Step by Step Ascend to Immortality

Chapter 31: Chapter 32 Bad Fate

Since the battle began, Gu Yinghua had been holding her breath, fearing that even the slightest sound might disrupt Liu Suiyun's spellcasting.

Inwardly, she couldn't help but admire his courage and skill. Even in the face of danger, Liu Suiyun still aimed to land a devastating blow on Xuan Shui. And when Liu Suiyun's technique struck the demon snake with extraordinary precision, Gu Yinghua almost cried out in surprise!

Her eyes were wide, blinking rapidly. It was unbelievable—no, it was absolutely astonishing! The strike was flawless, though the casting time was a bit longer than usual. There wasn't a single flaw in its execution. Gu Yinghua even doubted if Liu Suiyun could ever perform such a perfect lightning technique again. It was so discreet, so cunning, so perfectly timed. It was as if Xuan Shui had broken free of the Buddhist talisman only to hurl itself directly into Liu Suiyun's carefully laid lightning trap!

But what truly shocked her was how familiar this technique felt. Gu Yinghua nearly shouted its name out loud: Kongyin Nether Thunder!

It was the Kongyin Nether Thunder!

Even with her eyes closed, Gu Yinghua could recognize this technique—her greatest reliance in trying to guide Liu Suiyun onto the path of ultimate power. But how had Liu Suiyun learned to cast it? Had merely hearing the name allowed him to use it?

Moreover, Gu Yinghua's sharp perception noticed that this strike perfectly embodied every detail they had discussed. The subtle, almost imperceptible Kongyin Nether Thunder had been used as a decoy, while the more powerful Chaoyang Divine Thunder was hidden within it. Although this combination significantly increased the difficulty of casting, Liu Suiyun had managed to pull it off, unleashing this dual-layered lightning technique with flawless precision.

The result? A devastating strike that left Xuan Shui, the demon serpent, in tatters, its flesh shredded and blood spraying out like a fountain. But then, something even more unexpected happened.

The torrent of blood, as though driven by some malevolent force, surged directly toward the spot where Liu Suiyun and Gu Yinghua were hiding. Yet, the closer it got, the smaller it became. What had begun as a wave of blood quickly shrank to the size of a river, then to a stream, then to a trickling fountain. By the time it reached Liu Suiyun, this once enormous mass of blood had transformed into a single, needle-sized drop of pure essence.

With a calm smile, Liu Suiyun reached out, touched the drop with his finger, and allowed it to be absorbed into his body. Not a trace of the blood was left behind—only the confidence on Liu Suiyun's face remained.

Gu Yinghua was left utterly speechless. That was just too cool!

Before she could fully absorb what had just happened, Liu Suiyun hoisted her onto his back, swiftly moving through the forest. In a low voice, he said, "You were right—it was the Kongyin Nether Thunder. Thanks for the tip, Miss Gu. Without your guidance, I wouldn't have thought of combining it with the Chaoyang Divine Thunder."

So it wasn't that the path she offered hadn't tempted him—she had simply underestimated what Liu Suiyun required. As Gu Yinghua rested comfortably on his back, she relaxed and asked with a playful tone, "Aren't we going to stay a bit longer? Maybe we could pick up some spoils while the Pang family and Xuan Shui tear each other apart."

She imagined the scene—Liu Suiyun charging into the fray with his sword, Tianlei Starfall, once the Pang family and Xuan Shui had fought themselves to the brink of death. But Liu Suiyun quickly dashed her hopes.

"Don't underestimate that demon snake," he said. "That strike with the Chaoyang Divine Thunder was the best I've ever delivered—yes, my proudest strike. But even so, its power was reduced to just forty percent of what it should've been. At best, I severely wounded Xuan Shui."

Effortlessly carrying Gu Yinghua on his back, Liu Suiyun moved through the dense forest, laughing as he added, "But I've enraged the snake, and the real fight is about to get ugly."

"Nothing to see" wasn't to be taken literally. What Liu Suiyun meant was that the battle ahead would be so fierce that even if they remained hidden, they could still get caught in the crossfire.

"Right, I figured as much," Gu Yinghua nodded. "A cornered beast fights the fiercest."

Liu Suiyun had firsthand experience of how formidable Xuan Shui's vitality was, and he knew how terrifying the snake could be when it fought for its life. Yet, since its opponent wasn't him, and he had already gained tremendous benefits, Liu Suiyun was in an excellent mood.

The mountain breeze brushed against his face, and the grief from Fire Qianshu's death seemed to fade away. "I misspoke," Liu Suiyun mused. "That might actually be one hell of a show. The Pang family reinforcements have arrived!"

Behind them, explosions, shouts, and the sounds of fierce combat echoed through the mountains. Gusts of wind rushed toward them, evidence of the intensity of the battle. But for Gu Yinghua, this chaotic scene only heightened her excitement, making her feel as exhilarated as Liu Suiyun. "So, where are we headed next?"

"We're going to Shahu Ridge," Liu Suiyun said softly. "It's a place I once called home."

Meanwhile, Pang Tianshan's face had turned ashen. The once verdant mountain was now stained black, drenched in blood, and littered with mangled bodies, shattered weapons, and broken talismans. He had witnessed countless battles before, but this... this carnage made even him uneasy.

The losses were staggering—this was the Pang family's heaviest casualty count in years. Not since the upheaval with the Gu family had they suffered such a crushing defeat.

This time, they had lost nearly all of their elite disciples. The battle had consumed an unimaginable amount of elixirs, artifacts, and talismans. Even worse, 170 disciples had been killed or injured, 80 of whom were dead.

Though they had showered the survivors with healing elixirs, some were still succumbing to their wounds. What enraged him the most was that the target of all this bloodshed was a demon snake from Luoxing Mountain—completely unrelated to their original objective. None of the surviving disciples even knew why they had ended up fighting the serpent.

"What the hell is going on here?" Pang Tianshan felt his temper boiling over, ready to snap.

"Kill the snake and take its treasures!"

At last, one of the Pang disciples found the courage to shout out the command. Xuan Shui lay in a pool of blood, its body riddled with arrows, talismans, and magical attacks. Its flesh had been torn to shreds, but its aura was still so fierce that none of the disciples dared approach.

They cautiously surrounded the fallen demon, gripping their weapons tightly. Finally, one brave soul raised the cry again: "Kill the snake and claim its treasure!"

Even though the cry of "Kill the snake and claim its treasure!" had rung out, Pang Tianshan shook his head in disbelief. The serpent, Xuanshui, had been battered into a pulp. What could possibly be salvaged from its remains? Nothing here could even come close to covering the cost of the elixirs they had wasted.

This was a devastating loss. Just thinking about the heavy price they had paid chasing after Wang Zihan made Pang Tianshan's breath hitch in frustration. But he couldn't give up. The task handed down by the high master was one he couldn't ignore.

The disciple who had shouted that reckless phrase was already wading through the swamp of blood and body parts, inching closer to Xuanshui's mangled remains. The audacity of this fool!

He edged closer, the memory of Xuanshui's wrath still vivid in his mind—the rivers of blood, the sheer carnage. Again, he yelled, "Kill the snake and claim its treasure!"

His spear jabbed forward, thrusting toward the lifeless serpent from a safe distance, when suddenly, a voice like thunder shattered the air. "Kill your mother!"

Pang Tianshan snapped out of his grim thoughts, just in time to see Ma Qianjun—who had somehow gotten close to the snake—unleash a furious roar and strike like lightning.

The overconfident disciple never even saw it coming. Ma Qianjun's fist slammed into his chest with brutal force, launching him through the air for over twenty feet. His body disintegrated mid-flight, shattering into a fine mist of blood and gore. The disciple was torn apart so completely that not even a full corpse remained.

Before the other elite disciples of the Pang family could react, Ma Qianjun had already dropped to one knee beside Xuanshui's broken corpse. His murderous aura was palpable, but his hands—surprisingly gentle—caressed the shattered head of the serpent. His voice cracked with emotion as he cried out, "Xiaoshui... my Xiaoshui, how could this happen to you..."

His gaze was a mix of tenderness and fury, his veins bulging as he clenched his fists. Still kneeling, he turned to Pang Tianshan and roared, "Who killed Xiaoshui? Who? Was it you?!"

Throughout the pursuit of Wang Zihan and Du Yunlong, Ma Qianjun had kept a low profile, offering only occasional guidance as a local strongman. Pang Tianshan hadn't thought much of him. The leader of the Tianyi Gang was ruthless, but Pang Tianshan had always felt that the powerful Fourfold Heavenly Yuan Bean was wasted on him.

But now, Pang Tianshan realized what it truly meant when they said a silent dog bites hardest. In a single punch, Ma Qianjun had obliterated a Tiger-Boundary disciple of the Pang family, reducing him to a bloody mess in mid-air. Not even a peak martial artist with mountain-cleaving skills could have delivered such devastating power. Ma Qianjun wasn't just formidable—he was a force of nature.

A single tear slipped down Ma Qianjun's face as he wiped it away with a blood-streaked fist. "I shouldn't have... I shouldn't have, Xiaoshui..."

No one knew what Ma Qianjun regretted, but his next outburst came with terrifying fury. He glared at Pang Tianshan, his voice booming. "Pang Tianshan! Who killed Xiaoshui? Was it you?!"

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