Longevity Martial Arts: Grinding Experience in the Chaotic World Chapter 1251 - 649: Heaven-breaking Fist (Part 2)

Si Zhengqi, positioned at the rear, knitted his brows upon hearing the exchange.

"Old Liao speaks the truth. This scent of blood is far too fresh, as if it was spilled only moments ago. Perhaps that insignificant brat is wounded!"

The trio moved with considerable haste, their feet barely touching the ground as they traversed the uneven, jagged rocks as if they were navigating a level path.

Not too far ahead, Gu Sheng's figure flickered in and out of view. Above his head, an ancient, small bell emitted a soft, luminous glow, making him conspicuous even in the dim surroundings.

"It is indeed that bell!"

Liao Feiyu's gaze was immediately alight with avarice.

"The Sect Master promised an Earth Rank Cultivation Technique to whoever secures this bell!"

This declaration was akin to adding fuel to a blazing fire, intensifying the urgency of their pursuit.

Unbeknownst to them, the very ground beneath their feet had begun to feel damp and slick. Each step they took produced faint, scattering droplets of a crimson hue.

Deep within a hollow formed by the peculiar rock formations, a sneer twisted Gu Sheng's lips.

He deliberately reduced his pace, ensuring the pursuers behind him could clearly observe the Ancient Bell's distinctive radiance.

His right hand hovered near his waist, three obsidian-black iron caltrops already held firmly between his fingers.

"Now is the moment!"

Gu Sheng suddenly pivoted and flung his right hand forward with great force.

The iron caltrops sliced through the air, not aimed at his pursuers, but striking three specific, strategically placed stone pillars nearby.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

The sharp sound of impact reverberated through the Stone Forest. Liao Feiyu and his companions were still processing the sounds when they heard the distinct click of mechanisms activating beneath their feet.

"This is bad! It's an ambush!"

Liao Feiyu's urgent warning was abruptly silenced.

The earth beneath them gave way without warning, revealing a gruesome Blood Pool.

This pool was not filled with mere water, but with the "Bone-Eroding Blood Fiend" – a concoction Gu Sheng had prepared beforehand, specifically designed to counteract the Luotian Sect's signature Cultivation Technique.

Si Zhengqi exhibited the quickest reaction, launching himself into the air to evade the treacherous trap.

The very instant he was airborne, Gu Sheng surged from the side, unleashing a powerful sweeping leg kick.

Si Zhengqi attempted a hasty block, but the force of the kick still sent him hurtling backward, where he collided violently with a stone pillar.

Just as he attempted to rise, he noticed his arm had begun to turn a sickening shade of black.

He had inadvertently made contact with the viscous liquid in the Blood Pool during his attempted block.

"It's poisoned!"

Si Zhengqi cried out in sheer terror.

Kong Zhemao's situation was not significantly better.

While he managed to avoid falling into the Blood Pool, he found himself thrown into disarray by dozens of Poisoned Steel Needles that suddenly erupted from the cracks between the stones.

One of these needles raked across his cheek, inflicting a searing, agonizing pain.

Liao Feiyu found himself in the direst predicament, his entire body submerged in the Blood Pool.

He frantically attempted to utilize his Blood Evil Skill for protection, only to discover that the Blood Pool's contents actively countered his Cultivation Technique, accelerating the corrosive process.

"Ahhh!!"

A horrifying scream ripped through the night. Liao Feiyu's face visibly began to dissolve, exposing the stark white of his underlying bones.

He desperately tried to pull himself from the pool, but Gu Sheng delivered a swift kick, sending him back into the depths.

"The first one down."

Gu Sheng calmly tallied, then turned his attention to Si Zhengqi, who was still struggling to purge the poison from his system.

Perceiving Gu Sheng's deadly intent, Si Zhengqi, despite the excruciating pain, raised his sword to meet the assault.

The sword's gleam was as vibrant as a rainbow, but just as it was about to connect with Gu Sheng, its momentum faltered—the poison had taken its toll!

Gu Sheng exploited this critical moment of weakness. His left hand clamped onto Si Zhengqi's sword-wielding wrist, while his right hand, fingers sharpened like blades, plunged directly into his throat.

"Pfft!"

A geyser of blood erupted.

Si Zhengqi's eyes widened in disbelief; he couldn't fathom dying in such a manner.

His body slowly slumped, falling directly at the feet of Kong Zhemao, who had just managed to recover from the needle assault.

"Senior Brother Si!"

Kong Zhemao, overcome with grief and terror, spun around, seeking escape.

However, Gu Sheng offered no such opportunity.

With a flick of his foot, the blood-slicked Longsword lying on the ground was propelled forward, striking Kong Zhemao squarely in the back.

"Ugh! Ah!"

Kong Zhemao collapsed, desperately trying to crawl away.

"Help... help..."

Gu Sheng approached deliberately, placing his foot firmly on Kong Zhemao's back.

"Rest easy. Your companions will be joining you shortly."

With those words, he withdrew the Longsword, delivering a swift, fatal blow to Kong Zhemao.

From a distance, the sounds of hurried, chaotic footsteps could be heard approaching.

Gu Sheng recognized the approach of Gong Xuefeng, leading his contingent.

He quickly surveyed the scene, collecting the Storage Bags and any valuables from the fallen trio, then melted into the winding maze of the Stone Forest.

...

"The commotion originated from this direction!"

When Gong Xuefeng arrived with the remaining members of their group, all they discovered was a pool of rapidly vanishing blood-like liquid and a few torn scraps of clothing.

The air still held the lingering scent of Kong Zhemao and the others, but even that faint trace was dissipating at an alarming rate.

"How... how is this possible?"

A disciple crouched down, trembling, using his fingers to touch the pool of crimson liquid.

"It's Senior Brother Liao's blood! But why did his aura vanish so rapidly?"

Gong Xuefeng’s face was a mask of grimness.

Glancing around, he observed that the arrangement of the stones here was exceptionally peculiar, vaguely forming some type of formation.

Even more baffling was that his Divine Sense could not extend, as if an invisible barrier was impeding it.

"There’s something strange about this location."

Gong Xuefeng stated in a deep tone.

"We might have walked into a trap."

Suddenly, two heart-wrenching screams echoed from a distance.

The sounds were filled with such intense agony that they sent shivers down everyone’s spines.

"That’s Senior Brother Kong!" Kong Feng exclaimed.

"I recognize that voice; one of them is my cousin!"

A wave of shock swept through the group upon this revelation. Kong Zhemao's strength ranked among the top three within their team, and even he had fallen victim. How formidable must the assailant be?

"Senior Brother Gong, should we... should we continue the pursuit?"

A disciple inquired hesitantly.

Gong Xuefeng remained silent for a moment.

He gazed in the direction of the screams, his brows furrowed in deep thought.

Logic dictated an immediate retreat, yet the Sect Master’s promised reward preyed on his greed like a persistent viper.

Just as he wavered, a figure materialized amidst the Stone Forest ahead—it was Gu Sheng, bearing an Ancient Bell atop his head!

"There he is!" Kong Feng, with his sharp eyes, immediately pointed forward.

The entire group spotted the silhouette. It was far too youthful, and the presence of the Ancient Bell above its head confirmed their target; who else could it be?

"Chase him!" A disciple’s eyes blazed with fury.

"He’s taken down so many of our comrades; we cannot let him escape!"

"Hold!"

Gong Xuefeng commanded sternly.

"Have you not realized? He is deliberately luring us further in!"

The disciples halted, though their gazes were filled with palpable frustration at the thought of letting their prey slip away.

"Senior Brother Gong." Kong Feng spoke, lowering his voice.

"That brat is merely exploiting his knowledge of the terrain. With our numbers, what real threat does his cunning pose?"

"Precisely!" Another disciple chimed in agreement.

"Moreover, if we delay and wait for other experts from the Sect to arrive, will the credit for this success still be ours?"

Gong Xuefeng found himself persuaded by their arguments.

He surveyed the remaining members of their group.

Kong Feng was in the late stage of the Heavenly Palace Realm, supported by three in the mid-stage and two in the early stage. With such a formidable lineup, they stood a decent chance against an ordinary Divine Bridge Realm cultivator.

"Very well."

Gong Xuefeng finally gave his assent.

"However, everyone must adhere strictly to my orders; no one acts independently!"

A chorus of agreement rose from the disciples, their eyes reignited with the fires of avarice.

Just as they prepared to advance, Gu Sheng, who was ahead, seemed to sense their intent and abruptly changed direction, fleeing.

"He’s running!" Kong Feng shouted urgently.

Gong Xuefeng gritted his teeth.

"Pursue him! But maintain our formation; do not scatter!"

Six figures gave chase in the direction Gu Sheng had fled.

They remained oblivious to the fact that the ground beneath their feet was growing increasingly slick, and the air was becoming heavy with the pungent odor of blood...

Gu Sheng navigated through the Stone Forest, a cold smile playing on his lips.

He intentionally allowed the glow of the Ancient Bell to flicker intermittently, acting as a beacon to lure his pursuers onward.

"Come closer, just a little closer..."

Gu Sheng mentally calculated the distance, then executed a sudden, sharp turn, disappearing into a narrow crevice between the rocks.

By the time Gong Xuefeng and his companions arrived, they found the path diverging into three, with Gu Sheng nowhere in sight.

"Should we split up to search?" Kong Feng proposed.

"No!"

Gong Xuefeng rejected the suggestion outright.

"The brat desperately wants us to split up. Everyone, follow me down the center path!"

Gu Sheng’s chest heaved with exertion, dried blood still staining the corner of his mouth.

Through the swirling gray mist, he could discern several figures rapidly approaching in the distance.

"Three more arrivals, ripe for the taking."

Gu Sheng let out a sneer.

He vanished from his position in an instant.

The next moment, he materialized behind three disciples of the Luotian Sect. Before they could even register his presence, Gu Sheng’s fist struck with thunderous force.

"Heaven-breaking Fist!"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The dull thuds echoed almost simultaneously. The experts in the early stage of the Heavenly Palace Realm were obliterated before they could utter a single cry, sent flying backward to crash violently against the surrounding, peculiar stones.

These stones instantly sprouted sharp spikes, impaling the three unfortunate cultivators in mid-air.

Gu Sheng approached them, his expressionless face betraying no emotion, and stored their bodies within his Void Ring.

The remains of these Heavenly Palace Realm experts served as potent nourishment for Ling Xiao.