The Art of Chaotic Divinity-Chapter 898: Heaven-Shaking Force

Tianwei Academy, East Court Sword Team Training Grounds.

"Only three days left, and Brother Feng still hasn't returned!"

As the newest long-term benchwarmers, Ye Nanfeng, Yu Sixian, and Lin Mochen knew their chances of playing in the final showdown against the Royal Sword Team were slim. Yet, Captain Gu Tengfeng hadn't given up on them. Over the past month, he'd put them through the same brutal training as the starters.

And after a month of training, their strength had improved noticeably.

"And Xiaofan too, he hasn't come back since going to Flame Valley," Lin Mochen said, shaking a dice cup idly.

The mention of "Flame Valley" made Yu Sixian and Ye Nanfeng shudder. That hellish place was only tolerable for a "beast" like Jiang Xiaofan.

"Don't worry," Xue Xiaolin said, walking over with a smile. "The finals are about to start. Ling Feng and Xiaofan will definitely make it back in time."

Her eyes lingered on Gu Tengfeng, who was sparring with Li Bufan on the platform. Over the past month, Gu Tengfeng had diligently studied the Wuji Sword Dao techniques Ling Feng had taught him and had made significant progress. With Li Bufan and Mu Qianxue's own insights into their respective Great Daos, they now stood a real chance against the legendary Royal Sword Team.

"After all these years, our dream is finally within reach," Vice-Captain Gong Cheng said, joining them with a rare look of excitement. "The captain must be thrilled."

He had been with the East Court Sword Team since its early days, rising from a second team member to vice-captain. He'd watched teammates lose heart and leave one after another. In the end, only he and Gu Tengfeng remained from the original group.

However, he had originally thought his time at Tianwei Academy would end quietly, followed by a path toward the royal court or the military. But everything changed with the arrival of Ling Feng.

Since Ling Feng joined, the East Court Sword Team had grown stronger step by step, transforming from an unknown squad into the strongest challenger to the Royal Sword Team.

None of this had come easily.

Clang!

On the platform, Li Bufan and Gu Tengfeng exchanged blows before stepping back. Seeing the team gathered, Gu Tengfeng clenched his fist.

"Three days left! We have to win this—for Ling Feng, and for all of us!"

...

Flame Valley.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The scorching valley echoed with the sound of hammering. A shirtless, dark-skinned youth stood atop a volcanic crater, wielding an impossibly heavy hammer to beat a piece of metal that had long since been flattened into a thin sheet.

For nearly a month, Jiang Xiaofan had spent his days forging at the mountaintop. At night, he had no rest either—he had to help the Pill Devil and Sword Maniac prepare charcoal.

This charcoal had to be freshly made each time, using the iron-hard divine ironwood from the back mountains. Even with Xiaofan's monstrous strength, a single sword strike could only leave a shallow mark on the ironwood. Preparing enough charcoal took him almost the entire night.

Then, at dawn, he'd return to the volcanic crater to resume forging.

The toxic flames near the crater alone were unbearable for most, let alone swinging a hammer weighing over thirty thousand catties while balancing on the crater's edge.

A single misstep could crack the rock beneath him, unleashing a surge of magma that could kill him instantly.

In the beginning, Xiaofan had nearly lost his life several times. But after two weeks of training, he started to grasp the force-control techniques taught by Sword Maniac, learning to deliver powerful strikes while keeping the force precisely contained.

"Heh, this dumb kid learns fast!"

Hidden in the shadows, the Pill Devil watched from his wheelchair, a rare look of approval on his face.

"Tch. When Ling Feng suddenly dumped a bunch of brats on us, I wanted to strangle him," Sword Maniac muttered. "But turns out he sent us a real talent."

Sword Maniac couldn't hide his satisfaction. "Less than a month to grasp the basics of Heaven-Shaking Force? This kid's comprehension of raw power might even rival Ling Feng's."

"Best part is, he's simple-minded, none of Ling Feng's scheming ways," the Pill Devil snorted. "Finally, you've found a decent successor."

He had initially tried teaching Xiaofan fire control and pill refining, but the boy was hopeless at it. Sword Maniac's Heaven-Shaking Force, however, suited him perfectly. After a few failed attempts, the Pill Devil had given up competing for the boy's apprenticeship.

"Took you centuries to say something halfway decent," Sword Maniac shot back smugly before leaping down beside Xiaofan with practiced movement art. His expression instantly turned stern again.

"Master Sword!"

Seeing him, Xiaofan immediately set down the hammer and bowed deeply. Over the past month, both the Pill Devil and Sword Maniac had taught him techniques, so he addressed them as "Master Pill" and "Master Sword" respectively.

"Hmph. Not bad today. You've grasped a sliver of Heaven-Shaking Force's essence. A month of hard work wasn't wasted."

Praise from Sword Maniac was rare, but Xiaofan had earned it. In every aspect, his progress this month has been flawless.

"Thank you, Master Sword! I still have a long way to go." Xiaofan scratched his head with a sheepish grin.

"Tch. A month's up. Time for you to leave."

"Leave?" Xiaofan blinked, then suddenly remembered. "Ah! It's been a month already? I lost track! That means Brother Ling must be coming back soon!"

"Per our agreement, I taught you for a month. You completed every task I set. Now, go." Sword Maniac spoke calmly.

Jiang Xiaofan gave Sword Maniac a deep bow. "Master Sword, Master Pill, I know you never saw me as a true disciple, but in my heart, you'll always be my teachers. Thank you both for everything. Once I help Big Brother defeat the Royal Sword Team, I'll be sure to come back and visit."

"Alright, alright, just go already. Enough with the talk."

Sword Maniac kept a stern face and glanced at the heavy iron hammer nearby. "This hammer may not be anything special, but you've gotten used to it. Take it with you. And that piece of iron you've been hammering for the past month—it's been refined again and again, and now it's as tough as a Ten-Thousand Tempered Steel. I'll personally make a sword out of it for you."

"Thanks again, Master Sword!"

Xiaofan bowed deeply again, then carefully packed the massive hammer. With one last reluctant glance at Flame Valley, he finally turned and left.