Chapter Thirty-Five: Disqualified?

“They’re really forcing me to become a jack-of-all-trades,” Xu Chen muttered.

On the second day, after finishing his cultivation, Xu Chen resumed his blacksmithing.

“If I want to open another door in the Holy White Space, I must forge a proper weapon first.”

The massive hammer in his hands rose and fell rhythmically, striking the glowing steel billet with relentless force.

“I’ll make a blade first and see how much it improves my combat power.”

“If that doesn’t work, don’t blame me for resorting to trickery.”

A sly smile curled at Xu Chen’s lips. The alchemy he’d studied before wasn’t just about concocting potions for brief power surges—there were also poisons aplenty.

“Once you open your mind to new possibilities, the solutions multiply.”

Before long, a hundred-refined blade, forged with utmost care, was quenched and completed.

“I wonder if this one meets the standard.”

He hefted the blade and made his way to the training grounds.

“Better refresh my memory now, lest I forget when it matters most.”

The Eight Savage Slash, a technique etched into his very bones, came alive in his hands, powerful and fierce.

“It’s a bit light. Next time, I’ll forge a hundred-refined blade weighing two hundred jin.”

That night, within the Holy White Space, Xu Chen stood before the three wooden doors, scratching his head in puzzlement.

“This can’t be right. Alchemy works, so why not weapon forging?”

He opened the alchemy door.

“Please prepare ten batches of Seven Wounds Balm with a quality above eighty,” the familiar mechanical voice intoned.

Xu Chen set to work, gathering ingredients and preparing the balm with practiced ease.

On a medicine cabinet, hundreds of portions of Seven Wounds Balm had already accumulated, the highest quality reaching seventy-nine.

“Cultivation comes first. Alchemy and forging can wait—the gap in strength is too great.”

With the next twenty sets of materials, he finally produced two satisfactory portions of balm.

“Let’s see just how effective these high-quality balms are.”

After enduring three bolts of thunder, Xu Chen’s consciousness reformed. He took the two batches of balm and entered the Gate of the Six Sacred Ape Forms.

“You’re sullied now. You’re no longer the fresh, juicy vegetable you once were,” his doppelganger intoned languidly. “The elders and aunts have lost their fondness for you. You’re not a prime vegetable anymore.”

“Vegetable, my foot!” Xu Chen retorted, downing the two batches of Seven Wounds Balm to bolster his blood and energy, then charged at his doppelganger.

Their exchange grew faster and more intense. Xu Chen had grown so familiar with the Sacred Ape Six Forms doppelganger that their moves felt as one. The only thing separating them now was raw strength.

They traded over eighty blows.

Finally, the doppelganger landed a full-force punch, driving Xu Chen back.

“This crooked path truly is a shortcut. In such a short time, you’ve already forced me to this point,” the doppelganger said.

Xu Chen, staggering back several dozen steps, almost laughed in exasperation at the words.

“Who’s forcing you? If I didn’t risk trading wounds for wounds in the first eighty moves, I wouldn’t have touched you at all.”

He charged again, but just then, his burning organs suddenly felt as though they’d plunged into molten lava.

His movements faltered.

Seizing the moment, the doppelganger clamped a hand onto Xu Chen’s crown.

“The side effects have kicked in,” the doppelganger grinned.

With one hand gripping his skull, he lifted Xu Chen up.

“So, when you really threaten me with this crooked path, all I need to do is drag things out. Your trick breaks itself.”

Xu Chen, weakened, forced his eyes open to look at his doppelganger.

“You’re welcome to try.”

With a squeeze, the doppelganger crushed Xu Chen’s skull—death came in an instant.

Xu Chen’s consciousness reformed once again; he turned and entered the alchemy door.

At dawn, dark clouds blanketed the sky, and soon light rain began to fall.

“A rare rainy day,” Xu Chen mused, gazing at the clouds above.

But then, a sudden gale swept through the heavens, blowing every cloud away.

Sunlight poured once more over the entire Great Creek Sect.

“…”

“A little rain wouldn’t hurt. Nothing but sunshine gets dull,” Xu Chen complained.

In this cultivation world, the weather changes only at the whims of the mighty.

On the grass outside his door, Xu Chen began to practice the Twelvefold Wave Body Refinement.

As he trained, Old Monkey Six approached with a troop of young monkeys.

“Sir, there’s important news—do you wish to hear it?” Old Monkey Six asked respectfully.

Xu Chen stopped training at once.

“Tell me.”

“Thirty thousand miles north of the sect, a surge of spiritual energy has erupted—a sign that a rare treasure is about to emerge,” Old Monkey Six reported.

Xu Chen froze.

“What’s that got to do with me?”

“While the treasure may not concern you, the land itself is bathed in gentle, nourishing energy—perfect for cultivating blood and qi. If you leave now, you might secure a spot.”

“Damn, next time, speak up faster,” Xu Chen grumbled.

Without hesitation, he pulled out his disciple’s token and held it high.

Anyone who passes up a free gift must be a fool.

A Wind Spirit Bird swooped down before him.

“Thirty thousand miles north of the sect—the fastest you can manage,” Xu Chen said, swinging onto its back.

“That’s a long way—if you want speed, it’ll cost you at least seventy-five spirit coins,” the bird chirped.

“If you satisfy me, I’ll give you a hundred,” Xu Chen replied, not in the mood to haggle.

“Let’s go~!”

A tempest erupted as the Wind Spirit Bird launched itself skyward.

At a hundred-zhang altitude, an aura of light burst from its body. It broke the sound barrier, accelerating ever faster.

Meanwhile, many disciples received the news. All manner of flying beasts and streaks of light hurtled northward.

Without a spiritual barrier, Xu Chen had to press flat against the bird to avoid the biting wind.

Then a voice sounded by his ear.

“Brother Xu, is that you? Come aboard my flying vessel.”

Xu Chen looked and saw Liu Guang, the leader from a previous mission.

It was still that stripped-down flying craft, but even so, it was faster than the Wind Spirit Bird.

“Sir, you won’t abandon me, will you?” the Wind Spirit Bird pleaded.

Xu Chen slapped twenty spirit coins onto its back.

“Take me to Brother Liu’s vessel—twenty coins, quick as you can. You’ll catch another fare on your way back.”

“Deal!”

The Wind Spirit Bird gently deposited Xu Chen onto the vessel, then sped back toward the Great Creek Sect.

“Brother Liu, it’s been a while,” Xu Chen greeted, bowing.

“No need to stand on ceremony. Fate has brought us together.”

“Brother Xu, find a spot and hold on—I’m about to accelerate.”

Three Wind Spirit Pearls materialized behind Liu Guang, forming a triangle at the stern.

Xu Chen glanced around the vessel—still not a single seat.

“Just grab hold somewhere,” Liu Guang said, a bit embarrassed by Xu Chen’s search.

“Don’t mind me; just go ahead and accelerate.”

“Then off we go~~”

In an instant, the three pearls blew out a tailwind blaze, and the vessel’s speed multiplied.