Chapter 107 – My Students Are the Greatest Treasure of My Life

“H-How is this possible?!”

Preacher Number Seven stared at Missionary Number Two, who had been killed by Lu Chen’s single punch.

A bone-chilling cold instantly traveled from his spine all the way to the crown of his head.

Fear, boundless fear.

Sword Intent, Fist Intent…

This No. 1 High student actually still had hidden cards up his sleeve?!

As a former physical education teacher at Third High, Preacher Number Seven was intimately familiar with this particular punch – it was the exact same strike the Gold-Devouring Ant-Man had thrown at Lu Chen during the Three-School Joint Exam.

Without a doubt, Lu Chen had learned this move from him.

The moment this realization dawned on Preacher Number Seven, it sent chills throughout his entire body.

Could it be that he learned it from that Nine Hells Gold-Devouring Ant-Man during the mock exam?

But to master a Fist Intent after seeing it just once… was this child even human?

This was a technique only Immortals should possess!

Preacher Number Seven had not only witnessed Lu Chen’s performance during the Three-School Joint Exam with his own eyes.

He had also secretly investigated much information about Lu Chen.

Therefore, he knew clearly that Lu Chen’s transformation had occurred within just half a year.

Lu Chen’s Aptitude issues could still be explained by his compatibility with the Purple Haze Nourishing Art.

His Sword Path talent could be described as accumulated strength leading to sudden emergence.

But what about fist techniques?

According to his previous investigations, Lu Chen had never studied fist techniques before.

If Lu Chen truly possessed such Heaven-Defying Comprehension Ability, why hadn’t he shown any signs of it before?

Something was wrong. There must be something fishy going on here.

In that split second, numerous thoughts flashed through Preacher Number Seven’s mind.

But his current location was no leisurely coffee shop – he was in the midst of a fierce battlefield.

Hesitation would only create openings!

Chen Fugui saw Preacher Number Seven suddenly stop and immediately seized the opportunity.

Secret technique… Art of Monetary Power!

Chen Fugui violently threw out numerous Flying Swords from his Storage Bag, completely covering all possible escape routes for Preacher Number Seven.

Although he couldn’t control all the Flying Swords with perfect precision, he didn’t need to achieve that level.

Because in his hands, these Flying Swords were merely equivalent to disposable missile attacks!

Seeing the multitude of Flying Swords surrounding him, Preacher Number Seven immediately thought, “This is bad.”

Boom boom boom…

Amidst the dense explosions of Flying Swords, Preacher Number Seven’s figure instantly vanished within the flames.

Witnessing this scene, Chen Fugui secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

It should be… over now, right?

“Watch out!”

Just as Chen Fugui let his guard down, Lu Chen’s Azure Lotus Eyes spotted something through the explosive flames.

He immediately shouted a warning to Chen Fugui.

This warning prompted Chen Fugui to instinctively activate the defensive Talismans on his person, forming a sturdy Spiritual Power barrier around himself.

Almost the instant he activated the Talismans, a palm arrived at his chest.

Yet even so, his numerous Talismans capable of withstanding full-power strikes from Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators shattered upon contact with that palm.

After breaking through the Talismans, the palm landed lightly on his chest.

Thump!

Though it seemed like just a casual slap, Chen Fugui’s body was immediately sent flying backward.

Lu Chen hurriedly caught Chen Fugui mid-air and landed on the ground.Looking at Chen Fugui’s sunken chest and the pained expression on his face, Lu Chen knew he was likely unable to continue fighting. Through Lu Chen’s Azure Lotus Eyes, he could see that not only were many of Chen Fugui’s organs displaced, but numerous bones were shattered as well. Such injuries were nearly fatal even for a cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Stage.

Without hesitation, Lu Chen immediately took healing elixirs from his storage bag and stuffed them all into Chen Fugui’s mouth, barely stabilizing his condition. Just as Lu Chen was about to do more, Chen Fugui grabbed his hand and struggled to say, “Go, hurry… this guy… is Golden Core.” As he spoke, Chen Fugui pushed Lu Chen away and forced himself to stand up despite his severe injuries.

Not far from them, a seemingly ordinary cook wearing a chef’s hat stood calmly in front of Preacher Number Seven. It was his appearance that had blocked Chen Fugui’s flying sword attack and, in an instant, severely injured Chen Fugui with a single palm strike. Achieving this was far beyond the capability of an ordinary Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator.

After all, everything Chen Fugui possessed was top-quality. Although his protective artifacts had been destroyed in the battle against Preacher Number Seven and Missionary Number Two, the talismans he had left were also purchased at great expense—each one could withstand a full-force strike from an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator, let alone so many triggered at once. Yet, the cook had shattered Chen Fugui’s defensive talismans with one palm under such circumstances. His cultivation level was self-evident: if not Golden Core, it was certainly not far off.

He was Hao Fu, the Vice-Altar Lord of the Black Lotus Sect and the former head cook of Luocheng High School’s cafeteria. Seeing Chen Fugui still trying to stand up despite his condition, Hao Fu sighed, putting down an unconscious student from No. 1 High, and said, “Old Chen, I already held back. Why are you still getting up? Don’t make this difficult for me.”

Chen Fugui didn’t respond to Hao Fu immediately but instead looked at the person lying unconscious at his feet. It was none other than Bian Shouyi, who should have been at the West White Tiger Statue. With Bian Shouyi appearing here, the situation at the school’s west side was clear. The school protection array that had always enveloped Luocheng High School was now so weak it could dissipate at any moment, and it wouldn’t last much longer.

Seeing this, Chen Fugui’s heart grew heavy. Without the protection array, everyone in the school would undoubtedly be in grave danger. However, neither Chen Fugui nor Lu Chen could afford to dwell on that now, as the immediate problem before them was how to deal with the Golden Core Stage cultivator—Hao Fu.

Chen Fugui never would have imagined that the always-smiling cook who gave him extra portions during meals was actually a hidden high-ranking member of the Black Lotus Sect within the school. No wonder the Black Lotus Sect was so familiar with No. 1 High’s Five Directions Array, and no wonder they could secretly set up such an overwhelming formation around the school. They had been planning all of this for a long time.

Ten years of scheming, all for this day. Perhaps they believed Lu Chen and Chen Fugui had nowhere left to run.So Hao Fu wasn’t in a hurry to attack the two, instead looking at Chen Fugui with a complicated expression.

“Old Chen, although I never wanted things to come to this, there’s no other way. After all, I’m the Vice-Altar Lord of the Black Lotus Sect’s Si Snake Altar…”

“Actually, from the moment I entered Luocheng High School as a cook ten years ago, I had already anticipated this day would come.”

“But I never expected it would take this long – so long that I almost forgot my identity as Vice-Altar Lord and truly believed I was just a cook in the No. 1 Middle School Cafeteria.”

“Old Chen, you’re one of the few people in No. 1 High who never looked down on me.”

“You’re also among the minority who would voluntarily sit down and drink with us cooks and helpers, chatting casually.”

“That’s why I made up my mind from the beginning that unless absolutely necessary, I would spare your life.”

“Leave, Old Chen. I’ll tell the others not to trouble you. Just find a place to hide, because this matter… will soon be over.”

“After all, our target was never the entire No. 1 High, but certain individuals within it.”

Hao Fu spoke with genuine sincerity, as if he truly regarded Chen Fugui as a good friend.

But faced with his goodwill, Chen Fugui responded with contempt.

“Pah! If I had known you were a running dog of the Black Lotus Sect back then, I wouldn’t have just refused to drink with you – I would have found even speaking a single word to you disgusting.”

Hearing this, Hao Fu’s expression darkened.

Then he looked at Chen Fugui and said in a low voice: “Old Chen, so… even you look down on me?”

“Look down on you?”

Chen Fugui laughed, then asked Lu Chen to release his supporting hand and walked up to Hao Fu alone.

“What I despise are the scum of the Black Lotus Sect, not the cook who knew his culinary skills were lacking and would practice day and night in the kitchen to improve.”

Hao Fu was taken aback, then instinctively asked: “What’s the difference?”

Hearing this, Chen Fugui said with complete seriousness: “One is a beast that disregards humanity for personal gain, the other is an ordinary person striving hard to make a living. Do you think they’re the same?”

Hao Fu fell silent for a moment, then seemed to understand something and sighed: “Yes… they’re indeed quite different.”

“Looking back on these ten years of life, it feels like a dream.”

“If I had a choice, I’d really like to have remained just a cook at No. 1 High.”

“Because back then, I only needed to focus on cooking well, without having to consider so many other things.”

As he spoke, Hao Fu turned to look at Lu Chen.

“Student Lu, will you come with me voluntarily, or like Student Bian, be taken away after I break your limbs?”

“Such a small Luocheng High School has produced two peerless Sword Immortals who awakened Sword Intent during the Qi Condensation Stage.”

“Perhaps only a place blessed with such outstanding people and favorable environment could give birth to someone suitable to become our sect’s Holy Son.”

Before Lu Chen could respond, Chen Fugui spoke up first.

“Go with you? Why don’t you take a piss and look at your reflection to see what kind of trash you are!”

“How dare a Black Lotus Sect scum like you think you can just take away my student?”

“If you want to take my student, you’ll have to step over my dead body first!”

Hearing this, Hao Fu sighed.”Old Chen, must we really come to this between us?”

“We? Who’s ‘we’ with you!”

Faced with Chen Fugui’s furious scolding, Hao Fu sighed helplessly.

“Fine… then don’t blame me, Old Chen.”

“You chose this path yourself.”

With that, Hao Fu instructed Preacher Number Seven to keep an eye on Bian Shouyi, then walked alone toward Lu Chen and Chen Fugui.

Watching Hao Fu approach, Chen Fugui quietly nudged Lu Chen, signaling him to leave quickly while he tried to delay Hao Fu.

But Lu Chen could only smile bitterly in his heart.

Leave?

Even if he wanted to leave now, where could he go?

The entire Luocheng High School and the surrounding three to four kilometer area had been pulled into a mysterious space by the Black Lotus Sect using special methods.

At this moment, he was like a turtle in a jar—nowhere to run.

Therefore, his only option was to defeat Hao Fu before him.

Although Chen Fugui said Hao Fu was at the Golden Core Stage, Lu Chen noticed something strange about Hao Fu’s Qi aura.

After all, Lu Chen had encountered genuine Golden Core Stage cultivators before.

Yu Tianqi and the Black Rock King—both were Golden Core Stage existences.

Yet their auras were not only profound, but their Spiritual Power also carried a distinct personal imprint, vastly different from Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators.

Lu Chen speculated this might be what distinguished Golden Core Stage from Foundation Establishment Stage.

But from Hao Fu, Lu Chen didn’t sense that clear personal imprint.

Although his aura was similarly deep, his Spiritual Power didn’t seem particularly unique.

This either meant Hao Fu’s Golden Core quality was too low—merely a seventh-grade or lower Human Dao Golden Core—or that Hao Fu’s Golden Core Stage was abnormal, not achieved through conventional breakthrough methods.

In either case, it meant Hao Fu was definitely not as terrifying as Yu Tianqi or the Black Rock King.

After all, he had managed to swing his sword even when facing the Black Rock King.

Facing Hao Fu now, he had even less reason to retreat.

Only by facing certain death can one find life thereafter.

He had to risk everything to find a way out of this desperate situation.

So in response to Chen Fugui’s good intentions, Lu Chen shook his head.

Then he walked to Chen Fugui’s side and assumed a stance ready to fight alongside him.

Seeing this, Chen Fugui knew persuasion was useless.

Very well, let teacher and student face this Black Lotus Sect Vice-Altar Lord together!

So what if he’s Golden Core Stage?

After all, what if they won…

“Teacher, can you hold him off for three seconds?”

“Huh?”

Hearing Lu Chen’s words, Chen Fugui was taken aback.

Although he didn’t know what Lu Chen planned to do, looking at Lu Chen’s serious expression, he knew Lu Chen might still have some trump card up his sleeve.

Three seconds, huh…

After thinking for a moment, Chen Fugui suddenly took out a medicine bottle from his robe, pulled out a pill, and swallowed it fiercely.

The next second, not only did his severely injured body begin recovering at an astonishing rate,

But his cultivation also began soaring rapidly.

Foundation Establishment Stage third layer, Foundation Establishment Stage fourth layer…

Under Lu Chen’s astonished gaze, Chen Fugui’s cultivation actually rose to Foundation Establishment Stage sixth layer in a short time.

This unnatural method of improvement instantly made Lu Chen realize what pill Chen Fugui had taken.

[Name: Blood-Burning Pill][Effect: After consumption, it can burn one’s own essence blood to exchange for over tenfold cultivation in a short period]

[Side effects: Mild cases result in becoming a cripple, severe cases lead to death]

“Three seconds? Even ten seconds would be no problem for me!”

“Swords, come!”

With the boost of Foundation Establishment Stage sixth layer cultivation, Chen Fugui could simultaneously control a staggering eighteen Flying Swords.

Watching Hao Fu approach steadily, a resolute expression flashed across Chen Fugui’s face.

The next moment, the dense swarm of Flying Swords shot toward Hao Fu.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Intense explosions immediately erupted around Hao Fu.

Each explosion was equivalent to a full-power strike from a Peak Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator.

This was because the attacks contained not only Chen Fugui’s own Spiritual Power but also the destructive force generated by the self-detonation of the Magical Artifacts.

Yet such terrifying attacks failed to pose even the slightest threat to Hao Fu.

The fearsome explosions all halted three steps away from Hao Fu, blocked by a strange force.

Protective Qi – this was one reason why Golden Core Stage cultivators far surpassed those at Foundation Establishment Stage.

If they couldn’t break through this Protective Qi, forget about defeating Hao Fu, a Golden Core Stage cultivator.

They wouldn’t even have the ability to harm Hao Fu!

Almost simultaneously with Chen Fugui’s attack, Lu Chen carefully observed a specific point on Hao Fu’s Protective Qi.

In his vision, a special Lotus Mark was slowly forming at that location.

[Azure Lotus Eyes · Lotus Mark (Enhanced): Can generate a Lotus Mark on any object within three seconds, which collapses upon contact.]

The Lotus Mark enhanced by Azure Lotus power – this was why Lu Chen had asked Chen Fugui to buy him three seconds.

Because using only the Heretical Sword, he felt he couldn’t break through Hao Fu’s Protective Qi.

He needed the special assistance of the Lotus Mark to have a chance.

And this was currently his strongest method.

If even this couldn’t harm Hao Fu, then Lu Chen would truly be at his wit’s end.

Though the plan was sound, Lu Chen had still underestimated the power of a Golden Core Stage cultivator, even if the opponent was only at ‘False Core’ level with merely first revolution Golden Core cultivation.

But Golden Core… was still Golden Core.

“Delay me? Old Chen, are you… looking down on Golden Core Stage cultivators too much?”

As these words fell, Hao Fu suddenly appeared beside Chen Fugui.

His movement was so fast that not only could Chen Fugui not react, even Lu Chen with his Azure Lotus Eyes couldn’t detect any clues.

In the constricted pupils of both Lu Chen and Chen Fugui, Hao Fu swung his palm at Chen Fugui.

Thump!

With this single palm strike, Chen Fugui’s body immediately staggered.

Not only did his face turn pale, but the Flying Swords he had just summoned also immediately fell to the ground uncontrollably.

All this happened in just one second – still a full two seconds short of the three seconds Lu Chen had requested.

Had Hao Fu possessed killing intent, this single palm strike alone would have been enough to instantly eliminate Chen Fugui.

Seeing Hao Fu so close, Lu Chen instinctively unleashed his Righteous Sword Intent.

The massive five-meter-long Righteous Qi Sword descended from above toward Hao Fu.

In response, Hao Fu maintained his attacking posture with one hand while using the other hand to form a sword with his finger, lightly tapping Lu Chen’s Righteous Qi Sword.

Thump!The previously invincible Righteous Qi Sword shattered instantly under that single finger.

The terrifying force even made Lu Chen unable to grip the Ink Dragon Sword in his hand.

So much so that the Ink Dragon Sword slipped from his grasp, was sent flying aside, and embedded itself in the ground.

One palm suppressed Chen Fugui, one finger shattered Lu Chen’s Righteous Sword Intent.

And all this… had taken merely two seconds.

The might of a Golden Core Stage cultivator was fully revealed at this moment.

Perhaps wanting to avoid any unexpected developments, Hao Fu raised his finger again after disarming Lu Chen and abruptly thrust it toward Lu Chen’s chest.

Though Lu Chen was only at the Qi Condensation Stage, Hao Fu had witnessed all of his previous performances.

Moreover, he clearly heard Lu Chen telling Chen Fugui to find a way to hold him off for three seconds.

As a Vice-Altar Lord of the Black Lotus Sect who had managed to lurk in Luocheng High School for a full ten years without being discovered, Hao Fu understood well what it meant to capsize in a ditch.

Therefore, even though his enemies were merely at the Foundation Establishment Stage and Qi Condensation Stage, he still treated them seriously.

As for Hao Fu’s movements, Lu Chen had no time to react at this moment.

Because having just had his Righteous Sword Intent broken, his Qi was temporarily in disarray.

But just then, a chubby figure directly blocked in front of him.

Thump!

Staring at Chen Fugui, who had first taken the Blood-Burning Pill and now had his heart meridian pierced, Hao Fu froze.

Because he knew Chen Fugui could no longer survive in this condition.

In a daze, Hao Fu seemed to recall scenes from the school cafeteria where Chen Fugui, disregarding his status, freely ate and drank with him without any reservations.

That period was among the few relaxed days Hao Fu had experienced in his entire life.

Thinking of this, Hao Fu said with complex emotions: “Old Chen, was this really necessary?”

“You’re my only friend at No. 1 High, and even in this world…”

Hearing this, Chen Fugui seemed to experience a final surge of vitality, his chubby round face revealing a sunny smile.

“Old Hao, I told you, as long as I’m alive, I’ll never let any student face danger.”

“After all, what teacher… would hide, hide behind their students, don’t you agree?”

As he spoke, Chen Fugui coughed twice, spitting out large amounts of blood, then he firmly grabbed Hao Fu’s arm and said with resolute determination: “My wealth has never been those cold numbers in bank accounts, but them.”

“Students… are the greatest fortune of my life.”

“If you want to harm my students, you’ll have to step over my corpse first.”

Seeing Chen Fugui like this, Hao Fu momentarily forgot to pull his hand back, just staring at him blankly.

Meanwhile, a terrifying aura emerged from behind Chen Fugui.

Hao Fu looked past Chen Fugui in shock, only to see an identical Heretical Avatar suddenly appear beside Lu Chen.

This Heretical Avatar held a long sword, assuming an utterly ordinary starting stance.

Yet this simple movement allowed Hao Fu to see something ordinary people couldn’t perceive!

A blurred silhouette of Gu Xian materialized behind Lu Chen…

Heretical Sword, Immortal Slaying!

As Lu Chen’s Heretical Avatar swung its sword downward, the Gu Xian silhouette only Hao Fu could see also executed that ordinary-looking sword stroke.

And this strike… he couldn’t dodge it.

(End of Chapter)