Step by Step Ascend to Immortality

Chapter 30: Chapter 31 Dark Thunder

As soon as the Extermination Arrows pierced the snake's scales, the white wyrm coiled around the arrows transformed into a flash of white light and burrowed deeper into the body of Xuan Shui. Instead of slowing down, the arrows surged with renewed speed, pushing the attack to an even deadlier limit.

Du Yunlong could see Xuan Shui's massive serpent body convulsing violently, the earth shaking beneath his feet. Even from this distance, the force of the creature's movements felt overwhelming. Xuan Shui thrashed its head, eyes burning with a fury that seemed ready to tear everything apart. Yet, despite the impact of the Extermination Arrows, they had only penetrated a foot into the serpent's thick hide.

Yes, the three-foot-long arrows had been stopped, not completely, but enough to keep Xuan Shui from being mortally wounded. Though blood began to seep from the puncture wounds, and its movements slowed slightly, the beast was far from defeated.

Xuan Shui's rage was now at its peak. The serpent seemed to forget its original mission to hunt Du Yunlong, instead, it turned its attention to the archers that had injured it. Snarling, it charged forward, tearing through the battlefield. Sensing the inevitable confrontation, the scouts from the Pang family called out, "Fight to the end!"

The archers, who had fired the Extermination Arrows, were now spent. Their bodies trembled from the strain, and they knew retreat would mean abandoning their comrades. These weren't just low-ranking soldiers of the Tianyi Gang but loyal members of the Pang family. Sacrificing them wasn't an option.

Moreover, the team still held on to the hope that their remaining weapons and talismans, as well as the secret trump cards of their martial artists, might turn the tide. "Fight to the end!"

The words had barely left their mouths when Xuan Shui's speed faltered. More blood oozed from the wounds left by the Extermination Arrows. The serpent let out an angry hiss, black mist coiling around its massive body. The arrows were soon ejected with a corrosive sound, but the damage had been done, and the scouts gained a newfound sense of hope.

They realized Xuan Shui, though terrifying, was not invincible. With Pang Tianshan, a powerful cultivator, and their many elite fighters on the way, victory seemed within reach. Slaying the monster would bring riches beyond imagination; every part of the serpent's body was a treasure.

With a thunderous roar, three martial artists quickly downed their precious spirit pills. Their bodies swelled with power, energy radiating from them uncontrollably. Even a short man grew by half a head. Not waiting for the full effect of the pills, they charged at Xuan Shui.

Faster than the martial artists, two enormous mastiffs lunged at the serpent. Moments earlier, the dogs had been trembling with fear, but after swallowing two blue pills, they howled with ferocious energy. Their movements became more aggressive as they dashed toward Xuan Shui.

Unlike the martial artists, however, these prized mastiffs wouldn't survive the fight, regardless of the outcome. The rear guard cultivator glanced at the dogs with an odd look, knowing they were expendable. He tossed out a talisman, which quickly transformed into a white flying dagger, aiming at the serpent.

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The battle quickly descended into chaos, blood spraying across the field!

Wang Zihan tugged at Du Yunlong's sleeve, gesturing that it was time to retreat. "We've bought ourselves some time. We should leave now before it's too late."

Du Yunlong shook his head, his voice low. "Not yet. Don't rush. Pang's reinforcements are almost here. Let's see how this plays out."

On the battlefield, casualties began to mount. Despite the relentless flurry of talismans—blades, shields, and axes raining down like a storm from the rear guard cultivator—two of the three martial artists and both mastiffs were now locked in a desperate struggle with Xuan Shui. But the serpent simply opened its mouth, spewing a clear liquid that hissed as it hit the ground, dissolving everything it touched. The closest fighters, despite having consumed the incredibly potent Crimson Dragon Essence Pills, were suffering serious wounds.

One mastiff was swallowed whole by Xuan Shui in a single, brutal bite, disappearing into its maw without a struggle. A second martial artist was smashed through the air by the serpent's tail, blood erupting from his mouth as his body collapsed, lifeless.

The rear guard cultivator was frantic, realizing how dangerous Xuan Shui truly was. Even with all their efforts, the serpent had barely been injured. Gritting his teeth, he shouted, "Take this, you beast!"

With a flash of determination, he pulled out a prized talisman—a treasure crafted with the power of a Jindan cultivator's magical artifact. The remaining martial artists let out cheers of relief. "Hurry! Use the talisman!"

However, the rear guard cultivator was struggling. Drawing on the talisman's power was no simple task. His hands trembled as he chanted incantations, his face growing paler with each word. He could barely hold the talisman, let alone unleash its full might.

Xuan Shui, battle-hardened and cunning, saw the danger. With a fake lunge, the serpent leaped toward the rear guard cultivator, aiming to crush him before the talisman could be activated. But just then, several arrows flew from the opposite direction, distracting the beast.

Though these were not Extermination Arrows, they were enough to force Xuan Shui to hesitate. At that moment, another squad of elite Pang family scouts arrived on the battlefield. "You were supposed to be hunting Wang Zihan! How did you end up fighting this monster?!"

The rear guard cultivator, still clutching the talisman, was drenched in sweat. The sight of reinforcements sent a rush of adrenaline through him. "Brothers, help me slay this beast and claim its treasures!"

Just as he finished speaking, a burst of blood sprayed from his mouth. His grip tightened around the talisman as another group of scouts saw the carnage—the two surviving martial artists were near death, and the mastiffs were no more. Realizing there was no turning back, they shouted, "Slay the serpent and claim the treasure!"

Xuan Shui, despite its strength, was beginning to feel the weight of the battle. With more than thirty elite Pang family scouts joining the fray, the monster was now facing a relentless assault. Poison arrows, spirit swords, and enchanted blades flew toward the serpent, forcing it to fight for every breath.

But even surrounded by so many opponents, Xuan Shui fought on, spewing venom, breathing fire, and covering itself with thick black mist. The fight had come at a high cost, and soon another Extermination Arrow struck the serpent, sending it into a frenzy. Blood poured from its body as it writhed in agony, crushing two more men beneath its coils.

At long last, the talisman in the hands of the lead cultivator, who had been holding the line, finally gathered enough spiritual energy. With a shout of fury, he spat out another mouthful of blood. "Demon snake, take this!"

The moment he released the earthen-colored talisman, it transformed into a sacred item—a tattered monk's robe from the Buddhist sect. This was an exceptionally rare Buddhist artifact. As soon as the robe touched the wind, it expanded rapidly, growing larger and larger, until it hung ominously over Xuan Shui. The cultivator's face lit up with joy as he flicked his left hand, causing the enormous robe to fall upon the serpent.

The robe clung tightly to Xuan Shui the moment it touched the serpent's body. Immediately, a series of green flashes erupted from the demon snake, which let out furious hisses, its gigantic body writhing uncontrollably. Despite Xuan Shui's violent thrashing, the robe, now riddled with countless holes, remained wrapped around the serpent.

Xuan Shui's previously massive and imposing form was now contorted, the robe distorting its shape. Most notably, the serpent's waist appeared dangerously close to being crushed under the garment's pressure.

"Excellent!"

The warriors and cultivators of the Pang family couldn't help but voice their admiration. The power of this talisman was indeed extraordinary, capable of trapping a demon as mighty as Xuan Shui. Now, with the serpent restrained, they could carve it open and claim the treasures within. They would all reap immeasurable rewards.

But just as the crowd felt victory within their grasp, Xuan Shui's massive jaws opened wide. With a swift twist of its head, the serpent coiled its entire body into a tight ball. A moment later, a burst of eerie, green demonic flames shot forth, engulfing both its own body and the earthen-colored robe wrapped around it.

The demonic fire, mixed with venom, hit the robe like molten lava striking snow. The once mighty garment quickly disintegrated into thin, fragile sheets of greenish paper, crumbling even further as Xuan Shui thrashed violently. With a powerful flick of its body, the serpent shed the remnants of the robe, its eyes gleaming with cold, venomous rage. The beast was determined to obliterate the insects that dared oppose it.

However, just as Xuan Shui hit the ground, a thunderous explosion resounded across the battlefield. The area where the serpent's belly had been scorched black was now a grotesque, charred mess. The blast had left a vivid red burn mark, and countless pieces of what had once been impenetrable scales were blown to bits.

"That was an incredible lightning strike!"

Someone in the crowd couldn't help but exclaim. The technique was executed with such precision and power that it left everyone in awe. The lightning had struck silently, without a trace, catching Xuan Shui completely off guard. The timing was impeccable, hitting the demon at the exact moment when its old strength had been exhausted, and its new strength had yet to emerge. The strike sent the serpent writhing in agony, its massive body rolling uncontrollably across the ground. Several Pang family warriors standing too close were instantly crushed to death beneath the serpent's thrashing form.

Yet no one knew who had unleashed this extraordinary lightning strike. Among the gathered Pang family cultivators, there were certainly experts present, but none with the finesse to cast such an elusive and devastating technique.

As the crowd pondered the mystery, the area where Xuan Shui had been struck began to glow with a brilliant white light. A torrent of snake blood erupted like a geyser, spraying dozens of meters into the air. The sight of it drove some onlookers wild with greed.

"Charge! Slay the serpent and claim the treasures! Kill it and take its bounty!"