Swift Lightning Step

The shadow of death washed over Mo Yuan like icy water, engulfing his entire body in an instant.

The chilling wind raised by the poisoned dagger had already pierced the Daoist robe on his back, and a cold stabbing pain shot through him.

He could neither evade nor block!

At this critical moment between life and death, Mo Yuan's Primordial Comprehension began operating madly at an unprecedented speed.

Countless scenes from his past cultivation—the profound trajectories of the Heavenly Thunder Pacing the Stars, the essence of the Ghost Shadow Footwork, the elusive intent of ethereal flowing wind, the Nine Heavens Thunder Talisman Grand Codex's explanation of lightning's ultimate speed, even his perception of subtle spatial fluctuations—collided and fused like countless fragments within the crucible of desperate pressure.

His body seemed to break free from the constraints of his consciousness, following an instinctive trajectory beyond all his previous understanding as it reacted in the impossible.

He did not attempt to turn around, nor did he futilely try to block. Instead, he poured all his remaining spiritual power, along with the subtle control over his body granted by that wisp of Innate Spiritual Energy, into his legs.

The footwork of Heavenly Thunder Pacing the Stars beneath his feet suddenly twisted and changed, blending with the unpredictability of the Ghost Shadow Footwork and the tracelessness of ethereal flowing wind.

"Whoosh!"

His figure left behind an almost solid afterimage crackling with faint electricity, while his true body made an utterly unnatural, near-teleportation-like sidestep, forcibly shifting half a foot sideways.

That crucial half-foot!

"Screech!"

With a teeth-grating scrape, the poisoned dagger sliced past his ribs, tearing open his Daoist robe and leaving a bloody gash between his ribs so deep that bone was visible, flesh curling outward.

Agonizing pain surged through him, but he had ultimately avoided his heart! The dagger's icy poison instantly invaded the wound, trying to spread.

Disbelief flashed through the lurking assassin's eyes. His certain killing blow had actually missed.

Yet Mo Yuan's counterattack erupted at that very instant, when the assassin's old force had faded, his new force had yet to arise, his body was off balance, and poison ravaged Mo Yuan's body.

Mo Yuan did not even look at the assassin, much less care about the agonizing pain in his ribs or the rampant poison.

All his focus and will were concentrated on the mysterious insight into footwork he had just gained, as well as the Thunder Dragon Evil-Slaying Spear clenched in his hand.

At the instant his body shifted slightly and passed the assassin, the arm holding his spear suddenly swung backward at an extremely awkward yet incomparably coordinated angle.

At the same time, he forcibly drew upon the wisp of Primordial Thunder Essence Qi he had only recently absorbed and had not yet fully refined, fusing it into the spear.

"Thunderbolt... Turning Strike!"

The Thunder Dragon Evil-Slaying Spear let out a suppressed yet violent dragon's roar. Lightning gathered inward along its shaft, leaving only a single point of white-gold baleful lightning condensed to the extreme at its tip. Like a thrust fired from a returning horse, it stabbed toward the assassin's glabella at a speed beyond the eye's ability to follow.

There was no flourish in this strike. It was the pure manifestation of speed, timing, and unyielding determination—the entirety of his potential wrung out at the brink of life and death.

The assassin was still immersed in the shock and momentary stiffness of his failed killing blow. He had never expected his opponent to unleash such a terrifyingly swift counterattack under such circumstances.

By the time he noticed that fatal spark of lightning, it was already too late for any effective defense or evasion.

"Pfft!"

A soft yet chilling crisp sound rang out.

The spear tip struck the assassin's glabella with absolute precision.

The highly condensed Geng Metal Thunderous Evil and Primordial Thunder Essence Qi erupted instantly. Like a red-hot needle piercing tofu, they easily broke through the hastily gathered soul-light protecting his body, destroyed his sea of consciousness, and annihilated his soul.

The shock in the assassin's eyes froze. He remained rigid in his forward-lunging posture for an instant before collapsing limply to the ground, all breath gone.

Silence!

The entire battlefield within the rocky forest seemed to freeze for a moment due to that lightning-fast reversal and kill.

Whether it was the Netherworld Foundation Establishment cultivator battling Uncle-Master Xuan Ji or the remaining Black Fiend Sect disciples, all stared in disbelief at the youth whose ribs were drenched in blood, whose face was pale yet who still stood tall, his spear dripping with an enemy's brain matter and lightning.

An eighth-layer Qi Refinement cultivator had counter-killed a half-step Foundation Establishment Netherworld assassin after being ambushed, severely wounded, and poisoned?

What kind of combat instinct was that? What terrifying strength?!

"Good!"

Though Uncle-Master Xuan Ji was at a disadvantage in his fight with the Netherworld Foundation Establishment cultivator, he could not help shouting in praise. His spirits surged, and his attacks became even fiercer.

Mo Yuan had no time to spare. After killing his enemy in a single blow, intense dizziness and weakness swept over him like a tide.

The wound in his ribs burned with agonizing pain. The icy poison spread madly along his meridians, freezing spiritual power and necrotizing flesh wherever it passed.

He yanked the Thunder Dragon Evil-Slaying Spear from the ground and used it as support, barely managing to steady himself.

He swiftly took out and swallowed a common Antitoxin Pill, then circulated his spiritual power to force out the poison, but the effect was minimal.

The poison on that Netherworld dagger was clearly anything but ordinary.

"System, check in!" At the brink of death, he once again placed his hopes on the system.

[ Ding! Check-in successful! Congratulations, Host, for obtaining: Top-Grade Spirit Stone x1, Hundred Herbs Antitoxin Pellet (High Grade) x3, Yi Wood Eternal Life Art (Fragment) x1, remnant aura of the Primordial World: a wisp of indestructible life origin qi! ]

[Hundred Herbs Antitoxin Pellet (High Grade)]: Can cure most strange poisons in the world and is especially effective against icy and corrosive toxins.

[Yi Wood Eternal Life Art (Fragment)]: A fragment of an ancient cultivation art containing the power of life and healing. It can accelerate recovery from injuries and nourish the physical body.

[A wisp of indestructible life origin qi]: Contains the utmost vitality. It can repair physical damage, dispel negative conditions, and even resist instant-death effects to a certain degree. Its effects increase alongside the Host's strength.

"Life origin qi!"

Mo Yuan roared inwardly and immediately guided the emerald-green aura, brimming with vitality as if it could bring the dead back to life, into his body.

In an instant, a warm and vast force of life flowed through his limbs and bones.

The savage wound in his ribs began healing at a visible rate. His frozen meridians opened once more, while the cold and vicious poison, as if it had encountered its natural nemesis before this supreme force of life, was swiftly expelled and purified.

In merely a few breaths, the wound in Mo Yuan's ribs had scabbed over, the intense pain had vanished, and the poison in his body had been completely cleared away.

Though his spiritual power was still depleted, his physical injuries had somehow recovered seventy to eighty percent.

Even the exhaustion from the previous battle had eased considerably.

The effect of this indestructible life origin qi far exceeded his expectations.

Without hesitation, he swallowed another Hundred Herbs Antitoxin Pellet. As its medicinal power spread, it further consolidated the effect.

At the same time, information from the Yi Wood Eternal Life Art (Fragment) flooded into his mind. Though it was only a fragment, the principles of life and healing methods contained within would greatly supplement his ability to survive in the future.

It sounded like a long process, but in truth, it all happened within a few short breaths.

When Mo Yuan straightened his back again, divine light returning to his eyes and his aura even more condensed than before, the remaining Black Fiend Sect disciples were utterly terrified.

What kind of monster was this?! He could recover instantly even after suffering severe injuries and poison?!

No one knew who shouted first, but the remaining dozen or so disciples lost all will to fight and turned to flee into the dense black fog.

"Trying to run? Thunder Arc Flash!"

A cold light flashed in Mo Yuan's eyes. How could he let them escape to report this? With both hands, he flicked out several prepared Thunder Arc Flash talismans, which shot into the fleeing disciples and exploded.

Blinding electric serpents leaped wildly, forming a net of lightning that scorched the disciples black all over and sent them convulsing to the ground.

On the other side, seeing that Mo Yuan was unharmed, Uncle-Master Xuan Ji was greatly reassured. With a furious roar, golden light surged from his Peach Wood Sword. He unleashed a secret Maoshan sword art, finally forcing the Netherworld Foundation Establishment cultivator back again and again, leaving several charred sword wounds on his body.

The Netherworld Foundation Establishment cultivator was both shocked and furious. He had not expected the target to be so troublesome, much less that the ambushing assassin would fail and be killed.

Seeing that the situation was hopeless, he shot Mo Yuan and Xuan Ji a venomous glare before suddenly throwing out a black bead.

"Boom!"

The bead exploded, transforming into ink-black smoke that instantly obscured their vision and even blocked divine sense.

"Not good! He's trying to escape!"

Uncle-Master Xuan Ji swept his sleeve and dispersed the black smoke, but the Netherworld Foundation Establishment cultivator had already used that brief obstruction to transform into a shadowy figure and flee into the depths of Burial Demon Valley, vanishing without a trace.

Uncle-Master Xuan Ji did not recklessly pursue him. The inner region of Burial Demon Valley was filled with danger, and a desperate foe should not be chased.

The battle had temporarily come to an end.

Uncle-Master Xuan Ji came to Mo Yuan's side. Looking at his already healed wound and recovered aura, his eyes were filled with shock and curiosity. Yet in the end, he did not ask anything. He merely patted Mo Yuan on the shoulder.

"You did well! If not for your quick reaction this time, the consequences would have been unimaginable."

Mo Yuan panted softly and shook his head. "This disciple was merely fortunate."

He looked toward the still-erupting Yin Fiend Spring and the floating phantom of the Ten Thousand Souls Banner.

"Uncle-Master, this place is not safe to remain in. We must destroy the spring's node as soon as possible."

"Mm."

Uncle-Master Xuan Ji nodded. His gaze shifted to the Yin Fiend Spring, and a cold gleam flashed in his eyes. "Let these evil things vanish completely!"

He raised the Peach Wood Sword once more, gathering all his spiritual power as he prepared to unleash his strongest strike and utterly destroy this evil stronghold.

Meanwhile, Mo Yuan silently sensed the wisp of indestructible life origin qi that had not yet fully dissipated within him, as well as the profound insight into footwork in his mind.

He knew that after this battle, his Heavenly Thunder Pacing the Stars had transformed, merging with his own understanding. It could now be called—Swift Lightning Step.

His strength had once again taken a solid step forward through the baptism of blood and fire.

And the adventure in Burial Demon Valley was clearly far from over.

The escaped Netherworld Foundation Establishment cultivator, as well as the true purpose hidden behind the Yin Fiend Spring they had been seeking, hung over the path ahead like dark clouds.