Step by Step Ascend to Immortality

Chapter 8: Bone Refining

The entire mountain was shrouded in a tense atmosphere, the air thick with the scent of impending death. All fighting came to a halt as everyone focused intently on the fierce battle unfolding before them, not wanting to miss a single detail.

Despite being confident in his ten years of experience, Pang Qingbai was cautious. His five years of training in the "Tiger Taming" stage had honed his skills, but he took nothing for granted. He knew that if it weren't for the upheaval in the Pang family, this fight might not have fallen to him.

With a sword in hand, he advanced toward Liu Suiyun with a deadly focus, signaling to his allies behind him. Seeing this, Huo Qianshu cursed, "Shameless!"

But Huo's curse couldn't stop the Pang family's actions. A white-robed cultivator nodded solemnly, gritted his teeth, and summoned a talisman, chanting, "Violet Mist dances in the sky, Divine Wind sweeps the ridge..."

Though this cultivator was only at the early stages of Qi Refinement, the talisman he invoked was extraordinary. As he chanted, a red glow began to envelop Pang Qingbai, growing more intense by the second. Although the exact nature of the spell was unclear, it was evident that it provided significant protection. Pang Qingbai, already a formidable opponent just shy of the Bone Refinement stage, now had the protection of this talisman. Even against a seasoned Bone Refinement fighter, he would stand a decent chance, let alone facing Liu Suiyun, who was still nursing old injuries.

Seeing Pang Qingbai's measured approach, Pang Qingsong couldn't help but smile. It seemed their side was poised for victory.

But just as Pang Qingsong was about to witness Pang Qingbai's easy dispatch of Liu Suiyun, his expression suddenly changed. He shouted, "Qinghui!"

The cultivator named Pang Qinghui was in the midst of chanting the incantation to activate the talisman, "The earth shall be pure and free..." When Pang Qingsong's shout interrupted him, his concentration wavered. Too late, he noticed that Liu Suiyun had kicked the corpse of Ji Liexiong, sending the spear that Ji had tightly gripped flying into his own hands.

With a mighty roar, Liu Suiyun hurled the spear with all his strength. The weapon flew like an arrow straight at Pang Qinghui. Caught off guard, Pang Qinghui tried to dodge, but the spear pierced through his abdomen with a sharp whistling sound, blood spraying a full meter from the wound. The talisman fell uselessly to the ground.

Liu Suiyun's throw was flawless, as though guided by the heavens. Not only was Pang Qinghui unable to react, but the dozens of experts from both Tianyi Gang and the Pang family were equally stunned. Before anyone could comprehend what had happened, the spear had already pierced through Pang Qinghui's body.

As an early-stage Qi Refinement cultivator, Pang Qinghui was already physically frail, his constitution barely stronger than that of a mortal. Being struck by a spear was usually fatal. Liu Suiyun's attack, honed by years of experience and immense force, was even more deadly. Pang Qinghui, who was already pushing the limits of his abilities by using the talisman, faced severe backlash from the failed incantation. The spear that entered his body tore his meridians apart. Even a Foundation Establishment cultivator couldn't have saved him.

The scream from Pang Qinghui filled Pang Qingbai with horror. He and Pang Qinghui had been partners for years, their synergy impeccable, defeating countless enemies together. Now, his trusted ally lay dying, killed by his own protective spell gone awry. Fury boiled within him. "Liu, you dog!"

But before he could finish his curse, Liu Suiyun was upon him like a storm, his blade flashing with deadly intent. "Die!" Liu roared.

Pang Qingbai, still reeling from the shock, was unprepared for Liu Suiyun's speed. He tried to counter with his sword, aiming to show Liu Suiyun who was in control. But as soon as he made his move, he felt a sharp pain in his hand—the spell Pang Qinghui had tried to cast had backfired on him, slowing his movements.

Had he faced a lesser opponent, he might have had a chance to recover. But Liu Suiyun gave him no such opportunity. With a swift and brutal strike, Liu Suiyun's blade found Pang Qingbai's neck, severing his head in a single, clean motion. Covered in blood, Liu Suiyun stood tall, his voice echoing through the mountain, "Pang family dogs! Who dares to challenge me?"

Despite his handsome features, Liu Suiyun looked terrifying, drenched in the blood of his enemies. He had already killed the two "Flying Sword" experts, defeated Ji Liexiong, and now eliminated both a near-Bone Refinement stage fighter and a Qi Refinement cultivator.

The experts from Tianyi Gang and the Pang family stared at him in shock and fear. In their eyes, Liu Suiyun was no longer a mere human but a demon, a god of war. Though they outnumbered him dozens to one, not a single person dared to answer his challenge.

Huo Qianshu, spinning his meteor hammer, couldn't help but admire Liu Suiyun's prowess. He never expected Liu to be so powerful, dispatching five experts in the blink of an eye. Even as a Bone Refinement cultivator, Huo knew he couldn't match Liu's efficiency. How could someone still in the Tiger Taming stage possess such skill?

Gu Yinghua, too, was captivated by the spectacle. In terms of raw power, neither her master nor her fellow disciples could compare to the top experts of their time. Liu Suiyun's martial arts were insignificant to her. But what impressed her was how Liu turned the battle into an art form, each strike perfectly calculated and executed. His mastery of timing and strength was unparalleled, and he had the entire fight under his control from the very beginning.

She noticed something else too—Liu Suiyun's heavy breathing wasn't just a result of his taunting challenges to the Pang family. His old injuries were flaring up, and he was using the time to catch his breath. This man was a genius of combat!

For someone of Gu Yinghua's caliber to make such an assessment, it was a rare compliment.

The group of young people who had followed Liu Suiyun out of Linjia Village were stunned. They had known Liu was strong, that he had seen much of the world, and that he had the potential to reach the Bone Refinement stage. But none of them had expected him to be this powerful, so strong that they had to rub their eyes to believe what they were seeing.

As for the members of the Tianyi Gang, they were filled with regret. If they had known their enemy was this formidable, they would never have sided with the Pang family in this fight. The Pang family's experts were equally shocked. Liu Suiyun was no wounded tiger—he was a true predator, a thousand-year-old demon tiger!

Pang Qingbai was filled with regret. The loss of two experts was a blow. One, a near-Bone Refinement stage fighter, could be replaced, but the death of a Qi Refinement cultivator like Pang Qinghui was a disaster the Pang family could hardly bear. A few years ago, it wouldn't have been as dire, with the family boasting two Foundation Establishment cultivators and over thirty Qi Refinement experts. At that time, the family had debated whether a Golden Core cultivator would emerge first or if they would produce three Foundation Establishment cultivators simultaneously. Either scenario would have elevated the Pang family to a true cultivation clan.

But since the upheaval, they had lost one Foundation Establishment cultivator and more than a third of their Qi Refinement experts. Those who perished were the most promising among them, making every remaining cultivator invaluable to the Pang family.

Pang Qingbai had only one thought: "How will I explain this to the family head and the elders?"

Once again, Liu Suiyun issued his challenge to the Pang family, "Pang family dogs! Who dares to face me?"

"I will!" Pang Qingsong roared, "Liu Suiyun, I'll make you beg for death! I'll destroy you and your entire family!"

He was furious now, determined to show Liu Suiyun what the Bone Refinement stage was capable of.

Seeing Pang Qingsong charge at Liu Suiyun, Gu Yinghua grew concerned for Liu's safety and quickly whispered to Huo Qianshu, "Uncle Huo!"

She couldn't bear to see Liu Suiyun get hurt. After all, the Pang family had two Bone Refinement experts with them, leading a force of dozens. Pang Qingsong was only the strongest among them.

Given Liu Suiyun's current condition, if he were to face the combined forces of the Pang family and Tianyi Gang, even with his exceptional skills, he would likely meet his end, especially with his old injuries still affecting him.

Gu Yinghua had another reason for her concern. If Liu Suiyun suffered greatly at the hands of Pang Qingsong, she wanted Huo Qianshu to intervene, even if it meant breaking the unspoken rules of the martial world, to ensure Liu Suiyun's safety—she cared deeply for this friend and couldn't stand the thought of him being harmed.

But now, Pang Qingsong was already upon Liu Suiyun, his sword spinning in a deadly dance, creating seventeen brilliant sword flowers. "Liu