her own?’

It was only then that he truly understood: the young man before him was someone he absolutely could not afford to provoke.

But he still couldn’t understand...

’Even if he’s talented and highly regarded, why would the Young Miss show him such blatant favoritism?’

Finally, under Li Qingxue’s watchful eye, a trembling Steward Li returned all 5,800 silver notes.

Chu Fan took the silver notes without so much as a glance at the ashen-faced Steward Li. He gave Li Qingxue a nod of acknowledgment and turned to leave the Deacon Hall.

He had only taken a few steps when he noticed Li Qingxue had followed him out as well.

Chu Fan blinked, glancing down at the silver notes he was about to tuck away. He asked tentatively, "Senior Sister, how about... I give you a cut?"

Li Qingxue remained silent.

"Then... is there something else, Senior Sister?" Chu Fan asked, a bit puzzled.

For a rare moment, Li Qingxue looked a little awkward.

She hesitated for a moment before asking softly, "This morning... that song you were humming at the Martial Arts Arena..."

Chu Fan’s eyes lit up in understanding. He said with a cheeky grin, "Oh, that song is called ’A Chinese Ghost Story.’ I was inspired to write it after watching a story called ’Ghost Love.’"

"You write songs, too?" Surprise flickered in Li Qingxue’s beautiful eyes.

Without batting an eye, Chu Fan said proudly, "I won’t hide it from you, Senior Sister. When it comes to the four classical arts, you could say that six of my seven apertures are wide open!"

Li Qingxue paused for a moment before she understood, and couldn’t help but roll her eyes at him. "Doesn’t that just mean you’re completely clueless?"

Chu Fan grinned proudly. "Exactly!"

Li Qingxue: "..."

’You’re proud of being clueless?’

But her curiosity only grew. "Could you... sing all of ’A Chinese Ghost Story’ for me?"

Chu Fan was still preoccupied with the mysterious arm armor Liang Qiu had told him about. He was in no mood to sing.

He gave a perfunctory reply, "Some other time, Senior Sister. I’ll definitely sing it for you when I’m free! I have something urgent to do, so I have to go!"

With that, he disappeared down the alley before Li Qingxue could even respond.

"That man..."

Li Qingxue pursed her lips and stamped her foot lightly.

...

Before long, a disciple from the Cao Family had led Chu Fan to Liang Qiu’s residence.

Following Liang Qiu’s instructions, he easily leaped up to the rafters and, sure enough, felt a hard object in a dusty corner.

He pulled it down and saw a long object wrapped in oilcloth.

After unwrapping the oilcloth, a pitch-black, ancient-looking arm armor came into view.

Faint, distorted dark patterns were barely visible on its surface. It was cool to the touch, made of some unknown material that was neither gold nor iron.

The dark patterns on the arm armor seemed to flow slowly, as if alive, faintly exuding an ancient and profound aura.

He instinctively held the arm armor in his hands.

[Item Discovered: Eternal Night Arm Armor. Refinement requires 50 Spiritual Essence. Proceed with Refinement?]

[Refinement will grant "Silent Extinction Quicksand Technique."]

’Fifty points of Spiritual Essence?’

Chu Fan was inwardly astonished.

This far exceeded the cost of refining previous Martial Arts like the Seven-Star Bead Slash and the Moon Eclipse Arrow.

’It looks like this Silent Extinction Quicksand Technique is at least a middle-tier technique, maybe even higher!’

Chu Fan hesitated no longer. With a single thought, he commanded, ’Refine!’

In that instant, countless intricate, illusory runes flickered within a flash of light and then vanished.

A torrent of information and countless images flooded into his Sea of Consciousness.

Chu Fan closed his eyes, carefully processing the Silent Extinction Quicksand Technique that now filled his mind.

However, the more he understood it, the deeper his frown became.

This Silent Extinction Quicksand Technique, just like the Ghost Shadow Illusionary Body Step, required him to mobilize Primordial Qi to use it!

It was a profound Magic Technique for controlling sand for both offense and defense. It was incredibly powerful, capable of being both gentle and firm, and could take on countless forms.

With a single thought, he could gather sand into an indestructible shield.

With a shift of his will, he could turn sand into an all-penetrating spear.

It could even create a domain of quicksand, trapping and killing powerful enemies without a trace.

Unfortunately, without breaking through the five gates of Foundation Establishment, he couldn’t control Primordial Qi. He had no way to practice it at all!

’Primordial Qi again...’

A bitter smile touched Chu Fan’s lips.

He recalled how difficult it had been to practice the Ghost Shadow Illusionary Body Step.

Because he hadn’t broken through the five gates of Foundation Establishment, he couldn’t actively control Primordial Qi. He could only rely on his formidable qi and blood to barely draw upon a trace of the Innate Primordial Qi within his body, forcing himself through grueling practice of the step technique.