Chapter 110: Third Layer Hunyuan Gong, Vastly Strengthened, Confronting the Blood Severance Sect

Chapter 110: Third Layer Hunyuan Gong, Vastly Strengthened, Confronting the Blood Severance Sect

Heyuan and his son He Chong did not immediately accept Su Chen’s offer but neither did they drive him away. Instead, they left him waiting in the sect’s Grand Hall while they retreated to the Courtyard of Shadows for discussion.

“He Chong, I actually believe this ‘Lu Xiaofeng’ can be trusted. At this point, the Blood Severance Sect has no reason to send someone to deceive us. They could finish us with brute force instead of wasting time on tricks,” Heyuan’s son argued, his voice firm.

Heyuan nodded slowly. He understood the Blood Severance Sect’s arrogance well—they wouldn’t bother with subterfuge when overwhelming force sufficed. Still, his face darkened as he replied, “Trustworthy or not, his demands are outrageous! Nine-tenths of our wealth and the Hunyuan Gong, our sect’s foundational technique? This is no negotiation—it’s robbery!”

His fists clenched at the memory. Su Chen’s audacity had nearly made him explode with rage earlier.

He Chong sighed, his gaze steady. “Father, money can be earned again. The Hunyuan Gong has been useless to us for generations. If surrendering it ensures our survival, we can rebuild. This is our only chance.”

After a long silence, Heyuan finally relented. “Very well. But before I agree, I must test his strength myself.”

Back in the Grand Hall, Su Chen had overheard their murmurs and turned as they entered.

“We accept your terms,” Heyuan announced, “but how will you prove you can fend off the Blood Severance Sect?”

Su Chen tilted his head. “What demonstration would satisfy you?”

“A duel.”

Heyuan lunged, his steps like a tiger’s, claws raking toward Su Chen’s shoulder. The latter sidestepped effortlessly, raised his arm to deflect, then countered with a palm strike that sent Heyuan stumbling backward onto a chair.

“Father!” He Chong exclaimed, steadying the tipping chair.

Heyuan waved him off, coughed lightly, and stood. “Your skill is impressive. I concede.”

A single exchange had convinced him—Su Chen’s power dwarfed his own. The Blood Severance Sect wouldn’t hire such a formidable cultivator for espionage.

Su Chen merely nodded. “You’re too kind.”

Turning to He Chong, Heyuan added, “Entertain our guest while I prepare.”

As Heyuan departed, He Chong studied Su Chen. “Your accent… you’re not from Feng City, are you?”

Su Chen nodded.

“And you know nothing of the Blood Severance Sect’s strength?”

Another nod.

He Chong’s voice hardened. “Their grandmaster is a Visceral Reformation expert. Can you defeat him?”

Su Chen remained silent.

The room tensed. “If we refuse your terms,” He Chong pressed, “will you attack us?”

“No,” Su Chen finally replied. “But I’ll let the Blood Severance Sect destroy you first, then take what I want from them.”

He Chong’s eyes narrowed, then widened with sudden understanding. A bitter smile crossed his face.

When Heyuan returned, he carried a wooden box. “Inside are the Hunyuan Gong manual, twenty thousand silver notes, and twenty Vital Energy Pills. The rest will follow once we’re safe.”

Su Chen accepted the box. The Hunyuan Sect’s decline was stark—their famed wealth reduced to this. Yet for him, the manual was the true prize.

In his room, he unfurled the manual. The first pages left him breathless.

The Hunyuan Gong surpassed even the Hua Jing Gong in potential. Each layer cultivated a “Primordial Thread,” allowing fusion of multiple Vital Forces. One thread could merge two, two threads could bind three, and so on. The only drawback was exponential difficulty with each layer—but for Su Chen, Progress Panel in hand, this was no obstacle.

“This technique… it’s perfect for me,” he realized, exhilaration flooding his veins. “Cultivation starts now.”

“Easy Mode: Spend one hundred silver notes to master the first layer with one hundred breaths.”

Five minutes later, Hunyuan Gong’s first layer coursed through him. No time was wasted—within half an hour, he’d reached the second layer, two Primordial Threads weaving through his body.

With a thought, the threads latched onto his Iron Shirt Vital Forces, fusing three streams into one. The result was staggering—a seamless, amplified force that revitalized his lungs and strengthened his core.

“This is only the beginning,” he mused, already planning his next steps. “Time to advance further.”

“After receiving twenty Vital Energy Pills from Heyuan and combining them with my own eighteen, I now have a total of thirty-eight. Having used ten, I still have twenty-eight left to continue refining my Hunyuan Gong with the Kryptonite Elixir. In that case, let’s begin!”

Originally, the Vital Energy Pills would have been sufficient to advance Iron Shirt to the next level, but with only twenty-eight remaining, they were now insufficient for that path. Su Chen decided to invest them entirely into strengthening his Hunyuan Gong instead.

“Recharge. Activate Easy Mode!” Su Chen murmured inwardly.

A warm voice from the Progress Panel responded: [Easy Mode Activated: After four hundred breaths, Hunyuan Gong will reach the Third Layer.]

Forty-five minutes later, the third Hunyuan Qi current emerged. Su Chen forcefully guided the larger and smaller Qi currents together, fusing them into one.

From this point, only two Qi currents remained within him. However, the larger one now rivaled the combined strength of the original five, even slightly surpassing it.

The final Qi current originated from his Spirit Head Technique, but Su Chen decided to wait until later to attempt its fusion.

Over the following hours, Su Chen remained in his room, testing the fused Qi’s power while adapting to its new presence.

After thorough testing, Su Chen discovered that unlike the previous five separate currents, the fused Qi could thoroughly refine his internal organs without causing any discomfort.

Clearly, Hunyuan Gong’s fusion effect was flawless—the four Qi currents had merged into one.

This allowed Su Chen to fully channel the fused Qi to refine his organs, boosting efficiency far beyond his previous capabilities!

Previously, due to Qi conflicts, his organ-refining speed lagged behind that of martial cultivators who specialized in a single technique.

Now, at equal Qi quantities, his reserves far exceeded those of his peers.

While others exhausted their Qi after refining their organs once, Su Chen could perform three to four refinements per Qi unit, tripling or quadrupling his efficiency!

However, there was a drawback—the fused Qi’s speed had slowed slightly, as if thickened by its potency.

Thankfully, the enhanced circulation from Xuan Yuan Qu offset this sluggishness, restoring the Qi’s flow to speeds comparable to before his Xuan Yuan Qu cultivation.

Testing, adapting, resting, and repeating this cycle continued until sunset, when He Chong finally sent someone to summon Su Chen for dinner.

After the meal, Heyuan dismissed his household’s sole servant. The three sat in the Grand Hall, waiting for nightfall.

When darkness arrived, Heyuan rose slowly, fixing his gaze on Su Chen and He Chong. “It’s time to leave,” he said calmly.

He Chong nodded, slung his pack, and followed Heyuan out. Both traveled lightly, carrying no unnecessary burdens.

Stepping outside, they found a carriage already waiting. Su Chen and He Chong boarded while Heyuan took the reins, driving them steadily toward the city gate.

Su Chen closed his eyes, sensing unseen observers but maintaining his composed expression. He Chong looked anxious, but Su Chen’s calm demeanor eased his nerves.

An incense stick’s time later, the carriage rolled past the gate.

“Yah!”

Heyuan sharply urged the horses forward, aiming to shake off any pursuers.

“Watch out!”

Suddenly, Su Chen’s eyes snapped open. Hearing a deadly gust of wind, he shouted a warning to He Chong.

Before He Chong could react, Su Chen kicked him aside and shielded his body.

Boom!

A Deathblow Arrow, swift as lightning, tore through the carriage window. At the last moment, Su Chen shot out his hand, seizing the arrow mid-flight.

Whirrr!

The arrow vibrated violently, struggling against Su Chen’s grip until he tightened his grasp, snapping it cleanly.

“Whoa!”

Heyuan’s sharp cry from the driver’s seat followed: “Get out—now!”

Su Chen immediately complied, grabbing He Chong and springing through the window with a powerful kick.

“Father!”

After landing safely, He Chong spotted Heyuan, who had stumbled roughly, and rushed toward him.

“Again?”

Su Chen’s eyes flicked toward another incoming arrow. Snatching a roadside branch, he channeled his Qi into it and flung it.

Crack!

The arrow and branch collided midair, shattering into fragments that scattered at Heyuan and He Chong’s feet.

The two stared, hearts pounding. Without Su Chen’s intervention, Heyuan would surely have died.

“Hiding in shadows? What cowardice! Show yourself!”

Su Chen barked, his gaze piercing the shadows. He positioned his body like a bow, his hand like a string, launching the branch as an arrow. The Deathblow Arrow streaked forward like a beam of light.

Boom!

Even from over a hundred meters away, the strike sent shockwaves rippling through the trees, shaking leaves loose in a cascading flurry.

“A remarkable display!”

A figure in crimson robes emerged, his expression shifting to surprise as he studied Su Chen. “No wonder the Hunyuan Sect dared to flee—hiring a master like you explains everything.”

The man approached slowly with a bow, the large saber at his waist hinting at his dual role as archer and swordsman.

“Beware—this is the Blood Severance Sect’s deputy master!” Heyuan warned, though his expression remained composed.

Though their cultivation realms were comparable—both at Visceral Reformation Minor Mastery—the deputy master held the advantage. Still, against Su Chen’s strength, escape seemed plausible with caution.

“Sir, why risk conflict with our sect for the Hunyuan Sect? Whatever Heyuan offered, the Blood Severance Sect will double it!” the deputy master proposed smoothly.

Heyuan and He Chong exchanged uneasy glances, turning to Su Chen.

Su Chen paused thoughtfully, as if considering the offer. The two tensed anxiously.

“Give me fifty Vital Energy Pills first, and I’ll think about it,” Su Chen replied gravely.

The deputy master’s eyes narrowed, then he chuckled. “Why insist on dying for the Hunyuan Sect? A shame…”

His tone hardened. “Then I’ll kill you alongside them.”

At his signal, crimson-clad figures surged from the underbrush, surrounding Su Chen and the others.

“Mr. Lu, leave these men to us!” Heyuan said sharply, his eyes flashing.

Su Chen nodded silently, locking eyes with the deputy master.

“Kill!”

With a single word, the group lunged at Heyuan and He Chong. Meanwhile, Su Chen stood ignored, as if the sect members deliberately avoided him.

In an instant, the deputy master exploded into motion, saber drawn in a deadly arc.

“Blood Shadow Triple Slash!”

He whispered the technique’s name, smirking as his blade cut off all of Su Chen’s escape routes.

Su Chen remained unfazed, raising his palm to meet the saber. The collision rang like metal striking metal.

“Huh?”

The deputy master blinked in surprise. He hadn’t expected Su Chen’s bare hand to withstand his sharpened blade.

But his shock lasted only a moment. His opponent’s palm might be unyielding, but his other limbs likely were not.

Suddenly, the deputy master unleashed a storm of slashes, enveloping Su Chen in a whirlwind of blades.

Su Chen’s expression remained serene. Amidst the flurry, he pinpointed the true blade’s trajectory and struck—a thunderous slash descending with mountain-splitting force!

“What?!”

The deputy master’s shout echoed as Su Chen’s strike pierced his defenses. The saber’s glow cleaved through his vision, followed by a sickening crunch of shattered bones and a flying head.

“Deputy Master!”

The sect disciples attacking Heyuan froze at the sight of their decapitated leader, their cries rising in panic.

“Kill him! Avenge the Deputy Master!”

Rage overtook fear. At one disciple’s roar, the remaining Blood Severance members charged Su Chen recklessly.

“Yah!”

Seeing the danger, Heyuan vaulted onto the horse with He Chong, calling out, “Mr. Lu, we’ll wait ahead!”

Su Chen’s eyes narrowed, watching the retreating figures with a flicker of indecipherable emotion.

“Kill!”

The disciples’ attack descended as Su Chen’s Steel Saber swung—a merciless reaper. In under a quarter-hour, most lay dead.

The remaining disciples, witnessing their comrades’ slaughter, lost their nerve.

“Run!”

At one cry, the survivors scattered like leaves.

But Su Chen had no intention of letting them escape. Within moments, he cut down the last of them.

The battlefield now littered with crimson, Su Chen stood amidst the carnage, his waist pouch noticeably heavier.

“Yah!”

Hoofbeats thundered through the narrow forest path as Heyuan urged his horse forward, glancing back anxiously. Relief mingled with lingering fear—their escape seemed possible thanks to Su Chen’s power.

Never had he imagined Su Chen would be so formidable, effortlessly slaying the deputy master.

Just as he’d assumed death imminent, survival now felt within reach.

“Father, no! Wrong way!” He Chong’s urgent shout pierced the air as he gestured wildly.

But Heyuan ignored him, driving the horse faster.

He Chong’s eyes widened—the route was wrong. This wasn’t the agreed path with Su Chen.

Realizing his father’s intent to abandon their pact, He Chong’s heart sank.

“Father, stop!” He Chong lunged for the reins.

“Halt!” Heyuan yanked the reins back, the horse snorting as it slowed.

His face darkened with anger. “What are you doing?”

“We can’t leave him behind!” He Chong countered.

“You understand nothing!” Heyuan snapped, assuming another trivial concern.

“Now isn’t the time to worry about Lu Xiaofeng! Survival comes first—everything else can wait!”

He reached for the reins again, but He Chong blocked him.

“I may not understand much,” He Chong said, shaking his head. “But I know Lu saved us by fighting the Blood Severance Sect. If we betray him, we’re no better than those beasts!”

Heyuan froze, staring into his son’s eyes. For a moment, he saw the reflection of his younger self—the same idealism.

He Chong continued, “We agreed on a path. We must honor that path and reunite with Lu.”

If we leave now, even if we survive this time, my conscience will haunt me for life.

Don’t you remember? Both you and Mother taught me never to betray trust. A person might live without wealth or power, but they must never abandon their conscience. Once lost, it can never be reclaimed.”

He fixed Heyuan with a determined gaze and said earnestly, “Father, let’s go back. With Master Lu here, I believe we’ll survive.”

After He Chong’s words struck like a thunderclap, Heyuan’s expression softened. He sighed, “You’re right. I acted rashly out of desperation. It’s just a few silver coins—hardly worth staining our consciences. Let’s return.”

“Yes!” He Chong nodded firmly, his tense face finally softening into a faint smile.

Clap. Clap. Clap.

As the two turned to retrace their steps toward Su Chen, crisp applause shattered the forest’s silence. A voice slithered through the air, “What a touching display of virtue. It almost makes me hesitate to kill you both.”

“Who’s there?” Heyuan stiffened, scanning the shadows warily.

He couldn’t pinpoint the speaker’s location, deepening his unease.

“No need to look. I’m here.”

The voice faded, and a crimson-robed figure emerged from the darkness—graceful yet deliberate, as if savoring the moment. His long, snow-white hair framed a youthful face, his posture exuding the quiet authority of a man accustomed to dominance.

“Blood Severance Sect Grandmaster!” Heyuan spat out the name, his voice trembling with dread.

The Grandmaster gave a curt nod, lips curling into a smirk. “Hmph. I’ve long heard the Hunyuan Sect’s leader is mediocre, but you’ve proven otherwise. Few could recognize me at a glance. You’re clearly no ordinary opponent.”

Heyuan’s voice turned bitter. “To deal with the Hunyuan Sect, even you’ve come in person? What honor do I owe this?”

Despair crept into his tone. Just as hope seemed within reach, catastrophe struck—a storm darker than night, thunder splitting the sky like the end of the world.

Against the Blood Severance Sect’s Deputy Master, he’d had a glimmer of survival. But facing the Grandmaster, the odds were no better than dashing a stone against an oncoming tide.

“Chong, when I distract him, flee!” Heyuan hissed, resolve hardening his voice.

He Chong understood instantly. “Father, I—”

“Silence! Do as I say!”

With a sharp command, Heyuan planted his foot in the stirrup, vaulted into the air, and lunged at the Grandmaster.

The Grandmaster’s lips twisted into a sneer. “Foolish to the end.”

“Go!” Heyuan roared, desperation in his voice.

“Yah!” He Chong yanked the reins, gritting his teeth until his jaw ached. He buried his grief and rage, dug his heels into the horse’s flanks, and the beast bolted.

“You’ll escape only with my leave.”

The Grandmaster’s face darkened. His hand blurred—a steel arc flashing from its sheath like lightning.

“Danger!”

Heyuan felt the icy edge of death slice through him mid-air. His body seized, instincts forcing him to twist sideways. The attack grazed past, and he landed hard, barely evading.

Before his feet touched ground, a shadow flashed—a streak moving faster than thought. The horse screamed as the blade pierced its back, collapsing into panicked chaos.

He Chong jolted in the saddle, struggling to control the frenzied beast. But the horse bucked wildly, throwing him to the ground.

Thud!

The stallion thrashed, blood spilling from its wound, drenching the earth. With a final, shuddering breath, it collapsed, life ebbing away.

“Damn it!” Heyuan cursed, heart sinking. Without the horse, He Chong stood no chance.

“You dare divide your attention now?”

A voice like a winter wind froze Heyuan’s blood. He spun to face a blade cleaving the air—a stroke that split heaven and earth.

He would die.

Then—

A flash of light.

A second blade streaked from the shadows, aimed at the Grandmaster.

Clang!

The Grandmaster’s blade slammed into the incoming strike. Sparks flew as steel screamed against steel.

Staggering back, the Grandmaster’s grip trembled. His sword, now dulled by the clash, clattered to the ground.

The Grandmaster’s face darkened as the blade he’d wielded so effortlessly now cracked—a fissure spreading like a spiderweb. With a final, resounding crack, it shattered into pieces.

“Who dares?!”

His gaze snapped to Su Chen, who stood silently watching.

Heyuan turned, shock giving way to stunned relief.

Su Chen advanced, step by measured step. The Grandmaster’s eyes narrowed, then his face contorted with fury.

“I asked you a question!”

He stamped the ground, sending the discarded steel blade hurtling toward Su Chen. In an instant, he closed the distance, a whirlwind of slashes sealing all escape.

Su Chen dodged, but the Grandmaster’s strikes grew fiercer—each aimed to kill.

“Dodge this! Dodge that! How long can you keep it up?!”

The Grandmaster’s laughter rang hollow. He saw Su Chen falter and pressed his advantage, blade weaving a net of steel. The air howled in protest.

“Draw Cut Art!”

Trapped, Su Chen’s sleeve snapped outward. A blade erupted from his arm—flashing in the Grandmaster’s eyes.

For a heartbeat, the Grandmaster faltered. Then he leapt back, evading the strike.

But Su Chen’s blade grazed him—a crimson bloom staining his robe.

The Grandmaster’s hand flew to his wound, his face twisting with humiliation. “Clever tricks… but not clever enough.”

His fury erupted like a storm. Blade arcs surged, crashing like waves.

Su Chen met him head-on. Steel clashed, light danced, and the ground quaked. Trees shuddered, leaves swirled, and the air itself seemed to fracture.

Heyuan could no longer track their movements—only the thunderous impacts of their blows.

The Grandmaster’s Crescent Blade Art dominated, but Su Chen’s Vital Force surged wilder, stronger.

They fought as equals—blade against blade, will against will.

The Grandmaster grew wary. Su Chen wielded his Vital Force recklessly, as if death meant nothing. If not for his own mastery, he’d have been overwhelmed already.

Then—his Vital Force faltered. Just a flicker, but enough for dread to claw at him.

“Poison!”

The Grandmaster recoiled, glaring at the blade. “You dare—”

“Your poison formulas are weak,” Su Chen sneered. “They don’t work on me.”

Fury boiled over, but Su Chen’s next strike left no room for retort.

The Grandmaster staggered, then broke away, retreating.

“You won’t escape!” Su Chen lunged, intercepting him.

“Madman!”

The Grandmaster spat the word. Dodging another slash, he felt his strength wane—his body drained.

Then, a final, decisive strike.

The Grandmaster fell, blood gushing from his neck.

Su Chen sheathed his blade slowly, then turned to Heyuan—a cold, piercing gaze that made him shiver involuntarily.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end