Ten Years of Fortune, Half-step Transcendence

Is this what it feels like to have bad luck?

Lu Dayou had been brimming with confidence the moment he broke through. He dared to discuss national law with the Death-Seeking Taoist only because he was just one realm behind. But as it turned out, a single exchange sent him flying.

Midair, he spotted Hanyu crouching on the wall. Shame burning, he covered his face and crashed into a civilian house.

"That old vagrant is terrifyingly strong!"

Hanyu saw it clearly—the Death-Seeking Taoist had merely waved his hand to send the man flying.

"What a perfect chance! In a situation like this, Young Master Xiao will definitely want pills." Little Glazed said slyly.

Hanyu rolled his eyes. "Are you sure I can walk in there alive to do business?"

"Just tell me—do you want his Fire Element Supernatural Power or not?" Little Glazed said in a childish voice.

Hanyu gritted his teeth. "Fine, I'll think of something."

In the inner courtyard, the Death-Seeking Taoist stepped through the air and came before Xiao Shui, his expression indifferent. The Xiao Clan members were silent as cicadas in winter, only Xiao Shui forcing himself to stand firm. His face was pale, his frame swaying, but his eyes held stubborn resolve. "Bullying the weak with strength—you're no true master."

"Since ancient times, the strong have preyed on the weak."

As the Death-Seeking Taoist spoke, he reached out and lifted Xiao Shui into the air with an invisible grip. A suffocating pressure surged like a tide. Xiao Shui's face turned red, his limbs flailing uselessly, gradually growing weak.

Hanyu's heart raced with anxiety. Just then, Lu Dayou crawled out from a pile of rubble, the sky-blue brocade robe stained red across half his chest. He let out a bitter laugh where he stood, then soared into the air again, flying toward the inner courtyard.

"Senior, it's time to stop!"

With a sharp shout, Lu Dayou landed beside Xiao Shui and punched into the air. The invisible hand restraining Xiao Shui dissolved instantly. Crashing to the ground, Xiao Shui gasped for air desperately. After brushing against death, the look in his eyes as he stared at the Death-Seeking Taoist could have devoured him alive.

"For the sake of your sect, I spare your life. Withdraw."

The Death-Seeking Taoist frowned at Lu Dayou's reappearance.

Lu Dayou sighed and shook his head. "This Humble One is not only a cultivator but also a Prefect. Truly, I cannot retreat."

The Death-Seeking Taoist's face turned cold. He would show no more mercy. Taking a step forward, an Autumn Water Sword appeared in his hand. Lu Dayou dared not be careless; he drew his blade and stepped back. The old Daoist simply slashed downward, and a vast Sword Qi swept forth. Judging by its ferocious momentum, even the residual waves could collapse half the estate. Gritting his teeth, Lu Dayou first kicked Xiao Shui away.

The long blade hummed, emitting a buzzing sound. The next moment, Lu Dayou clenched his jaw and swung his sword. "Dragon Returns Head."

A blade aura transformed into an Azure Dragon that soared into the sky, then charged forward without hesitation. The air filled with sword and blade energy as the Azure Dragon tangled with the Sword Qi, both being consumed bit by bit. In just a few breaths, with a mournful roar, the Azure Dragon was utterly dismantled.

With the dragon gone, the Sword Qi fully engulfed Lu Dayou, forming a tornado that tore through the battlefield. Under its immense force, blue bricks were ripped up and ground to dust, eaves collapsed around them...

Hanyu stealthily grabbed Xiao Shui, who had been kicked into a corner, and dragged him out of the battle zone without looking back.

"It's you!"

Seeing Hanyu, a desperate hope rose in Xiao Shui's heart. "Do you have any more pills? As long as I can take revenge, I don't care about any side effects."

Before Hanyu could speak, Xiao Shui grabbed him frantically and pulled himself up.

"I told you the Child of Destiny would need pills." Little Glazed said smugly.

"Are you sure you don't care about any side effects?"

Hanyu asked repeatedly, because even he was afraid of the pill Little Glazed had this time.

Ten Year Hexi Pill: Taking this pill grants ten years of cultivation results. Side effect: consumes ten years of luck.

"Are you sure Young Master Xiao can survive losing ten years of luck? Add the previous three, and that's thirty-nine years of bad luck."

That was nearly half a lifetime.

Little Glazed said in a childish voice, "Young Master Xiao and others favored by luck are called People of Destiny. They're the least afraid of luck backlash. At worst, they'll have bad luck—they won't die."

"So this pill takes all his remaining luck in one go?"

Hanyu's expression was strange. Judging by how Little Glazed had been sharpening her knife all along, this wasn't just cutting leeks—she was pulling up the roots.

"The Glazed Bottle's rule is that nothing can be taken for free. Every pill is born under fair conditions. I'm not taking—I'm trading." The childish voice retorted with displeasure.

Hanyu turned back to Xiao Shui and asked again, "It costs ten years of luck for ten years of future cultivation. Do you still want to take it?"

Xiao Shui extended his hand calmly. "I'll take it!"

As the pill slid down his throat, a heart-shaking ripple pulsed outward from him.

"What realm is he in now?"

Sensing an aura even more terrifying than the Death-Seeking Taoist's, Hanyu couldn't help but ask Little Glazed.

"Half-step Transcendence."

When Xiao Shui opened his eyes again, his entire demeanor had turned bitingly cold. He nodded toward Hanyu, then vanished in an instant, leaving no trace of movement whatsoever.

Inside the inner courtyard, after the gale had subsided, Lu Dayou's robes were torn to shreds, his body as though it had been steeped in blood.

The gap of a single realm was truly this vast, this insurmountable.

The old Daoist's expression remained indifferent as he casually swung another sword strike.

This time, Lu Dayou had no strength left to block!

"Enough!"

With a soft shout, Xiao Shui appeared gracefully. He faced the oncoming Sword Qi and threw a punch.

The fist wind surged forth like ocean waves, and the moment it met the Sword Qi, it shattered it completely.

"Impossible."

The old Daoist, who had remained unruffled throughout, finally changed color.

How could anyone's cultivation shift so drastically in such a short time?

Xiao Shui looked at the old Daoist, a cold smile curling on his face.

A tearing sound split the air as a massive fist suddenly appeared before Death-Seeking Taoist.

In the old Daoist's eyes, the fist grew larger and larger. His face filled with terror as he tried to dodge, but his entire body stiffened, as if nailed to the spot.

"Wh—what's happening?"

Panic seized the old Daoist. The next moment, the fist slammed into him. A wretched scream—"Ah!"—rang out as he was sent flying into the sky like a sandbag.

Xiao Shui stood to one side, his gaze cold and sharp. A scorching heat continuously rose from his body.

Drink!

Four Fire Dragons instantly erupted from him and coiled upward into the sky.

The old Daoist's face was a mask of horror. He barely managed to steady himself midair, then let out a desperate roar: "Immovable Body of the Bright King!"

His hands formed seals rapidly as True Essence drained away. A mysterious aura flowed through his body.

The Fire Dragons arrived in the blink of an eye, encircling him and tearing at him relentlessly. He held out for only a moment before the Immovable Body shattered, blood spilling from his mouth.

Flames seared him without mercy. Screams of agony rang out, and after a short while, a charred, blackened body crashed heavily to the ground—a blow that also landed squarely on everyone's nerves.

All around, faces were frozen in shock. Wang Xuanbei, in particular, was deathly pale.

"That day, you bullied and humiliated me. Today, you brought men to the Xiao Clan, slaughtered my people, and destroyed most of this estate. You deserve to die."

Having dealt with the old Daoist, Xiao Shui turned his gaze to the half-dead Wang Xuanbei.

"No... don't... I beg you..."

Wang Xuanbei trembled all over, pleading for mercy, but a bolt of Divine Fire descended without warning. A human torch writhed and screamed, letting out a series of horrifying, bloodcurdling shrieks...