Step by Step Ascend to Immortality

Chapter 21: Chapter 22: Breaking the Army Like Yang Gong

Gu Yinghua wrapped her arms tightly around Liu Suiyun's neck without hesitation. Liu Suiyun, ignoring the electrifying sensation that surged through him at the contact, lifted her effortlessly and began to move forward.

Despite Gu Yinghua's weight being heavier than he expected, it was hardly an issue for someone like Liu Suiyun, who had reached the Yuanlong stage. However, it wasn't just the physical burden that Gu Yinghua brought to him. Even through the layers of clothing, her alluring fragrance and the softness of her body pressed against him ignited a fire within him, making it hard to stay focused.

Gu Yinghua was stunningly beautiful, and as Liu Suiyun felt the smoothness of her skin and the warmth of her breath against his neck, his desire flared up uncontrollably. But in the next moment, he steeled himself, determined to stay focused.

It was as if the softness of her curves didn't exist at all. Liu Suiyun walked forward with composure, carrying Gu Yinghua on his back. After her initial panic subsided, Gu Yinghua slowly loosened her grip. She could feel his warmth and his strength, bringing her a sense of security she had never felt before.

For Gu Yinghua, this was incredibly embarrassing. She had never been so close to a man, let alone with their necks pressed together, and his hands resting on her hips. The intimacy was overwhelming, but she didn't want to be a burden to Liu Suiyun and Huo Qianshu.

Feeling the steadiness of Liu Suiyun, she gradually calmed down, though the closeness between them made her heart sigh with an emotion she couldn't quite name.

As they moved forward, Gu Yinghua noticed the sunlight filtering through the trees ahead, which made her tense up again. She knew that once they emerged from the ravine, they would likely face the Pang family's deadly pursuit. She would soon experience an unimaginable battle on Liu Suiyun's back.

Determined, she whispered softly into Liu Suiyun's ear, "Let's break through together—my servants and I!"

Her voice, laced with a delicate fragrance, made Liu Suiyun smile and nod. Gripping his sword tightly in one hand and his knife in the other, he was about to charge forward when Huo Qianshu, who had been following closely behind, suddenly spoke, "Let me go first. It'll be more convenient that way."

He didn't specify what would be more convenient, but Gu Yinghua understood. With her on Liu Suiyun's back, his movements and ability to use Daoist techniques were severely restricted. Huo Qianshu was taking on the risk himself. "Uncle Huo, we should go first," she insisted.

Liu Suiyun added, "I can handle it better."

Huo Qianshu, already moving ahead with his meteor hammer, simply replied, "She's not just your lady; she's also mine."

His voice, usually gruff, carried an unusual tenderness as he added, "I've already given my life to Miss Gu. I can't carry her out of here, so I leave her in your hands, Young Master Liu."

Liu Suiyun could see the tears welling up in Huo Qianshu's eyes as the sunlight filtered through the trees. He could feel the deep, hidden gentleness within this hardened warrior. "I'll take good care of Miss Gu," he vowed.

As Huo Qianshu pushed aside the tall grass, a pained cry rang out from behind—it was Yu Changkong's voice. But Huo Qianshu had already steeled himself for a fight to the death. This was going to be the most important battle of his life.

The Pang family and the Tianyi Gang had sent over a thousand elite fighters to hunt them down. Just fifty yards away, a dozen skilled trackers with three hunting dogs were scouring the area. Liu Suiyun also pushed aside the tall grass and called out to Huo Qianshu, "Take them out, then break eastward towards the large tree. There's a steep path under the Bajing Tree. It's dangerous, but it's the fastest way!"

"Got it!" Huo Qianshu leaped forward with his meteor hammer, moving stealthily through the undergrowth towards the enemy. His agility was like that of a cat, and within moments, he had covered over thirty yards.

Liu Suiyun followed closely behind, still carrying Gu Yinghua. Unfortunately, as they approached, one of the hunting dogs began barking furiously, alerting the enemies.

"Damn it," Huo Qianshu cursed under his breath as he charged out of the grass, his meteor hammer moving like a comet. His first strike crushed the barking dog, turning it into a bloody pulp with a single blow.

"Attack!"

The dozen pursuers were no amateurs, sent out to operate independently. The moment Huo Qianshu killed the dog, a cold arrow flew towards him. But with a swift movement of his hammer, Huo Qianshu deflected the arrow.

Meanwhile, Liu Suiyun flicked his left hand, sending a small fireball flying towards the archer. Although his cultivation was only at the second level of Qi Refinement, the power of the Tianlei Xingzhui Sword he wielded made his strike as strong as that of a fifth-level cultivator.

The archer, preoccupied with deflecting the returned arrow, didn't notice the silent fireball speeding towards him. Before he could react, the fireball erupted into a blaze, engulfing him in flames. He barely had time to roll on the ground before he was reduced to a charred husk.

Taking advantage of Liu Suiyun's fire attack, Huo Qianshu let out a fierce battle cry and charged into the midst of the enemies. His meteor hammers moved with unstoppable force, and anyone struck by them stood no chance of surviving.

Liu Suiyun had never seen Huo Qianshu fight at full strength before, but now he realized that without having to protect Gu Yinghua, Huo Qianshu's combat prowess was unmatched. His natural strength, honed by years in the Bone Refining stage, made his attacks as powerful as a thunderstorm. Even a Yuanlong expert would hesitate to face him head-on.

"Boom!"

Another Bone Refining warrior was sent flying by Huo Qianshu's hammer, his body crashing several yards away, blood spraying from his mouth as his face turned ashen. The sight made Gu Yinghua, clinging to Liu Suiyun's back, exclaim, "Uncle Huo is amazing!"

At that moment, Liu Suiyun suddenly thrust his Tianlei Xingzhui Sword into the ground, drawing his left index finger across the blade. A drop of blood fell onto the sword, and with a sharp flick of his finger, he shouted a command.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The bodies of several warriors that had been flung by Huo Qianshu's meteor hammers suddenly burst into flames, filling the air with a scorching light. In the next moment, a bolt of lightning flashed, and the blazing bodies imploded, leaving behind nothing but a pile of ashes.

Liu Suiyun's face flushed with energy, and with another flick of his finger, Huo Qianshu's face turned crimson as well, his speed and strength increasing noticeably.

"Extreme Yuan Lightning Forge!"

"That's the Extreme Yuan Lightning Forge technique!"

Even though these pursuers were not highly trained, they recognized the formidable power of the Extreme Yuan Lightning Forge technique, which Liu Suiyun had just used to turn four of their comrades into ashes.

The Pang family had long known of this technique, especially since their patriarch, Pang Tianshou, had once formed a close bond with Yunpeng Zhenren, a renowned Jindan stage cultivator. Yunpeng Zhenren's mastery of the Extreme Yuan Lightning Forge was legendary, and the Pang family had long coveted the technique for its incredible power and speed in cultivation.

Realizing they were facing such a deadly technique, the remaining pursuers hesitated. But just as they were about to retreat, they heard a series of howls in the distance. Among them was the unmistakable roar of Pang Jiaolong, a leader of the Pang family: "I, Pang Jiaolong, am here!"

"And I, Ma Qianjun, have arrived!"

Their spirits lifted at the thought of reinforcements. Pang Jiaolong and Ma Qianjun, both Yuanlong stage masters, along with a late-stage Qi Refinement cultivator and dozens of other elite fighters, were only two miles away, rushing to join the battle.

"Fight to the death!"

The pursuers steeled themselves, ready to hold their ground. But just then, they heard shouts from the mountain ridge to their left. Thirty more fighters, accompanied by several hunting dogs, were rushing down the slope. The dogs barked furiously, and their handlers yelled, "Hold on, we're here! And we've brought a Fire Bear with us!"

The sudden arrival of these reinforcements made Liu Suiyun's heart sink. The new group not only brought thirty more fighters but also a Fire Bear, a rare and powerful beast from the hottest regions of the world. Its strength in close combat was comparable to that of a Yuanlong stage warrior.

If they got caught by this new wave of enemies, escape would be nearly impossible. Pang Jiaolong and Ma Qianjun's main force was only minutes away, not to mention Pang Tianshan, a feared Jindan stage cultivator.

At that moment, Huo Qianshu let out a thunderous roar, "Breaking Army Sun Technique!"